Strand Palace, built in 1909, has continued to modernise to keep its appeal and remain efficient.
Over the last five years, focus has been on developing a technology landscape that ensures they continue to consistently deliver great service and grow the business.
A variety of challenges in the IT infrastructure were identified by business users, leading to manual workflows and latency in the ability to fulfil job roles.
With a complex application set-up, supporting over 70 hotel systems, Strand Palace had the chance to both consolidate their IT landscape and expand the scope of applications, to improve efficiency and effectiveness.
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Our hotel needed to make informed decisions when reviewing its technology, so we engaged Cogent Blue to undertake a Business Applications Audit. As a result, I could provide key stakeholders with a transparent view of the IT landscape and ensure we had robust strategic plan. They carried out this work in a highly professional manner and delivered all results on a timely basis, as well as advising areas we should concentrate on, in order to improve our business.
— David MacRae, General Manager
The business challenge
Whilst undertaking the complex and potentially disruptive process of optimising their IT landscape, Strand Palace aimed to maximise every opportunity for improved technology and automation. Cogent Blue were engaged to undertake a comprehensive IT Infrastructure and Business Applications Audit.
The pinch points identified by business users included: underutilisation of existing applications; low adoption of available upgrades and new modules; duplication of functionality across different systems and the use of manual work-arounds to compensate for perceived gaps in automation.
Largest independent hotel business in the UK
Extensive and complex systems infrastructure
Multiple-stakeholders with varying technology requirements
Our 360 solution
Cogent Blue worked alongside the Stand Palace team to outline their technology landscape and develop a prioritised list of solutions, taking into consideration the most pressing needs, cost impact and overall benefit to the business.
Established an audit steering committee with regular update calls
Cross-department discovery involving all department heads
Existing systems and applications represented in a detailed schematic
Identified gaps in modules and versions used versus those available; working with vendors to investigate potential for enhanced system functionality and use
Highlighted opportunities to improve automation and interfacing within the current infrastructure
Consolidated costs for priority items; liaising with vendors to establish current costs (one time / annual)
Identified opportunities for system redundancy and/or consolidation with consequent savings potential
Provided a prioritised “future” schematic representing all systems and applications
Developed a high level roadmap,by functional area, to enable the hotel to move seamlessly from “audit” to “evolution”
Recommended an approach to future IT governance
Delivered a summary audit report to the Steering Group
Cross-department, cross-system discovery involving all department heads
Delivered a summary audit report backed up by a comprehensive breakdown of all systems both current and future recommendations
Designed high level roadmap to take the hotel from “audit” to “optimisation”
Client
Strand Palace
Industry
Hospitality
Turnover
£38.5m
Size
785 hotels rooms
Description
The Strand Palace has been a landmark London hotel since 1909. Situated in Covent Garden, it offers convenient accommodation for both leisure guests and corporate travellers. In the 1920s the hotel redesigned and became known for its distinctive Art Deco style. Today, the hotel has modernised, and now includes Wi-Fi, flat-screen TVs and a gym, whilst still keeping a few iconic Art Deco touches.
COGENT BLUE EXPERTISE
To find a 360º solution for your business, get in touch:
Call +44 7854 987 578
Email Shona@cogentblue.co.uk
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Cogent Blue’s professional and methodical approach, updating the hotel with weekly calls and monthly face to face meetings, proved to simplify the task and provided actionable outputs.
