HOTEL SECTOR
Twickenham Stadium April 1st & 2nd, 2009
www.comms-dealer.com
A hotel’s back office
operation demands a high
level of functionality from
its ICT system, along with
a raft of telephony and
communications features
tailored for the particular
requirements of its guests.
Here, Jane Dudman
explores the potential for
IP communications in the
hotel sector during the
economic downturn.
SELLING TO HOTELS
H
otels are not the most substantial business in the hotel has been reduced so that it is is still a great deal of business
dynamic technology sector. “There is a big difference in line with the Opal range – to happening,” added Rogers.
environments. A between a B&B and a Hilton, bring volume economies into play
few years ago, the resellers need to understand that. and provide even better value Ambrose, at Trust Distribution,
director of technology at one of The main requirement is listening. to hotel customers and channel agrees. “We are seeing steady
the world’s leading chains of luxury Resellers need to listen to what partners. Rogers says it would be sales,” he says. Trust Distribution
hotels noted that hotels have these businesses require.” ‘foolish’ of any firm to say they will has a couple of dealers who
become famous for ‘implementing not be affected by the downturn, target the hotel sector and they
yesterday’s technology today’. With the financial downturn around but Teledex remains confident are reporting good business with
Hotels don’t usually need leading the globe, one might forecast that its products, reputation and major contract wins in the offing
edge technology for their back- a gloomy outlook in the hotel strategy will help it remain well- for substantial numbers of units.
office functionality – they tend industry, reliant as it is on trade placed to cope with changing Ambrose says products for this
to veer towards reliability. And from business staff. “We are acutely circumstances and will continue sector don’t need to be hugely
in terms of offering their guests aware of the possible impact on to work closely with its resellers to differentiated – it’s service that is
the latest technology, that, too, the hotel market from the current help them sell into the sector. the key. “The software is slightly
is not always necessary. So even instability in the financial markets,” different, to accommodate billing,
the major hotel companies have said Eric Rogers, Senior European Things may look different a but that can be bolted on,” he
lagged behind other businesses Sales Manager at manufacturer couple of years down the line, points out. “On the whole, the
in implementing IP networking, for Teledex. “Like everyone else we are but at the moment, according products are similar to those in the
instance. Luxury hotels may want hoping it will not be as bad as the to those in the sector, new hotels mainstream business market.”
to offer their guests telephony, doom-mongers are forecasting.” that were planned and designed
video-on-demand and wireless when the going was good are The combination of high rates for
services, in addition to traditional, Rogers says Teledex is looking still being opened and demand calls from hotel rooms with the
high speed Internet access, but at how to offer best value to for telephony remains strong. growth of mobile use has meant
many hotels believe their guests its partners in the hotel sector “There will certainly be hotels out a real dive in call revenue from
prefer reliable telephones with and has cut its prices ‘quite there that will delay refurbishment hotel guest rooms. That was most
a few, easy-to-use features. significantly’. He says the price for another year, but as this marked at the beginning of the
of the firm’s new Iphone A-series downturn was so sudden, there century – between 2000 and
However, it is difficult to generalise 2003, call revenue dropped more
about this sector, because of than 50 per cent in the USA. That
its diversity. “Resellers need to
As the downturn was so
has made some hotels wary of
understand the requirements of
hotels, but a lot of people tend
sudden, there is still a great
investing in new systems. Others,
however, are keen to enhance the
to think hotels are all the same,”
deal of business happening
rooms they offer their customers
said Terry Ambrose, co-owner with good telephony services.
of Trust Distribution, which has a Continued on page 36 >>>
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34 COMMS DEALER FEBRUARY 2009 www.comms-dealer.com
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