Change is never easy – particularly at work and when it relates to a system or process that is completely new.

As the American writer, H.P. Lovecraft, once said, “The oldest and strongest emotion of mankind is fear, and the oldest and strongest kind of fear is fear of the unknown.”

However, overcoming the unknown and embracing change is one of our greatest strengths – particularly in the hospitality sector.

If you’ve been told (or have made the decision) that the hotel will be switching to a new system soon, here are five ways to overcome your fears and grab the new opportunities it will present.

1. Acknowledge the change

It’s happening. Whatever it is that’s changing, it can’t be undone. Either due to ‘the powers that be’ or the realization that it really is time to upgrade, there’s no going back.

But, you know what? That’s great! Awesome, in fact. The change is happening and it’s going to present lots of opportunities for more efficient work, additional bookings and the ability to deliver an even better guest experience.

Once we acknowledge change, it becomes far easier to embrace.

2. Get in front of it: face your fears

Often, the reason people fear a technological change in the workplace is simply because they haven’t taken enough time to sit down and take it in.

Much like allowing a spider to crawl across your hand, facing your technological fears is never as bad as you thought it might be.

Try out the new system. Block out an hour or two in your diary for a demo or real-time play yourself. As you do, go through each fear and either question yourself if it’s legitimate or ask the vendor; you might be surprised.

3. Replace fearful thoughts with something more positive

Ok, so that process you’ve spent years crafting in the old system is going to change. But, you know what? That’s ok, because, in return, you’ll gain access to a feature that results in a much better guest service.

Sure, you’ll need to get your head around the new process, but if it results in a smiling guest, who cares? Remember – you had to get used to that old process once, too.

Fearful thoughts aren’t useful, and that’s why it’s always best to replace them with something more positive. Make a list of the things the new system does better or which the old one couldn’t do, and turn to it whenever those bad thoughts arise.

4. Be part of the change

Let’s say you’re implementing a brand new property management system. Imagine if you didn’t take part at all in the implementation or training process. This would result in your fears being realized; you’d suddenly be saddled with a brand-new system with which you’re unfamiliar and which you’ve feared for weeks.

By instead becoming a central part of the change, you’ll gain the opportunity to influence it and be there during the birth of this new way of working.

Most hospitality technology can be tweaked and tailored to suit each operation, and if you’re part of the change, you can drive forward ideas on how best to adopt the new system.

5. Communicate as a team

You’re probably not the only one fearing this change; your colleagues are likely anxious, too.

This is why communication is so important during times of technological change. Make sure you contribute to an ‘open door’ policy for ideas, thoughts and – yes – fears about the implementation.

Meet regularly, work on solutions to challenges and operate from a base of positivity about the change. Together, you’ll ensure this will be one of the best things the hotel has ever done for its internal operation.

Wrapping up

Change is inevitable in the world of hotels. But, it’s entirely normal to be fearful when it relates to technology. The good news is that most tech changes always work out for the better.

Follow our tips above, and you’ll not only embrace change, you’ll enjoy it, too.

___

InnQuest Software is a leading technology provider for the hospitality industry. For over 25 years, innQuest has combined hotelier experience with innovative technology to deliver an all-in-one solution that empowers hotels to attract guests, drive customer loyalty, and increase profits. Our flagship property management software, roomMaster, helps manage over 5,500 properties across 100 countries. InnQuest develops scalable solutions ranging from a Hotel PMS, Cloud PMS, Channel ManagerHotel CRM and helps properties enable guests to Book Direct. We believe that everyone deserves a great guest experience, whether they’re staying at a small B&B, a thousand-room resort, or anywhere in between.

Call us today at 1.813.288.4900, or email us at sales@innquest.com. We will be happy to walk you through InnQuest’s solutions.