There is Nothing Permanent, Except Change

Prerna Arya - Engineering Manager

 

“The world as we have created it, is a process of our thinking. It cannot be changed without changing our thinking.” ― Albert Einstein

 

If you think of the companies and leaders that you most admire, the one common thread that runs through all of them is their ability to not just adapt to change, but also thrive in it. As someone who has worked at GO-MMT as part of the hotel supply team for over 8 years, I am always in the thick of change. Whether it is the changing needs of the customer, the travel landscape or internal changes in the company, I often find myself at the helm of things. Therefore, it is my responsibility to make sure that my team and I understand this evolution in customer demands, and cater to it quickly, before it changes again!

 

In 2013, we had several complaints about hotel bookings done on our app. Customers testified that they would reach the hotel, only to find that the booking did not exist. This was a recurring problem, and hence we decided to get to the root of it. We realized that these discrepancies had become common because we were dependent on a third party for hotel supply. We needed to stop treating the symptoms, address the cause of the disease and become self-dependent.

 

What we did next was a mammoth task, but today Goibibo has its own hotel supply. I take pride in what we were able to achieve as a team by keeping our eye on the prize, and fearlessly creating something from scratch. Change means constantly updating and improving to cater to your customer’s needs, rather than just solving issues when they arise. With the same spirit of fearlessness and innovation, we went on to launch several new features like ‘midnight check-in’ for those travelling at odd hours, and ‘cart booking’ which allows customers to book rooms in a hotel, irrespective of room types.

 

Continuous improvement is the key to staying on track and sustaining excellence, and I am glad to be part of an organization that thrives on this belief. Here’s to the next adventure!