Melia Hotels implements robotic automation

Hotel chain Melia Hotels International is implementing robotic process automation (RPA) to improve company results

Meliá is already beginning to reap the first fruits of RPA together with its tech partner UiPath and has become a pioneer in the deployment of RPA technology in the hotel industry.

RPA enables the creation of software robots able to automate a wide range of repetitive and rule-based business processes previously performed manually, allowing employees to focus on more valuable and strategic duties.

The implementation of the UiPath RPA platform at Meliá is designed to improve customer service and the working day of employees and driven by the "Robotics 360" programme, one of the cornerstones of the Digital Hub created by the company as part of its "Be Digital 360” global digital transformation programme.

The programme leverages the UiPath platform to separate transactional processes from decision-making processes and make transactional processes easier, especially in the back office.

Transactional princesses

Deployment of RPA leaves the transactional processes in the hands of specialist teams and allows management teams to focus on making decisions that add value to the business.

This year the company is gradually implementing RPA in different areas such as Credit and Insurance, Hotels, Administration or HR, with positive results, an example being the use of RPA in the delivery of credit agreements, shortening a process that used to take months to just a few weeks.

The use of the UiPath RPA platform currently focuses on corporate processes, although some pilot projects have also been implemented to automate processes in hotels. The programme started with an initial focus on Spain and America, although the company roadmap foresees its extension to all geographical areas in the medium term.

Carlos Gonzalez, VP strategic planning at Meliá, said: "We believe in the digital transformation of the hotel industry and are convinced that RPA will improve company results and the daily work of our team. To achieve this, we will democratise automation within the organisation by inviting employees to proactively propose processes they believe can be automated.”