Choice Hotel International
Module #7 Jacqueline Alkire
Choice Hotel’s dominant product technology is their central reservation system (CRS) used in the industry in which it’s based. Choice has been innovative in this aspect of technology since it was the first in the industry to create its own reservation system called ChoiceADVANTAGE. This enabled the company to be first in customization and customer-need oriented, where as other did not. Customization in this crucial technology is important because it could be modified to the exact needs of Choice Hotels and can be efficient and user-friendly as possible. It is highly important to maintain this technology up to date to increase customer consumption. The adapter category that use this technology would be early adapters. These customers are highly opinionated, are more financially lucid, are trend setters, have higher social status, more discrete with choices, and have advanced education. These customers seek their highest earning payoff, seeking constant savings, and are opinionated on what they want and what they seek. They are also eager to share their service/product experience with others through social media or business reviews. They are also willing to pay more for additional amenities or higher quality. The technology in the industry is diffusing rapidly. The diffusion is caused rapidly since the technology is easily adaptable. Other competitors can create and try to mimic the technology. However, it is very costly to create an entire central reservation system (CRS) just for their own company use. It is why systems like Opera, a central reservation system used by many of the competitors, still exist with limited custom ability. The technology position in the s-curve is on the second quadrant in positive, positive. I believe it is slowly downward sloping since the technology could be mimicked by competitors. However, with the integration of ChoicePRIVILAGES loyalty program into the central reservation system,
Choice Hotel’s dominant product technology is their central reservation system (CRS) used in the industry in which it’s based. Choice has been innovative in this aspect of technology since it was the first in the industry to create its own reservation system called ChoiceADVANTAGE. This enabled the company to be first in customization and customer-need oriented, where as other did not. Customization in this crucial technology is important because it could be modified to the exact needs of Choice Hotels and can be efficient and user-friendly as possible. It is highly important to maintain this technology up to date to increase customer consumption. The adapter category that use this technology would be early adapters. These customers are highly opinionated, are more financially lucid, are trend setters, have higher social status, more discrete with choices, and have advanced education. These customers seek their highest earning payoff, seeking constant savings, and are opinionated on what they want and what they seek. They are also eager to share their service/product experience with others through social media or business reviews. They are also willing to pay more for additional amenities or higher quality. The technology in the industry is diffusing rapidly. The diffusion is caused rapidly since the technology is easily adaptable. Other competitors can create and try to mimic the technology. However, it is very costly to create an entire central reservation system (CRS) just for their own company use. It is why systems like Opera, a central reservation system used by many of the competitors, still exist with limited custom ability. The technology position in the s-curve is on the second quadrant in positive, positive. I believe it is slowly downward sloping since the technology could be mimicked by competitors. However, with the integration of ChoicePRIVILAGES loyalty program into the central reservation system,