2026 leaders have stepped back. Now stressing quantitative results. Instead of more data analysis.
Vendor this week was trying to convince me on data value from 100,000 US hotels. I heard his pitch and then asked. Can you give me data from just the 2000 hotels we serve? We don’t have any use for data on other 98,000 US hotels. Vendor had hell of time understanding that more data wasn’t always answer. Nor was displaying data different ways necessarily better.
Way this AI company had structured database it was all-or-nothing. They lost sale because they didn’t understand customers they were selling to. Hospitality Sales 101: Understand and address customers need.
Business leaders have been telling us all year that AI companies keep trying to sell them software that provided way more than companies want or need.
Vendors keep selling all additional revenue streams more data can open. Leaders have been telling vendors. It’s not more. It’s specific data that addresses our customers specific challenges better.
If company does not want to pursue additional markets now. Additional data will likely be worthless by time company is ready for that market.
Leaders Tip
Make sure vendor includes serious programming hours(rule thumb 25% of total hours) for specific changes your company needs. In the original cost of software. Don’t let them treat every telephone call as a change order.
Many vendors assume they can double the price through change orders.
4 Advantages of International Software Developers
All our company software was customized to our specs. We quickly learned:
International software developers were less expensive.
They Included about 25% of their billable hours for change orders.
Were not satisfied until the customer was satisfied.
Met their deadlines, even after change orders.
They never said “that’s not what we understood.” They did understand we the customer always expected them to do it right. If they wanted our repeat business and recommendations we darn well better be satisfied customer.
Another thing we quickly learned? To only use software developers that had successfully run companies for few years. They needed to understand what ownership involved. To have met payrolls and changing needs of customers. How quickly business can shift.
Last points: International companies we worked with over decades spoke clearly understandable English. They were willing to communicate on our working hours, not their time zones. (Of course we tried to accommodate them as well.) There were lots of times I talked to them for couple hours starting at midnight. There were also lots of times they were talking to us midnight their time.
2026 Leaders Applying their Executive Judgement Quantitatively
It’s no longer about the latest, greatest software. It’s AI results that translate to customers, company bottom line, to employees, to protecting owners asset.
It’s not to eliminate employees. Instead eliminate repetitive tasks to better utilize brainpower. To free up employees to contribute more ideas.
2026 AI is about building trust in decisions companies are making. That means providing data that is easily understood by those using data. If data is visually understandable and easily stated, trust is built.
Leaders are being more discerning with AI
Leadership using common sense and judgement on decisions about data use. And how data is measured. Human decision making. Not machine decision making.
Leaders have always been leaders because they can evaluate the best use of their time and their team’s time. To productive ends.
Leaders have always had to choose from numerous options. AI has proliferated options. But not necessarily better options.
Ability to choose and sell their decisions is even more important in age of AI.
Make decisions based on measurable outcomes. Whether from AI or traditional means. Leaders are responsible for results. AI has not changed that. But AI has infinite ability to confuse issues.
I have asked all leaders what has changed with advent of AI? Consensus answer from senior leaders. “In hospitality nothing. It sill comes down to judgements on how best to treat customers, employees, ownership and to take our rightful place in local communities.
What has AI changed in Hospitality industry?
-Opportunity to streamline repetitive activities.
-Ability to free time for employees to better use their minds to make operational improvements.
Consultant advised us 50 years ago. The first few months of our existence in 1996: There are only 5 things anyone in hospitality industry can do:
Better serve guests
Taking care of employees
Protecting owners asset value
Cut costs
Improve profits
Rest his soul. Were he hear today he would be saying “What’s changed?”
Don’t let AI confuse you or distort your thinking. Take care of 5 above and thrive in your career.
Tom Ferree is the founder of Ferree & Associates and SecureEmploy, organizations focused on helping companies find exceptional talent and helping professionals advance their careers. Since founding Ferree & Associates in 1977, Tom has worked extensively with hospitality companies, executives, and rising leaders across the industry. Through SecureEmploy, he shares practical career strategies, leadership insights, and real-world advice to help professionals grow their careers and help organizations build stronger teams.
