As guests demand more and better services, hotels need a better platform to offer and manage them, says Pinnacle, South Africa’s leading ICT distributor and authorised distributor of Huawei Technologies Enterprise products in South Africa and Africa.

According to Fred Saayman, Pinnacle’s Huawei business unit executive, the hospitality industry is fiercely competitive and needs to be capable of rapid expansion and automation of a wide variety of services.

“Many hotels operate with systems that are old, expensive, and difficult to manage. They also require expanded capabilities for new services including: convenient check-in; ubiquitous wireless Internet access; IP phone services; intelligent guest room management; global telepresence services and reliable facility security,” he says.

Saayman says Huawei’s solution — an all-IP optical network with gigabit-capable passive optical network (GPON) technology, meets all these requirements. “Voice, data and video services previously carried over separate networks are available on a unified communications platform.

“The solution integrated Huawei’s IP PBX with property management and hospitality services using existing analogue telephone resources to provide quick, co-ordinated communication services. Integrated Bluetooth and IP phone service allows handset calls to improve the guest experience — which is the name of the game in the hospitality industry.”

Saayman says the expanded capabilities, include:

An agile Wi-Fi network for guest access from rooms, spas, pools or lounges;
Smart tablet usage for ordering food, controlling room facilities or requesting information;
IP phone and Internet protocol television (IPTV);
Richer video conferencing;
Wake up calls and message waiting functions on Telematrix analogue phones; and
Modern hotel management functions for check-in, HD security monitoring and IPTV.

“With this solution, hotels no longer pay service providers to create personalised services. For example, if a guest needs specific Internet speeds, the hotel simply manages the request internally by adjusting the quality of service priority.”

Saayman confirms that this system is currently deployed in TAJ Resorts and Palaces in India, where the system’s simplified management substantially lowered downtime by 7-8% and optimised management overhead for lower total cost of ownership.

“Huawei and TAJ plan to maintain their relationship in the future to interconnect a wider array of hotel services, including: detailed guest room management; business traveller amenities; catering; and leisure services. The potential for development and service excellence, in terms of the South African hospitality sector, is immense. Economic growth continues to be a priority in this country and global technologies like this solution from Huawei will enhance this country’s competitiveness as a customer service destination of choice.”

About Pinnacle
Pinnacle is South Africa’s leading ICT distribution company built on the foundation of entrepreneurial spirit. We offer our clients a broad range of world-class technology products seamlessly delivered across an expansive footprint. Everything we do is underpinned by our technical expertise, drive and determination – we call it delivering the exceptional. Pinnacle is an authorised and exclusive distributor for many leading vendors, allowing us to be the first to market the latest technology and ideas available. For more information visit www.pinnacle.co.za.