South Africa’s hospitality sector was hard-hit by the 2020 lockdowns and is still feeling the impact two years later. Even though restrictions have been lifted somewhat, international tourism is a fraction of what it was. This means that the market is more competitive than ever, and the customer experience is a point of competitive differentiation that is key to weathering this storm.
While IT is often a grudge purchase, the reality is that technology is the fundamental underpinning of excellent customer experiences. However, there is also a balance that needs to be struck between technology and people. Ultimately, the hospitality sector requires a human touch, so technology needs to support the people in the industry to be the best they can be and deliver the best experiences they can to their customers.
The challenge is that many businesses in the sector have been forced to downscale their staff complement, and are now the very definition of trying to do more with less. This is where technology becomes a critical enabler, to support staff in their ability to do their jobs well and efficiently.
Nothing is more frustrating to customers than technology that does not work, so your IT support becomes an essential partner for success. The sign of good technology is a technology that works smoothly, seamlessly, as expected, and in the background, without significant effort. The sign of good support is having people available to resolve issues quickly to minimise the impact and maximise the customer experience.Technology is not a replacement for people, it should be used to support people.