Published research from Starfleet Research
Research & Analysis
Explore what our studies found about how organizations choose, use and evaluate technology. Browse survey findings, published studies and analysis for the industries we cover.
Selected findings
What the research found
Findings from studies across hotels, restaurants, retail and healthcare.
Hotels
Both hotel eBooks draw on a Starfleet Research survey of 253 hotel executives, IT staff and other practitioners.
Staff efficiency
82%of surveyed hoteliers who adopted integrated, cloud-based platforms reported measurable improvements in staff efficiency.
How Top-Performing Hotels Harness the Power of Technology to Turbocharge Operations
Centralized guest data
34%of surveyed hotels managed guest data centrally. Another 42% relied on disconnected systems and 16% used manual methods.
How Top-Performing Hotels Turn Big Data Into Big Wins
Predictive staffing
15%of surveyed hotels used predictive or AI-driven tools for labor planning. Meanwhile, 44% still based staffing plans on historical data.
How Top-Performing Hotels Harness the Power of Technology to Turbocharge Operations
More hotel findings
- 24% · Core systems integration
24% of surveyed hotels reported that their core systems were fully integrated.
How Top-Performing Hotels Turn Big Data Into Big Wins
- About 1 in 3 · Loyalty and guest profiles
About 1 in 3 surveyed hotels integrated loyalty and engagement data with both their property management and customer relationship management systems.
How Top-Performing Hotels Turn Big Data Into Big Wins
- 20% · Staff onboarding
20% of surveyed hotels reported onboarding staff in under a week.
How Top-Performing Hotels Turn Big Data Into Big Wins
- 63% · Labor cost expectations
63% of surveyed hoteliers believed automation could reduce labor costs by at least 15%. This was an expectation of savings.
How Top-Performing Hotels Harness the Power of Technology to Turbocharge Operations
- 27% · Mobile and contactless guest services
27% of surveyed properties had fully implemented mobile and contactless guest services. Another 44% had implemented them partially.
How Top-Performing Hotels Harness the Power of Technology to Turbocharge Operations
Restaurants
Starfleet Research surveyed 253 restaurant executives, IT staff and other practitioners for At the Edge. The Restaurant Optimization Playbook draws on surveys with 379 qualified respondents.
Predictive insights
74%of surveyed restaurant operators rated predictive insights using external factors as very or extremely valuable. Examples include weather, local events and neighborhood traffic.
The Restaurant Optimization Playbook
Revenue lost to system failures
70%of surveyed restaurant operators reported losing revenue when critical systems failed.
At the Edge: Powering Peak Restaurant Performance
Forecasting confidence
18%of surveyed restaurant operators were very confident in their ability to forecast sales, labor needs or guest traffic on a daily or weekly basis.
The Restaurant Optimization Playbook
More restaurant findings
- 20% · Fully integrated systems
20% of surveyed restaurant owners and operators reported that their technology systems were fully integrated. Half said their systems were only partially integrated.
At the Edge: Powering Peak Restaurant Performance
- 15% · Edge computing adoption
15% of surveyed restaurant operators reported using edge computing extensively. Another 30% used it for specific systems such as point of sale or kitchen management.
At the Edge: Powering Peak Restaurant Performance
- 67% · Average check size
67% of surveyed restaurants using self-service ordering kiosks reported an increase in average check size. Operators pointed to upsell prompts and the freedom guests had to explore their options.
The Restaurant Optimization Playbook
- 79% · Handheld orders routed to the kitchen
79% of surveyed operators using handheld ordering devices said the devices were integrated with their kitchen display systems.
The Restaurant Optimization Playbook
- 27% · Gaps in tracking basic metrics
27% of surveyed operators said they could not reliably track basic metrics such as average order time, prep duration or upsell conversion rates.
The Restaurant Optimization Playbook
Retail
Source: How Top-Performing Convenience Retailers Speed Up Checkout and Bring Shoppers Back
Checkout speed
76%of surveyed convenience retailers that added self-checkout reported shorter wait times during peak hours after rollout.
Loyalty and repeat visits
68%of surveyed convenience retailers that let shoppers redeem rewards at self-checkout reported more repeat visits from loyalty members after rollout.
Mobile payments
63%of surveyed convenience retailers that tracked payment times by method reported that mobile wallet transactions took less time to complete than chip card transactions.
Healthcare
Source: Everything You Need to Know About Next-Generation Medical Practice Management Solutions
Appointment attendance
72%of surveyed medical practices that offered automated reminders with a link to reschedule reported fewer missed appointments after introducing the feature.
Insurance eligibility
67%of surveyed medical practices that automated insurance eligibility checks before appointments reported that front desk staff spent less time resolving coverage questions at check-in.
Claims processing
64%of surveyed medical practices that used automated checks to flag errors before submitting claims reported fewer claims rejected on the first submission.
Publication library
Published research by industry
Browse selected Smart Decision Guides and research eBooks.
Hotels
Property systems, revenue strategy, operational integration and data use.
Smart Decision Guide
Smart Decision Guide to Hotel Property Management Systems
Evaluation criteria for the property system that connects reservations, front-desk work and other hotel operations.
Smart Decision Guide
Smart Decision Guide to Hospitality Revenue Management
Buying considerations and operating practices for forecasting, pricing and revenue decisions.
Research eBook
How Top-Performing Hotels Harness the Power of Technology to Turbocharge Operations
Research on integrated hotel systems and their relationship to staff efficiency and day-to-day operations.
Research eBook
How Top-Performing Hotels Turn Big Data Into Big Wins
How hotels use data integration, analytics and reporting to inform operating decisions.
Restaurants
Profitability, restaurant systems, resilient operations and guest service.
Research eBook
The Restaurant Optimization Playbook
Research on real-time visibility, demand forecasting and the technology decisions that affect restaurant margins.
Research eBook
At the Edge: Powering Peak Restaurant Performance
A look at restaurant technology infrastructure, system reliability and operating continuity.
Research eBook
Raising the Bar
Technology and operating practices for bars and taprooms.
Smart Decision Guide
Smart Decision Guide to Restaurant Management and POS Systems
Guidance on evaluating restaurant management and point-of-sale systems, from ordering and payments to reporting and integrations.
Retail
Checkout, payments, shopper loyalty and connected-store security.
Research eBook
How Top-Performing Convenience Retailers Speed Up Checkout and Bring Shoppers Back
An examination of self-checkout, mobile payments and loyalty rewards in convenience retail.
Research eBook
IoT Security: Best Practices of Top-Performing Organizations in Retail
Research on identifying connected devices and managing security across retail environments.
Healthcare
Medical practice management, connected devices and technology risk.
Research eBook
Everything You Need to Know About Next-Generation Medical Practice Management Solutions
How medical practices use automated appointment reminders, insurance eligibility checks and claims validation to improve front-office and billing workflows.
Research eBook
IoT Security: Best Practices of Top-Performing Healthcare Organizations
An examination of connected-device security and operating practices in healthcare organizations.
Sample Research
Explore selected Starfleet Research publications, available courtesy of the solution providers below.
The 2025 Smart Decision Guide to Hospitality Revenue Management
Evaluation criteria and practical guidance for selecting AI-powered hotel revenue management solutions.
Licensed versionCourtesy of Revenue Analytics
Read PDF ↗The 2023 Smart Decision Guide to Hotel Property Management Systems
A guide to evaluating hotel PMS capabilities, integration requirements and operational benefits.
Licensed versionCourtesy of Infor
Read PDF ↗The 2025 Smart Decision Guide to Restaurant Management and POS Systems
Buying considerations, evaluation tools and guidance for selecting restaurant management and POS technology.
Licensed versionCourtesy of Shiji
Read PDF ↗The Sky’s the Limit: Taking Hotel Revenue Performance to Higher Levels of Success
How AI-powered cloud revenue management and data integration support better forecasting and revenue decisions.
Courtesy of Infor
Read PDF ↗How Casino Resort Operations Play a Winning Hand: Technology’s Vital Role
How integrated hospitality technology supports casino resort operations, service delivery and performance.
Courtesy of Oracle Hospitality
Read PDF ↗How Independent Hotels Book Better Performance: Technology’s Vital Role
How independent hotels use technology to improve operations, guest experiences and business performance.
Courtesy of Oracle Hospitality
Read PDF ↗Hotel Pools Water Management: Technology Best Practices and State of the Industry
Research on automated pool monitoring, water management and hotel operating practices.
Courtesy of VivoAquatics
Read PDF ↗IoT Security: Best Practices of Top-Performing Hotels and Resorts
How hotels and resorts approach connected-device visibility, security and operational protection.
Courtesy of Palo Alto Networks
Read PDF ↗IoT Security: Best Practices of Top-Performing Organizations in the Retail Industry
Research on securing connected devices and protecting retail operations.
Courtesy of Palo Alto Networks
Read PDF ↗The 2024 Benchmark Report on IoT Security
How organizations secure connected devices, address IoT security challenges and strengthen protection against threats.
Courtesy of Palo Alto Networks
Read PDF ↗Research Spotlights
A closer look at individual technology decisions and what the research means for practitioners.
Hotels · Revenue management
Hospitality Revenue Management
What hotels should consider when applying forecasting, pricing and analytics to revenue decisions.
Read the analysis →Hotels · Cybersecurity
IoT Security in the Hotel Industry
How connected devices create operational risks and why visibility matters for hotels and resorts.
Read the analysis →Hotels · Property management
Hotel Property Management Systems
What hotels should look for when evaluating the platform that supports reservations, front-desk work and other daily operations.
Read the analysis →What we’re studying next
See the 2027 Smart Decision Guides and Benchmark Reports in development, and find a survey for your area of expertise.
Explore Upcoming Research →