Strategic partnership delivers cutting-edge integrated payment solutions
NH Hotel Group is a world-leading urban hotel operator with more than 380 hotels in 30 countries across Europe, America and Africa, headquartered in Madrid. Over the last year, NH has undertaken an ambitious transformation plan to implement new technology systems throughout its hotels, and a new payment solution was a key component of this. The Elavon and 3C Payment partnership was crucial to fulfilling NH’s pan-European requirements.
Elavon has been working with NH Hotel Group since 2000, accelerating its transformation of customer payments and integration with its back-office systems. 3C Payment is a global payment service provider working with customers in over 40 countries, and has been providing secure processing of hotel payments for over three decades.
Its secure 3C Integra hosted gateway unifies multiple payment channels, maintaining core payment infrastructure through a single platform. Together, Elavon and 3C have successfully deployed innovative payment solutions to leading global hotel brands for many years.
With a proven track record of working in close collaboration to deliver quality products and personalised expert service, our mutual clients benefit from a best-in-class payment solution.
"We have realised the benefits and added value this new technology has brought to NH and we continue to roll out the Elavon and 3C solution to new countries,” said Fernando Cebada Roldán, Corporate Treasury Director, NH Hotels.
"Rolling out an intelligent integrated payment system with 3C and Elavon has allowed NH Hotels to transform operational efficiency and the customer experience" Fernando Cebada Roldán, Corporate Treasury Director
Digital transformation
NH Hotel Group undertook an ambitious project to introduce brand new technologies, and leading financial solutions into the business and transform the way NH was currently working. A key component of this challenging project was the implementation of a pan-European integrated payment solution.
To achieve this goal, NH needed to choose a payment service provider and acquiring solution that could technically support their ambitious objectives. Using the previous system with standalone terminals, payment needed to be double keyed: first into the NH Property Management System (PMS), and then again into the payment terminal. Not only was this inefficient and subject to input errors, but the separate handling of bookings and payments caused challenging reconciliation issues.
Through one of the most innovative projects in the hospitality industry to date, Elavon and 3C implemented an automated intelligent payment platform across the NH Hotel Group’s network. The goal was to provide a highly efficient check in and check out experience for its guests ensuring they have the best experience of the NH brand. The project has included wholescale integration of back office functions from accounting, treasury, CRM and sales systems.
“By implementing the 3C Payment Integra solution, with Elavon’s acquiring, NH Hotel Group now places itself as a market leader within the hospitality sector, in terms of collection methods, payment processing and revenue management. With the payment process being secure, seamless and uniform, this has driven economies of scale and knowledge share across the business,“ continued Fernando Cebada Roldán.
Implementing cutting-edge solutions
NH Hotel Group now processes EMV transactions using a fully integrated, PCI Level 1 compliant, standardised protocol, which has reduced time at checkout for guests and staff, and offers simplified reconciliation and reporting – and all with lower processing costs. With the new Elavon and 3C solution, cardholder details are securely captured via a pre-authorisation through online booking and at check-in, and completed automatically via the PMS with the option for guests to pay in their currency of choice with Elavon’s Dynamic Currency Conversion.
The integrated cashless payment solution provides contact and contactless payment options for customers including Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Diners, UnionPay International, Apple Pay and Google Pay. In addition, the 3C web portal allows NH Hotel Group’s staff to view and manage gateway transaction flows, including pre-authorisation reversals and reconciling transactions which have been settled with Elavon.
Future growth
Elavon and 3C are currently supporting the operations of 167 hotels across NH Hotel Group with over 400 payment terminals. The new intelligent payment platform has been already rolled out in all hotels in Belgium, The Netherlands, and Germany. It is currently being implemented across all hotels in Spain and will soon be extended to Italy, where successful pilots have already taken place.
Further plans include continuing the roll out in Austria and Switzerland. Implementing state-of-the art financial technology across NH Hotel Group now creates new possibilities and opportunities for future projects to be developed, and demonstrates NH’s ability to lead the way in technology innovation in hospitality.
To discover more about NH Hotels, visit: