Episode 20: Innovation in MICE with Venuesuite Founder Ralph van Hooijdonk

Venuesuite announced its new Dynamic Pricing Feature and we discussed the latest trends and innovation that is shaping the MICE industry.

Podcast Timestamps:
00:00:00 - The Value of Partnerships
00:01:01 - Introduction to the Host and Guest
00:01:57 - Speaking at ITB and Impact of Tech on Hospitality
00:04:11 - The Importance of Openness and Collaboration in the Industry
00:06:05 - The Role of Technology in Enhancing Hotel Operations
00:06:39 - Venue Suite's Origin and Mission
00:09:03 - The Entrepreneurial Journey and Venue Suite's Impact
00:11:24 - Automation's Role in Hospitality
00:13:38 - Venue Suite's Vision for the Future
00:15:09 - Dynamic Pricing in the Meeting and Event Space
00:18:02 - The Changing Landscape of Hospitality Tech Partnerships
00:20:28 - Venue Suite's Growth and Challenges
00:23:02 - The Significance of Trust in Strategic Partnerships
00:24:30 - The Value of Friction in Forming Strong Partnerships
00:25:16 - The Fear of Vulnerability in Business Relationships
00:26:08 - The Importance of Physical Presence at Industry Events
00:29:33 - Key Takeaways from ITB for the Host
00:32:18 - Closing Remarks and Contact Information

Quotes:
00:00:00 - "There's a lot of problem identifiers in the world, very few problem solvers."
00:04:11-00:04:21 - "the times of not being open and transparent are long gone."
00:05:20-00:05:30 - "we need to be in a more space where we're more transparent, we're more open."
00:09:25 - "I saw this, I felt this, and I was like, There's nothing on the market. Why don't I just build it? And then like crazy enough to just like go build it and see what happens."
00:14:41 - "So why not just add a little bit of percentage on top of that to create a little bit more of healthy profit? There's nothing wrong with that."
00:17:06 - "And that's really interesting to see with the larger players in the room that are now getting a very dominant foothold in the market because they all have an open API system."
00:18:34 - "But I think that so much change is happening in a positive direction."
00:24:06 - "Usually there needs to be a little bit of that friction in the beginning that allows, and I think the faster you get to that friction point, the faster you actually see what you have on the other side of the table."
00:24:59-00:25:11 - "we all know it, but it's actually really hard when you actually have to roll up your sleeves and be vulnerable because you're being seen. And that is a scary thing, especially without our CEO. It's scary, scary for everybody."
00:27:36 - "The real conversations are a lot better. It gives you more fingerspitzengefühl, they say in Germany."