Being a technologist is more than just bringing a great product to market. It's about foresight to chase continued evolution and innovation that keeps your product or service offering one step ahead of traveler demands and the needs of hoteliers. Technology is a critical catalyst in a changing world. With the right platforms and digital partnerships, hotels can effectively transform and scale their operations in a way that not only protects their bottom line, but earns them a reputation of excellence amongst guests in an increasingly competitive market.
Binu Mathews, the Chief Executive Officer at IDS Next, has always been a core part of his vision for continued technological innovation. IDS Next has spent over 30 years developing, delivering and supporting cutting-edge, innovative technology solutions for the global hotel industry that empower hotels to increase revenues, maximize costs and provide the ultimate guest experience.
I recently had the opportunity to sit down with Mathews to discuss the continued growth and evolution of IDS Next, their recent rebrand, and what is in store for the brand as we look to the future.
Mathews says that they have accomplished many firsts in their three decades of operations. We became the first company to create all-in-one solutions and the first company to provide international-class support 24/7. We became India's largest hotel software company in our first decade of operations and Asia's largest in 2009. We are considered the leading provider of smart hotel software in Southeast Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and Oceania. Highly integrated hotel management software, restaurant management software, central reservations, hotel channel management, mobile apps and mobile analytic solutions are some of the offerings from IDS Next.
Mathews said that the brand's "Always Ahead" mindset has paved the way to an impressive service portfolio, including over 5,000 customers across 45 countries.
The global hospitality industry came to a virtual standstill in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, so that's when the "Always Ahead" mindset had to shift. The marketplace was disproportionately impacted by world events. How could IDS Next look at the future when it seemed so uncertain?
Mathews says that over the last year and a half, they invested in a number of new regions, ushered in new solutions, and improved upon their existing cloud solutions. We have always been an industry leader in regards to the level of support offered to our clients and partners, and now we have evolved our support services to include automated channels, built directly into our product. The new features allow hotel users to chat with IDS Next support agents in multiple languages, use chatbots to get updates on cases, and access the knowledge center for instant help.
Mathews says that they launched an integration hub that enables connections between their partners and all of their solutions. We used this time to completely rebrand our company, which should serve as a testament to our commitment to adapt, evolve, and find ways to serve our clients better.
The goal of the new name was to highlight how IDS Next brings the best of the past and present to create the future of technology.
The new logo and slogan reflect the steps we take to advance the industry, fast forwarding accessibility to premium tech while being always ahead. IDS Next adopted a few core colors around the shade of orange that Mathews felt reflected the company over the years. The perfect color to represent our team is orange, because it symbolizes creativity, energy, and happiness. We wanted to make it easier for customers and potential partners to find out about our company, so we made our website more user-friendly and customer-focused.
IDS Next understands the challenges of the post-pandemic landscape. Many hotels are struggling with the shortage of skills. Core hotel systems need to integrate with a variety of other solutions to maintain seamless guest experiences. When hotels are expected to do more with less staff support, great technology will empower them to maintain and improve their service offerings. As the preferred partner for regional and global hotel chains, IDS Next expects to play an essential role in the recovery and long-term success of the properties it serves.
Mathews says that they hope to expand their chain strategy and create enterprise solutions for groups. We are in a unique position to provide cloud-based, on-premise, mobile platforms that talk to each other and offer increasingly intuitive and future-proof solutions for multiple brands and segments.
IDS Next has decades of domain expertise in Hotel Technology Solutions. We are pioneers in providing technology solutions for hotels. We have the expertise to create solutions that help hotels increase revenues, maximize costs and provide enhanced guest experience.
We understand emerging markets and have high growth needs. We offer efficient solutions in a wide range of categories such as large independent hotels, chain hotels, boutique or resort hotels and even small budget hotels. We offer integrated hotel management software, restaurant management software, mobile apps and mobile analytic solutions.
We command large market share in the markets we operate, and grow at a rapid pace, thanks to industry-leading technology and overwhelming TCO. Over 5000+ hotels in 40 countries trust our software and technology solutions. 98% retention of customers and unparalleled customer satisfaction can be achieved by a truly dedicated 24/7-support centre.
Alan Young.
