Hotel Technology You Can Install To Boost NOI | Sue Graves E56

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Nov 4, 2025

Sue Graves, founder and CEO of Experience Alive, brings over 30 years of hospitality expertise to the table. In this engaging discussion, she reveals how technology can significantly boost hotel profitability. From using conversational AI to decrease front desk calls to implementing delivery robots that enhance service speed, Sue highlights practical tech solutions. She also discusses the impact of RFID tracking on linen costs and smart room technologies that promote sustainability and energy efficiency, making innovation accessible for every hotel owner.

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ADVICE

Deploy Conversational AI For Calls

Deploy conversational AI to answer repetitive guest calls and multi-language questions instantly.
Expect to offload ~50% of calls for small hotels and as much as 80% in large properties for under $500/month.

ADVICE

Use AI To Empower Small-Property Staff

Implement conversational AI even in 100-room hotels to let staff focus on in-person guest service.
Use it to route special requests to the right team and empower newer staff with instant answers.

ADVICE

Digitize Valet To Own Guest Data

Replace paper valet workflows with QR-driven valet apps that you own the data for.
Capture guest and vehicle data to improve service speed and actionable analytics.

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Looking for hotel technology that can actually increase profit and reduce expenses without hiring an IT department?

This week on the Hotel Investor Playbook, Michael Russell sits down with Sue Graves, founder of Experience Alive, who has spent over 30 years in hospitality and now helps hotel owners implement practical, affordable tech solutions that make a real financial impact.

In this episode, you’ll discover several technology use cases you can implement today, including:

Offload up to 50% of front desk calls through conversational AI
Use delivery robots to run leaner night shifts and boost service speed
Track linen and towels with RFID to cut losses and eliminate manual counts
Build a sustainability story that supports better refinancing terms
Plus more!

Whether you own a 50-room boutique hotel or manage a national brand, Sue shows how to make technology your competitive edge.

About Sue

Sue Graves is the Founder and CEO of Experience Alive, a hospitality technology consultancy helping hotels, restaurants, and convention centers modernize operations through AI-driven solutions, robotics, and guest personalization tools. With over 30 years of leadership experience at Marriott International and the Greater Columbus Convention Center, Sue brings a deep operational understanding to innovation in hospitality. As the founding chair of the Ohio Hotel & Lodging Association’s Innovation & Technology Committee, she has championed initiatives that boost efficiency, guest satisfaction, and staff retention across the industry. A recognized voice on the future of tech in hospitality, Sue continues to bridge the gap between emerging technologies and real-world hospitality challenges, empowering teams to deliver more human-centered, high-performing experiences.

Connect with Sue

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/suegraves/

Website: http://Experiencealive.com

Connect with Michael on Instagram or LinkedIn.

Email Us at info@hotelinvestorplaybook.com

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