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Article By Lakshyaraj Singh Mewar
It can never be the case of the tail wagging the dog; it is always the dog that wags the tail!
Technology is the vehicle, the enabler; it cannot be the driver! Technology has given us the power, but it is our power that controls, guides and makes technology take us to newer heights.
I am fairly convinced that we, as humans, have far greater power than what we have realized. It is our intelligence, our dynamism that makes us human. Technology is a force, a creation of our minds and our science which gives us greater control over nature. Yes, in the hospitality industry there is no doubt that technology has always played a great part. But our industry is about the warmth of human relationships. Technology will always continue to play second fiddle in the growth of our industry.
In the last two decades, we have seen how the internet and information technology has revolutionized the hospitality industry. In India, where telephones were such a rarity, today the penetration of mobile phones and the internet has made communication so much faster, easier and convenient. Websites too have spawned and generated information for the benefit of guests and visitors. At the same time, the role and responsibility of hospitality managers and personnel has only increased!
Yes, travel and reservations have become simplified and easier than ever before. For the guests, the online bookings and the special rates they are able to get, makes them take faster decisions. It is often a win-win situation for all. But when it comes to service, to staying at hotels or going around the cities, it is people whom they encounter. It is real people who give them the real experiences which they either remember, or hate to remember!
Similarly, within the hospitality industry, technology in our kitchens and operations has made a huge quantum jump. Technology has enabled greater safety, better hygiene and safer-than-ever storage facilities. This is the reason why our industry can take care of thousands of guests at a single time. Yet on all fronts, it is the human checks and balances which is most important. We continue to need dedicated and committed personnel who know the importance and significance of what they are doing: technology only aids, facilitates and assists them in what they are doing.
As Executive Director of the HRH Group of Hotels, I am committed to making major investments in technology at every level: from the front-office to the kitchens to our security systems. Needless to say, our investment in people is as deep. We cannot do without people who are committed to their jobs, who have the interest of our guests in mind. I firmly believe in training and retraining our staff, managers at all levels. We have to be abreast of global changes, technological challenges. We also have to be alert, dynamic and genuine in our hospitality. Without this genuine warmth, we would have no identity. At HRH Group, we promise our guests to 'Experience the Original in the Abode of Kings'. The 'original' component is the interaction with people, not with technology!
Security today has become a major issue. I am proud to say that at HRH Group of Hotels; we have given tremendous importance to security. Our investment in technology systems and personnel has given us the ability to remain at the forefront in our industry. It has been a matter of great satisfaction for me personally to be involved and associated on all security related matters. Our personnel, teams of senior managers are the best-in-class and have done us proud on several occasions. More power to them! And may we continue to grow and develop our strength, without becoming excessively reliant on technology.