alan young

StayNTouch CEO and Director of Strategic Partnerships Talk Platform Power

Alan Young | March 28, 2019

Reimagining Hotel Technology with Open APIs Based on Strategic Partnership Alignment By Alan E. Young The last few years have been a whirlwind of innovation for hospitality technology. Despite its longstanding reputation for being resistant to change and slow to adopt technological evolution, the industry has made impressive strides toward reinventing its future. And yet, the gradual implementation of the latest advancements is only half the battle. With the rise of new technology (and subsequently, new technology vendors) comes the synonymous demand for strategic alliances and integrations. Recognized as hospitality technology visionar...

Hotel Owners Have All the Juice

Alan Young | March 7, 2019

by Alan Young Who really has the buying power when it comes to hotel technology purchases? As any good salesperson knows, selling a product (or service) is as much about describing the features and benefits of product itself, as it is being able to effectively sell to the potential buyer. It's a dance, one in which an in-depth understanding of the buyer's unique expectations and values will (more often than not) be the key to making that sale. And of course, the key to appealing to buyers directly begins with understanding who holds the buying power. When it comes to the hospitality industry and the purchase of hotel technology,...

Going Beyond Transactions: ‘Conversational Commerce’ and Its Impact on the Travel and Hospitality Industry

Alan Young | February 6, 2019

Coined by Uber's Chris Messina, consumer demand for digital-centric interactions with hotel and travel brands is on the rise By Alan E. Young, Puzzle Partner It's 2019, and I would argue that there have never been more marketing-related "buzzwords" battling it out for conversational real-estate across thought leadership articles, webinars, white papers and more. Whether it's agile marketing, catering to the 'age of the consumer,' hyper-personalization, or the mobile age — there are plenty of commerce-related silos to get lost in as industry leaders seek out the trends and methods which can best benefit their respective brand a...

Paid, Owned and Earned Media: What Matters Most for B2B Travel and Hotel Tech Brands in 2019?

Alan Young | January 8, 2019

By Alan E. Young In a marketing landscape where content is king, you might think it's just a matter of creating and distributing great content. After all, if great content is what every consumer craves from the brands they favor, delivering it should be the easy part — right? But in fact, that's not the case at all. While content is undeniably an integral piece of any modern marketing strategy, business leaders are quick to realize that the curation of valuable and timely content is only half the battle. Back in the day, big brands had to buy an ad or film a TV commercial to get their product in front of their target market. In to...

Top Luxury Eco-Friendly Sustainable Hotels and Why Travelers Love Them

Alan Young | November 5, 2018

By Alan Young Industries across the globe are witnessing the consumer transition into what we like to call the experience economy. Perhaps influenced by the impressive buying power and sheer numbers of the millennial generation, modern consumers are showing a definitive preference for experiential purchasing over material goods. As the Harvard Business Review describes it "within an experience economy, a company intentionally uses services as the stage, and goods as props, to engage individual customers in a way that creates a memorable event." This puts the travel and hospitality industry, specifically, in an exciting position to maxim...

The Innovative Hotels That Are Making Travel Better in 2019

Alan Young | October 18, 2018

By Alan Young Witnessing the gradual advancement and disruption of technology and services is an exciting, and sometimes industry-altering concept, as our world continues to evolve at a seemingly rapid pace to meet modern demands. Generations today know (and love) the likes of Netflix and Crave TV, for example, but many of us also remember the popularity of Blockbuster video — a formerly successful business model which now, doesn't even exist. And those of us who used to cling enthusiastically to our flip phones whilst playing 'Brick Breaker', likely upgraded to iPhones with their robust connectivity capabilities and e...

Loyalty Begins With a Smile

Alan Young | August 22, 2018

How a trip to Budapest reignited my love of travel By Alan E. Young, CEO, Puzzle Partner Loyalty begins with a smile. It sounds simple enough however it can be a challenge to receive a smile in today's hectic, overly self-indulgent environment. We focus on selfies, Facebook, Instagram and have slowly lost touch with what is most important, creating face to face relationships that can last the test of time. The hotel industry faces this challenge daily. While reading an article on Skift titled, "Google Finds Customer Service Beats Loyalty Programs," I saw this as such a basic point. Of course, great service will trump a loyalty program e...

Heading to Nashville for Hotel Data Conference? Don’t Miss These 5 Sessions

Alan E. Young | August 14, 2018

By Alan E. Young Nashville is known for many things; live music, nightlife, food, and from August 15th until 17th that list expands to include the Hotel Data Conference (HDC) hosted by STR. A yearly, sold-out event staple in the hospitality industry, the conference covers over 20 exciting, insightful presentations, industry outlooks, tips, trends, and so much more. Taking place at the Omni Nashville Hotel, attendees can expect to join in on conversations with industry leaders and panelists and leave with data-backed insights to enhance their hospitality offering in 2018 and beyond. After all, with the trend of hyper-guest personalizatio...