In business today we are focused on doing more with less. Technology aims to assist in realizing this endeavour. Once in play, technology helps us achieve this outcome via increased productivity and efficiency. When used well genuine benefits can be gained on a micro and macro scale, including competitive advantage and improved profitability.
Many of you reading this article are likely in a position of responsibility for a department, a function or an overall business. Ask yourself these questions:
Are you generally busy and fully taxed when completing your responsibilities in your role? (Most honest hoteliers will know that they are).
If I am fully taxed performing my role, is it reasonable that the person leading technology is fully taxed performing their role?
If the response to question 2. is, “I don’t have a technology professional”, it’s time for serious evaluation and introspection.
Technology is a highly involved management domain. No different to any other function inside the hospitality business. Yet, through a lack of understanding a prevalent view exists that unlike any other aspect of the business of hospitality, technology execution magically happens.
Perhaps the technology industry is partly to blame with lofty promises of ease of adoption, artificial intelligence and time saving short cuts. There are no shortcuts. It’s not magic.
Over the course of my career it has proven to be the case that the return on investment from technology will be a direct result of the professionalism by which the organisation manages the domain. This should not be a surprise to any serious hospitality professional.
Life is so tech! But it requires experienced oversight.
Cheers, Mark Fancourt
