Post-COVID: investing in IT structure will be essential to overcome the crisis

Daily on various online channels I have had the opportunity to learn from major market players, thinkers, high level executives and entrepreneurs from all over the world about the current moment.

In the face of all this, I turn my gaze to our hotel segment. A lot of questions go through in our heads, but in the era that I call A.C. and D.C. (Before Coronavirus and After Coronavirus), we need to reinvent ourselves as professionals, while hospitality will also have to rethink its planning going forward, especially in Information Technology. And I’ll explain why.

Technology just from the mouth out

When it comes to technology, we soon think that hotel developments (all) are technologically prepared for this mandatory key turn. As an example, i put here a very curious – and emblematic – video of what we live in these times of Coronavirus about technology or difficulty with it.

 

In my profession, I had the opportunity to travel to several hotels, be they independent, national and international networks, and to my surprise in some hotel operations even the wi-fi was not working properly. The wi-fi network resembles the photo of this article, of poorly stacked objects… Has this ever happened to you?

Now let’s put ourselves in the place of a hotel administrator, especially the most important executive that the hotel development has – the General Manager. This executive represents his hotel to the administrator who hired him, for the company, for investors, owners, shareholders, etc.

Investment in IT infrastructure should be a priority

As a good professional he is, he soon realizes in his management that he needs to make investments in IT (Information Technology) and presents this to his.

It is often not approved immediately by high investment or, believe me, there are situations in which they claim not to be as important as making other investments in other areas of the business. We know that when it comes to hotel investments, everything is expensive.

Now think to me: in the face of the chaos we are experiencing, who has a proper structure of it park well assembled, suitable with investments made so that your hotel or resort can offer in practice a quality internet, fast, will make all the difference post pandemic / crisis that we are going through.

I would like to draw attention here so that owners, investors, owners, support their executives more when they present investments like this in IT, for example, obviously always respecting the culture of the company and the moment that each lives in its business.

Providing quality infrastructure is now a premise

Access to wi-fi, that is, internet access, represents nowadays practically the air we breathe daily. No one else lives without internet. What’s more, all this situation that hospitality has been living will lead the industry to sell events online. Many already do this, but it is necessary to do with quality. Many don’t even offer quality wi-fi, can you imagine in a strategy-changing situation like the one that’s happening around the world?

There are many hotels in the world that are and are prepared with high technology (USA, Japan, Poland for example). Pasme, robots, all automated.

But I’m referring to an IT framework prepared for when your customer requests an event at this level so you’re really up to it so you don’t lose business these days.

A story I lived: term of responsibility

Once a great businessman made me sign a term blaming me on the internet of his event. If you want my event in your business (3000 people), you will have to take responsibility and make it work, because our event will be a great conference call worldwide.

Hey, what’s up? You, hotelier, we are not in time to say no, that is, “I do not want your event here”, or worse, “I want your event here but I do not have the proper structure to support your event here”. Everyone knows how to analyze their cashier, doesn’t they?

However, more than the cashier, it is necessary to verify that if we miss this great world conference event, most likely others will follow. Is this already known to you or the hotels in which you worked?

Crisis is time for opportunity

This IT investment is of even more vital importance now. I know good, excellent serious IT companies that do a wonderful job. I can name one in Brazil, VEGA IT,which delivers a technology park more than adequate to suit your hotel or resort. It is an example of the need for this investment.

I strongly recommend that you invest in technology in your companies, hotels or resorts. All to improve the structure to meet your business demand and not miss any kind of events that depend on IT with high quality.

You should be wondering about this period of Coronavirus as it is possible to think about technology or investments. It is precisely in crisis situations that opportunities arise.

What improvements can be made for you to be the first hotel to emerge from the crisis caused by the pandemic? What are the main gaps your business presents? How is your IT structure and also in the Business Intelligence area to support online sales?

All this for you to reflect: have you made the necessary leap to survive D.C. (After Coronavirus)?