Managing a hotel in 2025 is no small undertaking; guest expectations are higher than ever, and operational efficiency is a delicate dance that requires streamlining multiple teams and processes while maintaining a quality service. However, staffing shortages, fragmented systems, and manual workflows all put pressure on hotel teams. But the solution isn’t just more hands. It’s greater alignment, better tools, and a clear operational strategy focused on what matters most: the guest experience.
In Duve’s recent online event, Operational Excellence: Streamlining Guest Experience & Team Efficiency, two accomplished hospitality executives shared how they’re navigating this balance. Ieva Dvariona, Director of Rooms at W Hotels Prague, and Susie Boggie, Director of Rooms and Spa Operations at The Belfry Hotel & Resort, joined the panel to discuss how operations can elevate,not compromise,the guest experience when supported by the right structure and technology.
Hospitality Leaders Driving Operational Excellence
Both Ieva and Susie lead large, high-performing teams at iconic properties, and both face the same foundational challenge: creating consistent, high-quality experiences across a wide range of departments, services, and guest types.
At The Belfry, Susie oversees everything from housekeeping and reception to the guest experience and spa. “The biggest operational challenge right now is ensuring a joined-up and consistent experience,” she shared. “Across all those different outlets, departments, and parts of the guest journey , and for all the different guest types and segments that exist within this amazing business.”
For Ieva, who helped open the W Hotel in Prague, the challenge wasn’t just launching a new property,it was maintaining momentum after the doors opened.
That includes moving staff between departments to create engagement and flexibility, and finding better ways to communicate guest needs across the operation.
Together, their insights reflected a larger shift happening in hospitality: operations leaders are no longer just solving staffing issues. They’re building systems to improve how teams work, how they communicate, and how consistently they can deliver for the guest.
The Importance of Operational Alignment in Hospitality
Both Ieva and Susie emphasized that delivering great service depends on more than just staffing, it’s about how well teams work together behind the scenes. At W Hotels Prague, centralizing multi-team communication to one platform created better alignment and transparency. While at The Belfry, years-old SOPs were rewritten after one missed detail revealed how rigid rules can stand in the way of hospitality.
This kind of alignment across teams and systems is what allows staff to stay focused on the guest , not on navigating the gaps between departments.
How Hotel Technology Enhances the Guest Experience
Operational efficiency is not just about reducing workload , it’s about removing friction from the guest journey. When hotel systems are aligned, communication is seamless, and routine processes are automated, staff can shift their focus to meaningful service. Below are three areas where the right technology makes a measurable difference , not just for teams, but for the guests they serve.
Digital Hotel Check-In: Creating a Seamless Arrival Experience
Check-in is often the first in-person interaction a guest has with a hotel , and it can easily become the most stressful. Long lines, paperwork, and delays at the front desk not only frustrate guests, but also distract staff from delivering a welcoming experience. For operations teams, the burden is even heavier during peak hours, when attention is split between logistics and service.
Digitizing this process transforms it entirely. With Duve’s Online Check-In, hotels can collect essential guest information , ID, preferences, signatures , before arrival. This not only shortens wait times, but allows teams to shift their focus from admin to hospitality. The guest’s journey begins long before they enter the lobby, and expectations are already taking shape.
“The guest experience begins at the very first contact,” said Susie. “It might be a glimpse of content on social media or word of mouth. From that moment, they’re already forming a perception of what their stay will be like.”
When check-in is seamless, that early perception is validated , and staff are better positioned to welcome guests with presence, not paperwork.
Explore Duve’s Online Check-In
Hotel AI Messaging: Improving Guest Communication and Speed
When guests need something , from a towel to a dinner reservation , every moment they wait for a reply creates friction. In many hotels, those requests are routed manually across departments, leading to delays and missed opportunities. For short-staffed teams, even routine questions can become a daily burden.
That’s where AI-powered messaging can play a powerful supporting role. Duve’s AI Assistant responds to common guest questions instantly, 24/7, across messaging channels like WhatsApp, SMS, and web chat. More complex requests are routed to the right person automatically , saving time and preventing miscommunication.
The value here is not just automation , it’s responsiveness. Guests get answers without waiting, and staff are free to focus on service delivery rather than chasing messages.
“Recruitment is super tough,” Ieva said. “But the challenge isn’t just finding the right people , it’s keeping them engaged, helping them stay present with the guest. That’s where tools that reduce repetitive admin are so important.”
Learn how Duve’s AI Assistant enhances communication
Mobile Ordering for Hotels: Elevating In-Room Guest Services
Guests today are used to mobile-first experiences in every part of their lives , from food delivery to checkouts. Yet in many hotels, ordering in-room dining or amenities still requires calling the front desk or navigating printed menus. These manual steps lead to missed revenue and slower service.
With Duve’s Mobile Ordering feature, guests can place food, beverage, or amenity requests directly from their device. Orders are routed to the correct department, reducing back-and-forth and freeing up the front desk. For guests, it’s a smoother, more modern experience. For staff, it’s one less interruption.
Susie Boggie, Director of Rooms and Spa Operations at The Belfry, captured the pressure facing many hotel teams:
Mobile ordering helps meet that challenge by delivering convenience that feels premium. It ensures guests can access what they need, when they need it, without delays or compromises in service. At the same time, it allows staff to operate more efficiently, fulfilling requests with fewer touchpoints and clearer communication. In a competitive market, it’s one way hotels can offer both speed and care—without sacrificing one for the other.
Explore Duve Mobile Ordering
Final Takeaway: Operational Excellence Drives Guest Loyalty
Hospitality leaders like Susie and Ieva are proving that operational excellence is not just an internal metric. It’s a guest-facing advantage. When teams are aligned, processes are clear, and technology supports , rather than replaces , service, the result is a more confident team and a more consistent guest journey.
Efficiency isn’t about cutting corners. It’s about enabling people to deliver hospitality the way it’s meant to be felt: personal, responsive, and memorable.