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When it comes to new technology adoption, hoteliers often see it as a cumbersome process that’s not worth the risk. The sentiment is that if it isn’t business critical and can’t get them closer to achieving short term goals, it can wait. Without a compelling vision for what the new technology is and how it’s going to bring organization-wide positive change, it can be scary for anyone to take ownership of a new technology initiative.
But, if you invest in the right hotel technology, it can save you money, make your staff more productive, and get guests raving about your hotel online. And, that leads to more bookings and more money for your hotel.
At the end of the day, you want to make it easy for guests to book their stay and customize it to their preferences. You want to give guests options and let them choose what's important to them during their stay. The way to do this is through technology that seamlessly connects guests with your hotel, inspires them, and gives them more options to choose from. This is the future of guest satisfaction and you can be at the forefront of this change.
Our team at LasoExperience works closely with hotels and brands to understand and address some of the major concerns to new technology adoption. Let’s see if any of these sound familiar to you and what are the solutions.
Not everyone understands it
When people don't understand what's going on, it's tough to get their support for any new initiative. That's why it's important to be clear about what you're trying to do and why. If there's a new technology that you want to implement at your property, make sure to explain it in a way that everyone can understand.
E.g. What does it mean for Keith in Marketing? Or how does it affect Stella from the Operations Management team?
Create an overview that lays out the details and what it's supposed to do. That way, everyone's on the same page and it's easier to get people excited about it.
Will it disrupt the existing technology ecosystem?
This is a common concern, especially if the new tech is being implemented at the property level. And let's be real, hotels have a lot of different systems and vendors that don't always play well together. Guest data is spread out all over the place and it's hard to get a clear picture of who they are and what they want.
That’s why it's important to conduct thorough research and due diligence to ensure that the new system is compatible with the existing systems and can integrate seamlessly. Additionally, a phased implementation approach, where the new system is rolled out in stages, can also help to minimize disruptions to daily operations.
At LasoExperience we understand that adding new technology while maintaining the existing software is a balancing act. That's why we always work towards enabling easy integrations with some of the best systems that hotels are already using to run their business, such as the PMS, door locks, and service ticket automation software.
Who will educate our staff?
A common worry for hotels when considering new technology implementation is that they won’t have the time and resources to spend on educating the staff on how to use it effectively. Some hotel technology solutions boast a great number of useful functionality but their complexity can be intimidating to end users i.e. your staff and guests.
However, there are solutions that are user-friendly and easy to navigate, like LasoExperience, requiring a zero learning curve. This means that the staff can start using the platform immediately without any additional training or adjustment period. This can help to minimize disruptions to daily operations and ensure that staff are able to quickly and effectively utilize the new system to improve performance and guest experience.
P.S. Consider also involving staff in the selection process, and testing the system with a pilot group before rolling out to the entire staff.
Who will take ownership of the new tech implementation?
To ensure successful implementation of the new system, it's important to assign a dedicated team or individual to take ownership of the implementation process. This person or team should be responsible for overseeing the implementation, coordinating with vendors and other stakeholders, and ensuring that the new system is properly integrated with existing systems.
How do we engage guests to use it?
To ensure that guests are aware of the guest app and its benefits, it's important to promote the app through various channels such as the hotel website, social media, and email marketing. Additionally, providing guests with information about the app and its benefits during check-in or through in-room literature can also help to increase awareness and adoption.
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More advanced guest-facing solutions, such as LasoExperience, start engaging the guest from the booking confirmation email. Embedded link leads the guest through the app flow and provides a way to pre check-in. Hotels can then capture guest contact details ahead of time, learn about their preferences and enable guests to explore relevant offers and experiences.
Who else is using it?
What we repeatedly see in the industry is that many hoteliers are risk-averse when it comes to modern technology. Too often, technology decisions are made by hotel operations or marketing, roles that are not typically tech-savvy, and are based more on what they used before or what the competition is using. This is a fundamentally wrong approach as it blocks innovation and prevents hotels from achieving the ‘unfair advantage’ that comes with implementing the right technology at the right time.
Does new technology come with a risk? Yes, but business is inherently risky and so is every decision you make. If you’re championing new technology in your organization you need to be aware of this risk and have a plan in place to mitigate it. This may include conducting research to ensure that the new technology is well-suited to the needs of the hotel, providing support to staff, and promoting the technology to guests through various channels. Additionally, it's important to continuously monitor and evaluate the success of the new technology and be prepared to make adjustments as needed.
Takeaways
To make the adoption process less daunting, it's important to understand the purpose and benefits of the new technology, do your research, and choose solutions that are easy to implement. That way, you can add the new technology without disrupting your daily operations and with minimum risk.
Our team at LasoExperience understands the concerns and challenges you're facing and we offer solutions that address them. Let's work together to bring organization-wide positive change to your hotel through technology adoption.
