What's Working (and What's Not) in Hotel Guest Communication Technology
- Jenn Brantmier
- Oct 7
- 2 min read
Updated: Oct 16
Update: After hearing your feedback on this post, we developed a new 10-Point Hotel Guest Communication Checklist to help you develop and execute your strategy with confidence.
Hotels don’t need more channels. They need the right channels, used at the right time, with the right balance of automation and humanity. We asked industry colleagues what’s actually working in guest communication technology today, and what isn’t.
What’s Working
SMS as the default. Guests open texts. It’s simple, universal, and effective for confirmations, room-ready alerts, and quick service requests.
Right message, right moment. Pre-arrival check-in should land before guests leave home. A 9 a.m. itinerary text works better than scattershot promos. One colleague put it plainly: “Timing beats volume every time.”
Apps that replace paper. At one property, staff once carried printed guest grids, tiny-font sheets already out of date by the time they were folded into a pocket. Now, an integrated butler app lets staff pull up a guest profile in real time: family details, preferences, stay history, even what’s next on the itinerary. Instead of chasing updates across systems, they can greet guests personally: “Welcome back, happy anniversary! And where’s Tux the dog?”
What’s Not
App downloads for short stays. Unless you’re a global loyalty brand, guests won’t install a one-off app. Stick with channels they already use.
Over-messaging. Using the same number for both operations (“Your room is ready”) and marketing blasts destroys trust. Separate lifelines from flyers.
Chatbots with empty answers. Guests don’t want “Our resort offers six pools…” when they ask if one is open. Automation works only when it’s narrow, accurate, and quick to escalate.
How Hotels Can Do Better
Connect comms to tasks. A guest request should create and update a work order. If it doesn’t, it will vanish.
Customize dashboards to the role. Staff don’t need every data point, just the ones that help them anticipate and act.
Track what matters. Response under 5 minutes. First-contact resolution. Time to fulfillment. Forget vanity metrics like “messages sent.”
Use AI as an assist, not a replacement. Translation, summaries, and quick replies are helpful. Apologies and problem-solving still belong to people.
Bottom Line
Great guest communication tech is invisible. Guests don’t remember the platform. They remember that someone knew their anniversary, greeted their kids by name, and offered solutions before they had to ask.
Meet guests where they are. Then prove a real human is listening.
Guests don't need more messages. They need the right message at the right time. If your current tools aren't delivering that, reach out. We can help you cut the noise and turn communication into connection.
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