American futurist Alvin Toffler referred to the agricultural economy, industrial economy, and information economy as the three great waves in history in his book *The Third Wave*. As the third wave, the information economy has shifted the core competitiveness of the global hotel industry from offline to online.
The 21st century is the century of the information economy. Adopting a scientific hotel management system gives hotels a competitive edge. Here are several stages in the development of domestic hotel management systems:
1. Huayi Software
In 1979, Professor Jin Guofen from Tsinghua University developed a hotel management software with query functions for Beijing Qianmen Hotel, marking the beginning of hotel management in China. In 1987, Huayi Company was established.
2. ChinaSoft HollySys
In 1990, Beijing ChinaSoft HollySys Hotel Computer Systems Engineering Company was founded, and it developed the CSHIS (ChinaSoft HollySys Information System).
3. West Lake Software
In June 1993, Hangzhou West Lake Software Co., Ltd. was established and developed the FOXHIS system. Its latest version is X5, making it the largest domestic hotel information systems company. On December 18, 2006, the company merged with Beijing Zhongchang Shiji Information Technology Co., Ltd., the domestic agent for Fidelio and OPERA systems.
4. Qianlima Hotel Management System
The Qianlima Hotel Management System was initially launched in DOS version by Guangdong Laoye Computer Systems Development Company in 1993. In 1998, a Windows version was released (using a C/S structure, developed in VB, running on the Windows NT/2000 platform with SQL Server database). To date, it has around 300 hotel users, mainly distributed across provinces such as Guangdong, Hubei, Hunan, and Sichuan. Laoye Company was acquired by Hong Kong Wanda Computer Systems Limited in 1998 and renamed Guangzhou Wanxun Computer Software Co., Ltd.
5. Beijing Shiji Company
In 1998, Li Zhongchu founded Beijing Zhongchang Shiji Network Systems Engineering Technology Co., Ltd., specializing in the research and development of hotel information systems. On December 21, 2001, it was restructured into a joint-stock limited company. Starting July 2003, Shiji signed an exclusive technology licensing agreement with MICROS for the Chinese mainland market (excluding Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan), fully representing the sales of Fidelio and OPERA across the mainland.
Here, we will focus on the OPERA system. OPERA is a multifunctional, all-purpose hotel management software under the U.S. Micros Fidelio company. It can be applied to the hotel reservation department, front office, finance department, housekeeping, sales department, and its branch system, OPERA S&C, even extends to the banqueting department. Its powerful financial features and comprehensive reporting capabilities were unmatched by any previous software. It is a hotel management system specifically developed by Micros in response to the evolving needs of the hotel industry and some limitations of Fidelio.
Opera is not the system with the highest market share, but its users capture most of the profits in China’s hotel industry. Some say only the wealthy buy Opera, while others claim that having Opera leads to greater profits. Which is true?
Logically, industries with high profits attract many competitors, but why does Opera dominate the PMS field with high prices yet still outperform all competitors in combined profits?
There must be some secret within Opera — a secret that all international hotel groups need. Master this secret, and you can achieve high profits, premium service, and a strong brand.
The 7th public lecture by Xianzhi Network, “Behind the Management Philosophy of OPERA Series Course – Personalized Service,” reveals the mysteries of OPERA with instructor Mu Lin. If you work in hospitality or are fascinated by OPERA, this is an unmissable feast. Sign up online at Xianzhi Network (registration deadline: May 28).
Logically, industries with high profit margins should attract many competitors, but in the PMS field, why does Opera dominate the market with its high prices while still earning more profit than all its rivals combined?
There must be some kind of secret hidden within Opera—something that all international hotel groups need. Master this secret, and you can achieve high profits, premium service, and a strong brand.
The 7th session of ZhiZhi Network’s Open Course, “A Closer Look at the Management Philosophy Behind Opera – Series on Personalized Service,” will have ZhiZhi instructor Mu Lin reveal the mysteries of Opera. If you work in the hospitality industry or are fascinated by Opera, this is an unmissable feast. You can register online at ZhiZhi Network (registration deadline: May 28).