An Interview with ATALIAN’s Sales Director – Morana Grgić, MBA
In the fast-paced hospitality industry, where guests expect seamless service and top-tier comfort, facility management ensures operational excellence and guest satisfaction. The traditional approach—where hotels handle maintenance and facility management in-house—is increasingly being replaced by outsourcing models that provide specialized solutions, innovative technologies, and sustainable practices.ATALIAN Global Services Croatia, part of the ATALIAN Group, a global leader in facility management, has been delivering tailored solutions to hotels, shopping centres, office buildings, and industrial facilities across Croatia for over 30 years. Managing more than 1,200,000 m² of space across 700+ locations with 1,700 employees, ATALIAN offers integrated services that optimize costs, enhance energy efficiency, and elevate service quality. In this interview, ATALIAN’s Sales Director, Morana Grgić shares insights into the evolving role of facility management in hospitality—highlighting key trends such as the growing importance of sustainability, innovative technologies, and the long-term financial benefits of outsourcing.
As a Sales Director at ATALIAN, you’ve seen the evolution of facility management services. How have you observed the role of outsourcing in the hospitality industry changing over the past few years?
Over the past few years, outsourcing in the hospitality sector has evolved from a focus on essential, cost-driven services to a more strategic, integrated partnership model. Hotels today recognize that outsourced facility management goes beyond cost savings—it provides access to expertise, cutting-edge technology, and sustainable practices that elevate the guest experience and streamline operations. ATALIAN’s role has shifted to executing daily facility management tasks and proactively contributing to our client’s brand values and long-term growth. We’ve observed an increased demand for customized services, such as energy management solutions and innovative technologies, which allow hotels to optimize resources and operate more sustainably and efficiently.
Many hotel owners must pay more attention to the upfront cost of outsourcing facility management. How would you address these concerns and highlight the long-term financial benefits?
While the upfront cost of outsourcing can appear significant, it’s important to highlight that facility management outsourcing is an investment with compelling long-term returns.
ATALIAN offers robust, data-driven facility management strategies that reduce inefficiencies and prevent costly breakdowns and unplanned downtime. Our predictive maintenance and energy-efficient practices lower utility costs and extend the lifespan of assets, ultimately translating to significant cost savings. We provide transparency and detailed reporting so clients can see measurable improvements over time, which far outweigh the initial costs. This strategic approach allows hotels to reinvest in core areas such as guest satisfactionand service innovation.
What are some key challenges hotels face when managing facilities in-house, and how can outsourcing these services provide a solution?
Managing facilities in-house often presents challenges such as high staffing costs, skill shortages, and the complexity of maintaining compliance with evolving regulations. Hotels that choose in-house management may struggle with consistent service quality due to fluctuating demand and difficulty scaling operations up or down. Outsourcing to ATALIAN offers a solution by providing access to a specialized workforce with the expertise and flexibility to adapt to seasonal fluctuations. Additionally, we assume responsibility for compliance, training, and maintaining cutting-edge standards, freeing hotel management to focus on their primary mission: delivering an exceptional guest experience.
Sustainability is becoming a top priority for hotels. How can ATALIAN’s facility management services help hotels achieve their environmental goals while improving operational efficiency?
ATALIAN is deeply committed to sustainability, and our facility management services are designed to support hotels in their journey toward greener operations. We provide solutions such as energy management systems, waste reduction programs, and sustainable cleaning practices, which help hotels lower their environmental footprint. For instance, our energy optimization services can reduce a hotel’s energy consumption by up to 20%, which not only helps to meet environmental targets but also significantly reduces utility expenses. Furthermore, we collaborate with clients to set sustainability goals, provide regular progress reports, and implement eco-friendly practices that benefit both the environment and operational efficiency.
Morana Grgić, MBA Sales Director at ATALIAN Croatia
Digital transformation is a hot topic in hospitality. How are intelligent solutions and technology integrated into ATALIAN’s services to help hotels streamline operations and improve guest experiences?
ATALIAN embraces digital transformation through intelligent solutions that enhance operational efficiency and guest satisfaction. Our Integrated Facility Management Platform enables real-time monitoring, predictive maintenance, and data analytics to optimize resource allocation and prevent service disruptions. For example, IoT-based sensors allow us to accurately monitor energy and water consumption, adjust real-time settings, and flag potential issues before they affect operations. Additionally, cleaning and inventory management automation streamlines repetitive tasks, enabling staff to focus more on delivering superior guest experiences. This technological integration reduces operational bottlenecks and ensures a smoother, more responsive service flow.
In your experience, what are the most common misconceptions hotel owners have about outsourcing facility management services? How do you help them overcome these barriers?
A common misconception is that outsourcing facility management leads to losing control over service quality. Many hotel owners worry that outsourcing will compromise the brand standards they’ve worked hard to build. At ATALIAN, we overcome these concerns by fostering transparent communication, providing customized service plans, and aligning closely with our client’s unique brand values and operational goals. We also emphasize that outsourcing enables hotels to access specialized skills and resources that might not be feasible in-house, resulting in a higher standard of care. Regular reporting, KPIs, and frequent reviews help assure our clients that we maintain—and often exceed—their standards.
Morana Grgić, MBA Sales Director at ATALIAN Croatia
What’s the most significant benefit hotel managers can expect when they outsource their facility management to ATALIAN, especially in terms of guest satisfaction and operational efficiency?
The most significant benefit is undoubtedly the enhanced focus on core operations, which allows hotel managers to concentrate on creating memorable guest experiences. By outsourcing to ATALIAN, managers can entrust their facility needs to experts, confident that all aspects—from cleaning to technical services—are managed efficiently and professionally. This seamless support structure helps minimize operational disruptions, positively impacting guest satisfaction. Furthermore, by implementing preventive maintenance and intelligent resource management, we help hotels run more smoothly and cost-effectively, contributing to an overall elevated guest experience.
How does ATALIAN tailor its facility management services to different types of hotels, from luxury resorts to budget hotels?
ATALIAN understands that every hotel has unique operational needs and brand expectations. We provide high-touch, premium services for luxury resorts focusing on ambience, guest comfort, and sustainable luxury. In contrast, our services for budget hotels emphasize efficiency and cost-effectiveness without sacrificing quality. We conduct a comprehensive needs assessment for each client, identifying specific priorities and challenges to create a custom service package. Our scalable approach ensures that regardless of a hotel’s size or segment, ATALIAN delivers value-driven solutions that align with the client’s operational and guest experience goals.
With labor shortages affecting many industries, how does outsourcing facility management help hotels mitigate staffing challenges and maintain smooth operations?
Outsourcing provides hotels with a reliable staffing solution in an increasingly challenging labour market. ATALIAN’s vast pool of trained facility management professionals allows us to fill staffing gaps efficiently and flexibly, adapting to peak seasons or sudden changes in occupancy. This flexibility reduces the burden on hotels to recruit, train, and retain in-house facility teams, which can be costly and time-consuming. Additionally, our workforce is continuously trained to meet the latest standards and equipped with the necessary tools and technology to perform their tasks efficiently, ensuring smooth operations even during labour shortages.
What’s your vision for the future of facility management in the hospitality industry? How do you see ATALIAN playing a role in shaping that future for hotel owners and managers?
The future of facility management in hospitality is poised to be more data-driven, sustainable, and guest-focused than ever. At ATALIAN, we envision a future where advanced technology, such as AI and IoT, will drive operational insights, enabling hotels to optimize performance and anticipate maintenance needs before they arise. Sustainability will be at the core of this evolution, with eco-conscious practices becoming an industry standard. ATALIAN aims to lead this transformation by continuously innovating our service offerings and partnering with hotels to achieve their strategic goals in a dynamic market. We’re committed to helping hotels operate efficiently, responsibly, and with the flexibility to adapt to changing guest expectations and environmental challenges.
Morana Grgić, MBA Sales Director at ATALIAN Croatia
