Company Name: Best Western Plus Red River Inn

Name & Title: Steve Hall, General Manager

Location: Clarendon, TX

Website:BestWestern.com

Industry: Travel & Hospitality

When you’re the General Manager of a 49-room rural roadside hotel, you’re already facing enough technological challenges just by your geographical location. Add to this situation additional technology requirements from headquarters as well as daily sporadic computer problems that never happen at a convenient time and it’s clear why Steve Hall of the Best Western Plus Red River Inn started to search for further assistance. Luckily, he found Daniel Silva and his team at Vision Computer Services who were able to step in and help Steve implement and manage his technology protocols to keep his business optimized and secured while ensuring guests enjoy a technologically smooth stay.

Evolving Tech Troubles

Steve has been in the hotel business pretty much his entire life. “My dad opened a motel in another small town in the early sixties,” Steve begins, “so, I grew up in the industry. In fact, when I first started working the front desk, I had to stand on a box. And at that time, everything was still done with paper and pen, so I’ve certainly seen many changes in the industry.” He continues, “I’ve been at this location in the hotel business for over 40 years and still remember when we used paper directories listing other Best Western hotel information and having to call them collect for a property-to-property reservation. Nowadays, with the internet and smartphones, people just make reservations online.”

Clearly, as time progressed, the business went from straightforward to more and more complex as further technological challenges emerged. “In early 2005, we were still registering people manually,” explains Steve, “but soon, Best Western wanted to implement a property management system, which was great until they wanted to add a two-way interface feature and we had to switch to another software. With each switch, things got more complex and so did the problems.” However, arguably the biggest problem Steve was facing was that he didn’t have any technology help outside of regular business hours. “We had a local company providing us with some rudimentary support, but they were not available when we needed things,” says Steve. “Invariably, things would happen in the evening and there was no one to help us. So, I began looking for a different solution.”

A Helping Hand

Upon doing some research and coming across Vision Computer Services in the next town over, Steve phoned up his banker—also located in that same small town—to ask about the company. After receiving a glowing personal review, Steve set up a meeting with Daniel and his team, and they turned out to be exactly what the Red River Inn needed. “I was very impressed when they came in,” says Steve. “They were extremely knowledgeable, and one thing I liked was that they could help us remotely. Being in a rural location, this was critical, and it also meant they could help us in the middle of the night, which was something else we desperately needed.” He continues, “I just wanted somebody to fix my computer after five o’clock, but instead, I got a technology partner who’s as invested in the success of my business as I am.”

A mere few months into their partnership in 2015, Steve encountered a new roadblock. “Best Western now wanted us to have faster internet available to our guests,” mentions Steve. “People these days want the speed they have at home, but this meant having to call our internet provider in to lay a dedicated line. It also meant we had to re-cable all the wiring in the building. We did shop around for multiple quotes, but Daniel and his team were by far the most economical, and they truly went above and beyond for us. They were willing to start at 6 p.m. and work until 4 a.m., crawling around in the attic to re-cable everything. And the best part was that our guests didn’t even know they were here.”

Beyond helping with their cabling and managing their equipment, Steve also leans on Daniel and his team for help with their cybersecurity protocols.

“The truth is that we don’t know enough to make the right decisions,” Steve says. “But having Vision Computer Services by our side takes the stress out of it because I know they’re always working in the background to not only protect us from existing threats but implement better tools to help prevent future attacks.“

“For example, one of these tools is called ThreatLocker, and it’s basically a zero-trust application that blocks anything unapproved from getting downloaded or installed. Sounds simple enough, but it has definitely saved us a few times.”

Decades-Long Duo

In terms of the overall partnership and what he would tell others looking for help with their tech, Steve says, “I have no hesitancy recommending Vision Computer at all. They have met and exceeded our expectations in every way possible, and to me, it’s completely worth a few hundred dollars a month to have the peace of mind that my technology is not something I have to worry about. Daniel and his team do a lot of work behind the scenes, and honestly, we hardly ever have computer problems anymore. And if we do, we’ve got someone we can call who’s always extremely responsive.”

Looking ahead, Steve plans to implement even further technology upgrades. “One thing we’re going to be working with Vision Computer on is investing in all-new smart TVs for our rooms,” explains Steve. “We’re already in discussions to ensure we can meet the requirements of the system, so this is another thing we’re doing this year to continually improve our clients’ stay.”

Ultimately, by having the technology piece taken off of his plate, Steve and his team at the Red River Inn can focus on what they do best—providing a premier hotel experience that seamlessly blends modern amenities with rural charm. This collaboration between Vision Computer Services and the Red River Inn ensures that guests have enjoyed, and will continue to enjoy, a welcoming and smooth stay, even in the heart of rural Texas where technology challenges are inevitable but expertly managed.

For more information about Vision Computer Services, visit IHaveComputerProblems.com.