January 22, 2016
Siegel Sez
by: Richard Siegel
I love this time of year with the many conversations I have with those in industry. Yes, we are putting together Hospitality Upgrade’s first issue of the year so I have been talking to most of the industry’s top technology vendors. It is amazing how many are coming off their best year ever. The investment hoteliers are making in technology today continues to be strong. Along with the established technology vendors, there are a slew of startups that have paid their dues and are now getting new rounds of funding as technology for those that travel shows no signs of slowing down. I love hearing all the stories that these companies are sharing. The new year has also brought a great deal of movement with those who lead many of the hotel companies’ technology initiatives. A few of the moves are quite surprising and unexpected. I think I am going to create a list of all the movements for my next Siegel Sez. I know there will be additions and new announcements still to come, but who can be sure or know what the future holds. Yes, a crazy start to the year.
Now that we are deeply into January, the first slew of events will soon be kicking in. Next week we will be at the Data Security Boot Camp here in Atlanta, and then at the HSMAI Adrian Awards followed by the HSMAI Digital Marketing Strategy Conference in New York next month. Then I will be at the Agilysys Inspire User Conference at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. After that we are off to the HTNG North America Conference in Amelia Island, Fla. Once again HTNG has asked/encouraged/blackmailed me into leading its IT Leaders Panel. The IT Leaders Panel? Where do they come up with these names? The panel will consist of three CIOs: Monika Nerger of Mandarin Oriental, Page Petry from Marriott and Darla Morse from SeaWorld. SeaWorld? Now this I can have some fun with. Actually those who were there last year know as much as we will take advantage of the insight these three technology leaders will share with the audience, we will also make sure we do what we can to have them wish somebody else was moderating.
For a full list of events, please visit our Events page.
We are also currently working on our 12th annual Executive Vendor Summit where we bring the leaders from companies that provide technology to the hotel industry together for two-and-a-half days. This year the event will be in Atlanta from March 30 through April 1. Those who have attended in the past know we have done some creative things. EVS attendees often work together and partner, and many compete with each other throughout the year. One of the events at the summit will have a loaded gun in all of our attendees’ hands. I wonder how many will be tempted to……. Oh wait, I better not go there. Yes, this is the industry’s most unique event and has continuously grown over the last 12 years. If you are a technology provider and would like to join us, please email anne@hospitalityupgrade.com. We have a few other surprises that you might enjoy.
Here now is the real reason we are here, Dan Phillips’ review of the technology happenings around the industry. I will see you at the end with this week’s attempt at you-know-what.
Rich@Hospitalityupgrade.com
Technology NEWSSTAND
Recent headlines, from Dan Phillips
Introduction
The pendulum swings. This time the pendulum I am referring to is consolidation. So early in the year, and so many companies merging and acquiring. The lasting boon in the economy, and our industry, has enabled vendors to actively pursue smaller companies that cater to a specific niche that they might be missing. Innovators are being grabbed up and cobbled into larger corporations. In some respects it’s about time that Big Company A got around to providing what Little Company B is offering its small base of customers. But for me, personally, I await the pendulum to swing back to the small guys, opening up their garage doors to the sunny prospects of delivering unique solutions to our industry, and trying to make a living doing it!
I look forward to serving you,
Dan Phillips
Dare to Imagine
dphillips@dare2i.com
**
PEOPLE ON THE MOVE
- Industry Icon Carl Weldon to Join Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals as its COO of Europe
- GuestTek Announces Recent Promotions
- Enseo Expands Executive Team
- RoamBOOST Hires DAS Expert Dean Vinson as Director, Field Services
- And several more people on the move…
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For more information on People on the Move for 01/22/16
GUEST MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS
- Magnolia Bluffs Casino Selects Agilysys Lodging Management System as SaaS Solution for Newly Renovated Hotel
- Chateau Beaver Creek Leverages Springer-Miller Systems’
SMS|Host Hospitality Management System to Offer an Unparalleled Owner Experience
- Xn protel Systems Selected for Europe’s First Park Regis Hotel
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For more information on Guest Management Systems for 01/22/16
RESERVATIONS
- Sabre Completes Acquisition of the Trust Group; Transaction Expands Sabre’s Hospitality Customer Base by 30 Percent
- SiteMinder Partners with Priceline.com to Offer Hotels an Advanced Way to Distribute Inventory Online
- SiteMinder Announces lowcostbeds is its 300th Distribution Channel
- Travel Tripper Expands Global Presence with New Office in London
- Both the Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority and U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Tourism Select Regatta Booking Engine
- LeisureLink Raises $17M to Fuel Explosive Growth
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For more information on Reservations for 01/22/16
DATA SECURITY AND CYBER ATTACKS
- Hyatt’s Malware Breach Infected at Least 250 Hotels in 2015
- Casino Sues Trustwave Over Data Breach
- Hospitality eResources Joins a Global Effort to Further Privacy by Signing as an Official Champion of Data Privacy Day 2016
- Shift4 Achieves U.S. EMV Certification with First Data
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For more information on Data Security & Cyber Attacks for 01/22/16
SECURITY
- ASSA ABLOY Hospitality Kicks Off 2016 With Celebration of 100,000th Mobile Access Solution Installation Milestone
- Kaba Lodging Announces Mobile Access Implementation White Paper
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ASSA ABLOY Hospitality Kicks Off 2016 With Celebration of 100,000th Mobile Access Solution Installation MilestoneASSA ABLOY Hospitality Mobile Access
has now been successfully installed on more than 100,000 guestroom door locks worldwide.
http://www.assaabloyhospitality.com **
Kaba Lodging Announces Mobile Access Implementation White PaperKaba, the provider of Saflok™ and ILCO™ electronic locks, has
released a white paper, “3 Steps to Implement a Successful, Secure Mobile Access Guest Experience,” to help hoteliers evaluate the mobile access opportunity for their properties.
http://www.dormakaba.com,
http://www.kabalodging.com **
SUSTAINABILITY
- Destination Hotels Teams Up With Tesla Motors
- W San Francisco One of Only Five Hotels in North America to Achieve LEED Platinum
- AirRevive Brings HVAC Services to Canadian Market
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For more information on Sustainability for 01/22/16
MARKETING/MANAGEMENT
- Cendyn/ONE’s
® Advanced CRM Data Intelligence™ Solution to be Used by Loews Hotels & Resorts
- Digital Alchemy Expands Staff and Doubles Office Space to Support Growth
- TravelClick Partners with Sojern to Expand Digital Media Network
- HeBStrategy: The Q1 2016 Hospitality Digital Technology & Marketing Strategy Whitepaper Released
- nSight Scores New San Francisco Hotel Clients by Helping Win Guests from the OTAs
- TrustYou Releases TrustYou Stars To Help Hotels Gain More Reviews and Enhance Content on Google
- TSA Solutions Supports the Hotel Atlantic Kempinski Hamburg to Enhance its Upsell Revenue, Promote Guest Satisfaction and Motivate Front Office Teams
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For more information on Marketing/Management for 01/22/16
REVENUE MANAGEMENT
- Rainmaker’s OPTIMIZE2016 Conference Aims to "Make Revenue Optimization Great Again”
- Rainmaker Expands Asia-Pacific Reach with ONYX Hospitality Group Partnership
- Statler Hotel Renews Collaboration with IDeaS and Adopts Latest Revenue Management System
- Duetto to Provide Revenue Strategy Solutions for NH Hotel Group
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For more information on Revenue Management for 01/22/16
F&B/POINT OF SALE
- PAR Completes Integration of Brink POS
®with Punchh Mobile Engagement and Actionable Insights Platform
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PAR Completes Integration of Brink POS ®with Punchh Mobile Engagement and Actionable Insights PlatformParTech, Inc., a leading global provider of point-of-sale solutions, announced an agreement with Punchh, a provider of mobile loyalty and CRM technologies, to integrate the Punchh platform with the Brink POS Software solution for restaurants.
http://www.partech.com **
GUEST SERVICES
- Rocky Mountain Lodge Becomes First Air Force Lodging Operation to Earn Certified Guest Service Property Designation
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Rocky Mountain Lodge Becomes First Air Force Lodging Operation to Earn Certified Guest Service Property DesignationThe American Hotel & Lodging Educational Institute (AHLEI) has
awarded Rocky Mountain Lodge, Aurora, Colo., with the designation of Certified Guest Service Property for the second year in a row. Rocky Mountain Lodge is the first Air Force lodging operation to earn this title, which is presented to properties that train their employees using AHLEI’s Guest Service Gold
® program and certify all guest-facing staff as Certified Guest Service Professionals (CGSP
®). Nearly 40 associates have earned the individual certification after completing the Guest Service Gold
® training.
http://www.ahla.com,
http://af.dodlodging.net/propertys/Buckley-AFB **
PERSONALIZATION/GUEST EXPERIENCE
- EVOLUTION Lisboa Hotel, Chooses Nonius Multi-screen Solution for Mobile and LG PrCentric® Smart
- San Francisco Travel Unveils Trip Planning Technology Powered by Utrip, Just in Time for Super Bowl Game Week
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EVOLUTION Lisboa Hotel, gets Nonius Multi-screen Solution for mobile and LG PrCentric® Smart EVOLUTION Hotels announced that the first EVOLUTION Hotel is now equiped with the Nonius Mobile App, a customized version of NONIUS.TV for HTML5, running on PrCentric Smart TVs (LY750H), and the multi gigabit NONIUS.HSIA Appliance. The Nonius Mobile App is the most recent product from Nonius and it was developed to facilitate interaction between hotels and their guests, with a goal of reinventing a guest's hotel experience before, during and after the stay.
http://www.noniussoftware.com **
San Francisco Travel Unveils Trip Planning Technology Powered by Utrip, Just in Time for Super Bowl Game WeekThe San Francisco Travel Association, an internationally renowned leader in destination marketing, has unveiled a new artificial intelligence-based trip planning platform, powered by Utrip PRO. Just in time for Super Bowl 50 on Feb. 7, 2016, the free trip planner enables area visitors and locals alike to create personalized itineraries that include San Francisco attractions, restaurants, lodging, nightlife and activities, served up based on the individual visitor’s interests and budget. The San Francisco Travel Association completely redesigned its website in 2014, earning the organization a Gold Adrian Award from the Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International (HSMAI) and a Webby Award finalist.
http://www.utrip.com,
http://trip.sanfrancisco.travel **
INVENTORY/PURCHASING
- Trump National Doral Golf Resort and Spa Miami Upgrades to InvoTech RFID Uniform Management System
- Ingenico Group Announces the Official Launch of Its New Brand: Ingenico ePayments
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Trump National Doral Golf Resort and Spa Miami Upgrades to InvoTech RFID Uniform Management System
InvoTech Systems, Inc., announced Luxury Miami Golf Resort
Trump National Doral is upgrading its uniform management and control processes with InvoTech’s RFID Uniform System. The Trump National Doral has benefited from the control and accountability established by the InvoTech Barcode Uniform System since implemented in 2012. The RFID upgrade will provide additional cost saving benefits by automating manual tasks that were required with the barcode system.
www.invotech.com,
http://www.doralresort.com **
Ingenico Group Announces the Official Launch of Its New Brand: Ingenico ePaymentsIngenico Group’s online and mobile commerce division combines the former Ogone and GlobalCollect organizations, merging capabilities and offerings, and providing merchants around the world with enhanced end-to-end products and services. The launch of the Ingenico ePayments brand now completes the integration process and enhances the Group’s position within the ePayments industry.
http://www.ingenico.com **
ENGINEERING
- HotelTap Adds Preventive Maintenance to its Workplace Cloud Communication Tool
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HotelTap Adds Preventive Maintenance to its Workplace Cloud Communication ToolThe Silver Palms Inn in Key West, Fla., is the
first user of a new development from HotelTap. The company has added a preventive maintenance tool to create digital task and subtask logs for routine room inspections.
http://www.HotelTap.com **
HOSPITALITY EDUCATION
- IDeaS Revenue Management Curriculum Now Free to Academic Institutions
- AH&LA Study Reveals Growing Number of Commercial Landlords Using Airbnb to Run “Unregulated Hotels” in Major Cities
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IDeaS Revenue Management Curriculum Now Free to Academic InstitutionsIDeaS Revenue Solutions, a leading provider of revenue management software solutions and advisory services,
announced a free online program for all academic institutions that uses learning materials and demo systems to help teach revenue management in the classroom. The program aims to support what professors are currently doing in the classroom and can be incorporated into their teachings however they see fit.
http://www.ideas.com **
AH&LA Study Reveals Growing Number of Commercial Landlords Using Airbnb to Run “Unregulated Hotels” in Major CitiesThe American Hotel & Lodging Association (AH&LA)
released a new study conducted by researchers at Penn State University’s School of Hospitality Management offering the first, comprehensive national look at the rise of commercial activity on Airbnb, one of the most trafficked short-term rental platforms. The analysis tracks data collected during a 13-month period (September 2014-September 2015) in 12 of the nation’s largest metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs): New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Miami, Houston, Dallas, Phoenix, San Antonio, San Diego, San Francisco, and Washington, D.C.
http://www.ahla.com/uploadedFiles/_Common/pdf/PennState_AirBnbReport_.pdf **
HOSPITALITY EVENTS
- HSMAI Names Top 25 Extraordinary Minds in Hospitality Sales, Marketing and Revenue Optimization
- HFTP Partnering in Hotel Technology Summit in Saudi Arabia
- Digital Signage Expo 2016 to Offer Educational Opportunities in Digital Signage
- HTNG Set to Present a Fresh and Innovative Program at North American Conference
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For more information on Hospitality Events for 01/22/16
PIQUED DAN'S INTEREST
- Hilton Celebrates Largest Ever Global Month of Service
- 4 Ways Luxury Hotels Can Use Technology To Provide Better Customer - Service
- Not Just Heads in Beds – Cybersecurity for Hotel Owners
- Understanding Marriott’s Vision of the Future of Meetings in 2016
- Technology Lets Tourists ‘Go Local’ with Micromoments
- And more interesting stories...
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For more information on Piqued Dan's Interest for 01/22/16
You-Know-What
And now for you-know-what…
On a recent flight from Ireland to the U.S., there were 103 passengers but only 40 meals were loaded.
The airline had made a mistake, and the crew was in a fix. However, one smart flight attendant had an idea. About 30 minutes into the flight she nervously announced, "I don't know how this happened but we have 103 passengers and only 40 dinners."
When the passengers' muttering had died down she continued, "Anyone who is kind enough to give up his or her meal so that someone else can eat, will receive free unlimited liquor during the entire duration of the flight."
Her next announcement came an hour and a half later, "If anyone is hungry, we still have 40 dinners available!”