On April 30, hetras managing director Uli Pillau will be speaking at the International Hotel Technology Forum in Barcelona about the future of cloud-based platforms. We asked him what hetras with its SaaS hotel management solutions does differently from others providers.
There are a number of providers in the field of cloud-based hotel management solutions. What marks out hetras from its competitors?
If we look at the providers of genuine cloud solutions and that distinction is important, as many companies that talk about the cloud have in fact simply moved their old software to data centers hetras is the clear international pioneer in the field. We have extended our lead over recent years, and now supply a central system that can map all key processes for a hotel group. This includes all mobile functions for trip management, and aspects such as business intelligence and complete distribution. At the same time, all the data of a hotel group are stored in just one database.
Hotel services are now increasingly used by a new generation of guests who are accustomed to organizing everything on their smartphone or tablet. What features does hetras offer to meet these demands?
hetras enables the use of all hardware systems. The operating system is also no longer an issue – Apple devices can also be used, for example. What is more important, we have developed everything to ensure that all processes from bookings and check-in to mobile and electronic keys are perfectly displayed on mobile devices. In line with the needs of the chain, both mobile websites and native apps can also be used. hetras can already provide all of the necessary software itself without having recourse to external suppliers.
Cloud platforms are clearly becoming the norm. How do you intend to develop your position as pioneer?
We have a whole range of development teams working simultaneously on research and programming in a number of key fields. Over the coming years, the hotel business will increasingly draw on e-commerce trends in other industries, and the main guest requirements will be in the mobile field. We have many innovative ideas. These are being strategically implemented and will also help traditional hotel chains to progress more rapidly in this area.
Not for nothing has the Fraunhofer Institute selected hetras as its technology partner for the FutureHotel project. We believe that we will soon be able to serve many hotel groups around the world with our cloud solution.
For those interested in finding out more, these are the questions to be addressed at the IHTF event “The Future of Cloud Platforms”:
- Steps needed to protect hotel systems and user privacy in mobile applications – cloud solutions and opportunities
- How cloud platforms are becoming the norm – ensuring your services are reliable and interoperable when working across multiple platforms and overcoming the complexities of integrating multiple clouds
- Will evolving data protection regulation impact the future for cloud-based servers?
- Overcoming the organisational and technical challenges in migrating hotel management systems to mobile app platforms
- Steps for ensuring hotels realise cost savings through using cloud applications
- What happens as unified cloud communications (including cloud PBX) accelerate across the hospitality industry?
Picture: HTL hotels
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