Digital transformation, now fueled by Artificial Intelligence, has been a great opportunity for all companies. Nokia was initially a paper mill. Samsung began as a grocery store. Nintendo produced cards for board games. American Express was a value transportation company. Western Union was founded as a telegram service. Shell was initially an import-export company of shells for collectors.
In the tech startup sector, Instagram was founded as a check-in system, YouTube opened as a dating site, Shopify initially was an e-commerce of snowboarding products, Slack initially was a video game company.
The spirit of adaptation led the founders of these companies to adapt to the market and offer what customers demanded.
That is why they became the giants we all know.
What lessons can a hotel or restaurant learn from these stories?
The hospitality industry is undergoing unprecedented changes, made even more rapid and dramatic as a result of the pandemic. It is therefore critical to adapt and evolve the business model to remain competitive. This involves getting out of one’s comfort zone, innovating and experimenting.
I am Giancarlo De Leonardo and together with the Digital Dream Team at Caro Collega, I help Hotels and Restaurants generate additional revenue through digital marketing activities. Which, by the way, are all those activities I used to neglect when I was a hotel and restaurant owner like you.
In this article, I will talk about the spirit of adaptation and change. Are you interested in leading your hotel or restaurant into an increasingly digital future where Artificial Intelligence will play a predominant role?
In this article
- Digitization as a catalyst for transformation
- Artificial Intelligence: a data-driven future
- The Importance of Digital Marketing in the Transformation of Hospitality
- Carrying your Hotel or Restaurant into the future: challenges and opportunities
Digitization as a catalyst for transformation
The world is becoming increasingly digital, and hotels and restaurants that do not adapt their operations to this new reality risk falling behind. Digitization does not simply mean having an online presence but taking full advantage of the opportunities offered by technology to improve the customer experience.
And implementing an online reservation system for a hotel or restaurant is not enough. We need to design solutions that enrich the customer experience on the one hand and that can increase operational efficiency and open new revenue channels on the other.
Artificial Intelligence: a data-driven future
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is becoming increasingly prevalent in all industries, and the hospitality sector is no exception. AI can help hoteliers and restaurateurs better predict their customers’ needs, offering personalized services and improving operational efficiency.
For example, a hotel could use AI to analyze customer data and personalize offers, while a restaurant could use AI to optimize inventory management and reduce waste. AI can also automate several tasks, freeing up staff to focus on more important tasks.
Having an analyst, today, is much more important than contracting a discount!
The Importance of Digital Marketing in the Transformation of Hospitality
In parallel with the adoption of new technologies, it is essential to use digital marketing strategies for Hotels and Restaurants to reach and engage customers in new and effective ways.
This can include search engine optimization (SEO) strategies, social media marketing, content marketing, and email marketing. Through digital marketing, a hotel or restaurant can build a strong online presence, attract more visitors to its website, and convert those visitors into customers. Not only that, but it can also improve customer loyalty and increase brand awareness.
For example, a hotel might use content marketing to offer tips to travelers looking for what to do and where to eat in the area.
Be careful, though: the people you entrust with these tasks must be super-skilled and not novice interns. You are entrusting them with the future of your company and the possibility of generating additional revenue right away that is directly proportional to the quality of the work performed.
Don’t think about how much it costs, learn to assess how much it can be worth! Indeed, digitization and A.I. are not just buzzwords, but powerful tools that can help transform a hotel or restaurant by earning them a lasting competitive advantage.
However, to take full advantage of these technologies, it is essential to be open-minded about change.
This may require hiring new talent with digital skills, investing in training for existing staff or partnering with outside experts.
A key element in digital transformation is leadership.
Hoteliers and restaurateurs must drive change, encourage the team to embrace new ideas and new technologies, and create a corporate culture that values innovation.
Successful companies don’t just follow trends; they anticipate the future, think creatively, and experiment with new approaches.
Carrying your Hotel or Restaurant into the future: challenges and opportunities
Carrying your Hotel or Restaurant into the future will not be easy. There will be challenges, obstacles, perhaps even failures. But if we look at the companies that have made history, such as Nokia, Samsung, Nintendo, and many others, we see that they have all had the courage to change, to innovate, to experiment. They had the vision to see beyond the obvious, and the determination to pursue their vision.
This is what it takes to carry your company into the future: vision, courage, determination. You must remember that the future of hospitality is digital, and those who recognize this reality and act accordingly will be the ones who thrive.
Whether you run a hotel or a restaurant, the opportunity to transform your business is at hand.
Artificial Intelligence, digitalization, digital marketing – these are the tools that can help you achieve this transformation. But in the end, the decision to embrace change, to step out of your comfort zone, to ferry your business into the future, is up to you.
Don’t be afraid of change. Embrace it. Because the future belongs to those who dare to dream, dare to change, dare to innovate.
Article written by Giancarlo De Leonardo, former hotelier and restaurateur, now founder of carocollega.com
