First Hotels | From Fragmented Systems to Unified Financial Operations

Managing a hotel chain that spans both Sweden and Norway, with a business model combining owned operations and franchise partnerships, presents unique challenges. First Hotels needed more than just accounting software—they needed a platform that could unify diverse operations while maintaining the flexibility each hotel requires to manage its own finances.

The Challenge: From Slow Closings to Data-Driven Decision Making

Before implementing 24SevenOffice, First Hotels wrestled with disparate systems, inconsistent processes, and limited oversight capabilities. Consolidated group-level reporting was difficult and time-consuming, leading to duplication of work, increased risk of errors, slow financial closings, and reduced ability to make rapid decisions in an industry where margins are tight and the pace of change is accelerating.

"Before we implemented 24SevenOffice, we managed ten subsidiaries across different systems and lacked a common structure," explains Carlsson. "Much time was spent manually collecting data and ensuring figures were accurate, which made it difficult to work proactively or make quick decisions."

This fragmentation meant that valuable management time was consumed by administrative tasks rather than strategic planning and growth initiatives. In the fast-moving hospitality industry, this lack of real-time insight represented a significant competitive disadvantage.

The Solution: A Cloud-Based Platform That Liberated Time and Simplified Operations

With 24SevenOffice, First Hotels has gained a system that supports both the group's reporting needs and individual hotels' daily operations. The comprehensive platform streamlines multiple critical functions:

Automated Financial Operations

• Continuous bookkeeping with real-time updates across all properties
• AI-powered vendor invoice management that dramatically reduces manual processing
• Complete bank integration and reconciliation for both incoming and outgoing payments
• Customer and supplier management through integrated CRM functionality

Streamlined Reporting and Compliance

• Monthly closings and VAT declarations with automated data consolidation
• Approval workflows, invoicing, and payments managed through unified processes
• Cross-subsidiary reporting that provides real-time insights into group performance

The system's cloud-based architecture provides flexibility and instant access to current information, regardless of where users are located—crucial for a geographically distributed organization like First Hotels.

Real-World Impact: AI Assistant Transforms Daily Operations

The transformation is perhaps most visible in day-to-day operations, where AI-powered automation has fundamentally changed how the finance team works.

"The 24SevenOffice AI Assistant interprets invoices, which means I only need to review them before sending them forward for approval. This has simplified my daily work enormously," reports Sofie Widenroth, Accounting Economist at First Hotels.

This represents more than just time savings, it's a fundamental shift from manual, error-prone processing to intelligent automation that allows finance professionals to focus on analysis and strategic support rather than data entry and verification.

Strategic Advantage Through Integration

For First Hotels, the move to 24SevenOffice represents more than operational improvement, it's a strategic advantage that enables growth and agility in a competitive market. The unified platform supports their unique business model by providing:

• Centralized oversight with decentralized operational control
• Scalable architecture that can accommodate new properties and franchises
• Real-time insights that support rapid decision-making in a fast-moving industry
• Automated processes that free up resources for guest service and business development

The transition to 24SevenOffice has delivered measurable improvements in operational efficiency and management oversight. By consolidating ten previously separate systems into one unified platform, First Hotels has eliminated the time-consuming process of manual data collection and verification that previously plagued their monthly closing procedures.

Future-Proofing the Business

In the hospitality industry, success depends on the ability to adapt quickly to changing market conditions, guest preferences, and operational challenges. First Hotels' investment in a modern, integrated platform positions them to respond rapidly to opportunities and challenges while maintaining the financial control and operational efficiency that drives profitability.

The transformation from fragmented, manual processes to unified, automated operations demonstrates how the right technology platform can enhance both operational efficiency and strategic capability, enabling organizations to focus on what they do best while technology handles the complexity of multi-entity financial management.