How We Vet Hospitality Technology
Of nearly 650 hospitality technologies we've evaluated, about 30 have earned a place in our portfolio. Each one has to prove measurable ROI, fit real hotel operations, be affordable and easy to implement while meeting brand standards (if necessary) before we introduce it to an owner, operator or asset manager.
Hotel leaders get pitched constantly. Our job is to do the filtering first, so every introduction we make is worth your time.
Who does the vetting
Every solution is reviewed by Sue Graves, founder of Experience Alive. Her background includes 29 years with Marriott International, 5 years as Assistant General Manager of the Greater Columbus Convention Center, and service as founding chair of the Ohio Hotel & Lodging Association's Innovation & Technology committee. She currently serves on the technology committee for Ohio Restaurant & Hospitality Alliance. She evaluates technology from the perspective of the people who will run it on property and the owners who will pay for it.
Our six criteria
1. Proven financial impact. The solution must show results that appear in the P&L or asset valuation, such as lower labor or operating costs, new revenue, or reduced fees. We ask for real client data, not projections.
2. Operational fit. It has to work in a real hospitality organizaation on a real shift. We look at training time, language support, and whether front-line teams will actually use it.
3. Integration and deployment. We assess how the solution connects to the systems the hospitality industry already run, such as PMS, POS, accounting and payroll, and how quickly it can go live. We prioritize solutions that deploy in days or weeks, not quarters.
4. Brand standards and compliance (if necessary). We confirm the solution can meet franchise and brand requirements, along with relevant legal, safety, payment security and data privacy obligations.
5. References from hospitality clients. We speak with current hotel customers about results, support and anything they'd do differently.
6. Founder and company strength. We evaluate the team's responsiveness, financial stability, and commitment to hospitality. We also prioritize diverse-owned solution providers where possible.
What happens after a solution is approved
Approval isn't permanent. We review portfolio solutions on an ongoing basis and gather feedback from every client we introduce. Solutions that stop delivering are removed.
How introductions work
Tell us the problem. In a 30-minute call, we learn about your property or portfolio, your pain points, and what you're already using.
We match. We recommend only the solutions that fit your situation, and we'll tell you if nothing in our portfolio fits.
Warm introduction. Sue personally connects you with the founder or senior leader, not a sales queue.
We stay involved. We follow up to make sure the solution delivers what was promised.
How we're compensated
Experience Alive is compensated by solution providers through referral and partnership arrangements. Owners and operators pay nothing for our introductions. Compensation never earns a place in our portfolio. Owners pay only if they engage us for separate project work. Every solution has to pass the same criteria first.
Book a 30-minute call → https://calendly.com/suegraves/30m
or email→Sue@ExperienceAlive.com