by Kevin May, Phocuswire, (excerpt)

This recent article from Phocuswire examines a new report from the Altimeter Group and Sabre on the role of Digital Darwinism in the hospitality industry. As Altimeter Group Principal Analyst Brian Solis points out, hotels must now provide a customer experience that competes with the likes of Uber, Tinder, and other digital pioneers.

From the article:

An upcoming report pulled together by Sabre and Altimeter Group says: “Digital Darwinism doesn’t differentiate. Hospitality brands now compete with the likes of Uber, Tinder, and the Dollar Shave Club.

Altimeter’s principal analyst, Brian Solis, adds: “The good news is that digital Darwinism favors those companies that try to understand the technological and human dynamics of their markets. Modern guests don’t know or care to think about the reasons why you cannot provide guest experiences in the same ways that Uber, Airbnb, HotelTonight and others do.

“While you must consider how to keep up with or outdo traditional competitors, you must also consider that you also compete against on-demand startups and any app or online service that introduces modern services in modern ways.”

Sabre says the basis of a new iteration of its computer reservation system will be built on a “platform” approach to providing hotels with the tools they will need to handle digital communications with the guest alongside connectivity to the external world of bookings.

Solis says there are a number of key factors that hotels now need to consider when figuring out how they will pull together their digital and distribution strategy.

[…]

Solis says:

“Now in an era of digital Darwinism, modern guests desire rich, immersive and one-on-one personalized experiences across devices, channels and physical spaces in each moment that matters and throughout their entire journey.

“As times, tastes and trends change, you have to be willing to innovate and reimagine your value proposition. Always.

“You must take risks knowing that sometimes you will fail. But, overall, these failures will teach you, give you new experience and expertise and make your company and team stronger.”