CEO of HMH- Hospitality Management Holdings Laurent A. Voivenel took part today in a panel discussion at the Technology and Security (TECSEC) Summit 2016 being organised as part of The Hotel Show in Dubai. Mr Voivenel, engaged in discussion with other industry experts, to shed light on how some of today’s biggest challenges for small hotels are being solved with technology. The session was Moderated Mr Salwan Finj, Executive Director of Renno & Finj Consultants.

In the rapidly evolving online environment, owing to new algorithms, dynamic ad options and hyper-competitive social platforms, building a brand’s web presence with limited resources can be an overwhelming task.

Mr Voivenel stressed, “The all-in-one business solution is ideal for small hotels that integrates direct booking technology, channel management technology, and property management technology all into one system, thus empowering small accommodation providers with the technology they need to run more profitably. Also, with a channel manager, small hotels can partner with as many OTAs as possible without fear of overbooking, because channel managers push a hotel’s live availability, rates, and inventory simultaneously across all of their online distribution channels – including the brand’s own website. This allows hotels to take advantage of direct channels like metasearch sites, which minimizes the cost to acquire additional guests”.

When it comes to delivering the latest trends in in-room entertainment, Mr Voivenel believes smart connectivity capabilities that can access and display content without adding additional hardware can reduce costs while enhancing user experience. Integrated services is the way to go. He said, “A one-stop-shop for a property's network, phone and television systems, etc., while reducing the need for additional one-use devices will allow for bundled pricing to the hotel, which can translate to competitive prices for guests. It is important to find a vendor that provides, and is capable of supporting, more than just one component of in-room entertainment”.

With the demand for guests to stay in entry to mid-scale hotels growing over the coming 3-5 years, more and more 3-4 star hotels are being built, which means competition is growing heavily. Mr Voivenel stated, “Finding an all-in-one-integrated solution that is reliable, efficient and cost-effective is both easy and difficult. When it comes to technology all of us want more bang for our buck and therefore we need a perfect fit to meet our needs and that may require some tailoring. Investing in a great system helps to reduce operation costs as well as increases efficiency. Hotel technology suppliers are condensing, collaborating with each other and partnering with major brands to streamline technology-buying solutions for franchisees. A roster of partners is the way forward for solving such issues as data security, network bandwidth and cloud computing”.