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Hotel Industry Story-bank: Innovating for Growth

Hotels share their own stories of improvement and innovation in the form of case studies, with the aim of mutual learning and improving collectively as an industry. This story-bank, a collective effort with progressive players, is a resource the wider industry can learn from and contribute to. The stories cover a diversity of operational excellence initiatives —the thinking behind them, the key steps, and the benefits and savings enjoyed by the hotels and their employees.

This overview page shows the full list of stories. To read stories for specific departments (e.g. Housekeeping), please click on the department name on the left panel.

If you have any stories to contribute, or feedback t​o share, please write to us at STB_Hotels@stb.gov.sg. We look forward to hearing from you.


AMOY

Turning structural disadvantages into opportunities to provide attentive, bespoke service

The structural challenges of AMOY encouraged the management to re-think the various service touch points and re-create an unique experience during the early days in Chinatown. Curated guest entrance through Fu Tak Chi temple and complimentary limousine airport transfer. Results: TripAdvisor 2015 "Top Hotel in Singapore" and 2016 Travellers' Choice Award "Best Hotel for Service in Singapore". 

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Bay Hotel Singapore​

Mobile guest check-in enabled for pre-arrival

The hotel deployed mobile technology to allow guest check-in prior to arrival at the hotel, creating a seamless experience where guest wait time is reduced by ~83% and Front Desk is better prepared for guest arrivals (e.g. preparing keys).​

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Crowne Plaza Changi Airport

Automation through Housekeeping tools

The hotel reviewed housekeeping tasks and identified areas within labourious cleaning processes to automate and streamline with new equipment. Results: 40% less time taken to perform cleaning tasks and enhanced cleanliness standards.

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Crowne Plaza Changi Airport

Job flexibility within departments

To optimise internal talent amidst tight manpower, the hotel designed multi-deployment pathways for employees to move across different roles within a department, developing a holistic understanding on broader operations and enhancing their capabilities.

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Fairmont Singapore

Linen chute system re-activated; enhanced Workflow

The hotel studied previous processes and identified areas of waste, resulting in inefficiency. Through testing and re-implementing the chute system, the hotel saw ~6,600 man-hours saved annually and improved employee morale through smarter workflow.

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Fairmont Singapore

Turnaround process optimised to reduce wait time

To reduce wait time for check-in guests, the hotel redesigned key processes in readying a “Dirty, Vacated” room (e.g. identifying common defects to be checked as a first step). Result: 27% cut in average waiting time for rooms.

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Fairmont Singapore

Thinking lean to reduce waste and improve service

The hotel developed the Fairmont Improvement & Innovation Programme, a customised quality methodology. It is a robust structure to sustain project momentum, with all colleagues trained in lean thinking. Result: Over S$3 million saved from 2010-2013.

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Four Seasons Hotel Singapore

Talent Retention through Deep Engagement

The hotel developed a comprehensive HR strategy to partner schools, cultivate its employer brand, and invest in talent development. Results: lower turnover and strong employer brand (through positive word-of-mouth).

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Grand Park Orchard

Enhance Customer Experience through Handy System

To enhance guest experience, the hotel implemented a smartphone solution, enabling guests to stay connected with their friends and families through free IDD calls and 3G connectivity. Results: 46% reduction in call volume to operators and 98% of the Guest Satisfaction Survey respondents agree on the improvement in service standards through the implementation of Handy device.

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Holiday Inn Singapore Atrium

Automated uniform management with RFID

To reduce wait time in picking up uniforms and to reduce manpower used in the distribution process, the hotel invested in an RFID system to automate uniform management. Results: ~80% cut in waiting time, and 40% less manning required for uniform window.

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Holiday Inn Singapore Atrium

Enhance guest service via multi-skilling

The hotel identified synergies in multi-skilling security and bell/concierge staff, and supported staff in training (in-house and external). Results: Improved guest satisfaction, 33-47% reduction in waiting time for luggage collection.

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Holiday Inn Singapore Atrium

Improve responsiveness to guests requests

To reduce response time taken for guest requests, the hotel invested in FCS e-connect, a job request management system. Results: 67% less time taken to fulfill guest request, less miscommunication, with data tracked for analysis and service improvement.

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Holiday Inn Singapore Orchard City Centre

Merged, leaner operations

The hotel merged Room Service and Stewarding teams by optimising internal talent and peak and lull periods. Results: A 9% cut in combined manning (S$100,000 saved per year); guest satisfaction also improved. Received 2013 Productivity Idea Award.

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Hotel Clover 33 Jalan Sultan

RFID Inventory Management System

Implementation of the RFID Inventory Management and Tracking System (IMTS) to easily account for in-room inventory tracking and reduce the man hours needed for physical counting and reporting. Result: 30% reduction in man-hours during inventory check.

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Ibis Singapore on Bencoolen

Innovation in the Everyday Leads to Long-Term Sustainable Environmental and Social Impact

An initiative to reduce wastage (cost and environmental impact) resulting from the hotel's disposal of 50,000 newspapers and 18,000 plastic pens each year. Results: reused ~1790Kg of newspaper, engaged employees, positive CSR impact​.

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Ibis Singapore on Bencoolen

Service Innovation through Virtual Concierge

With travellers becoming more technologically savvy, the hotel worked with Monscierge to help guests find accurate information by themselves more quickly, reducing wait times at Front Desk and freeing up employees while providing a USP for guests.

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Marina Mandarin Singapore

Integrated workflow with technology

The hotel customised the OneGuest software and mobile devices to integrate F&B workflow (ordering, tracking, menu analysis). Streamlining the communication has improved guest feedback (by 15%), cut down total service time by 33%, and reduced manning.

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Marina Mandarin Singapore

Offers second chance to ex-offenders

The hotel is partnering Singapore Corporation of Rehabilitative Enterprises (SCORE) to train and mentor ex-offenders to give them a second chance in picking up skills to work in the hotel, furthering CSR efforts while supplementing their workforce.

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Meritus International Pte Ltd

Implementation of Flexible  Benefits Design and System

In order to position the Company as a competitive employer in the hotel industry, a flexible benefit scheme that allowed employees to choose their preferred benefits within their entitlements was introduced to employees in Mandarin Orchard Singapore and Marina Mandarin Singapore. 

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Millennium & Copthorne International Limited

E-learning platform

To reduce time taken for the Group's Human Resources department to coordinate training nominations, schedules and tracking of staff training records, the Group created an e-learning platform. Employees can conveniently log on to access any training course via a computer/smart device, anytime and anywhere. Results: 66% reduction in training hours by trainers per month, 79% reduction in Human Resources Executive's time spent on training administrative processes and increased learning opportunities.

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Park Avenue Rochester

Integration of Robots to Improve Guest Experience

Park Avenue Rochester housekeeping staffs faced the challenge of transporting clean and soiled linen. This resulted in bottlenecks in linen management backroom and cargo lift especially during peak hours which translated into slower turnover of rooms as well as significant strain of staff as each housekeeping trolley weighs as heavy as 50kg. Park Avenue Rochester introduced robots into its operations to maximise productivity and reduce manpower reliance. Results: Time-Savings to transport clean and soiled linen, annual labour saving of 3 Full Time Employee work and improved staff morale & enhanced productivity. 

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Park Hotel Group

H.O.S.T programme to enhance employee skills and flexibility

To optimise manpower and provide job expansion for employees, Park Hotel Group was one of the first in the hotel industry to kick start structured multi-skilling efforts. Results: productivity gains and wage improvement for employees (40-50%).

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Park Hotel Group

Productivity and quality service through automated Housekeeping system

To improve response time and enhance accuracy of Housekeeping work orders, the hotel group put in place an automated system that will not only increase their efficiency but also maintain their initially-prescribed housekeeping standards. Results: ~12.4 hours man-hours saving per day across various departments, service requested responded within 10 minutes and increased guest satisfaction. 

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Ramada and Days Hotels Singapore at Zhongshan Park

ME LEAP!

The hotel structured a learning and career development programme called ME LEAP! (Masters ofExperience LEarn And Progress), multi-skilling hires in Front Office and Food & Beverage—cultivating well-rounded professionals and optimising a lean workforce.

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Regent Singapore

RFID Uniform Project PAVE

To reduce time in manual counting the worn uniforms and increase staff access to uniforms for all shifts, the hotel implemented RFID uniform project PAVE (People-less Auto Valet Equipment). Results: 24-hour automated self-collection uniform system and 25% reduction in manpower to man uniform and linen room.

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Royal Plaza on Scotts

Removed inefficiencies in Travel Agent billing

The hotel’s internal Kaizen team performed process mapping exercises and identified areas of waste and error in the billing process. The consolidated new process saw 45% reduction in Accounts man hours and saved 310 hours per month for Front Office.

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Shangri-La's Rasa Sentosa Resort & Spa

Process innovation in Breakfast Queue System

To reduce time taken for the restaurant host to walk back and forth the restaurant during breakfast service, the hotel introduced hand puppet as a form of greeting and signaling aid to show guests the way to the table. Results: 65% increase in guest satisfaction for breakfast service, 20% reduction in guest wait time for breakfast and 16% reduction in Full Time Equivalent required for breakfast service.

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Swissotel The Stamford and Fairmont Singapore

Micros Payment Gateway

The hotels implemented an integrated payment system that automates the calculation of preauthorisation amount, updating of the preauthorisation amount that facilitates quicker payment on check-out and cancelling the pre-authorisation amount when the guest has departed. Results: 28.9% (Swissotel the Stamford) and 20% (Fairmont Singapore) reduction in time for check-in and check-out, average cashier closing timing reduced by 25% (Swissotel The Stamford) and 35% (Fairmont Singapore).

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Village Hotel Katong

Innovation in Housekeeping via Applied Research

The hotel collaborated with Republic Polytechnic to conduct an applied research, time and motion study on its housekeeping and front office departments with the aim of reducing inconsistencies and redundancies, to better streamline and integrate processes. Results: Increase room cleaning capacity of each room attendant by 13% and saving of 1 Housekeeping Full Time Equivalent.

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