The CIO is explaining cloud scalability, vendor roadmaps or how a new system will “future-proof” operations. The CFO leans in and asks, “That’s fine, but how does this reduce overtime? Where does it hit the P&L? Will it finally clean up reporting so we don’t spend half the month reconciling?”
Neither side is wrong. Both perspectives are essential. But unless those conversations connect, projects stall, or worse, get implemented without ever delivering the promised value.
At HITEC and the CIO Summit, the technology vision is inspiring. But in the boardroom, the CFO’s reality check is unavoidable: ROI, accurate reporting and labor efficiency are what turn tech from a shiny tool into a driver of profitability.
WHY THE GAP EXISTS (AND WHY IT CAN WORK IN OUR FAVOR)
Both sides want the same thing–profitable, efficient hotels. They just tend to frame it in different dialects: one in tech, the other in finance
- CIOs celebrate uptime, integrations, vendor roadmaps and “future-proofing.”
- CFOs celebrate audits without adjustments, labor lines that don’t blow up and reporting that actually ties to the bank account.
When I worked in hotels, I’d hear the IT team say, “This upgrade will improve data flow and system reliability.” As a finance leader, what I actually needed to hear was: “This will cut three hours off the night audit and reduce overtime.” Same project, different translation. Oracle Hospitality Strategy and Product Management, Group Vice
President Tanya Pratt said, “Bridging the gap or different perspectives between CIOs and CFOs is no longer an option, and companies that foster this alignment will unlock faster innovation and measurable growth. Investments, especially technology ones, can only create lasting impact when technical scalability and financial accountability are evaluated together, with shared KPIs and a common language of value.”
The disconnect is rarely about priorities, it’s about framing.
TRANSLATING TECH VISION INTO FINANCIAL VALUE
Think of it like this: CIOs dream in innovation, CFOs dream in Excel (or maybe just me?). The bridge is showing how tech innovation fills the spreadsheet with measurable wins.
Three areas always resonate:
- ROI That Holds Up in the Boardroom A new payments platform isn’t about “modernization.” It’s about eliminating late fees, fraud exposure, and the cost of printing
checks. Those savings can be measured. And yes, your CFO will measure them. - Labor Efficiencies That Actually Show Up in Payroll Hotels run on people, and payroll is often the single largest line on the P&L. If a tool cuts duplicate entry, speeds up scheduling or makes reconciliations automatic, that is real money back. One of my favorite moments in an implementation is when a night auditor realizes
they can leave before sunrise because the system finally does the math for them. - Reporting That Doesn’t Require a Master’s in Pivot Tables Compliance with USALI 12, ownership dashboards and lender reporting shouldn’t rely on 47 linked spreadsheets. Integrated platforms (ERP, BI, PMS) create that elusive “single source of truth.” Finance doesn’t want “shiny tech.” We want reporting that balances the first time.
When CIOs explain projects in those terms, CFOs don’t just nod, they grab a pen and start calculating the payback.
CASE IN POINT: THE GREAT CLOUD DEBATE
I’ve sat through more than a few “cloud migration” pitches. To IT, moving PMS or ERP to the cloud means resilience, scalability and getting out of the server room. To finance, it first looks like a very expensive line item. But reframed, the story changes:
- No more unpredictable CapEx when servers fail.
- Predictable monthly OpEx instead of depreciation schedules.
- Better disaster recovery (and a smaller insurance headache).
- Faster property roll-outs, which avoids opening delays that bleed revenue
That’s not a tech project, it’s a financial strategy with an IT wrapper.
THE BEST TEAMS I’VE SEEN
Over the years, I’ve noticed something consistent: the best-performing hotel groups are the ones where finance and IT are true partners – not “finance signing the check” or “IT rolling out the project” but working hand in hand, with the same goals and shared accountability.
When finance and IT collaborate, magic happens: projects stay on track, reporting works the first time and teams stop arguing about who owns the data. They aren't two departments they’re one leadership team pulling in the same direction.
That partnership is where transformation actually sticks.
FUTURE TECH WITH CLEAR CFO VALUE
Some innovations naturally bridge the divide if framed correctly:
- AI & Predictive Analytics: Not just personalization for guests forecasting labor, spotting fraud, managing energy. All bottom-line items.
- RPA: Robots don’t replace people; they replace the hours no one wanted to spend typing invoices.
- Integrated BI: Dashboards that tell operations and ownership the same story at the same time.
- Cybersecurity: A breach isn’t just an IT issue; it’s a financial, reputational and regulatory nightmare. Prevention is cheaper than lawsuits.
WHY THIS MATTERS (AND WHY I CARE)
When I left hotels for the software side, I spent years in the middle, helping vendors explain tech to finance teams and helping finance leaders demand more from their systems. That’s where the lightbulb went off: bridging CIO and CFO priorities isn’t just nice to have–it’s the only way implementations succeed. And yes, it requires over-communicating.
I’ve been called annoying for repeating myself in projects, but you know what? It saves time, money and headaches. I’ll take “annoying” if it means the budget reconciles.
FROM PARALLEL CONVERSATIONS TO SHARED GOALS
CIOs and CFOs don’t need to become each other, but they do need to work from the same playbook. CIOs bring the vision, the possibilities and the tech roadmaps. CFOs bring the accountability, the P&L and the ROI. Aptech President Jill Wilder said, “In hospitality, technology is no longer a cost center – it’s a driver
of efficiency and growth. CIOs and CFOs must align to ensure every investment enhances the guest experience and delivers ROI. Our role as a
technology partner is to provide not just software, but financial strategies that help hotels thrive.”
Finance and IT, working as partners with shared goals, deliver smoother implementations and stronger financial outcomes. That’s when technology stops being a cost center and starts being a profitability driver.
