The internet era has never lacked attention-seekers. Ma Jiajia, a post-90s entrepreneur selling adult products, and Yu Jiawen, the outspoken "post-90s domineering CEO," both once enjoyed their moments in the spotlight. Even internet giants like Zhou Hongyi and Lei Jun are known for their bold personalities. Zhou earned the nickname "Zhou the Cannon," while Lei Jun made a billion-yuan bet with Dong Mingzhu. In contrast, traditional industry companies and professionals tend to keep a low profile and are often criticized for lacking "internet thinking." But is this really the case?
Internet Thinking vs. Traditional Industry Thinking
Internet giants like Zhou Hongyi and Lei Jun attribute their success to internet thinking, which has since become a classic management philosophy. However, there’s no consensus on what exactly constitutes internet thinking.
Generally speaking, internet thinking emphasizes user experience and marketing, with everything centered around the user. In contrast, traditional industries prioritize foundational services and are less adept at leveraging internet tools for hype, making them seem more low-key. This also creates a perception that traditional businesses are less "approachable" to users.
There seems to be a "chasm" between internet companies and traditional industry players. Only by crossing this gap can traditional businesses learn the "secrets" of internet thinking and seize opportunities for a comeback in an era dominated by the internet.
But from the perspective of Ma Yingyao, Chairman and CEO of Home Inns, some traditional industry companies—like Home Inns—are not short on internet thinking. Home Inns has long utilized internet-based marketing strategies and partnered with OTAs like Ctrip, demonstrating the inseparable connection between traditional hospitality and internet companies.
Ma Yingyao explained that Home Inns not only launched a mobile app and WeChat account but also introduced a "stay at a hotel for free" strategy, a clear reflection of its internet mindset. He noted that at Home Inns Select Hotels, guests can scan QR codes to purchase any items they like in their rooms, and if they spend above a certain amount, their room fee is waived. This approach satisfies both accommodation needs and provides an excellent shopping experience. It’s evident that Home Inns’ user-centric approach—innovating business models around customer demands—is no different from that of internet companies.
In reality, the primary differences—or root causes—between internet companies and traditional industry players lie not in their mindsets but in their operational logic. Internet companies, especially startups, aren’t necessarily focused on immediate profitability. Instead, they prioritize rapid growth and aim to achieve economies of scale quickly. During this phase, they rely on venture capital and other funding sources to sustain their "burn rate."
Traditional industry companies, however, prefer stability, emphasizing cost control and ensuring a certain level of profit—even high profits. As a result, they are far more cautious and conservative when it comes to spending.
This divergence leads to two distinct outcomes: internet companies ultimately aim for IPOs or acquisitions to secure an exit, while traditional industry companies don’t necessarily view going public or being acquired as their end goal—though they may pursue these paths after significant growth.
Can the two be integrated? In the internet+ era, Home Inns has balanced internet operational logic with the strengths of traditional industries, combining both to drive numerous innovations, becoming a textbook example of traditional hospitality’s transformation into the digital age.
Breaking Out of the "Chasm" Through Innovation
The fusion of internet thinking and traditional industry thinking is achievable, and Home Inns has carved out a path of integration through innovation.
First, it secured a foothold in the traditional hotel industry through differentiated market positioning and quickly surged ahead. Home Inns is an economy hotel chain targeting third-tier cities, emerging during an era of fierce competition in the hospitality sector. It achieved the legendary milestone of 1,000 hotels in five years, becoming a "late bloomer" in the industry. In recent years, Home Inns has expanded its brand portfolio to include four new brands—Home Inns Select Hotels, Holiday Landmark Hotels, Uyue SPA Boutique Hotels, and Orange Guest Apartments. Several of these brands operate with internet-inspired business models.
Take Orange Guest Apartments as an example. This brand aggregates idle residential properties in commercial districts, tourist areas, and communities, renovates them with unified design, and lists them online for users. It embodies the spirit and characteristics of the internet sharing economy. All transactions at Orange Guest Apartments are conducted online, eliminating the need for front desks—making the process extremely convenient and appealing to post-85s and post-90s consumers.
Home Inns also pursues excellence in product experience. For instance, the chain has undergone four upgrades, with completely redesigned guest rooms and optimized investment models. Home Inns Select Hotels, for example, feature a three-zone-separated bathroom design—U-shaped shower space, washbasin area, and toilet space are all distinct—to maximize guest convenience. Even with three people using the bathroom simultaneously, awkwardness is avoided. Home Inns has also cleverly adapted limited room space, incorporating L-shaped sofas and geometric closets to enhance functionality without reducing usable areas, ensuring guests feel comfortable and at ease.
Additionally, Home Inns actively builds an ecosystem, aggregating industry resources with an open and shared mindset. At the recent Home Inns U+ Product Launch, the company announced partnerships with five industry giants—Haier, Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, Alitrip (now Fliggy), Red Star Macalline, and Yunyou Technology. These collaborations aim to deliver more surprises and conveniences for investors and consumers through policies like credit-based check-ins, interest-free loans, investment support, keyless entry, and smart experiences.
In the internet+ era, emphasizing the gap between internet companies and traditional industry players is counterproductive. Both sides need to learn from each other. Traditional industries should maintain stability while embracing openness and focusing on user experience-driven innovation and upgrades. Internet companies, on the other hand, should move beyond hype and adopt a more pragmatic approach to building sustainable, resilient businesses. In this regard, Home Inns serves as a commendable example.