Hallmark Hotel Group
For the Hallmark Hotel Group, ClarityLive for Hospitality software is proving a key management resource for implementing business strategy and driving results. Hallmark, a growing chain of venture capital-backed hotels, selected ClarityLive to support the chain's repositioning to the four star market. The Clarity system includes innovative hotel-specific functionality, enhancing customer interactions as well as assisting management with powerful operational and reporting tools.
- Increased sales & marketing effectiveness
- Faster, more efficient customer transactions
- Highly tailored management reporting - available from anywhere
- Smooth rollout. Effective, friendly support
- Ease of use drives improved customer service
Client
Hallmark Hotel Group is a regional hotel chain. The venture capital-backed consortium has so far spent £35 million on acquisitions, including: the Belfry House Hotel; Lakes Court Hotel; Durley Hall Hotel and Spa; Midland Hotel; and the European Inn. Hallmark's strategy is to identify underperforming hotels and upgrade them to four-star standards.
Brief
Having acquired several hotels with outdated and poorly supported IT systems, Hallmark's management team identified IT as a critical initial focus. It wanted a consistent solution across the group, and to leverage this to drive customer service and financial performance.
Hallmark evaluated three potential IT solutions, including Hotel Manager - part of the ClarityLive for Hospitality software suite. Simplicity of use was a key requirement, but the management team also wanted a system that equipped them with the marketing tools to compete and win business in the highly competitive, web-oriented hotel bookings marketplace.
“We can now gather and use marketing information right across the group.”
Lisa McWilliams, Hallmark Hotel Group
Solution
The Hallmark team selected the hosted ClarityLive solution, implementing the Hotel Manager, Event Manager and Call Manager modules. Clarity's multi-sector experience is evident in its software, which connects relevant learning from other industries to create integrated, fast and easy to use tools and interfaces. The benefits for Hallmark are improved front office productivity and great customer service - and the system delivers slick online and group booking functionality, too.
The ClarityLive solution also integrates easily with a wide range of hotel systems like PABX and pay TV, and provides housekeeping, financial and management reporting links. The Call Manager software neatly illustrates Clarity's unique understanding of customer perspectives, enhancing the guest experience while improving housekeeping and reporting.
Results
Despite having to implement the system in the midst of a major hotel refurbishment programme, Clarity ensured a smooth transition. Intensive staff training was initiated six weeks before the launch, and Hallmark's staff were given ready access to the new software.
Implementation and support
John Roland, General Manager of Hallmark's European Inn operation comments,
“Implementation was excellent. Clarity personnel were on site 24/7 in support of the launch.”
Clarity's ongoing telephone support wins his praise, too,
“It's almost always the same person you speak to – you get to know them. Any support issues have been resolved very quickly.”
The group's financial controller, Lisa McWilliams, points to the commercial power and ease of use of the Clarity solution, saying,
“Training new staff is really fast.”
Anywhere access
Hallmark's managers can access the system's bookings and marketing tools securely from anywhere.
John Roland praises the tailored reporting, saying,
“Everything feeds through so easily – you can produce management reports in almost any format, within seconds. These reports are invaluable in meetings, where we discuss business performance and how we can raise the bar further.”
Hosted solution
Hallmark chose Clarity's hosted service, which features very fast system performance. This service reduces the number of servers required and boosts system security through easier backup, maintenance and management procedures. It also gives greater control of system parameters and supports centralised reporting.
In addition to their market focused expertise, Clarity's people have a real affinity to the sectors they serve. So when Hallmark requested highly specific management reports, Clarity immediately understood the requirement, developing and delivering the bespoke reports in a very short timeframe.
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