Maximizing ROI: How Colonial Williamsburg Streamlined Operations with ROH to Increase Conversions

Located in the heart of Virginia, Colonial Williamsburg stands as a living tribute to America's vibrant history and cultural legacy. For those in search of an unparalleled and immersive adventure, a stay at Colonial Williamsburg Resorts offers more than just a retreat—it's a voyage through time. Each of Colonial Williamsburg's five distinct accommodations has partnered with ROH to provide an exceptional client experience. 

An all-too-common challenge for a property of this scale is that the sales and finance teams spend more time on administrative tasks than revenue-generating tasks. Manually collecting physical contracts and deposits is a cumbersome process that adds unnecessary time and complexity. To streamline their operations and transition from outdated methods to an entirely electronic system, they needed an easy-to-use solution that could automate tasks and consolidate information for their teams.

Colonial Williamsburg Resorts boasts over 100,000 square feet of meeting and event space, including 23 unique venues to accommodate a wide range of events from elaborate galas to intimate corporate gatherings. Each of the five accommodations operated by Crescent Hotels & Resorts offers comfort and elegance, located in the heart of historic Williamsburg where conference and event guests are surrounded by the ambiance of the 18th century. With a team of experienced professionals to assist with planning every step of the way, the Colonial Williamsburg Resorts makes a great location to easily host corporate meetings, conferences, retreats and more.

Before implementing ROH, the sales and finance teams at Colonial Williamsburg Resorts were overwhelmed with time-consuming manual tasks, which took their focus away from customers and more profitable, revenue-generating activities. The use of paper contracts and deposits required wet-ink signatures, making the process labor-intensive and inefficient in an increasingly digital world. The challenge of ensuring coordination and communication across all five properties further added to the operational inefficiencies.

Brittany Rice, the Director of Sales at Colonial Williamsburg Resorts, acknowledged the organization's cautious stance towards adopting new technologies. "We are slow to embrace technological changes," she says. This hesitancy stems from factors like the resort's unique operational culture, limited resources and concerns about disrupting existing workflows.

The finance team at Colonial Williamsburg Resorts also lacked an effective system for tracking and managing aging AR, including a need for automated reminders for timely follow-up on at-risk or overdue payments.

Even in the early stages of the partnership, the finance and sales teams at Colonial Williamsburg Resorts recognized ROH's significant potential for ROI. "Our team is able to focus more on revenue, which is the most important thing rather than administrative work," says Rice. ROH streamlined processes, reduced paperwork and facilitated easy digital payments. ROH's cloud-based platform also offered a centralized hub, facilitating real-time collaboration and communication among finance and sales team members. Furthermore, ROH accelerated deposit collection, minimized aging AR and improved financial transparency across teams.

Additionally, ROH has significantly enhanced the end-client experience with easy-to-pay digital invoices and one-click contract signing. ROH’s ability to package all relevant actions needed by the property from the end client into one streamlined experience provides a faster turnaround time and happier customers.

Robust support from the ROH team was also crucial in managing the implementation process. “When you have an opportunity to really build a relationship with your vendor, you're much more inclined to trust them, trust in the process and trust in the product itself,” explains Rice.

By embracing digital transformation with ROH’s payments and revenue management platform, Colonial Williamsburg Resorts emerged more agile and efficient. The transition from outdated processes not only alleviated administrative burdens, but also empowered their global sales team to focus on revenue-generating tasks, positioning the organization for sustained growth and success in the competitive hospitality landscape. Rice adds, "It’s great to have a system that makes sure all information is up to date, and obviously collecting money is very important.”