A Five-Star Hotel Reduces Operating Costs by Over 60% with an AI Phone System
In 2024, NEC announced the end of support for its Unified Communications (UC) systems outside Japan — a clear signal that the world is rapidly transitioning from traditional PBX systems to VoIP and cloud communications. As on-premises PBX systems gradually phase out, hotel operators are being forced to reassess the feasibility of their existing communications infrastructure and strategize for future operational and technological shifts.
In the midst of this industry transformation, more and more hotels are realizing that traditional phone systems come with increasing maintenance costs and struggle to meet the demands of real-time communication, intelligent services, and data integration essential to modern operations.
Hidden Costs Behind Traditional PBX Systems That Hotels Can No Longer Ignore
- Maintenance Challenges: Spare parts for legacy systems are increasingly hard to find, and technicians with the necessary expertise are becoming scarce. When breakdowns occur, repair timelines are unpredictable and cost estimates are difficult to determine — posing risks to the hotel’s operational stability.
- Integration Limitations: Traditional PBX systems lack the ability to integrate with cloud platforms and smart systems, making it difficult for front desk, customer service, and back-office teams to stay in sync, which impacts overall service efficiency and team collaboration.
- High Upgrade Requirements: Replacing legacy systems often requires costly rewiring, hardware upgrades, and data center expansions. The complexity and expense involved often discourage hotels from moving forward with modernization.
As a result, finding a flexible, highly integrated communication solution that supports AI applications has become a top priority for hotels advancing their digital transformation.
Aiello AI Phone System: A future-ready solution tailored for hospitality
Anticipating market changes, many international five-star hotel chains have already implemented Aiello AI Phone System, upgrading without large-scale renovations while addressing key operational pain points.
- Hybrid Compatibility: Aiello AI Phone System adopts a hybrid model, combining a cloud-based core infrastructure with on-premises backup. The primary PABX system is deployed in the cloud, streamlining system management. It supports softphone functionality, and third-party vendors can remotely maintain the system, greatly improving operational efficiency and flexibility.
- High Compatibility: The system integrates seamlessly with existing virtual machine (VM) environments and provides stable support, minimizing the need for extensive hardware upgrades.
- Cross-Device Communication: Whether it’s front desk staff, back-office teams, branch locations, or overseas employees — all can make internal and external calls via mobile devices, which significantly reduces call-related costs.
- 24/7 Uninterrupted Service: Even in the event of a network outage, the system automatically activates a local backup PABX to take over operations instantly, ensuring hotel communications remain uninterrupted around the clock.
Aiello AI Phone System: A Central AI Voice Platform for Smart Hotel Experiences
More than just a phone system, Aiello AI Phone System functions as a multifunctional digital hub, offering high flexibility and extensive scalability. It supports voice-activated AI concierge services, integrates with in-room dining (IRD) systems for automated food delivery, and connects with Aiello Task Management System Pro (TMS Pro) to automate ticket creation — streamlining task assignment and enhancing operational efficiency.
Hotels can also activate Aiello GuestWeb, a mobile-friendly AI concierge accessible via QR code. Guests can instantly access hotel information, request services, and place orders through the AI chatbot, creating a more intuitive, personalized guest experience. When paired with the Aiello AI Call Agent, the system delivers multilingual, real-time support to enhance guest satisfaction across markets.
These integrated applications empower hotels to build intelligent analytics dashboards, gaining deeper insights into guest preferences and operational trends — enabling smarter decision-making and delivering truly guest-centric hospitality.
Proven Impact: How a Five-Star Hotel Transformed Operations with the Aiello AI Phone System
A five-star international hotel in Taipei’s business district upgraded over 200 guest rooms with the Aiello AI Phone System, resulting in savings of more than NT$3 million. Operational efficiency surged by 135%, while communication effectiveness and service quality were significantly improved. Compared to traditional phone replacement options, the hotel achieved cost reductions of over 60%.
Hotel staff can now use mobile devices to report service status in real time, improving response times and enhancing team collaboration. The system also automatically aggregates call and task data, enabling the management team to gain critical operational insights and optimize resource allocation.
With digital transformation accelerating across the hospitality industry, modernizing communications infrastructure is essential. Adopting AI-driven solutions is a strategic move that positions hotels for smarter operations and long-term competitiveness.
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