IQware Global PMS offers a complete solution for Orlando’s Blue Heron Beach Resort and the Festiva Management Group’s family of interval ownership properties.
When you’re running a 283-room, high-rise condo-hotel in the heart of one of the top travel destinations in the world, the one thing you never have room for is uncertainty. That’s why the Blue Heron Beach Resort in Orlando, Fla., counts on the IQware Global Property Management System (PMS) to handle all of its backend operations. From front-desk operations to tracking real-time inventory to a robust reporting program, IQware Global PMS has everything the Blue Heron needs to keep both guests and management satisfied all their needs are being met.
“I came here several years ago and immediately suggested IQware to help manage our operations,” says Alex Carius, General Manager for the Blue Heron. “I had been running IQware at another property and really liked the software because of its versatility — it could do whatever we needed. Here, we were running on an old system with limited functionality. We had IQware installed in September of 2007 and it’s made a huge difference for us.”
Located on the banks of Lake Bryan, just miles from the entrance to Walt Disney World,
Sea World and Universal Studios, the Blue Heron lakeside resort condominiums offer one- and two-bedroom accommodations perfect for families and corporate travelers. Its unique location on the lake offers loads of opportunities for waterskiing, jetskiing and other aquatic activities. Each hotel-condo offers all the amenities of a home such as a full kitchen, dining room, living room, washer and dryer and a balcony where guests can get a great view of Disney’s nighttime fireworks displays.
The resort now even offers priority placement in the reservation/check-in process. Guests can customize their views, choosing to stay in either the high, middle or low floors — all of which is managed through the IQware Global PMS.
“Most of our bookings come through our Website, or OTA’s like Expedia,” Carius explains. “IQware is able to create a two-way interface with Expedia and my Website. It integrates online reservations into the system and sends out real-time inventory data, so we always know exactly where we stand and can book to the last room with optimized revenue.”
David Perkins, President of Deerfield Beach, Fla.-based IQware, says the company works hard to fully integrate functionality unique to each client’s business.
“IQware brings with it unmatched expertise stemming from implementing scores of customized system solutions for the hospitality industry,” says Perkins. “We partner with our customers to bring them the best available solutions to their unique property management needs, focusing our energies on being a trusted single-source technology partner in all that we do. Our modular design and unique business rules empower IQware to be fully functional yet intimately customizable.”
Staying Connected
The Blue Heron Beach Resort is owned by the Festiva Hospitality Group, a family of boutique interval ownership resorts located in some of the most sought-after destinations in the United States and Caribbean. Since its formation in 2000, Festiva has carved out a niche in the vacation ownership industry, growing to 24 resorts, four Cruise Club destinations and nearly 55,000 members overall in a number of prime vacation markets.
Along with the Blue Heron, Festiva has begun implementing the IQware Global PMS across its 20-plus properties. IQware allows the Festiva properties to stay connected, helping the properties move unsold rental inventory.
“IQware adds marketing and yield management tools, distribution channels, and inventory that would otherwise go unsold,” says Carius. “It’s a big revenue-maker for us and the other Festiva properties.”
And because the property offers both regular rental and timeshare inventory, the IQware Global PMS can make distinctions between the two, allowing for accurate tracking and reporting. The reporting tools give management a great snapshot of each room and room type. IQware’s functionality delivers meaningful statistical data on profitability, capacity and other critical performance benchmarks.
Carius says the reports are easily generated and can be sent to corporate management. Many reports are completely automated, which is very beneficial and a great time-saver for him.
“It’s like you’re running two different properties with the same system,” says Carius. “IQware can apply different revenue splits to different rate codes. This helps us maximize our average daily rate and better see where our business is coming from.”
“I haven’t seen too many PMS systems that can do that,” he adds.
Level of Service
The Blue Heron’s positive experience with IQware began with the installation process. The transition from the old system to the IQware Global PMS took only two days. With the help of on-site IQware technicians, all the old data was transferred in, the systems were run side-by-side for 48 hours and, with no problems, the seamless transition was completed.
That level of world-class service has not diminished since, Carius adds. IQware backs all of its clients with 24x7 support and lifetime software upgrades. Equally important, the growing number of customers benefits from IQware’s rigorous testing practices and unwavering commitment to customer excellence and continuous improvement.
“If there is ever a problem or a question, IQware technicians are always there to help us work through the issues,” says Carius. “They can come in through an external site and take control of the PMS remotely, which resolves any issues quickly. But what I like best is they don’t just go in and fix the problem; they take the time to explain it and work it through with us so that we can prevent it in the future.”
IQware also brings together a wealth of functionality that’s not only affordable, but also is easy to use and deploy. As Carius says, despite its many resources, IQware’s instinctive Windows-based navigation makes it easy to learn and train new employees on it.
“Anybody can learn to use IQware really quickly,” Carius says. “But once you go deeper and learn the more intricate features, it opens up a whole new world of functionality and reporting.”
About IQware
Deerfield Beach, Fla.-based IQware has been “Helping Hospitality Partner With IntelligenceSM” for 25 years. Today, more than 5,000 end users utilize IQware software to help best market and manage more than 120,000 rooms generating more than $3.5 billion in gross room revenue. IQware brings with it more than 300 years of combined experience managing hospitality properties and developing and supporting related software. “Built By Hoteliers For Hoteliers,” IQware’s Global Property Management System and more than two dozen add-on modules optimize operations at properties of all types − limited- and full-service hotels, resorts, condo-hotels and timeshares — and all sizes — from regional hotel chains to multi-property management companies to small independents IQware is Your Single-Source Technology Partner through ongoing customized training, user-driven technology development, 24x7 support and lifetime software upgrades. Looking for a competitive edge? Look no further. IQware “Helps Hospitality Better Find, Book, Host, Know & Keep Clients.” IQware solutions offer numerous ROI-generating tools including e-marketing, four-tier yield management, Web-Rez, packages, loyalty points, IQDestinations and IQLink — which pushes your existing PMS inventory directly to the most effective and profitable Intranet, GDS and Extranet channels. And because IQware’s Global Property Management System has served as the heart of so many hotel operations for a quarter century, today IQware also can provide the lifeblood for Condo Management, Point Of Sale, Sales & Catering, Online Reservations, Spa Management, Marina Management, Central Reservations System and e-CRM electronic (Customer Relationship Management). IQware takes technology partnering to a new level − just ask our ever-expanding family of clients conducting business in two dozen countries. For more information, visit www.iqwareinc.com or call (877) 698-5151.
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