Digitalization of a Nordic Country Hotel’s Front Office Services

Abstract

This thesis explores how a Nordic hotel’s front office services can be digitally enhanced to improve efficiency, communication, and guest experience. The report is investigated through the perspectives of the employees, and the aim is to identify front-office processes in the restaurant, bar, reception and lobby that present opportunities for improvement through digital solutions. Solutions such as self-service kiosks, digital keys, enhanced communication tools and more were highlighted and their potential for implementation was discussed. The theory chapter includes various theoretical frameworks, such as the digital transformation roadmap which was essential for the structure of the interview guide. The research was conducted as semi-structured qualitative interviews with full-time employees of the hotel from different sections of the ground floor such as the reception, restaurant, and bar. The data was collected with each individual in a private setting, recorded then transcribed using AI-assisted tools and analysed using a thematic analysis which is organized in categories influenced by the digital transformation roadmap. The collected data indicates that the current level of the hotel’s digital maturity is intermediate, with systems that function adequately but are repetitive and often prone to error mostly in the cases of checking in, communicating and daily planning. Generally, staff members are willing to see change and experience change often, they view digital solutions as a way to reduce queues, decrease waste, improve information flow, and increase time taken to attend to more urgent/meaningful matters. Staff expressed concern about job security and preserving the ‘human touch’ in hospitality which is often lacking with fully automated establishments in the hospitality industry. The study concludes that if the implementation of digital solutions is carefully planned and the staff is in agreement, the front office services of the case hotel can have enhanced operational efficiency and guest experience given that the technology is used as a supportive tool rather than a replacement for human service.