When asked what it takes to be successful in the hospitality industry, most would say; the personal touch. It’s about attention to detail and delivering service excellence – from the greeting at the entrance to the turn-down service. The hotel’s facilities must be immaculate and offer guests the utmost in luxury and convenience. Collectively, industries across the globe are turning to technological innovations to achieve these goals. No less the hospitality sector.

In a fast-paced, high turnover industry it is essential that every guest is given the same experience. The financial, logistical and operational demands on staff are high, as are expectations. It is no wonder then that innovative hospitality solutions have come to the fore. These software solutions are revolutionising the industry. From vastly improved online and guest experiences, to greater employee satisfaction and a better bottom line, the benefits are immense.

“Effective hospitality solutions, such as enterprise asset management (EAM) software, let employees focus on improving customer service,” confirms Barry Diedericks, EAM Subject Matter Expert at Softworx, Infor’s Master Partner in Africa. “With a full suite of financial and operational applications costs are decreased, profits increase, and both the business and customer loyalty grow.”

When considering which software solution to implement, Diedericks offers customers in the hospitality industry the following advice; “Research the solutions available and ensure that the chosen software will deliver the advanced, specialised functions that are unique to your business. The EAM solutions should effectively and accurately prioritise equipment care. The right application will provide valuable business knowledge, ensure guests’ service, safety and comfort, and is accessible through a standard Internet browser 24/7/365.” It is also important to consider compliance when implementing a solution. “With Infor EAM, for example, customers are given the added security of a PCI/PADSS-compliant solution.”

Specialising the solution for the business requires unique asset management features to improve hotel operations and performance. These could include integration with a hospitality management solution (HMS) and asset tracking. From a maintenance perspective, the solution must deliver preventative maintenance capabilities while recording outsourced maintenance activities in real-time against key performance indicators. Fleet, warranty and call centre management are also key considerations.

Especially in large hotel groups, managing various sites and their assets can become a challenge. Effective EAM solutions improve collaboration internally and externally, ensuring a standardised approach to asset and facilities management. This is particularly important when considering safety standards within the industry. “This can help the organisation to incorporate asset management into a comprehensive solution while maintaining autonomy between different maintenance groups or hotel properties,” adds Diedericks.

In a digital age, it simply isn’t possible to measure hospitality performance without a hotel-focused EAM solution. Understanding and effectively managing all facilities, equipment, and energy costs are integral to satisfying guests’ escalating expectations. Incident management, risk management, equipment reliability, support for green initiatives and regulatory compliance are all EAM functions – and require the right solution for success.

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