In association with


ends. We try to do it in the early part of the week. Tuesday is the preferred day, just so that you can go through the challenges that may arise on the other days of the week. On the go-live day, we like to have a presence on-site from us and the PMS provider for guidance and handholding.” The Elms migrated its system on 7 Decem-


ber 2021. Bevan remembers: “I knew Avon- data’s onboarding manager from the previous PMS, so I had every confidence of a smooth, efficient ride. The transfer of data was seamless, and Avondata also cleaned the old data, removing duplications of guest details and making sure everything was in order.” “On go-live day itself you import all reserva-


tions to switch them over to the new systems. You perform a housekeeping status update to ensure room states are accurate, and you activate any channel manager connections and other integrations,” explains Valtr. “From this day on, all check-ins are performed by the new PMS, while departures are still handled by your old PMS.” Go-live day is also when you can start to


review how well the new PMS is delivering against the original brief and include all team members in the process to identify any areas that have not been addressed.


TECHNICAL SUPPORT


through the migration, with the exception of your live loading week.” But what does live loading mean? “Build-


ing rates and setting availability allows you, the hotelier, to better understand the workings and set-up of the system so you can be more effective in managing it moving forward,” explains Cannon. “Rates are normally built in the first week when the main training for inputting a reservation has taken place. Live loading of booking gives the team that extra practice outside of the training sessions.” Jackson adds: “Choose your ‘live load’ team


wisely and get your training plans organised as soon as possible.”


GO-LIVE DAY James Cannon www.thecaterer.com


What’s the best day for the final switchover? Gaind says: “We like to stay away from week-


Hotels are not nine to five businesses and so need round-the-clock support from their tech partners should something go wrong. Commenting on Rudding Park’s long-term partnership with US-based Maestro, IT systems manager Barbara Chalmers says: “There has never been an incident where Rudding Park has not been able to quickly contact Maestro support. What makes the difference is Maestro’s professionalism and product knowledge. The fact that there are 5,270 miles between North America and the UK makes no difference.” For other businesses, having tech support in another timezone has not been practical. The Tawny in Staffordshire opened in July 2021 with a PMS that had several limitations: no postcode finder, difficulty uploading rates and inability to add certain items (like breakfast) to rates. Hotel manager Josh Chadwick adds: “The sup- port team were US-based, and we could never speak to anyone over the phone and issues would take twice as long to get resolved.” The Tawny quickly switched to a Guestline PMS. “Our office manager previously used Opera


and loved it but now, having used Guest- line, she wishes she’d always had Guestline. It’s so much easier and intuitive to use,” comments Chadwick. The Elms has been impressed with Avonda-


ta’s technical support and usually hears back promptly if it raises a ticket. “When we had a query over integrating our new phone system, it was solved within three hours,” says Bevan. When switching to a new PMS there is


much more to evaluate than simply the new system’s functions. One size does not fit all. Legacy provider or start-up? Jackson says: “Using previous experiences from the team and looking for recommendations from fellow hoteliers always goes a long way.”


Technology Prospectus 2024 | 37


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