March 29, 2012
Siegel Sez
by: Richard Siegel
I admit it: At times I can be a bit paranoid. Thank you to all who told me that the cover of our spring issue was fine – you never know what Mother Nature has in store! Of course, my one bit of creativity was on occasion frowned upon, but life is about taking chances. We have received unbelievable feedback on the content in this issue. Thank you again for taking a moment to drop a note to us. It is very motivational. Now we get to work on our big HITEC issue, where we will celebrate our 20th year of publishing on technology in the hospitality industry. We just love the challenge of trying to get better every year. Geneva keeps reminding me to let the world know that Hospitality Upgrade is now available on your phone and tablet. Please visit the Apple® App Store and Google Play (Android™ Marketplace) to download the free app. I must admit when I meet people and they ask what I do for a living it is fun to whip out my phone and show them. The world has certainly changed a bit over the last 20 years.
One thing that hasn’t changed is our need to do favors for others. Leslie Genske from IHG, who I have known for way too many years, called a few weeks ago and asked if she could bring her son’s Cub Scout troop to visit our office so they could learn how to put a magazine together. We had 14 boys around 8 years old visit us for an afternoon. Now, most of you who have been reading Siegel Sez know that I have never gotten married or done the kid thing. It was pretty funny trying to talk to them about publishing a magazine. Why didn’t anyone tell me that their attention span lasts about 30 seconds? Geneva and Kris took over and it was amazing how parents understand how kids think. Why the kids listened to them and not to me is beyond me. I guess we learn a lot when we have kids. We had fun with them nonetheless. They learned a lot and I was glad I was able to do it. It is always a good thing to get outside our comfort zone once in a while, right? We have some pictures posted on our Facebook page from the Cub Scout visit. Check it out at http://www.facebook.com/HospitalityUpgrade.
The event season is kicking off. Kate and I will be at the HTNG Annual Conference next week in Chicago. I have lived a lot of places in my life, but if anybody asks me where my favorite place to live was, I always answer Chicago. There’s something about those Midwesterners that you just have to love. This is HTNG’s 10-year celebration, so it should be fun and it looks like a very strong attendance this year. The following week we are off to our own Executive Vendor Summit in Scottsdale, Ariz. We have a great crowd this year for our very unique invitation-only event. We must extend a special thank you to Microsoft for doing a pre-conference get together. Our attendees will be provided with a one-of-a-kind evening inside the Microsoft Store, which will be closed as a private event just for our party. It should be interesting.
I must also thank Bob Frea, the vice president of sales at Montage Hotels and Resorts, for coming by and saying hello to me at the Santa Anita Race Track this past Saturday when our 3-year-old colt, Currahee, ran. I told him to join us in the winner’s circle for the picture after the race, but that works much better if he actually wins the race. Currahee came in third, but he ran great. He will get there eventually, I am sure of this. At least, as sure as one can be in the wacky world of horse racing. Our group now has a 2-year-old filly and she will be doing her thing up in New York this summer. I won’t tell you her name yet because it isn’t official. She is a very friendly horse that hopefully likes to run fast. Saratoga here we come!
Here is the real reason we are here: the very creative Jon Inge’s technology review of the last few weeks. If you are wondering why I call him creative this week, then read his opening comments. Maybe he is onto something. I will see you at the end with this week’s attempt at you-know-what.
Rich@hospitalityupgrade.com
Technology NEWSSTAND
by: Jon Inge
Systems News in Plain English from Jon Inge
TOP O’ THE NEWS
- Suggestions for a new range of systems
- HTNG celebrates 10th anniversary
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Vendors strive to come up with a product name that’s catchy and memorable, and it’s often tempting to help by including a reference to this wonderful industry. Kudos to all the vendors who’ve got it right, but in the spirit of being helpful – and mindful that April 1 is approaching fast – I thought I’d offer the following suggestions to help the marketing departments of any vendors still struggling to find the perfect product name. I wonder if we’ll see any of them at HITEC?
- Inn-Decision, perhaps the best business intelligence tool on the market?
- Inn-Discrete, the most understated system on the market;
- Inn-Case, for 24/7 backups;
- Inn-Deed, the ultimate tool for hotel owners;
- Inn-Explicable, the help desk module;
- Inn-YourDreams, the perfect product for every property;
and, inevitably,
- Inn-A-Gadda-Da-Vida, the system that really rocks.
Send me your suggestions for further additions to the portfolio, and I’ll include them in future newsletters.
**
HTNG is marking its 10th anniversary during its annual North American conference, to be held in Chicago from April 2-5.
**
http://www.joninge.com
PEOPLE ON THE MOVE
- Laurent Chevillon joins EasyRMS as vice president sales for EMEA
- John Hayes hired by Regatta Travel Solutions as vice president of sales
- Minott Osborn joins Pegasus Systems
- William (Bill) Gordon hired by SPI Software as senior project manager
- Steve Geltman joins SuiteLinq as vice president of content and sponsorship sales
- Tina Tasaka joins Cenium as director of sales
- Joseph Purzycki is new CEO at The Knowland Group
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For more information on People on the Move for 03/29/12
BACK OFFICE
- Shift4 now a Microsoft Dynamics ERP Partner
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Shift4 Corporation has announced its membership in the Microsoft Partner Network, and its status as a Microsoft Dynamics ERP Partner.
http://www.shift4.com **
ENGINEERING
- Kempinski Hotels launches KREEN energy consultancy for hotel properties
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Kempinski Hotels has launched an energy consultancy, KREEN (Kempinski Renewable Energies), catering specifically to the hotel industry's needs and claimed to be the first from a hotel group. Its priority is to optimize energy consumption management at Kempinski hotels and at other hotel brands through concrete environmental protection standards, and to decrease operating costs long term. KREEN is a joint venture between Kempinski Hotels, Marshfield Energy Switzerland and ÜWG Engineering GmbH, a subsidiary of Stadtwerke Mainz AG, combining the latter companies’ technical experience with Kempinski’s hotel planning and operations experience and access to hotels and hotel owners.
http://www.kempinski.com **
SECURITY
- VingCard Elsafe interfaces RFID locking systems with SKIDATA access-management and ticketing system
- VingCard Elsafe awarded U.S. patent for VISIONLINE wireless networking platform
- Extended Stay Hotels to install Onity’s HT24 magnetic stripe locks in 290+ properties
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For more information on Security for 03/29/12
GUEST MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS
- Carefree RV Resorts chooses RDP for 39 RV resorts
- MSI releases WebRES online booking software for NovaPLUS
- Xn Hotel Systems recognized as Protel’s No. 1 sales distributor for 2011-2012
- Ariane’s Allegro V6 wins Star Award from readers of Germany’s Top Hotel
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For more information on Guest Management Systems for 03/29/12
RESERVATIONS
- Tingo.com launches hotel booking site, giving travelers automatic refund if hotel rate subsequently drops
- Travel Tripper releases multilingual capabilities for RezTrip booking engine
- Room Key expands presence with four websites outside United States
- InnLink CRS receives 2012 Stevie Award in Customer Service
- Tobago Hotel & Tourism Association, Tobago Tourism Board choose Regatta Travel booking engine
- Prince migrates 11 properties to Pegasus’ RezView NG CRS
- Pegasus adds additional Voice Service call center in United States
- Grand Millennium Kuala Lumpur introduces integrated Facebook booking engine with Sabre
- Starwood releases third-generation mobile app for SPG members, with state-aware technology
- Nicaraguan Tourism Institute picks Regatta Travel Solutions’ booking engine for U.S. website
- Ringhotels to convert all 130 members to Trust International’s CRS
- Constance Hotels Experience signs with Trust International
- TravelClick announces forthcoming Release 3.0 of iHotelier Web booking engine
- TravelClick releases iHotelier OTA Sync integrated channel management software
- Preferred Hotel Group joins Roomkey.com
- Bookt to incorporate Smart Response Advanced Lead Processing in InstaManager
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For more information on Reservations for 03/29/12
MARKETING/MANAGEMENT
- Royal Park Hotel signs with TIG Global for new website, Internet marketing services
- Mohegan Sun selects Infor’s Infor10 CRM Enterprise suite
- VFM Leonardo launches enhanced version of VPowered Mobile Hotel Website
- Libra OnDemand announces responsive design email campaign software
- Buuteeq releases 360 Analytics online marketing channel tracking application
- The Knowland Group receives two Stevie Awards for Sales & Customer Service
- Norwegian Cruise Line picks Agilysys’ DataMagine™ for newest ship
- Infor releases Inforce Everywhere, incorporating Infor ERP data with Salesforce CRM
- Pegasus’ Open Hospitality division offers OpenFlex responsive Web design for hotels
- Pegasus releases RezView Mobile to let hotels using RezView NG design downloadable mobile booking apps
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For more information on Marketing/Management for 03/29/12
REVENUE MANAGEMENT
- InnLink integrates RateGain’s PriceGain competitive price intelligence into CRS
- De Vere Group picks SiteMinder channel distribution services for 27 properties
- Dover Downs Hotel & Casino implementing Rainmaker
- First Hotel Avalon Göteborg implements EasyRMS
- Lindner Hotels & Resorts implementing IDeaS in remaining 11 properties
- Reconline AG integrating RateGain’s ChannelGain online channel management with reconline|CRS platform
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For more information on Revenue Management for 03/29/12
SALES & CATERING, MEETING PLANNING
- Gainey Suites Hotel implements NORTHWIND’s new Maestro Group Connection Suite
- Imbookin.com launches online event space booking tool
- Washington State Convention Center selects PSAV as preferred in-house provider
- Quadriga launches QDelegate mobile app
- Discover Lehigh Valley deploys Passkey's GroupMAX ME
- Worldhotels signs with StarCite
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For more information on Sales & Catering, Meeting Planning for 03/29/12
F&B/POINT OF SALE
- Ruby Tuesday implements MICROS’ Table Management System across 750+ locations
- Pinkberry integrates Google’s Wallet NFC payment system into MICROS POS systems
- Wynn Resorts selects MICROS's S
imphony Enterprise POS for Wynn Las Vegas and Encore properties
- ReServe Interactive celebrates 15-year anniversary
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For more information on F&B/Point of Sale for 03/29/12
GUEST SERVICES
- Hotel Villa d'Este implements Swisscom's ConnectedHotel TV system, wired and Wi-Fi Internet service
- Locatel launches new STB10 IPTV set-top box for hospitality market
- VingCard Elsafe interfaces RFID hotel locking systems with SKIDATA access-management and ticketing
- Quadriga SmoovieTV pre-pay TV system now supports LG PrCentric V TVs
- Quadriga launches QValet and QMenu mobile-based apps
- Courtyard by Marriott Brussels installs Philips MediaSuite TVs
- Conrad Hong Kong implements MTech’s HotSOS
- Grand Hyatt Hong Kong implementing MTech’s HotSOS and REX
- Club Magnolia picks Blueprint RF for wireless, wired LAN services during U.S. Masters Tournament
- Intelity ICE now available in all western and double-byte character-based languages
- Intelity ICE now has fully certified integrations with 25 hospitality management systems
- YOTEL New York implements ARINC's microFIDS airline flight information service
- Waldorf Astoria Shanghai on The Bund installs G-LINK™ connectivity panels
- Hyatt signs master agreement with Roomlinx for iTV in United States, Canada and Caribbean
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For more information on Guest Services for 03/29/12
COMMUNICATIONS/INFRASTRUCTURE
- Conrad Hong Kong implements Jazz call accounting, DuVoice voice mail
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The Conrad Hong Kong has implemented Jazz call accounting and DuVoice guest and administration voice mail, through McLaren Technologies Asia Pacific Pte Ltd.
http://conradhotels3.hilton.com,
http://www.m-tech.com,
http://www.jazz-fusion.net,
http://www.mclarenint.com **
You-Know-What
And now for you-know-what…
A woman in a supermarket is following a grandfather and his badly behaved 3-year-old grandson. It's obvious to her that he has his hands full with the child screaming for sweets in the sweet aisle, cookies in the cookies aisle; and for fruit, cereal and sodas in the other aisles.
Meanwhile, the grandfather is working his way around, saying in a controlled voice, "Easy, William, we won't be long, easy, boy."
Another outburst, and she hears the grandfather calmly say, "It's okay, William, just a couple more minutes and we'll be out of here. Hang in there, boy."
At the checkout, the little terror is throwing items out of the cart, and the grandfather says again in a controlled voice, "William, William, relax buddy, don't get upset. We'll be home in five minutes; stay calm, William."
Very impressed, the woman goes outside where the grandfather is loading his groceries and the boy into the car. She says to the elderly gentleman, "It's none of my business, but you were amazing in there. I don't know how you did it. That whole time, you kept your composure, and no matter how loud and disruptive he got, you just calmly kept saying things would be okay. William is very lucky to have you as his grandpa."
"Thanks," said the grandfather, "but I'm William. His name is Kevin."