The Automation Paradox and the Cost of the Machine at Booking.com

The article analyzes the phenomenon of the automation paradox using the Booking.com platform as an example. The author indicates that technology does not eliminate human labor but changes its character, removing routine tasks and leaving employees with only the most difficult and conflict-ridden cases. Customer service thus becomes the system's 'resilience layer,' requiring high cognitive and emotional competencies from people in crisis situations. Despite its key role in preventing losses and maintaining the company's reputation, this work is often economically undervalued and treated as a cost center. The text also draws attention to the emerging prestige asymmetry between IT specialists and customer service staff, leading to symbolic and spatial hierarchization within the organization.