The Challenge at The Inn at Dromoland
Before Alkimii, The Inn at Dromoland's workforce management system wasn't meeting their operational needs. Department heads relied on Excel spreadsheets for rostering because it was easier than using their existing system. Department heads lacked visibility into payroll costs and would roster employees without understanding the financial impact. Communication was fragmented across messaging platforms, making property-wide updates difficult.
“They didn't really see the impact of over-rostering on costs.”
-Michael McIntosh, Deputy General Manager, The Inn at Dromoland
Why The Inn at Dromoland Chose Alkimii
For Michael McIntosh, the decision was straightforward. Having used Alkimii since 2016, he'd experienced first-hand how the platform could transform workforce management. Michael's expertise made him a natural Alkimii champion, guiding his team through training whilst collaborating with Alkimii to ensure smooth adoption from the start.
"Alkimii is so user-friendly compared to the rest of the systems.”
-Michael McIntosh, Deputy General Manager, The Inn at Dromoland
How Alkimii Responded
Implementation covered the full Alkimii platform, with particularly strong adoption of forecasting, budget visibility, and rostering tools. Within months, the team had moved entirely away from spreadsheets. Department heads began inputting their own forecasts, taking ownership of their budgets in a way they hadn't before. The property established a daily 11 am ‘Alkimii meeting’ where teams discuss rostering for the day before, the day ahead, and the week in front.
“It’s a very user-friendly, easy-to-use system. So, it was picked up very quickly.”
-Michael McIntosh, Deputy General Manager, The Inn at Dromoland
The Results
Since adopting Alkimii, The Inn at Dromoland has seen measurable improvements across its operations:
1. Significant payroll cost optimisation:
Through improved rostering decisions and real-time budget visibility
2. Complete elimination of spreadsheets:
Saving hours of administrative time
3. Enhanced financial literacy:
Amongst department heads who now understand the cost impact of their rostering decisions
4. Streamlined communication:
Managers now have daily visibility into payroll costs, leading to better budget adherence and cost control
The Impact
Beyond the measurable improvements, there’s been a fundamental shift in how the team operates. Department heads track spending against budget daily, making informed decisions about when to add or reduce hours. Managers can instantly see whether they’re operating within their staffing budget, and the colour-coded revenue dashboard (actuals vs forecast) has transformed how teams manage performance.
When asked whether Alkimii People has helped optimise costs, Michael confirms without hesitation that it absolutely has, "100%", says Michael.
“My restaurant manager will come to me in the morning and goes, ‘I’m in green. I’m in green’. But when he’s in red, he immediately reviews the roster to align staffing levels with actual demand.
“You're constantly changing, making it better. It's not one of these things that sits as it is for a year or two before they make any changes.”
-Michael McIntosh, Deputy General Manager, The Inn at Dromoland
