PERSPECTIVE
Summer Sizzle
5 WAYS AUTOMATING WORKFLOWS HELP KEEP HOTEL STAFF CALM, COOL AND COLLECT THIS SEASON.
Contributed by DAVID FOX, COO, QUORE
It’ s summertime, which means a flood of hotel reservations. The uptick can put a strain on hotel operations: higher room turnover, increased maintenance hiccups, more pressure on staff. Amid peakseason stress, workforce frustrations can escalate quickly; it’ s why many operators turn to workforce communication and back-of-house technology to maintain calm, clarity and control when it matters most.
Here are five ways technology can help housekeeping, engineering, front desk and management teams work smarter, not harder during peak summer season:
➊ ZERO-LAG COMMUNICATIONS Implementing an automated and unified communication platform, via mobile apps and dashboards, log entries, team messages, guest requests and more, enables hotel staff to operate in real time without the need to track down managers or interpret unclear written notes. Employees can see urgent messages and react to updates quickly.
• Instant alerts: When a guest reports a stain or an engineer flags a leak, a quick message pops up for supervisors and relevant department heads, enabling them to act fast.
• Shift handoffs: Notes from the previous shift are logged and time-stamped, ensuring tasks don’ t slip through the cracks.
• Digital task tracking: Communicating via app reduces misunderstandings and clarifies expectations at high-pressure moments.
➋ DISCREET, DATA-DRIVEN CLEANLINESS Summer means a wave of room turnovers. Automating housekeeping processes enables the rooms department to tackle the surge head-on.
• End-to-end task visibility: Housekeepers can access real-time assignments, room statuses, inspections and guest requests on their mobile devices.
• Digital breakout boards: Supervisors can classify cleanings by type( e. g., turnover, deep clean), assign teams and adjust workflows dynamically.
• Instant notifications: Staff receive push updates when a room is ready, flagged for repair or finished. Supervisors are alerted when rooms await inspection.
• Transparency, accountability: Work logs, completion times, inspection scores and performance metrics feed into reports promoting fairness and addressing issues with data.
This system cuts hallway traffic and keeps teams organized. Instead of chasing paper or shouting across floors, staff stay informed and focused. When roles and steps are clear, everyone stays calmer, even as the mercury rises.
➌ FIX LESS, PREVENT MORE Few things send tempers flaring faster than last‐minute equipment failures: ACs, fridges, plumbing. Having an automated preventive maintenance( PM) program will combat this by scheduling regular asset care:
• Scheduled PM tasks: Engineers receive alerts for routine HVAC, plumbing, and safety system checks. The PM calendar automates reminders, so nothing gets missed.
• Customizable templates: Hotels align PM steps with brand standards, checklists for guestroom inspections, mechanical walkthroughs, life-safety testing, all documented and repeatable.
• Asset tracking: PM logs build a history of each piece of equipment, highlighting trends before small issues escalate.
• Reporting insights: Trend reports help managers prioritize issues, allocate resources, and reduce costly emergency repairs.
By handling maintenance proactively, hotels avoid the frenzy of last-minute fixes and reduce staff stress that arises when guests complain about broken showers or noisy AC units.
➍ PREDICTIVE DECISION MAKING
68 hotelsmag. com July / August 2025