How innovation behind the scenes is redefining what “guest experience” really means
In hospitality, innovation has long been measured by what guests can see: sleek apps, dynamic pricing, frictionless check-ins. But behind the smiles and booking screens, another revolution is quietly reshaping the industry, one built not on more apps, but on smarter, interconnected operations.
This is the rise of operations technology, systems that manage the heartbeat of hotels: purchasing, supplier relations, cost control, and performance visibility. And while it’s less glamorous than marketing automation or loyalty tools, it’s becoming the most decisive competitive advantage in hospitality today.
From Front-End Frenzy to Back-End Brilliance
A 2025 report by Hospitality Technology found that while 84% of hotels increased digital investments in 2024, over half reported “low ROI” from guest-facing tech due to fragmented systems and manual backend processes¹.
At the same time, 68% of hotel executives identified “operational efficiency and automation” as their top investment priority for 2025, surpassing marketing for the first time¹. The message is clear: guest experience starts long before check-in, it begins in procurement, inventory, and coordination.
As one general manager put it:
“We’ve invested millions in digital check-ins, but the real transformation came when we automated supplier ordering. Suddenly, our staff could focus on service again.”
The Power of Invisible Tech
Operations tech isn’t about replacing people; it’s about releasing them from complexity. By integrating procurement, orders, supplier data, and analytics, teams spend less time on reconciliation and more time where it matters, the guest.
According to a 2025 McKinsey study, hotels adopting integrated operations systems reduced administrative hours by up to 30% and improved cost forecasting accuracy by 22%.
Similarly, an STR Global analysis revealed that automation in purchasing and stock management led to 12–18% savings on consumables annually due to reduced waste and improved visibility³.
These aren’t marginal gains, they’re business-shaping efficiencies.
Lilo and the New Language of Efficiency
At Lilo, we believe the next wave of hospitality innovation isn’t about more dashboards, it’s about fewer, but smarter, ones.
Our platform connects orders, suppliers, analytics, and operations into one continuous workflow. This means decisions are made faster, duplication disappears, and every order contributes to a clearer picture of profitability.
Because when operations run seamlessly, experience flows naturally. Guests may never see Lilo and that’s exactly the point.
Building a Future That Works Behind the Scenes
The future of hospitality belongs to those who invest in what guests don’t see, the systems that keep everything else running smoothly.
At Lilo, we’re proud to help forward-thinking operators embrace this quiet revolution: less noise, more clarity, and operations that work as elegantly as the service they support.
Sources & References
- Hospitality Technology. 2025 Outlook: Digital Transformation in Hotels. (2025). https://hospitalitytech.com
- McKinsey & Company. Hospitality Operations and the Future of Automation. (2025). https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/travel-logistics-and-infrastructure/our-insights
- STR Global. Operational Efficiency and Technology Adoption Report. (2024). https://str.com