5 Ways Automation Transforms the Guest Journey
9/12/2025
The Old Way vs. The New Way
Most hotels and restaurants still rely on staff to manually push upgrades, take requests, and chase feedback. It’s inconsistent, stressful for teams, and leaves revenue on the table.
Automation doesn’t replace hospitality. It amplifies it. Guests get the right touch at the right time, while staff stay focused on service.
Here are 5 proven ways automation transforms the guest journey:
1. Pre-Stay Excitement → Smarter Upsells
Guests are most engaged just after booking. Instead of a generic confirmation, imagine:
A branded email with one-click late checkout.
A curated upsell page offering wine, bike rental, or dinner reservations.
Dynamic availability rules so you only sell what you can actually deliver.
💡 Impact: Higher pre-arrival revenue, fewer front desk headaches.
2. Day-of-Arrival Reminders
Everyone dreads travel-day admin. Automated reminders can include:
Check-in instructions.
Parking or transfer details.
A “make tonight easier” dinner pre-order option.
💡 Impact: Guests arrive calmer, staff waste less time answering the same questions.
3. In-Stay Personalisation
Once checked in, guests want speed. Instead of making them phone reception:
A QR code takes them to a digital menu or amenity list.
Orders route straight to the right team (kitchen, housekeeping, bar).
Staff dashboards show requests in real time.
💡 Impact: Faster fulfilment, happier guests, upsells without awkward pitches.
4. Feedback Without Friction
Instead of chasing reviews weeks later, automate mid-stay check-ins:
“How’s your stay so far?” → instant staff alerts if anything’s wrong.
Positive responses can gently push to TripAdvisor or Google Reviews.
💡 Impact: Problems fixed before checkout, positive reviews amplified.
5. Post-Stay Loyalty
Don’t let the relationship end at checkout. Automations can trigger:
Thank-you emails with a personal touch.
Discount codes or rebooking nudges at the right cadence.
Segmentation: families get family offers, business travellers get weekday deals.
💡 Impact: Higher repeat rates, lower reliance on OTAs.
The Bottom Line
Hospitality isn’t about blasting newsletters or hoping staff remember to upsell. It’s about systemising the guest journey so every touchpoint works harder.
With EMS, you can launch these automations in days — no dev team, no clunky rollouts. Just guest experience, elevated.