As margins compress, Otelier CEO Rob Lawrence says operators must eliminate fragmentation, embed technology into daily workflows, and leverage AI to turn centralized data into measurable performance gains.
LOS ANGELES ─ Small performance gains are carrying outsized impact as hotel profit margins tighten and cost pressures intensify. In this conversation at the 2026 Americas Lodging Investment Summit (ALIS), Otelier CEO Rob Lawrence explains why operational intelligence has become essential in a compressed market. With many operators still reconciling data across multiple systems, inefficiencies are quietly eroding profitability. Lawrence outlines how centralized, normalized data – paired with executive-led change management – enables smarter daily decisions and meaningful margin improvement. He also previews the next evolution: AI-powered, conversational access to performance data that guides operators toward faster, more actionable insight.