Walkie-talkies, AI and the remaking of housekeeping with Luka Berger
When Luka Berger landed a summer job as a housekeeper at Yellowstone National Park, he didn’t expect it to inspire his whole career trajectory. But seeing staff juggle walkie-talkies and race between rooms to remain on top of housekeeping tasks ultimately sparked the idea behind Flexkeeping. In this episode, Luka shares how Flexkeeping, now part of Mews, uses AI to automate time-consuming housekeeping tasks and break down language barriers.
--------
35:43
--------
35:43
What's next for AI in hospitality and why Mews is investing
AI in hospitality so far meant chatbots and big promises, while hotel teams still worked using manual checklists and post-it notes. Matt talks about the rise of AI agents and how the next wave will move fast for hotels built on the right tech stack. He explains why Mews acquired DataChat and how its technology brings a new kind of intelligence into hotel operations, one that listens, learns and acts.
--------
27:42
--------
27:42
The push and pull of automating hotel operations
When Maurits Bots stepped into the Hotel ICT Specialist role at WestCord Hotels, some properties still ran on legacy systems. Others used Mews like the old PMS. He didn’t set out to replace tools, but rather to rebuild how the work gets done. “The fact that somebody has to check every reservation – that time has passed”, Maurits says, as he joins Matt to talk about what it takes to automate the everyday without slowing anyone down.
--------
36:18
--------
36:18
Why hotels struggle to hire and keep their staff
Staff turnover in hotels is up to 70-80%, as Matthew Parker, Senior Manager of Talent Acquisition at Mews, points out. Between that and outdated recruitment and retention methods, many hotels are stuck in a loop of constant rehiring. Matthew joins Matt to discuss what it takes to attract and hire the best people in hospitality. They talk about the most effective recruitment channels, using AI in hiring and focusing on trial shifts over case studies.
--------
32:51
--------
32:51
How AMANO Group hotels rebuilt their tech with Mirco Weber
When AMANO Group asked independent turnaround consultant Mirco Weber to review their hotel accounting processes, it didn’t take long to see the problem ran deeper. He found that the entire tech stack needed rebuilding, including the PMS. That shift triggered both a systems and a concept change, as AMANO rolled out Mews and rethought how guests are welcomed, including removing the reception desk at some of their hotels. Matt sits down with Mirco to hear how they pulled it off.
Matt Talks Hospitality is a podcast for hoteliers who want to understand the technology, ideas and people shaping modern hospitality. Hosted by Mews CEO Matt Welle, each episode explores the tools, challenges and decisions behind how hotels work – and how they keep getting better. All episodes available here: https://hubs.ly/Q0350wrf0
Meet Matt beyond the podcast: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthijswelle/
Netherlands