�We are very excited that the prestigious Park Hyatt Chicago has selected GuestWare,� says Mike Benjamin, v.p. of sales for Seattle-based Diversified Computer Corp., maker of the software. �GuestWare is the perfect solution to enhance the effectiveness of their new call center operations. Our technology solution and their new operational model will together create an ideal environment for improving service delivery and guest satisfaction.� 

The Park Hyatt Chicago currently does not have a communication center that handles all types of guest calls. Different types of guest requests are handled by the hotel�s switchboard operator and then forwarded to departments such as engineering or housekeeping. Radios are used to dispatch calls but the processing and tracking of each request is paper-based. As a result, hotel personnel do not have an automated service delivery process or an easy way to analyze the data for process improvement.

With GuestWare�s Rapid Response system in place, the process by which guest requests are handled will change. Guests with any type of concern�those related to engineering, housekeeping, restaurant reservations and even in-house room reservations�will call just one number. Those calls will be answered by communication center personnel and then logged into GuestWare.

GuestWare facilitates one stop process

�We wanted to create a one stop shop for our guests,� says Monique Dekker, Executive Assistant Manager�Rooms for the Park Hyatt Chicago. �Our response time to guest requests will be much faster with GuestWare. With our new communication center structure, our staff will have more responsibilities. Because of that, we needed to streamline our procedures and be as paperless as possible.�

When a guest calls the hotel�s communication center, one of six dispatchers will answer and log the request in GuestWare�s Request Entry screen. The system will then automatically page the appropriate person resolving the issue. Five people on staff at the Park Hyatt Chicago�Dekker, an engineer, resident manager, manager on duty and guest response runners�will wear pagers equipped with GuestWare�s SmartRunner system. The person receiving the page will view the request along with the room number, guest name and priority. The system will help that person remember the room number and address the guest by name. 

After receiving the page, the user will then select an �OK� button to confirm receipt of the message. After completing the task, that person can use the pager to close out the call. The pager also will allow staff to report problems or requests through the device and send them directly into GuestWare. The GuestWare Call Monitor screen will display the status of all open requests and alert dispatchers when a request is overdue. 

�By using GuestWare�s two-way solution, Park Hyatt staff will be more productive and improve service delivery with more accountability,� Benjamin says. �It will help improve their response time, reduce problems and give them the information they need to exceed guest expectations.�

GuestWare�s Incident Tracking will give Dekker and her team the ability to compile a record of every guest incident and its resolution. Using GuestWare�s graphing tools, they will be able to pinpoint common problems by department, room, incident type, time of day, day of week, staff, room section, cost or �reported by� for any date range.

System enables personalized service

Dekker says one way she plans to use GuestWare is to help welcome the hotel�s most important guests. Bell staff, limousine drivers or concierges who become aware of an important guest�s arrival will call the communication center. The dispatcher then will page a manager on duty who then will go to the lobby to personally welcome the guest.

�That is just one small example of how GuestWare enables a more personalized approach to guest service,� Benjamin says.

The Park Hyatt Chicago is the first Park Hyatt hotel to install GuestWare and the seventh Hyatt branded hotel overall. Another Chicago Hyatt�the Hyatt Regency Chicago�implemented the software in 2003.

�We are proud to be working with Hyatt and look forward to helping even more Hyatt hotels streamline their call center operations,� Benjamin says.

About the Park Hyatt Chicago:

The 200-room Park Hyatt Chicago is located at historic Water Tower Square in the heart of the Windy City�s �Magnificent Mile.� The hotel, which is adjacent to Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue and Bloomingdale�s, offers stylish rooms that include DVD and CD players, a flat-screen LCD TV in each bathroom, high-speed Internet access and spectacular lake and city views. The Park Hyatt Chicago features a 7,000-square-foot health club, spa and 7,000 square feet of meeting facilities. For more information about the hotel, go to www.parkchicago.hyatt.com, or call (312) 335-1234.

About GuestWare:

GuestWare provides property and enterprise CRM solutions specifically to the lodging industry with more than 15 PMS interfaces and more than 700 hotel customers. GuestWare enables hotels and management companies to streamline and enhance service delivery and guest recognition processes. GuestWare was the first company to develop a comprehensive Rapid Response problem resolution system integrated with guest recognition and essential to successful customer relationship management.

GuestWare, Customer Relationship Management software for the lodging industry, is developed, marketed, implemented and supported by Diversified Computer Corp., Seattle. GuestWare�s suite of software products includes Enterprise, Guest Recognition, Rapid Response, Incident Tracking, Facilities Maintenance, Comment Card Tracking and Communication Server. GuestWare is installed in more than 700 hotels worldwide. For more information about GuestWare, go to www.guestware.com, or contact Mike Benjamin at (888) 504-8378.