Jason Edwards: What happens when new technology hits the front desk
Hospitality advisor Jason Edwards discusses tech implementation pitfalls, change management, hotel tech stack decisions, and what hotels risk losing operationally when they deflag from a brand.
Photo by Cloudbeds
What really happens after a hotel decides to change its technology? Jason Edwards, Director of Hospitality & Advisory Services at Première Advisory Group, joins The Turndown to unpack the part of hotel tech that often gets underestimated: what happens once the decision reaches the property and the team has to make it work.
Jason draws on more than two decades in hospitality and 15 years in project management to explain why even a smart technology decision can run into trouble if operational teams are not ready for the transition. He talks through the realities of implementations, the importance of planning and change management, and why so many hotel employees are experiencing a major system change for the very first time.
The conversation also goes deep on deflagging and what hotels can lose when they leave a brand, from systems and distribution to OTA relationships, Google visibility, websites, and marketing support. Jason explains why going independent can create opportunity, but only if owners are prepared to rebuild demand and invest in the commercial infrastructure that a brand previously provided.
We also get into crowded hotel tech stacks, all-in-one versus best-of-breed systems, what AI actually means in a buying decision, and why hotels should focus less on buzzwords and more on what the technology really does. Jason also shares his view on direct booking, net revenue by channel, professional photography, and the fundamentals hotels still need to get right no matter how fast the technology changes.