Aaron Shepherd
Why Legacy Systems Can Limit Revenue Potential When It Comes to Attribute-Based Selling
Aaron Shepherd | November 28, 2023
By Aaron Shepherd Are outdated technologies preventing your hotel from meeting guest expectations and maximizing profitability? In the hotel industry, profitability is increasingly influenced by a variety of market changes, including the introduction of new technologies, shifting consumer preferences, and fluctuating operational costs. In response to these challenges, the industry is turning towards innovative pricing strategies, with Attribute-Based Selling (ABS) (also known as attribute-based pricing) emerging as a notable trend. Research from the Hotel Electronic Distribution Network Association (HEDNA) suggests that hotels implement...
How Technology Is Making De-Flagging Easier and Levels the Playing Field for Going Independent
Aaron Shepherd | October 31, 2023
By Aaron Shepherd, the CEO and Co-Founder of APS (Above Property Services) For many of us, entrepreneurship is a terrifying pursuit. Breaking away from the traditional mold to create something new or different is, admittedly, the path of more resistance. It takes courage, innovative thinking and creativity, agility, relentless execution and unflappable commitment to make it work – and even then, many ventures will fail. But those ventures that do find success act as a beacon to anyone with an entrepreneurial spirit; a sign that big dreams can, sometimes, glean even bigger results. Within the world of entrepreneurship, however, exists ...
From Data to Dollars: How Visionary Hoteliers Are Upping Their Game With Data-Driven Insights
Aaron Shepherd | October 24, 2023
By Aaron Shepherd In the hospitality landscape, just like every other industry, the goal remains profitability. But the hospitality world faces intense competition, especially with the advent of digital platforms and alternative accommodations. For hoteliers, the challenge isn't just about offering a room – it's about creating memorable experiences, optimizing operations, and ensuring guests come back. All these elements converge on one key aspect: leveraging data for a competitive advantage. Data remains central, whether it’s enhancing the guest experience, streamlining operations, or tailoring offers. The prospects are enormous fo...
The Oak and the Willow: The Urgency of Tech Architecture Overhaul in Hotels
Aaron Shepherd | September 13, 2023
By Aaron Shepherd There is an old parable about the oak and the willow. When a storm approaches, everyone assumes that the mighty oak will be the last one standing, yet its rigidity causes it to shatter under the storm's force. Meanwhile, the willow bends with the wind, leveraging its flexibility to survive the storm unharmed. In the travel and hospitality industry, being the willow means adaptability, speed, and efficiency. It’s clear hoteliers today face a stark new reality: technology is more vital to all aspects of hospitality and travel than ever before. Why? For one thing, it’s a competition game changer. The next decade will be ...
The Power of Choice: Pick Your Room, Packaging, and Profitability Drive Revenue and Delight Guests
Aaron Shepherd | September 6, 2023
By Aaron Shepherd If you take a trip to your local bakery and – after a moment in line spent surveying the mouth-watering array of carefully curated treats – ask for one of the tarts at the front of the display, the cashier will most likely reply with, “Which one?”. Suppose you are a remote worker who occasionally frequents your company’s nearby office by booking a desk using a tool like SpaceIQ. In that case, you are prompted to choose your desired section and the specific desk you want. When purchasing tickets for a new, highly-anticipated release at most movie theaters, you are presented with a theater seating chart that allow...
Using Technology to Make Human Connections: Today’s Hotels Need Both Tech and the Human Touch
Aaron Shepherd | May 9, 2023
By Aaron Shepherd, the CEO and Co-Founder of APS (Above Property Services) Technology is transforming our world in real-time, at an increasingly blistering pace – but at what cost? This question continues to percolate in the background as exciting new innovations enter the fold, quickly stirring up mainstream interest and adoption. It’s a rather interesting duality; human nature informs our relentless pursuit of evolution. Still, many of us fear a future shaped so overwhelmingly by technology. Will tools like ChatGPT disrupt – and then eventually replace – entire industries? Will technological influence supersede human influence? ...
Plagued by Airline Meltdowns, Lost Luggage, and Tech Issues, Will This Be the Summer of Travel Nightmares?
Aaron Shepherd | March 22, 2023
By Aaron Shepherd Just last month, my email pinged with an after-hours notification. “I’m sorry, but we will have to reschedule our meeting for tomorrow morning,” an incoming email from my colleague read. “My flight has been delayed – this trip home has been a disaster.” I didn’t yet know the reason for his frustrating journey home, but if I’m being honest, I had a hunch. Over the last year, all eyes have been on the travel sector. Not only because the travel demand has surged back to life with a vengeance (revenge travel seems to be the presiding trend of 2023, after all) but because major travel brands have had a number o...
Has Legacy Hotel Technology Reached a Tipping Point of No Return?
Aaron Shepherd | February 8, 2023
By Aaron Shepherd “A tipping point is a point at which small changes become significant enough to cause a larger, more critical change that can be abrupt, irreversible, and lead to cascading effects.” Over the last month, headlines have been awash with news of a reckoning spreading across Silicon Valley’s big tech darlings; lay-offs are happening at an admittedly blistering pace as companies like Microsoft, Google, and Amazon brace for an economic downturn. The numbers, if you’ve seen them, are rather staggering. Meta, Alphabet, Amazon, and Microsoft have collectively cut 50,000 jobs, while Elon Musk is said to have fired half o...
