Hospitality & Service Management Expert Group
Services, hospitality and technology have a direct impact on the quality of the experience for staff, guests, residents and patients. We conduct research and provide insights into how organisations can further develop their services in a digital and cost-effective way, whilst keeping people at the heart of everything they do.
What Hospitality & Service Management means to you
Those responsible for hospitality, food service or customer service are constantly making decisions with far-reaching consequences, often in a rapidly changing environment. Using scientific methods, we bring structure to these decisions and shed light on what drives progress in practice.
A key driver of this is digital transformation. For us, this means, above all, building new capabilities. We also focus on processes: transparent workflows and structures that stand the test of time in day-to-day operations.
In the worlds of hospitality, food service, healthcare and senior living, we combine analytical thinking with an understanding of guests, markets and trends. Our expertise ranges from service innovation and service robotics to the digital transformation of processes. Our applied research provides answers to complex practical questions and makes knowledge applicable to hospitality and service projects.
«A service is only effective if it meets people’s needs, works in practice and is economically viable.»
Prof. Dr. Thorsten Merkle, Head of the Hospitality & Service Management Research Group
Five levers for the future
- Digitale Transformation for FM It is increasingly a key factor in determining performance within the healthcare sector. Those who understand their own level of maturity can invest strategically and gain a competitive edge.
- Service Robotics & Technology Development is progressing at a rapid pace. When used correctly, these new tools relieve staff in care homes, hospitals and communal food service settings, allowing them to focus on direct contact with people.
- Food Service & Food for Care Expectations regarding catering in communal facilities and the healthcare sector are rising – with a focus on personalisation, sustainability and digital management. Those who help shape this development at an early stage will boost both satisfaction and cost-effectiveness.
- Cleaning & Hygiene New standards and certifications are increasingly reshaping expectations in this area. Those who embrace them early on will safeguard both health and reputation in equal measure.
- Service Value Management Service experiences are increasingly becoming the key differentiator between organisations. Those who strategically design service concepts, brand image and service culture strengthen their market position and team spirit.
Our applied research, services and teaching provide answers for these five levers.
«The collaboration between the FCSI and the IFM at the ZHAW combines applied research with the practical expertise of our sector. This benefits everyone involved in developing and implementing sustainable catering and hospitality concepts.»
Manfred Möckli, President of FCSI Switzerland
Opportunities for collaboration
Your challenges in hospitality and service management are our starting points. We work with you as partners to develop solutions.
In Hospitality & Service Management, we support you with:
- Gastronomy, hospitality and food service concepts
- Service innovation and transformation, including service robotics
- Food service and catering in healthcare organisations
- Cleaning and hygiene
- Service value management and service quality
Our services:
- Contract Research and Development
- Feasibility studies, analyses, development, pilot projects and evaluations of new service concepts and technological solutions
- Consultancy and coaching
- Professional development
- Training courses, workshops and keynote presentations
Can’t find what you’re looking for? Please get in touch: thorsten.merkle@zhaw.ch
Teaching
Studierende erarbeiten in Trough placements and student projects, students develop concrete proposals for solving the challenges set before them.
Continuing professional development
CAS Facility Management in Healthcare and continuing professional development programms for specialists and managers.
Projects
Hospitality Industry Benchmark in Healthcare
The goal: to provide healthcare institutions with a reliable basis for comparison in the areas of food service, cleaning, and technical facility management. Each year, we compare the performance of what has now grown to approximately 50 hospitals, rehabilitation clinics, psychiatric clinics, and nursing homes in Switzerland. This makes costs, quality, and processes transparent and directly comparable across all types of facilities.
Since 2015, data has been available that institutions can use as a basis for their decision-making.
Learn more about the project →
«The benchmark provides us with a well-founded, external assessment of our performance in comparison with approximately 50 institutions. This is a perspective that our own operations alone could never offer us. It is therefore a key tool for our annual management tasks: It clearly shows where we stand, highlights areas for action, and provides a solid foundation for setting goals, prioritizing tasks, and planning resources.»
Sandro Russi, Head of Hospitality Management, HOCH Health Ostschweiz
RobotCare: Network for Service Robots in Healthcare
The goal: to foster a systematic dialogue between technology development and the actual needs of retirement and nursing homes. We connect technology developers and researchers with nursing and care staff, management, residents, and their families. This makes needs visible before solutions are developed.
Through this exchange, we identify synergies between Swiss and international universities for joint research, most recently evident at the Swiss Pavilion at the World Expo in Osaka.
More about Robot Care: Network for robots who care →
«Only the combination of a scientific foundation and practical experience leads to a product that truly benefits the target audience. For me, that is the value of such forums for exchange: They offer more than just their own institution’s perspective and, with time and the support of employees, build the trust needed for sustainable implementation..»
Matthias Kluge, Head of Hospitality, Member of the Executive Board, Alterszentrum Haus Tabea, Horgen
Food service plan for Gesundheitswelt Zollikerberg
The goal: To identify the appropriate food service production method for the renovation of the dining facilities at Neumünster Park. We analyzed the existing processes, engaged the relevant stakeholders, and developed a multi-perspective utility analysis to provide a transparent basis for decision-making.
The result is a catering concept that equally balances economic, environmental, and social requirements and serves as the foundation for the future kitchen renovation.
«A basis for decision-making that is sound from an economic, environmental, and human perspective—and that gave our Foundation Board the necessary support for the kitchen renovation. That’s exactly what we needed.»
Franz Sperisen, Head of Infrastructure and Services, Spital Zollikerberg
Our projects
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Hospital Food Service Development
In the context of the introduction and further development of private wards, the hospitality sector is becoming increasingly important. Initial steps towards further developing hospitality services are already being taken in a pragmatic manner, and further measures are being developed.
current, 08/2026 - 07/2027
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Technologization and Digitalization in Swiss Residential and Nursing Homes (DigiAPHs)
Digital transformation opens up new opportunities for residential and nursing homes, but it also brings complex challenges for management and staff. The aim of this research project is to develop a practice-oriented tool that supports nursing home management across all three language regions of…
current, 09/2025 - 12/2026
-
Nudging for Sustainability (NfS)
By evaluating nudges designed to encourage sustainable guest behaviour in Swiss holiday hotels, with a focus on resource and cost savings, a toolkit for the hospitality industry is being developed. Practical solutions promote the communication of sustainability and support, among other things, the…
current, 12/2024 - 12/2026
-
Zipp & Scan
Applied research regarding the implementation of Zipp & Scan for handling of patient's belongings
expired, 09/2024 - 10/2025
Our publications
-
Gerber, Nicole; Lange, Stefanie,
2017.
Winterthur:
ZHAW Zürcher Hochschule für Angewandte Wissenschaften.
Available from: https://doi.org/10.21256/zhaw-3490
-
Kimmel, Tobias; Leiblein, Thomas; Schambil, Fred,
2017.
SEPAWA Fachgruppe Reinigung und Pflege : ökologische Lösungen.
Rationell reinigen + mop Schweiz.
2017(10), pp. 12-13.
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Kimmel, Tobias; Leiblein, Thomas; Schambil, Fred,
2017.
SEPAWA Fachgruppe Reinigung und Pflege : Im Clinch der grünen Welle.
Rationell reinigen + mop Schweiz.
2017(9), pp. 4-7.
-
Gerber, Nicole,
2017.
Patient Projektmanagement im Spital.
Heime und Spitäler.
2017(3), pp. 15-17.
Available from: https://doi.org/10.21256/zhaw-1560
-
Gerber, Nicole; Hofer, Susanne,
2017.
RemoS - Reference model for non-medical support services in hospitals.
Winterthur:
ZHAW Zürcher Hochschule für Angewandte Wissenschaften.
Available from: https://doi.org/10.21256/zhaw-3489
Networks & Partnerships
Our employees are actively involved in FCSI, CHRIE, Schweizer Kochverband, Granger Cobb Institute for Senior Living Washington State University, ZHAW Digital Health Lab ZHAW RobotHub, RobotCare Community and other professional associations.
FM Benchmark Community in the Healthcare Sector: Catering and Cleaning
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