In our ‘5 Questions for…’ series, Hotelcore staff, customers, partners and industry experts offer brief insights into trends and practical knowledge from the hospitality sector. This time , we’re speaking to Philipp Berchtold, Managing Director of ibelsa. We ask what hotels can expect from a modern PMS today, how the interface with Hotelcore changes day-to-day operations in practice, and why the combination of cloud technology and digital guest management is more than the sum of its parts.
ibelsa offers hoteliers hotel software (PMS). What’s behind it, and which processes in day-to-day hotel operations benefit most from a cloud-based PMS solution?
Behind ibelsa lies the vision of making technology as simple as possible for hoteliers, whilst at the same time providing a very powerful tool. I say this with complete conviction, as I come from a family of hoteliers and know the daily demands and challenges very well. We call this
‘digitalisation that feels right’: the system must work intuitively, be secure and, above all, not overwhelm the user, but rather take the pressure off the hotelier and the team. This leaves more time for what really matters: the guest.
How does the day-to-day work at reception change when the PMS and digital guest folder/guest app are integrated via an interface? What exactly happens between ibelsa and Hotelcore, and how does the team notice this in their day-to-day operations?
Fundamentally, both systems are very powerful in their own right and well-positioned for the future. Where it makes sense, we exchange data. This creates a seamless workflow without the need for duplicate data entry.
If a guest has booked via ibelsa, they receive direct access to Hotelcore’s digital guest folder or guest app via their booking confirmation or arrival email , and can submit their details there before arrival, thereby checking in online. The data is then automatically transferred to the ibelsa system. Once they have actually checked in on site, they can also access their bill at any time with a single click on their smartphone. Simply two systems that communicate with each other, providing the guest with the right information at the right time and retrieving relevant data for the hotelier.
The team notices this immediately through reduced stress and fewer sources of error. It is the perfect combination of smart back-end management and modern guest support directly on the guest’s smartphone.
The PMS market is on the move: more and more hotels are questioning their existing software and actively seeking alternatives. In your experience, what are the most common reasons for switching, and which three criteria should hoteliers definitely check before deciding on a new system? And let’s be honest: how much of a hassle is switching PMS systems really?
Many hoteliers have had enough of anonymous hotlines and overloaded systems. For us , genuine, German-speaking support is a key criterion. We’re based in Germany and employ people who really know their way around the hotel industry. Furthermore, we don’t believe in the ‘jack-of-all-trades’ – that is, all-in-one solutions that can do a bit of everything but nothing properly. We rely on a robust core system and interfaces with experts in their field, such as Hotelcore. Switching providers is no longer rocket science these days: we professionally manage the data migration so that operations continue uninterrupted.
Booking.com and the like remain indispensable for many hotels, but this dependency comes at a price. How can a modern PMS like ibelsa help to specifically boost direct bookings and make a hotel’s own booking channel more attractive?
Essentially, it’s about improving communication with guests. Our industry still has some catching up to do in the areas of marketing and communication. It’s important to highlight the benefits of direct bookings, and hotels need to step up here by offering attractive deals. These should then be promoted via their own booking channels on the website or through other means. I see booking channels via tools such as ChatGPT or WhatsApp gaining significant ground here. We have our own solutions in this area, but naturally rely on the relevant experts depending on the sector. When it comes to customer loyalty and communication, Hotelcore is naturally an important partner for us.
Occupancy, RevPAR, cancellation rates, guest behaviour – anyone who really wants to manage their hotel needs more than just a gut feeling. What analyses and key figures does ibelsa provide to help hoteliers make better decisions?
The booking source report is particularly valuable for strategic management: here you can see in black and white which revenue comes through which channel and where direct bookings can still be boosted. Added to this are detailed revenue reports by product category, cancellation and no-show reports, as well as tourism statistics. And because ‘peace of mind’ also means being able to sleep soundly at night, everything is GoBD-compliant and perfectly prepared for financial accounting software, such as DATEV.
Furthermore, we have also partnered with strong providers in this area who can already produce powerful, BI-based analyses at low cost, enabling you to target your marketing efforts effectively. Here too, we clearly follow the motto “Together we can achieve more”. ibelsa does not charge any recurring interface fees for this integration.
Philipp Berchthold in conversation with Sandra Schneider, Hotelcore
