MEET MARIA
SuperHoteliers.com is an all-points hospitality platform that improves revenue, manages properties and guest services in a single system
The tourism industry has been one of Goa’s strongest suits since liberation. But it is important to keep reinventing the wheel to keep travellers hooked. And since digital is the way forward, SuperHoteliers.com has hit the sweet spot.
Kartikeya Tiwari dreamed of a system that revolutionised hospitality by helping hotels increase sales and revenue, manage properties, payments, rates and guest services all on the same platform. Former Defence minister Manohar Parrikar saw the immense potential behind this idea at a chance meeting with him 5 years ago and invited the Super Hoteliers team to set up in Goa at the EDC Innovation Hub.
Since then, Super Hoteliers has proved a welcome technology for hotels looking to seamlessly manage sales and guest services in a tech-loving world. The company is now working on a similar platform aimed at owners of rental apartments and villas.
Super Hoteliers founder Kartikeya Tiwari speaks to Sinead McManus about the company and its potential for Goa.
How and why did you come up with Super Hoteliers?
We have been a hotel revenue management company for more than 10 years now, championing the art of Sales & Marketing for hotels. Super Hoteliers helped us manage sales & marketing for all hotels, as well as operations for quite a few. Our work with hotels in India as well as in places like Bhutan, Nepal, China, Dubai, etc., gave us an opportunity to observe hotel operations and workflow from close proximity.
For many years, hotels have used systems to distribute inventories, and to manage property, payments and rates across the network. But there was no system that did all of this and also enhanced sales, average room rates and occupancy. So we combined our knowledge and experience with our strength of skyrocketing sales. And that’s how SuperHoteliers.com came into existence.
What made you choose Goa to set up your company?
Goa choose me, not vice versa. A few years ago, I met Manohar Parrikar when he was Defence minister at an event at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT). When we briefed him on our tech startup in hospitality, he immediately invited us to come to Goa and set up an office at the EDC Innovation Hub.
He then guided the Goa start up cell in assisting us. We liked the support, but initially couldn’t imagine leaving city life behind. But to our surprise, one of his staff members followed up with us a few times after the event. I admired Parrikar Sir, would listen to his speeches, and followed his advice. So we just couldn’t resist.
What would you say is the USP of Super Hoteliers?
The USP is that it makes hoteliers ‘fly’, which other products do not. I called it Super Hoteliers because of the inspiration which I drew from Superman in my childhood-he is a flying dude.
Super Hoteliers is a system that integrates all a hotelier’s needs and offers a bird’s eye view of the property from anywhere. This system not only shows data, but also suggests ways to improve in various departments including sales, house-keeping, room service, etc. The USP of it is that it is an ecosystem on its own. With this system, hoteliers do not need any other software in accounts, inventory, website, POS, etc.
How would you say Super Hoteliers can change the face of tourism in Goa?
Goa wants to project itself as a digitally-enabled destination, and we can help achieve this.
Additionally, India has the world’s largest population of millennials, most of whom make their decisions influenced by technology. They prefer digital experiences over traditional ones. They love newer and smarter gadgets, are receptive to new technologies and prefer digital convenience in shopping, booking, traveling, paying bills, etc. They like to read reviews, ratings and experiences before they make a decision and are highly driven by Flipkart, Amazon, Netflix, Ola, Uber, Metro, Trivago, Airbnb, Paytm, etc.
We are the latest in hotel technology and have the potential to revolutionise hospitality by helping hotels offer services better, cheaper and faster. Deployed in the right way, hotels can transform the guest experience by adding convenience and personalising their stay in tons of ways.
With so many hotels and resorts, we feel Goa can be the global test bed for hotel technology, guest experiences and innovations. We will strive hard to bring that tag to Goa. Our vision is travellers coming to Goa not just for the beauty and people, but also to experience new and innovative guest experiences in hospitality.
How important is it for hotels to improve the guest experience online?
There is no choice left there. Either have an occupancy of 50-60 per cent and lower, or improve the guest experience, not just online, but through a complete digital experience.
I see hotels with great services and stay, but unable to sell well. In most cases, the reason is the absence of effort in managing and maintaining online identity and the experiences of potential guests.
Hoteliers think that once they have a website up, they are sorted for five years. Sorry folks! You need to upgrade the look and feel of your website and other digital identities every six months.
How many hotels in Goa have signed up for Super Hoteliers so far, and what has the response been?
The response has been great. We have new clients coming in all the time, with all sorts of questions and being amazed at everything that is possible. But, we are only aligning with group hotels or hoteliers who are open to a higher level of IT indulgence for higher sales and better efficiency.
Tell us how Sarthi has helped improve guest experiences.
Sarthi enables hotels to feature all the information in a traditional compendium on an in-room tablet, or on a guest’s smartphone. Suffice to say, this makes it far easier for guests to find information and make requests — whether it’s requesting fresh towels, booking a spa appointment, ordering in-room dining, finding the location of the gym, checking pool hours, babysitting services, etc.
What potential do you see for Super Hoteliers in Goa, say over the next 5-10 years?
Our vision is to be the top ranked hotel technology company in the world in the space of innovations & IoT. We have set a target to provide 1000 top-end IT jobs to local Goans in the next five years.
How different will the services be for your upcoming systems directed specifically to apartments & villas, and hostels?
Next month, we are launching a product for apartments and villas. This will offer apartment or villa owners the same sort of services that hoteliers have with SuperHotelier.com, connecting them to all vacation rental portals and their own website in just a minute, with a multitude of services through local vendors.
