Technology Episodes

Roman Pedan is the Founder & CEO of Kasa, and in this episode shares how they challenge commonly accepted trends - including in hotel technology - to prioritize guest experience and operational efficiency. Listeners will learn: The Role of Property Management: Understand the responsibilities of managing diverse properties and how to maximize profitability for property owners while enhancing guest satisfaction. Balancing Technology and Guest Experience: Explore Kasa's strategic decision-m...

Kurien Jacob is Partner and Managing Director at Highgate Tech Ventures. In this episode, you'll hear why Highgate - one of the leading hospitality investment and management companies - is investing in hotel technology, the challenges he's seen, and his advice for overcoming those challenges to succeed in hospitality today. This episode is brought to you with support from Sojern. I teamed up with Sojern to study how hoteliers use data to drive revenue and build stronger guest relationships. Y...

Peter Fabor is the CEO of surfoffice.com and a hotel technologist and entrepreneur. In this episode, we break down the high-level concepts of AI and bring them into the practical realm of the hospitality industry. Whether you're a hotel general manager, a marketer, or someone involved in hotel operations, this episode is packed with insights on how AI can streamline your work, enhance guest experiences, and give you a competitive edge. Listeners will learn about: The concept of a custom GPT an...

Dina Belon is President at Staypineapple Hotels. In this episode, she shares her insights and experiences on how Staypineapple is updating and improving its technology to empower its teams and enhance guest experiences. Listeners will learn about: The Importance of Technology in Guest Services: Discover why Staypineapple is committed to a tech-forward approach behind the scenes while maintaining personal guest interactions. Selecting the Right Tech Stack: Understand the rigorous select...

In this episode, Karl Scarlett, CEO of both a technology development and strategy consulting firm (NetAesthetics) and a hospitality property management company (Great Dwellings). Karl shares his unique perspective at the intersection of technology and hospitality, revealing the potential and pitfalls of AI today. Listeners will gain valuable insights into: The surprising outcomes of a pilot AI program in guest service and why it didn't meet expectations. Karl's perspective on the biggest oppo...

Vic Chynoweth is the CEO of Otelier, formerly known as My Digital Office or MDO, and in this special episode, he talks about why they rebranded and the opportunities he sees in hospitality with technology today. Listen to learn what it takes to successfully bring together people and companies into an aligned, effective organization as well as new opportunities AI-powered technology is opening up for hoteliers today. Do you want your teams to make better decisions and free them up to provide t...

There's a lot of talk about AI in hospitality technology now, but what are we not talking about but should be? Stuart Greif has a unique perspective on this topic as the Chief Strategy, Innovation, & Operating Officer at Forbes Travel Guide, and in this episode - recorded in December 2023 - he shares what's going on with AI and its potential implications for you and your hospitality business. Do you want your teams to make better decisions and free them up to provide the best hospitality? You...

This episode is brought to you with support from Ecodrive - which is helping hospitality companies cut housekeeping costs. How can hotels use technology to enhance guest experiences without losing the personal touch that defines great hospitality? In this episode, we're learning the answer to that question from Maud Bailly, the CEO of Sofitel, MGallery & Emblems at Accor, who before that was the group's Chief Digital Officer in charge of Digital, Data, Information Systems, Distribution, and Sale...

Scott LaMont is the CEO of EDSA - a planning, landscape, and architecture firm - and in this episode, he shares what he sees regarding the role of AI in designing hospitality environments. Follow Scott on LinkedIn Learn more about EDSA This episode is brought to you with support from Sojern. Finding and appealing to travelers online means getting to know them, and that's why first-party data - the information you have about your guests - is so important to providing hospitality today. I tea...

If you’ve created a great hospitality business, you should make as much money as you can because that will fund everything else you do - from designing and delivering a great guest experience to paying your teams well to allowing you to expand and serve more people. To help you understand some of the opportunities here, we’re going to learn from Thibault Catala, who started his career in revenue management at companies such as Four Seasons and IHG before moving into investment management and ad...

In this episode, Fernando Vives, Chief Commercial Officer at NH Hotel Group, discusses the evolution of revenue management from the earliest days to the opportunity today, something he calls "bionic revenue strategy" - which is all about combining the best of human intuition with the power of artificial intelligence. Listen to learn how this approach is revolutionizing pricing strategy in hospitality and increasing customer satisfaction by creating a more personalized guest experience. Follow ...

In this episode, we're learning from Ira Vouk, a former hotel operator and technology company founder turned industry advisor and educator. Ira's viral illustration of the hotel tech stack gained widespread attention recently, and today she breaks down the key components and their connections - as well as gives her advice for shopping for technology and where technology is headed. See Ira's illustration of the hotel tech stack here Follow Ira on LinkedIn Visit Ira's website Join in the con...

What does it mean to provide hospitality in the age of AI? In this special sponsor bonus episode, Adam Harris, CEO of Cloudbeds - a company that has been using AI in its technology for years - explains the opportunity he sees for all of us. Follow Adam on LinkedIn Learn more about Cloudbeds Register for the (free) Passport conference Listen to The Turndown Podcast Join in the conversation on this episode on the Hospitality Daily LinkedIn page here. This episode is brought to you with suppo...

Appellation is a new culinary-forward luxury hotel company co-founded by chef Charlie Palmer and Christopher Hunsberger, the former president of Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts. In this episode, we're speaking with Ed Skapinok, the company's chief commercial officer - about how they have designed a modern approach to technology that supports their brand. Ed is on the board of directors for HSMAI, and he previously led sales, marketing, and revenue at Aqua-Aston Hospitality - an award-winning ho...

Jacqui Nunley has more than 20 years of experience in hospitality technology, holding leadership positions across strategy, product, revenue, and distribution with companies such as Micros (now Oracle Hospitality) and Sabre Hospitality. She currently serves as a Travel & Hospitality Advisor at Salesforce, and in this episode, you'll learn how she thinks about building trust in our increasingly AI and technology-driven world. Listen to our other episode with Jacqui: AI, Talent & The Future of...

Jacqui Nunley has more than 20 years of experience in hospitality technology, holding leadership positions across strategy, product, revenue, and distribution with companies such as Micros (now Oracle Hospitality) and Sabre Hospitality. She currently serves as a Travel & Hospitality Advisor at Salesforce, and in this episode, you'll learn what she's learned in her career so far and get inspired by looking at the opportunities we have in hospitality today. Listen to our other episode with Jac...

I love technology and we're coming off a big week of tradeshows and conferences about technology in hospitality. But our guest today says there's no such thing as "virtual hospitality," and I want you to hear why he says this and what he means because it's an important point to keep in mind as we think about providing hospitality today. David Kong is the founder and principal of DEI Advisors, a nonprofit focused on empowering others. Previously, he was the president and CEO of BWH Hotel Group, ...

Jay Hubbs is the VP of Advertising, Marketing, Innovation, and Analytics overseeing BWH Hotels’ consumer-facing marketing, advertising, and the award-winning Best Western Rewards program. Today, Jay Hubbs was awarded Marketing Professional of the Year by HSMAI, and in this conversation, we cover: Why marketing matters today What Jay is most proud of building over the past year What experiences have been most helpful in Jay's career journey to date The role of marketing in providing...

What happens when you combine journalism, technology, and the hospitality industry? You get an insightful conversation with our guest, Jason Freed, the Hospitality Data Evangelist at MDO. In this episode, Jason shares his journey from reporting to exploring the exciting intersection of technology and pricing in the hotel sector, emphasizing the importance of revenue management technology in creating memorable guest experiences and keeping businesses profitable. The COVID-19 pandemic has undoub...

Ready to discover how the world of travel and hospitality is being revolutionized by cutting-edge technology? Join us in an enlightening conversation with our special guest, Shane O'Flaherty, Microsoft's Global Director of Travel, Transportation, and Hospitality. Shane brings a wealth of experience, including his time at the helm of Forbes Travel Guide, and he offers valuable insights into the role of AI in personalizing the customer journey and empowering employees to work more efficiently. T...

Imagine a world where transactions are so smooth that they become an afterthought, leaving more room for a seamless hospitality experience. In this episode, we sit down with James Lemon, the Global Lead for Travel & Leisure at Stripe, to unlock the secret to achieving this. With a background rooted in hospitality, James shares his insights on how Stripe is revolutionizing payments and financial infrastructure, both online and in-person. We take a closer look at how hospitality businesses can l...

Are you ready to upgrade your experience to delight your guests and grow your business? Then you need to hear from seasoned hospitality leader Martin Soler, as we explore the barriers to innovation in the hospitality technology sector. In this fascinating discussion, we uncover how hoteliers often overlook the importance of technology in shaping the guest experience and dive into the challenges faced in adopting new technology. Through Martin's personal experience as a general manager - and th...

Today we're learning from Actabl CEO Steven Moore about the power of data in hospitality, and how technology can unlock insights that give you an advantage. We cover: Hospitality's adoption of technology and how Covid changed it [00:43] Opportunity with housekeeping and engineering [01:58] Using technology to attract and retain a new generation of hoteliers [02:47] The importance of having visibility of what's going on through data [03:35] "Moneyball” and hospitality [04:49] ...

How do you create a remarkable experience for guests with technology? Join me in learning from Hanna Schiller, VP of Product at Ireckonu, about the complexities of hospitality technology and the importance of integration in delivering exceptional service. We dive into the challenges of siloed systems and how Ireckonu's middleware solution addresses these issues, while Hanna shares her journey and invaluable insights from her experience working with industry nonprofit HTNG. We also discuss the ...