Vienna International Hotelmanagement AG (VI) is repositioning itself. Effective 1 February 2016, Austria’s largest hotel group will flip the switch to recreate its brand identity from top to bottom. Vienna International Hotelmanagement AG is set to become Vienna House.
“Just slightly over a year ago, I took over the helm of VI with the goal of repositioning the company, establishing a clear brand strategy and putting into action all the necessary changes in order to do so,” says Rupert Simoner, CEO of VI, explaining his course. “Along the way, we started by repositioning ourselves from the inside out, bringing the staff on board from the beginning, together with Martin Ykema, COO, and Johanna Weichselbaumer, CFO, and so laying the foundation for future growth and continued commercial success.”
The 38 hotels, each with its own identity, system and target groups, which together with a parent company that operates in the background, will form a new company at the turn of the year. The changes affect the company culture as well as the corporate identity, the structure of the separate divisions, the use of the appropriate technologies, the re-conception of all hotel areas and service standards, as well as alterations, renovations and refurbishments to the hotels.
The new logos, the image and colour concept, the new corporate wording and the development of the new brand architecture will be presented and regularly updated at the “coming soon” website www.viennahouse.com.
“We are not just another lifestyle brand on the market,” Simoner makes clear from the beginning. “Lifestyle comes and goes. We define our positioning on the basis of our core values: enjoyment, refinement, down-to-earth and explorative” he says, further setting out the corporate strategy: “The answer as to what makes us different from other brands can be found in the ‘Why’. We believe in the beauty of simplicity. What do we mean by that? We keep it simple, with style and attention. The point is to be a true host and to be ourselves, not to wear any masks, not to remain rigidly fixed in hundreds of standards. We ask ourselves what our guest really wants and act accordingly. Finally, we simply make our guests happy. That’s what we stand for!”
The brand architecture
Vienna House, the umbrella brand of a number of individual city and resort hotels, will assume the lead and combine the design line, the concept line and the easy line under a single brand.
The hotels of Vienna House are individual, stylish and relaxed city and resort hotels. Andel’s by Vienna House stands for individual design, while angelo by Vienna House is a colourful, vibrant concept hotel. The rebranding will take place on 1 February 2016.
Vienna House Easy will be ready to go live on 1 January 2016. The Easy line encompasses uncomplicated B&B hotels representing local hospitality and contemporary straightforwardness.
“Vienna” stands for the company’s origins and for the quality of life, joie de vivre and hospitality for which the city is famous. “House” is a place that unites, where you can be yourself, where the family comes together, and where you invite friends and guests as a host. The feeling of contemporary, modern Vienna, combined with our shared European roots and traditions, will be reflected in all hotels.
All changes consistent with guest view
To start with, each hotel line defines flagships to be modified, renovated and adapted before the other hotels are gradually refitted. Renovations have already begun at Vienna House Easy Günzburg and Landsberg, with Neckarsulm, Braunschweig and other hotels to follow in 2016.
All brands operate according to the principle of hospitality instead of automatisation and – in keeping with the theme – the radical simplification of standards through the greatest possible freedom and flexibility for all employees.
The most important changes at Vienna House Easy in brief: new room design, local influences in the design concept, modern self-service pillow menus, a meeting concept with creative zones, breakfast concept in bakery style, market restaurant concept for hotels with restaurant.
Individual changes, regardless of brand, and tailored especially to each hotel, include: free high-speed internet access, mobile check-in/check-out as well as a personalised reception culture and an open lobby with living room or lounge. The meeting areas are being modernised with new interiors and creative, multifunctional spaces. The new restaurant, bar and breakfast concepts will focus on regionality. The issue of mobility is being addressed through bike stations, e-vehicle stations and car sharing stations. A “Kleiner Laden” (small shop) in the public area will replace the minibar. Top-quality room amenities, a kids’ world, as well as new and simple building services and modern technologies, such as charging stations at all tables or web-based concierge services, are just some of the additional guest-oriented changes.
“The moment that I enter a hotel lobby and it is full of people – people making lively conversation, enjoying a relaxing drink or just passing the time – I know whether a concept works or not. Everyone knows that a hotel has rooms, but the decisive difference lies in those areas where people come together. The lobby and its surrounding areas are the heart of the hotel,” Simoner explains.
Restructuring at the corporate level
Besides the successful management of the existing hotels, this past year has been characterised by internal restructuring, the deployment of the right technologies, and employee communication.
The Marketing department focused on the new corporate design, choosing the approach of establishing an emotional connection with the new brand world. Corporate Communications focused on the internal communications, prepared the brand communications, and strategically restructured the social media. E-Commerce, established only recently, places its focus on a new “mobile-first” website architecture, on increasing sales via the hotel website, and on creating the best possible partnerships and cooperative alliances.
Human Resources began offering new extensive training and development programmes, including the VIctor programme with MBD modules for the advancement of junior management staff. Quality Management developed new guidelines, critically examined the old standards and set up new procedures using both expertise and common sense, and redefined the standards of evaluation. The Rooms Department, currently in development, will work together with Quality Management to develop and implement new strategies.
A central purchasing system as well as new budget and reporting tools will improve the strategic planning and management of all hotels in terms of finance. New analysis and sales tools make it possible to pursue new and creative sales paths in the field of revenue. Additionally, new segmentations promote improved rate structures. Sales is working on consolidating its strengths by grouping and restructuring markets and client accounts as well as entering new markets. New global teams have been set up in Vienna, Berlin, London, Amsterdam, Moscow, Prague and Warsaw.
The process will have an enormous impact on the technical infrastructure, concerning the “guest facing technology” on the one hand, but also in terms of the changeover of domains, websites and mail servers. Technical Services, established in 2015, is focused mainly on implementing global maintenance measures and strategies.
The Food & Beverage department is working on new regional restaurant and shop concepts. Last but not least, the Development department reinforced its interior architecture and design activities and is now working on the step-by-step implementation of the new design concept. Besides the aforementioned changes, this also involves: the extension of angelo by Vienna House Munich Leuchtenbergring through 130 new rooms, shopping possibilities and offices; all rooms and Oscar’s Bar at andel’s by Vienna House Prague; the lobby, Oscar’s Bar, Skybar and spa area at andel’s by Vienna House Berlin; and the adaptation of all rooms to the new angelo design at angelo by Vienna House Bucharest. Negotiations are underway over the new construction of a congress centre next to andel’s by Vienna House Berlin.
Talks for further hotel projects – both under management as well as on lease – are being held in Germany, Scandinavia, Austria and Poland. For the time being, Vienna International Hotelmanagement AG, as well as its subsidiary companies, will continue to function as the legal firm in the background. The former VI Arcadia Hotels and Chopin Hotels will be operating under the Easy line.
