In association with


hoteliers to illuminate their vacancy signs alongside


larger chains online” Ruth Whitehead


“PMS enables small and independent hosts and


guests before they arrive and a follow-up “thank you for staying” email, asking for feed- back and recording customer preferences. Bet- ter still, it drives direct bookings by collecting customisable data for use in direct marketing. Director Ruth Whitehead says: “PMS does


two things. It enables small and independent hosts and hoteliers to illuminate their vacancy signs alongside larger chains online, and in doing so, compete effectively. It also stream- lines the management of the disparate chal- lenges and opportunities of running a B&B or small hotel. The amalgamation of these two streams is a great example of using a PMS plat- form to deliver competitive benefit.” So, whether your hotel is large or small, the message is that canny use of a PMS to com- municate with guests before during and after their stay can help to create loyalty, drive direct bookings and cut down fees paid to the OTAs. But McIndoe at Infor says more work needs to be done: “In terms of online booking I feel there is a fundamental change about to hap- pen. Many [guests] think that in booking through an [OTA] channel they are booking directly with the hotel and – worse still – if that hotel has no rooms available on that channel customers assume there are no rooms avail- able. More education is required I believe.”


Case study: Eynsham Hall, Witney, Oxfordshire


Eynsham Hall, a Grade II-listed mansion set in a 3,000-acre estate, has more than 130 guest rooms split across four buildings. Cathedral Hotels acquired the property in 2005 and invested in a £2.5m refurbishment programme. As a result the property started


to attract a more diverse guest portfolio and business grew. About 30% of its business is conference- based, making use of 43 meeting rooms on-site (40% booked via OTAs) and the remainder is weddings and private events. However, the old PMS system


was unable to tap into the new opportunities and support issues meant it could not integrate with third-party booking sites. General manager Shaun Bowles


explains: “We had a legacy system with basic reservation and check-in and out functionality. The lack of visibility, revenue data and property management processes meant we were effectively running the business blind. We lacked the ability to make strategic decisions. We knew that business was increasing, but we were in the frustrating position of not knowing how best to handle the growth opportunity in front of us.” In 2015, having researched the


market, the hotel selected Infor, based on strong integration of the


www.thecaterer.com


Infor EzRMS revenue management system with the Infor HMS hotel property management system – plus the system’s focus on enhancing guest experience. To prepare for the cloud-based


option, broadband capability at the hotel had to be improved. “The option to deploy via the cloud and transfer costs into operating expenditure rather than a big capital investment was also a big attraction,” says Bowles.


Deploying Infor EzRMS has


led to a substantial improvement in the visibility of revenue for the hotel. Reservations, which arrive through a number of channels, are fed directly into the RMS so the team can now manage the reservation instead of simply booking it. Direct bookings via the hotel’s website have increased by about 300%. As a result, the distribution of room stock is a key capability.


The improvements in property


operations are equally dramatic. For example, implementation of the Infor HMS Housekeeping Mobile app has affected the upkeep of the property’s 136 bedrooms across the four buildings. Rather than time- consuming calls or physically running between buildings to update on housekeeping and room preparation progress, housekeeping staff now simply use the app on their mobile phones to notify management and reception when rooms are ready. At the start of the day, the app assigns rooms to be cleaned and notifies the housekeeping staff of any special requirements. Altogether, the efficiencies have


driven revenues up 32% and Bowles attributes half of this to improved revenue management technology and processes. “We always knew we could increase revenue,” says Bowles. “We had high occupancy, driven by a good conference trade resurgence and strong group business at weekend. The missing piece of the puzzle was better reporting and the strategic changes that can be based on the analysis of that information. We now have revenue management capabilities that rival most major London hotels.”


Technology Prospectus 2018 | 39


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