HRS Offering Advanced Procurement Consulting and Technology to Hotels to Support Expedited RFP Response for Returning Corporate Volume
HRS, a global corporate travel and payment technology platform, announced the offering of its full range of consulting services to the hotel community in the coming months to support a revitalized corporate lodging ecosystem. Beyond data-driven consultation that reflects the hotel priorities of its corporate clients, HRS automation gives hotel sales teams the ability to access and more efficiently bid for corporate volume – all at a time when more corporate programs are using the RFP process to negotiate not only rates, but other elements vital to business travelers as they get back on the road.
HRS, playing its part to facilitate corporate lodging’s recovery, is offering this unique package of localized consulting, unlimited bid refinement and RFP support at no charge to the hotel community. Among its growing client base, HRS works with 35 percent of Fortune 500 companies on their hotel programs.
“It’s a new time for hotel corporate sales leaders. Travel patterns and dynamics are different, as are the definitions of “travel” and “workspace” for corporations,” said Lukasz Dabrowski, HRS’ senior vice president of global supplier relations. “With volume rebounding and companies honing in on regional and national projections, married with the reality of diminished resources at many hotels, HRS is stepping up to help facilitate more opportunities for hotels to bid. Our unbiased RFP technology, data-driven analysis, and experts on the ground in key markets stand ready to help relevant hoteliers compete for these room nights.”
Optimized Tools Help Hoteliers Analyze & Refine Corporate Volume Bids
HRS technology – with elements built specifically to aid hotels as they contend for corporate volume – is especially helpful for hoteliers at a time when companies are increasing their submission of RFPs and hotel sales teams are being re-built in the wake of the pandemic. In this fluid environment, it allows hoteliers 24x7 access to refine, revise and re-submit bid terms – all at no cost – as appropriate during the negotiation window. Other time-saving highlights include:
o Optimized bid submission processes that illustrate the progress towards completion of the submission, mandatory elements, and more
o Ability to anonymously view elements of competing hotel bids
o Multiple pre-filled fields in RFPs, reducing the time it takes for hoteliers to respond
o Simplified user-flow that addresses evolving corporate requests
o Efficient avenues to address the convergence of RFPs for different segments
Transformative Attribute-Based Lodging Procurement, as Priorities and Process Have Evolved
As new patterns come to light in the nascent post-pandemic corporate lodging arena, HRS is combining the buying concepts for transient, group, meetings and new Longstay segments to showcase the totality of anticipated client spend. Reflecting the new priorities of corporations – ranging beyond simple rates and amenities – HRS is helping hoteliers align with the most important elements of modern corporate hotel programs. This is particularly vital given the unforeseen elements impacting corporate travel procurement in varying locations, including items such as pandemic outbreaks, political instability, environmental changes and weather-related catastrophies.
The “5S framework,” introduced by HRS in 2021, has proven effective in capturing the evolving scope of new requirements from the vast majority of corporate hotel programs. HRS is educating its hotel partners about the 5S framework and how addressing these elements on an ongoing basis can help hoteliers win more recurring volume. The 5S framework covers:
·Safety
·Satisfaction
·Savings
·Sustainability
·Security
“HRS is committed to working transparently with corporations and hotels to drive more automated, expedient negotiations,” concludes Dabrowski. “There is no longer a “RFP Season” per se. Instead, automation is driving shortened four-week cycles that allow corporations to be nimbler and more targeted in their procurement activities all year long. Mix that in with prioritized hygiene and sustainability requirements, and hotels are competing in a totally transformed procurement process.”
Hoteliers can learn more about HRS partnering scenarios and RFP support at https://www.hrs.com/enterprise/hotels/. Hoteliers attending the Global Business Travel Association conference in San Diego on August 14-17 can visit with HRS at booth # 3229.