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publishers' letter
Summer2014
Twitter: @HospUpgrade
Someone once told me it isnt what you know, it's who you know. Is that really true? I am a believer
that knowledge is power; the more you know the more you can share. I bring this up because I do know a
lot of very smart people in the industry and they inspire us to share their knowledge with you. We get lots
of feedback from readers every issue most of it very positive but then there are occasional questions as
to why we do some of the things we do. Of course we appreciate both types of feedback. The one thing we
have consistently done every issue is address a trending technology topic in our feature article as we did last
issue with Big Data. This issue we decided to try something new, and when I read the article I learned a lot.
Love them or hate them, consultants whose success is based on the knowledge they have of the industry
technology initiatives and developments are Hospitality Upgrades lifeblood. We receive many accolades
about the quality of our editorial. We also get some funny feedback on a few of the more creative things we
do, but you be your own judge. This issue we dipped into the technology consultants pool and asked John
Burns, Jon Inge and Jeremy Rock to sit down with us to share their views of the past, the present and what
lies ahead. These are experts in the felds of distribution, property technology and infrastructure, and I loved
how they shared their concerns, suggestions and how to position yourself for the future. The hotel industry
has a habit in many cases of resisting change too quickly, and their comments regarding this are valuable.
Change is inevitable in life and we all have to change to survive and thrive, which is why as a business we
never hesitate to try something new. Our feature article is very different and we hope you will fnd value in it.
I wonder how many are reading this Publishers Letter while getting ready to attend HITEC or are already
at HITEC. It is the one event that brings everybody together, and when you have been around the industry as
long as I have it is half business and half social. We live in a world of email, skype or many other ways to
communicate, but nothing will ever beat face to face. If you are not going to make it to HITEC, we promise to
bring a review of all we learned in our next issue, via Hotel-Online.com and hospitalityupgrade.com, where
we will have the annual Siegel Sez HITEC overview video with Jon Inge. Along with the sold-out exhibit hall
there are great educational sessions being offered throughout the event, and if you are a vendor I would
encourage you to also attend these for the subject matter and because there are so many hoteliers normally
in the crowd. When I was a vendor back in the 80s I always went to the sessions. It was amazing who you
would meet. This year the one session I look forward to the most will be when Barry Shuler is inducted
into the HFTP Hall of Fame. I remember the years Barry attended our CIO Summit when he was the chief
technology offcer at Marriott. He is a worthy addition to the Hall of Fame.
Speaking of the CIO Summit, this year our event will be held in Milwaukee, Wis. Initially the feedback was,
why Milwaukee? Nobody holds events in Milwaukee which is exactly why we are going there. Then after
a bit of research on this city, anyone who was questioning the choice fgured it out and is now just as jazzed
about visiting as we are. Lets see how much beer and cheese we can overwhelm them with! If you have any
questions about the CIO Summit, please send an email to me. We set the bar pretty high last year so we look
forward to raising it even higher this year. Yes, we love the pressure.
If you are at HITEC, please come by and visit us. We will be in booth No. 1640. We hope to see you there.
Thank you for all the great feedback, inspiration and thoughts that motivate us to make every issue better than
the previous one. I think we did a great job with our big HITEC issue this year; we hope you agree!
Publisher
RichaRd Siegel
Rich@hospitalityupgrade.com
SVP, Managing Editor
geneva RinehaRT
Geneva@hospitalityupgrade.com
Twitter: @genevarinehart
Associate Publisher
MaRiTa KahleR
Marita@hospitalityupgrade.com
Editor
KRiS BuRneTT
Kris@hospitalityupgrade.com
Media Manager/Assistant Editor
KaTheRine daRSie
Katherine@hospitalityupgrade.com
Special Thanks:
Cindy Taylor and Fiona Zimmermann
contributors:
John Burns, Jon Inge, Jeremy Rock, Michael
Schubach, Cindy Estis Green, Scott Warner,
Jeffrey S Parker, Trevor Warner, James
Lingle, Kris Burnett, Michael L Kasavana,
David Durko, Mary Siero, Ryan Ward, Mark
Munger, David Atkins, John Atkins, Emily
Culclasure, Kelly McGuire, Suneel Grover,
Geoff Griswold, Dan Phillips, Diane Estner,
Randy Dearborn, Danilo Molaschi
cover design: george Opryszko
cartoons 2014 T. Brian Kelly
ragstandman@msn.com
www.hospitalityupgrade.com
Summer2014
columns
144
162
132
136
140
164
167
26
38
156
166
asset management
A Pain in the Asset, Mark Munger
big data
Foster an Analytics Culture, Samuel Ayisi
data security
The Road to Compliance is a Rocky One for
Hotels, the Wyndham case, David Durko
12
Roundtable
discussion
with a panel
of experts
advancements,infrastructure,wi-, etc.
34
42
46
48
52
patent trolls
Returning Trolls to Myth: The Rise of
Patent Troll Claims, Scott Warner
room automation systems
I R.A.N., I R.A.N. so far away... ,
Jerey S Parker
Introducing Google's Chromecast,
Trevor Warner
5 GHz Is It Worth It?
James Lingle
departments
158
hosted telephony
Is Hosted Voice Finally Ready for Prime
Time? Dan Phillips, Diane Estner
124
internet of everything
Connecting the Unconnected
Michael Kasavana
60
62
64
118
168
170
172
174
175
178
182
183
184
30
148
152
154
MeetingMatrix - iPlan
PURPOSE BUILT
SOLUTIONS FOR
HOSPITALITY
SERVICE OPTIMIZATION
SOLUTIONS FOR HOUSEKEEPING,
ENGINEERING AND CATERING
MeetingBroker - PremiumView
HotSOS - REX
Editors Note
@genevarinehart
As
(Or go to layar.com)
Last year we introduced our What's on the Bookshelf column. Over the years, we've
had so many interesting conversations, and often we'll hear facinating things about people
that you wouldn't expect based on the last book he or she read. Check out the Book Review
(pg 60) and see what Mandarin Oriental's Monika Nerger, Marriott's Page Petry, HOSPA's
Carl Weldon and Digital Alchemy's Don Hay have on their bookshelves.
One of the additions I'm particularly proud of this issue is the new Tech&Health
column (pg 174). Technology isn't just something that permeates our work, play and school.
It affects our HEALTH, and after sitting through enough sessions with Dr. Roy Siegel we
thought it was high time we shared this information there is the right way and the unhealthy way to use technology. Let's break a few of these bad habits together. It might be a
little awkward at frst but you'll thank us later.
Our summer edition continues to be honored as the Exclusive Affliated Technology
Publication of HFTP, the producers of HITEC, and will be distributed to attendees of HITEC
and HSMAIs ROC this month. So if you ever wonder who else is reading HU besides you,
take a good look around all of the conference rooms and exhibit foors. Our readers include
so many executives at all levels and just like you they are buying infuencers.
Is it obvious that we want you to stay on the cutting edge of your hospitality business? As publishers, we want to do the same. That is why we incorporated augmented
reality (AR) into our editorial to further engage and interact with you. If you have not used
it yet, download the free LAYAR app to your tablet or smartphone and check out the extras
we have added to the pages that have the HU bug.
If you are an advertiser, it is so easy to make your ad interactive using AR. Take a
look at the list of advertisers below who are incorporating AR to further engage our readers. Please have fun scanning their ads to fnd the innovative things hidden in the layer
under the printed page. It is like a treasure hunt within our pages.
Find HU at:
PODCAST ALERT!!!
AR ADDS MORE!
www.hospitalityupgrade.com
Contributors
Jon Inge
Jeremy Rock
Scott Warner, pg 34
Michael Schubach, pg 26
Michael Schubach
likens guest service
to car buying in
his column for
this issue. He
says everyone
in hospitality is
required to be
aggressively
hospitable, and that
includes you in the
IT department.
In "Here Be
Dragons," Cindy
Estis Green shares
with us the dangers
but also the vast
opportunities
that the digital
marketplace
holds for the hotel
industry.
Jeffrey S Parker, pg 42
Jon Inge, pg 38
In a section we have
cordoned off for
room area networks
(RAN), Jeffrey Stephen Parker writes
about creating the
perfect RAN, and
in turn, how guests
will run to your hotel
property.
Scan this
page using
Trevor Warner, pg 46
In the second
article of the RAN
series, Trevor
Warner introduces
Chromecast
from Google
and discusses
the impact of
entertainmenttoting guests to
the guestroom
experience.
James Lingle, pg 48
There is a trend
in the industry. In
"Connecting the
Unconnected,"
Michael Kasavana
denes the Internet
of Everything,
discussing its
premise, challenges
and what it means
to the hospitality
industry.
In our data
security section,
David Durko shares
lessons from the
recent FTC lings
against Wyndham
and what the
results could mean
for the hospitality
industry.
Android
www.hospitalityupgrade.com
Contributors
Asset management
is an overlooked but
extremely necessary investment.
Mark Munger looks
at the companies
that bring these
applications to the
hospitality industry.
In "Social Media
Suicide," Emily
Culclasure shares
ve no-nos of social
media to avoid at all
costs so your hotel
can thrive online.
Passwords are a
way of life. Changing and maintaining
the plethora of
company and staff
passwords can be
costly and time
consuming. Ryan
Ward shares seven
tips to secure your
organization with
password management.
In our Notes
from the IT Shop,
Geoff Griswold
reminds us about
the importance of
warranties and
service contracts
and who is
responsible for
each.
A common question
all companies ask is
how they compare to
other organizations
in a competitive
set. David and John
Atkins share with
HU, "The Best, Best
Practice: Digital
Benchmarking for
Hotels."
Continuing his
in-depth discussion
on Big Data from
our spring issue,
Samuel Ayisi
writes about
how a successful
analytics initiative
always starts
with "Fostering an
Analytics Culture."
www.hospitalityupgrade.com
www.hospitalityupgrade.com
state of TECHNOLOGY
Hospitality Upgrade Managing Editor Geneva Rinehart assembled a distinguished industry panel discussing some important trends in
hospitality technology and the state of the industry during a recent podcast. Joining HU were John Burns, Jon Inge and Jeremy Rock, each
with a specic point of view within the industry. Mr. Burns is our resident distribution expert, Mr. Inge focuses on property systems and Mr.
Rock specializes in infrastructure. While these areas overlap and intersect, each expert has a unique perception on the current state of the
industry. We started our discussion with some overall observation questions.
The podcast is available for download at: hospitalityupgrade.com/11TechnologyTrendsInTheHospitalityIndustry
Q1
John Burns: I don't so much see systems that are not implemented, but rather systems and technologies hotels have on board
already that are being under used. For the
most part awareness of the existing systems
capabilities is far below what it should be.
How can we train staff so that these features
are used on a consistent basis?
Second, a comment about hotel websites. In many cases, the information is currently unappealing, with lackluster descriptions of the hotel and of the individual rooms.
We ask travelers to select our hotel but in too
many cases, there isn't a strong, compelling
reason to do so, not at least in terms of appealing photographs and persuasive phrasing
on the website. In too many cases, the same
photo is used for every room type. There
isn't a strong differentiation between one
room type and another to suggest to people
that there is merit in moving up to a more
expensive room.
Jon Inge: There is so much functionality in every system that never is explored; we
really could make a difference by exploring
what is available. All the same, there are denitely lost opportunities in staying with older
systems well beyond their most effective use
date. Newer systems give much more comprehensive and accurate views of their guests and
the operation as a whole.
This in turn leads directly back into
guest service; having an accurate guest picture
and then really catering to his or her needs
makes a big difference.
The other thing that has changed, or that
people dont look at enough, is the impact
of good user interfaces. Older systems can
be really awkward to use; many modern
SCAN this
page to listen
to podcast.
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www.hospitalityupgrade.com
state of TECHNOLOGY
Q2
Q3
better places to look and reserve than the hotel company's brand website. This is a seismic
change with huge implications.
Jon Inge: From my viewpoint, one
of the most dramatic things has been the
improvement in interface capabilities between
systems, based on XML messaging. This
has made a massive difference in how we
exchange data across a propertys multiple
systems and how we can better accumulate it
to build a more complete and more accurate
picture of the property and of the guests'
activities.
I'd put the development of better screen
design in there as a signicant change as well.
There has been some excellent work in learning where users need to get the information,
how much they can use at any one time, and
how it should be presented so that they can
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state of TECHNOLOGY
Q4
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state of TECHNOLOGY
quired on existing door locks, most of which
are still mag stripe. They will require some
sort of adapter to use Bluetooth or maybe
a 2-D bar code scanner as used for airport
check-in.
John Burns: I would zoom out on this
question a bit and think less about the specic technology and more about the competitive differentiation opportunity for hotels who
are aggressive in empowering people to use
their mobile devices. Everyone has a mobile
device. Increasingly they can be used as wallets, as GPS, as photo albums, music libraries,
personal assistants, deal locaters, you name
it. It can track your ights and do a thousand
other things.
I think there is an opportunity for the
hotels who are aggressive, who are going to
spend the money to differentiate themselves
as technologically in the lead, attuned to
guests, attuned to the people who are the
early adopters. Actually, these are now more
in the mainstream and they are anxious to use
their mobile device as an appliance of real
convenience. It's to the hotel industrys detriment if we say we're not going to replace our
door locks until the handles fall off. Thats a
risky position.
Q7
www.hospitalityupgrade.com
state of TECHNOLOGY
Q8
How Sweet It Is
state of TECHNOLOGY
until quite recently, even though their guests
may have been carrying the cards for a long
time. I fear that it is going to take a severe
data incursion to wake people up to the
problems and really drive adoption. It's an
ongoing challenge; I don't see us ever getting
totally on top of it, and its something that
we'll have to address continuously.
Jeremy Rock: PCI 3.0 is going to be
more restrictive in what it does and what
it requires. As for PII, we also need to be
cognizant of the rules and regulations within
not only your local ordinance or the state, the
federal requirements, but also internationally. It's going to be a little bit of a challenge
for those companies that deal with a lot of
international guests to be able to standardize
this particular issue.
Jon Inge: I see the challenge here as
managing the privacy requests of individual
users, who may want to restrict the use of
their information using some kind of generic
app they might have on their phone. They
might want to share only some travel information with some companies under specic
circumstances for a dened period of time,
Q9
www.hospitalityupgrade.com
state of TECHNOLOGY
to be sensitive across the board, not just to Big Data.
Jon Inge: It's so important to keep data clean and accurate.
People now expect you to know a certain amount about them and
their preferences. If you get it wrong, the impact is much worse than
if you didn't try to do it in the rst place, because you've built people's
expectations for better service. Misspelling their name or getting their
birthday wrong are critical errors.
Q10
Q11
Technology Insights
by Michael Schubach
GETTING AGGRESSIVE
A Subtle Message for
the Hospitality Industry
In my eternal quest for truth I am compelled to do a little
myth busting. The frst myth is that old people are unnecessarily
grumpy. As a younger person, I would have told you this was an
indisputable, self-evident truth the elderly are a cantankerous
lot. I believe it stems from their shared belief that humans need
only endure a reasonable amount of general nonsense, social and
political dysfunction, gross negligence from their peers and the
apathetic bumbling from the upcoming generation. Somewhere
around age 60 their tolerance threshold is irreversibly crossed
and the elderly feel that after a lifetime of playing nicely, they
may now say and do just exactly as they please. They exempt
themselves from the practice of social etiquette and common
courtesy, and grumpy becomes a living, breathing euphemism
of understatement.
Now that Ive irreversibly crossed that threshold, I take exception to the use of the word unnecessarily. Elderly Americans
are grumpy for good reason in fact, for many good reasons.
Worse than your typical elderly American is one who has spent
many years in the hospitality industry and therefore possesses a
heightened sense of what service is supposed to be, which brings
me to the second myth: a car dealership is a place where you are
waited upon intensely perhaps too much so until you make a
decision. Why pick on the automotive industry? No reason other
than a recent personal experience where an irresistible myth No.1
encountered an immovable myth No.2.
Quite innocently, and with love in my heart for my fellow earthlings and the exotic foreign automobile I was seeking
to purchase, I entered a car dealership. I presented myself to
the receptionist, bid her a pleasant afternoon, and requested a
brochure for the car I wanted to buy. She walked me to a nearby
table where she briefy examined the piles stacked there and announced the result of her meager attempt: Sorry, we dont have
any. Having discharged her obligation of minimum effort, she
returned to her station to await her next opportunity to underperform. I remained undaunted. I took to opening the doors of
cars on the display foor that were wildly beyond my price range.
Nothing summons a car sales representative to your side faster
than the fear that an obvious member of the underclass is attempting to befoul a European luxury vehicle. To my utter amazement, I was left alone and unattended as I slammed glove boxes
26 Hospitality Upgrade | Summer 2014
and trunks, and then took to rolling car windows up and down
and testing the emergency fashers. My cries in the showroom
wilderness went unanswered.
Clearly they were just waiting to see how long Id last before
I got bored and moved on to a domestic car dealer. Trying to play
Triumph of the Will with an elderly person is a very bad idea
because stubborn goes hand-in-hand with grumpy. I retired
to a lobby chair, determined to sit with an annoyed look on my
face until someone asked if he or she could help me. I sat for
fve minutes before I hit pay dirt. An obvious salesperson came
up to me looking helpful and anxious to please. He smiled at me
and asked, Are you Richard? When I told him no, he glanced
around the room, spotted another likely candidate and managed
to emit one solitary word as he moved on: Sorry. So was I.
I spent another 30 minutes in that chair, now just waiting
to see how bad the bad impression I had already formed could
become. Short of sending up a fare, it had to be obvious that
I was there to part with a good deal of money. Nonetheless, my
behavior was entirely too subtle for this dealership. There was
no shortage of employees who passed me by; logoed team shirts
were the dead giveaway. I fnally returned to the receptionist and
politely inquired if this was indeed a place where cars were sold.
She assured me that it was, and I asked how I might go about
qualifying to participate in the process. I was fnally introduced
to someone who took the time to try to sell me not what I wanted
but what they had in inventory. I was once again reminded that
for those of us who want a new or different car, the acquisition
experience is more obligation than opportunity.
But why am I telling you this? With Hospitality Upgrade in
hand or on screen, its a statistical surety that youre neither a car
dealer nor likely to become one. I tell you this sad tale because
it reminded me of a technique that service providers could use
to evolve into something more benefcial to the human condition
than simply grumpy. During my tenure at a world-class destination golf resort, we had a general manager who was devoted to
customer recognition and assistance. We were already noted for
our southern hospitality, but easy-going charm wasnt suffcient
to fulfll his vision of excellent guest service. We were coached
to be aggressively friendly, to acknowledge, to greet, to assess
the guests situation and to take immediate action if there was
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samsung.com/business | 1-866-SAM-4BIZ
2014 Samsung Electronics America, Inc. All rights reserved. Samsung is a registered trademark of Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. All products, logos and brand names are
trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies. Screen images simulated. *Source: GfK, NPD (based on sales revenue). **IHS Reports 2013-14 Q2-Q4.
Technology Insights
anything we could do to improve the guest
experience.
Aggressive friendliness is a skill that
requires you to take affrmative action
before you know for sure that any such
action is required. The rules are simple but
very effective: when you move around your
hotel, resort, casino or car dealership, you
walk with your eyes forward never down,
never vacantly self-absorbed and never
glued to a phone or tablet. You look for
and at anyone headed your way. Ten steps
before you come face-to-face with another
person, you acknowledge his, her or their
presence by smiling or nodding. Your
intuitive self assesses the guest situation:
are they strolling or struggling? Did they
stop to smell the roses or are they lost? Can
you provide genuine assistance or merely
brighten their day with a warm greeting?
(Those are your only two options.) When
youre within fve steps, youve prepared
your greeting. As you approach, you deliver.
If you harbor even a vague doubt about
your assessment of the guests situation,
you stop to ask if there is anything you can
do. Imagine how my car buying experience might have changed if just one of the
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Marketing
HERE BE
DRAGONS
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Marketing
time managing to differentiate the brand
booking and/or stay experience in the eyes
of their consumers.
Beyond brand strategy, there are
tactical issues in the world of rising acquisition costs. Many would like to think they
can price optimize their way out of higher
acquisition costs. While rate and inventory
levers are important, a successful hotel
will have to do more; it will have to fnd
ways to effciently deploy resources to
achieve an optimal channel mix not just
invest in brand.com (including mobile),
but also business triggers (including
social and metasearch) that can be tapped
to infuence not only brand.com, but also
voice and other direct channels. Conversion, retention and ancillary revenue will
also play into a hotels results as well as
closely managing traditional wholesalers.
What changes are needed? Legacy
sales and marketing infrastructure is
due for a fresh evaluation. Piling on
incremental new opportunities, however
compelling, may push costs to a level that
is unsustainable. What can be eliminated
without diminishing the foundation of any
given hotels demand? Establishing a cap
on acquisition costs will be essential and
will vary based on the hotels position in
its marketplace including factors such as
physical condition, brand (large, small or
independent), the intensity of competition
and location.
You can only manage what you measure. The industry knows how to manage
operating and labor costs and now its
time to put a maniacal focus on acquisition costs. Here be dragons. Its time to
face down the danger in this new territory
we call the digital marketplace and
pursue the opportunities.
Cindy Estis GrEEn is
CEO and co-founder of Kalibri
Labs, a company that ofers an
analytcs platorm that enable
hotels to plan and monitor
proft contributon by channel and segment. A 35-year
veteran, she is co-author of the
industry bestseller, "Distributon Channel Analysis: A Guide
for Hotels," published by the
HSMAI Foundaton and AH&LA.
www.hospitalityupgrade.com
by Scott Warner
Activity at
All Levels
to Stem
the Rise of
Patent Troll
Claims
There was a time not too long ago
when the defnition of trolls was limited to
mythical, cave-dwelling beings in folktales,
childrens books, fantasy or science
fction. No longer. The most common
reference now seems to be in connection with non-practicing entities (NPE)
that purchase rights in patents (as well as
other forms of IP) and monetize their investments through licensing and litigation.
But if the White House, Congress, courts
and others have their way, trolls may once
again be relegated to myth.
NPEs are a real problem for large
and small businesses alike. They are also
a problem for their customers. According
to recent studies, NPEs fle the majority of
patent litigation; the number of NPE lawsuits increased by 11 percent in 2013, and
the total costs of NPE patent suits exceed
the societal benefts of patent ownership.
This does not represent the entire story,
as it does not refect the vast majority of
claims that never ripen into litigation.
Moreover, a study by Robin Feldman in
October 2013 titled, Patent Demands and
Startup Companies indicates that such
www.hospitalityupgrade.com
OKignoring the patent troll guy is defnitely out. Any other brilliant legal
strategies you might have missed?.
www.hospitalityupgrade.com
I R.A.N.,
I R.A.N. so far away...
As I sit in my room in Barcelona, I want to catch up on
SportsCenter (European sports seem to be all about sailing and
soccer). I try to hook my streaming device into the HDMI port
of the TV, and I am amazed to fnd that the HDMI ports have all
been locked down. I might understand this in a hotel trying to
prop up pay-per-view (PPV), but that is not true at this hotel.
They seem to have just locked out the ports to spite me as a
traveler.
For the most part, traveling internationally is fun, but
often the downside is the television content in the room. There
are few if any English-speaking channels, and if there is one,
it is always CNN International. If I have to hear one more time
about African micro-entrepreneurslets just say content is
a problem. This is not just an American abroad issue; it is a
problem for travelers even in their own countries. As hoteliers
we can never deliver the right amount of content at the right
time to the right guest, and it is time we enable our guests to
deliver it themselves.
Chromecast, Amazon Fire TV, Roku and AppleTV are just
a few examples of devices that have become so easy to carry,
simple to use and inexpensive that they are becoming issues for
hotels. They are issues because guests are befuddled as to why
they cannot use these devices in the same manner as they use
them at home.
The buzz words are BYOD, BYOE, BYO. The problem is
the same: how do hotels deal with the proliferation of devices
(from iPads and Galaxy S5s to PlayStation 3 and Xbox One)
that our guests are bringing into our rooms. How do we deal
with the shift from the Internet primarily being used as a business tool to it being more about social and entertainment?
I am not about to argue the more-bandwidth-vs-morecontrol vs. tiered pricing here. There have been several great
pieces on all aspects of these points in this magazine over the
years. I want to focus on what is happening in your rooms, on
your networks inside the gateway of your guest networks.
Millions of Chromecast sticks and Roku players have been
sold and Amazon just released Fire TV. Xboxes and PS3s have
Potential Problems
2) We are challenged by
supporting devices hooked up
to our TVs, so we lock down the
ports or make it impossible to
access them. This is not new. We
did it with component video and
S-video, we seem to be stuck in this
philosophy as an industry.
3) To address security
concerns years ago, we isolated
each device network session,
protecting guests from each other.
This now is biting us in the back
side, as guests are bringing in
equipment that needs to talk to
each other over our networks.
www.hospitalityupgrade.com
www.hospitalityupgrade.com
by Trevor Warner
Introducing
Google's Chromecast
Adapting services to refect the guest habit.
The decline of video on demand
was not a surprise to many people in our
industry. Technology changed, habits
changed, and society became on demand.
The need to wait for a specifc show at a
specifc time, or to pay for media content
that could only be watched on one screen
at that moment, was replaced by the
convenience of on demand on my device
on my time.
Convenience is the key word when
any analyst looks at consumer trends.
Society is a creature of convenience.
Consumers quickly moved their
media consumption to the most convenient device they carried with them.
It might be the laptop, tablet or smartphone, but it was ultimately the consumer
device accessing the cloud.
We see the same trend in free-toguest video. So much network content is
online that guests have content to current
shows, eliminating the need to DVR or
tune in at a certain date and time. HBO
viewership is now estimated at less than
2 percent of occupied rooms. The downfall of live HBO was the introduction of
HBO GO. Live programing has become
less convenient in our busy lives.
Hotels have the biggest, best screen
in the room, but the guest is willing to
watch his or her content on a tablet
because its more convenient. Guests want
to use the guestroom TV but we dont
have an affordable option to display their
content. There are several companies who
have conquered the challenge of allowing
guests to display their content on the hotel
TV. TV manufacturers have built in smart
technology with preloaded apps. IPTV providers and integrators can install hardware
that allows for guest connectivity. However,
the cost model is still very expensive and
46 Hospitality Upgrade | Summer 2014
1
2
www.hospitalityupgrade.com
by James Lingle
5 GHz
Is It Worth It?
You would think that after more than a decade wed fnally
be able to stop talking about Wi-Fi. The truth is, Wi-Fi is the
industry problem that wont go away. For all the attempts at
future proofng (a concept I dont really believe in), you would
think that we would fnally get past the issue.
Heres a news fash that wont surprise anyone its not going to happen. We try to fx this problem that has existed for years
with technology that is on its way out and is inadequate to meet
the needs of our guests today, much less in the future. We convince ourselves to do the minimum necessary only to fnd in a
year that we are facing the problem yet again and have to answer
that age-old question: Didnt I just pay a lot of money to fx this?
That doesnt mean, though, that we shouldnt be trying. I
said earlier that I dont believe in the idea of future proofng.
www.hospitalityupgrade.com
WHAT HAPPENS
AFTER CHECK-IN
CAN MAKE OR BREAK
YOUR REPUTATION.
HOSPITALITY EXTENDS BEYOND WELCOME WITH VIDEO, VOICE, DATA, AND MANAGED SERVICES.
A good guest review puts your property at the top of the list for travelers. We customize property-wide wireless Internet access,
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IWGUVU9KVJQWTRTKXCVGN[QYPGFOCPCIGFCPFOCKPVCKPGFPGVYQTMYGCTGCNYC[UCEEQWPVCDNGYJGPKVEQOGUVQQWTUGTXKEGU
sLWUVCU[QWCTGYKVJ[QWTIWGUVU1WTVGCOQHVGEJPKEKCPUGPIKPGGTUCPFOCPCIGOGPVCTGCNYC[UCXCKNCDNGKPRGTUQPCPF
on the phone, so we can ensure the just like home experience your guests expect.
We take our role in providing a positive guest experience seriously we want your guests to be happy as much as you do.
1 - 8 7 7- 9 0 0 - 5 2 4 6
brighthouse.com/hospitality
$TKIJV*QWUG0GVYQTMU5QOGTGUVTKEVKQPUCRRN[5GTXKEGCDNGCTGCUQPN[5GTXKEGRTQXKFGFCVVJGFKUETGVKQPQH$TKIJV*QWUG0GVYQTMU
Today, Wi-Fi
is the new hot
water.
Wi-Fi is the No.1 issue in hotels and often in the entire chain. It ranks above
nearly every complaint you can think of
bad mattresses, not enough towels, thin
walls, no hot water and noisy neighbors.
A well-designed and deployed network
will move this far down the list of issues,
bring higher guest satisfaction scores and
giving hotel operators a No.1 problem
that isnt technology related.
So is it worth it? Everyone is going
to have a different opinion. If you focus
on the short-term answer or the money,
then probably not. If you take the long
view, probably so. We will eventually
need to be there. I happen to believe that
there is here and now.
James LingLe is the an independent consultant, formerly the
CiO and VP informaton technology for Sage Hospitality. He can be
reached at james@jameslinge.com.
NEW
Visit us at
HITEC 2014
Booth #138
www.hospitalityupgrade.com
Front row (L to R): Michael Buckham-White, Agilysys; Greg Pesik, Passkey; Larry Hall, PAR Springer-Miller Systems; Seth
Christian, Knowcross Solutions Pvt Ltd; Richard Corso, InnLink/TravLynx; Bruce Bensetler, Data Plus Hospitality Solutions;
Mark Holzberg, Hospitality Technical Services, LLC (HTS); Sean ONeill, Newmarket International; St John Murphy, NTT
DATA Inc.; David Chestler, SiteMinder; Vivek Bhogaraju, IDeaS - A SAS COMPANY; Steve Gelb, MaximRMS; Susan Gregory,
Ponterra Business Advisors; Connie Rheams, Indra; Lisa Israelovitch, Umapped; Trevor Warner, Warner Consulting Group;
Second row (L to R): Don Hay, Digital Alchemy; Kristi White, Flip.to; Jay Troutman, Aptech; Mark Swanson, Immersion
Companies Inc.; Mark Jarman, Guestware; Stewart Applbaum, Infor; Ron Dressin, RedRock Software; Mark Loyd, MultiSystems, Inc.; Rod Jimenez, Sceptre Hospitality Resources; Cindy Estis Green, Kalibri Labs; Sherry Marek, Datavision; Arthur Waller, PriceMatch; Bryan Williams, B.Williams Enterprise, LLC; Third row (L to R): David Shaw, Postec, Inc.; Ursula
Rhode, Genares; Ron Peterson, Blueprint RF; Evan Brown, ENG Infotech Corp; Hayes Thomas, ZDirect, Inc.; Jacob Dehan,
NORTHWIND Canada Inc.; Jon Inge, Jon Inge & Associates; Barrs Lewis, TimeManagement Corporation; Chris Hemmeter,
Thayer Ventures; John Burns, Hospitality Technology Consulting; Back row (L to R): Jeff Venza, Venza Group, Inc.; Chris
Ruff, UIEvolution; Michael Waltman, Interactive Sites, Inc.; Peter Altabef, MICROS Systems, Inc.; Mike Gray, NEC; Alex Alt,
Sabre; Mike Schmitt, Clairvoyix; Cris Davidson, FCS Computer Systems; Michael Garvin, RoamingAround Mobile Solutions;
Greg Duff, Garvey Schubert Barer; Patrick Bosworth, Duetto; Not pictured: Bob Magliozzi, CENDYN; Frank Wolfe, HFTP;
Josh Keatts, Ponterra Business Advisors; John Rovani, Ponterra Business Advisors
www.hospitalityupgrade.com
www.hospitalityupgrade.com
Bryan Williams:
People who feel
underappreciated will either
quit and leave, or they will quit
and stay Whenever
you bring down your
expectations, you demotivate
your hardest workers.
On the nancial/venture
capital side, Hemmeter explained what his company focuses
on when looking at companies like
these. It is way more about growing the
business and getting behind great teams
than nancial engineering, he said.
Lisa Israelovitch, Umapped founder and
CEO, asked Hemmeter, When you are
investing in a company and you know
you accept a risk, what are two characteristics of companies you invest in?
Hemmeter pointed to the companies
themselves and their teams focus.
There is this incredible magic about a
team or leader who is willing to micro
pivot in pricing policy and this sort of
mandate of focus. The ability to pivot is
so vital, he said. The most important
thing is the magic.
Hospitality Upgrade | Summer 2014 53
Bryan Williams:
Its never OK to intentionally not do
your job The last person I serve at
the end of my shift should not feel like
they are the last person you served on
your shift. Consistency is the key.
SCAN
this
photo.
Who Am I?
This attendee has been to 10
consecutive Executive Vendor Summits.
Can you guess who this is?
54 Hospitality Upgrade | Summer 2014
Session 4: Seizing
Opportunity
After a quick break, Larry Hall, president and CEO of PAR Springer-Miller
Systems, moderated an open session
focused on seizing the opportunity
the pitfalls and potential benets. Hall
led a lively discussion with the audience covering emerging technologies,
resource allocation and speed to market,
as well as the decision process, nurturing innovation, adoption curves and
human capital and is mobile actually
overrated? To see what the audience
thought, here is an actual excerpt from
the session:
Larry Hall said,
At (a conference) this January, Michael
John Rovani:
You have to have a
relationship with and
trust the people you
work with.
www.hospitalityupgrade.com
imagine
ONE PRODUCT THAT...
1
2
3
4
5
NO COMMISSIONS. NO CONTRACTS.
why imagine...
www.hospitalityupgrade.com
Session 5:
The Year Ahead
Straight from
the CIOs Mouth
The last day of the conference, one of the most popular sessions of the summit
focused on a panel of CIOs
who were willing to share
their current challenges,
56 Hospitality Upgrade | Summer 2014
www.hospitalityupgrade.com
Selling your
business does
not need to be
overwhelming.
W D
process for you, so you can focus on
running your business while we land you
the right deal with the right buyer at the
right price.
Our teams clients are our best advocates. Find out
why many of your travel and hospitality technology
their businesses for sale to maximize their exit
US +1(855) 205-2500 | Int. +1(703) 565-2177 | UK +44 (0) 203 318 5720 | France +33 (0) 9 75 18 37 31 | ponterra.com | jrovani@ponterra.com
Sean ONeill:
Regarding setting a moral
compass: You are
representing every single
person in the business.
We nd its worth
the effort (investing
in our employees),
he said. Not only
does his management
team share regular
updates with the staff
members, but Aptech
also splits the prots
within the company each year: one-third
goes to the owners, one-third goes to
the employees and one-third goes back
to the company.
Ursula Rhode pointed out the benets
her company, Genares Reservation
Services, has gained by developing a
team of older and younger employees to
create a mentor/mentee relationship where they can learn from
each other and help the company
in many areas.
For a viewpoint from outside the
company, Troutman also cited the
benets of having an advisory
board from an accountability
perspective.
Bruce Bensettler of Data Plus Hospitality Solutions added that some from the
industry may only advise in a limited
capability though. The more sophisticated people who could contribute the
most were no longer willing to do so
because of the liability, he said. (But)
they were willing to serve as part of a
board of directors.
When asked how bumpy the road was
over the years when creating a prot
sharing program, Troutman said the
bumps were worth it. After all those
things came into play now I think
the culture is very solid.
Chris Hemmeter:
This is a sellers market and
its going to be for a while.
www.hospitalityupgrade.com
[What to read]
What's
on the BooKSheLF
over the years, weve had numerous conversations with industry leaders and often one of the
topics that we discuss is the latest book read. We thought it would be fun to share some of these
booklover conversations with our readers. here are what our industry leaders are reading.
www.hospitalityupgrade.com
[What to read]
UP The oRgANiZATioN
by Robert c. Townsend and Warren Bennis
As shelves full of new business books vie for the readers
attention, an old friend continues to infltrate their ranks: Up the
Organization. This classic, frank and engaging guide to business
still rates the attention of readers today. The challenges Avis faced are
the challenges that every business faces today: Start-ups can become
institutions, vendors can grow complacent, and executives can lose
sight of their core business in pursuit of quarterly earnings.
Townsend had a business to run Avis and it had to try harder
because it wasnt No.1. Instead of trying to brush that fact under the
rug, Avis embraced it, and it became the corporate rallying cry for
change. The motto, Were No.2. We try harder! helped Avis grow
www.hospitalityupgrade.com
eLeVeN RiNgS:
Pipeline Index
Property Management
Agilysys
Cenium
Infor
iTesso
MICROS Hotel Solutions
Multi-Systems, Inc. (MSI)
NORTHWIND-Maestro PMS
PAR Springer-Miller Systems
ResortSuite
Sabre Hospitality Solutions
Pages
64, 118
64, 118
65, 120
66, 120
67, 121
67, 121
68, 121
69, 121
70, 122
71
77, 118
76
78
83, 119
88, 119
92, 119
92, 119
102, 121
Inventory Control/RFID/Purchasing
Back Offce
Data Plus Hospitality Solutions
RHR Systems, Inc.
81, 118
106
74, 118
80, 118
82
Channel Management
ChannelRUSH
eRevMax
78, 118
84, 119
77
83, 118
87, 119
89, 119
90
114, 122
116, 122
Distribution/CRS/Internet Reservations
Amadeus IT Group S.A.
Genares Worldwide Res. Svcs.
InnLink/Trust International
Passkey International, Inc.
Sabre Hospitality Solutions
Sceptre Hospitality Resources
SiteMinder
73, 118
87, 119
94
102, 121
107
108, 122
109
Adaco, Inc.
Clear Sky Software, Inc.
InvoTech Systems, Inc.
Moreton Bay Technology Pty Ltd
RedRock Software
TrackIT, LLC
72
80, 118
95, 120
100, 121
105, 121
112, 122
Mobile Solutions
FCS Computer Systems
HandHeld Hospitality
RoamingAround, LLC
StayNTouch Inc.
Vocera Communications, Inc.
86, 119
89, 119
106, 122
110, 122
115, 122
Payment Processing
Merchant Link
Shift4 Corporation
99, 120
109, 122
Point of Sale
Agilysys
MICROS Food & Beverage Solutions
72, 118
100, 120
Response Management
FCS Computer Systems
Guestware
Knowcross Solutions
tracNcare
86, 119
89, 119
96, 120
113
Revenue Management
Infor Hospitality, EzRMS
MaximRMS
The Rainmaker Group
93, 120
98, 120
104, 121
101, 121
62
Hospitality Upgrade
Summer 2014
96, 120
113, 122
76, 118
www.hospitalityupgrade.com
Agilysys
Hospitality Upgrade
Summer 2014
Cenium
Award-winning Rollout
Cenium is based on Microsoft Dynamics, a line
of fnancial, customer relationship and supply chain
management solutions that helps businesses work
more effectively. The system replaces all peripheral
property software while providing interfaces to all
key hardware devices, including phone systems,
electronic locking systems, energy management
systems and television/in-room entertainment
solutions.
While hospitality groups were busy collaborating
on how to more easily integrate, deploy and support
products from multiple vendors, Cenium was
rolling out its ERP solution to more than 246 hotels
internationally.
Having evaluated numerous solutions and
undertaking a rigorous selection process,
Ceniums ERP solution is delivering a completely
new and refreshing solution to the hospitality
market. The richness in the product suite,
coupled with the strength and industry expertise
of the Cenium team were the driving reasons for
our decision.
Ken Fasnacht, CFO of Silver Reef
The biggest opportunity we see with Cenium is
long-term cost reduction. Cenium delivers a very
quick ROI. And, if we want to do a resortwide
initiative, we can do it at 20 percent of the cost
because we arent involving four to fve different
vendors. In addition, development time is
considerably reduced. Cenium delivers custom
functionality overnight vs. three to six months
for other vendors to produce the same thing.
Cenium is the absolute best solution for Blue
Mountain Resort and it's available today at a
fraction of the cost of what we have been paying
to multiple vendors.
John Gowers, director of IT, Blue Mountain
For more information contact Cenium at (877)
6Cenium or email sales@cenium.com.
Infor
Hotel Management
With Infor HMS organizations can manage
critical functions such as operational tasks, online
reputation, social media interaction, in-context
business intelligence and alerts that push relevant
information to specifc users so they can take
immediate action. Plus, users can defne the system
interaction to match the way they do business with
customizable screen design and process fows. Infor
HMS offers mobile applications and cloud or onpremise deployment that fundamentally changes the
way work is done.
Financial Management
Grow revenue and cut costs with Infor
SunSystems and Infor Infnium fnancial
management systems for hotels and casinos. Users
get a reliable view of hospitality-specifc fnancial
performance across their entire organization,
and are able to adapt to challenging business
environments. Plus, they easily comply with industry
regulations and best practices.
Workforce Management
Control workforce costs, increase revenue
and adapt to changing conditions on the fy with
Infor WFM (Workbrain). Get the right skill, in the
Hospitality Upgrade
Summer 2014
65
iTesso
Atlanta, Ga.
itesso.com
See also page 120
PMS, POS, Back Offce/Acctg., Condo Mgmt.,
Enterprise Systems, Camp/Retreat/Conference
Center Mgmt., Group and Event Planning
iTesso has its roots in the hospitality business,
where many were frustrated with the PMS and CRS
options available, so the team at iTesso created
its own one that they know works. The resulting
system is much more than just another PMS or CRS.
Its hospitality technology the way hoteliers need it
with both guest-facing and staff-facing mobile apps,
and dashboards with relevant information to support
critical decisions.
The iTesso Enterprise Lodging System is a
revolutionary new concept in hospitality software.
Theres no hardware or software to purchase or
install, allowing for quick and easy replacement
of legacy PMSs/CRSs. iTesso leverages the power
of the cloud to work equally well for independent
properties as it does for global hotel chains with
multiple properties. In addition to comprehensive
functionality, iTesso delivers additional benefts
including:
Multiple data sources iTesso created software
that fulflls users needs, without forcing them to
abandon the systems theyre happy with. iTesso
will not merely interface with the software and
data that stays in place, but integrates with those
systems.
66
Hospitality Upgrade
Summer 2014
www.hospitalityupgrade.com
micros.com
See also page 121
PMS, CRS, Business Intelligence, S&C,
CRM, Yield & Revenue Management
The MICROS team is happy to announce that
the popular food and beverage inMotion application
will be expanding to the hotel world. Now MICROS
inMotion will give hoteliers access to essential
current hotel data and analytics at a glance. Key
performance indicators (KPIs) such as arrivals pace,
departures today, ADR, REVPAR and occupancy
will be fed directly from MICROS and OPERA to the
inMotion application at regular intervals. Use the
housekeeping screen to measure and track the
teams daily progress, view the number of departures
and arrivals remaining for service and adjust staffng
as needed. Keep an eye on the critical sales and
KPIs for today, month to date and year to date all
from a mobile device.
In addition, the MICROS OPERA Mobile
application has been expanded to include
comprehensive information for in-room attendants
and guest service agents. In-room attendants now
have even more visibility to key guest information
including traces and wake-up call information,
allowing for more synergy between front desk and
housekeeping. In-room attendants are also provided
with an easy assist button, giving them instant
response in case of an emergency or if general
assistance is required. Guest service agents can
now further assist arriving guests by easily and
instantly recognizing if they are a return guest or if
they are a new guest to the property. Additionally,
they can quickly confrm if the room is on queue.
Guest reservation information now easily displays
any association with a company, travel or source
and airline loyalty programs, including their member
level. The check-in process with OPERA Mobile is not
only swift with the new Walk In feature but also more
secure with the introduction of the new encrypted
credit swipes.
This summer, in collaboration with Microsoft
and Intel, MICROS will release the newest addition
to the MICROS mTablet family of mobile solutions.
The MICROS mTablet E-Series blends affordable
hardware and extended battery life with all of the
enterprise-grade capabilities provided by MICROS
software. This sleek yet durable solution will be
available in two convenient sizes: an 8-inch handheld version designed with on-the-go hotel staff in
mind, and an 11-inch version that is both fully mobile
and fully compatible with the MICROS mStation base
for the added fexibility of a workstation option with
full peripheral connectivity.
MICROS has also introduced the revolutionary
MICROS Engagement Feature, which is a rich user
www.hospitalityupgrade.com
MSISolutions.com
See also page 121
Guest Management, Property Management, CRS,
Payment Processing, Mobile Solutions,
Sales and Catering, Loyalty
Company Overview
MSIs hotel cloud solutions are modern, reliable
and trusted by thousands of properties. MSI hotel
cloud technology is simple to use, accessible anywhere
and uniquely integrated. MSIs superior customer
service and support, combined with innovative and
competitively priced guest management solutions,
have successfully served hoteliers for more than 23
years.
MSI TrCloud is a suite of modern, cloudbased hotel solutions for independent hotels and
small to large hotel chains. Unique in its design, MSI
TrCloud combines a world-class PMS, CRS, CRM,
sales and catering, mobile, secure payment services
and chain management functions under one umbrella.
The intuitive, true cloud services require no hotelbased infrastructure or any special networking needs
such as VPN, and provide overall solutions for most
hotels technology needs.
Claim to Fame
MSI succeeds by placing highest priority on
associates and customers. The company delivers
frst-rate customer service and quality products
from its core of hotel and technology experts. MSI
associates center their work ethics on ingenuity, loyalty
and gratitude. MSI guiding principles incorporate
partnerships, open communication and fun, with a
team passionate for excellence.
Key Customers
MSI solutions are brand mandates for Extended
Stay Hotels, InTown Suites, La Quinta, Oxford Hotel
Group and Value Place. MSI solutions are brand
preferred or approved solutions for Americas Best
Value Inns, Best Western, GrandStay Hospitality,
Hospitality Upgrade
Summer 2014
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68
Hospitality Upgrade
Summer 2014
NORTHWIND-Maestro PMS
Markham, Ontario, Canada
MaestroPMS.com
See also page 121
Multiproperty PMS, S&C, CRM, Web Booking, POS,
Big Picture Analytics, Dynamic Yield, Spa, Activities,
Loyalty, Owner Mgmt., Membership, GDS
NORTHWIND-Maestro PMS, founded in 1978, is
a preferred property management system of leading
independent hotels, resorts, conference centers and
multiproperty groups.
Maestro provides 21 integrated modules on a
single image database that may be implemented
on premise or hosted. Maestro gives operators a
360-degree view of guests and operations at every
touch point. NORTHWIND-Maestro delivers business
solutions and management services that help hoteliers
maximize productivity, proftability, drive direct bookings,
personalize service and engage guests.
Maestro is PCI certifed, supports HTNG standards,
and may be hosted on the Web or deployed on property
via various options, including Windows, Linux, VMware
and terminal services.
PAR Springer-Miller
Systems
Stowe, Vt.
atrio.com
See also page 121
PMS, Enterprise, CRS, Internet Res.,
Club/Spa, Condo/Timeshare, Tee Time, POS
Summer 2014
69
ResortSuite
Enablez Inc.
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
resortsuite.com
See also page 122
PMS, Spa/Activities, F&B, S&C, Club, Golf, Ski, Retail,
Concierge, Web, Dashboard, E-marketing, Mobile
Hospitality Upgrade
Summer 2014
PA-DSS Certifcation
ResortSuite has been PCI PA-DSS validated across
all modules. By using tightly integrated modules,
with no interfaces required, it eliminates many of
the connection points where security holes and
exposures to breach can occur. ResortSuite also
uses tokenization technology from Shift4 so that it
completely eliminates the need to store any credit
card numbers in the Oracle database.
www.hospitalityupgrade.com
Sabre Hospitality
Solutions
Southlake, Texas
sabrehospitality.com
PMS, CRS, Online Distribution, Booking Engine,
GDS, Internet Marketing, Website Design,
Online Media, RFP Solutions
www.hospitalityupgrade.com
Hospitality Upgrade
Summer 2014
71
Adaco, Inc.
Norwalk, Conn. USA;
London; Singapore
Adaco Mobility
Moving with Industry Trends
adaco.com
Procurement, Recipe Mgmt., Foodservice Mgmt.
Systems, Inventory & Cost Control, Supplier Mgmt.,
Food Cost Analysis, Supply Chain Mgmt.
Hospitality Upgrade
Summer 2014
Agilysys
Hospitality Solutions
North America; Europe; Middle East;
Asia Pacifc
agilysys.com
See also page 118
POS, PMS, Spa, Golf, S&C, Self Service, Condo Acctg.,
Inventory/Purchasing, Document Mgmt.
Agilysys is a leading developer and marketer
of proprietary enterprise software, services and
solutions to the hospitality industry. The company
specializes in market-leading point-of-sale, property
management, inventory and procurement, workforce
management, analytics, document management and
mobile and wireless solutions that are designed help
hospitality operators create lasting connections with
their guests by streamlining operations, improving
effciency and enhancing the guest experience.
Analytics
Agilysys Analytics
Agilysys Analytics 2.0 is a reporting and
analytics subscription service that leverages the
data in InfoGenesis POS to help users gain critical
operational insights. Dashboards deliver the key
performance information needed. Reports can be
created on the fy to answer ad hoc questions, and
then distributed automatically across the enterprise.
Features in Agilysys Analytics 2.0 include:
Cross-enterprise reporting for InfoGenesis SaaS
Reporting for check sales, discount, item sales
and tenders data
Dashboards to integrate multiple reports into a
single source of insight
Mobile device support
www.hospitalityupgrade.com
Point of Sale
Agilysys InfoGenesis POS
Agilysys InfoGenesis POS is a comprehensive
point-of-sale solution for food and beverage
operations that require fexible enterprise
confguration, market-leading offine forgiveness and
superior scalability. The systems service-oriented
architecture (SOA) enables extensive interfaces to a
wide range of host systems. InfoGenesis POS version
4.4.4 features include:
InfoGenesis Flex full POS terminal functionality
on a Windows 8.1 tablet
InfoGenesis Mobile optimized for guest-facing
order taking and pay-at-table scenarios, on a
7-inch Android tablet
Signature capture on terminal or via MSR
across InfoGenesis Flex, InfoGenesis Mobile and
InfoGenesis stationary terminals
Certifed on Microsoft Windows Server 2008
R2 and Microsoft SQL Server 2008 R2
PCI and PA-DSS compliant, SSAE16 Type 2
assessments and full point-to-point encryption
(P2PE) for both online and offine modeP2PE
Workforce Management
Agilysys Workforce Management Solution
(WMx)
WMx is a feature-rich suite of workforce
management tools that helps hospitality
www.hospitalityupgrade.com
Amadeus Hotel IT
Amadeus offers solutions for next-generation
hotel management focused on delivering a single
view of rates, inventory, reservations, content and
guest information plus enhanced distribution and
merchandising tools. Built to enable hotel business
and brand transformation, Amadeus solutions
are based on open technology and offered as
a software-as-a-service model (SaaS), which is
less expensive and more fexible than traditional
solutions for hoteliers. Its solutions allow hoteliers
to be more agile in delivering innovative guest
services, generating new revenues and responding
to market changes. In 2013 Amadeus reinforced its
vision and position in the hotel IT business with the
acquisition of U.S.-based Newmarket International.
Summer 2014
73
Amadeus LinkHotel
Through Amadeus LinkHotel, Amadeus connects
independent hotel properties and small to mediumsized chains to the multi-GDS and online travel
community, and offers a range of marketing services
to help member hotels automate their distribution
and promote their offers worldwide. Additionally
LinkHotel provides full commission consolidation
and handling services to member hotels and booking
agencies, ensuring that all hotel commissions are
paid and received effciently and on time. This
service, together with booking automation, increases
travel agency confdence in booking smaller and
independent hotel brands. Amadeus LinkHotel
gives any hotel, anywhere in the world the ability
to distribute, market and sell its rooms to a global
audience.
For more information about the global Amadeus
Hotels offer visit www.amadeus.com/hotels.
Aptech Computer
Systems, Inc.
Pittsburgh, Pa.
aptech-inc.com
See also page 118
Business Intelligence, Budgeting and Planning,
Enterprise Back Offce Accounting
Hospitality Upgrade
Summer 2014
Business Intelligence
Integrate, organize and analyze
data across multiple systems with
Execuvue
Targetvue
Protvue
APTECH
Call today to learn how Aptechs software solutions can increase your protability.
www.hospitalityupgrade.com
Hospitality Upgrade
| Summer 2014
75
Blueprint RF
Norcross, Ga.
blueprintrf.com
Managed Network Solutions, Business Centers,
Guest Internet Services, Wireless Technology,
Dashboards, Kiosks & Remote Check-in
Blueprint RF
Whats in a name? Blueprint RF. In this company
name the RF stands for radio frequency. Blueprint
RF is an expert network services company with a
strong background in wireless design and support.
Blueprint RF provides integrated network
solutions specifcally tailored to hospitality fully
managed guest access and connectivity, back offce
and business center workstations and printers.
Blueprint RF network services are turnkey (site
survey and design, complete installation including
structured cabling and 24/7/365 support services).
Blueprint RF features a technology-forward,
comprehensive and single seamless platform
featuring circuit aggregation, content prioritization,
guest access control (brand standard portal pages),
premium bandwidth packaging and a variety of PMS
interfaces for guest folio billing.
Blueprint RFs dashboard gives hoteliers realtime network performance metrics including daily
guest use statistics, device uptime, detailed call logs,
circuit consumption reports, guest logs by traffc
type and more. The dashboards graphical design is
easy to use and understand, enabling hoteliers to
quickly pinpoint any issues that may impact guest
satisfaction levels.
Network Platform
Blueprint RF views a hotels network as its central
nervous system.
At the hotel network core, Blueprint RF introduces
a modern controller, Dominion a single, seamless
appliance delivering a comprehensive list of network
management features including:
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Hospitality Upgrade
Summer 2014
A Growing Enterprise
Founded in early 2011, BlueprintRF has
experienced rapid growth through strong customer
referral, and by achieving various hotel brand and
airport certifcations (e.g., Marriott, Starwood, IHG,
Great Wolf Lodge, Bluegreen Resorts, Atlantic
Aviation and many more). Professional references are
available by request.
For more information, call (866) 931-9722, email
sales@blueprintrf.com or visit www.blueprintrf.com.
Book4Time
Markham, Ontario, Canada
book4time.com
See also page 118
Scheduling, Club/Spa, Enterprise, CRM, Mobile,
Web Booking, E-Marketing
Book4Time is a boutique, world-class purveyor
of cloud-based activity scheduling and revenue
management solutions for leading beauty and
wellness brands in hotels, resorts and day spas in
more than 35 countries. With a market reach of
more than 20 million consumers, managing in excess
of $1 billion in annual transactions, Book4Time, a
privately funded Canadian company, is the solution
of choice for some of the worlds largest and most
prestigious companies on a global scale.
A Feature-rich Solution
The Book4Time solution is feature rich,
providing everything from appointment scheduling
to email marketing, and online booking to mobile
functionality.
CENDYN
Cenium
One Solution
Cenium is an integrated system of modules
that can be used separately or in combination to
form a total information platform for a hospitality
business. Cenium is fully integrated and optimized
with Microsoft Dynamics. This unifed approach
to information management provides the industry
with a single solution where all accounting and
operational data is integrated. Information fows
seamlessly from one module to the next and allows
simultaneous access by all users through a common
visual work environment.
Elimination of Interfaces
Today systems can all be described as interface
oriented. Most hotels are using various systems on
separate databases with several interfaces so the
systems can run together. This calls for numerous
service partners and possible conficts if something
goes wrong. Cenium delivers a totally integrated
system. Properties only need one service partner
and one service number. Cenium has been certifed
as a Microsoft Dynamics add-on product that
assures total integration to other Microsoft Dynamics
products.
Successfully proven by chains and individual
hotels globally with offces in Las Vegas, Toronto,
Hong Kong and Oslo, Cenium is a Gold awarded
development center and partner in the Microsoft
Dynamics community.
For more information, visit www.cenium.com or
email sales@cenium.com.
Hospitality Upgrade
Summer 2014
77
ChannelRUSH
Chetu Inc.
channelrush.com
See also page 118
chetu.com
Orlando, Fla.
Who ChannelRUSH Is
ChannelRUSH is a U.S.-based company, with
sales and support offces in North America,
Germany, Austria and Scotland/United Kingdom.
ChannelRUSH provides a Web-based hotel channel
management system for hotel revenue managers
that allows them to maintain their hotels rates
and availability distribution across numerous
online travel agency (OTA) sites, as well as global
distribution systems (GDS) from one interface.
Most recently, ChannelRUSH has expanded its
product offerings to include one or two-way interface
solutions with PMS, CRS and GDS partners with
reservation delivery. Since 2005, ChannelRUSH
has provided exceptional, reliable and affordable
channel distribution products and services. The
hotel client list has expanded to more than 1,000
hotels in North America and Europe, with more than
300 leading global online travel agencies, as well as
global distribution and central reservation systems.
Product Solutions
ChannelRUSH product solutions include channel
manager, PMS/CRS interface and reservation
delivery with inventory adjustment. ChannelRUSH
provides OTA, CRS and PMS companies the ability
to push and pull data quickly and accurately to
meet the hotels evolving needs regarding their
distribution strategy.
For more information call (866) 720-6808 or
(407) 624-4016, email sales@channelrush.com
or visit www.channelrush.com. Please feel free to
contact ChannelRUSH to learn more about how it
can increase your distribution and sales presence.
78
Hospitality Upgrade
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www.hospitalityupgrade.com
Clairvoyix
Henderson, Nev.
clairvoyix.com
See also page 118
Guest & Prospect Mktg. Database Mgmt., CRM,
Campaign Mgmt., Data Mining, BI, Creative Svcs.,
SaaS, Video & Email Mktg., Guest Loyalty
Hospitality Upgrade
Summer 2014
clearskysoftware.com
See also page 118
F&B, Inventory Control, Purchasing,
Event Management
DPFinance
| Summer 2014
81
DPDocs
Now in its second generation, DPDocs is the
Data Plus document management system. Allowing
the attachment of any electronic fle or image to a
transaction or database record nets large savings
in manual fling and retrieval. A scanned invoice or
receiving document can be viewed online by anyone
with system access in order to support whatever
business processes an organization desires. Scan
locally or scan remotely; all documents are securely
stored in the Data Plus database.
DPAnalytics
DPAnalytics was created to meet the desire
of users to make their data available in Excel
without the use of costly third-party solutions while
eliminating the time and complexity of traditional
business intelligence tools. Seamlessly extracting
data in real time from the users' database and
presenting it as an Excel workbook or pivot table
allows the use of a tool that the user already knows
to analyze and manipulate data without learning a
new language or complex set of instructions. Use
the many supplied templates or use standard Excel
functions to create one customized for the user.
DPOnline
DPOnline is available as a Web-based, softwareas-a-service (SaaS) solution accessible from
anywhere on the planet via an Internet connection.
A secure login allows access to the Data Plus Private
Cloud at its SAS70-certifed hosting site where each
customer's data is stored in its own database. Both
centralized and decentralized operating styles are
benefting from the fexibility and cost savings offered
by DPOnline. With extremely low upfront costs, this
is an ideal solution for management companies
regardless of size.
For additional information, visit www.dphs.com or
call (978) 888-6300.
Datavision
Technologies, Inc.
Miami, Fla.
datavisiontech.com
Data Warehousing, CRM, BI, Rev. Mgmt.,
Budget/Forecasting, Corporate Consolidation,
Payroll Control, Dashboard
Intelligent decisions are made with Datavision.
Datavision extracts key information from all
production systems at the property or corporate
offce (PMS, POS, payroll, spa, CRES, ski, golf, sales
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Hospitality Upgrade
Summer 2014
Dashboard
Pictures paint a thousand words. Turn data
into action with key colors of red, green or yellow
stoplights, 3-D pie charts or multilayer dashboards on
the desktop or mobile devices.
Powerful and fexible, the dashboard helps users
achieve goals in the following business areas:
Corporate Consolidation
Integrate data from multiple properties to create
a master data warehouse at corporate or regional
offces. Consolidate information across properties,
run intra-property comparisons or spot companywide
occupancy and booking trends.
Payroll Control
Combine detailed payroll data with PMS, POS,
budget and forecast data to generate comprehensive
daily payroll reports showing regular vs. overtime
pay, cost percentage of revenue and productivity
information such as cost per occupied room and cost
per cover.
digital-alchemy.com
See also page 118
CRM, E-Marketing, Business Intelligence,
Mobile Solutions
Enhancing the guest experience by providing
exceptional communications for hotels, resorts
and spas, Digital Alchemy remains a leader in CRM
and B2B digital marketing solutions for the global
hospitality industry since 1999. By offering business
intelligence tools with power-packed feature sets,
Digital Alchemy drives more revenue for its hospitality
clients by delivering digital communications,
collecting guest feedback and tracking marketing
data, ultimately leading to more satisfed guests and
increased property revenues.
With interfaces to every major property
management system (PMS), Digital Alchemy provides
the conduit for guest profling and relevant data
analysis that in turn provides insight to hoteliers,
managers and marketers. Through its unique
customer dashboard, clients can access and interact
with data analytics, guest communications and
survey data in real time. Digital Alchemys expansion
into the EMEA market last year has resulted in the
success of seeing several new properties reaping the
benefts of the companys robust and dynamic digital
marketing services. From its offce in London, Digital
Alchemy provides European clients a way to fne tune
and integrate the products and services at a local
level. With further growth and breakthroughs into
the spa industry, Digital Alchemy is providing spas
around the globe with the same advantages, leading
to the discovery of more revenue opportunities and
client retention.
Digital Alchemy products and services include:
eRelationship Setting an industry standard,
Digital Alchemys CRM suite is designed to craft
long-term guest retention. From confrmations to
pre-arrival marketing, eRelationship is flled with
opportunities to drive revenue for properties of all
sizes. Mobile-friendly communications and onproperty messaging add multiple levels of value to
every guests stay.
eSurvey Digital Alchemys complete online
survey system is designed to help hotels identify
strengths and resolve challenges directly correlated
to a specifc reservation.
TripAdvocate Dramatically raising the hotels
ranking on TripAdvisor and other social sites,
www.hospitalityupgrade.com
elevenwireless.com
See also page 119
Business Centers, Guest Internet Services,
Guestroom Tech., Mobile Device Tech.,
Communications Tech., Tech. Svcs., Wireless Tech.
Eleven delivers compelling software that powers
the online guest experience in hotels, with two key
product lines: ElevenGC and ElevenOS, both of which
run on Elevens cloud-based platform. Combining
rock-solid software with cutting-edge technology
to wow guests, Eleven is a standard for guest
technology.
Summer 2014
83
eRevMax
Orlando, Fla.
Hospitality Upgrade
Summer 2014
erevmax.com
See also page 119
Channel Mgmt., Comparative Price Intelligence, Online
Distribution, Connectivity, Rate Shopping, Reservation
Integration, Reputation Mgmt.
eRevMax is a leading provider of online distribution,
channel connectivity, market intelligence and revenue
management solutions for the hospitality industry.
The company delivers its premium hotel channel
management product suite RateTiger, Web-based
solution SimpleDistribution and its real-time enterprise
connectivity gateway Connect, to the hospitality and
travel industry.
Established in 2001, eRevMax has achieved full
PCI compliance and ISO 27001:2005 certifcation; the
company serves more than 7,000 customers and is
being used in more than 55,000 properties worldwide.
www.hospitalityupgrade.com
FURNITURE LOCKING & SECURITY SYSTEMS TABLE LINENS SOFTWARE FITNESS & POOL
EQUIPMENT HVAC MINIBARS BEDDING MOBILE LAUNDRY EQUIPMENT GREEN DESIGN
MENUS TELCOM ENERGY MANAGEMENT SIGNAGE TELEVISIONS FOOD & BEVERAGE FLOOR
COVERINGS POS SYSTEMS TABLEWARE IN-ROOM SAFES LIGHTING MEETING ROOM
EQUIPMENT CLEANING & MAINTENANCE PRODUCTS WINE & LIQUOR PMS SYSTEMS SOLAR
SYSTEMS UNIFORMS TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS DINNERWARE IN-ROOM AMENITIES
SECURITY & SAFETY GUEST AMENITIES & SERVICES TEXTILES COOKING EQUIPMENT TABLES
AND CHAIRS SOCIAL MEDIA RESTAURANT FURNISHINGS & DESIGN WATER CONSERVATION
TABLE ACCESSORIES GUEST TRANSPORTATION FRONT OF HOUSE CRM SYSTEMS BATHROOM
EQUIPMENT & FIXTURES CUTLERY
DECORATIVE
ACCESSORIES
REFRIGERATION
HARDWARE
VIDEO
&
With
more than 600
exhibitors
grouped
by productcategory,
a
WALLCOVERINGS
DECORATIVE
ACCESSORIES
VIDEO
&
ENTERTAINMENT
BAKED
GOODS
HARDWARE
GENERAL
FURNISHINGS &
Operations, Kitchen
Design,
Green, Tabletop
and Technology,
AT IHMRS.COM
Co-located with
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Summer 2014
Follow us on Facebook at
www.facebook.com/HospitalityUpgrade
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Flip.to
Genares Worldwide
Reservations Services
Maitland, Fla.
fip.to
See also page 119
Social Media Marketing, Marketing,
Internet Reservations
Flip.to is a brand advocate platform that helps
hotels turn their guests into engaged advocates
to boost brand awareness and drive Web direct
bookings. The platform is designed to reach travelers
around the world and generate signifcant return on
investment for hotels.
The process starts at the point a customer
makes a reservation on the hotels website. A simple
incentive entices the guest to share into his or her
personal social network, placing the marketing in
front of hundreds of new people.
Next, friends and family see the post about
the guest's upcoming stay. Within the post is a
personalized link that directs readers to the hotel
website. When friends and family click through to
visit the website they have a chance to claim an offer
towards a future stay.
After checkout, the hotel can use the Flip.to
platform to capture short, positive quotes from the
guest about his or her experience at the hotel as well
as photos that were taken during the stay. These
quotes and photos can then be used for marketing
on the hotel website, on its social media pages and
even pushed into other distribution channels.
Every part of the Flip.to platform is designed
to drive potential guests to the hotel website while
encouraging them to book a future stay. A typical
hotel will turn 18 percent of its guests into brand
advocates. Those guests will reach tens of thousands
of people on a monthly basis. This will drive new,
more qualifed traffc to the website and create new
bookings for the hotel.
All of these metrics are tracked within the Flip.
to system, helping hotels monetize social networking
in a quantifable way. And it all starts with your own
guests.
For more information visit www.fip.to.
www.hospitalityupgrade.com/HUTube
www.hospitalityupgrade.com
Irving, Texas
genares.com
See also page 119
Central Reservation and Distribution Services,
GDS, IDS, Voice, Web and Mobile Booking Engines,
Business Traveler Marketing Programs
Genares prides itself in its innovative technology,
and is constantly striving to pioneer competitive
products and form partnerships that drive revenue
growth and industry trends. Its software has been
developed with the ever-changing needs of the
hospitality industry in mind and designed in such a
way that it will enhance the booking experience of the
consumer and simplify the role of the hotelier, both
independent and at the brand/chain level.
Genares solutions begin with gReserve, a central
reservations system built by software developers
with substantial industry experience focused around
todays technological climate. Each of its products
and services are seamlessly integrated to work
together and drive revenue growth. In addition to its
distribution platform, Genares provides a wide range
of services that include:
Connections:
- Real-time distribution platform with full
management of rates, availability and content;
multiple rate structures; and group bookings
- Hotel and mobile booking engines that are
customized and include revenue-enhancing
functionalities with add-ons and upselling
- Extensive PMS integration
- Genares channel management tool
Solutions:
- Hotel website development and hosting
- Integrated Web services
- Two 24x7 U.S. call centers
- Experienced client care management
- BT Advantage business travel hotel program
(www.btadvantage.net)
- RFP and consortia programs
- Travel agent commission processing via Perot
and WPS
As a global leader in electronic distribution,
Genares provides the most distribution options and
is uniquely positioned to provide end-to-end solutions
to hotels looking to maximize their opportunities
in fercely competitive markets. Its platform was
designed to enable a hotel to optimize its distribution
by offering the capability of managing all distribution
including GDS, IDS, IBE, PMS and emerging channels
all from a single real-time connection. Genares
does not believe in a one-size-fts-all approach with
its customers and would work to design the most
far reaching distribution plan to match business
Hospitality Upgrade
Summer 2014
87
Voice Solutions
Guest-tek
Company Information
Since 1996, Guest-tek has prevailed as a
leading provider of broadband technology and
interactive solutions for the global hospitality
industry. Guest-tek has experienced signifcant
worldwide growth since its acquisition of iBAHN in
March 2014.
Guest-teks OneViewTM platform offers converged
data, video, HSIA, voice and mobile applications, all
managed from one source. Guest-tek is a preferred
technology provider to hotels due to its network
design, procurement, implementation and ongoing
customer service.
Overview
OneView delivers a superior in-room guest
experience, giving hotel properties that unique
competitive edge. Combining fast, reliable Internet
with interactive services, OneView keeps guests
informed and entertained while motivating them
to order more of the hotels services. With its
customized content and versatility, OneView
strengthens brands and delivers one of the only
connections needed to meet the demands of todays
hospitality industry.
Guest-teks OneView features a robust menu
and communications platform. Imagine providing
guests with in-room features like interactive TV, HD
free-to-guest, IP telephony, HSIA, mobile device and
smartphone applications and above-property voice
solutions, all managed from one source. OneView
will run on a propertys networks whether they are IP,
Ethernet or coax based.
OneView was designed specifcally to exceed
guests expectations for in-room entertainment and
communications, providing that elusive wow factor.
Guest-tek allows users to extend their branding
to every guestroom and customize messages to
each type of guest. Users also provide special UI
88
Hospitality Upgrade
Summer 2014
HSIA
OneView Internet is a cornerstone of IP services
for business and leisure travel. With more than
14 years of perfecting service to hotels, Guest-tek
delivers HSIA over multiple platforms and meets all
guest needs with one of the most customer-oriented
feature sets available.
Enhanced FTG
OneView Media IPTV provides more choices and
fexibility with a rich portfolio of premium channels,
an interactive program guide (IPG) and a full range
of standard-defnition (SD) and high-defnition (HD)
content.
Mobile Applications
Bring a new level of interaction to hotel rooms.
Guest-teks myAway allows guests to access OneView
Media System features through their own personal
electronic devices while myAway TV lets them stream
content, including music and video, from their
devices to the guestroom TVs.
For more information, call (866) 509-1010, email
info@guest-tek.com or salesinfo@guest-tek.com, or
visit www.guest-tek.com.
www.hospitalityupgrade.com
Guestware
Seattle, Wash.
guestware.com
See also page 119
CRM, Loyalty, Rapid Response, Marketing,
Preventive Maintenance, Guest Incident Tracking,
Mobile Device Tech., Surveys & Guest Response
Guestware CRM software is the revolutionary
hotel guest experience management system
that collects, manages and reports on all guest
information, enabling hotels and resorts to track
the guest experience while enhancing operational
effciencies in a single database application to
deliver outstanding WELCOME INTELLIGENCE
service. The WELCOME INTELLIGENCE advantage
allows for better engagement with guests to
anticipate their needs and guarantee prompt
service, maintains a high quality facility and
informs staff and management about guests
desires both in real time and for future visits. The
result: Users have the information it takes to be in
tune with their guests every need. And that means
happier guests.
Behind the scenes, the WELCOME
INTELLIGENCE technology delivers actionable
information to the right people by complementing
and enhancing existing property management
systems, hotel operations and marketing to help
hospitality companies share information and
realize departmental collaboration all with the
goal of improving the overall guest experience.
Functionality includes:
Incident tracking
Rapid response
Preventive maintenance
Mobile inspections
Workfow automation
Mobile request work order dispatching
Enterprise reporting
Guest loyalty programs
Guest recognition
Pre-arrival planning
Post-stay communications
Email marketing
Guestware CRM software is installed and
actively used at more than 900 hotels and resorts
worldwide, and is well suited for international hotel
groups where extensive language preferences are
needed.
Based in Seattle, Wash., Guestware CRM
software has been focused on elevating the guest
experience in the hospitality industry since 1993.
Guestware welcomes companies interested in
partnering with it to enable hotels to deliver the
highest levels of guest satisfaction.
www.hospitalityupgrade.com
HandHeld Hospitality
Vienna, Va.
handheldhospitality.com
See also page 119
Mobile Device Technology, Guest Management,
Mobile Solutions, Loyalty, Marketing,
Business Intelligence, Analytics
HandHeld Hospitality is a hospitality technology
company leading the way with new, affordable and
easy-to-use mobile apps for hotels, clubs, tourism
destinations and residential communities that
increase facility usage and engage guests.
SmartGuest is HandHelds frst mobile app
for hotels. It allows guests to receive instant
notifcations, make and confrm restaurant and
activity bookings and have up-to-date hotel and area
information at their fngertips.
The SmartGuest app flls a void by enabling guest
engagement not just before and after their stay, but
especially during their stay. The app went live during
the frst quarter of this year and several hundred
hotels are already making plans to go live with the
app to increase revenue per guest stay and to keep
guests on property.
New this year at HITEC is SmartGuests guest
request functionality, which allows patrons to ask for
a variety of services and items prior to arrival, as well
as during their stay. The apps back end allows for
complete fulfllment and monitoring of each request.
The new Guest Request functionality comes in
addition to the already popular Guest Notifcations
and Hour-by-hour Things to Do feature.
SmartGuest is not only easy to implement and
download, it is also priced to be affordable for hotels
and chains of any size.
HandHeld Hospitality enhances the guest
experience and revenue growth of its hospitality
clients. It delivers engaging, market defning and
high quality mobile application solutions which can
be sustained in a highly competitive marketplace
while generating data for continuous improvement in
customer loyalty and average spend per guest.
For more information call 1-877-331-3777 or visit
www.handheldhospitality.com.
Hospitality Upgrade
Summer 2014
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HeBS Digital
New York, N.Y.
hebsdigital.com
Marketing, Website & Mobile Website Design/
Hosting, Search Engine Marketing and Optimization,
Social Media Marketing, Digital & Internet Mktg.
HeBS Digital is a full-service digital technology
and marketing frm dedicated to driving revenues
through the direct online channel. The company
helps hoteliers turn their website into the hotels
main and most effective distribution channel.
Competitive Edge
HeBS Digital is one of the only frms to offer direct
online channel consulting coupled with full-service
digital marketing and focus exclusively on hospitality.
It offers solutions to help recover abandoned
bookings, a CMS built with hoteliers in mind and ROIgenerating marketing opportunities affordable for any
hotelier. All of HeBS Digitals services are performed
in house.
Success Stories
SEM: A historic luxury hotel in Midtown
Manhattan worked with HeBS Digital on search
engine marketing/paid search as one part of the
digital marketing budget to achieve maximum
revenue from the property website in 2013. The
company analyzed business needs, including
occupancy, seasonality and ad hoc needs. Based
on the analysis and projections, they created a
campaign consisting of more than 50 ad groups
and 10,000 keywords to address the business
needs and ensure a high return on investment.
Throughout the year the message was adjusted
based on marketing conditions, promotions and
local events. The end result was a ROAS of 2010
percent.
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Hospitality Upgrade
Summer 2014
Awards
HeBS Digital has pioneered many of the best
practices in hotel marketing, social and mobile
marketing and direct online channel distribution. The
company has won more than 250 industry awards
in website design and digital marketing campaigns,
including:
Adrian Awards
Davey Awards
Internet Advertising Competition (IAC) Awards
Interactive Media Awards
Summit International Awards
Travel Weekly Magellan Awards
WebAwards
Webby Awards
W3 Awards
For more information call (212) 752-8186, email
success@hebsdigital.com or visit www.hebsdigital.
com.
Hospitality Technical
Services (HTS)
Hebron, Ky.
htsnow.com
See also page 119
HSIA, Guest Internet Svcs., Wireless Tech.,
Help Desk/Svc. Desk, Digital Satellite TV Systems,
Bus. Ctrs., Mobile Device Tech., Guestroom Tech.
Hospitality Upgrade
Summer 2014
HTS Customers
Hotwire Communications
Philadelphia, Pa.
hotwirecommunications.com
See also page 119
Tech. Services, Guest Technology, TV Programming,
Guest Internet, HSIA Network, Wireless Technology,
Guest Phones, Telecom, Service Provider
www.hospitalityupgrade.com
Fision TV
Fision Voice
Fisions managed IP-PBX solution utilizes a rich
feature set, high availability hardware/software, call
accounting with adjustable rate tables and full PMS
integration to deliver a world class IP-PBX platform
that will exceed customer and staff expectations.
The Fision IP-PBX solution is backed by Hotwires
world-class hospitality installation, support and
after-sales service.
For more information, visit Hotwire
Communications at HITEC booth No. 1354, call
(800) 40-WIRED, email fsionstay@hotwiremail.com
or visit hotwirecommunications.com.
www.hospitalityupgrade.com
Hospitality Upgrade
| Summer 2014
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Integration
Infor EzRMS offers integration to the following
products:
Property management systems including:
Infor HMS v3.6, MICROS-Fidelio: OPERA V2.5, V3,
V4, V5; Fidelio: V5, V6, V7.11, V7.14, V8, Xpress;
SoftBrands: Medallion, Portfolio; MSI: WINPM,
Nitevision; Amadeus: HOTIX, Starlight; HIS: AS400/
Paragon 2, Epitome, LodgingTouch 3.0; PAR
Springer-Miller Systems: V12, V14, V15, V17;
Easysoft: Sirocco; RDP; GEAC; Protel; LANmark;
Citadel; Brilliant; LMS; Tesipro; FOLS; EngiSoft;
ResortSuite; Virtual Matrix; NORTHWIND Maestro;
Hotel Concepts; RoomMaster; Realta; CM Solues;
Agilysys V1; Cenium 5 & 6; Jazotel; Gubse; HNA;
CSHIS; and Silverbyte.
Central reservations systems including: TRUST;
SynXis; Pegasus NetRez; EngiSoft WebCRS; TARS;
and OPERA ORS.
Conference and banqueting systems including:
Newmarket Delphi.
Channel managers including: EZYield;
TravelClick ChannelDirect; Availpro; RateTiger;
FastBooking; SiteMinder; RateGain: ChannelGain;
Passkey; and ChannelRUSH.
Rate shoppers including: Rubicon/Marketvision;
RateTiger; TravelClick: RateVIEW; Benchmarking
Alliance; D2O: Performance Management
Intelligence (PMI); Cascade RM Services; Eclerx;
and RateGain: PriceGain.
Call (800) 260-2640 to speak with Infors
industry specialists or visit www.infor.com/product_
summary/hospitality/ezrms/.
InnLink/
Trust International
Hendersonville, Tenn.
InnLink.com;
TrustInternational.com;
NexusWorldServices.com
CRS, Internet Reservations, GDS,
Online Distribution, Booking Engines, IDS,
Website Design & Hosting
Driving incremental revenue and value
for lodging clients is the passion and focus of
International Hospitality Services (IHS) companies.
The industry-leading brands include central
reservation service (CRS) providers InnLink and
Trust International, sales management and RFP
services provider Nexus World Services and the
hotel representation company Worldhotels.
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www.hospitalityupgrade.com
invotech.com
See also page 120
Uniform & Linen Management, Inventory Control,
Laundry Management, Security Mgmt. Systems
www.hospitalityupgrade.com
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Kaba
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Knowcross Solutions
Newport Beach, Calif.
knowcross.com
See also page 120
Rapid Response, Guest Incident Tracking,
Mobile Device Technology, Housekeeping,
Preventive Maintenance & Engineering
Knowcross Solutions provides a mobile-based
multiproperty suite of software applications to
improve guest service and operational effciencies.
The solution is deployed at the worlds leading
hotels in more than 35 countries.
Knowcross Mobile gives hoteliers the freedom
to manage their hotels from anywhere, allowing the
management of guest requests, complaints, service
glitches and operational functions such as minibar
posting and housekeeping as well as enabling
the view of detailed guest profles, arrivals and
departures lists from the PMS.
www.hospitalityupgrade.com
Lake Michigan and with atractions and amenities that rival top-tier destinations, Milwaukee is easy to
get to, easy to get around, easy on the budget and has an easy atitude.
For the 13th year in a row, technology leaders from major hotels, casinos, cruise lines, management
and timeshare companies come together at The CIO Summit. From a driving adventure to an authentic
Miller Park tailgate and Brewers baseball game to a program created by CIOs for CIOs--the networking
will be our best yet. For more information, email Event Manager Charlote Somers
charlotte@hospitalityupgrade.com or visit www.theciosummit.com.
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Maxim Revenue
Management Solutions
(MaximRMS)
Chicago, Ill.
maximrms.com
See also page 120
Yield & Revenue Management
Maxim Revenue Management Solutions
(MaximRMS) provides one of the easiest to use
and most effective suites of revenue maximization
systems available to the worldwide travel and
hospitality industry today.
www.hospitalityupgrade.com
Merchant Link
Silver Spring, Md.
merchantlink.com
See also page 120
TransactionShield: Point-to-point
Encryption Solution
Working with industry leaders and dedicated
partners to encrypt sensitive credit card
information, TransactionShield protects data in
fight at the point of interaction and as it travels
through an IT environment. Decryption occurs within
Merchant Links hosted payment gateway. This
cloud-based decryption reduces risk and eliminates
all unencrypted data from an environment.
E-commerce Solutions
Merchant Link offers e-commerce solutions
that provide all the security and fexibility needed
to process payments online and in card-not-present
environments. Its hosted payment form option
enables secure routing of sensitive cardholder
data directly from the checkout page to Merchant
Link for authorization and tokenization while
preserving the look and feel of the website. It also
signifcantly lowers risk and eases PCI compliance
efforts by blocking merchant access to cardholder
data.
www.hospitalityupgrade.com
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micros.com
See also page 120
POS, B/O Acctg., Enterprise, Casino, Wireless,
Hardware, Online Ordering, Bus. Intelligence, Labor,
Kiosk, Inventory, Commerce, Guest Engagement
MICROS continues to provide new and innovative
solutions that focus on streamlining business through
its leading mobile technology that empowers the
hospitality industry. In February, MICROS released
Simphony Enterprise Solutions largest and most
feature-rich version to date, and this summer will
release the newest addition to the MICROS mTablet
family of mobile POS solutions.
MICROS Simphony Enterprise Solutions new
features help improve the guest experience and allow
restaurateurs to manage their systems more effciently.
Customers can now book table reservations using
their favorite mobile devices with the latest release
of the MICROS myreservations Online Reservations
System with direct integration to the MICROS Table
Management System (TMS). New table management
capabilities allow oversight of reservations made by
phone or online, waitlist management, order and loyalty
tracking and meal pace projection through the MICROS
Kitchen Display System (KDS). For guests this means
better and faster service, and for MICROS clients
it means increased labor effciency, elevated guest
satisfaction and increased return on investment.
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www.hospitalityupgrade.com
Newmarket
Portsmouth, N.H.
newmarketinc.com
See also page 121
CRM & Guest Relations/E-marketing, S&C,
Response Mgmt., Mobile Device Tech., Mobile Sol.,
Preventive Maint., Guest Incident Tracking
Summer 2014
101
passkey.com;
lanyon.com
See also page 121
Meeting & Event Planning, Booking Engine,
Internet Reservations, Technology Services
With more than 100,000 events, 10 million
reservations and $5 billion in group revenue
processed each year, GroupMAX has a proven track
record of maximizing group occupancy and generating
signifcant ADR lift for groups while helping hotels offer
exceptional service levels to their meeting planners
and guests.
GroupMAX is considered an industry standard in
group bookings and is now deployed across hundreds
of major hotel brands, independent hotels, resorts,
casinos and destinations.
At the heart of GroupMAX is the ability for hotels
to create a personalized online booking experience
for each group in seconds. This drives 50 percent or
more of their bookings online, while maximizing their
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PhoneSuite
Broomfeld, Colo.
phonesuite.com
See also page 121
Hosted Voice Networks, Guestroom Technology,
Guestroom Telephones, Call Accounting, Telecom,
Voice Mail, Wake-up Services
www.hospitalityupgrade.com
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Voiceware
Voiceware is a SIP-based, full-featured hospitality
IP-PBX all encompassed in a software service. This
means that no matter what constraints are placed
on the hotel voice solution analog or SIP, premise
or cloud based, turnkey (proprietary but complete) or
open-standards Voiceware can drive it.
The Voiceware Browser Console is a game
changer at the front desk and operator stations,
streamlining the ability to answer and transfer calls,
set wakeups and alter the defned set of incoming
call answering positions on the fy. For a fraction
of the cost of the outdated front desk console,
properties can have any number of virtual Voiceware
Browser Consoles running.
The same powerful Voiceware solution with
multilanguage support, advanced wake-up features
and reporting, reliable 911 handling and alarming
and 24/7/365 cloud-based factory monitoring is
running every PhoneSuite IP-based installation,
including:
All-SIP guestrooms, SIP admin phones and SIP
trunking
Hosted (SaaS) solution with third-party SIP
standard gateways
Legacy analog guestroom/common area phones
Legacy analog or T1/E1/PRI trunks
Packaged hybrid Voiceware/analog all-in-one
rack mountable PBX
Series 2 V.IP
The Series2 V.IP (Voiceware Integrated Platform)
was designed to bring legacy analog phones and
trunks together with modern, SIP-based voice
communication at whatever level the hotel is
comfortable with. Take advantage of what VoIP
and SIP have to offer, including inexpensive SIP
phone lines and the OpEx-focused SaaS delivery
and payment method, without making a major shift
in technology nor investment in new property-level
voice system infrastructure.
For more information or a free VoIP/hosted voice
stress test, stop by booth No. 413 at HITEC, email
sales@phonesuite.com, visit www.phonesuite.com or
call (800) 245-9933.
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RedRock Software
Las Vegas, Nev.
redrocksoftware.com
See also page 121
Supply Chain Management, Procurement,
Recipe Management, Food Cost Analysis,
Inventory and Cost Control
RedRock Software was created by hospitality
professionals with more than 200 years of
experience in hospitality materials management. Its
revolutionary source-to-pay product was developed
from the ground up using Microsoft.Net and SQL
server technology. The Sourcing and Materials
Management System (SAMMS) offers all the
necessary procurement and cost control means
specifc to hospitality using Web-based technology
and offering a wide variety of options for large or
small enterprises. The system is designed with APIs
to interface to any accounting system and to the
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rhrsystems.com
Back Offce/Accounting, Procurement
Originally developed by hospitality industry
veterans for the unique demands of hotels and
restaurants, RHR Systems presents RHR2. The
automated, Web-based purchasing solution allows
users to establish and control budgets for single or
multiple properties, departments and categories.
Armed with this information, users have a true
checkbook accounting process. In order to maximize
effciency, users can inventory and track items
on the property using hand-held devices and its
proprietary software. Staff can generate and scan
bar codes on any item, either an internal label or
the vendors UPC label. With RHR for Purchasing
it becomes possible to generate a very accurate
inventory in about an hour.
RHR Systems brought together three teams with
unique expertise to make the purchasing solution
a best-of-breed choice for hospitality enterprises.
The companys internal software development team
and senior executive leadership have many years
of experience in creating solutions for the uniquely
demanding hospitality universe. Properties already
using RHR Systems solution in its earlier version
formed a users' group that helped to develop and
test its functionality. RHR Systems brought in a third
team of software developers with expertise in Webbased solutions to help turn complex functions into
easy-to-use features.
RHR for Purchasing is applicable for virtually all
hospitality IT environments including:
The system runs on Microsoft SQL Server and
ODBC-compliant database platforms. Smaller
properties take advantage of Microsofts SQL
Express.
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RoamingAround, LLC
Danvers, Mass.
roamingaround.com
See also page 122
Mobile Device Technology, Telecom, Trade Show,
Meeting and Event Planning, Social Media Mktg.,
Surveys and Guest Response, Loyalty
Sabre Hospitality
Solutions
Southlake, Texas
sabrehospitality.com
CRS, Online Distribution, Booking Engine, GDS,
PMS, Internet Marketing, Website Design,
Online Media, RFP Solutions
Sabre Hospitality Solutions provides distribution,
operations and marketing solutions to the hotel
industry. Delivered primarily through a softwareas-a-service (SaaS) model, Hospitality Solutions is
used by more than 18,000 properties around the
world. Its integrated reservations systems, property
management system, distribution and marketing
services help hotels increase revenues, identify
savings and improve customer service.
Distribution Solutions
Sabre Hospitality Solutions' distribution solutions
help hotels around the world compete in the global
marketplace by connecting them with their guests
via all distribution channels. The SynXis Central
Reservation System (CRS) connects more than
13,000 hotels to the global distribution systems
(GDSs) and online travel agents (OTAs), and provides
robust call center software and services.
The Guest Connect Website booking engine gives
individual hotel and hotel group operators complete
control of the booking engine design and booking
process with a proven track record to increase
conversion rates. Guest Connect helps merchandise
a property or brand with features like comparison
shopping screens, interactive availability calendars,
customized confrmation and pre/post-stay emails,
promotional pricing, mobile version of booking engine
and full internationalization. Guest Connect is mobile
so guests can book on their preferred devices.
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Marketing Solutions
Sabre Hospitality Solutions' digital marketing
programs achieve signifcant growth in brand
awareness, increased revenues and maximized
returns on investment (ROI). Its full-service offering
includes a diverse range of hospitality digital
marketing solutions, including website design and
development, search engine marketing, social media
marketing, mobile solutions, travel agency media and
online merchandising.
Operations
Sabre Hospitality Solutions provides
comprehensive and innovative systems to help
manage property operations. The Sabre Property
Management System (PMS) is a fully Web-based
system with no expensive hardware or software
to purchase or maintain. It features an intuitive
room board screen which is easy to understand
and navigate, giving a front desk clerk instant
access to the information he needs for any aspect
of a guest's stay. As a centralized system, the
Sabre PMS is designed to consolidate key areas of
corporate, brand and management reporting and
administration, with best practices incorporated into
the software to assist in creating meaningful data
across multiple properties.
The Sabre PMS is a robust, fully functional front
desk management system that addresses entire
guest servicing needs.
For more information, call (682) 606-4000 or go
to www.sabrehospitality.com.
Sceptre Hospitality
Resources
Greenwood Village, Colo.
sceptrehospitality.com
See also page 122
CRS, Booking Engine, Distribution Services,
Internet Reservations, Channel Management,
Technology Services, Yield & Revenue Management
Sceptre Hospitality Resources (SHR) specializes
in conversion-oriented innovation for the hospitality
industry. The team works to continuously improve the
products and services offered in order to enhance
the guests and the hoteliers experience. SHRs suite
of products includes WindsurferCRS, a state-of-theart central reservations system; MotionNotes, a video
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Call to Continue
If a mobile guest has added items to his cart, but
would prefer not to enter his information online to
complete the booking, he has the option to call to
continue by simply touching a number on the device.
This feature sends the reservation information to the
hotels call center with a unique cart ID that allows the
reservation agent to pick up where the guest left off
and complete the booking.
To facilitate promotions and up-selling, the new
booking engine offers a discount code feld on the
shopping cart and checkout screens. These screens
also highlight any discounts the guest has already
received during the booking process.
Add-ons are not new to SHRs booking engines, but
the new IBE allows items to be added in the cart view
even if the itinerary is multiroom and multiproperty.
Guests have the option of viewing their itinerary costs
in an easy-to-read and understand summary or detail
format.
The new IBE is fully optimized for single property
independents, multiproperty groups and large hotel
brands. SHR helps multiproperty groups and large hotel
brands cross-sell with features such as a comparison
view, the ability for a guest to book multiple rooms
and multiple stays across many properties in one
transaction, and suggestive selling prompts located in
the cart view.
In addition to product innovation, SHR is actively
strengthening its focus on client satisfaction and
support. The addition of Jason Mier as director of client
experience management will help to promote SHRs
culture of service, integrity, teamwork and creativity.
Acting as a liaison between the sales and product
teams, client services and customers, Mier is a key
addition to the company as SHR responds to its growth,
rolls out its new Internet booking engine and enhances
support features for WindsurferCRS.
For more information, visit SHR at HITEC booth No.
549 or go to www.sceptrehospitality.com.
www.hospitalityupgrade.com
Shift4 Corporation
Las Vegas, Nev.
shift4.com
See also page 122
Payment Processing
About Shift4
Shift4 Corporation provides one of the worlds
largest independent payment processing gateways,
DOLLARS ON THE NET. Boasting 20 years in the
payments industry with absolute bank and processor
neutrality, Shift4 is merchant centric, helping more
than 24,000 clients in numerous industries secure
the best discount rates while providing industryleading security, speed and reliability. The inventor
of tokenization, Shift4 has processed more than
fve billion tokenized transactions since coining
the term in 2005. Shift4s DOLLARS ON THE NET
provides unparalleled pre and post-settlement
auditing capabilities, fraud protection and drastically
simplifed PCI compliance all for just pennies per
transaction.
Today, nearly 30 percent of the U.S. hospitality
industry uses DOLLARS ON THE NET. Shift4
understands the payment problems that hoteliers
face and it has tools uniquely designed to help
combat those issues.
Hospitality-specifc Advantages
Advantages for the hospitality industry include:
100 percent bank and processor neutrality
More than 350 unique PMS/POS integrations
Ability to audit and correct transactions before
settlement to reduce errant transactions and
their related fees and fnes
Archive of transactions for up to 24 months of
data
Direct processing to American Express
eliminates third-party processing fees while
accelerating the availability of funds
Fraud Sentry protects against trusted
employee fraud
Hospitality-specifc security tools including 4Res
and 4Word
24/7/365 world-class, Las Vegas-based
customer support at no additional cost
For more information, contact Shift4 today at
(800) 265-5795 or info@shift4.com.
SiteMinder
Dallas, Texas
siteminder.com
Online Distribution, Channel Management, Booking
Engine, Global Distribution System Provider,
Connectivity, Front Desk Management
Founded in 2006, SiteMinder is a leader in the
online hotel distribution industry. SiteMinder offers
award-winning cloud-based distribution products
to help hotels increase online revenue, streamline
business processes and decrease operational
costs.
In the last 8 years, SiteMinder has experienced
exponential global growth with offces in Bangkok,
Cape Town, Dallas, London and Sydney, and
has more than 13,000 customers in more than
110 countries. Driven by a strong no-contract,
commission-free commercial model, the companys
robust product suite and exceptional client support
have seen the business become one of the most
recognizable in the distribution industry.
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Key Products
The Channel Manager
The Channel Managers innovative technology
and functionality leads the way in online room
inventory and rate management. Developed
using a complete two-way, real-time connection,
the SiteMinder Channel Manager allows for easy
integration between online travel agents (OTAs),
wholesalers, GDSs and the hotels property
management systems (PMS)/central reservation
systems (CRS).
As soon as a reservation is made, either online or
through a hotels front desk, The Channel Manager
instantly reduces inventory across all booking sites,
removing the need for hotel operators to manually
update rates and availability.
Supporting more than 150 booking channels,
The Channel Manager allows hotels of all sizes to
integrate their PMSs and CRSs, for a low fat monthly
fee.
The SiteMinder Channel Manager is now used by
more properties globally than any other provider.
TheBookingButton
TheBookingButton is a world-class booking
engine that lets hoteliers take commission-free
bookings through their own websites, any time of
the day. Providing some of the most comprehensive
features in the hotel industry, TheBookingButton
ensures properties of all sizes can convert website
traffc into confrmed reservations.
pmsXchange
SiteMinder offers a number of plug-and-play
connectivity APIs such as pmsXchange allowing
PMS and CRS vendors to gain the distribution power
of SiteMinders RDX platform.
Little Hotelier
As an all-in-one accommodation management
system, Little Hotelier is specifcally thought about,
designed and built for B&Bs, guesthouses and small
hotels. Its packed full of clever technology and
combines the smarts of a front desk, booking engine
and channel manager, all without the hefty price tag.
For more information visit www.siteminder.com.
StayNTouch Inc.
Bethesda, Md.
stayntouch.com
See also page 122
Mobile Solutions, Mobile Device Technology, PMS,
Kiosks and Remote Check-in, Wireless Technology,
Housekeeping, Technology Services
StayNTouch brilliantly connects guests to hotels.
StayNTouch delivers a cloud-based PMS mobile
overlay that brings the power of mobility to both hotel
staff and to guests. For hotel staff, via any tablet or
touch device, guest service and housekeeping have
mobile access to the PMS via a touch-optimized
interface. For guests, a branded smartphone or tablet
experience is provided for pre-arrival engagement,
mobile self check-in and out, to view room bill and
receive upgrade promotions. StayNTouch dramatically
streamlines operations, increases margins and
revolutionizes how the hotels connect and engage
their guests and how guests experience their hotels.
GDS by SiteMinder
Seamlessly powering reservations across all
GDSs, including Galileo and Worldspan by Travelport,
Sabre, Abacus and Amadeus, GDS by SiteMinder is
a Web-based connection that lets users manage and
store their inventory across all global distribution
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StayNTouch Solutions
StayNTouch delivers four solutions on one cloudbased platform:
StayNTouch Rover FrontOffce: Overlay on top of
PMS bringing the front offce functionality onto a
mobile/tablet in a touch/graphic user experience.
Including remote key encoding and secure credit
card swipe. Enables staff fexibility to service
guests anytime, anywhere. Line-busting. Zero
training.
StayNTouch - Rover Housekeeping: Via any
mobile device (iTouch, tablet, etc.), housekeeping
has touch-optimized user interface for full access
to rooms-to-clean lists, room status, guest
information and ability to update room status after
servicing.
StayNTouch Zest Web: Mobile Web experience
enabling branded guest pre-engagement. Guest
www.hospitalityupgrade.com
Hotel-Online.
www.Hotel-Online.com
Hotel-Online reaches more than 25,000 hospitality executive subscribers
daily with over 32,000 unique visitors. Hotel-Online was the industrys
rst news site and is still rated No. 1 for Hospitality News.
Take advantage of the more than 25,000 opt-in subscribers and the daily
email distribution service with lead position press releases.
TrackIT, LLC
Ogden, Utah
trackit.cc
See also page 122
TrackIT
Hospitality Upgrade
Summer 2014
www.hospitalityupgrade.com
tracNcare
Asset Management
Access real-time statistics regarding physical
assets and use this information in negotiating
service contracts, purchasing warranties, budgeting
asset maintenance costs and planning for asset
replacement.
Quality Control
Maintain high standards by using this skillful
tool that offers a multilevel inspection engine for an
entire property. Have complete control and knowledge
on when and where to perform inspections, create
evaluation reports using different criteria (plural) and
assign them to specifc inspection types. Save time
by processing inspections in real time via the mobile
connect module.
Guest Services
www.hospitalityupgrade.com
Preventive Maintenance
Reduce asset failures by planning ongoing
maintenance. Use the visual planner to detect current
asset failure rates and establish proactive preventive
schedules or automate preventive tasks based on
usage frequency.
Report Dashboard
Mobile Connect
Mobile Connect allows users to stay in touch
wherever they are and ensure incidents are being
handled in a timely manner. Create or manage tasks
via the IVR system or any Web-enabled mobile device.
Receive alerts and notifcations via email or SMS on
the device of choice.
Additional Modules
Other invaluable modules include the project
coordinator which manages projects of any size,
inventory and requisitions which automates
requisition procedures, and lost and found which
tracks and reports on each item.
For more information call (888) 221-2071, email
sales@tracncare.com or visit www.tracncare.com.
VingCard Elsafe
Richardson, Texas
vingcardelsafe.com
See also page 122
Security
A world leader in hotel security technology,
VingCard Elsafe has products installed in more than
42,000 properties worldwide, securing in excess
of 7 million hotel rooms. Its extensive product line
comprises some of the most advanced electronic
locking solutions, in-room safes and energy
management systems on the market today, providing
unprecedented facility system integration and
innovation that is shaping the future of the industry.
Some of VingCard Elsafes latest technology solutions
include:
Essence by VingCard takes minimalism to the
extreme, eliminating all lock hardware on the door
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Vizergy
Jacksonville, Fla.
vizergy.com
See also page 122
Website Design, Mobile Websites, Search Mktg., Hotel
Web Mgmt. Platform, Data & Analytics, Email, Social
Media, Display Advertising, Content Develop.
Vizergy, founded in 1998, is an award-winning
hotel Internet marketing company specializing in
providing the following innovative digital solutions to
top-tier hotels and resorts and hotel management
companies:
Internet marketing services
Design and development solutions
Reservation services GDS/IDS, SECURE-RES
Booking Engine
Data and analytics
Client marketing services
Designed and built specifcally around the needs
of hoteliers, its software platform and systems
use a data-driven approach to ensure clients
marketing programs are optimized to outperform
the competition. From strategy development to
its proprietary content management system, to
specialized reporting and analytics, Vizergys digital
toolkit will help clients know more, do more and
achieve more. A combination of best practices in
digital marketing and a passionate client marketing
services team enables Vizergy to propel thousands
of branded and independent hotels and resorts to
success.
Marketing Strategies
Vizergys team understands travel shopper
behavior and is experienced in creating custom
online marketing programs that drive bookings and
help properties grow revenue. Powerful marketing
strategies focus on building a clients consumer-direct
channel and consist of search engine optimization
(SEO), pay-per-click (PPC) advertising, display
advertising, meta search, social media marketing,
email marketing and reputation monitoring. The
companys Google AdWords Certifed Partner status
and in-house Internet marketing analysts ensure
optimal natural search rankings, effective PPC ad
campaigns, establishment of dynamic social sites to
interact with travel shoppers and guests, productive
email/CRM marketing campaigns and tools to monitor
and respond to hotel reviews on sites like TripAdvisor.
www.hospitalityupgrade.com
Design Solutions
Vizergys fully custom websites have won
numerous HSMAI Adrian Awards for innovative
design, consumer engagement and revenue
production. All websites that are compatible with
desktops/laptops, tablets and mobile are hosted
and built on the companys proprietary content
management system (CMS) within the Hotel Web
Management Platform, where clients can easily
manage and update content, images and more. The
system includes detailed reporting and analytics to
show properties the value and provides real-time
stats, benchmarking, social engagement and more,
all in one interface.
Reservation Services
Improve distribution production with Vizergys
user-friendly reservation systems. Vizergy is one of
the few companies offering different reservation tools
from GDS/IDS, to online booking engines, and helps
hoteliers fnd the booking solutions that work best
for their properties. The reservation system allows
properties to control inventory, promotions and
packages in one cloud-based platform. The system
offers translation to multiple languages, custom
integration into websites and PMSs, advanced
merchandising tools, social integration sharing tools
all of which work toward increased conversions.
Vizergy also offers GDS/IDS and IBE connectivity
to thousands of travel agents and millions of travel
shoppers.
Vizergys proven approach, from the initial client
research to ongoing optimization and management,
has been successful for thousands of properties.
Vizergys goal with every client is to improve website
performance, maximize visibility, enhance guest
engagement, increase online bookings and revenue,
and ultimately, support each client with the highest
level of personal service.
For additional information, call (800) 201-1949,
email results@vizergy.com or visit vizergy.com.
Vocera
Communications, Inc.
San Jose, Calif.
Software Platform
The Vocera Software Platform contains the
system intelligence, including user profles, groups,
call management and call connections, as well as the
ability to interface to existing telephony, PMS, work
fow tracking and rapid response software systems,
expediting communication of critical data.
B3000 Badge
The Vocera B3000 Communication Badge is
a lightweight, wearable voice-controlled device
that enables instant two-way or one-to-many
conversations using simple commands. The
Vocera Badge is widely used by hotel workers for
the convenience and expedience of responding to
calls without interrupting critical tasks or important
interaction with guests. The Badge weighs less
than 2 oz. (53.9 g) and is worn discretely to prevent
distractions for guests or staff. The Badge features a
rugged design to provide durability, and an antenna
and radio design to provide wireless integrity while
roaming across the hotels Wi-Fi network. A high
contrast display on the front of the Badge facilitates
ease of readability and management of messages
received from third-party applications such as rapid
response software.
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ZDirect, Inc.
Hospitality Upgrade
Summer 2014
www.hospitalityupgrade.com
CUSTOMER
LOCATION
RM/UNITS
Agilysys
Bandon, Ore.
Carlton, Minn.
Devol, Okla.
Las Vegas, Nev.
Duluth, Minn.
Fairbanks, Alaska
Riverside, Calif.
Winter Park, Fla.
Mahnomen, Minn.
Ucluelet, BC, Canada
186
250
87
188
230
705
238
Multiple props
386
77
Queensland, Australia
Paris, France
Paris, France
Bergamo, Italy
Madrid, Spain
127
30
36
17
27
Amadeus LinkHotel
Amadeus LinkHotel
Amadeus LinkHotel
Amadeus LinkHotel
Amadeus LinkHotel
Aptech Computer
Systems Inc.
7 props
16 props
15 props
36 props
27 props
Windows
Book4Time Inc.
355
327
Maui, Hawaii
759
Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago 428
Houston, Texas
404
Park Hyatt Aviara Resort, Golf Club & Spa Carlsbad, Calif.
Chengdu, China
Charlotte, N.C.
CATC CIRI Alaska Tourism Corporation Anchorage, Alaska
50
SOFTWARE
PLATFORM
InfoGenesis POS
Windows
Windows
iSeries
Windows
Windows
Windows
Windows
Eatec, InfoGenesis POS, DataMagine Windows
V1 PMS
Windows
Execuvue
Targetvue
Execuvue, Targetvue
ASP
Windows
Cloud
Book4Time
Book4Time
Book4Time
Book4Time
Book4Time
Cloud-based SaaS
Cloud-based SaaS
Cloud-based SaaS
Cloud-based SaaS
Cloud-based SaaS
Microsoft Dynamics
ChannelRUSH
Web based
Web based
Web based
Clairvoyix
Conrad Miami
Jamaica Bay Inn
Embassy Suites San Juan
Luxe City Center
Hilton St. Louis Downtown at the Arch
Miami, Fla.
Marina del Ray, Calif.
San Juan, Puerto Rico
Los Angeles, Calif.
St. Louis, Mo.
250
111
299
178
195
CRM
CRM
CRM
Email Marketing
CRM
SaaS/.NET
SaaS/.NET
SaaS/.NET
SaaS/.NET
SaaS/.NET
Atlanta, Ga.
Arlington, Va.
San Francisco, Calif.
Fort Worth, Texas
San Diego, Calif.
638
343
554
N/A
284
Windows
Windows
Windows
Windows
Windows
Albany Bahamas
Crowne Plaza Newton
Eden Resort
Global Vision
Trump Doonbeg
135
270
301
8 props
218
Windows
SaaS
Windows
SaaS
SaaS
The Jefferson
Ayodya Resort Bali
Hunley Hotel & Golf Course
Gene Juarez Salons
Washington, D.C.
Nusa Dua, Bali
Saltburn-by-the-Sea, England
Bellevue, Wash.
99
541
26
10 props
Naples, Fla.
N/A
N/A=Not Applicable, Mgmt=Management, HSIA=High-speed Internet Access, Props=Properties, Trmt=Treatment, S&C=Sales and Catering,
WI=Wireless Internet, Int. Ent.=Interactive Entertainment, E-com=E-commerce, H&R=Hotels and Resorts
www.hospitalityupgrade.com
CUSTOMER
LOCATION
RM/UNITS
SOFTWARE
PLATFORM
Naples, Fla.
Portland, Maine
Marriott's Shadow Ridge I The Villages Palm Desert, Calif.
Le Centre Sheraton Montreal
Montreal, QC, Canada
The Line LA
Los Angeles, Calif.
295
289
987
825
389
ElevenGC
ElevenGC
ElevenOS
ElevenGC
ElevenGC
MacOS X, Windows 7
MacOS X, Windows 7
Windows Server
MacOS X, Windows 7
MacOS X, Windows 7
eRevMax
Sweden Hotels
Hospitality Management Holdings
Absolute Hotel Services
Louis Hotels
LaTour Hotels & Resorts
Gothenburg, Sweden
Dubai, UAE
Bangkok, Thailand
Nicosia, Cyprus
San Francisco, Calif.
6 props
8 props
18 props
5 props
6 props
RTSuite
RTSuite
RateTiger Corp
RTSuite
RTSuite
Windows
Windows
Windows
Windows
Windows
Hong Kong
Russia
565
202
Singapore
Melbourne, Australia
2,030
325
Kota Kinabalu, Sabah Malaysia 200
Flip.to
Adrift Hotel
The Wigwam
Hawks Cay
OPUS Hotel
Caribe Royale
80
331
400
96
1,338
Genares Worldwide
Reservation Services
127
127
246
131
8 props
Guest-tek
1,360
222
180
158
200
Basic GPNS
Basic GPNS, IPTV, Free-to-guest Programming
Basic GPNS, IPTV, Free-to-guest Programming (Smartbox)
Basic GPNS, Free-to-guest Programming (Smartbox)
Basic GPNS, IPTV, Free-to-guest Programming
Guestware
1,175
333
170
262
18
Guestware V4
Guestware V4
Guestware V4
Guestware V4
Guestware V4
Windows
Windows
Windows
Windows
Windows
HandHeld Hospitality
98
72
250
200
49
SmartGuest
SmartGuest
SmartGuest
SmartGuest
SmartGuest
Cloud
Cloud
Cloud
Cloud
Cloud
Hospitality Technical
Services (HTS)
The Broadmoor
Cincinnati Marriott RiverCenter
Atlanta Marriott Buckhead
Courtyard Gettysburg
774
321
349
152
131
Hotwire Communications
Canyon Ranch
Miami, Fla.
148
Doral, Fla.
145
Jamaica, N.Y.
335
Washington, D.C.
Brussels, Belgium
Web based
Web based
Web based
Web based
Web based
N/A=Not Applicable, Mgmt=Management, HSIA=High-speed Internet Access, Props=Properties, Trmt=Treatment, S&C=Sales and Catering,
WI=Wireless Internet, Int. Ent.=Interactive Entertainment, E-com=E-commerce, H&R=Hotels and Resorts
www.hospitalityupgrade.com
CUSTOMER
LOCATION
RM/UNITS
Indra
NH Hotels
Hard Rock Hotels
Barcelo
John Keels
Catalonia
Global
Mexico, Caribbean
Global
Sri Lanka & Maldives
Europe, Caribbean, Mexico
380 props
5 props
142 props
13 props
55 props
SAP NetWeaver
SDL Tridion
SAP NetWeaver
SDL Tridion
191
169
331
301
373
627
231
710
575
700
Java
Java
Java
Java
Java
OPERA V5
IQware
OPERA V5
OPERA V5
OPERA V5
6 props
7 props
100
320
554
iTesso
Infor
Sandals Halycon
Sandals Regency La Toc
Sandals Grand St. Lucia
Sandals Grand Antigua
Sentosa, Singapore
Cancun, Mexico
St. Vincent & Grenadines
Aruba Dutch Caribbean
Seoul, South Korea
SOFTWARE
PLATFORM
Breda, Netherlands
Swansea Bay, U.K.
Casula, Australia
Bath, U.K.
152
71
68
31
61
PMPRO
IDPMS
PMPRO
PMPRO
PMPRO
Windows
Windows
Windows
Windows
Windows
Kaba
Austin, Texas
Kissimmee, Fla.
The Woodlands, Texas
Hawley, Pa.
Orlando, Fla.
1,023
535
228
202
437
Saok
ILCO
Saok
ILCO
Saok
MT RFID w/ INNCOM
790 RFID Locks
Quantum II RFID Locks
790 RFID Locks
RT RFID
Knowcross Solutions
Brussels, Belgium
Budapest, Hungary
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
London, U.K.
354
414
790
306
TRITON HK
SaaS
SaaS
SaaS/Windows/Self hosted
MaximRMS
Aruba
Los Cabos, Mexico
Hyderabad, India
Chennai, India
Cancun, Mexico
357
719
217
171
295
SaaS
SaaS
SaaS
SaaS
SaaS
Merchant Link
Knoxville, Tenn.
Castries, St. Lucia
200
250
Cloud/OPERA PMS
St Louis, Mo.
N/A
Tropical Smoothie
Hawthorn Suites by Wyndham
Phoenix, Ariz.
Grand Rapids, Mich.
N/A
200
Miami, Fla.
Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
Northfeld, Ohio
Valencia, Calif.
Bend, Ore.
264 workstations
21 terminals
37 workstations
88 workstations
5 workstations
MICROS Simphony
MICROS Simphony
MICROS Simphony
MICROS 9700
MICROS Simphony
1.6 MRS
1.6 MRS
1.6 MRS
Version 3.6
1.6 MRS
Cloud/Infor HMS
N/A=Not Applicable, Mgmt=Management, HSIA=High-speed Internet Access, Props=Properties, Trmt=Treatment, S&C=Sales and Catering,
WI=Wireless Internet, Int. Ent.=Interactive Entertainment, E-com=E-commerce, H&R=Hotels and Resorts
www.hospitalityupgrade.com
CUSTOMER
LOCATION
RM/UNITS
MICROS Hotel
Solutions
Various locations
1,612 rooms
307 rooms
Moreton Bay
Technology Pty Ltd
Echo Entertainment
Smugglers' Notch Resort
Mandarin Oriental Shanghai
Double Tree By Hilton Jaipur
The Brando
Australia
Jeffersonville, Vt.
Shanghai, China
Jaipur, India
Multi-Systems, Inc.
(MSI)
Oakland, Calif.
Bismarck, N.D.
Nags Head, N.C.
Orlando, Fla.
Chisago City, Minn.
72
76
51
325
51
MSI CloudPM
NiteVision
MSI CloudPM
MSI CloudPM
MSI CloudPM
Windows
Windows
Windows
Windows
Windows
Newmarket
Sage Hospitality
Virgin Hotel Chicago
Hilton Garden Inn Midtown
Hilton Dubai Jumeirah Resort
Softel Marrakech
United States
Chicago, Ill.
New York, N.Y.
Dubai, UAE
Marrakech, Morocco
8 props
250
232
389
553
Delphi.fdc
Delphi 2013 MPE
Delphi.fdc
HotSOS
HotSOS
Salesforce
Microsoft
Salesforce
Microsoft
Microsoft
NORTHWINDMaestro PMS
London, U.K.
Mississauga, ON, Canada
Winnipeg, MB, Canada
Barrow, Alaska
15
224
20 meeting rms
70
Dakota Inn
354
PAR Springer-Miller
Systems
25
53
14
26
30
Windows
Windows
Windows
Windows
Windows
Passkey
International, Inc.
3,530
450
570
1,344
544
GroupMAX
GroupMAX
GroupMAX
GroupMAX
GroupMAX
ASP
ASP
ASP
ASP
ASP
PhoneSuite
Chicago, Ill.
Montauk, N.Y.
London, ON, Canada
Cabo San Lucas, Mexico
Nashville, Tenn.
511
103
109
160
110
Voiceware/Embedded
Voiceware/Embedded
Voiceware/Premise
Voiceware/SaaS
Voiceware/Embedded
Series2 by PhoneSuite
Series2 by PhoneSuite
SIP Gateways and trunks
SaaS with SIP to Room
Series2 by PhoneSuite
Biloxi, Miss.
Tunica, Miss.
Paradise Island, Bahamas
Ameristar Casino Resort Spa Black Hawk Black Hawk, Colo.
The Omni Grove Park Inn
Asheville, N.C.
1,740
1,259
3,400
536
514
GuestREV
GuestREV
GroupREV
GuestREV
GuestREV, GroupREV
SaaS
SaaS
SaaS
SaaS
SaaS
260
395
1 prop
716
1 prop
SAMMS
SAMMS
SAMMS
SAMMS
SAMMS
ASP .NET
ASP .NET
ASP .NET
ASP .NET
ASP .NET
SOFTWARE
PLATFORM
On premise
N/A=Not Applicable, Mgmt=Management, HSIA=High-speed Internet Access, Props=Properties, Trmt=Treatment, S&C=Sales and Catering,
WI=Wireless Internet, Int. Ent.=Interactive Entertainment, E-com=E-commerce, H&R=Hotels and Resorts
www.hospitalityupgrade.com
CUSTOMER
LOCATION
RM/UNITS
ResortSuite
Enablez, Inc.
Austin, Texas
21 trmt rms
Asheville, N.C.
47 trmt rms
Bend, Ore.
50
Vista, Calif.
45 trmt rms
The Breakers
2 courses
RoamingAround, LLC
Denver, Colo.
Westminster, Colo.
Saratoga, Wyo.
Monmouth Junction, N.J.
Richmond, Va.
451
215
39
7 units
224
RoamBoost
RoamBoost
RoamBoost
Event Engagement
RoamBoost
Sceptre Hospitality
Resources
London, U.K.
Spokane, Wash.
Phoenix, Ariz.
Hawley, Pa.
Calistoga, Calif.
99 props
60 props
106
169
116
WindsurferCRS
WindsurferCRS
WindsurferCRS
WindsurferCRS
WindsurferCRS
Web based
Web based
Web based
Web based
Web based
Shift4 Corporation
1,760
1,144
357
160
127
SaaS
SaaS
SaaS
SaaS
SaaS
StayNTouch Inc.
Yotel NYC
Great Wolf Lodge Williamsburg
Thompson Chicago
Carlyle Suites Hotel
JDV Galleria Park Hotel
669
405
247
167
177
Cloud
Cloud
Cloud
Cloud
Cloud
TrackIT, LLC
Maui, Hawaii
Waikiki, Hawaii
FedEx Offce Marriott Washington, D.C. Washington, D.C.
Hyatt Regency Sacramento
Sacramento, Calif.
St. Regis Princeville Resort
Kauai, Hawaii
806
1,230
737
503
251
TrackIT Package
TrackIT Package
TrackIT Package
TrackIT Package
TrackIT Package
Windows
Windows
Windows
Windows
Windows
VingCard Elsafe
100
125
693
133
159
Windows
Windows
Windows
Windows
Windows
Vizergy
2,985
5,466
300
293
144
SaaS/Cloud
SaaS/Cloud
SaaS/Cloud
SaaS/Cloud
SaaS/Cloud
131
177
254
161
ZDirect, Inc.
Sunway Hotels
Hersha Hospitality
Stoney Creek Hospitality
The Peninsula Paris
ZMail
ZMail
ZMail
ZMail
ZMail
Chicago, Ill.
Cincinnati, Ohio
Embassy Suites Baltimore Inner Harbor Baltimore, Md.
The Brown Hotel
Louisville, Ky.
Mountain View Grand Resort & Spa Whitefeld, N.H.
Spain
Pennsylvania
Des Moines, Iowa
Paris, France
The Woodlands Resort & Conference Center The Woodlands, Texas
SOFTWARE
PLATFORM
ASP/Cloud based
ASP/Cloud based
ASP/Cloud based
ASP/Cloud based
ASP/Cloud based
N/A=Not Applicable, Mgmt=Management, HSIA=High-speed Internet Access, Props=Properties, Trmt=Treatment, S&C=Sales and Catering,
WI=Wireless Internet, Int. Ent.=Interactive Entertainment, E-com=E-commerce, H&R=Hotels and Resorts
www.hospitalityupgrade.com
cent installations
internet of things
hospitality industry:
connecting
unconnected
the
IoE Denition
What is meant by the Internet of
everything? Cisco Systems, a leading
technology and environmental sustainability frm, defnes the term as bringing
together people, process, data, and things
to make networked connections more
relevant. The company believes that by
joining these four elements there is a
more highly valued process created that
enables the transformation of captured
www.hospitalityupgrade.com
Keep them
coming back
You know what your customers wantoutstanding
service, access to self-service capabilities, and the
latest amenities. HP can provide the technology and
innovation to help you to respond more quickly to
fast-changing market conditions. Turn challenges
into opportunities. Build customer loyalty and
revenue. And keep them coming back for more.
hp.com/go/consumer-travel
internet of things
that can network and communicate with each other in the cloud.
The IoT is expected to produce new services, innovative revenue
sources, improved productivity and effciencies of existing services,
as well as improve real-time decision-making.
The device-to-cloud (D2C) is somewhat unique to Intel in that
it involves connecting legacy systems to secure, intelligent devices to
enable end-to-end analytics to transform business. The enormous
volumes of data generated and shared across intelligent devices
and systems can now
be analyzed, and
the untapped value
extracted to serve the
business. This enables
companies to provide
better products and
services, enabling new
business models and
enriched consumer
experiences.
In terms of the
hospitality environment, IoE means that
regardless of whether
the source is a mobile
app, digital sign,
point-of-sale (POS)
terminal, hand-held
device, robotic unit or
thin-client terminal,
the IoE is capable of
creating an intelligent
system that transforms data into a
platform for the growth, expansion and streamlining of a toolbox
of functionality capable of improving guest, employee and property
interactions.
Guest Cycle
The concept of a hotel guest cycle defnes the interactions
between a guest and the hotel. The cycle is normally perceived as a
progression of transactions from pre-sale, point-of-sale and postsale phases. Pre-sale activities include reservations, prepayments,
forecasting and arrival information. Point-of-sale activities include
check-in, allocation of credit, deferred payment postings and folio
account monitoring. Post-sale activities include checkout, account
reconciliation, folio closure and guest history updating. Traditionally, there have been several aspects of hospitality technology that
indirectly relate to an Internet of everything approach. For example,
consider the following interoperability linkages:
Property management systems (PMS) Standard front
offce PMS software modules include: reservations management,
rooms management, guest accounting management and general
management applications. Back offce PMS software modules
include: general ledger accounting, inventory control, human resources and fnancial reporting. The sharing of data between front-
Industry Impact
Will the Internet of everything create major advancements
within the hospitality industry? Can a competitive advantage be
gained through enhanced hotel guest experiences? Implementation
of IoE involves smart technology at each guest touch-point, including public area devices, in-room technologies, mobile applications
and concierge services. When connected, these areas and others
tend to improve operational effciencies, enhance managerial effectiveness, reduce cost of goods sold, increase revenues and improve
sustainability. Industry practitioners tend to measure the impact of
IoE initiatives as customer loyalty achieved through enhanced guest
experiences. For example, consider the possibilities associated with
the following guest touch-points and the potential developments
gained through data sharing across points:
Self-reservations, online check-in, room upgrade,
guestroom access (guestroom access code to mobile device or via
kiosk), temperature controls, virtual concierge applied artifcial
intelligence to respond to guests requests, dynamic controls (environmental (color, lights, etc.) management), guest security (emer-
www.hospitalityupgrade.com
internet of things
gency alarm and guest notifcation network),
payment options, location-based services
(personalized wayfnding, social media, and
promotions), geo-fencing (targeted messaging based on proximity to attraction or
outlet), personalized networking (integration with guest-owned profle and account),
and data analytics.
The possible benefts derived from IoE
applications in hospitality properties are
based on the degree of integration between
management, guests and social media
networks given the presence of accessible
wireless smart devices (e.g., phones and
tablets).
Technology Overview
Through the application of a variety
of technological applications, hospitality
management is now capable of leveraging
IoE features. To date, many of the hospitality
IoE achievements have been accomplished
Challenges
The owners of the Trump SoHo, a fve-star luxury hotel in Manhattan, and
developer, Bayrock Sapir Organization LLC, wanted to make the hotel spectacular, both
visually and in terms of the guest experience. The goal was to create a technologically
sophisticated hotel in New York City, with a stand-out guest experience. To delight
guests high-speed wireless access throughout the property for smartphone-toting
guests, and personalized service from staff members who could collaborate from any
location was to be provided. The developers were especially interested in creating a
distinctive in-room experience, including a single interface to control not only video
on demand, but also room lighting, temperature and even the drapes. Another element
would be a novel phone experience. The role of the phone in hotel rooms has changed,
so rather than viewing the phone as a revenue-generating tool, Trump SoHo wanted
to use it to deliver useful services such weather forecasts, airport and entertainment
information and email.
Finally, the property developers wanted to take advantage of technology behind
the scenes, for operational effciency. Hotels have traditionally built and managed
separate networks for phones, business applications, guest Internet access, video surveillance, video on demand, building controls, and more, said Eric Brunnett, director
of information technology for Trump SoHo. By consolidating all of these services onto
a single IP network we minimize IT staff requirements while also allowing us to give
guests a single interface to control all room amenities.
The highly personalized guest experience begins when guests drive up to the front
door. Hotel staff wear a wireless IP voice badge that operates over the same system used
for typical voice calls. When the bellhop asks the guests name at the door, the check-in
staff hears the guest's answer so that a moment later they can greet the guest by name.
When guests arrive in their room, the color display on the phone shows a personalized
welcome message.
The developers estimate they saved 25 percent to 30 percent on cabling and 10 percent on switch ports by using a single converged network for voice, video on demand,
business applications, and guest Internet access.
www.hospitalityupgrade.com
necam.com/hospitality
internet of things
and affnity programming, and/or couponing
and product promotion. This approach is not
considered a long-term solution, however.
The other clear challenge facing IoE for
the hospitality industry is the lack of common industry interoperability standards.
These needed standards may arise from the
developmental work of Hotel Technology Next
Generation (HTNG). The focus of HTNG is the
publication of industry standards for connectivity and security.
Summary
HTNG Standards
For the past many years,
HTNG has worked to develop
industry standards and a
voluntary vendor certication
program. Although there may
be myriad reasons vendors
choose to have products HTNG
certied, the most often cited
reasons include:
Recognition as an
industry-leading product that meets the highest standards of interoperability.
Prospective customers specify HTNG certication as a requirement or it is a
preference in an RFP.
Many smaller vendors establish instant credibility with larger vendors with
whom they needed to interface.
In connectivity negotiations, leverage results when multiple vendors recognize
use of a common standard, as opposed to creating a proprietary interface.
Ability to display the HTNG Certied logo on products for marketing and
packaging materials advantage.
Certication is a visible statement of commitment to interoperability and
provides product exposure through HTNG channels.
HTNG certication differentiates products from non-certied competitors.
Only HTNG certication proves conformance to industry specications.
www.hospitalityupgrade.com
www.hospitalityupgrade.com
Data Security
By David Durko
www.hospitalityupgrade.com
Data Security
including the Data Security Standard (PCI
DSS), Payment Application Data Security
Standard (PA-DSS), and PIN Transaction
Security (PTS) requirements.
The Council's fve founding global
payment brands American Express,
Discover Financial Services, JCB International, MasterCard and Visa Inc. have
agreed to incorporate the PCI DSS as the
technical requirements of each of their
data security compliance programs. Each
founding member also recognizes the
QSAs, PA-QSAs and ASVs certifed by the
PCI Security Standards Council.
Note that enforcement of compliance
with the PCI DSS and determination of any
non-compliance penalties are carried out
by the individual payment brands and not
by the council.
As if the Wyndham story needs any
additional color, recently a shareholder
initiated a derivative lawsuit against certain directors and offcers of the company,
as well as against the company itself as
nominal defendant, related to the three
data breaches the company. The suit
alleges Wyndham failed to take reasonable steps to maintain their customers
personal and fnancial information in a
secure manner. The complaint alleges
further that the individual defendants
failed to ensure that the Company and
its subsidiaries implemented adequate
information security policies, and that
the Companys property management
system server used an operating system
so out of date that the companys vendor
stopped providing security updates for
the operating system more than three
years prior to the intrusions and allowed
the companys software to be confgured
inappropriately.
The PCI requirements are applicable
to merchants or service providers that
process, store or transmit cardholder
data. There is no doubt that every hotel
meets this defnition and is required to
assess its computer environment per the
PCI framework.
The signifcance of this suit is that it
attempts to hold directors and offcers liable for the loss of consumer data. So can
we make the assumption that an owner
of a hotel that is still running Windows XP
at the front desk and who suffers a data
breach can be held personally liable for
www.hospitalityupgrade.com
By Mary Siero
Cyberliability
Insurance
www.hospitalityupgrade.com
By Ryan Ward
Tip No.1:
Multiple Passwords Can Be Inhumane
The problem with passwords in a large enterprise is
that people generally require so many different accounts
and corresponding passwords to access the expansive list of
both cloud and on-premise systems and applications, that
sometimes it feels humanly impossible to remember them all.
And just about the time you feel you have them all memorized, they then need to be changed. So what is the natural
reaction of a worker who needs to efciently accomplish all
their tasks across a number of different systems? They start
to develop a host of insecure behaviors around password
management including: writing passwords down, using
passwords that are simple and easily compromised, contacting the help desk constantly when they forget their password
(contributing to 30 percent of all help desk calls), or reusing
old passwords as often as possible.
These behaviors creep into the workplace because
workers want to avoid downtime and the hassles that go
along with it. The solution to the entire password management problem incorporates three critical components: an easy selfservice password reset capability to ensure people can reset their
own passwords, a synchronization solution that changes passwords
across all of a user's systems and a single sign-on solution to limit
the number of sign-ons required.
That
Actually Works
E
very year the Verizon Data Breach Investigations Report
researches data breaches that occurred throughout the year
along with trends and reasons behind those breaches. We
know that breaches are on the rise. The Target breach got everyones attention and it was only one of a long string of incidents
reported throughout a variety of industries.
According to the report, the hospitality industry had the highest
number of breaches among all the industry segments measured in
both 2011 and 2012. Thats ahead of nancial services, healthcare
and retail, industries which obviously could provide higher nancial
rewards for attackers than hospitality. Despite all the money being
spent on security measures from endpoints to data leak prevention
to database security, the single largest vulnerability continues to
be passwords. To be specic, 76 percent of all industry breaches
over the past few years were based on weak or stolen password
credentials.
Numerous implementations of password management solutions showed a major success in a very short period of time. And,
the success of these implementations can be measured nancially
through improved operations and through improved security. An
organizational password management implementation involves a
number of key elements consisting of a blend of technology and
internal business processes, such as composing hard-to-guess
passwords, changing and reusing passwords, intruder detection and
lockout, synchronizing passwords, and the art and science of keeping passwords secret, among other things.
Tip No.2:
Compose Passwords That Are
Difcult to Crack
All it takes to understand the glaring issue of password strength
is to see the 25 worst
passwords and their current ranking based on
use (thanks to Splashdata who measures them).
The top 10 are listed in
the sidebar.
At least "password"
is no longer No.1. The
solution to this overly
simple problem is to
prevent your users from
being able to use simple,
The Worst
Passwords of 2013
www.hospitalityupgrade.com
Password Management
easy-to-guess passwords. Controls around
password strength have been around for a
long time, and most software and operating systems provide a way to prevent weak
passwords from being used if confgured
correctly. Unfortunately, some organizational legacy system baggage prevents setting
stringent controls holistically at the target
system, so software solutions have been created to help enforce password policies and
prevent poor password decisions at the time
the password is set and then synchronized
across systems.
Tip No.3:
One-to-many Corporate Password
Policy
There is no reason to have numerous
password policies across your system environment. Identify the strength, expiration
and aging requirements of your organization,
and implement that same policy on all of
your systems. This does not take a massive amount of effort to accomplish, and it
ultimately improves security while reducing
support hassles. If your users know that they
always need to choose a password that has
at least one upper case character, one lower
case character and a number, that they can
not reuse that password for fve password
changes and that they need to change the
password every 60 days on every system
within the company, they will not need to
remember so many different password types
or go through the hassle of being rejected
when entering a weak password on a strong
policy system.
A solid password management solution
can unify your password policies by ensuring users select a password with all of the
strength requirements across a variety of
system policies. While the active directory
domain may require three of four character
types (upper/lower/numeric/special character), your SAP system may only be set to take
upper, lower and numeric values. It is best to
identify a single corporate password policy
and implement that same policy across all
of your systems while using a password
management tool to help block easily guessable passwords regardless of the strength
requirement.
Tip No.4:
Change Every Password but the
Kitchen Sync
Password synchronization can solve
many issues around password management.
Syncing passwords ensures users only need
to remember one core password when logging into corporate systems, which ultimately
prevents writing down passwords. It also
helps solve the password expiration problem
since the passwords will all be changed at
the same time.
The latest solutions can map usernames
across systems and still sync passwords
successfully. For instance, my AD account
may be RYANW, but my AIX Unix password is
WARDR. A password management solution
keeps track of those mappings and automatically knows to change my password for both
AD\RYANW and AIX\WARDR. Synchronization can now also work with cloud-based
applications such as Salesforce.com, Google
or Offce365, so security is strengthened by
regularly changing cloud-based applications
that in the past were typically left unchanged
or had longer expiration windows.
Tip No.5:
Embrace Self-service
As stated earlier, the volume of service
desk calls relating to password issues is
massive, and service desks obviously have
better things to do than handle these types
of calls. The return on investment (ROI) of
self-service password management solutions
is lightning fast and easy to calculate. If you
know the cost per ticket of a password call,
simply multiply that by the number of calls
and the percentage that would be automated
via a self service (such as 90 percent).
ROI of self-service password management
$10 per ticket X 10,000 tickets
X 90% self-service = $90,000 saved
Tip No.6:
Using Single Sign-on
Single Sign-on (SSO) as a form of
password management simply because it
eliminates the number of times a user needs
to use a password. After logging in with a
Tip No.7:
Auditing, Intrusion Detection and
Security Features
Once a single enterprise password
management solution is implemented, it
is then possible to have a holistic view of
all password management activities. This
includes all user activities as well as administrative actions against the system. Security
enhancements around intrusion detection
are also improved with this type of solution,
and your end users and administrators can
actually be notifed if a hacker is attempting
to authenticate against the system inappropriately. Notifying the target user when
password-related changes occur is the best
security mechanism as they would be best
suited to detect if they were actually the
cause of the password-related issue or not.
Accompany this type of rollout with a security awareness campaign to promote password
practices and security-related notifcations
that will accompany the new solution.
These simple additions will go a long
way in securing your organization. By keeping your passwords secure and your users
engaged, the chance of a security breach is
signifcantly reduced.
Ryan Ward is CIO at Avater
Corp., a world leader in risk-driven
identty management sofware. He is
a Certfed Informaton Systems Auditor (CISA) and a Certfed Informaton
Systems Security Professional (CISSP).
www.hospitalityupgrade.com
Asset Management
By Mark Munger
Painhe
in t et
Ass
with
s
t
e
s
g as dsheets
n
i
n
i
ta
rea
Main re not sp
a
softw
While chatting with industry executives about the latest technology trends,
there is one topic that ends up on the low
end of the list asset management. What
many dont realize is that it is necessary
and can infuence both the guest experience and the fnancial bottom line of the
company. But asset management by its
nature is one of numbers and tracking
which rates rather low on the excitement
scale. However, maintaining and replacing
assets can account for an expense between
3 percent and 6 percent of revenues so
it is an area that we should spend time
focusing on.
Overall the fnancial side of enterprise asset management (EAM) is rather
well defned. There is the ISO standard
55000, BSI standard PAS 55 and industry
standards from a variety of associations.
In general the goal is to maximize the
value of the asset from acquisition through
disposal. During this time, there are physical activities of tracking and maintenance.
There are also fnancial activities of
tracking value including purchase cost,
depreciation and tax implications to the
company. I know some people live for this
stuff, but most of us just wish to accomplish this in the easiest way possible to get
on with more pleasurable work. However,
asset managing a fantasy football team is a
pleasurable mix of the two.
At one point in time, spreadsheet applications like Lotus 123 and Excel were
heavily used for this. The unfortunate truth
144 Hospitality Upgrade | Summer 2014
Asset Management
target, this would be the battleship. Though other service orderfocused applications may have more functionality, Infors EAM
presents strong benefts as part of a line of accounting applications.
Asset management software and computerized maintenance
management software (CMMS) requires an investment to implement and operate, but its ability to impact the bottom line is well
worth implementing. The more information and use, the better
these systems help improve the results. And, they let you get back
to using spreadsheets for something they are better suited for, like
managing that fantasy football team. But then there are applications for that tooa subject for another time.
Mark Munger is an independent consultant
specializing in hospitality and gaming systems. He can
be reached at mark@markmunger.com.
For applications focused on the CMMS side, several are noted below. When considering a CMMS, all provide basic maintenance
ticket and service tracking functionality. Key points to consider with these are any specifc connections to your specifc property systems and applications.
requests is a proactive
scanning. Its thin-clitracNcare, a subsid- assist in preventing
has specifc features for
ent approach keeps
iary of iQware Inc.,
multiproperty operaissues before they cause approach to keeping
guests happy and assets implementation and op- tions.
provides asset tracka maintenance ticket to
performing. Interfacing
eration easy for users.
ing and care managebe generated.
to systems including the Like others it provides
ment as a stand-alone
Mintek EAM-CMMS
(iqwareinc.com/
network infrastructure
dashboards and real
or integrated package
is used in many large
products/hospitality)
and minibar systems
time monitoring to enfocused on the asset
brands accomplishing
adds value.
sure quality and action
side. It provides FFE
many of the needs in
HotSOS by MTech/
(m-tech.com)
on requests.
maintenance analytics
maintaining the propNewmarket Internation(saicorporate.com)
that works to anticipate
erty assets. Its proceal could be considered
SynergyMMS by
issues before a ticket
dural-based service
one of the class-defning
Hotel ServicePro
is generated. Knowing
system tracks well the
hospitality service order Systems Associates provides an asset-based
provides an easy-to-use
your actual asset lifeassets and systems on
systems. Its focus on
product that works well property.
cycle can make budget- collecting status updates focus with features
like bar and AQ code
single property but also
ing more accurate and
and automating service
www.hospitalityupgrade.com
Digital Benchmarking
Best,
The
Best Practice:
Digital Benchmarking for Hotels
www.hospitalityupgrade.com
Digital Benchmarking
The speed with which digitally centered businesses innovate is a direct consequence of making benchmarking and
optimizing a daily practice. The advantages
of investing in such daily practices include
the following:
Early alerts on market trends Being
able to quickly spot the infection point at
which consumers switched from PCs to
mobile screens and from iOS to Android.
Moving ahead of the competition
Many are able to build solid front-end
experienced mobile users while their
backends were being updated.
Identifying a good customer Building
lifetime value measures that include
infuence and identify good customers
previously seen as low value based solely
on purchases.
Spotting new partnerships earlier
than others The ability to align with
leading-edge technology providers to
supplement offerings rather than wait
until potential partners show market
dominance.
Improving RevPAR Maintaining
and gaining RevPAR by deploying
new technology that provides market
intelligence.
Improving occupancy Identify new
ways to acquire new guests and extend
stays by engaging with OTAs, review and
social media sites.
Lowering costs Gain operational
effciencies by deploying CRM systems.
Benchmarking provides insight into
what is working and what is not, where
you have opportunities to move forward
incrementally or with bold leaps in the
direction the market is moving.
Developing a
Benchmarking Plan
There are a number of limitations
and options for travel and hospitality businesses considering benchmarking as a
regular practice. Companies that see success quickly often start by developing a
plan that includes education before beginning any benchmarking process. A crossfunctional approach is benefcial as each
business leader can see how what they do
is dependent on others in the organization and how their levers are impacted by
150 Hospitality Upgrade | Summer 2014
Digital Benchmarking in
the Context of Property
Management
Brands and ownership groups can
provide huge value in the benchmarking
space, but are not always the perfect solution. This is a place where certain brands
can and do differentiate. However, investment groups or hoteliers dont often pick
brand fags based on benchmarking capabilities, so there is an opportunity for thirdparty solution providers to fll the gap.
Many branded properties try to use
their brands benchmarking metrics and
fnd that it provides ill-suited comparable
properties. For instance, if a hotelier under
brand XYZ has a property that sits on a
highway between Peoria, Ill., and St. Louis,
Mo., with 150 rooms and 80 percent occupancy with a RevPAR of $123.50, can you
search brand XYZ and fnd even one solid
comparable property?
OTAs and Google provide best practice data that can be used to construct ad
hoc benchmarking models. However, as
with many aggregated information sources,
these data kings do not reveal the necessary detail required to conduct ongoing
benchmarking and optimization at the
property level.
Agencies claim to provide benchmarking for hoteliers. Be careful here as
some of the data you want to collect is
hard for many agencies to access. This
is especially true for classic media agencies. Remember: digital benchmarking is
a cross-functional exercise that requires
representation from revenue management, marketing, sales, operations and the
executive suite. Most media agencies are
only visible to or accessible by the marketing team.
If you choose to use an agency, select
a hotel-specifc agency versus a media
agency; specifcally you want to look for a
business that has worked to develop backend connections with you, your partners,
your brand(s), the media space, your
www.hospitalityupgrade.com
booking engines, the social infrastructure, your Web analytics, etc. (basically
be able to aggregate all the various items
we mention in this column). This group is
very limited, however Vizergy and Duetto
Research are both making strides in the
right direction here.
If you are an independent property
your ability to accurately benchmark may
be further limited, as you may not have
access or budget to the appropriate kinds
of data tools and investments to be able
to gather benchmarking. As an independent property you must focus on benchmarking, you have more fexibility than
many branded properties but you may lack
access to some of the data and resources
that they have. You can and should overcome this via a methodical adherence to
KPI-based digital benchmarking and fnd
the budget to use a tool set, agency or vendor partner who makes it easier for you.
Other hotels turn to industry organizations like HSMAI (Hotel Sales and Marketing Association International), which
publishes relevant statistics and holds con-
Gosh! I just dont know why everyone says passwords are so hard to make up and remember.
All you need are 8 characters and one capital.
www.hospitalityupgrade.com
Marketing
By Emily Culclasure
1.
What do people do when they are ignored? They fnd another way to make their voice heard. When hotel guests complain,
let them complain, and then try to move the conversation to a
more private platform (phone or email). Feedback isnt always
pleasant, but its a necessary evil for brand management.
The goal is to address the problem, nip it in the bud, and
show other guests that youre committed to offering excellent
customer service. at the very least, youll keep the angry client
from continuing to write hateful things!
2.
between being engaging and being pushy, so make sure that you
dont cross it.
5.
3.
4.
www.hospitalityupgrade.com
Personalization
Personalization, a Vision
in a technology context well use this
defnition by James dorman on Quora: Personalization technology enables the dynamic
insertion, customization or suggestion of
content in any format that is relevant to the
individual user, based on the users implicit
behavior and preference, and explicitly
given details.
Hotels have two opportunities within
the umbrella of personalization. First, hotels
can provide content, recommendations or
experiences that match the guests expressed or inferred needs and preferences
throughout the guest lifecycle. This isnt a
new idea frankly, its just good service
but with technology enablers, personalization can be infused into every interaction,
and delivery can be standardized across
touch points, whether digital or in person.
For example, when a guest is researching a
vacation on the hotels website, the content
he or she sees can be customized to his or
her search patterns (pictures of caribbean
Personalization technology
enables the dynamic insertion,
customization or suggestion of
content in any format that is
relevant to the individual user,
based on the users implicit
behavior and preference, and
explicitly given details.
the program can continuously evolve.
These two opportunities are linked by
the common goals of making it easy to do
business with the hotel, increasing engagement and loyalty, and providing value above
and beyond the room rate.
consider the diagram which depicts
the stages of the guest experience in broad
strokes. at the center, we have ann Roberts,
our loyalty program member who is planning a weekend getaway. Roberts generally
stays for business, but her digital interactions quickly demonstrate that her search
patterns are different than normal, so shes
shown leisure-oriented properties, packages
and room types. as she narrows the search
and selects parameters, analytics including
pricing and availability controls from the
www.hospitalityupgrade.com
Predictive analysis
tweet and real-time decisioning
to identify what unique behaviors
determines that she qualifes to
or attributes in a visitors digital
analytics to perform sophisticated analybe invited to a special performers reception ses such as regression, decision trees or
journey are deemed most important in corat the hotel. Shes messaged back with the
relating with revenue-generating events
clustering they have been limited to using
invitation. as she checks out, her profle is
Analytically forecasting website
offine data, primarily due to restrictions on
updated with her stay activity, and subsevisitation by traffc source and identifying
access rights to online data from thirdquent offers refect her stay pattern and
which ad-centric channels have the largest
party technology vendors. on the fip side,
preferences.
effect in increasing overall traffc
Web and digital analytics tools primarily
other opportunities to leverage online
Predicting online and ofine beaggregate and report on historical informaand offine behavioral data include fagging
havioral drivers of digital conversions using
tion and do not enable predictive analysis.
profles of guests that have had service prob- obtaining an omni-channel, integrated view
analytically driven segmentation techniques
lems in the past, so that staff can be aware
across the fragmented digital ecosphere has and improving outbound and inbound
of any existing sensitivities. also, if you have been extremely diffcult. as a result, it has
targeting rules for future marketing comsocial media identifcation information from been practically impossible to get a datamunication and personalization efforts
the guests, you can mine their social media
To support the opportunities outlined
centric, comprehensive view of the guest
activity for preferences or monitor comabove, Web and mobile data, if collected
that could feed integrated marketing analytmunications for opportunities to improve
and prepared appropriately, can be merged
ics, or more specifcally, provide prescriptheir experiences. even for limited-service
with a companys frst-party (or companytive recommendations for marketers. enter
properties, guest data about room-type pref- digital intelligence.
owned) customer data, and then streamed
erences, amenities or local attractions can
into its analytics, visualization and interacdigital intelligence is defned as: The
still add value to the guests stay experience
tion automation systems.
capture, management and analysis of cuswhen designed and offered appropriately.
In the coming weeks the second
tomer data to deliver a holistic view of the
article in this series will be posted on the
Hospitalityupgrade.com TechTalk blog
and will discuss how the new opportunities in data management for digital intelligence will work for hospitality organizations and provide a path to get started
on the journey toward personalization.
Technology Infrastructure
Notes From an
IT
Service Shop
Warranties and
Service Contracts
Please read carefully
Every hotel has warranties or support contracts on many, if not all, hightech equipment on the property (some
support agreements are not optional). In
some cases, it is not necessary to call
upon service providers to solve issues
that either engineering or on-property IT
staff are capable of handling. But some
issues are more complex and require
multiple supplier input to resolve. It is
best to have a service contract on all
high-tech equipment, as most systems
are critical to the functioning of the hotel and extended downtime can disrupt
guest service.
One type of service that can be confusing is hardware warranties directly
from the manufacturer. Some include onsite service, which, in some cases, can
be several days from when the initial
call was placed. The on-site technician,
usually a third-party contractor, is not
authorized to troubleshoot anything
other than the specifc device. If it is
determined that the issue is with the
network, another peripheral or any other
item, then another technician qualifed
in those areas will have to be called.
In the case of a damaged hard drive
in a computer, the warranty will cover
the replacement with the operating
system loaded. However, it does not
cover data recovery from the damaged
drive. This service must be performed by
another company.
By Geoff Griswold
www.hospitalityupgrade.com
Scan this
page with the
LAYAR app
to subscribe
now!
www.hospitalityupgrade.com
Telephony
Is hosted
voice finally
ready for
prime time?
i drive a car, as im sure you do. i know that some cars
ive driven are better than others. Some are faster; some have
more power, more leg room or more towing capacity. i know
it requires fuel to make it run, and the better the gasoline used
the better it runs and the longer it runs. i know it requires
routine maintenance, but i cant tell you what the engine block
is made of, how much horsepower it has or what the gear ratios are. When it comes down to it, does buying a hotel phone
solution require a different understanding than my knowledge
of cars?
There are at least two answers to this question. Some
hoteliers will respond by saying that they dont need to know
whats under the hood to make a hosted solution work; they
just want to know that it is dependable, will keep working no
matter what and is a good value. other hoteliers will want to
know about all of the feature sets and if there are new ones that
premise-based phone systems dont have. Theyll want to know
about costs, both capex and opex, and theyll want to know
how an analog phone will work on an iP network and more.
First, we might need to defne what hosted really means.
Some might think that deploying a hosted voice solution means
there is no phone-related hardware required on site in the
hotel. This is not true. The real question is, exactly how much
hardware is required in the hotel? Some providers will state
that their solution is truly hosted because the only hardware
required at the hotel is a voice gateway, while other providers
will require some onsite servers. if the hotel opts to retain its
analog guestroom phones, even more equipment onsite will
be needed. What hosted may really mean is that all telephony
functions, including voice mail and call accounting, are hosted
in a central location and that all voice traffc in and out of
the hotel goes through that location. The ultimate goal with
www.hospitalityupgrade.com
Telephony
and the customer must fall back to a premise-based solution.
life safety), security, analog phones, existing equipment, hospitality
PBXs in hotels started back in 1984 so weve had decades of
integration, SiP trunking, future upgrades, scalability, Web-based call
experience when making purchasing decisions. Maybe its time to
management, call quality, service level agreements and pricing.
rethink the basis of how we purchase voice services and what we use
to calculate against the Roi.
The Bottom Line on Hosted Solutions
carol Guerra, vice president of global marketing for Thing5,
Steve Bearden, director, information technology for Marriott
said, There are strategic advantages and long-term value created
international said his company is all in. Marriott is getting out of
with (a) cloud-based solution set. The fdelity of
the hardware business and is 100 percent focused on
data, ability to integrate smartphones and ease of
hosted solutions for voice, he said. it has taken a
Im very pleased
customization of call routing provided by (these
while for quality hosted PBX solutions for hospitality to
to nally see this
products) cannot be achieved with traditional
become cost competitive but that time has come."
PBX products and telephone services.
shift in hotel teleis it time to stop deciding on what technology
Jim Bailey, director of business relationship
youre
going to purchase and instead compare service
phony as a manmanagement, global technology for intercontiproviders
and service level agreements? Rather than
aged service.
nental Hotels Group, knows there are options out
purchase one big box that has to talk to another big
Jim Bailey, IHG
there. Strong credible hosted voice solutions are
box in a computer room in the basement, is it time to
now available, he said. ensuring that critical
strategically determine what cloud-based middleware
guest features (e911, wake-up calls, etc.) are
will enhance your communications beyond what has
survivable and securing a strong protective Sla agreebeen? is it time that recurring costs are stabilized instead of fuctuatment are paramount. im very pleased to fnally see this shift in hotel
ing? is it time to be able to change directions on a dime instead of
telephony as a managed service.
acting like the Titanic? it is prime time for hosted voice.
We are familiar with the different features, from two-line
speaker phones to broadcast voice mail messages, from automated
DaN PHilliPs is a partner at Dare to Imagine, a comcall distributors to programmable keys, and from wake-up calls
pany specializing in technology consultng for the hotel inand message lights to hunt groups and call busy routing. But, there
dustry. He can be reached at dphillips@dare2i.com. DiaNE
might be a few new criteria to analyze before purchasing voice as a
EsTNEr is vice president global account sales for SDD. She
service. Some of these include survivability, redundancy, e911 (fre
can be reached at destner@sddsystems.com.
SIP trunks (session Internet protocol). How are these priced? Is long
distance included? How are international calls billed? How do we ensure
that there are enough talk paths for
busy times? Do calls from one hotel
extension to another hotel extension
take up a talk path, or does it stay
internal to the equipment on site?
Future Upgrades. Are all
future upgrades included in the
monthly fees? Since the voice solution is hosted at a central site and
is servicing multiple customers, upgrades should be provided across
the network with no incremental increase in cost.
Scalability. If a hotel company wanted to put more than one
hotel on this service, can the hosted
site accommodate this? Could multiple hotels then share resources and
drive costs down further? What other
advantages are there in having multiple sister hotels on the same voice
platform?
Web-based Call Management. Can hotel staff easily get access to call data, call accounting,
night audit functions and wake-up
call reports? If needed, can trained
hotel staff easily make changes to call
routing?
Call Quality. What assurances is there that call quality remains
high on both ends of the call? Is it
monitored?
Service Level Agreements
(SLAs). What types of coverage are
available? What types of response
time? What is the denition of emergency? Is there nancial accountability by the provider for any loss in
service?
Pricing. Is there a CapEx required? Are the monthly fees xed
or variable? Are there differences in
the price relative to varying service
packages? What is the term of the
contract? In case of termination,
what equipment will be owned by the
hotel?
www.hospitalityupgrade.com
Connect.
Accept no substitutes.
2014 Cetis, Inc. Product specifications and descriptions in this document subject to change without notice. Cetis, Teledex are trademarks or registered trademarks of Cetis, Inc.
Global Markets
By Danilo Molaschi
www.hospitalityupgrade.com
Gaming
www.hospitalityupgrade.com
By Bill Geoghegan
PROPERTY SPOTLIGHT
Got technology?
Paresa Resort
Phuket, Thailand
Which technologies?
Channel Management
CRS
Database Marketing
Docking Stations
GDS
Guest Services
Hardware
Human Resources Tech
Lighting (In-room)
POS (Restaurant)
PMS
Safes (In-room)
Telecom
Televisions (In-room)
Time and Labor Mgmt.
Wireless Tech.
Yield and Revenue Mgmt.
Other Apps
LQHDFKVXLWHRXUPDLQSXEOLFJXHVWSRROKDVEHURSWLFOLJKWV
WKURXJKWKHERWWRPRILWFUHDWLQJDUHHFWHGVWDUHIIHFWDWQLJKW
We also have our own app by Blynk that allows guests to order
room service or buggies or taxis from their mobile device.
Toon said currently he is most interested in multi-use key
cards, and said the property would like to look into a key card
that does everything from opening your door to charging for
services at outlets. He also would like a solution where staff
can look at a screen and see details of who the guest is, all in
one place.
Next on the horizon for Paresa: an expanded guest services
app and some mobile site improvements. We are looking to expand our app to offer more services and information for guests,
Toon said. We will also look at updating and improving our mobile website. Finally we are looking at implementing a wedding
and events management software for our F&B team.
www.hospitalityupgrade.com
tropicana
atlantic city
peppermill resort
spa casino
Reno, Nev.
JosephT.James
James said he enjoys casino events as his team is able to do some
unique and different things with food. Our culinary staff is tremendous, he said. We do fun events with celebrities and sports
stars, and weve seen a lot of interesting guest speakers with our
corporate clients as well as with state and national associations.
Over the years James and his team have hosted Mickey Mantle,
Ted Williams, Johnny Unitas, Joe Namath, Oliver North and Marcus
Luttrell (the Navy Seal from Lone Survivor), among others.
PatrickFlynn
different, and there are new challenges every day. As he wears
many hats in his position, a typical day for Flynn can be very
busy. A day can be comprised of meeting with clients, meeting
with my sales, hotel, catering (and) AV teams on various groups,
marketing initiatives, hotel rates and yielding, he said.
Favorite Vacation Spot: His favorite vacation spot is Arizona. My wife and I love the West, James said. The mountains
and desert are a complete change from here at the Jersey Shore.
First Job: James said his rst job was at a 50-unit motel. I
worked there three years in high school and did everything from
checking people in to maintenance and repairs, he said. James
worked directly with the owner, who he said made an impact on
him even at that early age. Working there got me interested in the
hotel business, he said. I wouldnt want to do anything else!
First Job: His rst job was at a private country club mowing
the lawn, raking sand traps, pruning trees and cleaning out the irrigation lines. Then, after a one-year stint in banking, Flynn began
his career at Peppermill and has been there since.
www.hospitalityupgrade.com
20th Annual
Arizona Biltmore
Phoenix, Arizona
Monday - Thursday
October 20-23, 2014
The Hotel Industrys Premier
Deal Making Conference
To Register: Call 800-252-3540
www.lodgingconference.com
MORRIS LASKY
CEO, Chairman
Lodging Unlimited
mlasky@aol.com
HARRY JAVER
President, Producer
The Conference Bureau
harry@lodgingconference.com
R
www.hospitalityupgrade.com
Ask the
GUEST
The questions
she asked...
Eduardo Fernandez
Hollywood, Calif.
I havent yet used my phone to make
a reservation for a hotel stay. When
I was a road warrior, there were few
mobile sites (about 5 years ago), and
since then Ive not needed to make
arrangements on the y.
Social Media:
I do all the time. I like to share with
my friends and family on Facebook
what I am doing and where I am.
Social Media:
I post to Facebook all the time from
my phone especially while Im on
the road.
Tamrah Collins
Los Angeles, Calif.
Paul Tollman
Boston, Mass.
I make restaurant reservations all
the time on my phone, but I dont use
it for hotel reservations. I like to open
the property site, the TripAdvisor
listing, reference the airlines all
at one time with several tabs or
windows. I really cant do that from a
mobile device in the way I can from
my desktop.
Joe Ruscutto
Coventry, Conn.
Rob Skilling
Wilmington, Mass.
No. I would if I had to it is just
simpler to pull out my laptop and
have all of the information at my
ngertips. I am not concerned about
security; I buy things on my phone
all the time. Travel is different.
Social Media:
No I dont usually share where I
am. I never use the location-enabled
apps on my phone to automatically
share that information either.
www.hospitalityupgrade.com
TECH&Health
Are you using your
mobile device the
right way?
Most of us arent. Most people are head down,
mobile device down. The same goes for reading
magazines and books. This can hurt your neck.
The head forward and bent position puts an immense pressure on two vertebrae and the disc in
between them. If the head is in the upright position, the weight of the head is distributed through
the seven neck (cervical) vertebrae. Unfortunately,
over time the discs decay (usually between the 5th
and 6th vertebrae), and chronic muscle tightness and
pain results.
Dr. Roy Siegel (Doctor of Chiropractic and Diplomate, American Board of Chiropractic Orthopedics) is an esteemed chiropractor and lecturer. He is an expert on low back pain and
sciatica, prevention and treatment of dance and running injuries, as well as nutrition. Siegel
has been interviewed by national news channels and published in recognizable publications
including O, The Oprah Magazine, Redbook and Time-Life series.
TECH
and
HEALTH
The Tech & Health column will be a regular feature in Hospitality Upgrade. If you have a
question you would like Dr. Roy to answer please email it to info@hospitalityupgrade.
com.
www.hospitalityupgrade.com
siegel
sez
Photos from ITB (Berlin), HTNG's N. Amer. Conference and HU's Cocktail Party in Atlanta
siegel
sez
Girls rule! Either the HU team is joined by Datavision's Sherry Marek and Indra's
Connie Rheams, or Rich has hired two more staff members... three including the Pelican.
siegel
sez
www.hospitalityupgrade.com
www.hospitalityupgrade.com
www.hospitalityupgrade.com
www.hospitalityupgrade.com
Adaco, Inc.
40 Richards Avenue
Norwalk, CT 06854
203.838.3700 Phone
+44.1635.248.753 London
+65.6483.9131 Singapore
info@adaco.com www.adaco.com
Agilysys
1000 Windward Concourse, STE 250
Alpharetta, GA 30005
877.369.6208
www.agilysys.com
Agilysys
1000 Windward Concourse, STE 250
Alpharetta, GA 30005
877.369.6208
www.agilysys.com
Products:
Agilysys Analytics
Agilysys DataMagine Document Mgmt.
Agilysys Eatec Inventory & Procurement
Agilysys Elevate Point-of-sale Solution
Guest eMarketing (GeM)
Guest Express Kiosk
Agilysys GolfPro
Agilysys InfoGenesis POS
Agilysys InfoGenesis Mobile
Agilysys InfoGenesis Flex
Agilysys Insight Mobile Manager
Agilysys Lodging Management System
(LMS) Property Management Solution
Agilysys Spa Management System
Agilysys Stratton Warren System (SWS)
Inventory & Procurement Solution
Agilysys Visual One Property Mgmt.
Solution Suite
Agilysys Workforce Mmgt. Solution (WMx)
Business Intelligence,
Budgeting and Planning,
Enterprise Back Office Accounting
Blueprint RF
5555 Oakbrook Parkway, STE 640
Norcross, GA 30093
866.931.9722
sales@blueprintrf.com
www.blueprintrf.com
182
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Book4Time Inc.
306 Town Centre Boulevard, 2nd FL
Markham, ON, Canada L3R 0Y6
905.752.2588
sales@book4time.com
www.book4time.com
Cendyn/ONE
980 N Federal Highway, STE 200
Boca Raton, FL 33432
561.314.3226
llight@cendyn.com
www.Cendyn.com
Cenium
5955 Edmond Street, STE 202
Las Vegas, NV 89118
877.623.6486
sales@cenium.com
www.cenium.com
Products: Book4Time is a boutique, worldclass purveyor of cloud-based activity scheduling and revenue management solutions
for leading beauty and wellness brands in
hotels, resorts and day spas in more than 35
countries. With a market reach of more than
20 million consumers, managing in excess of
$1 billion in annual transactions, Book4Time,
a privately funded Canadian company is the
solution of choice for some of the worlds
largest and most prestigious companies on a
global scale.
ChannelRUSH
618 E. South Street, STE 500
Orlando, FL 32801
866.720.6808; 407.624.4016
www.channelrush.com
Chetu Inc.
10167 W Sunrise Blvd., STE 200
Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33322
954.342.5676
www.chetu.com
Clairvoyix
871 Coronado Center Drive, STE 200
Henderson, NV 89052
877.866.8693
Info@clairvoyix.com
www.clairvoyix.com
www.hospitalityupgrade.com
Hospitality Upgrade
| Summer 2014
183
eRevMax
37 N Orange Avenue, STE 500
Orlando, FL 32801
321.251.6559 Phone
321.206.8630 Fax
usa@erevmax.com
www.erevmax.com
Products: Eleven delivers compelling software that powers the guest Internet experience, with two key product lines: ElevenOS
and ElevenGC, both of which run on Elevens
cloud-based platform. All solutions provide
powerful revenue management so hotels can
provide value-added services that maximize
revenue and delight guests. Eleven is rapidly
becoming hospitalitys guest technology standard and is relied on by thousands of hotels
including nearly all of the major brands and
leading boutiques. Visit Eleven at HITEC 2014
in booth No. 1441 and learn more at www.
elevenwireless.com.
184
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Guest-tek
STE 240, 3030 Third Avenue NE
Calgary, AB T2A 6T7 Canada
866.509.1010 403.509.1010 Phone
403.509.1011 Fax
salesinfo@guest-tek.com
www.guest-tek.com
Guestware
100 Fourth Avenue N, STE 400
Seattle, WA 98109
206.233.0110 Phone
206.233.0345 Fax
www.guestware.com
HandHeld Hospitality
8100 Boone Boulevard, STE 340
Vienna, VA 22182
877.331.3777
www.handheldhospitality.com
www.hospitalityupgrade.com
Hospitality Upgrade
Summer 2014
185
Revenue Management
Hotwire Communications
1 Belmont Ave, STE 1100
Bala Cynwyd, PA 19004
800.40.WIRED
fisionstay@hotwiremail.com
www.hotwirecommunications.com
Infor
641 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY 10011
800.260.2640
hospitality@infor.com
www.infor.com/hospitality
Products: Hotwire Communications is a private cable operator customizing fiber-to theroom (FTTR) and fiber-to-the-home (FTTH)
technology in hospitality and multi-tenant
environments. Hotwires hospitality division,
Fision Stay, provides IPTV HD free-to-guest,
video on-demand, HSIA, Wi-Fi and PBX
solutions to more than 8,000 hotel rooms.
Fision Stay was created to offer a full-service
telecommunications experience uniquely
providing bundled services to offer discounted
pricing, a single point of contact and the highest level of integrated services.
186
Hospitality Upgrade
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InnLink/Trust International
100 Country Club Drive, STE 205
Hendersonville, TN 37075
800.525.4658 Phone
615.264.1898 Fax
Pam.Walrond@travlynx.com
www.innlink.com
iTesso
1389 Peachtree Street NE, STE 320
Atlanta, GA 30309
866.687.0040 404.687.0040
www.itesso.com
info@itesso.com
Kaba
7101 Presidents Drive, STE 250
Orlando, FL 32809
800.999.6213
infolodging@kaba.com
www.KabaLodging.com
Knowcross Solutions
4340 Von Karman Ave., STE 420
Newport Beach, CA 92660
866.601.5669
sales@knowcross.com
www.knowcross.com
www.hospitalityupgrade.com
Hospitality Upgrade
Summer 2014
187
Merchant Link
8401 Colesville Road, STE 750
Silver Spring, MD 20910
866.853.3845 Phone
301.562.5121 Fax
sales@merchantlink.com
www.merchantlink.com
188
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PhoneSuite
2150 W 6th Ave Unit D
Broomfield, CO 80020
800.245.9933 Phone
303.465.0237 Fax
www.phonesuite.com
RedRock Software
10120 W Flamingo Road, STE 4-348
Las Vegas, NV 89147
702.968.7851
info@redrocksoftware.com
www.redrocksoftware.com
www.hospitalityupgrade.com
Hospitality Upgrade
Summer 2014
189
ResortSuite
Enablez Inc.
171 E Liberty Street, STE 207
Toronto, ON, Canada M6K 3P6
866.4RSUITE Phone
416.352.5511 Fax
info@resortsuite.com
www.resortsuite.com
RoamingAround, LLC
150A Andover Street, STE 1
Danvers, MA 01923
978.777.8787
info@roamingaround.com
www.roamingaround.com
Products: ResortSuite manages guest information and streamlines operations for some
of the most prestigious hotels, resorts, spas
and clubs in the world. Unlike other software
available, ResortSuite is built on a guestcentric technology platform. This enables
properties to manage their businesses more
efficiently and provide exceptional service to
their customers. HTNG and PA-DSS certified,
ResortSuite extends this unique, guestcentric design with data mining capabilities
and integrated one-to-one e-marketing, Web,
social and mobile user experiences.
190
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Shift4 Corporation
1491 Center Crossing Road
Las Vegas, NV 89144
800.265.5795 702.597.2480
info@shift4.com
www.shift4.com
SiteMinder
15301 Dallas Parkway
Addison, TX 75001
800.511.6038
enquiries@siteminder.com
www.siteminder.com
StayNTouch Inc.
8120 Woodmont Avenue, STE 440
Bethesda, MD 20814
301.476.1025
sales@stayntouch.com
www.stayntouch.com
Rapid Response, Preventive Maint., Corrective Maint., Quality Mgmt., Guest Mgmt.,
Inventory Mgmt., Taskforce Mgmt.
TrackIT, LLC
861 East 3450 North
Ogden, UT 84414
801.737.5555 Phone
801.782.8404 Fax
www.trackit.cc
tracNcare
8301 E Prentice Avenue, #405
Greenwood Village, CO 80111
888.221.2071 Phone
303.779.0372 Fax
sales@tracncare.com
www.tracncare.com
VingCard Elsafe
631 International Parkway, STE 100
Richardson, TX 75081
800.225.8464 Phone
972.907.2771 Fax
noram@vcegroup.com
www.vingcardelsafe.com
www.hospitalityupgrade.com
Hospitality Upgrade
Summer 2014
191
Vizergy
4237 Salisbury Road N, STE 200
Jacksonville, FL 32216
800.201.1949 Phone
904.899.5809 Fax
results@vizergy.com
www.vizergy.com
ZDirect
1920 E Hallandale Beach Blvd.
STE 502
Hallandale Beach, FL 33009
888.962.4548
info@zdirect.com
www.zdirect.com
Go to
mag.hospitalityupgrade.com
192
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TECHNOLOGY Participants
iTesso ..........................................................21, 66
Just in Time .....................................................130
Kaba ..............................................................7, 96
Knowcross Solutions..........................................96
Lodging Conference .........................................171
MaximRMS ................................................98, 139
Merchant Link ...........................................99, 137
MICROS ...............................................23, 67, 100
Moreton Bay Technology Pty Ltd ......................100
Multi-Systems, Inc. (MSI) ............................37, 67
NAVIS.................................................................31
NEC .................................................................129
Newmarket ..................................................5, 101
Nor1 ................................................................117
NORTHWIND-Maestro PMS ....................... IFC, 68
NTT Data .........................................................165
PAR Springer-Miller Systems ....................... 69, BC
Passkey International, Inc........................102, 103
PhoneSuite ....................................................102
Ponterra ............................................................57
POST Integrations ............................................135
PriceMatch ........................................................59
The Rainmaker Group ...............................11, 104
RedRock Software ...................................105, 131
ResortSuite ....................................................1, 70
RHR Systems, Inc.............................................106
RoamingAround, LLC .......................................106
Sabre Hospitality Solutions ................71, 107, 123
Samsung ............................................................27
Sceptre Hospitality Resources ....................22, 108
Shift4 Corporation ...................................109, 133
Sihot ..................................................................24
SiteMinder .................................................55, 109
SkyTouch Technologies......................................41
SONIFI ...............................................................17
StayNTouch Inc. ...............................................110
Systems Associates, Inc. ...................................147
Teledex ............................................................161
Teradata ............................................................40
Thing5 .............................................................159
TrackIT, LLC ....................................................112
tracNcare ................................................113, 145
Umapped .........................................................173
Vecima ..............................................................50
VingCard Elsafe........................................29, 113
Vizergy...........................................................114
Vocera Communications, Inc. ....................39, 115
ZDirect, Inc. ..............................................19, 116
Hospitality Upgrade
Summer 2014
183
RICH'S
JUNK MAIL
FIDDLING AROUND
A nun was going to Chicago. She went to the airport
and sat down waiting for her ight. She looked over in
the corner and saw one of those weight machines that tell
your fortune. So, she thought she would give it a try just
to see what it would tell her.
She went over to the machine and put a quarter in, and
out came a card that said, You weigh 128 pounds and you
are going to Chicago, Illinois.
She sat back down and thought about it. She told herself it probably tells everyone the same thing, but decided
to try it again.
She went over to the machine, put another quarter in,
and out came a card that said, You weigh 128 pounds,
you're a nun, and you are going to Chicago, Illinois.
The nun couldn't believe it - she just had to try it
again.
She went back to the machine and put her quarter in.
Out came a card that read, You weigh 128 pounds, you're
a nun, you are going to Chicago, Illinois, and you are going to play a ddle.
The nun said to herself, I know that's wrong, I have
never played a musical instrument a day in my life.
She sat down again. From nowhere, a cowboy came
over and set his ddle case down next to her. The nun
picked up the ddle and just started playing beautiful
music.
Startled, she looked back at the machine and said,
This is incredible. I've got to try it again.
She went back to the machine, put her quarter in and
collected the card. It said, You weigh 128 pounds, you're
a nun, and you have ddled around and missed your ight
to Chicago.
Hospitality Upgrade
Summer 2014
HOLEY MOSES
A preacher decides to skip Sunday services and go to
the golf course to play a few holes. When he gets there, he
discovers there isn't anybody else around, and he has the
entire course to himself.
But it turns out he had witnesses. It seems God and
Jesus are keeping an eye on him, and they don't approve of
him skipping church.
Look at that guy, Jesus says, He should be in church
instead of out there on the golf course. Let me hit him
with a lightning bolt or something.
No, God says, I've something else in mind for him.
Watch what happens when he makes his next shot.
The preacher sets up a ball, and drives it off the tee. It
sails 250 yards and lands squarely in the hole.
What kind of punishment is that? Jesus exclaims.
That has to be one of the greatest golf shots in history!
That's right, indeed it is... and because he's alone, he
can't tell anyone.
A better experience
for everyone
Guests love great experiences. Your staf does too.
Infors award-winning hospitality software not only makes customer
service a pleasure for everyone, it makes optimizing revenue
and controlling costs easier as well. The results will show in your
customer reviewsand your profts.