In a recent one-on-one interview recorded during the HITEC 2024 event in Charlotte, Hospitality Net's Simone Puorto sat down with Alberto Santana, Chief Revenue Officer at Alliants. This interview is part of our HITEC 2024 series, where we have engaged with a diverse array of speakers, exhibitors, and visitors to provide in-depth insights into the industry's latest trends and innovations. Santana shared his insights into how Alliants is revolutionizing guest engagement and enhancing the guest journey through innovative technology solutions.

Introduction and Role of Alliants

Alberto Santana introduces himself as the Chief Revenue Officer at Alliants, a company focused on improving guest engagement and personalizing the guest journey. With a background in hospitality technology, including his time at MTech where he worked on the HotSOS product, Santana brings a wealth of experience to his role at Alliants. He emphasizes his passion for the hospitality industry and his excitement about Alliants' mission to connect with guests in new and meaningful ways.

The Guest Journey and Personalization

Santana discusses the importance of the guest journey and how the industry often loses touch with guests during their stay. He highlights the need for better personalization and emotional connections, noting that guests have higher expectations due to the conveniences introduced during the pandemic. Santana explains that Alliants aims to enhance the guest experience by understanding their needs and preferences, whether they are traveling for business or leisure.

Empowering Staff with Technology

Santana emphasizes the role of technology in empowering staff to create more personalized and meaningful guest experiences. He explains that current loyalty programs often feel transactional and lack genuine connection. By gathering more information about guests before their arrival, staff can provide tailored recommendations and services that enhance the overall stay. This approach not only improves guest satisfaction but also helps staff manage their tasks more efficiently.

Trends and Challenges in the Hospitality Industry

Santana notes that while the industry is becoming adept at upselling and engaging guests, there is still a significant opportunity to improve the stay experience. He points out that guests are willing to pay a premium for experiences but do not want to feel like they are being sold to. Instead, they prefer authentic and timely suggestions that enhance their trip. Santana also mentions the impact of labor shortages and high turnover rates, which make it crucial to equip staff with the right tools to perform their jobs effectively.

The Role of Technology in Personalization

Santana discusses how technology can facilitate personalized experiences, drawing parallels with other industries like streaming services and retail. He shares an example of his daughters using Netflix's surprise button to discover new content, illustrating how guests also crave surprise and delight during their travels. Technology can help provide these moments by leveraging data to offer relevant and personalized recommendations.

Artificial Intelligence and Emotional Connections

Santana acknowledges the potential of artificial intelligence (AI) to assist in creating emotional connections with guests. While AI can handle transactional tasks, it can also provide staff with key insights and reminders to enhance human interactions. By using AI to understand guest preferences and behaviors, hotels can offer more personalized and emotionally resonant experiences.

Success Stories and Future Outlook

Santana shares a success story where Alliants helped a hotel improve guest satisfaction by personalizing recommendations and interactions based on guest profiles. He emphasizes the importance of listening to guests and using technology to facilitate meaningful connections. Looking ahead, Santana envisions continued advancements in AI and technology to further enhance the guest journey and empower staff.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Alberto Santana's insights highlight Alliants' commitment to revolutionizing the guest journey through innovative technology solutions that enhance personalization and emotional connections. By focusing on the stay experience and empowering staff, Alliants aims to create memorable and meaningful guest interactions. This interview is part of Hospitality Net's HITEC 2024 series, providing a platform for industry leaders to share their insights and experiences.

 

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