Everything you need to know about Hotello’s onboarding process

How does Hotello’s onboarding work?

Hotello’s onboarding process is divided into 8 stages:

• Making an initial contact with the hotel manager
• Sending the questionnaire
• Receiving the questionnaire
• Creating a database
• Delivering the database
• Personalized trainings, if desired
• Going live
• Setting up the interfaces

Once the client confirms their commitment with Hotello, our Client Success experts will take over and make contact with the hotel manager. The implementation process can then start by exchanging information between the hotel manager and our experts: the hotel manager knows their hotel better than anyone and our experts master Hotello software. This discussion allows the Client Success department to build the client’s database in only 5 to 7 days, depending on the complexity of the hotel.

Then, our specialists present the database to the hoteliers who will have leadership roles and actively participate in change management. These include the front desk supervisor,  the accountant, the hotel manager and all other actors who will motivate the employees to feel involved in this change. Our team will take this as an opportunity to outline the first steps for change and book the desired training programs. These trainings can cover topics such as database management, front desk management, administration, conference rooms management, night checks and interfaces. Thus, the manager is responsible for assigning the right employees to the right training(s). Once the trainings are completed, the Client Success department will prepare the employees for change and go over the whole process to ensure everything and everyone is ready for the launch day.

On this launch day, the front desk will check-out clients with the old management software and then, ideally at 12:00, the receptionists will end their shift. The financial information is then transferred into Hotello. Our specialists, along with the client, ensure that the accounts receivable balances and deposits are in Hotello and then disconnect the interfaces from the old system in order to isolate the old software. Only once the accounting department confirms that the new system is connected can the reception use Hotello to process the arrivals and departures of the hotel’s customers. The interfaces will also then be reconnected.

As the project manager, keep in mind that your first priority is to ensure that your guests’ stay is not disrupted by this system change. Also, make sure that your employees are comfortable with the new tools being implemented and that they can use them efficiently on a daily basis.

In general, it takes approximately 30 days for Hotello to deliver the ready-to-use software to their client. This depends on how fast the client is able to provide the required documents to create their personalized database and on the complexity of their business model. Thus, a property with very few rooms and without interfaces will be ready much quicker. Setting up the interfaces can only be done once the database is established and depends on the availability of third party suppliers.

Hotello’s implementation process continues even after the software is installed. Our Client Success department continues to support our hotel managers for as long as they use Hotello. Our specialists are devoted and available if you need information or have any questions regarding Hotello’s specific modules. Moreover, collaborating with our clients allows our experts to give advice and help hotel managers to make the best decisions by providing them expert knowledge on Hotello and presenting them the available options which would best serve their properties.