Introducing new technology can be an exciting process that pushes your hotel into its next chapter of success, but it is not always a simple process. Which tools are right for your office? How will you get people excited about using them? Are they worth the investment? While incorporating new technology isn’t always easy, it doesn’t have to be overwhelming. With a few strategic steps, you can lead your team to use the kind of technology that makes their work simpler and more efficient.

Investigate As a Team

From full platforms to simple applications, technology is playing a monumental role in the productivity of employees, the speed in which business is done and how organizations as a whole interact both internally and externally. The first step toward any technology implementation is gaining buy-in from staff members. So how do you get people on board and excited to adopt a new platform or system?

Before investing in new technology, work with innovators and early adopters within the company to identify any issues that exist and determine how a new program will solve them. Consider conducting a survey or taking notes during a round table discussion where team members are asked to express what’s working and what’s not with current technology. Make a list of their current pain points and look for technology that offers a solution to alleviate them. When you gather the input of stakeholders and allow them to influence decisions, buy-in and acceptance will come easier down the road. Also, take advantage of free trials and let those who would be using the tool take it for a spin.

Highlight Strategic Benefits

Because you’ve asked for your team’s input, they will know a change is coming and that a new technology is on its way in. You will need a plan to minimize disruption while modifying existing procedures wherever possible. In order to ensure a smooth transition, communicate to all employees how the new technology will improve their daily tasks. “Employees need to understand why [the new technology] is an improvement from what they had before,” says Didier Bonnet, coauthor of Leading Digital and Global Practice Leader at Capgemini Consulting. “The job of a manager is to help people cross the bridge — to get them comfortable with the technology, to get them using it and to help them understand how it makes their lives better.”

Does the new technology personalize the check in process so that the front desk can provide exceptional customer service to guests? Does it allow your event sales team to better meet their quotas and hit their bonuses faster? Does it allow the housekeeping team to communicate more effectively to complete their job faster? People will embrace a new technology if it solves some of their current problems and enhances their individual lives. And if you’ve picked the right technology, that’s exactly what it will do.

Implement Enthusiastically

Implement in a way that celebrates the new technology and garners excitement. There will always be those who are resistant to change, so be patient and work with them to make the transition as painless as possible. Collaborative implementation will help team members work together to better understand the operation. You can even make the implementation phase fun to encourage adoption. Consider having team competitions where employees are rewarded for implementing the new tool effectively. Or, create a wall of fame to honour those who are leading the way and publicize success stories and wins when they happen. There are many ways to incentivize employees, and it’s important to be creative when shaping strategies to encourage the adoption of new technologies.

As a hotelier, you can lead your hotel in a quickly evolving business landscape by implementing the best technologies available. Ensuring that new software will integrate with your current programs and that it’s affordable for your business are important things to consider, but it’s equally important to consider the impact it will have on your staff. Carefully investigate related pain points, advocate the benefits and watch your new tools transform the way you run your hotel.

For more information on how RoomKeyPMS can move your hotel forward visit www.roomkeypms.com.

Photo: Shutterstock / Snezana Ignjatovic