It is clear that investments in technologies can generate greatly improved operating efficiencies, higher hotel revenues and enhanced guest services. The pace of change, however, has been so extreme as to leave many hotel organizations uncertain about what types of technology to adopt and the best ways to create a seamless integration of systems company-wide. In addition, investments made by many hotel owners and operators during the last five years have lagged as a result of the serious downturn weathered by the industry. Many hotel organizations are using technologies so outdated as to place their companies at a competitive disadvantage in the marketplace. The technology life cycle provides a model to assess how and when companies and individuals adopt new technologies.
Pioneers are generally the first to acquire new technologies and take the greatest risk.
Obsolete technology at the other end of the spectrum may seriously impair a company's ability to compete. In terms of costs and benefits, the best balance appears to be with the leaders who invest significantly less than pioneers and incur reduced risks, yet their technology investments can yield similar benefits. The desire of operators to improve the guest experience. The potential to improve operating efficiencies. Hotel operators are seeking ways to reduce staffing requirements, cross-train staff, reduce the overall general and administrative expense, and explore opportunities for centralizing some functions while at the same time distributing other functions more widely.