5 questions for Benjamin West's Daniel Englender

Ahead of the upcoming Hotec Global conference, sponsored by Questex Hospitality (parent company of Hotel Management), several industry insiders will be sharing their insights on how the hotel sector is adjusting to new normals. Daniel Englender, managing director of FF&E and OS&E procurement firm Benjamin West, shares his insights on how his team is evolving to deal with new demands.

Daniel Englender

How has your segment of the industry changed since March?  

The whole world has changed these past six months, the hospitality industry same as many others. 

What are some trends you have seen in recent months? Do you think these trends will last? How are you adjusting to those trends?  

Trends are here to stay for the foreseeable future, adjustments are inevitable. 

How has your businesses adapted to the new normals?  

Our team has been fantastic, adapting to new work regime, retaining team morale and caring for each other. 

Have you used this time to develop new strategies for the future? 

We’ve created small teams based on geographical locations and they’re meeting for work/social interaction; caring for our own team is a vital ingredient in developing our ability to support clients. 

What are some ways technology is helping you through this crisis?  

Tech helps hugely. (Can you imagine having everyone working/Zooming from home 15 years ago?) We now need to balance this with sensible face time as we crave social interaction; that’s the challenge. 

For 20 years Hotec events have brought together senior executives of leading hotel chains, top hotel management companies, purchasing companies and interior & architectural design firms with key leading domestic and international suppliers representing innovative products and services to participate in a series of one-to-one meetings over two dedicated business days. Due to the current pandemic preventing travel in many areas, we have secured a best-in-class platform to ensure that this can continue in 2020 irrespective of location. 

Applications are still open for buyers and suppliers.

Stay tuned for more insights from industry leaders ahead of Hotec Global.