New CEO Van Hessen combines hospitality and technology

“Guests expect everything to work without having to think about it,” says Martijn Dekker. From this practical perspective, he looks at the role of technology in hotels. For the past five months, he has been at the helm of Van Hessen, a specialist in hospitality software, PMS and POS systems for hotels and the catering industry. Here, together with CCO Ronnie Hinrichs and CFO Michiel Kreugel, he forms a three-person management team. His ambition is to further connect the organisation internally and to better align technology with the daily practice of hoteliers.

After more than twenty-five years in international hospitality, with international chains and in various countries, Dekker is making the switch to the supplier side. That background determines how he fills his role. “I've experienced firsthand where operations can be a struggle. Then you automatically look at systems and processes differently.” According to him, that is the core of his role and that of Van Hessen: bridging the gap between technology and usage.

Much knowledge

When he took office, he found an organisation with a great deal of knowledge and a high level of service, but also differing working methods between countries. “The differences between the Netherlands and Belgium turned out to be greater than expected. The teams were working at cross-purposes in a number of areas, with their own processes and systems. Working methods then quickly diverge, unnecessarily.” Instead of standardising everything, Dekker is opting for harmonisation at process level. He is focusing on the ideal working method, from quotation to implementation. “You don’t need to reinvent the wheel, but you do need to be prepared to critically examine your own way of working.” This working method is taking shape in joint sessions with teams from different countries. “It starts with the right conversation: how do we prepare a quotation, how do we carry out an implementation? You build on that.” The approach is unifying: ideas are developed together and refined by other teams. “That creates a very different dynamic.” Resistance is part of it, certainly in an organisation with a lot of experience. “But when people see that it makes their work easier, things start to move.”

Technology from practice

He also applies this focus on practice to the market. According to Dekker, technology is changing rapidly due to the cloud movement, AI, and all new possible integrations. But hotel guests“ expectations have also changed. Processes need to run smoothly, without waiting times or friction. ”Guests expect everything to work. Booking, checking in, paying, it should happen automatically.“ At the same time, he sees that many hotels are still working with systems that do not connect sufficiently. PMS, POS, and other systems function alongside each other, rather than as a whole. ”That’s where a lot of the inefficiency lies, because the coherence is missing.”

According to Dekker, the market often sees Van Hessen primarily as a supplier of PMS and POS systems, such as Oracle OPERA PMS and Oracle Simphony POS. In practice, a significant part of the work involves making systems interact and guiding clients through integrations and process design. For example, he internally raised the question of how reports could better align with financial practices. This led to the development of a link between Oracle OPERA PMS and accounting software, allowing data to be transferred automatically. “Those are the solutions that hotels can really benefit from.”

Maintain the human touch

Despite the emphasis on digitalisation, the human element remains essential according to Dekker. Technology should free up time, not replace it. “When processes run smoothly, there is room for genuine contact with the guest. That is what hospitality is all about.” This emphasis on the human touch is also reflected in the company's own service provision. While automation is increasing, Van Hessen chooses to keep support personal. “Customers want to speak to someone who understands their situation. Especially in a sector where everything runs twenty-four hours a day.”

In the coming period, Dekker will focus on further harmonisation within the organisation and strengthening knowledge sharing, partly via the internally established academy. At the same time, Van Hessen's role as an advisor is growing in a market where technological developments are rapid. According to him, the challenge for hoteliers lies not only in choosing new systems, but especially in seamlessly connecting them and supporting processes. “That's where the real profit lies. Less time spent on processes, more attention to the guest.”