"It Was Better Before" – Navigating the Currents of Change in the Hospitality Industry ??

"It was better before"

That's a phrase I often hear, echoing at home with friends and family, or across boardrooms and coffee breaks. But I can't help but wonder: Was it truly better, or was it just simpler?

Remember those days when we'd fax over important documents or spend hours tracking data by hand? Who remembers when hotel room pricing was more gut feeling than data-driven? When hotel real estate decisions were only based on the location rather than market trends and analytics? The nostalgic air is thick, but the reality remains: change is inevitable.

While many of us often default to the idea that "it was better before," is this truly the case? Or is it just our human tendency to resist change? This is?a sentiment?frequently echoed in the hospitality sector, especially when new technologies are introduced.

As businesses grow and industries evolve, new tools and technologies emerge to streamline operations, reduce errors, and make our lives easier. But was it truly better, or was it just simpler? The hotel industry, with its dynamic nature, requires us to evolve constantly, adapting to guest expectations, market changes, and emerging technologies.

Imagine a world where we never transitioned from typewriters to computers, or from landlines to smartphones. Or more recently, from Excel spreadsheets to BI tools, or from seasonal pricing to real time dynamic pricing. Sure, there's a charm to the "good old days," but modern solutions allow us to connect more, achieve more, and dream bigger. Embracing change doesn’t mean forgetting the past; it means building upon it.

I am certainly not saying that everything is better today. I am not necessarily saying that your current tech stack is better than your previous ones (maybe a bit?).

I am suggesting that it's better to swim with the current than against it ????

Do We Go Back or Move Forward?

Now, do you ever wish we could go back to simpler times, like physical room keys, cash only transactions, handwritten room assignments and manual accounting? True, there’s something special about the large key rings held by the front desk and the joy of organizing written reservations in physical logs. But are these old ways always better?

Think about this: With new tech and AI, we can do amazing things. We can predict big storms, find health problems early, and even make traffic move faster. These tools make our lives easier and safer.

Going back to old ways would be like saying no to all the good changes we've made. But we also have to be careful and not use technology for everything. It's like growing our own potatoes and also using tech to help them grow even better. Or, using candles sometimes, but also having energy-saving lights that give the same warm glow.

Same in Revenue Management: technology can do a lot to help set prices and manage bookings. But, just like we can't replace the personal touch of a hotel staff greetings guests, we can't replace humans in deciding how to best maximize the revenue and the value of a hotel. There's a special human touch, a kind of wisdom focusing on strategies, that machines can't replicate. (For now?).

The goal is to find a middle ground. We don't have to forget our past, but we can also use the best parts of today. The past has its beauty, but today has a lot of good things too. Every time in history has had its own good and bad sides. It's up to us to take the best from both worlds and make a future we can all be proud of.

Let's enjoy memories of the past, but also be excited for what's coming next. ????

Thibault