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Podcast Episode

Hotel Tech & AI Explained — No Buzzwords, Just What Actually Works with Kim Spoljan

Hospitality Folks··16 July 2026·30 min

About this episode

From sleeping in a lobby chair as a night porter to managing luxury five-star hotel openings in Stockholm—Kim Spolén's hospitality journey is the masterclass in customer relationships and authentic selling. Now Regional Director of Sales at StayNTouch, Kim joins Alicia to expose the biggest problem in hospitality tech: buzzword inflation. We talk: 🏨 The career path that shaped his philosophy: Long-term relationships > quick closes 🏨 How hotel managers get burned by overhyped AI and "solutions" 🏨 The transition from frontline to tech ("the dark side") 🏨 Why DACH region hospitality tech is booming right now Kim's perspective? "Find what customers actually want and need. Don't be the used car salesman of tech." Listen in for candid stories from Strand Hotel, Sheraton, and Sergel Plaza—and why his approach to tech sales is changing the industry playbook. For job seekers: Regional Director of Sales role (DACH) is hiring now. Want to get in touch? Kim Spolén * LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/kimspolen/ Alicia Dick Wahlberg (Hospitality Folks Host)* LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/aliciadickwahlberg/ * Instagram: @alicia_dickwahlberg StayNTouch* LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/stayntouch — @Stayntouch * Twitter/X: @StayNTouchInc (https://x.com/StayNTouchInc) * Facebook: facebook.com/stayntouch * YouTube: youtube.com/channel/UCG2FdsPmZjRzPh_ofRi2lYQ * Website: www.stayntouch.com What do you think? Does hospitality tech really have "the cookies"? #HospitalityTech #HospitalityLeadership #HotelManagement #CareerGrowth #StayNTouch #DACH #Nordics #HotelsOfStockholm #HospitalityFolks #PodcastForHospitality #TechVsHospitality #OperationsLeadership #EmployerBranding#HospitalityPodcast #HospitalityLeadership #HotelTech #CommunicationSkills #HospitalityJobs #StayNTouch #DACH