Case Study : Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants
Investing in the Future with Newmarket
STAYING ON THE LEADING EDGE
Life is all about timing- and nowhere is this saying better known than in the world of hospitality. In 2005, the timing was right for Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants to invest in a sales and catering solution as the company implemented a plan for growth. After careful deliberation, the executive team at Kimpton selected Newmarket International’s Delphi Multi Property Edition® (MPE), the leading sales and catering solution, as a strategic competitive tool for its sales and catering business. Delphi MPE was the one software program that could address multiple pain points that Kimpton was experiencing across several departments and across its properties.
“Delphi is an umbrella,” stated Christine Lawson, Vice President of Sales, at Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants. “We needed a solution in place to manage sales and catering at a local, regional and national level. Delphi Multi Property Edition did just that. At Kimpton, we want to remain competitive within the hospitality industry and we feel that Newmarket’s technology will help us to accomplish that goal now and in the future.”
Beyond selecting the Delphi® solution itself, Kimpton viewed Newmarket as a true partner for a long-term business relationship. According to Lawson, “We know that Newmarket continuously invests in its technology and that was an extremely important factor in the selection process. And, when we are ready, they have the additional solutions available to us.”
SPEEDING TIME TO RESULTS
Implementing Delphi MPE would signal a major transition for the company. Lawson and Chuck Coveleski, Kimpton Property Management & Sales Systems Technology Manager, knew Newmarket’s Professional Services arm would ensure they achieved the desired results. “No technology deployment is easy without the right skill set from the trainers. We wanted the best people to help us in such a significant initiative. Newmarket’s team brought what we needed – skills, personality, flexibility, and more importantly, their team made the perfect fit for our high-energy culture.”
Newmarket’s Professional Services group helped to implement and train 37 different properties on Delphi MPE and the multiple interfaces into Kimpton’s other existing systems, such as its Property Management System (PMS). The trainers at Newmarket possess a hospitality background combined with technical expertise. This unique blend of experience ensures that a hotel’s own processes and workflow are understood and incorporated. The collaborative work environment between Kimpton’s own Coveleski and the Newmarket trainers was an additional crucial element in ensuring a smooth and successful transition.
STREAMLINING PROCESSES: TURNING INFORMATION INTO REVENUE
Prior to Delphi MPE, Kimpton realized it wanted to streamline its mode of communication as a sales organization. If someone called about a particular account, they wanted an easier way to view information from a prior discussion. Now, armed with information in a centralized location from Delphi, the sales team is always prepared. The representatives can go into Delphi to gather all possible information, better understand the customer’s needs and then create a strategy for a customer call. Within only a year of being deployed on Delphi, Kimpton can see vast improvements in account intelligence and reporting. A major reduction in administrative work has also allowed them to use their sales people more effectively—for selling.
ADAPTING WITH THE BRAND
At Kimpton, an entrepreneurial spirit pervades the company. Every hotel tells its own story and its own personality. The Delphi solution matches that spirit by acting as a global communication tool while adapting to keep every property unique.
Lawson recently spearheaded a campaign around Signature Meetings. With Delphi, Lawson can measure this initiative and its results by setting the system to track how many customers are coming in via bookings from Signature Meetings. Another program coming soon, Kimpton INTOUCH Group Credit Program, will also use this lead tracking capability to fuel and track bookings.
PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE
Kimpton is already looking ahead and 2007 will be the year for leveraging all the tools, reports and client contact capabilities the Delphi MPE solution provides. “It’s also a matter of saving time,” added Lawson. “Besides account knowledge and the ability to report on market segments, trends, and how we can better allocate human sales and marketing dollars from what we are seeing in Delphi, we are getting our time back. Now we can reuse information and not reinvent the wheel.”
After a successful implementation, Kimpton feels confident that they can increase revenue while maintaining the distinct qualities of each of its properties. They anticipate a lasting relationship and plan to adopt additional, powerful solutions from Newmarket.
About Kimpton
Celebrating its 25th anniversary, San Francisco-based Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants is the first, leading and largest collection of boutique hotels throughout the United States and Canada. Founded by Bill Kimpton in 1981, Kimpton Hotels offers services and design elements focused on care, comfort, style, flavor and fun. Every Kimpton hotel reflects the energy, personality and pulse of its location, history and architectural style.
Each property features personalized guest services, comforting in-room amenities, specialty rooms and suites and provides a range of exciting culinary experiences through affiliated top-rated restaurants. For more information, please visit www.Kimptonhotels.com.