Artificial intelligence stands to make hotel group sales far more efficient, but sales expert Doug Kennedy warns that leaning too heavily on automation could trigger a race to the bottom. Speaking on the CoStar News Hotels podcast, Kennedy said removing salespeople from early interactions with meeting planners risks turning hotel venues into interchangeable products on a shelf.
"The idea [is] that you would get this instant response," Kennedy said. "And my concern was where does that really leave us in terms of differentiating the product? What's going to be left if everybody" does this?
The price-only future
Kennedy, president and co-founder of the Kennedy Training Network, predicted a scenario where all hotels chase responses through AI channels. A planner searching for a venue would receive dozens of immediate replies. The only real difference between them would be price. That outcome erases the unique value hotels bring to important personal and professional events.
He said the right answer is not to reject AI outright. It's to find a measured balance between the process efficiency AI tools offer and the human touch that skilled sales professionals provide.
What happens after the instant reply
"The key is what happens after that initial AI response," Kennedy said. Salespeople should follow up promptly with a phone call or text message. The personal contact changes the dynamic immediately.
"If you say, ... 'It's Doug Kennedy from the hotel you just emailed, I just had a couple of quick questions to help me personalize the response. Do you have a quick second?' Most people relax," he said. "They're going to be impressed."
This approach uses AI to handle the speed of first contact while reserving the relationship-building work for humans. The technology handles the initial response. The salesperson handles what comes next. For teams working across AI for Hospitality & Events, that handoff is where deals are won or lost.
Why this matters for sales professionals
AI response tools are spreading fast across hotel sales teams. The salespeople who will keep their edge are the ones who treat automated replies as a starting point, not a replacement for conversation. Your competitive advantage sits in the 90 seconds after that AI-generated email lands in a planner's inbox. Pick up the phone. Send a text. Ask a real question. That's the move that separates a venue from a commodity.
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