Jane’s thesis is that hospitality has to embrace new technology as part of the solution to the challenges the sector faces. “We’ve got to get better at it” she commented.

It’s a sentiment we back wholeheartedly – as do the many progressive leaders and boards across the sector – many of whom are gathering today at the group’s first Innovation Workshop in Oxford.

Hospitality is a human-to-human experience – this is not about robot bar staff – more about eliminating both the grind and the guesswork from much of day to day operations.

At our recent Atlantic Club Nashville Tour our partners at Toast shared six predictions for tech innovation and spending priorities for 2024.

Deciding where to invest your tech dollars to create most impact on your performance is a critical function of any board – the deck below makes useful reading to benchmark your tech stack and current strategy.

From AI forecasting for accurate scheduling and optimising team deployment to driving productivity/revenue per employee and elevating the guest experience are all in play.

Here’s the six spending trends in summary:

1. 66% of brands are increasing tech spend

2. Productivity, efficiency and guest experience are the main priorities

3. More spend directed to guest and employee experience

4. Ease and convenience solutions win the day – for guests and employees

5. Guest marketing – websites, SMS, email, loyalty all key drivers

6. Employee tech focus – tips, scheduling and instant pay

Thanks to Lydia and Phil for sharing some great insight on tech spend in 2024. You can download the deck HERE. It's well worth a read.