Technology

The Shift...It's Happening

Technology is changing the world...we all know that. What you may not know is how quickly it's changing, and how important this is to you...and to hospitality.

Watch this video (courtesy of glumbert.com). It crystallizes the velocity of the change going on around us...the shift. You can't stop it. You probably can't alter it or slow it down. But, you can take advantage of it. This shift toward greater efficiency, greater knowledge, lower cost of production, a global economy, more outsourcing, etc., creates a grand opportunity for those with a different skill set...the ability to build relationships, communicate well, care for others, create meaningful experiences and to provide engaging service. For most of us, technical skills will take a back seat to relating to, understanding and dealing with people.

Since you aren't likely to do it any faster or cheaper (just check out the statistics on China and India), going forward, your best chance to be extraordinary will likely be in the non-technical fields, including hospitality. So, will there be a flood of talent into our industry? How will we train people who used to build computers and cars to be hosts and tour guides? We're going to explore this more on tomorrow's indieHotelier show at 11 AM EDT (US). Visit Talkshoe to listen or join-in. It should be interesting and fun.


Technology and Conversations

I recently ran across these conversation starters while skimming ehotelier forums:

"Dear Hospitality Professionals, Can anybody provide me with information what it is like to work for the Concorde El Salaam hotel in Cairo, Egypt?"

"Currently Negotiating salary for a GM role in Asia. Can you please advise what the salaries are like or I should expect for a 61 room 5 star resort/hotel with 2 F&B outlets?"

This got me thinking about how technology has changed the way conversations occur, and more importantly, how fast information is exchanged. Consider the amount of time it takes for a stranger (prospective guest, employee, vendor, etc.) to know almost everything about your company. Consider who these people are talking to, who they're listening to and how they're doing it. Whether the information they gather is true, half true, or completely false doesn't matter. What matters is that now more than ever, they're basing their decision to buy, donate or sell based on outsider information...the stuff you don't initiate. You might call this process a reality check...information they gather from others is stacked up against what you say. If it jives, you're okay. If not, well...you might not get the call.

Here's the point...You no longer have control of the information or the conversations about you. Your website, advertising and PR plan are quickly becoming a sideshow as people find new ways of learning the truth. Customer evangelism is no longer limited to backyard BBQ's and to the office watercooler. Rants and raves are now being amplified to all corners of the planet...and at lightening speed. As a result, you only have two choices...do nothing and hope things go in your favor...or, become an active participant, learn and educate.

So, are you part of the "new" conversation? Have you conducted a Google search on your firm or hotel to see who's linking to you? Better yet, do you have one automatically delivered to your in-box each morning? Do you regularly monitor sites like epinions and trip advisor? Do you watch the blogosphere via Technorati? Does your website have an RSS feed? If some of this sounds like a a foreign language, I understand. Most people don't read blogs, let alone write one. And, most people don't check multiple on-line forums before deciding to talk with you. But...some people do. And, those people talk to other people. And, as each day passes, the minority gets closer to being the majority. You get the picture. I'm not suggesting you become a computer hack. I'm challenging you to embrace the fact that conversations happen...with or without you, and now, in places you may never have imagined. Your task is to somehow get tuned-in, jump-in when it's appropriate, or better yet, start a new discussion altogether.

The bad news is that technology has made the conversation game much more complicated. The good news is that technology has leveled the playing field, giving everyone an equal opportunity to spread the word about their product, and engage their audience...it's cheaper and easier than ever. Now, you just need to acknowledge the power, and make use of the tools available.

No Keys Required

Hotel_nfc_1
Here's a story from Contactless News about a new system which eliminates room keys and the need to stop by the front desk for check-in. Room keys are replaced by an access code transmitted to your cell phone which is then used at the guest room door to gain entry. Apparently, a few hotels in Europe are trying it out with some success.

I think the benefits are obvious, especially for business travelers. The majority of the road warrior class has always wanted maximum efficiency with minimum contact...to be more productive. Bypassing the check-in line has been goal number one for years with the development of check-in kiosks, express check-in envelopes, etc. But, until now, bypassing the registration step has never really been achieved...you still had to stop somewhere before going to your room.

Obviously, there are a variety of issues to contend with including security, data theft, room changes, etc. But, one of the biggest considerations is to be careful not to push this system onto people who don't want it. Luxury, most leisure and even some business travelers don't necessarily want to cut-out the personal welcome. They just want to eliminate the process...standing in a line to talk to the top of a clerk's head.  The challenge is to somehow find a means which accomplishes a personalized arrival without all of the "processes". Try eliminating the front desk as a first step. I know that sounds a bit radical, but so did issuing keys through cell phones not that long ago. I believe the vast majority of people don't want to wait in line, go to a counter or watch people enter information into a computer...no matter if it's business or pleasure. The cell phone idea is a big step in the right direction. But, it still leaves us with a problem...handling all the arriving guests who enjoy talking with someone, shaking hands and being greeted with a smile.

Do You Have Any Telephone Revenue Left?

Things are moving right along, aren't they...

LONDON, England (CNN) -- Tech-savvy business travelers are forcing a rethink on how hotels charge for long-distance communications, meaning that exorbitant phone bills on the road could soon be a thing of the past.

The advent of the cell phone has already had an impact on hotel call charges with most guests preferring to use their mobiles rather than clock up charges on their room rate.

But for international travelers, huge roaming costs or incompatible networks mean they may have no choice but to reach for the receiver in their room.

Now, with more hotels wiring up to provide in-room broadband Internet access, guests are able to plug into cheap -- or even free -- phone calls using a principle known as voice over Internet protocol, or VoIP.

The rest of the story

Can you say, Skype me!

Technology Paradox

Gadgets are great. Technology is wonderful. It certainly makes my life easier and more enjoyable (most days). And, it helps hotel guests too. A recent NY Times article (thanks Alex for the pointer) explains how technology is making people feel more “at home” and how we hoteliers are able to “adapt” to our guests more seamlessly.

But, be careful…these things have a tendency to get out of hand. Look at check-in kiosks for example. These well hyped devices are anything but personal. They aren’t friendly or caring. And, they can’t tell you where to find a good meal after 10 PM.

There’s a fine line between technology that serves the hotel owner (higher efficiency and productivity, lower labor costs, etc.) and that which enhances the guest stay. Clearly, we have a big responsibility to look at this carefully.

The bottom line…guests like to feel special and cared for. And, while technology can and will do a lot to help that along, only people (emotional, passionate and “take a chance” people) can deliver what guests want most. Please don’t make the mistake of replacing that with a robot.

Podsnapper

If you're interested in building your business or your own micro brand, you should think about podcasting.

And, if you're thinking about podcasting you should download this free guide Michael Pollock recently released. It's a perfect introduction for anyone considering this relatively new way to converse with your customers, friends, family, etc. It certainly gave me some ideas.

Here's the link to the download:

Podsnapper

Podcasting

I've decided to enter the world of podcasting. Or, at least make a valiant attempt. If you don't know what podcasting is...read this...it's changing the way people listen.

It's not for everyone. It takes time, creativity and so forth. And, the audience is still small, even smaller than for blogs. But, that's changing. As far as I can tell, I'll be the first in the hospitality/service arena to launch a show.

I'm still working through the technical aspects and content development. But, I would say the innaugural program would debut sometime near the beginning of November.

I need some thoughts about what you want to hear in these podcasts. Here's the idea so far...

10-20 minutes in length per show
released weekly
interviews with interesting guests
interviews of me (I know..scary)
some entertianment (music, etc.)
rants and raves about things we do in our business (good and bad)...probably the main theme of the program
product and service reviews (examples of remarkability and not so)
listener comment, e-mail comment review

Any thoughts?

Free Internet?

It seems that as an industry we're on the back side of the power curve...again.

I saw this recent article in USA Today about how confusing it is for our guests to determine who has internet service and more importantly what is being charged for said service. This state of affairs clearly indicates "we" are more focused on short term financial gain than what's important to our guests.

In the article, Megg comments,

I'm still befuddled why it is so difficult to just get a straight answer about the charge of high-speed Internet.

Here's my response to her

Nice article on the hotel internet price mess. I completely agree. I don’t know why this is so difficult for us as an industry. And, with internet access a way of life for the majority of travelers, I don’t know how and why we still charge for the service? We don’t charge extra for soap or shampoo…

The answer likely lies in our continued short-term financial focus vs. a more “guest centric” model. By now, WiFi should be free in every hotel. Charging for that service just makes us look foolish given the cost to provide it is almost nil and the fact that it is so widely available…for nothing. Any laggards look like poachers, or maybe worse. So much value could be added with complimentary services like this…far more than can be gained via the daily charge. Bravo to those who “get it”. Shame on those who don’t.

Let me know if you feel differently.

Self Serve

Fairmont_lobby

Here's yet another fine hotel company falling victim to the "technology makes everything better" bug.

Fairmont is installing self-serve check-in kiosks in their hotels. Here's the link to the full story, and here's why they claim to be doing it:

Jeff Senior, Fairmont's senior vice president of sales & marketing believes the new kiosks are another symbol of the brand's promise of personalization. "We're fully committed to welcoming all of our guests in the manner which they prefer, and are driven to developing processes and products that make it easy for our customers to do business with us. By enhancing the arrival experience in its entirety, we are completely reinventing this process and putting control in the hands of our guests."

Fairmont operates some very nice hotels, priding themselves on personalized service and world class facilities. So, why would they dilute their message this way? Why would they risk the trust they have with their customers?

There's nothing about a check-in kiosk that "enhances" the arrival experience, makes it more "personal" or "easier", unless you're a robot. And, I'm willing to bet, it's not what guests "want" either.

This move has nothing to do with guests, and everything to do with operator convenience and the bottom line. And, that's a bad approach in the hospitality business...in any business.

Mr. Senior, I think most of us would prefer a friendly gretting and a handshake when we get to the front door.

You can read more about my thoughts on kiosks here and here.

Blog Tutorial

I recently released my own Blog Tutorial to friends with some favorable responses. So, it's now made its debut in the downloads section over on the right. If you want something completely accurate, technical or more comprehensive, there's plenty of that all over the web. I've even referenced a better version in the tutorial. I started mine when I was challenged to explain this stuff to my Mom. So, it's no technical manual. Please keep that in mind when perusing my amatuer version.

Are You Wired Yet?

This is a pretty good summary by Seth Godin of where things stand with regard to the internet and related technology. Historically, our industry has lagged behind in using new mediums and technology, especially in terms of building relationships with customers. I think that's starting to change.

Do you know what these are? And, more importantly, are you using them to stay in touch with your guests?

RSS
Technorati
Aggregator (nope, it doesn't live in FL)
Feed
BoingBoing
Google (If you don't know this one, it could be all over but the cry'in)
Flickr

Wake Up!

Hilton_clock


This just in…Hilton is installing a custom alarm clock in all of their hotel rooms for all brands. More than you ever wanted to know on the subject can be found here.

I like the idea of the new clock because unlike most hotel models (especially in branded hotels), it looks stylish, seems easy to use and includes MP3 connectivity. In fact, of the reasons listed, that’s the most important one…the music. The other reasons have more to do with our being challenged with the operation of current models and our sleep habits than the actual benefits of the “new” clock. They took a survey in late March of this year to determine why people don’t like the current timepiece (I know, don’t ask why they just now took the survey…seems odd to me too). The survey responses indicate that most of us don’t like to wake-up to the annoying buzzer (duh!), and are worried about sleeping in late (double duh!). Isn’t this why we have an alarm clock? Here’s the kicker, “ In fact, millions of Americans consider setting a hotel alarm clock to be the most complicated task versus filing their taxes or programming their VCR”. You must be kidding! So, I guess this new clock will prevent us from sleeping in late and be “more productive” as a result of the soothing wake-up music.

That’s way too much information to affect a fairly minor change. And, it's probably not the real reason anyway. It probably has more to do with a challenge to the marketing department to get the most bang for the buck with a low cost item change (the old clocks probably ran about $10). Personally, I'd worry less about the clocks, and more about those new ATM style check-in kiosks.

Here’s how I would have promoted this new guestroom feature…our old clocks looked, felt and worked like crap. We heard your complaints and saw enough remnants from your fits of rage to figure out something was wrong. So, we changed them, and in the process made it easier for you to enjoy your own music. And, if you didn’t bring any, we’ll loan you an iPod…enjoy your stay.

Faster Is Not Always Better

I recently read this bit of Travelocity misguided strategy at Hospitality Net. It might be slick, but I don’t think it’s what most of us want in a Travel Agent experience, not even at the corporate level. I think we want someone who demonstrates caring, attention to detail, superior knowledge of the destination and most of all, someone who takes the time to listen to us.

Here’s a key point from the story…

“The new Travelocity Business Mid-Office software, part of the eFulfillment suite, helps minimize the need for additional human intervention by automating routine but important tasks required after a traveler or an agent has booked a trip”

Faster does not normally lead to memorable service!

Here are some folks who are passionate about the travel business. They don’t try to make it quick, just better!

Rudi Steele, Rudi Steele Travel (Dallas, Texas)
Robin Sanders, Sanders Travel Centre (Fort Worth, Texas)
Jerry Pollyea, Pro Travel (Sherman Oaks, California)
Sue Bauer, All World Travel (Scottsdale, Arizona)

RSS is Checking-In

The hotel industry is notoriously slow in adopting new technology. We've just recently reached the majority stage of providing high speed internet access in our properties. So, this is favorable news out of Austin...

E-site Marketing Launches First Application of RSS Technology For Lake Austin Spa Resort

I found this part of the article particularly interesting...

According to Brad Ellis, Executive Director of Sales and Marketing at Lake Austin Spa Resort, “within one month of launching the new website and online boutique, we generated approximately $30,000 in online store sales, website traffic doubled, and the store ranked number one out of 256,000 results in Yahoo! for an extremely popular search term. This new RSS technology employed on our website achieved traffic increases and Search Engine rankings that typically would have taken months for us to realize.”

If you haven't considered incorporating RSS into your Web presence, get with it! Don't be a straggler with this one.