Work harder, faster and smarter

Neil Stiles, managing director of Travolution, Travel Weekly and other titles at Reed Business Information, writes:

Having just returned from a somewhat disappointing weekend to north Devon I was struck by the lesson for all of us as the world we inhabit changes at an exponential rate.

What should one do in the face of change? Well first what are ones choices?

1) Resolutely stick to what you know, do nothing different and, effectively, enter the denial zone, is clearly a popular one; 2) don't change - it will pass as a close relative of 1); or 3) become increasingly resentful of the customers who want the new things and treat them badly (a popular one); and, I guess, an old favourite: 4) up-price, down-service and hope to hell you can ride it through ‘til you retire and screw those coming up behind you.

Clearly none of the above are viable solutions, not that you would know this from a quick check around the UK travel agent and tour operator business, or for that matter a guest house in Devon.

However it is easy to say what not to do, but somewhat harder to pin down a promising action plan to evolve.

On checking a few academic websites, and referring to some tried and tested change manuals, as well as the experience of my own business (media), which is in the midst of massive change, it seems the only real strategy is to work harder, faster and smarter.

Yes, it is probably as simple as that, or in a few words: give customers more.

Clearly not something that the Devon guest house I stayed in was sure about.

Neil Stiles, managing director at Reed Business Information

Neil visited the Holiday Watchdog website to post a review of his stay in Devon.