Today’s guests expect more than clean rooms and fast check-in. They want experiences that feel personal, without having to ask.

But most hotels are working with disconnected systems, overworked teams, and limited resources. Automation is helping change that.

This article looks at how hotel brands are using automation to solve four common challenges and unlock new revenue, all without adding to the team’s workload.

You have the data. Now make it work for you

Most hotels have rich guest data—loyalty history, booking behavior, and preferences—but often can’t act on it. The reason? Systems aren’t connected.

In fact, 37% of hotel leaders say they struggle to personalize communications, even when the insights are already there
(Plusgrade U.S. Hotel Ancillary Revenue & Drivers Report, 2025).

When guest profiles, inventory, and availability are connected, tools can automatically deliver relevant offers like early check-in, spa access, or room upgrades—no manual searching or follow-ups required.

Takeaway: Connected systems help turn passive data into active revenue.

One-size-fits-all offers don’t work anymore

Sending the same offer to every guest misses the mark and leaves money on the table.

According to the Plusgrade 2024 Hospitality & Rail Study:

U.S. travelers are 17% more likely to pay for different room layouts
French guests book spa experiences 16% more often
Gen Z travelers are over twice as likely to use a mix of cash and points

These aren’t just trends. They’re signals that preferences vary widely. With automation, hotels can tailor offers by location, age, loyalty tier, and stay history—helping guests get more of what they want, and helping teams convert more often.

Takeaway: Personalization isn’t about offering more. It’s about offering better.

Front desk teams can’t do it all, but they can do more with the right tools

The front desk is still a high-impact moment for upselling. But it shouldn’t depend on memory, perfect timing, or a quiet lobby.

This is where smart tools make a big difference.

With Plusgrade’s Front Desk Tool, teams can see real-time guest insights and get prompts based on loyalty status, booking history, and live inventory. Offers like spa access, dinner packages, or early check-in are easy to present with just a few taps—no guesswork, no delays.

Guests actually prefer this approach. 49% say they’d rather hear about upgrade offers directly from the front desk team
(Plusgrade Guest Experience Survey, June 2024).

This isn’t about replacing the front desk. It’s about giving them what they need to offer great service and better options, fast.

Takeaway: Equip your front desk to upsell confidently, without slowing down the guest experience.

Scale personalization without scaling your team

Personalization doesn’t have to mean new systems or more staff. The right automation works with what you already have.

Here are a few examples of how hotels are using it today:

Business travelers receive early check-in
Spa users get access to priority appointment slots
Premium guests are offered layout upgrades with better views

These offers are delivered automatically and priced in real time based on demand. No manual setup. No extra work for your team.

Takeaway: Smarter automation helps you scale personalization with your current tools and team.

It’s not just upselling. It’s better service.

When offers are relevant and well-timed, they don’t feel like upsells. They feel like thoughtful service.

That’s what builds loyalty. And it’s what grows revenue.