SOL MELIA ANNUAL REPORT 00 COMP

SOL MELIÁ IN THE 21ST. CENTURY · COMPLETING THE E-TRANSFORMATION
A Company for the New Millennium:
completing the E-transformation
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The first few years of the 21st. century will see the
consolidation of the Internet as a channel for an
important volume of sales transactions. In this new
economy, the only companies that will remain competitive
are those that have been able to adapt their
organisation to the requirements of the emerging
market and whose structure is sufficiently flexible
and open to grow along with it. Fully aware of the
need for change to face the new future, in the year
2000 Sol Meliá began an ambitious “e-transformation”
process which is now nearing completion.
Given that an optimum performance would never
be possible without solid internal infrastructure,
the company is also finalising the renovation of all
of its computer systems to create a single, unified
and integrated platform which will provide cost
reductions, accelerate processes and store and
process enormous amounts of information. This
new nucleus will avoid loss of information, external
filtration and pirate programmes. The final
stage of the integration of SAP (System
Application Programme) will take place over the
next couple of months, allowing the automation
of most of the company’s principal functions.
“Sol Meliá is
modernising its
entire technological
platform in order to
prepare the company
for a new era and
face the challenges of
the 21st. century in
optimum conditions.
This commitment
will allow us to fully
adapt our internal
and external
management to new
technologies and
really become a
“solmelia.com”.
”
Hervé Imbert,
Executive Vice President
Information Systems
In parallel with these internal changes, the company
is also working on several important initiatives
on both the Sell Side (clients) and Buy Side
(suppliers) to change the way that we do business.
On the Sell Side, the use of new technologies in
different aspects of the company’s business is
expected to generate significant increases in
revenues and reductions in distribution costs:
SolRes.- The central reservations system
rebuilt using latest generation technology and with
a centralised structure operating 24 hours a day.
www.solmelia.com.- The fourth generation
of the website will personalise interactions
with users as they make real time reservations
and greatly extend the information available on
the company and its hotels.
meliaviajes.com.- A new multi-channel
travel agency aiming to become market leader
providing a wide range of destinations and holiday
experiences tailor-made for customers on an
individual basis.
Sol Meliá and Telefónica Data have reached an
agreement to implement the “SolNet” network
allowing an “on line” connection of all of the
company’s hotels in 30 countries on 4 continents
as well as its different corporate offices. The creation
of a modern global network will increase
the efficiency of internal communications while
also generating important savings in time and
money. It will also ensure the receipt of more
reliable information both on guests and on internal
operations, and, in the short-term, allow
direct Internet access for all guests from their
hotel rooms.
Loyalty programmes.- The consolidation
of company Loyalty Programmes is another
of the objectives of the e-transformation.
Members are already able to access all of the
information on programmes through the website
(www.solmelia.com) as well as checking their
account.
The company is also actively supporting joint
ventures or alliances in new technology ventures
with market leaders in different sectors of the
economy that are expected to add value to the
products and services provided by Sol Meliá.
S OL
M ELIÁ
A NNUAL R EPORT 2000
54