Hotel Technology Next Generation

Aptech Computer Systems, Inc., the leading provider of hospitality software for business intelligence and enterprise financial accounting, today announced the release of its next- generation, cloud-based business intelligence system for all mobile and desktop formats. Compatible mobile devices include smart phones, tablets, and laptops. Aptech will demonstrate mobile-optimized Execuvue at HITEC 2012 in the Baltimore Convention Center June 25 – 28. Click here to learn more about Aptech's products and services.

Fingertip access to performance data
"Most of our clients have executive teams that travel, and they require access to their company's performance data wherever they are. The new Execuvue release significantly increases the accessibility of our BI solution," said Cam Troutman, vice president and officer at Aptech. "With the expanded popularity of mobile devices, especially tablets; reports, analysis, dashboards and more can be provided to anyone within the organization requiring the performance management information on whichever device best suits them wherever they are located. Execuvue leverages the latest IBM/Cognos tools to deliver mobile data to our users, and it is drawing an enthusiastic response."

Execuvue Version 10.1.1 is ideal for traveling hotel executives and adaptable for all wireless platforms from iPad to Android, handheld to tablet. Users gain fingertip access to data for individual properties, divisions, or corporate rollup analysis direct from the cloud. In addition, Execuvue's Active Report capability allows users who are disconnected from the system to interact with the reports.

Execuvue delivers mobility and freedom
Two hospitality firms—Highpointe Hotel Corporation and Texas Western Hospitality—will be incorporating the new mobile flexibility into their management strategies. The companies value the mobile convenience as well as the freedom that comes from Aptech hosting its solution.

For Florida-based Highpointe Hotel Corporation, pushing BI results to executive iPads makes perfect sense. "Having iPads will enable our executives and managers to be mobile and still have their finger on the pulse of their properties and divisions to act effectively," said Mark Pate, assistant controller and director of IT for Highpointe. "With more performance information in our managers' hands, they will be able to respond proactively to changes in their business while events are still unfolding."

Highpointe values Aptech remote hosting and data storage
Highpointe's BI system upgrade will also relieve its corporate team from system responsibility and provide greater data security. "Aptech will host our new Execuvue BI system at its secure network facility," Pate said. "We learned lessons from hurricanes Katrina and Ivan since many of our properties are located on the Gulf of Mexico. Aptech specializes in hosting large multi-property BI implementations with extensive data storage and our information will be safer off property."

An added advantage of the remotely-hosted BI strategy is that Aptech can easily pull operating information from Highpointe's Hilton and Marriott properties, as well as from Smith Travel Research's files, and consolidate it in one place where Execuvue can analyze it. "We will develop our own custom report formats that will be clearly defined and based on Highpointe's decision criteria," said Pate.

Aptech's hosting service frees Texas Western from system responsibility
Dallas-based Texas Western Hospitality wanted a central, globally-accessed BI data warehouse, but it had not considered where its system would be located. The firm operates 53 Marriott and Hilton full-service and select-service properties in seven states. Until recently, its executives received most property data via email, faxes, and hand-coded Excel spreadsheet reports for managers and owners. "With 50+ properties, it was time to automate our processes," said Jim Smith, senior vice president – operations for Texas Western Hospitality (TW).

The company's hotel software requirements included automatic downloading of property performance metrics from its Hilton OnQ and Marriott PMSes daily, as well as merging the data with labor numbers, Smith Travel Research output, and a variety of other information from TW's corporate accounting system. "We are a hotel company, not a tech shop, so we never thought about the details of a cloud-based system," Smith said. "Aptech's offer to host our system at its secure data center in Pittsburgh took all system responsibility off our hands. They handle our data security, backups, and system maintenance so we can run our hotel company."

"We use Execuvue to look at the data we always had, but now we sort it by flexible criteria that allow us to see individual data points much faster," Smith added that some TW managers like to review reports on their iPads and he can track operations from his iPhone as needed. "My data needs are different every day. It might be specific costs like labor or utilities, or STR comparisons, or other specific line items and expenses. We can easily pull our information into actionable formats that are clearly understandable. Our BI reports are mobile optimized so our executives can monitor performance anywhere."

Aptech Computer Systems
Aptech Computer Systems, Inc., based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, leads the hospitality industry in leveraging change by valuing human relationships and applying technology to solve business problems for people. The company offers the hotel industry a solid resource of hospitality professionals. Aptech is an IBM Software Value Plus partner.

Incorporated in 1970, Aptech is a hospitality financial and operations technology solutions and service company. Aptech's state-of-the-art back office, business intelligence and enterprise planning products include Profitvue®, Execuvue®, Webvue® and Targetvue. Clients comprise over 2,500 properties - including large chains, multiple-property management companies and single-site hotels. Aptech's solutions help customers understand their financial and operational data to lower expenses or increase profitability. Execuvue and Profitvue are registered to Aptech Computer Systems, Inc. All other trademarks are owned by their respective holders. For more information please visit www.aptech-inc.com.

Contact
Cam Troutman
Vice President
Phone: 800-245-0720
Email: vueinfo@aptech-inc.com