Join Rob Grimes at HRC / HT360 in London for a special TechBytes episode with Jane Pendlebury, CEO of HOSPA. They explore how hospitality is evolving at the intersection of technology, revenue management, and genuine service. From the rise of revenue managers and digital transformation to QR codes, robotics, chatbots, and AI, Rob and Jane dig into what really works in hotels and restaurants today. You’ll hear how independent operators, hotel–restaurant partnerships, and changing guest expectations are reshaping labor, innovation, and the guest journey—without losing the human touch that defines hospitality.
In this special edition of TechBytes, recorded live at HRC / HT360 in London, Rob Grimes sits down with Jane Pendlebury, CEO of HOSPA, to unpack how technology is reshaping the hospitality industry across hotels, restaurants, and catering.
The episode begins with the story and mission of HOSPA and how professional organizations support hospitality through education, networking, and community. Rob and Jane look at the evolution of revenue management, a role that barely existed 10 to 15 years ago and has now become central to how hotels and restaurants think about pricing, demand, forecasting, and profitability.
From there, the conversation turns to the impact of COVID-19 on the sector. They discuss how delivery, takeaway, and creative partnerships between hotels and restaurants opened up new revenue streams and forced operators to rethink how they use their spaces and their teams. This naturally leads into the rise of QR codes for menus and payments, how quickly they were adopted, where they continue to add value, and where guests are starting to push back.
Rob and Jane then explore the realities of system integration, especially for independent hotels and restaurants that do not have large corporate IT departments. They talk about the challenge of connecting platforms, the practical barriers to digital transformation, and the constant balance operators must strike between innovating and simply running the day-to-day business.
The discussion moves into robotics, automation, and AI. Rob asks where robotics is actually being deployed successfully in hospitality and how these tools can support labor rather than replace it. Jane shares perspectives on guest-facing AI and chatbots, how they can handle routine questions and requests, and how they can be used to protect and even elevate the human side of service.
Throughout the episode, a central theme emerges: how to embrace digital transformation without losing the culture and soul of hospitality. Rob and Jane talk about maintaining service standards in an automated world, creating new roles and opportunities for staff, including seniors and people with disabilities, and the growing importance of digital leadership roles such as Chief Digital Officer. They close by looking ahead at what might follow AI as the “topic of the year” and how voice technology, personalization, and mobile devices will continue to shape the guest journey.
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