Related articles
Resistance to change in hotels: why it happens and how to overcome it
The fear of change can have different reasons, but it leads to only one result: losing important opportunities for growth. Discover its mechanisms and free yourself from it forever!
This is the story of a hotel group that by the early 1980s was already one of the leaders in the hospitality sector, with seventy-five properties, thirty thousand rooms, and an annual net income of $72 million.
Its formula is a success, the brand is strong and synonymous with quality, luxury, and customer care. But its founder is not satisfied. Despite nothing seemingly threatening its market leader position, he is not interested in remaining in his comfort zone. He wants to grow and reach new customer segments, but to do so he needs to rethink his entire offering.
He wants to reduce it, change its name, change its face, change its price range, change everything, but always maintaining the same quality, according to his favorite motto: “The art of progress is to preserve order in change and to preserve change in order.”
When he presents the idea to his collaborators, many oppose the change. They are afraid of ruining the brand forever and nullifying the hard work done to develop it in the previous twenty-five years.
In the end, however, the votes in favor prevail. The new project is a success and the brand not only is not harmed, but, in fact, begins a phase of unstoppable expansion and growth that continues to this day.
That brand is called Marriott and today has more than 8,000 properties worldwide and a net income of over $2 billion, while that new project many feared is called Courtyard by Marriott and now has over 1,200 active properties.
Why is change scary?
The reason why many of J.W. Marriott's collaborators opposed the Courtyard project is a deep feeling that, although to varying degrees, is common to all human beings: the fear of change.
To verify this, just think about how much effort it takes to change an established habit. In daily life, habits include everything: the way we speak, gesture, interact with others, eat, and even how and how much we use our phones.
Even the way of working can become a habit, a reassuring pattern within which everything must remain as it is, to make us feel fully in control.
In the case of Marriott, the fear was of irreparably ruining something that was already going very well, but in many cases, resistance to change also occurs when the situation is critical and it is clear that it will not improve on its own.
People resist change for a variety of complex reasons, but some of the most common reasons are the fear of the unknown, which generates anxiety and uncertainty, the difficulty in abandoning habits, and the fear of failure, whether personal or work-related.
There is also a biological reason: our brain is programmed to create safe shortcuts and save energy. That's why it favors everything it can do automatically, creating comfort zones and hindering the search for new solutions, even if these could prove more advantageous.
Why companies (and accommodation facilities) resist change
If for Marriott change met opposition but evolved into a happy ending, the emblematic example of how staticity can crush even the strongest company is that of Nokia.
Having gone in just nine years from the world's best-selling mobile phone brand to the bottom of the market, Nokia's mistake was to oppose the change needed to establish itself in the new world of smartphones.
Recognizing market trends, being aware of customers' needs, and knowing how to seize opportunities at the right time are fundamental aspects in any sector, including tourism and hospitality.
But what are the factors that lead accommodation facilities to resist change?
Myth of origins
Many hotels are passed down from generation to generation. This heritage, although important for reputation and certainly a source of pride, can lead to a determination to defend a particular type of management at all costs, making it difficult to accept changes, which are seen as a betrayal of one's origins.
Experience trap
A long experience in the sector is certainly an advantage that, however, can turn into a trap when it becomes self-referential. The reasoning you hear in these cases sounds more or less like this: “I've been dealing with this hotel for years, I've seen everything, but in the end, the results come. And even if they don't... I've been through it so many times that I'll come up with something!”.
Financial investments
Hospitality structures often require significant financial investments to open and maintain operations. These investments can make owners reluctant to make changes, even minor ones, just to avoid spending more money. This refusal mechanism occurs regardless of the return that could be obtained thanks to a new investment.
Fear of losing customers
If a hospitality structure has a large share of loyal guests, it might fear losing customers by introducing changes to its offer or style, ignoring the potential of exploring new customer segments.
Operational complexity
Hotels are complex organizations with many variable and dynamic elements, including staff, services, facilities, and management systems. Introducing significant changes requires an additional workload to train staff and ensure the continuity of daily operations.
When employees resist change
Sometimes innovation, although desired by the owners or managers of a hotel, encounters resistance from employees, making the change even more difficult, if not impossible. The causes may vary based on individual beliefs and habits, but some are recurring:
Lack of involvement
If the company is not able to communicate the details and purpose of the change to the employees, involving them and making them feel crucial in achieving success, employees may hardly support the change with enthusiasm and proactivity.
Practical difficulties
If the change is structural and involves radical innovation in strategies, technology use, or corporate culture, employees may be discouraged by the thought of abandoning tried and tested practices to venture into something completely new. There may also be a fear of being judged not up to the new tasks and losing their professionalism in the eyes of the employer and colleagues.
Lack of support
If managers and leaders are not prepared to manage the change and, at the same time, support and motivate their team, the team could feel disoriented and lose motivation.
Why it's important to stop resisting change
The good news is that resistance to change can be overcome. To do so, you just need to start! The brain, in fact, is not only "habitual": it is also neuroplastic, which means it has the ability to change its structure and functions in response to experience and learning.
Exercising this ability, applying it to work in your hospitality establishment, might lead you to discover horizons you hadn't even imagined before. This approach is all the more necessary if you look at the market you are in: the hospitality industry is anything but static.
New travel trends, emerging technologies, the continuous evolution of customer habits and expectations... everything speaks of change and being willing to embrace it can make a difference from multiple perspectives:
- Increased guest satisfaction
- Greater operational efficiency
- Cost reduction
- Increased profitability
- Competitive advantage
Strategies to overcome resistance and embrace change
Being predisposed to change is not something you acquire automatically overnight, but if you can cultivate it, it can become a driving force in the growth of your hospitality business.
Here are some strategies to help you overcome resistance to change:
1) Continuous training
Invest in courses and seminars for yourself and your team. Not only will you increase skills, but you will also boost everyone's confidence in handling new challenges.
2) Constant feedback
Establish a constant dialogue with your staff and customers. Listen to their opinions and strive to understand which habits or processes you might change to better meet their needs.
3) Clear vision
Develop a clear vision of the direction in which you want your hospitality business to move and share it with your team in an open and enthusiastic manner.
4) Celebrate small successes
Every small positive change, every improvement, every positive feedback should be celebrated. This contributes to creating a positive culture around the idea of change.
5) Be patient
Change takes time. Some innovations may require a period of adaptation. It is important to remember that every small step is a step in the right direction.
In conclusion, while change can be a challenge, it is also an immense opportunity for growth and innovation. Accommodations that embrace change and adapt proactively are the only ones capable of thriving in an ever-changing market.
If you want to practice fighting resistance to change, alone or with your team, we have prepared a checklist that will lead you to reflect deeply on which opportunities you risk losing if you maintain a conservative rather than innovative approach.
The Smartpricing Team