Changing Expectations

Earlier this week, I took my sons on their first college visit.  Naturally, we decided to start at Texas Christian University, the college where my wife and I first met. TCU is located in the heart of Fort Worth, Texas, where we lived the last twenty years before moving back to the Midwest.  Our full “Monday at TCU” tour began bright and early at 8:00 am.

The in-person experience was designed to supplement the information sent digitally in advance to our kids, which included Web sites, videos and more.  We experienced a student-led tour, complimentary meals, residence hall tours, and an academic college visit to the MJ Neely School of Business. 

As graduates, we had expectations around what we were going to see and hear.  Those expectations were based on our experiences with the university decades ago.  Admittedly, much of the life we’ve lived and the activities we participate in today for purposes of learning have been transformed through technology.  Here are some examples of how tech is impacting student life: 

• No Key Required: You don’t need a physical key to unlock the dorms and other buildings, but instead a programmable key card that provides access to every building or room you need to access on campus.
• No Laundry Money: You don’t use quarters or cash for laundry.  Instead, there is an app to determine if the washers and dryers are available for your use.
• More than Just Pizza: The dining options provide a greater variety of healthier food options, reflecting a broader trend toward wellness for students.
• No Lines to Workout: You don’t have to wait to use the workout facility…an app tells you when the gym isn’t crowded
• No Credit Cards Required: No need to carry cash for off-campus restaurants as they leverage a digital payment network tied to TCU called Frogbucks.
• Tech in the Cloud: No worries if your laptop dies as everything is cloud-based and can be replaced within a few hours.

Over the past couple of decades, the college experience has been dramatically reshaped by technology and changing societal values. This is not necessarily unique to TCU, as I’m sure we’ll see on subsequent college visits. It is clear that technology integration is now fundamental, with online classes, digital textbooks, smart classrooms, and AI-driven learning platforms revolutionizing how students engage with their education. Social media and digital communication are central to campus life, allowing students to connect, organize, and share experiences in real-time.

Career services has expanded but the faculty ratio as not.  Moreover, the rise of online and hybrid learning options makes education more flexible, giving students access to a broader range of courses and degree programs.  I was pleasantly surprised at how TCU has enhanced the experiences made possible by faculty and staff and infused it with technology that reinvents the experience for students.  The teachers haven’t gone away…but are accessible in different ways.  Technology hasn’t replaced people and the service they provide but supplements it.

AI & Tech Advancements are Redefining Expectations in the Managed Travel Ecosystem

You may ask what this has to do with corporate travel.  I’m getting there.  What has changed with expectations and service over the last couple of decades when you travel?

Have your expectations changed dramatically or stayed relatively the same? 

In the travel and hospitality industry, AI and technology are rapidly redefining what it means to provide “service.” Companies increasingly use tech and AI to streamline operations and provide more personalized guest experiences. Some travelers now expect them while others are surprised to find things have changed.  Some examples:

1. Smart Check-Ins & Check-Outs Major hotel chains use AI and profiles to enable seamless check-ins and check-outs via apps or kiosks. While this isn’t necessarily new, AI recognizes guests’ preferences and can automatically assign rooms based on past choices. I love convenience, but others miss the human touch and feel it detracts from the traditional welcome experience.
2. Dynamic Pricing Airlines use AI to predict demand and set ticket prices in real-time, ensuring flights are filled at maximum profitability. Working at Sabre Corporation nearly 15 years ago, the airline business employed more PhDs than NASA to stay on top of yield management.  Hotels now do the same, adjusting rates on the fly based on demand. While this helps keep prices competitive, some travelers feel frustrated by the unpredictability, often seeing fluctuating rates within minutes.  I’ll spend more time on dynamic pricing in a future column.
3. Personalized Recommendations OTA platforms use AI algorithms to suggest destinations, activities, and dining options based on users’ past trips, preferences, and purchased or cached data. In a similar way, HRS Stay, Work & Pay uses an AI framework to make traveler recommendations based on a corporation's priorities.
4. Automated Customer Service Many companies now use chatbots powered by natural language processing to handle guest inquiries. For instance, airlines and hotels like have deployed 24/7 AI-driven chat assistants to answer questions or resolve common issues. While this speeds up response time, travelers sometimes find the interactions frustrating, especially when dealing with complex issues that require human empathy.
5. Contactless In-Room Services High-end hotels have integrated AI-driven voice assistants like Alexa into hotel rooms, allowing guests to control lights, room temperature, and request services without needing to call the front desk. This hands-free experience appeals to guests valuing convenience and safety but can be challenging for those less comfortable with technology.
6. AI-Powered Travel Itineraries Larger tech companies, including Google, are now using AI to create dynamic, personalized itineraries that change based on your location or places you’ve visited, past searches, weather, traffic, and other factors. These itineraries save time for travelers but also reduce the need for human travel agents.
7. Predictive Maintenance & Housekeeping AI helps hotel chains forecast when rooms will need repairs, cleaning or in-room service based on card swipes and traveler usage data. This improves room availability and cleanliness standards. This predictive approach keeps facilities running smoothly but can lead to fewer human interactions with housekeeping, an element some guests associate with a hotel’s personalized care.

Like the examples from my local university, these changes bring convenience, safety, and personalization but also challenge the traditional ways that travel suppliers operate. While some people embrace these efficiencies, others feel a loss of the “human touch” that has long defined hospitality and travel.  I have mixed reactions to these technologies but have largely adapted to a new, technology-enhanced world of service.  Have you?

I’d love to hear where you think technology continues to miss the mark or where your expectations aren’t yet met.