Automation Yields 5% Guest Satisfaction Uptick at Lane Hospitality

The Northbrook, Illinois-based Lane Hospitality owns, operates, or provides third-party management for 19 properties with a variety of appeal. The common denominator is Lane’s dedication to providing prompt and comprehensive guest services in well-maintained facilities.

 

That dedication got a boost when Lane implemented the hotel ServicePro guest service and asset management system from hotel SystemsPro. The system automates the communication, scheduling, tracking, and reporting of tasks involved with fulfilling guest requests, safety requirements, brand standards, and preventive and equipment management.

 

“We set up a six-month evaluation at three properties to see how well hotel ServicePro’s web-based platform operates,” says Wayne West, Lane’s vice president of hotel performance. “We chose one select service hotel, one boutique, and a branded conventional hotel.” The goals for the test were to:

“Our guest satisfaction scores improved five percent in the first three months of the hotel ServicePro trial. In fact, the system performed so well, we are rolling it out to our remaining 16 properties this month,” says West.

 

West points to a Lane select-service beach property to illustrate how hotel ServicePro increases guest service. “When a family is on a beach vacation, it is a very special, important time to them,” he explains. “They’ve saved up their money to have a good vacation. If they call the front desk to request something extra, like a refrigerator in their room, we want to respond quickly to ensure they are cared for properly, and our new system makes it possible for us to do this.”

 

The front desk team no longer needs to take notes on paper. “Our staff can use their iPad, iPhone, other smartphone, or computer to enter the request in the hotel ServicePro system and send a message to the correct person to take action,” continues West. “This gives our property teams the ability to engage guests more personally and proactively to ensure satisfaction.”

 

The four Lane vice presidents who oversee hotel inspections and preventative maintenance also give the system rave reviews for its ability to create and pull checklists, work logs, and inspection results from the cloud on the go using iPad or any smart phone. Hotel staff also appreciates the system’s ease of use. hotel ServicePro turns streamlined property upkeep into a source of profitability.

 

“I can check how many rooms have had preventative maintenance and what issues have been resolved,” says West. “Staff can direct issues to the right person to correct them. I can read on my iPad the upgrades for each room. Our VPs can pull up information online before they inspect properties, keeping them fully engaged with the system across our entire portfolio. It has transformed the way we maintain brand standards.”