Innovation in Service Design

Ever bought a mystery meal from a five-star hotel for just 10 bucks? 🍱🎁 In China, luxury hotels are reimagining surplus food as “leftover blind boxes”, mystery meals sold at deep discounts after buffet hours. 🤓This viral model isn’t just a quirky trend, it signals how brands can blend value, sustainability, and experience in one offer. From Hilton in Shenzhen to seafood chains in Changsha, Chinese hotels are using digital platforms to package high-quality, unsold buffet items into curated surprise bags priced around US$11 (¥80) What began as a solution to food waste is now a playbook for engaging Gen Z with low-cost luxury and gamified consumption. More insights below 👇 🍱 Over 2,600 tonnes of food saved and 6,500 tonnes of CO₂ emissions reduced by China’s “Xi Shi Magic Bag” platform, now active in 40+ cities. 🍱 Shenzhen’s Hilton saw daily sell-outs of their ¥79 blind box buffet in 2025, a move that lowered waste while pulling in younger consumers. 🍱 With RevPAR* falling up to 7% for China’s high-end hotels in 2024–2025, this model offers a creative alternative to blanket discounting. ✔️ China’s “surprise surplus” economy offers a fresh lens on combining cost-efficiency, sustainability, and digital engagement, one that hospitality brands worldwide can learn from. ✔️ Global players can adopt this by designing low-friction, app-based surprise models that convert waste into customer delight and loyalty. What’s your take? 🤔💬 Could this idea reframe waste management in your sector? *Revenue Per Available Room, is a key performance indicator (KPI) in the hospitality industry. _____ insights via Caijing, STR, Xi Shi Magic Bag #china #sustainability #retailinnovation #ashleytalks ❗️Looking to adapt China’s agile marketing to your industry? Message me for tailored trend applications and hospitality strategies.

Sometimes the best way to innovate is to get rid of things. Usually when we innovate we add things - new projects, new features, new ways of serving people and so on. All of this takes time, effort and resources and usually comes on top of the things we are already doing. The result is often a clutter of 'innovations' (old and new) which can be confusing and not particularly useful. There is an interesting experimental study which found that when people were asked to come up with an innovation, the vast majority added things. One part of this study looked at innovations suggested by staff to a new university president - 91% were additive. Addition can be useful, but we overlook subtractive innovation at our peril. A great example of substractive innovation in the hotel industry is Citizen M. It operates in one of the most crowded markets. When it was launched over a decade ago tte founders thought there was a new market neich for global nomads looking for affordable luxury. These people didn't spend much time in their hotel room but wanted some sense of luxury. Citizen m focused on the features which mattered to it's target market - large bed with nice linen, on demand films, a lively bar area, a nice shower. It got rid of all the rest of the stuff which you usually find in hotel rooms (large room, kettle, trousers press etc) and in hotels (doorman, concierge etc). The result has been a successful new hotel chain in a crowded market. It begs the question in many industries - what is something which the specific audience you serve really cares about you could add or improve, and what is something that they don't really care about which you can get rid of. Here is the study of additive and subtractive innovation: https://lnkd.in/e-VEGrYv Here is a couple of case studies of citizen M: https://lnkd.in/eZ6YV9w3 https://lnkd.in/eA3kR7b6

Navigating India's Digital #Banking Future: Reserve Bank of India (RBI) 's New Authorization Directions. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has just unveiled its comprehensive "Reserve Bank of India (Digital Banking Channels Authorisation) Directions, 2025". This significant draft, effective from its final issuance date, aims to streamline and strengthen the regulatory framework for digital banking services across India. This isn't just an update; it's a foundational shift for all commercial and cooperative banks operating in India! Let's dive into what these directions mean for the banking landscape: 1. Defining the Digital Frontier: The RBI clearly distinguishes between various digital banking channels: • Digital Banking Channels themselves encompass services offered via websites (internet banking), mobile phones (mobile banking), or other digital channels, involving significant process automation and cross-institutional capabilities. • Internet Banking allows customers to manage accounts and access services online. • Mobile Banking facilitates banking through mobile applications, USSD, and SMS. Crucially, the directions differentiate between two levels of digital service based on functionality: • View Only Banking Facility: This is for non-transactional services that do not alter a customer's assets or liabilities. Think balance inquiries, statement downloads, or viewing. While loans and fund transfers cannot be directly provided, banks can offer downloadable forms for such facilities. • Transactional Banking Facility: This is the full suite, allowing all fund-based or non-fund-based banking services. This distinction is key to understanding the varying compliance requirements. 2. Dual Pathways for Authorization – A Tailored Approach: The RBI has established two distinct eligibility criteria, reflecting the risk profiles of the services offered: • For "View Only" Banking Facility:     ◦ Banks must have fully implemented Core Banking Solution (CBS).     ◦ Their public-facing IT infrastructure must be enabled to handle Internet Protocol Version 6 (IPv6) traffic.     ◦ Upon launching, banks must inform the concerned RBI regional office within thirty days and submit a ‘Gap Assessment and Internal Controls Adequacy’ (GAICA) report. This demonstrates a lighter, but still structured, oversight for lower-risk services. • For "Transactional" Banking Facility:     ◦ This requires prior approval from the Reserve Bank.     ◦ Applications must be submitted via the PRAVAAH portal with a board resolution and supporting documents.     ◦ The criteria are significantly more stringent, emphasizing robust financial health and technological readiness:         ▪ Full CBS and IPv6 enablement of IT infrastructure.         ▪ Compliance with minimum regulatory Capital to Risk-Weighted Assets Ratio (CRAR).         ▪ Net worth of at least the minimum regulatory requirement or ₹50 crore, whichever is higher, as of March 31st of the preceding financial year.

When the hospitality industry hit pause during the pandemic, Radisson Hotel Group discovered a new opportunity in esports. The group has adapted 120 hotels with specific modifications for gaming and esports teams, including substantial infrastructure investments for enhanced electrical systems, specialised room layouts and technical setups. Examples include: flexible furniture configurations, upgraded WiFi, customised room service timing and dedicated training spaces. Radisson Hotel Group's success in this sector came from understanding the specific industry needs through industry consultation and making long-term commitments to the sector. This initiative has become a significant revenue generator, with ten major esports bookings in the past two years, including a two-week full property buyout for a major event. The group is now expanding this concept globally, with particular focus on emerging gaming hubs like Saudi Arabia. I interviewed Philipp Amberg on stage at BOE to share with you the latest innovation happening in the hospitality sector.

I‘ve spent many years in the Channel Redesigned Channel Programs for IBM, Lucent & Avaya. Moved partners from transaction to profit by selling ‘solutions.’Today, with the same goal, we’re building ‘productized service portfolios.’   Since 2005, we‘ve expanded our client list: Amelia, CloudCoCo Plc, Deutsche Telekom, Ingram Micro, Microsoft, Motorola Solutions, NTT, O2 (Telefónica UK), Oracle, Xerox...   In 2024, we’re expanding our programs: EMEA Copilot Readiness, WW Onboarding Acceleration, Sales Journey Assessments (Secret Shopping), Portfolio Management/Packaged Offer Development, Telco Maximize GTM Workshops, CloudAscent Acceleration...   While looking at 2024, I started to think..   What to do - if I was a Channel Director today?   1. Customer Insight Know to whom, what, where & why my partners are selling. Use these insights to monitor maturity & therefore investments. Add critical updates to Partner Program & cleanup DBs for unmanaged partners. Drive Customer Insight Milestone Attainment for coop access 2. Skilling & Resourcing Most IT companies have skill & resource gaps, particularly at presales & deployment. Add value with GTM Business & technical training. Improve knowledge of & success in Marketplaces. Where it makes sense, make #P2P plays 3. White Space Want partners to sell more? Show them the business case. Analyse their portfolios-capabilities & ambitions. Identify opportunities for growth: upsell, packetized services, bundles, co-sell, skilling, IP… manage improvements through a Development Plan 4. Walk Don’t Talk Customer Experience. Jay McBain said it best while at Forrester: ‘There‘s a clear correlation between superior customer experience & revenue growth.‘ Understand what it‘s like to buy hardware, software & services from partners & help them improve where they can offer better CX. What experience do we want to offer? Is it helping to close - not abandon - the buying process? What is the Benchmark & the Improvement Plan for corrections 5. GTM Advisory Create a Business Academy for learning through best practice key product-sales & marketing motions for growth   6. Create Offer Development Guidance for Compliancy Regulations Many companies will face new compliancy regulations: CSF, CIP, or for any company selling into the EU – NIS2. These are continuous multifaceted compliancy regulations with expensive risk for noncompliance. Ensuring the People-Process-Legal & Technical compliancy for customers is a big value add for CEOs if done correctly – & a significant potential loss of reputation, revenue & maybe even the customer themselves if done incorrectly. I’d put in the planning time to do this right & provide the guidance.   7.  Leads Now that we know where we’re targeting, what we’re selling & are sure we can close, find clever ways to fill the pipeline – eg. using propensity data against customer lists with tools such as Microsoft CloudAscent & others What would You do if You were a Channel Director today? #channel

Something remarkable happened when we started bringing Customer Success leaders into our sales conversations. The traditional sales process transformed into a strategic partnership discussion that benefited everyone involved. After implementing this approach across hundreds of deals, we discovered benefits that went far beyond our initial expectations. Sales teams gained a deeper understanding of post-implementation challenges, which helped them qualify opportunities more effectively. Instead of focusing solely on closing deals, they began asking questions about operational readiness, internal champions, and resource allocation. Prospects received authentic insights into what successful implementation truly requires. Our CS leaders shared real examples of customers who thrived and openly discussed common obstacles they might face. This transparency built trust and helped prospects make informed decisions. Better aligned customer expectations from day one. When CS leaders joined these conversations, they highlighted potential roadblocks and success metrics based on similar customer profiles. This practical guidance helped prospects understand the work required to achieve their desired outcomes. This early involvement proved invaluable for our CS team. They gained visibility into the customer's vision before contracts were signed, allowing them to proactively plan resources and create tailored onboarding strategies. A surprising result was the reduction in "rescue" situations during implementation. We eliminated many issues that typically surfaced months into the relationship by addressing potential challenges during sales discussions. The data supported our approach. Deals that included CS leaders showed 40% higher implementation success rates and 25% faster time-to-value. More importantly, these customers renewed at significantly higher rates. For those considering this approach, start small. Choose strategic opportunities where CS insights could substantially impact the prospect's decision-making process. Document the outcomes and refine your strategy based on that feedback. Great customer relationships begin with the very first conversation.

Many AI transformations in finance struggle. Why? Because achieving "Intelligent Finance" demands both cutting-edge tech and deep financial insight – a rare mix within one firm. The solution isn't trying to master everything alone. Success comes from collaboration. By uniting the strengths of tech providers (for infrastructure), ISVs (for specialized apps), and SIs (for integration), financial institutions can bridge the expertise gap and truly unlock AI's potential. Strategic partnerships are the key to building a smarter, more resilient financial future. Learn more in our article, including examples from Webank and Hong Leong Bank Berhad. #IntelligentFinance #AI #DigitalTransformation #Fintech #Collaboration #Partnership #FinancialServices Kevin Lam, Alan Ko, William Dale , Patrick T., Panagiotis ("Takis") Spiliopoulos, Suresh Ranganathan, Pilada I., Natasak Rodjanapiches, Marcos Choinski   

"If they don’t know about it, they won’t buy it." This mantra is especially true for ancillary services in #hospitality. Turning these hidden gems into core revenue drivers demands creativity, strategy, and guest engagement. 💡 Digital is King: Leverage social media campaigns to showcase your spa treatments or signature cocktails. Personalized email marketing and well-optimized websites (think #SEO and #SEM) make your offerings discoverable and irresistible. 🏨 In-House Innovation: Replace traditional brochures with interactive in-room tablets and engage guests through gamification—who doesn't love winning discounts? 🤝 Collaborations Matter: Partner with #influencers for authentic #storytelling and local businesses for exclusive guest experiences. 📢 #Pricing with Purpose: Bundled packages and psychological pricing (like 99.95€ instead of 100€) can create irresistible perceived value. 🛎️ Listen & Adapt: Guest #testimonials and #reviews amplify trust and credibility. Showcase their stories and let their words sell the experience. How are you innovating your ancillary marketing strategies? Let’s share ideas in the comments! #Hospitality #Leadership #Ancillary #Revenue #DigitalMarketing #GuestExperience Revenue Growth Torres Hospitality Consulting

User Feedback Loops: the missing piece in AI success? AI is only as good as the data it learns from -- but what happens after deployment? Many businesses focus on building AI products but miss a critical step: ensuring their outputs continue to improve with real-world use. Without a structured feedback loop, AI risks stagnating, delivering outdated insights, or losing relevance quickly. Instead of treating AI as a one-and-done solution, companies need workflows that continuously refine and adapt based on actual usage. That means capturing how users interact with AI outputs, where it succeeds, and where it fails. At Human Managed, we’ve embedded real-time feedback loops into our products, allowing customers to rate and review AI-generated intelligence. Users can flag insights as: 🔘Irrelevant 🔘Inaccurate 🔘Not Useful 🔘Others Every input is fed back into our system to fine-tune recommendations, improve accuracy, and enhance relevance over time. This is more than a quality check -- it’s a competitive advantage. - for CEOs & Product Leaders: AI-powered services that evolve with user behavior create stickier, high-retention experiences. - for Data Leaders: Dynamic feedback loops ensure AI systems stay aligned with shifting business realities. - for Cybersecurity & Compliance Teams: User validation enhances AI-driven threat detection, reducing false positives and improving response accuracy. An AI model that never learns from its users is already outdated. The best AI isn’t just trained -- it continuously evolves.

Sustainability = Innovation 🌍 Environmental and social pressures are reshaping how companies approach growth, risk, and competitiveness. When strategically integrated, sustainability becomes a framework to identify operational inefficiencies, anticipate future demands, and respond to evolving market conditions. The starting point is recognizing how sustainability issues reveal opportunities for innovation. Rising input costs require rethinking material choices and supply strategies. Climate risk drives the need for resilient product design. Regulation, customer expectations, and resource constraints all point toward reconfiguring business models and value chains. Each business function faces specific triggers. Operations teams respond to inefficiencies in energy or water use. Procurement can reduce exposure by transitioning to circular sourcing. Product development must address the growing demand for low footprint design. Sales and marketing teams face increasing pressure from clients and regulators to demonstrate real, measurable impact. Several innovation pathways are already proving effective. These include redesigning products with lower impact materials, modular components, and take back systems. Business model shifts such as repair programs, resale strategies, and service based delivery models can extend product value. Digital tools enable smarter operations and transparency for customers. Functional teams require clear prompts to connect sustainability to their daily work. Operations can identify areas where reducing emissions also cuts costs. R&D teams should explore how to design for circularity from the beginning. Sales teams can develop solutions that align with client ESG targets. Finance can evaluate payback periods and risk adjusted returns. HR can focus on building a culture of sustainable problem solving. Impact measurement is essential to validate innovation efforts. Metrics may include revenue from sustainable offerings, product carbon intensity, emissions avoided, client retention linked to ESG solutions, and time to market for low impact products. Implementing innovation at scale requires specific tools. These include life cycle assessment platforms, circular design processes, materiality assessments, innovation accelerators, and sustainability linked finance instruments to fund new initiatives. Sustainability driven innovation is a strategic process embedded across the business. It enables long term value creation by aligning environmental and social imperatives with product, process, and business model development. #sustainability #sustainable #business #esg #innovation