The roundtable highlighted Otelier’s innovative approaches and cutting-edge solutions in leveraging data for better business outcomes. Learn how Otelier is empowering data-driven decisions in hospitality.
This article was originally published in Hotel Management Magazine.
How to make data-driven decisions that drive profitability and efficiency was the focus of the Hotel Management’s recent Executive Roundtable sponsored by Otelier. The event, held during the Hunter Hotel Investment Conference in Atlanta earlier this year, brought together operations and brand executives who shared how they are using data, how they are turning data into analysis and how that data is prompting smarter business decisions.
While the hospitality industry might be slower to adopt technology, hotel executives understand the promise of data and its transformative power in their operations. These executives understand the pivotal role of data in making smarter decisions for their hotels.
Vinay Patel, CEO at Fairbrook Hotels, reflected on the industry’s technological evolution, acknowledging the hospitality industry as a whole has been slow to adopt technology—but in the past several years, data has become much more available and in ways that hoteliers can actually use.
“I can get on my phone and look at what’s going on at our hotels, whether it be number of rooms last night, to the labor costs we had the other day, to whatever else is out there,” Patel said. “It really has made decision making a lot more efficient—not only for myself as an owner, but for our team members as well, as our managers, to our executive housekeepers, to a front desk agents. It really has made a lot of difference in terms of how we operate these hotels.”
Patel’s words resonated with the group, highlighting how data had become a game changer, empowering not only owners like himself but also the entire team—from managers to housekeepers—with valuable insights for efficient hotel management.
Ryan Alpert, executive vice president of sales and commercial strategy at GF Hotels & Resorts, emphasized the shift towards leveraging artificial intelligence and technology to optimize labor decisions, recognizing the pivotal role of data in controlling expenses and staying competitive in the market.
“The recent trend now is utilizing AI to make smarter decisions quicker—and as we all know, speed to market is king right now,” Alpert said.
Representing the brand perspective in the group, Matt Campbell, chief operating officer at My Place Hotels, underscored the omnipresence of data in every decision-making process, shaping strategies and guiding investments. “As technology evolves, it makes it easier … to shift and adjust the strategy because data exists at every component along the way,” Campbell said.
Patrick O’Neil, chief operating officer at Vision Hospitality Group, added a practical touch to the conversation, emphasizing the importance of not just having data but also ensuring that it was wielded effectively across all levels of the organization.
“There’s so much data that people don’t know what to do—they’re almost paralyzed,” he said. “So we have to understand how to make it clear for everybody to use, when to use it, how to use the tools that you have.”
O’Neil stressed that it isn’t just having the right tools to analyze that data but training the people to use those tools so it can be the most productive for themselves and for the total operation.
“It can start to be a chore rather than tool in your toolbox,” he continued. “If we aren’t training our people so they understand the why the data makes them a better operator or sales leader, then it won’t work.”
Guest Personalization
In the world of hospitality, personalized service and human touch reign supreme, and data can guide decisions.
Joe Viglietta, chief operating officer at Dimension Hospitality, suggested thinking about data usage and guest personalization from the brand perspective. For example, based on data, he might learn that a guest drinks two Diet Dr. Peppers during every stay. Using that knowledge, he could leave two complimentary sodas in the guestroom with a note thanking the guest for their loyalty. “It’s a small gift, but it could very well mean that the guest will come back to that hotel or that brand all of the time.”
Read the full article on Hotel Management to discover how data-driven decisions in hospitality can enhance your hotel operations.
