Getting SaaS-y . . . (it’s not what you think!)

In today’s tough economy it’s more important than ever to make it easy for consumers to find you and make a reservation – the way they want, whenever they want - online, telephone, fax or walk-in. Technology is playing a key role in changing the way businesses manage those consumer interactions. Some operators are finding that technology can significantly grow their revenue, save them time, or even save their “bacon” as I will describe later in this posting.

As technology evolves, it becomes increasingly important to keep up with the trends or run the risk of becoming disadvantaged from your competition, especially as it relates to how you attract and service your guests. Increasingly, the hospitality and other travel related industries are looking at the way technology is delivered as an opportunity to free up time, energy and resources, ultimately creating a competitive advantage . It’s really a matter of convenience and making technology work for you, rather than you working for it.

Let me explain the evolution of convenience...

Yield Management – Oh My Gosh, What if Someone Complains...

Like many college students, I slept through most of my economics classes. My University held Wednesday night dances that didn’t start until 10:00 and “of course” I only stayed for 30 minutes because I wanted to be alert for my 8:00AM Economics class the next morning. Needless to say, occasionally I would raise my head off my desk and try to listen to the concepts of Supply and Demand. At the time, little did I realize that I would see Supply and Demand permeate everywhere throughout my adult life. Ever try to buy tickets to a sold out Jimmy Buffet concert? Prepare to pay double the ticket list price. A few years ago my wife needed to buy a Furbie for a Christmas present and I couldn’t find one in any store. So I ended up paying over $100 on eBay only to watch the prices drop to $30 the week after Christmas. And then the ultimate example of Supply and Demand is Gasoline prices, for which we all love making our weekly contributions toward the construction of palm island and indoor skiing resorts in Dubai.