Serving the service and hospitality experts
OVERVIEW
When Agilysys needed a modern system for tracking and serving hotel and restaurant guests, we helped it build one that is faster, more efficient, and easier to use.
Scope
Property Management System, Sales Platform, Mobile App, Experience Design, Cloud Enablement
A modern system for modern guests
When most people walk into a hotel these days, they bring along all the trappings of a 21st century life: smart phones, tablets, laptops, even a Fitbit or a smart watch.
But on the other side of the check-in desk, the hotel employee is too often grappling with an aging computer system that isn’t always intuitive or optimized for efficiency.
Agilysys, which provides technology for luxury hotel groups, cruise lines, casinos, and major restaurant chains, wanted to change all that.
“It is a truly innovative solution that is easy to deploy, offers intuitive training and will help us connect more closely with our guests.”
— General Manager, Flamingo Motel and Suites
Let’s talk industry efficiency
In an industry where walkie-talkies and checklists have been the tried and true scheduling solutions, increasing housekeeping efficiency was a must. And creating a system that could be hosted on in-house servers as well as on cloud-based platforms would allow large international establishments and small independent businesses to both utilize the latest technology. For the past few years, Agilysys has been working with Slalom to build rGuest Stay.
Pro-grade performance, consumer-grade ease
Working with Larry Steinberg, Agilysys’ Chief Technology Officer, Slalom Build set out to create a system as intuitive as the consumer devices most of us use today, and include some sophisticated bells and whistles. That means a hotel manager can access customer records while moving throughout the building without lugging a laptop.
And that a server can take your order and charge it to your room while you are sitting poolside, and then send that order directly to the bar for speedier delivery.
Finally, the rGuest system also has better ways of keeping track of customers’ preferences, no matter where they are staying or what they want to do during their stay. That’s a big advantage for chains who want to remember which guest prefers a certain type of room, or has a particular allergy, no matter which hotel they are staying in.
“The fact that it’s cloud-based means you don’t have to make this big upfront investment.”
— George Ghali, Managing Director, Technology Enablement
Getting technology rolling
The rGuest Stay system launched in late 2014 with some key customers. It’s the first piece of the rGuest platform, which will provide a full suite of services for the hospitality industry. It’s also the basis for a similar technology Agilysys is building for the restaurant industry, which Steinberg said is expected to launch soon.
For Steinberg, it’s the culmination of nearly three years of efforts to provide more modern solutions to an industry that is often using technology that is two decades old. To do that, he knew he needed help. Steinberg said he asked Slalom to pitch its services because, as an avid cyclist, he recognized the name from Slalom’s cycling team.
It turned out the two companies shared more than an affinity for riding on two wheels. Steinberg said he was impressed with Slalom’s ideas, and the two companies have ended up working very closely.
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