Hotel tech investments should have long-term value
Hotel technology supervisors must avoid the temptation to spend money on short-term survival initiatives and instead try their best to future-proof their properties.
Hoteliers in charge of technological improvements cannot implement considerations that merely will allow survival during COVID-19 but must be conscious of the tech that is best for the long term, according to sources.
Speaking at the recent hybrid conference HOSPACE, Jane Pendlebury, CEO of conference host HOSPA, said technology must be used to improve the guest experience.
"Retail consumers are getting frustrated with the experience they are getting, and hospitality needs to take note of what that frustration is," she said.
IT departments must step carefully, panelists said, adding that enhanced technology is not the right path for every hotel's guest profile, which makes the investment difficult to justify.
"Is the IT you put in going to have long-term benefit?" asked Andrew Evers, group IT manager at Red Carnation Hotels. "It is easy to spend £100,000 ($110,700) today and then find out it is worthless and start back-tracking. Do not go with something you really had not considered just because it will get you over the hill now."
Panelists said that with so much pent-up demand working from home, the role of the IT manager is becoming more vital and commercial.
"It is a completely different landscape," Evers said. "It was a back-of-house role, but now we have to think in the same way as sales and revenue managers. This is not entirely new, but it has come to a head, subtly first and now quite swiftly."
