Disorganized Operations and Inefficient Staff Coordination
Small and medium-sized hospitality businesses—like hostels, B&Bs, and guesthouses—struggle with disorganized workflows, inconsistent bookings, and inefficient staff communication. Many rely on a mix of spreadsheets, messaging apps, and outdated systems, leading to:
Spreadsheets and crowded calendars
Missed or double bookings due to scattered information
Confusion over schedules because task assignments aren’t clearly documented.
Long check-in/check-out processes that frustrate both guests and staff.
With the hospitality industry experiencing an average turnover rate of 74% and replacement costs reaching $5,864 per employee, businesses need a streamlined solution to reduce operational chaos and improve staff coordination.
Research
What’s Causing the Chaos?
To dig deeper into these challenges, I conducted interviews with 10 employees and managers at hostels and B&Bs. Here’s what they shared:
Key Pain Points
Fragmented Workflows → Managing bookings, tasks, and guest details across multiple platforms caused confusion.
Unclear Staff Schedules → Employees were often unsure of their shifts or assigned responsibilities.
Inconsistent Booking Information → Lack of a unified system led to double bookings and miscommunication.
Inefficient Check-In/Check-Out → Manual processes created unnecessary delays.
Industry Trends Supporting Change
78% of hoteliers plan to increase their investment in hotel technology.
Businesses are looking for automation and streamlined systems to improve efficiency.
The People Behind the Check-Ins
Understanding Hospitality Staff
💡 The Key Question
How might we create a mobile-first solution that simplifies hospitality operations while improving staff coordination?
Solution
A Unified Hospitality Management Platform
Solve Chaos with a Centralized Command Center The dashboard offers a one-stop overview with quick-access shortcuts for check-in/check-out status, task management, and the upcoming schedule, eliminating scattered information.
Prevent Scheduling Conflicts with Smart, Real-Time Updates
A dynamic calendar with live updates and color-coded roles ensures seamless scheduling, reducing miscommunications and last-minute changes.
Stay on Top of Tasks with an Organized To-Do System
A comprehensive task list keeps the team aligned by serving as a single source of truth with assignment features and progress tracking for efficient task management.
Speed Up Bookings with Instant Room Availability
Quick booking options and a clear room availability display make reservations effortless, cutting down on time-consuming manual processes.
💡Outcomes
Users felt that the app would improve efficiency, enhance team coordination, simplify scheduling, and reduce training time.
Designing for Clarity
Successes and Lessons from User Testing
What Worked Well
Users loved the dashboard’s clarity,especially the centralized task management and the ability to check booking availability in one tap.
The real-time calendar helped eliminate scheduling confusion and allowed for staff to view updates on-the-go.
Managers felt the mobile-first system would reduce training time for new staff.
Areas for Improvement
Feature overload → Too many features could induce cognitive load.
