Our team members are back in Utah and rested from their week in NoLa at HITEC, the world’s largest hospitality technology trade show. After they recovered from their beignet hangover, we sat down with our team – Curtis, Gary, Brenna, and Brandon – to get the scoop on HITEC 2016. Here they are…the 5 big takeaways from HITEC.
1. COMPLIANCE IS A HASSLE FOR HOSPITALITY
Compliance is a headache for any industry, and hospitality is no exception. Hotels need to be PCI-compliant, OSHA-compliant, and FSMA-compliant. Plus, hotels have their own brand and quality standards that need to be met across all locations. We answered a lot of questions about how cloud-based software could alleviate the hassle associated with record-keeping and auditing. Implementing a cloud-based compliance program has three main benefits to the old-school spreadsheet world: data is uploaded to the cloud, eliminating the need for transcription; records can be accessed from any device in any location (with permissions, of course) making records available when regulators need them; and trends can be seen in real-time, allowing for instant corrective action plans.
2. HOTELS ARE MOVING TO THE DIGITAL AGE…SLOWLY
This was a tech show. CIOs, IT specialists, and Operations gurus were the main titles walking the floor. Attendees know and love technology. However, they also know that the hospitality industry is a little bit behind on overall technology adoption. It’s exciting to see gadgets like robotic butlers, but it also a little intimidating to move to robots when you’re still using pen and paper for checklists. Adopting cloud-based compliance software is just one way that hotels can move into the digital age.
3. CSAT IS STILL A BIG DEAL
Love it or hate it, CSAT is here to stay. It is one of the most powerful metrics for brand standards. We noticed that more companies are bridging the gap between customer satisfaction and corrective action. With cloud-based reporting software, industry leaders are turning customer feedback into corrective action. Better yet, corrective action can prevent customer complaints before they occur. By instituting a consistent, cloud-based audit protocol, you can ensure your brand standards are met, in every room, with every visitor, every time.
4. CONTRACTOR ACCOUTABLILITY IS A CHALLENGE
Contractors, whether we like it or not, play a big role in hospitality. Holding contractors accountable is a challenge in any industry, but it doesn’t have to be. Imagine you have a customer complain about their room cleanliness. If you keep accurate and updated audit records, you should be able to identify who cleaned the room, when it was cleaned and if they performed all necessary steps. If you notice a non-compliance issue, you can immediately follow up with the contractor. Contractors will appreciate the real-time record keeping because they can track their performance and ensure they are meeting all QC standards and ensure they stay competitive.
5. PEOPLE LOVE ORANGE
No, we’re not talking about Netflix’s hit series. We’re talking about our stress balls! We noticed that people were hesitant to take a stress ball…until we told them they were orange-scented! It’s the little things in life, right? We were glad to bring orange cheer to the HITEC floor.
We’re looking forward to seeing all of our new IT friends in Canada for HITEC 2017.