The End of Legacy Telephony in Hotels
By Evolve IP and Focus on Hospitality, powered by Focus Group
Think about a familiar guest experience. A traveller starts with an online chat about their booking, follows up with an email request for early check-in, and eventually picks up the phone to confirm. Too often, that final step breaks the flow. The guest is asked to repeat details they’ve already provided, the call centre has limited context, and the whole interaction feels disjointed. The problem isn’t usually the staff, it’s the limitations of an outdated phone system.
For years, on-site PBX systems were the backbone of hotel communications. They handled calls reliably, but today’s guests no longer engage through voice alone. Modern travellers expect seamless experiences across chat, email, messaging apps, SMS, and social channels. Legacy PBX simply wasn’t designed for this. It is rigid, voice-only, and disconnected from how guests actually want to engage. For hoteliers, the move to cloud-based communications is not just about upgrading technology; it is a strategic shift that protects guest satisfaction, improves efficiency, and futureproofs operations.
The limitations of PBX are easy to see. Scaling for seasonal demand, opening new properties, or expanding reservations teams is costly and time-consuming when tied to on-site hardware. Guest behaviour has also outpaced PBX. Travellers are just as likely to message via WhatsApp or social media as they are to pick up the phone, yet a PBX system forces every interaction back into a single, outdated channel. This creates information silos where booking teams, front desk staff, and housekeeping don’t share the same guest view, leaving guests to act as messengers between departments, a frustrating and avoidable experience.
The real opportunity for hotels lies in adopting unified, cloud-based communications that connect every interaction across voice, chat, email, SMS, and social media, all integrated with PMS and CRM systems. This turns fragmented conversations into one continuous journey. Imagine a guest requesting a late checkout on WhatsApp: the system logs the request against their booking and confirms it automatically. Later, when they call the front desk, the agent sees the full history and responds in context. No repetition, no frustration, just a seamless experience.
The benefits are immediately felt by guests. AI ensures routine queries, like check-in times, are answered quickly, creating a smoother, stress-free experience. Front desk teams can greet guests personally, informed by preferences shared during booking. Requests are actioned promptly and accurately, so every stay feels seamless. These enhancements not only elevate guest satisfaction but also encourage loyalty and repeat bookings, ultimately boosting revenue.
Moving away from PBX is often simpler than hoteliers expect. The process typically involves reviewing guest journey touchpoints, identifying where PBX creates friction, mapping integration requirements with core systems, and phasing migration to avoid disruption. Concerns around cost, numbers, or compatibility are usually unfounded: phone numbers can be retained, cloud platforms are typically more cost-effective than PBX when factoring in maintenance and hardware, and modern systems are designed to integrate seamlessly with PMS and CRM. Deployment is often faster and smoother than many anticipate.
The hospitality industry is built on service, and communication is at its heart. Guests don’t think in terms of channels; to them, every message, call, or email is part of one conversation with the brand. Hotels that continue to rely on outdated PBX systems risk falling behind, while those embracing cloud communications can deliver the connected, personalised experiences modern travellers demand.
At Evolve IP and Focus on Hospitality, powered by Focus Group, we specialise in helping hoteliers meet guest expectations by bridging the gap between technology and operations. Our goal is to ensure new systems enhance, not disrupt, the guest journey, while aligning with brand standards and service expectations. By moving beyond PBX to a cloud-first platform, hotels can strengthen guest loyalty, streamline operations, reduce costs, and secure their competitive edge.
The future of hospitality communication is here, and it’s time to retire PBX.
