From shopping to shipping, new trends and solutions in inventory management are helping to transform the guest experience.
Counting inventory by hand? Ordering products from different websites? Collecting paper receipts? Modern advances in technology have revealed these aspects of purchasing past for what they are—the fraught, antiquated methods of a bygone era.
In these modern times, there are cutting-edge digital solutions for every step of product ordering and delivery. These new methods do more than replace the old—they can reveal persistent problems and pinpoint savings like never before.
Supported by this new technology, hospitality groups are discovering new ways to efficiently run their businesses, managing their long-term inventory and guest experience while freeing property staff from tedious shopping protocols.
“Managing a hotel’s inventory is a balancing act, and there are a number of factors that can throw things off,” said Jan Lucas, VP of sourcing and strategic partnerships for Sage Hotel Management. “This is influenced by things like supply-chain disruptions and forecasting uncertainty, as well as storage issues, perishable goods, and supplier reliability. Price volatility can also be a huge challenge, especially when costs fluctuate unexpectedly. On top of that, labor shortages and the need to stay on top of compliance and regulations add even more complexity. Honestly, it’s hard to pinpoint just one thing, because they all play a role in affecting inventory!”
An endless shopping cycle
After two decades in the hospitality industry, Lucas has experienced all manners of changes. Tech innovations, shifting guest expectations, sustainability pushes and more have all contributed to supply-chain challenges.
But inventory delays have consequences that reveal themselves in unforeseen ways. What begins as a missed order can affect everything from guest experience to profitability.
“If there is a linen shortage, for example, this increases the turnaround time for housekeeping, which delays and inconveniences the guest [and] also creates overtime for associates,” said Lucas. “There are times when delays in supply chain will cause challenges for offerings at our F&B outlets, not only affecting the associates, but creating a loss in revenue and a limited experience for the guests.”
To avoid this spiral of danger, Sage Hotel Management turned to tech-driven procurement solutions to streamline processes, improve accuracy and boost overall efficiency.
“We’ve come a long way from the days of manually tracking inventory. Automating processes has become essential. We’re now [managing] inventory more efficiently, saving time and resources,” said Lucas.
Streamlining purchasing
Amazon Business offers a plethora of spend management tools to help simplify business buying. One of its most innovative features is Guided Buying. Administrators can set up buying policies to prefer or restrict certain products or sellers. For example, by setting up a diversity certification policy, administrators can steer their buyers toward products sold by small and diverse sellers with select certifications or credentials.
In addition, Amazon Business integrates with more than 300 third-party systems, such as e-procurement systems, expense management systems and idPs. With Amazon Business’ Punchout integration, buyers’ orders route through their organization’s e-procurement system, like Coupa or Birchstreet, for approvals before the order is placed. This helps procurement leaders centralize spend and ensure orders are compliant before they are placed.
Simplified accounting
“Inventory management has become more strategic and data-driven, with improvements in forecasting, cost control, and supplier relationships,” said Ashley King, director of procurement for Resolute Road Hospitality. “While many hotels still use traditional tracking methods, the real evolution lies in how we interpret and act on the data we collect. By analyzing usage trends, adjusting par levels and aligning purchases with demand, we can minimize waste, control costs and prevent shortages. The shift isn’t just about tracking inventory—it’s about optimizing purchasing decisions to improve efficiency and ensure smooth operations.”
The benefits of a digital procurement system have done more than simplify shopping for Resolute Road, said King. They can now order proactively, track spending trends and find savings in real time.
“We don’t just place orders—we track how long it takes for shipments to arrive, how reliable vendors are and whether substitutions are needed. This allows us to adjust order schedules proactively and reduce disruptions to hotel operations,” said King. “By actively using the inventory data we collect, we create a more predictable, cost-efficient and guest-focused supply strategy—one that prevents last-minute ordering issues and ensures smooth hotel operations.”
Leveraging the power of data analytics has become critical to mastering a property’s inventory. From simplified purchasing to tracking orders in real-time, the advantages of this digital evolution are here to stay.
The next digital horizon
As the hospitality landscape continues adapting to digital solutions, Amazon Business is guiding organizations to new advantages that others can’t provide.
Amazon Business Analytics helps administrators and buyers uncover valuable spend insights and, critically, can reveal tail spend and discover specific patterns or trends not only within categories, but teams as well.
More than a second set of eyes, these insights can unlock potential savings, reduce costs and help eradicate inefficiencies—transforming not just inventory, but operations on a grand scale.
Through real-time inventory tracking, predictive analytics and automated reordering capabilities, Amazon Business is ideal for hospitality businesses looking to make the digital jump in procurement.
Learn more about smart business buying in travel and hospitality.
