factory HOTEL: 8 minutes more for each guest
How Factory Hotel puts the individual guest journey in the focus,
relieves its team through digital processes, and gains 8 extra minutes per guest.
PMS: Oracle Cloud
LOCKS : ASSA ABLOY
PAYMENT: Nexi
The Factory Hotel in Münster, opened in 2008 within the listed walls of the former Germania brewery, combines historic industrial charm with modern comfort. The distinctive architecture pairs exposed brick and steel beams with contemporary exposed concrete, giving the hotel its unmistakable character. With 128 stylishly designed rooms, 16 luxurious suites, two standout restaurants, and nine exceptional meeting rooms, Factory Hotel offers the perfect setting for an unforgettable stay in Münster.
At the same time, Factory Hotel faces the typical challenges of modern hospitality: rising demands for digital solutions, a shortage of skilled staff, and the need to make processes more efficient. To meet these demands and deliver benefits to both guests and staff, the hotel chose Hotelbird’s innovative digital check-in and check-out solution.
THE SEARCH FOR A solution that wins over
guests and staff alike
Factory Hotel was looking for an innovative solution to optimize its check-in and check-out processes. The goal was to give guests more flexibility, reduce wait times, and at the same time relieve the team by automating repetitive tasks. The market offers many digital options, but the challenge was finding a solution that is both functional and user-friendly, and that integrates seamlessly into existing workflows.
It was especially important to create differentiated options for guests in order to address individual needs. The solution didn’t need to be 100% digital, but rather offer as many options as possible so every guest could choose their preferred path.
A flexible approach to individual
guest experiences
Factory Hotel’s managing director, David Deilmann, experienced the Hotelbird solution during a stay at another hotel and was immediately won over by its ease of use and convenience. That positive experience is what brought Hotelbird onto Factory Hotel’s shortlist.
The final decision in favor of Hotelbird came after a thorough comparison of various providers. The deciding factors were the ability to create more flexibility for guests, along with process automation that relieves the team. Hotelbird stood out with an ideal combination of functionality, easy integration, and the potential to sustainably improve the guest experience.
The guest journey takes center stage again
With Hotelbird, multiple entry points into the guest journey could be integrated: some guests use the digital guest folder before arrival, while others start with mobile pre-check-in or use an iPad terminal on site. Other guests prefer personal contact and begin their journey at the bar or front desk.
Hotelbird’s flexibility also allows staff to be directly involved in the process. For example, bar staff can recognize that a guest who arrives early and has a coffee on arrival wants to check in, and can start that process right there on the spot. The iPad terminal, which Factory Hotel plans to introduce soon, therefore serves not only as a digital interface for guests but also as a mobile tool for staff. This versatility makes it possible to offer every guest an experience tailored to their needs.
Hotelbird wins us over through the sum of its advantages.
It lets us put the guest journey back in the spotlight, with the guest always at the center.
DAVID DEILMANN, CEO
Overcoming the staff shortage and
optimizing processes
Factory Hotel faced the challenge of tackling the skilled-staff shortage, successfully integrating the team into the use of new technology, and at the same time delivering real value to guests. Long wait times at the front desk and time-consuming administrative processes were affecting both guest satisfaction and team efficiency.
The biggest challenge was breaking old habits. But the lesson was clear: the better the team is involved, the faster the transition succeeds.
DAVID DEILMANN,
CEO
How the team and digital innovation
became a success factor together
From the start, Factory Hotel relied on comprehensive training and team involvement. Staff were included in the implementation of digital check-in and check-out through regular feedback sessions, ensuring a smooth rollout. The introduction of Hotelbird allows guests to handle check-in and check-out flexibly and digitally. Guests can check in and out online, or in the future use digital iPad terminals. This not only increased efficiency but also relieved the team.
Our team was part of the process from the very beginning. We organized training sessions to get everyone familiar with the new software and addressed open questions directly. That way, we made sure no one felt left behind.
DAVID DEILMANN, CEO
8 more minutes per guest
The digital processes significantly relieve the team. On average, 8 minutes per guest that were previously needed for check-in and check-out can now be used for individual guest care instead. This leads to noticeably higher guest satisfaction and a more motivated workforce. The positive effects are also reflected in guest acceptance: tech-savvy travelers in particular appreciate the option to make their stay fully digital.
The front desk as such no longer has to be staffed at all times –
our front-desk team is now there, instead, to help the guest wherever they need it.
DAVID DEILMANN, CEO
THE JOURNEY CONTINUES:
iPad terminals for more flexibility
Factory Hotel proves that digitalization in hospitality not only creates efficiency but also enriches the guest experience. With the successful integration of the Hotelbird solution, the hotel has laid an important foundation for shaping the guest journey individually and flexibly while relieving staff at the same time.
But the journey isn’t over yet: the next step in the digital transformation is already underway. With the planned introduction of on-site iPad terminals, the hotel is expanding its entry points into the guest journey and giving guests even more flexibility. At the same time, the team gains more room to focus on guests’ individual needs.
This is how Factory Hotel perfectly combines digitalization and personal hospitality.