13 November 2023

Focus on customer service

TUI BLUE and RIU Hotels & Resorts improve daily hotel processes with digital solutions

Guests should be able to enjoy their stay at the hotel to the fullest. This is where digital solutions come in and help to optimize hotel operations. TUI BLUE and RIU Hotels & Resorts are already using digital applications to make work easier for hotel staff. This leaves more time for the wishes of the guests, who can enjoy their vacation even more relaxed.

TUI BLUE and RIU Hotels & Resorts have designed applications for daily operations in the hotels and improve the guest experience thanks to faster completion of tasks and innovative functions. Employees are making very active use of the possibilities, as they make their work easier and more efficient by being able to check all guest requests and profiles at any time.

Digital front office at TUI BLUE

One example of this is the digital front office that TUI BLUE uses. The TUI BLUE model provides a seamless IT infrastructure and tools for hotel staff to make hotel operations even more efficient. The so-called digital hotel platform is a smart technology that enables a seamless digital customer experience.

"The digital front office is a key player in our hotel platform. To improve our operations, TUI BLUE uses the Alice platform, trusted by industry leaders and leading hotel chains," explains Michael Cares, Group IT Director TUI Hotels & Resorts. The digital front office simplifies collaboration between departments and different hotel areas in order to process guest’s wishes faster and more efficiently.

All guest inquiries or requests, maintenance tasks or the coordination of housekeeping are bundled and distributed via an all-in-one platform. This also includes, for example, service requests, table reservations or the booking of a preferred room – regardless of whether the request was made via the BLUE app, the website or with a hotel employee. TUI BLUE Bahari Zanzibar was the first hotel to implement the platform. "The reporting of all issues specially with regards to maintenance have significantly become much faster than it used to be manually or by e-mail," says General Manager Reda Sweed. The dashboard enables hotel managers to gain insights for their daily work and to make processes more efficient in order to have more time and resources for guests. The technology is already in use at more than half of the TUI BLUE hotels, and a further rollout is planned successively, including also other hotel brands of the Group such as TUI MAGIC LIFE and ROBINSON.

RIU presents its new "Riu Staff" app

RIU Hotels & Resorts has recently developed its own app for daily operations in the hotels, called "Riu Staff". The app was developed in collaboration with the reception teams. The application supports many tasks that are usually handled by reception, such as housekeeping, technical services, minibars and administration. The various departments in the hotel can manage their processes remotely using mobile devices and track the status of requests in real time.

The Riu Staff App was first used at the Riu San Francisco in September 2022 and is now used at 27 locations. The other hotels in the RIU chain currently use an external application, which will be replaced by Riu Staff in all hotels by the end of 2024.

The new app is integrated into RUMBO, RIU's property management system. This is RIU's own internal software for managing hotel operations, which includes various modules for all areas of the company. On the other hand, RUMBO is linked to the "Riu Guest" app, an application that guests can use before, during and after their stay. As soon as a guest makes a request via the cell phone, it is sent to RUMBO and from there to Riu Staff. A member of staff complies with the request and informs the guest in the opposite direction that their request has been processed. This type of two-way communication optimizes interaction in the hotel and also means that tasks are completed more quickly.