Empowering Hospitality: Leveraging Technology to Overcome Staffing Challenges

‘Hotels are also leveraging new tools and technology to better grow and retain their workforce’

A story this week in HotelDive by Noelle Mateer underscores a key topic that our team at Allbridge has been discussing with a number of our partners: staffing shortages. Earlier this year, our CEO Todd Johnstone posted a blog that dissected the benefits of investing in an integrated property technology solution to provide a foundation to build on for continued growth under adverse conditions across properties. 

As he points out, the hotel staffing issue is one of many issues facing property owners and management teams today. And the recent 2025 State of the Industry Partner Trends & Insights Report released by the American Hotel & Lodging Association calls out, staffing levels will remain well below previous highs throughout 2025. So how can properties continue to provide premier customer service and memorable guest experiences with fewer staff on property? 

To start, hotel properties can immediately provide two major upgrades through an integrated property technology solution. First, increased efficiencies behind the scenes, and second, empowering the staff that they have onsite to spend more time ensuring guests and residents receive the best attention and experience while visiting their property. 

Operational efficiencies are key to both a successful guest experience and a property's bottom line. Integrated systems can empower staff by automating mundane tasks and streamlining operations. Self-service check-ins, 24/7 guest access to information via mobile devices and AI chatbots, and efficient online service request channels all contribute to a smoother guest experience while simultaneously minimizing the demands on overworked staff.

And speaking of the staff onsite, technology frees up valuable staff time by providing new technologies that empower them by automating repetitive tasks. Employees can then focus on higher-value activities, such as personalized guest interactions, proactive problem-solving, and building stronger guest relationships. This not only improves guest satisfaction but also enhances job satisfaction for employees, fostering a more positive and productive work environment.

The potential for property technology solutions should be one of the first conversations held when planning hotel upgrade strategies and when looking to address some of the more prominent issues facing property managers today. PropTech is the source of interoperability – whether back-of-house or AI-driven guest-facing tools – allowing different tech solutions to work together and creating cohesion between solutions. By taking full advantage of expertly managed property technology, hotel owners and operators will see the opportunity for more streamlined growth even in the face of well-below-staffing levels across the industry.