New Hilton, Inter-Continental Properties Mirror Industry Automation Trend with Rapsodia Back Office Enterprise Suite

According to Forrester Research in a March 2002 report, "Technology is at the center of the travel industry's recovery efforts with a 12% spending increase from 2001 to 2002 predicted." The type of technology installed at the 375-room Hilton Los Cabos and the 90-room Presidente Inter-Continental Paraiso de la Bonita confirms this trend.

Although the two hotel teams reached their system decisions independently, both selected the same enterprise suite: the Rapsodia Windows back office system by Advansys LLC. Deciding factors were its Microsoft Windows ease of use, a single database architecture that allows one or more properties with multiple companies to reside on a single server, and the fact that 40% of the Mexican hotel and resort market has standardized on solutions from Advansys. Each hotel's system suite seamlessly interfaces with the property's front office and point of sale solutions, and will evolve to provide the property with customer relationship management (CRM), and business intelligence. The single system solution combines financial accounting, fixed assets, time and attendance, inventory, multi-warehouse control, cash management, and menu costing while providing multi-company consolidations. It is completely integrated.

"We cater to discriminating travelers who demand the highest quality service and tasteful facilities. Since this means multiple profit centers, single-system efficiency that gives us accurate financial controls is critical," says Hilario Canales, CFO for the Hilton Los Cabos. "The fact that the solution we chose is a Windows application is a major plus for us because if we need other software for the hotel we can buy it off the shelf. Also, the Rapsodia installers are hotel people and the system is designed for properties like ours."

The Hilton Los Cabos' ten acres of beach is so expansive that guests will soon be given radio phones to order both food and refreshments from the comfort of their palm-thatched shelters near the turquoise Sea of Cortez. World-class golf is important to most Hilton Los Cabos guests, and the nine nearby courses include the Jack Nicklaus-designed El Dorado, and the famed Robert Trent Jones "Ocean Course." If golf is not on the itinerary, the property offers massage therapy in its 7,500 square foot spa, one of the finest facilities of its kind in Mexico. Tennis, sport fishing, water sports, and fine dining in two restaurants are also popular with resort guests.

"At a property of our size, it is critical we have all the items we need on hand to run the hotel. That is one reason the Rapsodia inventory module is my favorite part of the system," Canales continues. "The inventory system is attached to all the other modules making it possible to send accurate information to accounts payable and coordinate our par stocks with order placement. Another welcome aspect of the software is that the accounting system is particularly easy to use. Our 'opening team' learned the applications in about two weeks."

Santiago Kinil, systems manager for the Six Continents Presidente Inter-Continental Paraiso de la Bonita Resort & Spa in Cancun agrees. "Our property uses just two applications to manage the entire operation, a front office application and the Rapsodia system, which I use to run food and beverage, banquets, maintenance, and accounts payable, purchasing, inventory storage, and invoicing. If we need to buy something as small as a kitchen utensil we can do it on the Rapsodia system very easily. If we want complete consolidated operating financials for the entire corporation, the system gives us that, too." This is no small feat in the sumptuous 90 luxury-suite, full service hotel complete with ocean-view rooms, two restaurants, and a wide range of water sports on their protected lagoon in the Caribbean. The property also offers golf from the Robert Trent Jones designed Pok-A-Tok Golf Club near the hotel.

"When the hotel opened in January it was very busy, but the system proved itself at once," continues Kinil. "We input all our accounting information and inventory data into the system prior to opening, and we have been running smoothly since then. The system has never gone down. The staff is particularly happy because it is Windows-based, and they were able to learn the system quickly.

"The advantages of a unified system are clear, " concludes the Hilton's Canales. "We can use one system to coordinate and collect all property data for quicker, more accurate decisions. And as our company grows we can expand the same software for enterprise operations. This fits our development strategy." About Advansys Advansys LLC has been providing computerized financial solutions to the hospitality and other industries since 1984. During that time the company has earned a reputation for state-of-the-art products and developed relationships with Microsoft, Digital, and Deloitte Touche to create its leading edge Rapsodia application. Rapsodia is a customizable, Windows-based, integrated, back office solution with numerous modules including time and attendance, payroll, inventory management, fixed assets, treasury, purchase orders, merchandise reception, accounts payable, accounts receivable, and general ledger. With a proven track record in the hospitality vertical, Rapsodia allows executives to create business information reports, such as consolidated statements for groups of corporations, that analyze in-depth information actionable for tomorrow's decisions. Forty percent of the hotels and resorts in Mexico have standardized on solutions from Advansys for accounting and administrative management.

Contact: Presidente Inter-Continental Paraiso de la Bonita
Carretera Cancún-Chetumal, KM 328 Bahia Petenpich Riviera Maya Cancun, Q. Roo Mexico 77500
Tel: +52 (998) 872 8300 |
Fax: +52 (998) 872 8301
E-mail: [email protected]

Contact: The Hilton Los Cabos Beach & Golf Resort
Los Cabos, B.C.S., Mexico
Phone: +01 62 4145 6500
Reservations: +800 HILTONS