It was announced in a recent interview that Karen Hutchings will become SilverDoor's new Strategic Advisor as one of the first projects for her new consultancy, Cobb & Hutch. Karen has had a career in the travel and mobility sectors for more than three decades, and her extensive expertise ranges from AI and automation to travel, meetings and events management.
The interview was packed full of interesting insights, but read on for five of Karen's key comments, pieces of advice, and predictions for the future of the industry.
Karen Hutchings' key industry insights
|The workforce is getting younger, which comes with a shift in the standard expectations of the modern business traveller.
Karen emphasises that the expectations of a younger workforce are far greater in terms of technology than ever before. The new generations of business traveller expect instant booking, live availability and efficient online booking tools as standard – the capability in the serviced apartment sector today is varied, but rapidly improving across the board.
A careful blend of technology for efficiency and convenience with a refined human service is critical in something as personal as business travel, and relocation particularly.
|Visibility on the carbon emissions of business travel accommodation is the way to improve its sustainability.
The emissions associated with air travel might have a reputation for being the largest portion of overall business travel emissions, but that’s only because they’re the most measured, reported and visible to travellers.
Until we find sustainable aviation fuel, businesses are understandably demanding more and more visibility on the total emissions of their serviced apartment stays to be able to set and achieve emissions reduction targets. This visibility might just be the key to more volumes of considered bookings and a generally more eco-conscious sector.
|AI is more of a positive for your job than something to be feared!
Karen admits she loves AI and is fascinated by the opportunities it offers for our sector, and the world in general. AI doesn’t take jobs away like some may fear, instead it makes jobs easier, allows us to do a better job at the human stuff and allows you to service clients better.
The impact of AI is already evident everywhere in our sector, but we must continue working out how to leverage AI and reap its full potential. The appetite for online booking capability and a “one-stop-shop”-style booking platform is growing, for example, so could AI be the answer to enhancing this kind of technology capability for our sector?
|A good business travel programme might be the key to unlocking a fresh talent pool for vacant jobs.
The war for talent is a global challenge and companies must consider all the criteria that applicants will judge potential jobs on. Since the pandemic, Karen has noticed that a business travel programme is seen as more of a company perk than ever and could be the deciding factor between two job offers.
So, refining your business travel programme and advertising it as an employee benefit could attract more talent and improve employee retention.
|The sector must balance using technology for efficiency with delivering a good service.
Karen emphasised that, whilst technology is having a huge positive impact on the sector in terms of automation and efficiency, we service providers must not lose sight of the human element of their service.
Things like relocations are very personal, so a relocating employee will still require an element of “handholding” to ensure they are comfortable throughout the process. This personal service cannot be effectively delivered by AI, so AI cannot replace the high-touch, human service people can provide.
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