The challenge in this particular hotel group was a print environment that had been allowed to run amok with variable costs per page across a mix-and-match patchwork of machines; resulting in:
- Lack of standardisation and consistency
- Runaway costs
- Rising printing costs
- Inconsistent service and support
- Unreliable printing infrastructure
- Inconsistent service and support levels
Given the severe impact COVID-19 has had on the hospitality industry with Globe Newswire reporting that the tourism sector has been the hardest hit by the pandemic – while CNBC research argued it will be at least two years before the global travel return to normalcy – the hotel chain wished to drive down its printing costs.
It wasn’t long before it realised that document management was key to delivering a great guest experience. As such, they wanted to standardise printing infrastructure, as well as impose discipline on printing costs, support and quality of its scanning, copying and records management.
Kyocera was called in to help the group to streamline its operations without impacting on the quality of their offering.
Adamant that reducing operational cost of its business was more important now more than ever as the sector rebuilds and establishes what the new normal looks like, the task beforehand was to ensure that everything runs smoothly in the background – from maintenance to housekeeping, bookings, stock taking and ordering. These all adds to providing quality service and enhancing a guest’s satisfaction in the foreground.
Cutting-edge technologies to assist hotels to cut costs
Fortunately, there’s a range of tried and tested technologies and software available to assist hotels to cut costs.
Among these is a printing management software, which offers a uniform per-page pricing across a single fleet of devices.
Likewise, Kyocera worked with the hotel group to replace its old hardware over a staggered timeframe, recycling old hardware and disposing of hardware and toner in an environmentally friendly manner.
As a result, the group is said to have achieved the following:
- Lower costs; an overall print costs reduction by 45%
- Higher uptime; the solution delivers 99.9% availability
- Reduced volumes; the group reduced overall print volumes by more than 30%
- End-user satisfaction; employee surveys indicated that more than 99% of users were happy with the printing service
- Faster service; service and maintenance is more efficient and cost effective across the standardised fleet of devices
- Sustainability
Sustainable packaging now a growing trend
Sustainable and eco friendly packaging has become a rapidly growing trend within the hospitality industry. As an industry that survives or thrives on its reputation, a hotel or brand can enhance its image by boasting environmentally friendly credentials.
A recent study discovered that 78% of customers felt more positive about a product or company whose packaging was made up of recycled items.
As the Covid-19 outbreak has seen more hospitality groups such as the Liberty Two Degrees (which owns a portfolio of hospitality assets such as the Sandton Hotel, Melrose Arch, Umhlanga Ridge Office Park and Botshabelo Mall), signed the SA Plastics Pact, which seeks to achieve these four ambitious plastics targets by 2025, Kyocera holds up its end of the environmentally friendly deal, and has a policy of using only recycled cardboard and no polystyrene in its packaging.
To this end, the company has several eco friendly printing solutions in place, including the ECOSYS printers and MFPs – which are about saving energy and helping reduce carbon dioxide emissions.
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