July 08, 2016

Siegel Sez

by: Richard Siegel

I thought the week between Christmas and New Year’s was the big vacation week. It seems like everybody in the technology space took this week off with July 4th being on a Monday. You have to love those out-of-office replies when emailing people. Then again, with only one week after the conclusion of HITEC maybe everyone needed the week off. For me, HITEC really is an amazing experience; the interaction seemed to be nonstop. I am very grateful that so many came up to us at Hospitality Upgrade to congratulate us on a great issue – the vendors that support us along with the readers who find great value in what we do. You can’t imagine how great that makes us feel. The conversations shifted to the many technology leaders who will be joining us at No. 15 CIO Summit in Philadelphia in September (www.hospitalityupgrade.com/ciosummit). I loved being asked if we really are going to have dinner in a locker room. Yes, we are! HITEC is always pretty amazing and this year was no different. The crowds were great, though some on the exhibit floor were asking if the crowd seemed less this year. Then the very next exhibitor I spoke to said that this was “by far the best HITEC ever” with both the number of people there along with the quality of attendees. Maybe it all comes down to expectations. I spent one day over at HSMAI’s Revenue Optimization Conference and that event really did “ROC.” HITEC was truly nonstop for me which included educational sessions that I was involved in. Thankfully they went well and the feedback was positive. I’d also like to say thank you to all who participated and attended. Please click here to watch Hospitality Upgrade’s HITEC 2016 recap video with HFTP’s Lucinda Hart and a few industry consultants.

From morning sessions to daytime exhibits to parties that lasted way into the night, HITEC was nonstop, and of course everyone was taking pictures and shooting videos. Wendy Mertz from Hard Rock Hotels and Casinos caught Kris Singleton from I.C.E. Enterprise and me deep in thought. (See photo above.) She posted the picture on Facebook with the caption which read, "if only there were those little clouds attached that let us know what they were thinking." Those who did comment and filled the “what were they thinking” clouds gave Kris serious thoughts and for me simply said “horses” which made me laugh. There were many serious conversations at HITEC, lots of stories shared and plenty of laughs as everyone reconnected with industry friends and made some new ones. Thank you, New Orleans for keeping the weather bearable. We really appreciate it as New Orleans in June can be a challenge.

And, the horses. When I was in college one summer I worked as a bellhop at a resort in Lake George, N.Y. My family came up from Long Island, N.Y. to visit and we went to Saratoga on a Saturday. I remember petting a horse and then watching him run later in the afternoon. I was hooked. B Three our three-year old filly who is part of our two-horse stable will be running in Saratoga this summer. This is the dream. If anybody would like to come when she runs send me an email at rich@hospitalityupgrade.com. Be prepared to go to the stables in the morning with carrots in hand and then enjoy the pageantry when it comes close to race time. Getting her ready in the paddock, then going to the walking ring and talking to the jockey, watching the race and dreaming of your picture in the winner’s circle. It is an experience that is hard to describe, but such a thrill. I can’t wait. Wish us luck!

Yes, HITEC 2016 is in the books, but the reviews, the news and updates continue. Here now is Dan Phillips review of the technology happenings and his personal look back at HITEC. I will see you at the end with this week’s attempt at you-know-what. Go B Three!

Rich@hospitalityupgrade.com

---

Technology NEWSSTAND

by: Dan Phillips
Recent headlines, from Dan Phillips

 

Introduction

I am also quite impressed with the solutions from both Edge Communications and Alcatel-Lucent.  And, not to be left out, PhoneSuite and Homisco.  Also, Mitel showed off a soon to be released new operator console that can work on any IP phone system.

There were several exhibitors providing new forms of inside hotel communications, replacing traditional walkie-talkies.  And, there was a company, Zinc that I thought handled this very well.  In fact, the company is more like a solution that provides unified communications on mobile phones.

What most surprised me this year was that (finally) we have some solutions centered on gleaning the data from our industry’s silos and presenting it in an actionable format. The company that is the leader at this point is IreckonU in that not only is the company capturing relevant data from all sorts of systems, it also has begun to provide intelligence to the presentation of that data and has even gone so far to then automatically initiate system changes based upon rules set by the hotelier. Another company to watch in this space is Robomq.io.

Other exhibitors I would like to mention as having solutions that piqued my interest include Hello Scout, Point Across, Ariane, and hospitalityPulse.

*#HITECnola: Special HITEC 2016 Report brought to you by DANNI Enterprises

Hospitality Upgrade reached out to the team at DANNI Enterprises to provide a summary of experiences from HITEC 2016. Each team member scouted HITEC through the lens of his or her specific area of expertise. Click below to read all six parts:

---

GUEST MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS

For more information on Guest Management Systems for 07/08/16

---

RESERVATIONS

-HeBS Digital Gives Hoteliers a 20% Credit to Help Boost Direct Bookings and Lower Distribution Costs
-TravelClick’s New Media Suite Offering Increases Direct Hotel Bookings
-Sabre Unveils Sneak Peek of Travel Agency Platform Featuring Powerful Data Insights and Merchandising Capabilities
-----------------------------
For more information on Reservations for 07/08/16

---

GUEST SERVICES

-Aloft Introduces New In-room Streaming Services from TeleAdapt
-Samsung Offers Broad Hospitality Offerings at HITEC 2016
-The Cromwell Pilots the iRiS Connected Room Experience with Windows 10 and Microsoft Cloud
-Launch of Crave T-mini to Ignite the In-room Hotel Tablet Market
-ADB Introduces vuTyme
-Elavon and Ariane Systems Now Offer a Fast and Secure Check-in Experience for Guests
-Comcast to Trial X1 Video Platform for Business Customers
-hospitalityPulse Debuted Integrated Product Suite for Mobile Check-in and Room Assignment at HITEC
-PhoneSuite DIRECT Introduces Managed VOICE VoIP PBX
-The Westin Buffalo Chooses GuestTek’s Triple Play Solution for Full Convergence
-ADB Increases Solid State Memory Life-Cycle Seven Times with Patented DVR-Lite™
-Crowds Gather at Kube Systems Booth During HITEC to See New Multi-Device Charging Solutions
-GuestTek and Bulk TV Forge Relationship to Deliver Converged Solutions in Hotels
-RoomNetTV Appointed as Nevaya’s Distributor for North America
-W Boston Signs on for Convergence with GuestTek, Offering Guests a Truly At-Home Entertainment Experience
-Teledex E Series USB Hotel Phones Support Guest Smart Device Charging
-Kube Systems Unveils ‘Essential’ Charging Device with Unmatched Versatility
-vuTyme by ADB Joins LG Electronics PRO:CENTRIC Partner Program
-Cetis Introduced New Hotel Phone Family at HITEC 2016
-Club Quarters Hotels Launches Portfolio-wide Rollout of Ariane Systems’ Advanced Self-service Check-in/out Solution
-----------------------------
For more information on Guest Services for 07/08/16

---

PERSONALIZATION/GUEST EXPERIENCE

-Intelity Delivers Noble House Hotels & Resorts Brand-Wide Enterprise Mobile App
-----------------------------
Intelity Delivers Noble House Hotels & Resorts Brand-Wide Enterprise Mobile App
Travelers looking for a modern hotel experience and total control over their stay will enjoy using a new mobile app from Noble House Hotels & Resorts. The new hotel brand app was developed and delivered by Intelity, creator of a hospitality guest engagement and service platform. 
**

---

BACK OFFICE

-San Francisco’s Hotel Zephyr Partners with ALICE
-Oracle Releases Oracle Hospitality Hotel Mobile Native App to Serve as Mobile Front End for OPERA and Suite8
- Aptech Computer Systems Launches Mobile Targetvue for Company Performance Access at HITEC
- McLaren Technologies Completes Multi-Hotel Project for Millennium Hotels and Resorts in Singapore
- hospitalityPulse to Debut Integrated Product Suite for Mobile Check In and Room Assignment at HITEC
-----------------------------
For more information on Back Office for 07/08/16

---

PEOPLE ON THE MOVE

- UniFocus Taps Information Security Expert Patrick Glennon to Spearhead New CISO Function
- SALTO Appoints Bill Wood as President of SALTO Systems North America
- HFTP's Frank Wolfe, CAE to Remain CEO Until May 2022
- Grace Hotels Appoints Robert Swade as CEO
- Loews Regency New York Hotel Appoints Daniel Ben-Efraim as Director of Marketing
- Zaplox Appoints Rune Jakobsen as Director of Product Management in Support of Global Growth Initiative
-----------------------------
For more information on People on the Move for 07/08/16

---

REVENUE MANAGEMENT

-Rainmaker's Group Pricing Integrates with Cvent Lead Scoring
-SiteMinder Launches Prophet for Real-time Hotel Pricing Intelligence
-Duetto to Provide Revenue Strategy Solutions for River Spirit Casino
-Hotel Forecasting and Pricing Strategy Amplified: The Rainmaker Group and Springer-Miller Systems Expand Connection
-----------------------------
For more information on Revenue Management for 07/08/16

---

MARKETING/MANAGEMENT

- Three Property Cove Haven Entertainment Resorts Grows Loyalty with Digital Alchemy’s Email Communications
- Flip.to Unveils Vision AI
- Cendyn Launches the Cendyn Hospitality Marketing Cloud at HITEC 2016
-----------------------------
For more information on Marketing/Management for 07/08/16

---

F&B/POINT OF SALE

---

DATA SECURITY AND CYBER ATTACKS

-Hotel Internet Services Showcased Best Practices for Data Security and Guest Wi-Fi Network Solutions at HITEC 2016
-----------------------------
Hotel Internet Services Showcased Best Practices for Data Security and Guest Wi-Fi Network Solutions at HITEC 2016
Hotel Internet Services (HIS), a full-service provider of Internet services and solutions for the hospitality industry, provided HITEC 2016 attendees with critical insight into one of the industry's most critical challenges, which is safeguarding sensitive guest data in today's increasingly digital hotel environment.
http://www.hotelwifi.com
**

---

SECURITY

For more information on Security for 07/08/16

---

SUSTAINABILITY

-INTEREL Receives Approved Manufacturer Status for All Marriott International Brands Globally
-----------------------------
INTEREL Receives Approved Manufacturer Status for All Marriott International Brands Globally
INTEREL, a solution provider of integrated guest room control and energy management systems for the hospitality industry, has received approved manufacturer status for its GRMS/EMS system in all Marriott International brands globally.
**

---

INVENTORY/PURCHASING

-BirchStreet Launches Executive Dashboards and Data Management Services for the Hospitality and Gaming Industries
-----------------------------
BirchStreet Launches Executive Dashboards and Data Management Services for the Hospitality and Gaming Industries
BirchStreet Systems, a hospitality-focused cloud-based procure-to-pay automation software, has unveiled its new Executive Dashboards features in conjunction with Data Management Services.
http://www.birchstreet.net
**

---

COMMUNICATIONS/INFRASTRUCTURE

-VT Group Announces New Hospitality Division
-Hotel Internet Services Appoints HotSpot International as Exclusive Representative of BeyondTV in Latin America
-McLaren Technologies Flexes Fully ‘Fluide’ HSIA Solution for Schwartz Hotels in Australia
-Eleven Software Enhances Central Authentication Wi-Fi Platform to Further Engage and Reward Guests
-----------------------------
For more information on Communications/Infrastructure for 07/08/16

---

SALES & CATERING, MEETING PLANNING

-Knowland to Acquire Meeting Intelligence from Amadeus
-----------------------------
Knowland to Acquire Meeting Intelligence from Amadeus
Knowland has announced that it has entered into an agreement to acquire Meeting Intelligence (formerly known as HIS), incorporating both the product and employees, from Newmarket International Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Amadeus, a provider of advanced technology solutions for the global travel industry.
http://www.amadeus-hospitality.com
**

---

INNOVATORS AND STARTUPS

-HFTP Announces Winners from Second Entrepreneur 20X Pitch Competition
-----------------------------
HFTP Announces Winners from Second Entrepreneur 20X Pitch Competition
Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals (HFTP^®) has announced the second Judges' Choice Award winner, Hello Scout Inc., and the first People's Startup Award winner, Daylighted, in its second Entrepreneur 20X (E20X) pitch competition during the 2016 Hospitality Industry Technology Exposition and Conference (HITEC) last month in New Orleans, La.
http://www.hftp.org
http://www.hitec.org
**

---

HOSPITALITY EVENTS

-HFTP Celebrates Record Breaking Conference Attendance at HITEC 2016
-HSMAI Region Europe to Co-locate Conference with Premiere HITEC Amsterdam in March 2017
-----------------------------
HFTP Celebrates Record Breaking Conference Attendance at HITEC 2016
Hospitality technology professionals from around the globe came together this month to explore the industry's best practices and latest innovations at the world's largest Hospitality Industry Technology Exposition and Conference (HITEC), hosted each year by Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals (HFTP®).
www.hftp.org
www.hitec.org
**
HSMAI Region Europe to Co-locate Conference with Premiere HITEC Amsterdam in March 2017
Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals (HFTP^®), producers of the Hospitality Industry Technology Exposition and Conference (HITEC), announced its partnership with HSMAI Region Europe.
www.hftp.org
www.HSMAI-Europe.com
**

---

PIQUED DAN'S INTEREST

For more information on Piqued Dan's Interest for 06/08/2016

---

You-Know-What

Suddenly, over the public address system, the captain announces, "Ladies and gentlemen, I am afraid I have some very bad news. Our engines have ceased functioning and we will attempt an emergency landing. Luckily, I see an uncharted island below us and we should be able to land on the beach. However, the odds are that we may never be rescued and will have to live on the island for the rest of our lives."

Thanks to the skill of the flight crew, the plane lands safely on the island.

An hour later, Rajiv turns to his wife and asks, “Priya, did we pay our deposit check yet to ICICI Bank?”

“No, sweetheart,” she responds.

Rajiv, still shaken from the crash landing, then asks, “Priya, did we pay our ICICI Bank Mastercard yet?”

“Oh no! I’m sorry. I forgot to send the check,” she says.

“One last thing, Priya. Did you remember to send checks for the auto loan to them too this month?” he asks.

“Oh, forgive me, Rajiv,” begged Priya. “I didn’t send that one, either.”

Rajiv grabs her and gives her the biggest hug in 40 years. Priya pulls away and asks him, “So, why did you hug me?”