Nov. 8, 2023

This paid piece is sponsored by Regency Hotel Management.

After decades in I.T. roles for the hospitality and construction industry, Peter Stangas built the software he’d always needed.

While based in California, he created Koko, a software system designed to simplify maintenance work orders and elevate communication and accountability, all while conserving time and money.

“This is a need in our field, and it’s a product designed and built specifically for the hospitality industry,” Stangas said. “And it’s simple. It must be simple. You don’t need long training courses or detailed knowledge to use it. And the data collection that results is absolutely phenomenal.”

Koko now has become part of Sioux Falls-based Regency Hotel Management, which operates over 40 hotels in 12 states. Stangas, who has relocated to Sioux Falls, serves as director of software engineering and product development.

“We’re incredibly proud to have watched Koko grow from an idea to a theory and into practice. Peter Stangas and our chief technology officer Jim Stark went into the development of Koko with their eyes wide open and with the idea of producing a system that was easy to use but, more importantly, could be utilized across a broad spectrum of applications,” said Tom Biegler, president and CEO of Regency Hotel Management.

“The more we see it work, the easier it is to understand that Koko is on the cusp of being something no business should be without, no matter their focus. The next five years are going to be fun to watch. Koko has all the makings of a once-in-a-generation application. These guys are good, but the program speaks for itself. “

With Koko, hotel staff can enter geo-located work orders for anything from needed repairs to guest complaints. The issues are logged, tracked, and closed out as they are resolved.

“We now have full transparency, full accountability and ultimately improved communication and a stronger and more pleasant guest experience,” Stangas said. “Everyone from housekeeping to maintenance and food and beverage can use the system, and we’ll also be able to track everything from preventative maintenance to punch list items during construction.”

The system also allows for photos and video to be uploaded with each work order as further documentation, as well as a QR-code based system for guests to easily report needs that are sent directly to Koko.

Information can be exported to Microsoft Excel, including a real-time spreadsheet, and a chat feature allows for conversation within the system. Work orders can easily be exported via email and sent to third parties and vendors.

Groups, such as front desk staff or leadership, can be created to allow seamless collective access to information.

“It’s like email or text messaging on steroids reporting to specific groups,” Stangas said.

“It all drives back to our guests. We want their experience to be elevated to the highest level possible.”

Koko is being onboarded throughout Regency Hotel Management properties, with preliminary agreements with major hotel brands and a pilot launch at nine of the Ohio state parks.

“Upper management loves it because there’s essentially now a medical record for the hospitality industry,” Stangas said. “You get a better pulse on any one entity or throughout an entire portfolio. And we’ve seen unquestionable service improvements in the properties that are using this.”

While Koko is owned by Regency Hotel Management, it will be available industrywide and has broader applications beyond hospitality including in property management.

“As we’ve started going to trade shows and introducing the software, our conversations have been very, very successful,” Stangas said. “We’ve seen significant interest and are working to onboard multiple properties in 2024.”

To learn more about Koko, click here, and to hear from those already using it, watch the video below.