Major South African hotels are moving away from manual payment processes by adopting end-to-end digital payment solutions that integrate directly with property management systems. This industry-wide transition aims to minimise administrative burdens and reduce the likelihood of human error in high-volume billing environments.
Operational Efficiency And Security Upgrades
The move involves linking payment portals directly with software like Oracle Opera Cloud, a system recently implemented by the Red Carnation Hotel Collection across properties such as The Twelve Apostles Hotel & Spa. By removing manual data re-entry, hotels are able to streamline reconciliation processes and offer guests a more secure environment through the use of tokenisation.
“For hotel groups, the ability to scale a single, consistent payment solution across a portfolio is significant… no fragmented systems, no managing multiple providers across different territories,” said Jonathan Smit, Executive Chairman of iVeri.
Addressing Changing Guest Expectations
The shift is further supported by the integration of modern interfaces including contactless NFC technology and mobile wallets like Apple Pay and Google Pay to accommodate guest demand for self-service. These digital improvements are intended to decrease front-desk wait times, a move that stakeholders believe enhances the overall standard of service provided to travellers.
Service has always been at the heart of everything we do, by removing this administrative…” stated Michael Nel, Managing Director of Red Carnation Hotels South Africa.
As the hospitality sector continues its digital transformation, further refinements in biometric authentication and mobile-first guest services are expected to follow in the coming year.