January 26, 2018
Siegel Sez
by: Rich Siegel
Orlando–a city I love to hate. But for those who put on events it pretty much ensures a great crowd. I am at the Infor Customer Summit, which basically is what Infor calls its hospitality users’ group. I was invited to accompany Director of Program Management for Infor Michael Schubach in revisiting the well-received “History of Technology” special issue that
Hospitality Upgrade produced last year. The crowd was twice the size of 2017, and we had fun sharing the early days of technology. Then we moved to where we are today along with how we see technology impacting the future. It was fun and very well received. People love hearing stories from the old days (as long as you keep it within reason). The conference itself was great. Infor had many of its new customers in attendance including Caesars and Mandarin Oriental. I also spent time with some of Infor’s sponsors including SHR, Digital Alchemy and Vivonet. This led to more storytelling! Yes, there were some good ones. I am thankful to be invited, was happy the session was so well received, and yes, I got to do the Disney thing. I attend many events throughout the year, but other than HITEC and our own events (Executive Vendor Summit and CIO Summit) my favorites are users’ groups. These are the people who use the technology we always talk about and offer great feedback. I started my technology career as a user so maybe that is why I can relate. It was a nice time in Orlando, the city I love to hate!
Our Executive Vendor Summit is being held in West Hollywood, Calif., at the end of February and continues to expand to new companies. It is wonderful that so many first-time attendees will be joining us this year. We thank HFTP for its support of the event making sure all the HITEC exhibitors are aware of our partnership and the event invitation. Hollywood here we come. If you have any questions regarding EVS or would like to join us, please contact Anne Boon immediately at
anne@hospitalityupgrade.com. Deadlines are quickly approaching.
For those of you in Las Vegas or who will be in Las Vegas next week, the HFTP meeting has an amazing speaker lined up. Michael Hill is a 30-year veteran of the FBI and will talk about a multitude of subjects including cybersecurity defenses for internal threats and GDPR. He is also the lead investigator for the October 1 Las Vegas shooting and will share his insights. The HFTP Las Vegas chapter always has great speakers. I am being entrusted to emcee the event which I am honored to do. If you would like more information about attending, please send a note to
rich@hospitalityupgrade.com. The meeting starts at 6:15 p.m. Thurs., February 1, for those of you arriving early for Super Bowl weekend in Las Vegas.
Here now is the real reason we are here, our look at the latest happenings in the technology world for our industry along with the opening by the always opinionated Ron Hardin. I will see you at the end with this week’s attempt at you-know-what.
Rich@hospitalityupgrade.com
Introduction
by: Ron Hardin
Everything old is new again. I thought this was an old saying, and it may be, but it was also the title of a hit song from “All That Jazz.” It generally means that styles come and go and (sometimes) come back. Fedoras, handlebar mustaches, Jodhpurs – or all three if you’re an insufferable hipster. But in technology, everything old is just...old. So, can we please, please work a little harder to get rid of some of the old stuff? Starting with: cabling. It is stunning to me to walk into a hotel that looks nicely updated and walk into a server room or wiring closet that looks like the backdrop of Dr. Frankenstein’s laboratory. Old cabling is never new again and seemingly never goes away. It fills up the ceiling plenum spaces and wiring pathways, it makes infrastructure moves/adds/changes more difficult, and all too often someone will try to use it – because it’s there – with predictably poor results. Many of the contracts I’ve seen for new low-voltage cabling work in renovation projects specifically require the contractor to identify and demolish “abandoned” cabling. But it’s rarely done. The contractor doesn’t have the ability to ensure every cable is truly abandoned, so they err on the side of not pulling out any of the old stuff. So, the cycle continues. A good contractor knows there is some tangible scrap value in all that copper, and in a few hours a knowledgeable tech can ID and tag a LOT of abandoned cabling to be demolished. Include and enforce that provision in your new cabling contracts, and drastically improve the functional and esthetic quality of your technology infrastructure.
Windows XP. Enough said.
Old application servers. Have you noticed that when new applications are installed, the undead zombie servers of the old applications never go away. You know why? Because Sally in payroll might still need to look up W2s on the old platform (or some other version of the same logic). But now you have an old box, maybe with an old OS (see note re: Windows XP above), probably not being patched or properly secured, sitting on the network. And the most likely apps to find in this zombie graveyard are things like payroll or POS or PMS – full of sensitive, albeit somewhat outdated, information. Send it to its final resting place!
Printers. Every hotel has that one storeroom that has turned into an old printer museum. You’re not going to need if for parts. Just let it go.
I could go on, but you get my drift. My wife now has a rule about kitchen gadgets and small appliances. We can’t bring a new one in unless you get rid of one or more of the old ones. That sounds like good advice for our technology.
Ron Hardin, CHTP
RonHardin.TECH Consulting
Ron@ronhardin.tech
**
Recent headlines, from Hospitality Upgrade
MERGERS and ACQUISITIONS
- Wyndham Worldwide and La Quinta Holdings Announce Acquisition Agreement
- Interstate Hotels & Resorts Closes Deal to Acquire 83 Property Management Agreements
- Lighthouse Network Acquires Shift4 Corporation and Announces Company Rebranding
--------------------------
For more information on Mergers & Acquisitions for 01/26/18
PEOPLE ON THE MOVE
- Hospitality Industry Veteran Don DeMarinis to Join Agilysys as Senior Vice President of Sales, Americas
- Sabre Chief Information Security Officer Roy R. Mellinger Reaffirmed to HITRUST Alliance Board of Directors
- AHLA Announces 2018 Officers and Board of Directors Slate
- Concierge Connoisseur Karen Clancy Joins ALICE in Building a World-Class Concierge Technology Sales Team
- Bartech Appoints Peter Kuzyk as Director of Sales in Support of Growth in North American Hospitality Market
- FRLA Welcomes Kevin Speidel as New Chairman and Executive Committee
- Hyatt to Realign its Corporate Leadership Team and Operations
- Jumeirah Appoints Jose Silva, Former Four Seasons Senior Executive, as the New Chief Executive Officer
- La Quinta Holdings Names Keith A. Cline President and CEO of CorePoint Lodging Inc.
- Lodging Interactive Announces Rosella Virdo as Its Chief Operating Officer
- Susanne Auinger of DB Systel GmbH, a Subsidiary of Deutsche Bahn AG, Elected as Chairperson of OpenTravel
- Sonesta Names Blair Mcsheffrey as Vice President of Global & Hotel Sales
- Steigenberger Hotels AG Appoints Thomas Willms as CEO
--------------------------
For more information on People on the Move for 01/26/18
GUEST MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS
- Skyline Hotel and Casino Chooses Agilysys Hospitality Solutions to Deliver a Superior Guest Experience at Newly Opened Hotel
- Maestro PMS Extends System Innovation, Announces 2018 Development Roadmap
- StayNTouch Brings PMS Mobility to Hotel Van Belle and Hotel Queen Anne in Belgium
--------------------------
For more information on Guest Management Systems for 01/26/18
RESERVATIONS
- IBC Launches ILES: A Year of Learning Webinar Series for Independent Hoteliers
- SHR Announces New CRS Product, Global PMS Integrations and European Direct Connect
- SHR 2017—Another Year of Growth and Innovation
- Colombia’s Hotel Bogotá 100 Doubles Sales with Distribution and Booking Technology from SiteMinder
- SiteMinder Partnership Showcases Authentic Italian Experiences for Travelers
- Spanish Hotel Market: SiteMinder Analysis Finds Online Hotel Bookings Have Doubled in Five Years
- SkyTouch Integrates with Choice Hotels’ New Global Reservation System
--------------------------
For more information on Reservations for 01/26/18
REVENUE MANAGEMENT
- The Belvedere Hotel Trusts IDeaS’ Advanced Technology to Optimize Revenue Strategy, Increase ADR
--------------------------
The Belvedere Hotel Trusts IDeaS’ Advanced Technology to Optimize Revenue Strategy, Increase ADR
The Belvedere Hotel, a 1920s art-deco styled, independent property in New York City with 355 guestrooms,
sought to upgrade its revenue strategy solution in order to keep up with its fast-paced competitive market. With a majority of double occupancy rooms at the property, IDeaS G3 Revenue Management System (IDeaS G3 RMS), built on powerful SAS® analytics, allows The Belvedere Hotel to manage rates more effectively by room type, a need its previous technology couldn’t accomplish.
http://www.ideas.com
**
PERSONALIZATION/GUEST EXPERIENCE
- Live! Casino & Hotel Selects KEYPR as Guest Experience Technology Partner
- The Carnegie Hotel Modernizes its Business Center Solution with Microsoft Surface Pro Tablets
--------------------------
Live! Casino & Hotel Selects KEYPR as Guest Experience Technology Partner
KEYPR
®, a leading cloud-based technology platform for the hospitality industry providing an integrated end-to-end experience for guests and staff through embedded and mobile devices, announced that Live! Casino & Hotel, one of the largest commercial casinos in the country,
will deploy its expansive hospitality platform at the new Live! Hotel, which is set to open in Spring 2018.
http://www.keypr.com
**
The Carnegie Hotel Modernizes its Business Center Solution with Microsoft Surface Pro Tablets
The use of tablet computers has exploded in recent years, with good reason. Tablets are fantastically powerful business tools, which is why more and more businesses are turning to them for their everyday IT needs. Tablets such as the Microsoft Surface Pro also provide space-saving technologies and a pleasing user experience,
which is why they are the platform of choice at the Carnegie Hotel in New York City.
http://www.ttitel.com
**
MARKETING/MANAGEMENT
- Mariana Safer of HEBS Digital to Be Honored at HSMAI’s 2018 Adrian Awards as a Top 25 Extraordinary Mind in Hospitality
- Milestone Enhances Local Events Publishing Platform with New Channels & Third-Party Site Compatibility
- Vizergy
® Introduces TargetingHub™ - An Innovative New Platform That Identifies Your Target Customer and Deploys Smarter Marketing Campaigns
--------------------------
For more information on Marketing/Management for 01/26/18
BACK OFFICE
- hospitalityPulse Launches E-book to Help Hoteliers
- TravelClick Unveils Revamped Rate360
® Platform with Both Meta and Unlimited Real-time Shopping
- M3 Celebrates 5,000th Hotel to Select Accounting Core
--------------------------
For more information on Back Office for 01/26/18
F&B/POINT OF SALE
- Oracle Celebrates Continued Hardware Innovation with New MICROS Compact Workstation 310 Point-of-sale
--------------------------
Oracle Celebrates Continued Hardware Innovation with New MICROS Compact Workstation 310 Point-of-sale
Oracle
introduced the new Oracle MICROS Compact Workstation 310 point-of-sale (POS) terminal. A high-performance, cost-effective workstation built with superior durability in a sleek, compact form factor, the Oracle MICROS Compact Workstation 310 is ideal for hospitality and retail applications that feature a limited menu or assortment and require a smaller footprint, terminal portability or additional capacity during peak trading or a sporting event.
http://www.oracle.com/hospitality
**
PAYMENT PROCESSING
- Oracle and FreedomPay Deliver Future of Consumer Payments at New York's Jacob K. Javits Center
--------------------------
Oracle and FreedomPay Deliver Future of Consumer Payments at New York's Jacob K. Javits Center
At NRF 2018, Oracle Hospitality, a trusted provider of hardware, software and services to hospitality operators, and FreedomPay, a leader in secure commerce technology for lodging, gaming, retail, restaurants, stadiums and other hospitality merchants,
announced their collaboration to provide secure payment processing for conference attendees at the Jacob K. Javits Center in New York City.
http://www.oracle.com/hospitality
**
INVENTORY/PURCHASING
- FireKeepers Casino Hotel Rely on RFID Technology to Control Uniform Inventory and Employee Assignments
--------------------------
FireKeepers Casino Hotel Rely on RFID Technology to Control Uniform Inventory and Employee Assignments
InvoTech Systems is a leading provider of advanced linen management, laundry and uniform systems that integrate the latest RFID technology to increase profitability for hotels, resorts, casino operators, sports arenas, convention centers and theme parks. The InvoTech System installed at FireKeepers Casino Hotel
manages the Uniform inventory for 1,750 employees.
http://www.InvoTech.com
**
SPA/GOLF/LEISURE ACTIVITIES
- Spa
Soft Unveils Latest Version of Spa & Activity Management Solution
--------------------------
SpaSoft Unveils Latest Version of Spa & Activity Management Solution
Springer-Miller Systems (SMS), a leading provider of guest-centric hospitality and spa management systems,
announced the general availability of the latest release of the SpaSoft spa and activity management solution. Spa
Soft version 6.5 leverages a new technology and development platform to enhance the overall system performance as well as allow for a faster and improved user experience. These technology updates allow Spa
Soft to continue to scale and grow to serve the ever-changing needs of the spa industry.
https://www.springermiller.com/spasoft-spa-management-system/
**
DATA SECURITY AND CYBER ATTACKS
- Security Issue at Sabre Affects Rosewood Hotel Group Guests’ Payment Card Information
--------------------------
Security Issue at Sabre Affects Rosewood Hotel Group Guests’ Payment Card Information
Rosewood Hotel Group (Rosewood)
announced an issue affecting certain Rosewood guest reservation information that was maintained on the systems of Sabre Hospitality Solutions (Sabre), a service provider used by Rosewood and other major hotel brands to process guests’ hotel reservations. Sabre informed Rosewood that other hotel brands were similarly impacted by this issue. The issue occurred on Sabre’s systems and did not affect Rosewood’s own systems.
https://www.rosewoodhotels.com/en/announcement,
http://www.sabrehospitality.com/
**
SECURITY
- Mobile Key Solution Provider Lock Up Rebrands as STAYmyway
--------------------------
Mobile Key Solution Provider Lock Up Rebrands as STAYmyway
The innovative mobile key hospitality technology provider Lock Up, is
announcing a strategic re-branding to STAYmyway to better reflect its platform’s multifaceted ability to help hoteliers engage with guests and deliver an enhanced stay through their own mobile devices. HSTAYmyway offers hoteliers a cost-effective and scalable solution partner to add mobile key functionality without replacing existing locks. Hotels can choose to upgrade their own existing mobile app or use the turn-key STAYmyway app for the guests.
http://www.staymyway.com
**
HOSPITALITY EDUCATION
- HFTP Launches Certification Advisory Program (CAP) to Benefit CHAE and CHTP Applicants
- HFTP Launches New GDPR Bytes Site, an Addition to its Online News Portfolio
- HFTP Chapters Offer Regional Education for Hospitality Finance and Technology Professionals
- Beekeeper’s "Bee School" is Back in Session
- IDeaS Announces 2017 Cornell Revenue Management Scholarship Recipients
--------------------------
For more information on Hospitality Education for 01/26/18
HOSPITALITY EVENTS
- Digital Signage Expo 2018 to Offer Educational Opportunities in Digital Signage for Hotel Operators, System Administrators, Marketers and Technologists
- HSMAI Recognizes Lifetime Achievements of Ed Fuller and Terry Gallagher
--------------------------
Digital Signage Expo 2018 to Offer Educational Opportunities in Digital Signage for Hotel Operators, System Administrators, Marketers and Technologists
Digital Signage Expo (DSE), one of the world’s largest international trade shows and educational conferences dedicated to digital displays, interactive technology and digital communications networks,
will present new educational opportunities designed specifically for hotel operators, system administrators and technologists March 27-29, 2018, at the Las Vegas Convention Center. The seminar programs are part of DSE’s Educational Conference designed to help attendees learn about the newest technologies available, how successful digital signage strategies are being implemented, and how to best take advantage of them to strengthen guest relationships through proactive engagement in a variety of applications.
http://www.dse2018.com
**
HSMAI Recognizes Lifetime Achievements of Ed Fuller and Terry Gallagher
The Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International (HSMAI)
announced the recipients of the 2017 HSMAI Lifetime Achievement Awards. Edwin “Ed” Fuller, president, Laguna Strategic Advisors, will be honored with the 2017 Albert E. Koehl Award, and Terence “Terry” Gallagher, president, Lou Hammond Group, will be recognized with the 2017 Winthrop W. Grice Award for Public Relations. HSMAI will celebrate the achievements of Fuller and Gallagher at the Adrian Awards Dinner Reception and Gala on Feb. 20, 2018, at the New York Marriott Marquis.
http://hsmai.org/
**
PIQUED OUR INTEREST
- Costa Rica has just run on 100 Percent Renewable Energy for 300 Days
- Chicago Becomes First U.S. City to Mandate Panic Buttons for Hotel Staff
- Attention Hotel Corporations, This Is How You Will Lose A 25+ Year Contributor (or any Valuable Employee)
- Google starts certificate program to fill empty IT jobs
- Why You Shouldn't Be Afraid of Artificial Intelligence
--------------------------
For more information on Piqued Our Interest for 01/26/18
You-Know-What
And now for you-know-what…
An American businessman was at the pier of a small coastal Mexican village when a small boat with just one fisherman docked. Inside the small boat were several large yellowfin tuna. The American complimented the fisherman on the quality of his fish and asked how long it took to catch them. The fisherman replied that it only took a little while. The American then asked why didn't he stay out longer and catch more fish. The fisherman said he had enough to support his family's immediate needs.
The American then asked, "But what do you do with the rest of your time?"
The fisherman said, "I sleep late, fish a little, play with my children, take siesta with my wife, Maria, stroll into the village each evening where I sip wine and play guitar with my amigos. I have a full and busy life, señor."
The American scoffed. "I am a Wharton MBA and could help you. You should spend more time fishing and with the proceeds, buy a bigger boat. With the proceeds from the bigger boat you could buy several boats. Eventually you would have a fleet of fishing boats. Instead of selling your catch to a middleman you would sell directly to the processor, eventually opening your own cannery. You would control the product, processing and distribution. You would need to leave this small coastal fishing village and move to Mexico City, then L.A., and eventually New York City, where you will run your expanding enterprise."
The fisherman asked, "But how long will this all take?"
To which the American replied, "Fifteen or 20 years."
"But what then?"
The American laughed and said, "That's the best part. When the time is right you would announce an IPO and sell your company stock to the public and become very rich. You would make millions."
"Millions? Then what?"
The American said, "Then you would retire. Move to a small coastal fishing village where you would sleep late, fish a little, play with your kids, take siesta with your wife, stroll to the village in the evenings where you could sip wine and play your guitar with your friends."
**