Hotelier Embraces eProcurement Software for Automated, Streamlined Processes and Financial Controls
Newport Beach, Calif., January 23, 2007 – BirchStreet Systems, a leading provider of eProcurement and back office automation solutions to the hospitality industry, announced today that the Beverly Hilton Hotel has expanded their use of the BirchStreet Application Suite to now include the company’s Inventory Control module.
The Beverly Hilton sought a solution to replace a traditional paper-based process for managing their requisitions and inventory. They also wanted to track cost by outlet and improve controls for high-ticket food and beverage items. Ultimately, the goal was to evaluate and deploy a solution that would allow the hotel to optimally serve its guests through better and more efficient operations.
BirchStreet’s inventory control software enables the Beverly Hilton Hotel to track food and beverage inventory in one system that is fully integrated with its suppliers and its online procurement system. When suppliers change pricing and product information, that data automatically flows into the eProcurement catalog and the inventory control module. This ensures that ordering and the item master are always up-to-date and significantly lowers system maintenance requirements.
“BirchStreet’s system allows me to plan my purchasing activities in a fraction of the time the previous paper-based process took. Information that I previously had to locate by hand is now searchable within the system, allowing me to provide much better service to the hotel’s many outlets,” said Pete Murcott, director of purchasing for the Beverly Hilton Hotel.
A key element for the Beverly Hilton in selecting an inventory control solution was finding one that could be implemented in a highly complex environment without disrupting operations. BirchStreet’s software is provided as a hosted solution that is accessed over the Internet and does not require new computer hardware or on-site technical staff, making its implementation a smooth process.
“We are pleased that the Beverly Hilton is embracing BirchStreet’s solution,” said Doug Sanborn, president and CEO of BirchStreet Systems. “Extending their e-Procurement system through to managing their inventory will reduce the time and effort involved in tracking inventory, provide more accurate reporting and result in a more efficient operation.”
The Birth Street Application Suite is a comprehensive back-office business system for the hospitality and food service industries. The Suite automates the “Procure-to-Pay” cycle, cutting inefficiencies out of the procurement process while strengthening financial controls. The software can be run as a single-property solution or provide an enterprise-wide view of the procurement process, helping customers identify ways to leverage the collective buying power of their organization. The software also provides a comprehensive tool to drive consistent business processes, automation and financial control across the company’s portfolio of properties. BirchStreet delivers its solution over the Internet, using the “Software as a Service” (SaaS) model, which reduces the total cost of ownership compared with the traditional method of buying and maintaining enterprise software.
About the Beverly Hilton
Opened in 1955 by distinguished hotelier Conrad Hilton, The Beverly Hilton has combined the excitement and entertainment of Hollywood with the elegance of Beverly Hills for 50 years. Located at the world-famous intersection of Wilshire and Santa Monica Boulevards, the 570-room hotel features 101 suites including the 16 private luxury suites of The Penthouse Collection. With more than 60,000 square feet of upscale indoor/open-air event space, all on the lobby level, the hotel’s famed International Ballroom is the centerpiece to the new International Collection. Home of many notable annual events including the Golden Globe Awards®, Oscar Nominee Luncheon and the Milken Institute’s Global Conference, The Beverly Hilton offers three ballrooms, nine additional meeting rooms, an executive meeting center and more. The Beverly Hilton maintains a website at http://www.beverlyhilton.com/.
About BirchStreet
BirchStreet Systems, Inc. is a leading provider of e-Procurement solutions to hospitality and restaurant groups. The company’s eProcurement system is a suite of web-based applications designed to help hospitality organizations leverage their collective buying power, automate back-office processes and tighten financial controls. More than 1,000 hotels and restaurants are now using the BirchStreet solution, including Marcus Hotels and Resorts, Interstate Hotels and Resorts, the Waldorf, the Chicago Hilton, the Fontainebleau, and the Hilton Hawaiian Village. For more information, visit www.BirchStreetSystems.com.