Hotel Chain to Install Worldwide Procurement System

A new on-line management and procurement system developed by Zoho Corp. of Sunnyvale, CA will be implemented at the hotel properties of Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, which is headquartered here. An agreement was reached eight weeks ago to install the Online Hospitality Marketplace system at more than 700 of Starwood’s owned, managed and franchised properties. The chain’s procurement program totals $3 billion annually.

The Sheraton Stamford, which has 445 rooms with 220 employees, will be used as a test site for buying guest amenities, operating supplies, food and beverages and other goods. Current suppliers, including Unisource, American Hotel Register, Marietta and Supply America, were integrated into the Zoho marketplace, bringing their supplies into the web environment, Starwood officials say.

“In less than two months, Zoho has customized and implemented a back-of-house cost-management system that addressed our specific needs. Throughout the process, the company has been very responsive to our requests, exhibiting a high level of customer service,” says Robert Morgan, general manager of the Sheraton Stamford. “The Zoho Online Hospitality Marketplace will undoubtedly eliminate many of our previous procurement inefficiencies.”