The Marquis of Granby has been part of Alkham village life since 2019. Monthly quizzes. Cricket matches against other Kent teams. Live music. Ten individually designed rooms that locals book for visiting family and that Dover-bound cruise travellers have quietly made their favourite stopover. But running the hotel management software behind all of it was becoming a different story.
It’s the kind of place that takes care of people. But the booking system that was supposed to take care of the business? That was becoming a different story.
The problem with the old system
Training new staff was hard work. Guests were struggling with technical difficulties trying to book online. When Contemporary Pubs — who run three properties across Kent — decided to switch their till system to Lightspeed, they needed everything to work together. And their old PMS wasn’t going to cut it.
“We were changing everything within the company,” says Sam, office manager for Contemporary Pubs, “just so it’s more user-friendly for everyone.”
The question wasn’t whether to switch. It was whether switching would create more pain than it solved.
“The longer you go on with a booking system you’re not happy with, the harder your work’s going to be.”
“Everyone knew what they were doing from the get-go”
The process of switching was far easier than they expected. The Preno team built the system in the background before go-live.
“The changeover process was extremely easy,” Sam says. “The Preno team were so helpful leading up to the date. The whole process was simple.”
Step-by-step videos walked the team through everything. “If you needed help further than that,” Sam adds, “the team were literally on the end of the phone or email.” And when questions come up – which they do, when you’re running a pub and hotel that’s open 24 hours – the support is there. “No matter who you talk to within the Preno team, they can help you within minutes. That’s really important when you’re open 24 hours yourself.”
Simpler for staff. Simpler for guests. Simpler for everyone.
Staff who’ve used PMS systems for years find Preno easier. The calendar shows two weeks at a time instead of a single day. Rates can be changed and pushed live in seconds — useful when you want to drop a last-minute price to fill a room.
The guest booking flow is cleaner too. Older guests who previously needed help are now booking online independently. A regular who always takes the dinner bed-and-breakfast package can now add it herself without calling. Prosecco in the room, a dog bowl, a dog welcome package — upsells that used to be awkward to add are now just part of the booking process.
“We’ve found those extras a lot more popular since moving to Preno,” Sam says, “because it’s just easier.”
Every morning, the housekeeping team opens Preno to see which rooms need what. No printed lists. No separate messages. Just a clear view of the day.
“Just do it.”
Asked what she’d say to someone sitting on the fence about switching, Sam doesn’t hesitate.
Reflecting on the move, Sam encourages other properties not to delay switching systems if they’re unhappy with their current setup. “It’s so daunting because you’ve obviously got years’ worth of bookings, but it couldn’t be simpler,” she says.
“Just do it. The longer you go on with a booking system you’re not happy with, the harder your work is going to be. If you make your work life easier by moving sooner, then it’s for the best for your team.”