Lindner Hotels taps OPERA Cloud’s simplicity and automation to grow revenue, work happy

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Like most hoteliers installing new property management technology, Lindner Hotels had a checklist of criteria for the cloud PMS that needed to be met. But one requirement that may not have been as obvious as the others was especially important in today's marketplace: Make our employees happy.

That's even part of the purpose of one of our brands, because hiring today is very different. With so many people leaving hospitality, we're not only looking for people with hotel experience. We don't look at what they can do; we just look for who they are - for their spirit.

Lindner Hotels comprises 34 hotels and two brands operating in seven countries, primarily in Germany. We transitioned our entire portfolio to OPERA Cloud in early June and selected it for all the reasons above, especially the latter. Because if you want happy guests, you need to have happy staff. And for employees today, especially younger ones, it's not all about salary. It's about atmosphere, and it's about reliability and having a good application. If you have one of those dusty, old screens that aren't really self-explanatory, it won't work out in the end.

OPERA Cloud: Simplicity that drives efficiency

All you need to use OPERA Cloud is an internet connection and that is key. The employees that we hire are all familiar with the internet. They work and play in the internet world. So, there's no hesitation for them to start using OPERA Cloud. There's no feeling of having to learn a special industry solution that's been put in place. Of course, you have to explain how to make a reservation and teach other tasks, but it's all so easy. They feel comfortable right away and say, "Hey, I can already work with it after just one day." That's an enormous advantage.

But the importance of simplicity and efficiency isn't just limited to staff; it's vital to the entire organization whether we're using Oracle solutions such as Reporting & Analytics or Simphony Cloud point of sale, which we've also installed. We all need to be able to do more with less. That means taking advantage of using technology that allows us to work smarter, more cooperatively, and deliver what guests want faster.

That's why, in my opinion, the PMS is the heart of the business, but it should never remain closed. It needs to be open and receptive to data from all sources, which is exactly what OPERA Cloud does. It gives everyone an opportunity to participate, and that's what we needed because, again, it's not like we only have one hotel; we have 30-plus properties. We always have to have the hotel view and the corporate view. Our utmost strategy is to align the view we have on the properties to revenue management.

OHIP is the key to innovation

Another major reason why we selected OPERA Cloud is because of its built-in Oracle Hospitality Integration Platform (OHIP). OHIP allows partners and vendors to connect to OPERA Cloud, giving them unimpeded access to the data and functionality within the PMS to rapidly develop high-demand products and services in a fully self-service fashion. Now, we can tell our vendors, "Please get a log-in into OHIP, start testing, write your integration. And once you're there, call us, and we'll switch it on." We don't have to be involved big time, and everybody can do this. This is how easy integrations will be. This is the way of the future because there are so many specialists out there who can do better, and you should not be afraid of pairing and partnering with them.

Nor1 makes upsells"a part of check-in"

Integrations and connections are a big theme at Lindner Hotels, which also explains why we use Oracle's Nor1 upsell solutions. We've always recognized upselling as a way to achieve additional revenue, but until Nor1 we didn't have the technologies to do it in an efficient way. Nor1 allows us to send out offers before a guest arrives and up to and including check-in, using machine learning to present compelling offers for each guest - and at the right price for the greatest likelihood of conversion. The process is so neat and clean. During busy times at the front desk, the first thing people forget is to upsell a room because they're just trying to get through check-in quickly. But Nor1 is really linked and embedded in the PMS; it just feels as if it belongs as part of the check-in process. Using it is a no-brainer.

Capture more events business with mobility

We've also added the OPERA Cloud Sales and Event Management solution. The greatest benefit is that it allows for the management of rooms, meetings, and events from a single database and can be used off site. Now, you can go to the customer with your laptop and immediately open the event and provide any details they might need. You don't have to do double the work, carrying around a notebook and filling out all the information again when you get back to the office. It just makes us more responsive to the customer and helps get more business.

We've been a happy customer with Oracle. So, in a nutshell, when we strategically decided where we needed to go, we asked, "Will the application deliver what we need?" Moving to OPERA Cloud was the next logical step for us…. After all, the Oracle name itself stands for robust, solid, advanced technology.

About Oracle Hospitality

Oracle Hospitality brings more than 45 years of experience in providing technology solutions to independent hoteliers, global and regional chains, gaming, and cruise lines. Our hardware, software, and services enable customers to act on rich data insights that deliver personalized guest experiences, maximize profitability, and encourage loyalty. Cloud-based, mobile-enabled, with open APIs, Oracle's OPERA Cloud property management and distribution, Simphony point-of-sale, reporting and analytics, and Nor1 upsell solutions accelerate innovation, increase revenue, lower IT cost, and maximize operating efficiency. To learn more, please visit www.oracle.com/Hospitality.

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