Hotel Operations Go Smart: RFID at Fairfield by Marriott

Customer Background

Fairfield by Marriott is one of the leading global midscale hotel brands under Marriott International, and the second most widely distributed Marriott brand worldwide. Since entering the Chinese market, Fairfield has focused on Tier-2 cities, providing business and leisure travelers with modern design, smart amenities, and consistent service under its "Work Easy, Stay Balanced" brand philosophy.

As part of its commitment to operational excellence, the brand continuously seeks innovative technologies to ensure service consistency, cost efficiency, and sustainability across all its hotels.

Challenges Faced

Linen is one of the most important yet difficult-to-manage assets in hotel operations. Fairfield identified several key challenges under its previous manual process:

1. Inefficient Manual Handling: Linen exchange and stocktaking relied on manual counting and handwritten records, which were time-consuming and prone to errors.

2. Poor Traceability: Tracking the usage, washing, and replacement cycles of each linen item was difficult, often leading to losses, overstocking, or inconsistent supply.

3. Operational Burden on Staff: Housekeeping and laundry staff required a lightweight, reliable tool to perform scanning and record keeping efficiently across different working areas.

Seuic's RFID Linen Management Solution

To address these challenges, Seuic designed a comprehensive RFID solution customized for hotel operations.

Through embedding RFID tags in each linen and using UTouch 2 / UTouch 2-S RFID handheld terminals, the entire linen workflow — from usage to washing to storage — was digitized and connected to the hotel's central management system. 

Solution Highlights:

• RFID-Tagged Linens: Each towel, sheet, and bathrobe carries an embedded RFID chip for unique identification and full lifecycle traceability.

• Fast, Multi-Item Scanning: With Seuic’s high-performance handhelds, staff can scan dozens of items within seconds, drastically improving speed and accuracy.

• Centralized Data Management: All data is uploaded in real time, supporting automatic reconciliation, usage analysis, and loss prevention reports.

Tangible Results & Benefits

1. Efficiency Improved by Over 5×: RFID digitization replaced manual counting, reducing time spent on exchange and inventory tasks while minimizing errors.

2. Real-Time Traceability: Managers can track washing progress, linen lifespan, and stock levels instantly, ensuring transparent and efficient operations.

3. Lightweight and Reliable Devices: The AUTOID UTouch 2-S, equipped with the E510 high-performance RFID module, delivers excellent reading accuracy while maintaining a compact and portable design — ideal for mobile hotel environments.

Watch Real-World RFID Solutions with Seuic Handheld Terminals:

• Smart RFID Solution for Jewelry Stores

• Smart Asset Management in Dense Tag Environments

• Overcome RFID Reading Challenges Around Liquid

• Effortless Archive Searching with Seuic UTouch 2

• UTouch 2 in Real-World Rugged Tests

Conclusion

By adopting Seuic's RFID smart management solution, Fairfield by Marriott successfully upgraded its linen operations from manual handling to digital intelligence. The result: faster workflows, higher inventory accuracy, reduced loss, and enhanced service quality — empowering every hotel staff member to deliver a consistently excellent guest experience.