The current challenge in today�s competitive marketplace is to find the most efficient and cost-effective means of accessing, integrating and distributing corporate information across the hotel organization.  Northwind�s Maestro� suite of products was designed to address this challenge.  In addition to its unmatched real-time processing performance, this management-oriented solution far exceeds industry standards as currently defined and continues to bring PMS, sales and catering, accounts receivable, club/spa management and work order maintenance to the forefront.  The focus on components such as client services, activities scheduling and billing, customized packages, tee-time and powerful yield management and integration gives clients analysis tools to target business data critical to their success.

Northwind can custom fit solutions to suit client�s specific needs.  Employing user configuration options, each user can have various options implemented without inheriting the specific requirements of other users.  Leading edge technology applications are available for Windows® and UNIX/Linux technology in client/server and thin client options.  All of Northwind�s products offer multi-language and multi-text capabilities for International functionality.
 

Northwind has also introduced ResEze� to enable hotels to better exploit the opportunities of the Internet.  ResEze��s unparalleled ability for on-line real-time direct access via Internet/Intranet to property inventory, availability, yield rating and instant confirmation not only benefits hoteliers but also their business �partners�, including travel agents, tour operators and wholesalers.

The newest suite of products, Maestro Enterprise�, focuses on corporate and centralized operations.  Monterey Peninsula Inns chose to implement Maestro Enterprise� for its five properties in California because of its ability to handle and fully integrate global reservations (Internet/Intranet), centralized client database management and centralized accounts receivable management.  Global sales and catering and centralized travel agency management are also available.  Maestro Enterprise� centralizes client and property management at the corporate level, providing access to data and yield management in real-time.  Sales can view room space availability at any linked property in any location, and make informed business decisions when booking business.  The database not only serves as a central source for data such as enterprise reporting, customer tracking and contract confirmations, it also offers analysis and corporate data mining opportunities.  Maestro Enterprise can be integrated with the Maestro suite of products.

The challenge for Maestro has been to combine Yield Management capabilities directly into the property management system.  Unlike third-party interfaced solutions, this full integration creates a real-time processing environment that allows the property to implement its yield strategies with as much or as little intervention as it desires.  Essentially, the user can configure any combination of strategies for the upcoming period and then �walk away� letting the system manage itself.  The effects are immediate.  Maestro will automatically adjust rate values, enforce duration controls and even open and close market segments as it responds to the pre-configured criteria.  Owners and managers simply sit back and watch the revenues climb.

The yield management process has traditionally been managed with the assistance of yield management software that operated independently from the property management system.  The PMS would send information to the yield management system via a modem and often required an overnight batch process. The user would then interpret the information provided by the yield system and then implement yield management strategies based on those findings.

NORTHWIND and Maestro have revolutionized all of this, making this tedious and time consuming process a thing of the past.  Within the Maestro framework, yield strategies can be configured to respond to a wide variety of variables, including � Building, Room Type, Rate Type, Occupancy Percentage, Length Of Stay, Booking Date and Arrival Date.  These diverse criteria ensure that even novice Yield Managers can quickly and easily implement a strategy that is best suited to their needs.  Alternatively, advanced Yield Managers, requiring a more hands on approach, are fully supported by Maestro�s wide complement of performance and forecasting reports.

Maestro offers a wide range of integrated real time Yield Management features.  In many cases, each feature can be activated and configured to operate independently or can be fully integrated with other features.  This set up capability allows the user to customize the property�s own unique yield management program by implementing only those features that provide direct benefits.  Additionally, the user may choose from several approaches to manage the property�s yield management program � An Automated Approach, a Manual Approach and a Combination Approach.  In this manner, the manager can exercise as little or as much hands on control as desired.

Several properties across North America are now implementing this exciting new feature.  Anthony Foux, owner of the five-property Monterey Peninsula Inns of California, is already enjoying the benefits. 
 

Northwind will be exhibiting at HITEC 2000 in Dallas, Texas at the Dallas Convention Centre on June 20th to the 22nd, Booth #235.  You will be able to see and learn more about the �Maestro Yield Management � Real-Time Advantage� features at the convention and get a one-on-one presentation or in-depth briefing of this unmatched advanced software performance. 

Committed to excellence in sales and service, Northwind provides operational support 24-hours-a-day, seven days week.  Support is available by phone, fax and email/Internet.

Maestro and Maestro Enterprise are  trademarks of Northwind, Inc.