Adam Kubryk, director of sales & marketing at Global Allies, is set to attend Hotec Design, an annual conference presented by Questex, the parent company of Hotel Management. At the conference—scheduled this year for June 22-24 at the Omni Fort Lauderdale, Fla.—buyers meet one-on-one with hospitality-focused suppliers to learn about new products and services and to keep up-to-date on emerging trends.
Ahead of the conference, Kubryk talked about new purchasing trends, AI in design and maintaining optimism in volatile times.
1. What are the most significant shifts you’ve seen in the industry over the past year—and do you view them as lasting changes or short‑term disruptions?
We’ve witnessed major shifts in how brands and owners are approaching [furniture, fixture and equipment] selection. The entire process has changed. Full-service properties have become almost entirely custom; rigid "brand standards” transitioned into looser “brand guidelines.” Purchasing seems to be relying more on their most trusted partners and projects are under as big of a time crunch as ever. The smarter owners are now trying to start their processes earlier to not have to rush so much. I see all of these as lasting changes.
2. What are the most pressing challenges facing the hospitality industry today and how is your team is navigating those challenges?
Right now the variables have more volatility than ever before. Tariffs could go back to 200 percent, or all previous tariffs could be refunded by the government. Freight estimates from a month or two ago have nearly doubled as gas prices have skyrocketed; so budgeting and pricing has become more challenging than ever. We’re all committing to move forward with projects or products at a set price, often before we know that that pricing is going to be.
3. With there being so much talk about AI and the impact it will have on so many industries, what are some of the ways you're utilizing AI in your business, and what does that imply for the future of the hospitality industry?
Right now Global Allies is taking advantage of A.I. in a number of ways. We have 15 or so custom tools that help us with everything from quoting and follow up to invoicing and inventory. We use it to modify factory photos, to create most of our reports, even as a CRM. These were all things that previously took up a tremendous amount of time…that time is now being better spent elsewhere at our company. The companies who aren’t using A.I. aren’t going to disappear, but they are certainly going to look very slow by comparison. The expectations will be even higher—mistakes should now be caught by a custom internal A.I. analysis tool, so errors and omissions have/will become even more unforgivable.
4. With so much volatility in the market, what factors make you optimistic about where the industry is headed?
The bigger brands have said they’re looking to renovate the majority of their portfolios in the next few years. That’s where the bulk of our upcoming business is likely to come from. Plus, the continued resurgence of in-person meetings has really helped owners rethink how much they rely on their events and event spaces. As a company that focuses on high-end banquet seating, we’re in a unique position to help properties grow their revenue through a higher-end event ballroom.
5. What are some advantages of more intimate events like HOTEC as opposed to large-scale conventions and trade shows?
Every event has its benefits. With one-on-one events, we’ve found that we’re able to capture and hold someone’s focused attention for an effective amount of time. Trade shows can be challenging because of the number of distractions on the show floor.
Hotec Design will take place June 22-24 at the Omni Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Applications are open for buyers and suppliers.