Balance is a lost art. In almost every sphere of society, from politics to culture to technology, more and more people inhabit the extreme ends of the spectrum. Fanatical takes are rewarded with screen time and engagement, while those in search of nuanced thought are shouted out of the conversation.
Why? Because balance doesn鈥檛 provide easy answers.
The world of hospitality is not immune. Every brand is faced with a number of complex questions that require considered decisions, whether you鈥檙e a general manager at a boutique hotel or a security director for a global chain. It鈥檚 the application of balance that will improve your chances of success.
So what are some of hospitality鈥檚 great balancing acts? Let鈥檚 take some time to explore three of them:
- Human vs. technology
- Personalization vs. privacy
- Experience vs. data
Human vs. technology
Hoteliers have been wrestling with this question for decades. In its simplest form, it鈥檚 this: how can I marry technology with the unique, personal experience of great hospitality?
At the heart of this idea is the fallacy that more technology means fewer person-to-person interactions. Actually, the opposite is true 鈥� though only if you get the balance right.
Let鈥檚 say a hotel enables online check-in and self-serve kiosks. Operationally it鈥檚 a no-brainer, reducing wait times and creating more upsell opportunities. The fear is that a guest could spend most of their time onsite without engaging with any of your staff, and so you feel distant from their experience, unsure of how much they鈥檙e enjoying their stay.
In fact, by freeing your team from many of the administrative duties that previously tied them to their desks, you grant them the ability to proactively reach out to your guests. To spend time welcoming them with genuine warmth and helpful information, rather than a barrage of questions for reservation numbers and card details.
Technology that champions 鈥� like 夜色直播 鈥� will help you maintain an inherent balance with in-person hospitality.
Of course, some hotels and many apartment rentals do operate very successfully with zero onsite staff 鈥� with the exception of housekeeping who are often forgotten about when discussing these properties. In these instances, those brands have landed upon the balance that鈥檚 right for their clientele 鈥� and their business model.
Personalization vs. privacy
Here鈥檚 another topic with a whole lot of gray area. How should hoteliers balance the want for hyper-personalized guest engagement against the individual鈥檚 right to privacy?
The loudest voices in this conversation are generally in favor of ultra privacy, particularly in Europe. We already wrote about how GDPR laws, while well-intentioned, are an incomplete solution.
Of course, every person should have ownership over their data, but it鈥檚 a mistake to assume that everyone guards this data equally 鈥� and that all this data is equal. For instance, there鈥檚 a big difference between identifiable data like your address, and marketable data like your favorite clothing brands.
For most people, the instinctive reaction is to side with ultra privacy. And for many, that鈥檚 where the thought process ends.
However, it鈥檚 clear that the majority of us aren鈥檛 as precious about our data as we initially make out. Personalized marketing and increases marketing ROI by 10-30%. In other words, it works.
If a brand is using customer data in a meaningful way, to tailor their experiences and serve them more relevant content, offers or services, then people are receptive to it. They also expect it: showed that 71% of consumers expect companies to deliver personalized interactions.
There are some regional differences at play, and that鈥檚 important to consider when balancing your approach. In the US (where the above research was conducted), customers are more accustomed to personalization and, by extension, upselling. Some European countries, France and Germany in particular, tend to have stricter cultural boundaries regarding data usage.
Hoteliers handle sensitive guest information, so it鈥檚 imperative that data security is handled professionally. But it鈥檚 a mistake to draw an iron curtain around every piece of customer data. The benefits for hotels are obvious: personalization can reduce customer acquisition costs by up to 50% while also creating memorable experiences and happy guests.
Experience vs. data
Toto Wolff is the Team Principal and CEO of the Mercedes Formula 1 racing team. A high-pressure position indeed. When speaking about successful decision making, he said: 鈥淵ou need the right balance between data and gut feeling.鈥�
Crucially, he doesn鈥檛 specify what the formula for that balance is. Balance doesn鈥檛 always mean 50/50. It means you consider the problem fairly, from multiple angles, and then arrive at your outcome.
For hoteliers, the question is how much weight to give years of hospitality experience versus the constant stream of up-to-the-minute data. Both are important, but in a world that鈥檚 changing faster than ever (particularly regarding guest habits), the balance should shift further towards data.
As I mentioned earlier, however, not all data is created equal. Our industry is awash with information, and identifying the relevant metrics to track is essential to success. Hoteliers can use their experience to understand what has the biggest business impact, alongside staying up to date with the latest reading like this guide, The New Era of Hospitality Metrics for General Managers.
Find your balance
Running a successful hospitality business is a remarkable achievement, and one that doesn鈥檛 happen by accident. Those who can strike a balance in their decision making are much better set to pursue and achieve their vision of hospitality.
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