HelloShift (Staff) vs. Relay:
Which Is Right for You?

The Decision

Choosing between HelloShift and Relay hinges on what your hotel needs most: robust staff collaboration or straightforward team communication. While both aim to connect your staff, their core functionalities and user experiences differ significantly. HelloShift focuses on streamlining hotel operations with features like task management and guest messaging, whereas Relay emphasizes fast, direct team communication through private and group messaging. Which aligns better with your operational challenges?

Is HelloShift or Relay Better for Hotels?

HelloShift is designed specifically for hotel environments, replacing radios, paper logs, and fragmented communication tools with a unified platform. It offers comprehensive features including task management, shift handoffs, guest messaging, in-app translation, and a host of operational modules like lost & found and preventative maintenance. Relay, by contrast, is a general team communication tool with basic private and group messaging, offering just one unique feature—case management.

While HelloShift provides 16 exclusive hotel-specific features, Relay offers only one: case management. The depth of HelloShift's feature set supports complex hotel workflows, making it more suitable for properties seeking detailed operational control. Relay's simplicity may appeal to teams prioritizing quick, reliable communication without the need for extensive hotel-centric functions. Are your operational needs more comprehensive or more straightforward?

HelloShift vs Relay: Which Should Your Hotel Choose?

If your hotel needs a dedicated staff collaboration tool that integrates multiple operational functions—like shift management, guest communication, and task tracking—HelloShift is the clear choice. Its high review count (160 reviews) and recent positive feedback, including a 4.7/5 overall rating, demonstrate proven value and user satisfaction.

If your team primarily requires a fast, reliable communication device with basic group chat capabilities, Relay might seem suitable. However, with no recent reviews or notable hotel-specific features, it lacks the depth needed for complex hotel workflows. Given HelloShift’s more extensive feature set and recent strong reviews, it is the more reliable choice for hotels looking to enhance operational efficiency.

Is HelloShift or Relay Easier to Use?

HelloShift has a rating of 4.71/5 for ease of use, with users describing it as super easy to adopt, especially after onboarding. Most reviews highlight its intuitive interface, mobile-first design, and straightforward task creation, although some mention initial navigation challenges and search limitations. Onboarding scores of 4.61/5 suggest your staff can learn it quickly, but ongoing training can help optimize usage.

Relay, with zero reviews, leaves usability assumptions unverified. Its simplicity suggests it may be easy to operate, but without user feedback, it's unclear how well it integrates into hotel operations or supports onboarding. Edge: HelloShift.

Which Has Better Features: HelloShift or Relay?

HelloShift offers 16 features exclusive to hotel operations, including team goal setting, a virtual logbook, lost & found, in-app translation, preventative maintenance, deep cleaning, inspection, print old records, multi-property monitoring, analytics dashboards, service recovery, open API, meter reading, and file library support. These enable comprehensive operational management.

Relay provides only one unique feature: case management. Its limited feature set means it lacks the operational depth of HelloShift, which is built to replace multiple hotel systems. Edge: HelloShift.

Which Has Better Customer Support: HelloShift or Relay?

HelloShift enjoys a 4.61/5 support rating based on user reviews, with hoteliers praising its prompt, helpful support team. Reviewers mention that HelloShift's staff is always available to resolve issues quickly and are receptive to feedback for improvements. This consistent, high-quality support underpins its high customer satisfaction.

Relay offers no available reviews or support ratings, making it impossible to assess its customer service quality. Without feedback, confidence in Relay’s support remains uncertain. Edge: HelloShift.

Which Has More Integrations: HelloShift or Relay?

HelloShift integrates with over 23 verified partners, including major PMS systems like WebRezPro, Sirvoy, and RoomKey, plus keyless access solutions and hotel management tools. This extensive integration ecosystem allows your hotel to streamline operational workflows effectively.

Relay has just 2 verified partners, with no shared integrations with HelloShift. Its limited integration scope restricts its ability to connect with essential hotel management systems, potentially increasing manual work. Edge: HelloShift.

Which Do Hoteliers Rate Higher: HelloShift or Relay?

With 160 reviews, HelloShift’s users rate it at 4.7/5 overall, emphasizing its effectiveness for hotel operations, guest communication, and staff productivity. The recent reviews (last 6 months) reinforce its ongoing value, and hoteliers across segments—especially independent and branded hotels—report high satisfaction levels.

Relay has no reviews or ratings, and its absence from recent hotel-specific feedback leaves its effectiveness unverified. Without real user input, it’s impossible to gauge hotel satisfaction. Edge: HelloShift.

How Much Do HelloShift and Relay Cost?

HelloShift’s pricing starts at $200 per month, with no freemium or trial options explicitly mentioned but offers a 30-day trial. Its transparent flat-rate model makes budgeting straightforward.

Relay costs $500 per month with no trial period or flexible pricing details. Given the lack of user reviews and hotel-specific features, the higher price may not justify its value.

What Type of Hotel Should Use HelloShift?

• Hotels that want to streamline internal communication and operational workflows.
• Teams that need task management, shift handoffs, and guest messaging in one platform.
• Hotels with multiple departments requiring coordinated communication.
• Properties aiming to reduce staff turnover and increase productivity.
• Hotels seeking in-app translation and operational modules like maintenance and lost & found.

Not ideal if:

• Your hotel is very small with minimal operational complexity.
• You prefer a simple, minimal communication tool without hotel-specific features.
• Your team lacks the resources for onboarding a new platform.

What Type of Hotel Should Use Relay?

• Hotels or teams that require only basic, reliable team communication.
• Properties that prefer a simple, no-frills solution for staff coordination.
• Teams that need quick, direct messaging without operational modules.
• Hotels seeking a cost-effective way to keep staff connected via devices like smartphones or laptops.

Not ideal if:

• Your hotel needs comprehensive operational management features.
• You require integrations with property management or other hotel systems.
• You want detailed reporting, analytics, or specialized modules like lost & found.

The Bottom Line for Hotels

HelloShift is a hotel-focused staff collaboration platform with extensive features designed specifically for complex hotel workflows. Its high review count, recent positive feedback, and rich integration ecosystem make it the more reliable choice for your hotel’s operational needs.

If your hotel requires a flexible, hotel-tailored communication tool capable of managing shift handoffs, guest messaging, and operational tasks, HelloShift offers clear advantages. Its consistent support and proven user satisfaction make it the safer investment.

Relay, while simple and inexpensive, lacks recent hotel-specific reviews and features beyond basic team messaging. It may suit very small or straightforward teams, but for most hotels aiming to modernize operations, HelloShift provides the more comprehensive, trusted solution.

Note: The information provided reflects current review data and product details as of October 2023.