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March 09, 2018

Siegel Sez

by: Rich Siegel

When you decide to go to an industry event there are two very important things that come into play; the cost of attending is one, but as important is the commitment of time, which can be just as valuable. Hospitality Upgrade produces two events each year – our CIO Summit and our Executive Vendor Summit. The Executive Vendor Summit was held last week in West Hollywood at the very cool Andaz West Hollywood Hotel. Being there the week leading up to the Oscars only added to the event. More than 50 senior executives from a wide range of technology companies joined us for three days. After the event we reach out to all who attended for feedback. It’s hard not to blatantly pat yourself on the back when the last event survey question is, “Would you recommend the EVS to industry colleagues?” and the answer is 100 percent yes. With that kind of approval rating you feel you were successful with those who attended committing both time and money to be there. The program was varied and very well received, and it was nice to close it with four technology executives from the hotel industry sharing where they saw the industry going and the challenges they face. It is amazing what a small intimate group will share, and every attendee shared a great deal with many new industry partnerships created. We thank these executives for attending and I know we will watch television and movies differently now after a great dinner and tour at Warner Brothers Studios. Trust me, you will never look at “Jurassic Park” or “The Big Bang Theory” the same way again. It was a great event and we thank everybody for attending, especially the 19 first-time attendees. To get a deeper look at what was covered and the EVS, make sure you subscribe to Hospitality Upgrade (www.hospitalityupgrade.com/subscribe) to receive the magazine and e-newsletters. The EVS will be covered in our upcoming HITEC issue and we are thankful to be the only publication given to all the attendees at the show. The June/HITEC issue is worth getting just to see the crazy pictures from the event including someone sleeping on a boat during the whale watching tour.

Industry events are important because nothing beats face-to-face interaction. I will be in San Diego next week thanks to Mike Blake and David Sjolander from HTNG inviting me to the annual meeting. Two events in two weeks both on the left coast. Then we are off to the other side of the country and even farther by having partnered with AAHOA at its Annual Conference and then off to HITEC Amsterdam, which is in its second year and sold out booth space remarkably fast after a successful launch last year. I remember attending the AAHOA events years ago, which were usually held in a ballroom at a hotel in Atlanta. It is unbelievable how big this event has gotten and how it takes over cities or in the case this year the Gaylord Hotel at the National Harbor just outside Washington, D.C. We are glad to be partnering with them. I hope that everyone who attends events finds value and will recommend them to others who weren’t there.

Here now is the real reason we are here; our look at the latest technology happenings in the industry including birthday boy Ron Hardin’s views on technology issues. I will see you at the end with this week’s attempt at you-know-what.

Rich@HospitalityUpgrade.com

Introduction

by: Ron Hardin

The Golden Rule: It’s a hackneyed quip in business circles that the Golden Rule is, “He who has the gold makes the rules.” But most of us know better and know it by heart from our early childhood: “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” It doesn’t matter what your religious or spiritual leanings are. Whether it’s “karma” or “providence,” I like to think that my blessings are fueled by treating others with respect, kindness and honesty. You know – how I’d like them to treat me. I felt particularly blessed last week when I was invited to participate on a panel of “industry experts” for a hospitality vertical sales and marketing conference held in Las Vegas by a major telecommunications, network and media provider. The invitation came as a result of personal vendor contacts that I’ve made over the years. You have to be tough on vendors when it comes to performance, but mutual respect and professionalism pay off in the long run. My fellow panelists were distinguished leaders from various segments of the customer side of the hotel industry, and it was an honor to be included on the panel. We were there to provide industry insight to the organization’s sales and marketing teams, and there was plenty of input on the structural complexities of the hotel industry. But I was not surprised that much of the discussion centered around personal networking, trust and respect. One of my fellow panelists had a quote that really resonated with everyone: “It’s not who you know, it’s who knows you.” His point was if you concentrate on being honest, ethical and kind in your business dealings, then your reputation will precede you into success.

Karma continued to smile on me recently when I signed a new client from an opportunity I thought I had lost. I could have been angry or frustrated that our discussions had gone silent, but they are people I know and respect, and I figured they had just decided to go a different direction. I was preparing for my trip to Las Vegas for the vendor conference when this client called and told me that my proposal had been accepted, the project was moving forward, and – oh, by the way, can you do a site meeting in Las Vegas next week. As luck – or karma – would have it, yes. Yes, I can.

So, go out and do the right thing. Treat people with kindness and respect. Be honest and trustworthy. Give what you expect to receive. And let the universe handle the rest.

Ron Hardin, CHTP
RonHardin.TECH Consulting
Ron@ronhardin.tech
**

Recent headlines, from Hospitality Upgrade

TOP O' THE NEWS

- Carlson Rezidor Rebrands as Radisson Hotel Group
- Radisson Hotel Group Announces Radisson Collection a Premium Lifestyle Hotel Brand
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Carlson Rezidor Rebrands as Radisson Hotel Group
Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group announced its rebranding to Radisson Hotel Group, effective immediately, at the International Hotel Investment Forum (IHIF) in Berlin. The new identity leverages the powerful, international brand equity of the Radisson name to drive awareness in the marketplace, increase marketing efficiency across the global portfolio and offer exceptional experiences to make Every Moment Matter for guests, owners and talent. Every Moment Matters will be the new signature service philosophy of the company and all its hotel brands.
http://www.radissonhotelgroup.com/
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Radisson Hotel Group Announces Radisson Collection a Premium Lifestyle Hotel Brand
The newly rebranded Radisson Hotel Group™ announced Radisson Collection™, a premium collection of exceptional hotels in landmark locations. Driven by consumer demand for individuality and more personalized experiences, Radisson Collection brings together the finest hotels in the Radisson Hotel Group portfolio. Fourteen hotels are confirmed to join the collection following the launch. Radisson Collection hotels are united by exceptional design and experiences across dining, fitness, wellness and sustainability. All hotel properties are situated in prestigious locations, close to prime leisure attractions and boast an individual and locally authentic atmosphere.
http://www.radissonhotelgroup.com/
**

MERGERS and ACQUISITIONS

- Interstate Hotels & Resorts Acquires Gateway Hospitality Group Management Platform
- MyCheck Acquired by Eyal Ofer's O.G. Tech Ventures
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Interstate Hotels & Resorts Acquires Gateway Hospitality Group Management Platform
Interstate Hotels & Resorts, a leading U.S.-based global hotel management company, announced it has acquired the management platform from Gateway Hospitality Group. The 20-hotel portfolio will be operated under Interstate Gateway Management LLC, a subsidiary of Interstate Hotels & Resorts, with founder Bob Voelker and partner Ron Hutcheson joining Interstate in executive-level asset management and owner relations responsibilities for this portfolio. Gateway has a long track history of developing and managing high quality hotels throughout the United States. Aggregating to 2,544 rooms, the portfolio includes premium select-service properties under top lodging brands including Hilton and Hyatt in addition to two luxury boutique hotels located in five states and the District of Columbia.
http://www.interstatehotels.com
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MyCheck Acquired by Eyal Ofer's O.G. Tech Ventures
MyCheck, a leading global provider of payment solutions for hotels and restaurants, announced that it has been acquired by Eyal Ofer's O.G. Tech Ventures, the tech investment arm of his international conglomerate, Ofer Global group, whose business interests include real estate and hotels, cruise and maritime shipping, oil and gas, technology and banking. MyCheck offers multilayered mobile payment products that equip hotels and restaurants with a powerful digital customer engagement experience covering all three aspects of the process: book, stay and dine. MyCheck has spent years developing and building a powerful platform with multiple integrations for leading providers in the PMS, POS, finance, loyalty, CRM, booking engines and alternative payment method areas to deliver seamless experiences for properties and guests. MyCheck's customer portfolio includes: Wyndham Worldwide, Red Lion Hotels, InterContinental Hotels Group, Franco Manca, Cheesecake Factory, Prezzo and others.
http://www.mycheck.io
**

PEOPLE ON THE MOVE

- GuestTek Expands APAC Executive Team
- Hilton Appoints Noelle Eder as Chief Information and Digital Officer
- Hyatt Names Mark Vondrasek as Chief Commercial Officer
- Kerzner International Names Michael P. Wale as Chief Executive Officer
- Prestige Hospitality Group Names Bill Gomez as Chief Operating Officer
- Apurva Chamaria Joins RateGain as Chief Revenue Officer
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For more information on People on the Move for 03/09/18

GUEST MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS

- Agilysys Solutions Selected by The Summit Hotel, Cincinnati to Optimize Efficiency and Enhance the Guest Experience
- Infor Announces New Collaboration with Deem
- Historic Airlie, International Conference Destination Relies on Maestro’s Cloud PMS to Support Growth, Go Green and Deliver Mobile Guest Engagement
- Stein Eriksen Lodge and Other High-touch Properties Use Maestro PMS Guest Experience Measurement to Engage, Build Loyalty and Create "Personalized Service" Culture
- TravelClick Launches Artificial Intelligence-powered Campaign Advisor
- Hotelogix raises funds from Vertex Ventures, others
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For more information on Guest Management Systems for 03/09/18

RESERVATIONS

- IBC Hospitality Technologies Adds "Cash-back Rewards" to its IVH Travel InnCentives Loyalty Program
- Imlauer Hotels Welcomes a New World of Guests with SiteMinder
- TravelClick and Google Expand Partnership to Help Hoteliers Maximize Revenue in an Increasingly Competitive Market
- TravelClick Releases New Data Showing Rate and Bookings Growth Continue Positive Trend for Hoteliers in Early 2018
- DHISCO Launches Interface with Travel Packaging Innovator Peakwork
- eRevMax completes integration with TravelBird
- Pegasus Solutions Announces New Corporate Request for Information Tool to Better Connect Hotels to the Right Travel Buyers
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For more information on Reservations for 03/09/18

REVENUE MANAGEMENT

- IDeaS Integrates Voice Control with Revenue Management Technology for Ultimate Productivity
- IDeaS and protel Expand Partnership to Cloud Enable the Hotel Technology Stack
- Duetto and protel Announce Technology Partnership
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For more information on Revenue Management for 03/09/18

GUEST SERVICES

- Embassy Suites by Hilton Denton, Texas, Convention Center Embraces Crave In-room Tablets
- Intelity Development Efforts Align with Industry Demands
- ADB Now Selling vuTyme IRE Direct to Hotels
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For more information on Guest Services for 03/09/18

PERSONALIZATION/GUEST EXPERIENCE

- Honeywell Launches Amazon Alexa Voice-ready Thermostat for Hotels
- San Francisco’s Hotel Zelos, Part of the Viceroy Hotel Group, Selects ALICE to Increase Operational Efficiency and Enhance the Guest Experience
- Quinault Beach Resort & Casino Launches KEYPR as Guest Experience Technology Partner
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For more information on Personalization/Guest Experience for 03/09/18

MARKETING/MANAGEMENT

- Sabre Teams Up with Cendyn to Enhance the SynXis Platform with Advanced CRM Capabilities
- dailypoint™ Privacy Dashboard - TS&C Answer to the GDPR
- Tambourine and Teneo Hospitality Group Announce Strategic Partnership
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For more information on Marketing/Management for 03/09/18

BACK OFFICE

- Panache Management, LLC Selects Aptech Business Intelligence and Enterprise Back Office
- With Beekeeper, "No Employee is Left Behind" at 1 Hotel Central Park
- Chicago Tribune names Holiday Inn Chicago Mart Plaza River North No. 1 Top Workplace, Driven by UniFocus’ Actionable Insights into Employee Engagement
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For more information on Back Office for 03/09/18

SALES & CATERING, MEETING PLANNING

- MSI Solutions Partners with Reserve Interactive
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MSI Solutions Partners with Reserve Interactive
MSI Solutions and ReServe Interactive announced that they have entered into a partnership where MSI Solutions will become a reseller of ReServe’s cloud-based sales and catering solution. The two companies have already completed development of a bi-directional interface between their two systems. This integration will benefit their mutual customers by eliminating double entry of group guest room blocks and providing immediate guestroom inventory updates. With the two-way integration complete, MSI Solutions can offer a very compelling and competitive solution, continuing to increase products and services offerings to better serve its growing base of customers.
http://www.msisolutions.com/
**

INVENTORY/PURCHASING

- Four Winds Casinos Marks New Opening and Upgrades RFID Inventory Management System at Existing Properties
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Four Winds Casinos Marks New Opening and Upgrades RFID Inventory Management System at Existing Properties
InvoTech Systems, Inc., a leading provider of linen, laundry and uniform inventory management solutions for hotels, casinos, resorts and theme parks worldwide, announced that Four Winds Casinos^® upgraded its existing uniform system at the Dowagiac, Hartford and New Buffalo locations, and implemented the uniform system at its newest property in South Bend. RFID technology will provide additional cost saving benefits by automating manual tasks that were previously required. The InvoTech uniform system is used at Four Winds Casinos to manage more than 4,500 staff uniforms at multiple properties.
http://www.invotech.com
**

DATA SECURITY AND CYBER ATTACKS

- Ingenico Group Partners with Choice Hotels to Enhance Payment Security at Hotels Across the U.S.
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Ingenico Group Partners with Choice Hotels to Enhance Payment Security at Hotels Across the U.S.
Ingenico Group, a global leader in seamless payment, announced that Choice Hotels, one of the world's largest hotel companies, has chosen to deploy Ingenico Group’s iSC Touch 480smart terminals across its 5,000-plus franchised hotels in the United States. Choice Hotels’ brands include Cambria Hotels, the Ascend Hotel Collection, Comfort Inn and Comfort Suites, Quality Inn and Sleep Inn, among others. Security was the driving force behind Choice Hotels’ decision to partner with Ingenico Group, as the company’s iSC Touch 480 smart terminals meet the highest hardware and software security requirements, and are PCI PTS 4.x certified. Additionally, to help ensure guests’ information remains protected, the iSC Touch 480 terminals allow Choice Hotels to support point-to-point encryption (P2PE) solutions, tokenization and EMV as part of its multilayered security approach to reduce PCI compliance, as well as an optional PIN shield for enhanced security.
https://ingenico.us/
**

SECURITY

- MIWA Lock Company Integrates With OpenKey to Bring Mobile Keyless Entry to Hotel Chains Around the World
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MIWA Lock Company Integrates With OpenKey to Bring Mobile Keyless Entry to Hotel Chains Around the World
MIWA Lock Company, one of Japan’s leading providers of high-performance locks and security systems, announced a partnership and integration with OpenKey, a mobile key provider in hotels. The partnership will bring the enterprise-grade security and stability of the OpenKey platform as the mobile keyless entry system for all MIWA digital locks with Bluetooth Low Energy functionality.
http://www.miwalock.com, http://www.openkey.co
**

HOSPITALITY EVENTS

- HFTP Renews Sponsorship Agreement with Keystep Solutions for 2018 London Interest Meeting
- HFTP Sells Out Exhibition for Upcoming HITEC Amsterdam 2018, a 20 Percent Space Increase from Previous Year
- OpenTravel Advisory Forum Amsterdam to be Co-located with HFTP’s HITEC Amsterdam in April 2018
- Powered by Intelity, the Forbes Travel Guide "Verified Summit" App is Now Live on the App Store and Google Play
- NAVIS Leaders Conference 2018 Sets Attendance Record, Exceeds Expectations
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For more information on Hospitality Events for 03/09/18

PIQUED OUR INTEREST

- The real reason why most plane seats are blue – and other curious facts about plane cabins
- National Geographic’s 2018 Adventurers of the Year
- Optimizing the smart office: A marriage of technology and people
- How Harley-Davidson Used Artificial Intelligence to Increase New York Sales Leads by 2,930%
- Do OTAs Suck?
- Voice assistants are making the smartphone redundant
- Las Vegas hotel projects breathing life into the northern Strip
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For more information on Piqued Our Interest for 03/09/18

You-Know-What

And now for you-know-what…

A mafia Godfather finds out that his bookkeeper, Guido, has cheated him out of $10 million. His bookkeeper is deaf. That was the reason he got the job in the first place. It was assumed that Guido would hear nothing so he would never have to testify in court. When the Godfather goes to confront Guido about his missing $10 million, he takes along his lawyer who knows sign language.

The Godfather tells the lawyer, "Ask him where the money is!"

The lawyer, using sign language, asks Guido, "Where's the money?"

Guido signs back, "I don't know what you are talking about."

The lawyer tells the Godfather, "He says he doesn't know what you're talking about."

The Godfather pulls out a pistol, puts it to Guido's head and says, "Ask him again or I'll kill him!"

The lawyer signs to Guido, "He'll kill you if you don't tell him."

Guido trembles and signs, "OK! You win! The money is in a brown briefcase, buried behind the shed at my cousin Bruno's house."

The Godfather asks the lawyer, "What did he say?"

The lawyer replies, "He says you don't have the guts to pull the trigger."

**