Doing what other’s couldn’t
Primarily offering guests wedding packages, the workforce at BHG across Peckforton Castle, Inglewood Manor and Nunsmere Hall faced the challenges of guests wanting to book rooms for these events. They required a system, integrated into the existing Property Management System (Guestline).
Solution
At GNN Solutions, we love a challenge, especially one that’s been labelled “impossible” by many others before us. Our overall aim is to provide better solutions for better business. The request from BHG was exactly what keeps us going, a nice challenge. At first, we made a list in full detail of all the requirements from BHG. Several drafts of work flows were created until agreed by all parties. Directly communicating with the Property Management System vendor, Guestline, we were back and forth to agree on an API suitable to reach the goal. Once we had all the information ready to process into a solution, our development team coded a mutli-stage booking form, from scratch, for each venue. Mobile ready with styling on each form to match the venue website, the next stage was to integrate the API. Although the API was SOAP (technology released in 2007), we tested across several methods of achieving the goal until one was agreed by BHG. Managing the project across LIVE and TEST environments, liaising with PMS Vendors and BHG’s Web and Marketing agency as the direct contact, we resolved BHG’s problem of 5 years within weeks.
Results
Guests are now able to use a form online, integrated with the venues payment gateway to book rooms for events such as Weddings. Automation is now in place, allowing convenience for both guests and the team at BHG. Throughout the go-live stages, many changes were requested. These were applied by our team instantly within minutes!
Feedback
“This has been a complex custom build but GNN Solutions has tackled every potential issue I have thrown at him with ease and kept the project on track despite numerous obstacles with the third party software and our internal requirements as a bespoke business model. Listened to the very specific needs of our business and not only created a solution each time but also acted as the go between for ourselves, Guestline and Cube3 to ensure the integration is in place and timeline and costs have been kept in check. The technical build of this system has been a big job in itself but the added project managed has been vital and greatly appreciated. Just a massive thank you for finding the answer to a problem that so many others have said wasn’t possible over the last 5 years of trying to find a solution and the unbelievable number of extra hours (at crazy times of night) GNN Solutions have put into this project to get it done” – Hela McCrone | Head of Revenue, Sales & Marketing | BHG UK
Task
As Head of Revenue, Hela McCrone’s task was to reduce workflow and introduce automation giving guests the ability to book for events using specific venue provided event codes. “We’ve been trying to find a solution for 5 years. Many have said impossible whilst others have quoted unaffordable options which weren’t guaranteed. Increased demand on staff to process bookings consuming resource.” Initially, BHGUK went on a mission for the past 5 years trying to find a solution that would automate the reservations for events across each venue.