Remember when the internet first came into our lives… “Go see my son he understands better than me all this” ..OTAs .. “it will never work, Customer comes to me directly” ..The TripAdivsor rating “what is the purpose of it again? ..”
The digital revolution has been going on for years but for some reason inertia or skepticism is still there in the Hotel Industry. Yet we are still at the beginning and many professionals in the sector are refractory when told they will have to reshuffle the cards because the new Customer behavior.
Just look at the world around us.
Look at large stores that rethink their circulation, consumption, access to the cash register, queues … the Customer journey. Consider how quickly the transport industry continually reinvents check in, access to ‘vehicles’ (train, plane, etc.). Note automatic access gate to the platform in railway stations, airports. Note the self-check-in gates at the doors of planes and trains. And especially observe the use of these new technologies, these new services by your Clients, by us.
So what is the hospitality industry doing?
Old habits are hard to kill “we always did it like that”, “we do not want to lose contact with the Customer”, “you know we are only innkeepers after all” are legions.
Yet some traditional sectors had to evolve at the risk of disappearing. Farming, traditional profession by essence that is equipped with GPS tractor, satellite topography to laser milking machine. The fast food industry that sees its registers disappear in favor of digital order and payment kiosk.
Innovative concepts have been launched, codes have been changed, but few have initiated deep changes in order to simplifying and innovating the Customer arrival.
However, the Hotel Industry must change or face the risk of remaining on the bench of “aging industries”.
Nevertheless the task is tough even for the actors who have become aware of this obligation.
The acquisition of the best technology is not enough, the digital transition proposed to your customers must be followed internally. New technologies lead to new habits that inevitably lead to new hotel SOP for your teams. Change management is a mandatory notion to guarantee the success of the profession’s challenges.
Ladies and Gentlemen Hoteliers, anticipate in 2018 because the acceleration will become stunning and you do not want to watch the train go by …
