The recent NYT article that many sites are talking about this week that speculates whether hotels are quietly and illegally using cellphone jamming technologies to protect their dwindling in room phone revenues is simply another example of old vs new technology related business model thinking.

Instead of grasping at the status quo many businesses grasp at the past hoping to protect what they have had vs. building something new. I doubt hotels are using jammers. It's expensive and illegal and the downside of being caught is very high in terms of bad PR. But the speculation remains.

Businesses everywhere are looking to nickel and dime their customers into finding someone else to do business with. Whether it's charging added fees for airline tickets booked with humans or coke machines that can charge more when the temperature goes up business's fail to position their offerings in the best light. Why not say you are offering a $10 discount for tickets booked online? Why not say the coke machines charge less when the temperature goes down. Paging Steve Rubel do you see a PR problem here?

If you are a hotel why not make your property the most convenient, easy and remarkable place for business travelers to stay. As the market nickels and dimes others your customers will be willing to spend the few extra dollars/euros with your property because of the ease and convenience. It requires a good mix of business center services, edible if not tasty continental breakfasts, FREE in room Wi-Fi, cell phone boosters, and good customer service. Yes, it's harder than it looks but it's probably worth it.

WIWAK(When I was a kid) the small town motel we stayed in while visiting my grandparents in the 1970s featured see through towels and NO TELEPHONES. At the time that was a great inconvenience but now I see they were years ahead of their industry. Why pay to install and maintain telephones when visitors will use their cellphones anyway.

Anybody want to share a good experience with a hotel or business that makes your life easy?