SoftBrands, Inc. (NYSE Alternext: SBN), a global supplier of enterprise application software, today announced that Corus Hotels Ltd. has selected the Epitome property management system (PMS) and Core central reservation system (CRS) from SoftBrands for five of its hotels across England. The mix of enterprise solutions also will include channel distribution and revenue optimization solutions.

Corus Hotels will be using SoftBrands enterprise solutions at the Corus Hotel Hyde Park in London; Burnham Beeches Hotel in Buckinghamshire; Belsfield Hotel in Windermere; Corus Hotel Elstree in Hertfordshire; and Corus Hotel, Shirley, Solihull. Corus Hotels will operate SoftBrands’ Core CRS centrally, while Epitome PMS will run within the individual hotels. Channel distribution capabilities will be provided through interfaces with SynXis, a SoftBrands technology partner, to ensure synchronised rate and inventory availability. Installation of the systems will begin at the Corus Burnham Beeches Hotel in December.

The Corus Hotel London Hyde Park will also will be utilising revenue optimisation from IDeaS, a SoftBrands technology partner.

“Our objective was to find a single technology provider with the right mix of solutions and scalability to meet our needs as we grow,” said David Westerby, Area Manager, Corus Hotels “We have been operating two different property management systems at our hotels and we were seeking a partner who would be our sole point of contact for software concerns. We wanted to standardise on one solution to reduce maintenance issues. We also wanted to expand distribution and revenue management capabilities to enhance our business. SoftBrands meets all these requirements. Our positive experience with SoftBrands resulted in our decision to continue and strengthen this relationship.”

“Corus Hotels truly believes in the partnership quality that comes with being a SoftBrands customer. We work with our customers to provide a service that they expect their customers to receive, which is second to none,” said Robert Wyn Pugh, director of customer relations, SoftBrands Hospitality.

One reason for Corus Hotels’ selection was SoftBrands flexibility in devising a phased implementation schedule for software installation. Another reason was the mix of products SoftBrands offers, including rate yielding functions in the reservations process to ensure the group is selling at optimum rate levels at all times to maximise ADR and occupancy. The accessibility of SoftBrands solutions via WAN or, for those applications that will be housed and maintained in one central location, via the internet, was another important consideration. Corus Hotels also recognised that SoftBrands’ internet-native PMS would significantly reduce the total cost of ownership because additional application layers are not needed to deploy the products, thus avoiding unnecessary support resources.

“Corus Hotels’ decision to run SoftBrands’ enterprise solutions further demonstrates our ability to service the group market with our next-generation technologies,” said Jo Masters, senior vice president and general manager, SoftBrands Hospitality. “SoftBrands scalable solutions meet the needs of groups ranging from smaller chains to larger organisations like Corus Hotels.”

About Corus Hotels | Corus Hotels offers personalised service at its 11 hotels throughout the U.K. The accommodations are as individual as the hotels – some rooms are traditionally furnished while others feature a more contemporary look. All rooms have en-suite facilities, colour television and most bedrooms feature a place to work, modem links and satellite television channels. Additional information is available at .

About SoftBrands Hospitality | SoftBrands Hospitality () provides central reservation, property management and business intelligence software that can be centrally managed to support many properties within a hotel chain, as well as less complex offerings that can be installed on-site at an independent hotel. SoftBrands distribution service, Karyon, allows hotels to easily manage rates and inventory availability across all four Global Distribution Systems (GDSs) and many other online sources of demand. SoftBrands is committed to the hospitality industry, and is an active member of OTA, HTNG, HSMAI, HFTP, HEDNA, AH&LA, AAHOA & PHMA.

About SoftBrands | SoftBrands, Inc. is a leader in providing software solutions for businesses in the manufacturing and hospitality industries worldwide. The company has established a global infrastructure for distribution, development and support of enterprise software, and has approximately 5,000 customers in more than 100 countries actively using its manufacturing and hospitality products. SoftBrands, which has approximately 800 employees, is headquartered in Minneapolis with branch offices in Europe, India, Asia, Australia and Africa. Additional information can be found at .

Mehreen Qayum
SoftBrands Marketing Manager, Europe and Africa
+44 (0) 118 935 8892