COMMENT
COMMENT | PETER HANCOCK
Techno logicality
By PETER HANCOCK,
CEO of Pride of Britain hotels
A
decision whether to invest in pictures in the sitting room. You did it is hidden out of sight. Thus the gears
expensive technology is among because you knew it would enhance change by themselves, the lights
the trickiest most hoteliers your customers’ experience so they are come on when it’s dark and the satnav
will face. On one side will be members more likely to return. In the same way, speaks calm instructions. Most of us
of the team who say a new piece of stripping out inefficiency also improves have no clue what is under the bonnet
kit is vital for the business, aided and a guest’s experience because things beyond the windscreen washer and
abetted by a persuasive salesperson, happen faster and more smoothly if perhaps the oil dipstick. And if you
and on the other side perhaps a the front office has up to date systems; stretch the comparison to apply to our
finance director who can only think in the email confirmation is right first time; lifestyles generally, staying in a hotel
terms of directly attributable ROI. the bill is correct; the booking process is the equivalent of being chauffeur
is hassle free. One slip in any part of driven so one is troubled by even less
boiler has packed up and needs this process can be seriously annoying engagement with the bothersome
replacing or certain rooms need air for the customer and could put them business of working the controls.
conditioning because guests keep off returning or even lead to a failed complaining of intolerable heat in booking. An effective PMS is also a vital of conferences where this topic
summer. Often the decision can be marketing tool as it needs to integrate has been covered. Invariably the
justified on aesthetic grounds, such seamlessly with all the booking speakers have focussed on mobile
as the installation of better lighting. channels you use. phones and the part they play, or
Sometimes it’s a no brainer; the
But the really big ones, like a complete
So far I have only mentioned the
This year I’ve attended a handful
could yet play, in delivering a better
kitchen re-fit, may have been put off for technology behind the scenes. In experience for our customers. It is
months or years because of the sheer my opinion that is where it belongs. true that smart phone usage is pretty
cost involved. Wherever I have come across attempts much universal and there is almost no
to push gadgetry in front of the end to the possibilities of harnessing
can be the adoption of a new property customer it has done more harm than apps and data to stay ahead of one’s
management system (PMS). Lots of good. Think of the tablets used to competition.
our member hoteliers in Pride of Britain control lights, TV and heating. For have taken the plunge in recent years, every guest willing and able to master of Britain’s web site are made using
in some cases spending over £25,000 the device there will be another who hand held devices, for example. Once
to replace a system that, on the face finds the whole thing frustrating and inside the building, however, I do feel
of it, was still working. Cue the finance just wants a simple switch like they we should not expect our guests to
director who asks what extra revenue have at home. Even shower controls have to use them to call up services.
will result from this large outlay. It’s can prove challenging for the mildly Hospitality should be about human
an impossible question to answer in myopic if there aren’t clear on/off and engagement and at the luxury end of
those terms. hot/cold markers. the spectrum there is no substitute for
A particularly controversial one
You would not ask how many room
I think a good analogy is how cars
More than half of visits to Pride
being treated with charm and courtesy
nights were achieved by planting have developed, at every new stage by professional individuals. Robots are
those beautiful trees at the end of the in the evolution of cars the driver has great but in my view they belong in
garden or by hanging those amazing less to worry about and the technology factories, not hotels.
August 2018
www.hotelowner.co.uk
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