It’s easy sometimes to think of hotels as static monoliths or simple factory; after all, with a relatively large and expensive physical plant (a building with rooms) and a straightforward, time-tested core business practice (renting the rooms), this is how hotels appear on the surface. But industry insiders- owners, general managers, the readers of this publication- know that nothing could be further from the truth.

The truth is that a modern hotel is more like a symphony, drawing its dynamism from making several unique systems and processes work in concert with one another. Just as an orchestra generates rich harmony from a wildly diverse array of musicians and instruments, a hotel relies on a myriad of specific systems and teams to generate revenue and perpetuate a healthy operation.

But also just like a symphony, without a conductor to get them working together, a hotel’s systems and teams can descend quickly into a chaotic mess. Hotels face this challenge every day, coordinating the F&B department with the front office and sales, all while making sure engineering keeps the place running right. It’s a tough job to be a GM!

One of the greatest challenges facing hoteliers and hotel managers in ...