Hundreds of vendors are about to spend three days hawking their wares to thousands of attendees at HITEC. It’s a thrilling time for all the techies who attend. It’s like a toy show. All new bright shiny stuff to look at. This year, Tablets and clouds…… sounds like what doctors and weatherman talk about.
On the exhibit floor, there will be magnificent castles with princesses spinning stories of the “magic wand” that will solve all technology problems. A three ring circus with all sorts of software performing a cunning array of stunts. Travelling medicine wagons with tonics to cure all that ails you.
From every vendor,
“FEATURES, FEATURES, look at what my technology can do for you”
It’s not an easy task. Some much competition and so many customers.
It’s bewildering for all the non-techies who are there to figure out, how all this technology actually has anything to do with operating and managing a hotel and making some money.
Oh, That’s right.
This is about the hotel business.
And making someone a profit.
Okay, we can call it the hospitality business, but hotels are still the place where people sleep, eat their meals and meet with other people.
It’s the experience to the guest we sell.
“IT’S ALL ABOUT THE GUEST !!!”
No guest, no profit.
That’s the test.
The technology must provide the hotel with a BENEFIT which will in turn create a guest room night
So what does the technology need to do?
- Drive Revenue,
- Enhance the customer service
- Improve productivity
- Increase efficiency
There you have the “LITMUS TEST” for the technology.
If it doesn’t create a BENEFIT of one of these criteria,
Then it’s not likely to help you to create that all important “guest night”
“It’s all about the guest”
And the
“Benefit to the owner”
So when you talk to the vendors, listen for the benefits, they are hard to hear, as you mainly will be hearing about the features……….
NEXT BLOG……”ONE BIG THING”
Warren Markwart is a seasoned international hospitality professional with over 30 years of experience in all aspects of hospitality operations and corporate brand headquarters. He is currently principle of an international hotel consulting practice, MK2 Hospitality, in Toronto, Canada.
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