Mews Hospitality Software

No Staff? No Problem. 

Is there an upside to arriving at hotel with no staff?

It’s midnight. You just landed in town on the red-eye. Your chatty Uber driver zapped your last bar of energy en route to the hotel. You’re zonked. But before you can flop, you’ve got to contend with an overworked, underpaid receptionist who doesn’t speak your lingo.

Or do you?

Meet the Staff-less Hotel

Over the last decade, self-service transactions have become part of our everyday life, whether it’s buying groceries, paying for cinema tickets, or checking in for a flight; what seemed borderline sci-fi just a few years ago, is commonplace today.

Now it’s the turn of hotels to go D.I.Y.

A staff-free hotel may seem counter-intuitive, perhaps that’s why the hospitality sector has taken longer to embrace the technology that spawned the revolution in self-service retail and travel? Hospitality implies a warm, human welcome, right?

But we all know that the hotel experience isn’t always as convivial and smooth-running as we’d like; human errors, unprofessional attitudes, or even cultural differences, are all common causes of an unsatisfactory stay.

The Simple Efficiency of Self-Service Hospitality

Picture a system that requires little or zero staff-guest interaction, where everything is automated, from checking in, to ordering food; a smart hotel with no pesky humans to commit errors, create misunderstandings, or incite guest rage.

Hospitality cloud systems like Mews are revolutionising the way hotels are managed and – as a result – are redefining the overall experience they offer their guests. By automating every process of the business – both front-of-house and back office – hotels run more efficiently and cost-effectively, leaving more resources to invest in overall user experience.

What Does a Staff-Free Hotel Look Like?

At a staff-less hotel, a tablet replaces the reception desk; your phone is your room key; should you need any extras, AI chat-bots offer a 24/7 concierge service that speaks your language, fluently. Self-service buffets replace restaurants, or in some cases disappear entirely, as guests prefer to order from Uber Eats instead.

Who Manages a Staff-less Hotel?

From the hotel’s point of view, the Mews ecosystem enables them to manage and automate their whole operation with little – or no – staff needed. From processing bookings and payments, to managing check-ins and check-outs; from invoicing, to collecting and interpreting data – it’s all there in one easy-to-use dashboard. Ironically, losing staff and streamlining operations actually enables hotels to focus more on the human experience, that is to say: creating personalised journeys tailored to the particular needs of each guest.

Is Staff-less for Everyone?

This new breed of hotel appeals primarily to tech-savvy Millennial and Gen-Z travellers; older generations may still find it a bit impersonal. And while perfectly suited to urban environments, it’s understandable why rural hotels are less keen to adopt this new operational style, the personal touch being core to the experience they offer.

That said, the surly, monolingual receptionist who refuses you a late check-out may soon be a thing of the past.