New build hotels are a great opportunity for owners to redefine their brand. Hence, it requires in depth insight and a complex selection process to hire the ideal solution provider to plan & build the entire hotel new build technology infrastructure.
Rapidly growing tech service demands from guests are radically driving the integration of hospitality technology services in the hotel industry. This includes hiring vendors for internet, electricity, phone lines etc. and then getting these individual vendors to collaborate. Hence, contracting a technology company for new build hotels has financial and process delay implications, therefore requires considering some very important factors.
Five Factors to Consider Before Hiring Hotel New Build Technology Companies
Experience of the Hospitality Technology Company
The first factor that will come to any hotel owner’s mind will be the ‘experience’ of the technology provider. An experienced hotel technology company will have certain expertise when it comes to negotiating with vendors, securing viable supplier contracts, collaborating with suppliers, delivering future proof infrastructures, and providing post-launch services.
An experienced technology contractor will also keep a keen eye on your budget, while minimizing delays & issues. An experienced technology company will also be able to quickly improvise in case of changing circumstances, and have contingency plans ready in case of process delays.
Compare Hospitality Technology Service Companies
It is always a great idea to consult with several hotel new build technology companies, and not choose the first one that comes up on Google or in the Yellow Pages. Usually hotel technology companies will offer owners to visit their best property and inspire them with its superior build. This however should not be the ideal criteria for selection.
It is always good to request RFI (Request for Information) and RFP (Request for Proposal) from your shortlisted hospitality tech providers. This should give you a clear idea of their expertise, networks, negotiating skills, and reliability. When a hotel brand carries its own benchmarks & standards, it can easily test technology companies to deliver competitive RFP bids from relevant suppliers.
Hire a Hospitality Technology Service that can also Manage Your I.T. Infrastructure
Most technology vendors will leave once the new build is ready and the doors are open. This leaves you with further issues to handle including management of the tech infrastructure, on-going support, and future upgrades.
The ideal candidate will provide you with all pre-staging process support including floor plans and laying the foundations of the I.T. infrastructure in your new hotel builds. Once the infrastructure is laid and systems are operational they will also conduct tests to ensure its reliability before you open the doors.
The best hospitality tech services offer you hands-on management of your I.T. infrastructure and support services.
Certified Security & Compliance
I.T. infrastructures usually bring along their unique challenges and vulnerabilities like internet, VoIP, IP security systems, IPTV, payment security, user information safety etc. A quality technology company will already have a rigorous security & compliance policy, to address such issues. For instance, PCI Compliance is adopted by most hospitality technology services to offer secure card payments.
Similarly, a proactive hospitality tech provider will also have their own guidelines and training services to manage personal information of guests. The technology service will offer best practices, procedures, and training for employees to handle user data.
The safety of the core I.T. infrastructure is primary, hence, sourcing the necessary security hardware & software is essential. The best technology company for your new build will surely provide these during the planning & development phase.
White Glove Technology Services
White glove services are a popular new concept in the business world, with everyone from web design companies to restaurants adapting. When speaking in terms of hospitality technology services, white glove service ensures the flawless operations of a new build hotel with the owner having to spend time identifying the flaws.
A premium hospitality technology company should provide you with exclusive white glove services. This means they will proactively manage your network, analyze it and deliver solutions beforehand. A great example is updating managed business centers, conducting employee training for new PII (Personally Identifiable Information) security guidelines etc.
Advanced Hospitality Technologies is a leader in Hospitality Technologies. We have an award winning benchmark for providing affordable, reliable and most advanced hospitality Technology Solutions.
