The GM sees a problem every single day. Ownership sees one more request sitting next to the roof, the elevators and the guestroom renovation.
Both of them are being reasonable. The technology request just has to explain the operating problem in terms an investment decision can use.
I’d want the GM to bring the owner’s question into the proposal from the start, instead of running into it at the end.
Describe the problem before the purchase
What work is failing or taking too much effort? Who does it hurt? What happens if the hotel keeps doing it the current way?
Say the sales manager rebuilds the same proposal deck from scratch every week, and planners still call to ask which room is which. Explain that before you show anyone a platform or a feature list.
Our software evaluation guide helps turn the request into a workflow you can actually test.
Show the whole commitment
Include setup, staff time, the subscription, upkeep and support. Let Finance decide how the property should budget and account for it, instead of assuming every technology purchase is a capital item.
Compare it to sensible alternatives
Would a content cleanup or a clearer approval process solve most of the problem? Would a smaller pilot tell you whether a bigger investment makes sense? What does waiting a year save, and what does it cost?
The GM doesn’t need to pretend to be certain about every benefit. Keep these separate: the cost you can measure, the time you expect to save, the operating improvements you can describe, and the revenue impact nobody knows yet.
Ask for the next decision, not the whole roadmap
A bounded pilot request can name the spaces, the people, the time period and the evidence needed to expand. It doesn’t have to ask ownership to sign up for the next five years.
Agree who reviews the result and what would justify stopping. A real stop condition makes the proposal more believable, not less enthusiastic.
Ownership doesn’t need the GM’s excitement about a feature. It needs a clear reason why this problem, this money and this timing deserve attention alongside everything else the hotel needs.
A useful vendor should help the GM prepare that conversation.
