The changing face of hotel technology - dream or reality?

Back in 2002, when I was evaluating the future of Hospitality technology and dreaming about a revolution that hoteliers around the world could benefit from, I came across a very interesting and visionary article from a well respected industry expert, Michael Squires. This was just after HITEC in Chicago when the industry discussed the future of PMSs. In this article the foreseen evolution was not to enhance the PMS functionality, but to transform PMSs into an “enterprise management” solution. Of course PMSs would continue to check guests in and out and run nights audits. Granted….but they would do much more, such as centralizing guest information and spending, they would easily interconnect with other systems, they would be linked to the internet, offer web based training etc….But there was one last statement which I really found fascinating, “it will allow guests to book airline tickets and rental cars, and tie together your POS and in-room entertainment and other system with a single point of vendor contact”.

In these days this was almost science fiction, but this was also my very clear vision of the evolution of hotel systems. I knew that we could bring the technology that would allow hoteliers to revolutionize their operations, and that we could create a technological ecosystem where hoteliers and other travel suppliers could share information and easily book each others services for the benefits of their customers. I knew that hoteliers would one day access to travel technology in a radical and different way than the traditional model that has been used so far with CRSs and PMSs . A new solution should be delivered with a clear vision:

1. Help hoteliers to transform their business
2. Create the system that allows travel companies to help people travel better

And indeed at Amadeus we had all the pieces of the puzzle to make it become a reality.

The first step towards transforming the hotels operations business was to create a true single view of operations and a new way to look at the business. A centralized view of all hotels data and processes will not only lead to more efficient operations, but also enable well targeted, intuitive and profitable services to guests. The hotel processes that would benefit the most from centralized operations include content, rates and inventory management; guest profiling, group booking and business intelligence.

The second step toward transforming hotel operations was to bring hotel operations into a wider travel technology ecosystem. Sharing the same technology infrastructure with other travel suppliers allow to exchange information and to cross sell in a very easy way.

A flight is cancelled. The guest doesn’t need to call the hotel to secure his/her room for a late arrival. Hoteliers and airlines or railways wish to partner and provide preferential services or rates to travelers, they can easily book each others services and provide special rates, upgrades or any other services by accessing each others without building costly and complex interfaces. It’s all there, all in one at their fingertips. Call center or Concierge services can vastly be enhanced with the capability to book any travel services from the call center or property. And these are only few examples of the new world that is now opened to hoteliers.

It is just the beginning of a new technology world for hoteliers. It’s no longer science fiction, and the vision of giving the means to travel companies to make people travel better is becoming a reality thanks to the right technology.

We are no longer dreaming, or if we are it is with our eyes wide open. But for a dream to come a reality, people need to leave their dreams. I think it is not a matter of if, but a matter of when. Solutions exist today. So, when will the industry move into to these new territories? Tell us what you think, we’d love to hear your feedback and opinions.