Far East Organization Receives Automation Award in Hospitality & Leisure at SBR Technology Excellence Awards

Leading the way in enhancing efficiency and customer service within the hospitality sector.

Far East Organization (FEO) has been recognised with the prestigious Automation - Hospitality & Leisure category award at the SBR Technology Excellence Awards 2024. This accolade highlights FEO's progressive approach and the significant efficiencies achieved through its strategic deployment of Robotic Process Automation (RPA) within Far East Hospitality (FEH)’s Central Reservations Office (CRO).

FEH, a home-grown hospitality management company with a global footprint, has been at the forefront of embracing RPA to streamline and enhance its reservation-handling capabilities. By integrating RPA into the CRO's operations, FEH has effectively automated routine reservation processes, notably reducing the potential for human error and ensuring precise management of a growing volume of bookings across its 17 hotels in Singapore and Malaysia.

This automation initiative has proved transformative for FEH, enabling rapid scalability of operations to meet the evolving demands of its growing business. The deployment of RPA bots, operational around the clock, has relieved human resources from repetitive tasks, empowering them to prioritise enhancing guest experiences and engagement. This shift not only improves the service quality but also aligns seamlessly with FEH's customer-centric ethos.

The RPA-driven Central Reservations System (CRS) for Online Travel Agent (OTA) automation process effortlessly handles reservations from four leading online travel agents, promptly updating them into the property management systems of the respective hotels. This system has automated tasks that were previously manual, including the accurate extraction and synchronisation of reservation details, timely updates of case statuses, and alerting the business team to any encountered discrepancies.

Since its full deployment in August 2023, the RPA solution has demonstrated remarkable efficiency and accuracy improvements. The operationalised bots can collectively process 470 reservations daily, equating to approximately 14,000 reservations per month, with a 200% increase in data accuracy compared to the initial pilot phase. This efficiency underscores the technical capability of the RPA solution and its significant impact on operational transparency and process management.

FEO and FEH are committed to customer-centricity and innovation, which has resulted in streamlined reservation processes and the establishment of a new benchmark in the hospitality industry for leveraging automation to enhance operational efficiency and guest satisfaction. The recognition at the SBR Technology Excellence Awards 2024 is a testament to both organisations’ leadership in harnessing technology to advance the hospitality and leisure industry.

Looking ahead, FEO and FEH are eager to explore further applications of RPA across various business aspects. This aspiration aligns with The Hotel ITM 2025, a strategic roadmap developed by the Singapore Tourism Board and Singapore Hotel Association to promote technology adoption and enhance digital capabilities within the sector. As FEH continues to expand its portfolio, the successful implementation of RPA within the CRO marks the beginning of a broader journey towards operational excellence and industry leadership.

The SBR Technology Excellence Awards is presented by Singapore Business Review Magazine. To view the full list of winners, click here. If you want to join the 2025 awards programme and be acclaimed for your company's outstanding contributions in pursuit of technological innovation, please contact Jane Patiag at [email protected].