The unexpected effects of the Internet on the relationship between guests, properties and tech vendor -

We have seen an amazing transformation of the hospitality industry by technology in the past 20 years. 

The most apparent changes are the move from property-based mainframes and mini computers in the 80s to PC LANs and widespread use of the Internet in the Twenty First century. Substantial as this system evolution seems to be, the sea change for operators – and the tech vendors who serve them – caused by the Internet is the profound shift in basic business philosophy toward increased service.  

The Internet has done considerably more than allow guests to reserve hotel rooms online.  It not only determines how a guest books a reservation, but if they book it. Online forums, travel chat rooms, blogs and other social media channels enable guests to instantly communicate and exchange information on virtually any hotel and its reputation before they ever book a reservation.  

The success of TripAdvisor, Epinions and other sites posting detailed property reviews makes it essential that operators invest as much effort on guest perception and service as they currently do on pricing strategy. If guests are not happy with a property, they use the Internet to spread the word. 

But if a property does well, guests tell others about the hotel and become a very effective source of new business.  The Internet is becoming a consumer protection channel in each hotel consumer's hands that makes it mandatory that properties always provide good service. 

The Web and the communications it enables have also underlined the need for vendors to provide first rate service to hotel operators.  NORTHWIND Maestro-PMS understands that the success of its clients is essential to its own corporate wellbeing.   Twenty years ago NORTHWIND, and we suspect many other vendors, concentrated their efforts on generating revenue and developing hotel software products to drive sales; today we are partnering with our clients. 

In 1994 NORTHWIND began developing our second generation PMS with integrated modules to help hotels serve guests more quickly without relying on interfaces to other systems. To enable our clients to be more productive, in 2006 we introduced our Four-Diamond service program to provide comprehensive services like personalized online webinar training classes, one-on-one support and professional consulting services.   

When our clients are fully leveraging Maestro to be more productive they have more time to spend delivering better service to guests.

The Internet empowers every individual because it facilitates universal guest communications 24 hours a day.   

Since we know a large percentage of guests rate shop on the Internet before they book, Maestro cooperated with its properties to develop its Global Yield Management module.  Maestro Yield Management now enables operators to develop and deploy global revenue optimization strategies for one property or a hotel chain across all Internet channels, travel agents, hotel and corporate booking sites and other avenues uniformly so prospective guests find the same optimized rate at every touch point. 

Additionally, Maestro is rolling out its Web Connection program that will make it possible for guests to reserve online a wide spectrum of package and non-package property activities such as golf tee times, dining reservations, spa treatments, recreational equipment rentals and other events; keeping the guest on property while allowing operators to maintain a 360 degree view of their guest through the guest centric Maestro PMS integration.  New Maestro Web Connection functions include Online Table Reservations, ResEze Group Management Controls, Online Package Element Building and Condo-Timeshare Owner Account Access, all designed to deliver optimal guest services and improve efficiency.

Thanks to the Internet, the hotel industry is undergoing changes no one could have predicted, and both guests and properties are the winners.  Properties that grasp how universal Internet communication has transformed their guests and the way they do business will attract more business; and guests will benefit from properties that are able to meet their needs efficiently.

As much as today's era of Web connectivity allows people the freedom to work and communicate without travel, what will not change is that people will always want to socialize and travel, so our industry should be around for a long time, and Maestro will be here to serve its clients with a growing number of personalized services.  

Jacob Dehan is founder and president of NORTHWIND Maestro PMS and Warren Dehan is president of NORTHWIND Maestro PMS US Operations