A hotel is judged by the services it offers and the emotions it evokes, not to mention by the pleasure of staying there and possibly returning there.
The services that create a unique experience cannot be defined or expressed by the word "technology." They should be better described by terms like "professionalism," "expertise," and the ability to offer the guest not just what is expected, but something that surprises them—something Guests had never imagined it could be offered.
Often, these are small yet fundamental surprises.
Technology should not be intrusive; rather, it should serve the staff, who in turn serve the Guest.
Technology is the fuel -something anyone can buy-, at a lower or higher price. But it is not a distinguishing feature.
That is why I like to define and describe a hotel as a car.
We don’t buy a car for the fuel, but for the engine (the staff), the style, its design (the architecture and spaces), and the performance -the services offered-.
A hotel might offer the best possible technology, but without the understanding that ‚we‘—the team—make the difference, it remains merely a museum piece. Perhaps a work of art in its own right place, but one that cannot be truly experience.
This is what we need to understand.
We must place—or rather, restore—the staff and their training (specifically "soft skills") to the center of the experience.
If we don’t work as a team, we will never ‚be‘ a Team.
We would simply be musicians playing without coordination—each one for themselves.
Those who understand this are, and always will be, successful.
Even in a "modern," "cutting-edge," "futuristic," or "hyper-technological" business hotel concept.
Don‘t you agree with it?
Would you like to explore these ideas further ahead? Contact me, and together we will build up a hotel that truly meets the Market’s expectations.
— Ettore Bellucci