Artificial intelligence is changing hotel sales at an incredible pace.
Tasks that once consumed hours, such as responding to RFPs, drafting proposals, and organizing customer information, can now be completed in minutes. While those efficiencies are transforming the sales process, they’re also raising an important question: What makes a hotel seller truly valuable when technology can do so much of the administrative work?
According to Dan Paradiso, Vice President of Commercial Strategies at Make Ready, and Celeste Berke Knisely and Cory Falter, Co-Founders of Sales on Tap, the answer has little to do with mastering the latest AI platform.
The future belongs to sellers who bring enthusiasm, solve complex problems, build meaningful relationships, and create value that technology simply can’t replicate.
Let's see how the conversation unfolded...
Experience may earn an interview, but it isn’t what convinces commercial leaders to make a hire anymore. Dan believes the differentiator is something much harder to teach.
“I need to see enthusiasm. I need to see that you’re going to take something beyond AI, and you’re going to add personality to it.”
That enthusiasm isn’t just about energy. It reflects curiosity, adaptability, and a willingness to embrace change—qualities that have become essential as the hotel sales role continues to evolve.
Celeste knows this firsthand. She entered hotel sales without a background in selling or leadership, yet earned her first Director of Sales position because she demonstrated determination and a desire to learn.
“I’d never sold anything. I’d never managed anybody. But through seven interviews, I showed them that I had the desire and the drive.”
Her experience serves as a reminder that while technical skills can be developed, mindset is far more difficult to coach. Commercial leaders aren’t simply looking for someone who can execute today’s job description. They’re looking for someone who can grow into tomorrow’s.
There’s no denying AI will improve efficiency across hotel sales. Faster RFP responses, automated proposals, and better data analysis will help sales teams accomplish more with less effort.
But efficiency alone won’t create loyalty or win complex business.
Dan illustrated this with a situation many hotel sellers have faced: a client needs more guest rooms than the property has available. AI can recognize the inventory shortage, but it can’t pick up the phone, collaborate with a neighboring hotel, and negotiate a solution that keeps the client happy.
“Be that problem solver. Think how you can be a solution for clients, not just a connector to technology.”
That’s where the seller of the future creates value. Technology can provide information, but people provide judgment. They recognize opportunities, navigate unexpected challenges, and deliver creative solutions built on relationships and experience.
Celeste reinforced that point with one of the conversation’s most memorable observations:
“Detectives make great salespeople.”
The best sellers don’t stop at answering questions. They ask better ones. They uncover business challenges clients haven’t fully articulated and offer insights that go far beyond what’s written in an RFP. As routine tasks become increasingly automated, curiosity and critical thinking become even more valuable.
Hospitality has always been a relationship-driven industry, and that isn’t changing.
Whether it’s solving an unexpected problem, earning a referral, or opening the door to a new opportunity, relationships create advantages that technology simply can’t manufacture.
Celeste described it as the modern version of the Rolodex.
“What you bring to the table is the years of experience—or if you’re just starting out—the number of people that you’ve started conversations with.”
Today’s Rolodex may look like a LinkedIn network, but the principle remains the same. Every meaningful connection expands your ability to create opportunities for both your clients and your organization.
Those relationships shouldn’t begin when business slows down. They should be nurtured consistently, through thoughtful conversations, valuable insights, and a genuine interest in helping others succeed.
When Cory asked what separates exceptional sellers from average performers, Dan’s answer had little to do with sales techniques.
“They make mistakes, and they move quickly.”
Too often, sellers wait for perfect conditions before acting. They hesitate to prospect until business slows, delay decisions while seeking more information, or postpone outreach because the timing doesn’t feel right.
Top performers operate differently.
They make informed decisions, learn from setbacks, and keep moving. That willingness to act creates momentum, and momentum creates opportunity.
Celeste shared the example of a Director of Sales she’s admired for years—not because she manages the industry’s most luxurious property, but because she’s relentlessly proactive. She invests in weekly team training, protects prospecting time, prioritizes quick RFP responses, and consistently gets out into the local market to build relationships.
Those habits aren’t flashy.
They’re consistent.
And consistency is often what separates good salespeople from great ones.
One of the strongest themes throughout the discussion was the importance of standing out—not through clever sales tactics, but by consistently creating value.
Dan believes authenticity is what people remember.
“If you just always keep on top of mind, what is the right thing to do… you’re going to be authentically you.”
Celeste shared a perfect example of how that philosophy pays off. After years of consistently sharing insights on LinkedIn, she received an unexpected message from an executive she hadn’t spoken with in seven years. One piece of content reopened a relationship that led to a new opportunity.
Her advice was straightforward:
“Start putting yourself out there.”
That visibility extends beyond social media. Cory challenged sellers to rethink one of the most common habits in prospecting: sending “just checking in” emails.
Instead of making outreach about your hotel, make it about your customer.
Lead with an insight. Share an idea. Offer a solution. Help your customer solve a problem before asking for anything in return.
In a world where AI can generate emails in seconds, thoughtful communication becomes even more powerful.
AI will continue to reshape how hotel sales gets done, but it won’t replace the qualities that have always built lasting business relationships.
Commercial leaders are looking for sellers who embrace change with enthusiasm, solve problems creatively, build trusted relationships, and take initiative instead of waiting for opportunity to arrive. Those skills have always mattered. Today, they’re becoming the greatest competitive advantage a seller can have.
Technology will handle more of the routine work, giving sales professionals something increasingly valuable: more time to connect, collaborate, and think strategically.
The hotel sellers who thrive over the next five years won’t simply be the fastest to respond or the most proficient with AI. They’ll be the professionals who combine technology with empathy, curiosity, and decisive action to create experiences clients remember long after the contract is signed.
In the end, AI may change the mechanics of selling, but people will continue to be the reason customers say “yes.”
