June 29, 2018
Siegel Sez
by: Rich Siegel
HITEC 2018 is in the books and what a week it was. There are many great events throughout the year, but I am thankful we have HITEC that everybody attends. For those of us who have been around for ages it is a chance to reconnect with many from the industry we have known for years, but also allows us to meet face to face with those we correspond with or talk to throughout the year but have never met. Yes, it is business but it is also fun. Then again from the business side we find out who has changed jobs both from the vendor side and the hotel side, we get exposed to the new technology being introduced to the industry and of course, we get to find out what the plans are for those companies that were acquired or merged with another company. When you do what I do for a living you struggle with the parties that go on. I attended 22 parties over the course of the week and I thank all those that invited
Hospitality Upgrade and Hotel Online to join them. They were so much fun. Hopefully you receive
Hospitality Upgrade in print or digitally because we have so many funny pictures that we will include in our next issue along with an in-depth review of HITEC. If not, please go to
www.hospitalityupgrade.com/subscribe and subscribe today. In his intro, Ron Hardin does a nice job recapping his time in Houston and his look back at HITEC. He was also very kind with his description of the session I led. Sometimes my creativity bombs and sometimes it is a homerun. This year everything worked but the big thank you goes to the great panel we had. The ultimate compliment to me is when so many in the packed room came up to me afterwards and said they wished the session could have gone another hour. The dream of the perfect hotel room with the perfect mix of technology continues. It was a great week in Houston.
Now our focus is on our upcoming CIO Summit in Seattle. Last year we were in Denver and had a record crowd for this invitation-only event. This year the booking pace is ahead of last year, which kind of scares me since our goal from the beginning was to keep the event somewhat intimate. Then again, it is our 17th year and every year we get so many first-time attendees from all over the world. If your technology leader has never attended, please drop a note to me at
rich@hospitalityugprade.com and we will see if we can get an invitation out. It is an amazing event that our little business is so proud we get so many technology leaders from the hotel, hotel management, gaming, timeshare and cruise companies to find value participating. Along with the new attendees our list of 10-year attendees continues to grow. Check out
www.hospitalityupgrade.com/ciosummit to see what we do.
There are a great deal of technology happenings that follow so I will keep this relatively short. We thank all those who came by our booth in Houston and shared how much they enjoyed our HITEC edition of
Hospitality Upgrade. It really was a great week and it was great being part of the record crowd attending this year. We can’t wait for Minneapolis next year.
Here now is the real reason we are here: the latest technology happenings in the industry with an intro by consultant 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
To everything there is season, and a time to every purpose under Heaven. If it’s June, post Father’s Day, then it’s HITEC season, at least in North America. Last week was HITEC Houston, the biggest show in the event’s history in terms of attendance, with more than 6,650 attendees according to HFTP, the producers of HITEC. Now, it’s the week after HITEC. It’s still part of HITEC season, just as the week after Christmas is part of the holiday season. And, like the week after Christmas, the week after HITEC is always a bit of a psychic letdown. Unlike the week after Christmas, most people in the biz are usually not on vacation the week after HITEC. It is prime
follow-up time. “Dear <blank>, it was great seeing you in Houston last week! As we discussed, I’d like to circle back with you to talk about <blank>.” Rinse and repeat. Also, it’s a great time to send thank you notes to the vendors who invited you to their receptions and parties (even if you didn’t show up). And don’t forget to thank anyone and everyone who picked up a dinner or bar tab. Kudos to HAPI and Beekeeper, who came up with the brilliant idea of renting a luxury party bus to transport
their customers and friends around town to attend social events hosted by
other vendors, especially considering the sub-tropical monsoon conditions most of the week. Major props to HFTP CEO Frank Wolfe, the HFTP HITEC advisory council, board of directors and permanent staff. This is a huge undertaking for such a relatively small group of people, and they continually raise the bar with the quality of the event. The educational program was first-rate – I particularly enjoyed the painfully early Wednesday panel discussion, “Is More a Perfect Hotel Room?”, moderated by none other than our own Rich Siegel. Rich’s opening icebreaker was worth the price of admission; panelists Nick Price, Carlos Flores, Gustaf Burman and Ken Barnes had to guess if a quote that sounded like it
could be about a hotel guest experience was from an actual TripAdvisor guest comment... or a Taylor Swift song lyric. The ensuing discussion was equally lively and informative, with the clear takeaway that our investments in hotel room technology should provide clear value or competitive differentiation, not just leverage the latest gadget du jour. I also was impressed by the closing keynote speaker, Theresa Payton, the first woman to serve as White House CIO, and star of the CBS series, “Hunted.” Her program touched on blockchain, cryptocurrency, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, machine learning and the internet of things. Payton did a great job of holding the attention of her audience in a challenging time slot as the last item on the program. The trade show itself – the reason for the season, as it were – was bright, shiny, productive and engaging. I managed to see an amazing amount of stuff, pick up a lot of information, touch base with existing contacts, make new ones – all the professional education and networking for which there is no substitute at this scale. Thanks, HITEC! See you next year in Minneapolis!
Ron Hardin, CHTP
RonHardin.TECH Consulting
Ron@ronhardin.tech
**
Recent headlines, from Hospitality Upgrade
MERGERS and ACQUISITIONS
- Intelity and KEYPR to Merge, Accelerating Growth and Scale in the Mobile and In-room Technology Hospitality Sector
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Intelity and KEYPR to Merge, Accelerating Growth and Scale in the Mobile and In-room Technology Hospitality Sector
Intelity, a leading integrated mobile and in-room technology provider for the global travel industry, and KEYPR, an enterprise provider of cloud-based guest experience and management solutions to hotels, casinos and luxury residences,
announced at HITEC a planned merger between the two companies. The merger between Intelity and KEYPR will bring a strong product line and a talented, global workforce that will significantly strengthen the group's expertise in hotel mobile and in-room technologies. With more than 15 years of combined expertise and hundreds of thousands of guestrooms served, this consolidation is a huge step forward for hospitality technology. Together, the merged companies become one of the largest, most mature enterprise platforms available within the travel industry covering all touch points of the hotel guest and employee journey.
http://www.intelitycorp.com,
https://www.keypr.com
**
PEOPLE ON THE MOVE
- Scott Carcillo Joins FreedomPay as Senior Vice President, Client Solutions
- Richard Tudgay Named CTO at Highgate
- Greg Webb to Lead Oracle Hospitality
- David Millili Named CEO of Runtriz
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For more information on People on the Move for 06/29/18
GUEST MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS
- Vienna House Collaborates with Infor to Drive Digitization Strategy
- Jonas Software Formally Announces Jonas Hospitality and Jonas ARC
- Spa
Soft Integrates New Security Enhancements to Latest Release
- Springer-Miller Systems Introduces WorldNXT, Offering Guests and Owners the Ability to Directly Book Accommodations at Room Type and Unit-specific Levels
- Luxury Resorts Appreciate Guest Privacy Enhancements Included in Version Update for Springer-Miller’s
SMS|Host PMS
- Hoist Group Ireland and Revinate Announce Partnership
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For more information on Guest Management Systems for 06/29/18
RESERVATIONS
- Sabre Integrates Booking.com Listings into its Industry-first Content Services for Lodging Platform
- Seven Suite and SiteMinder to Improve Hotel Efficiencies in Costa Rica as Electronic Invoicing Becomes Law
- SiteMinder Solves Hotel System Connectivity, a Feat for All Hotel Technology Providers
- Hoteliers Round Out First Half of 2018 with Consistently Strong Bookings and Rates
- Avvio Works with Coco Palm Saint Lucia to Boost Business
- DerbySoft Expands Further Into Latin America
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For more information on Reservations for 06/29/18
REVENUE MANAGEMENT
- Rainmaker Continues to Expand Global Footprint
- Inn of the Mountain Gods Announces Revenue Strategy Partnership with Duetto
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Rainmaker Continues to Expand Global Footprint
The Rainmaker Group (Rainmaker), a leading provider of cloud-based hospitality revenue and profit optimization software, is excited to
announce the continued expansion of its global presence by adding four new countries to its catalog of customers. Over the last few months, Rainmaker has added customers in four countries: New Zealand, St Maarten, Suriname and Singapore. The acquired properties span three different property types: gaming, resort and all inclusive. The rapid growth of its customer base into global markets comes at the heels of Rainmaker’s plan to set up international data centers in Australia and the expansion of business operations abroad by hiring for key positions in the Asia-Pacific, Middle East and Africa regions.
http://www.letitrain.com/
**
Inn of the Mountain Gods Announces Revenue Strategy Partnership with Duetto
Duetto, a revenue strategy platform for the hospitality industry,
has partnered with Inn of the Mountain Gods, an enterprise of the Mescalero Apache Tribe, to implement three of its cloud-based revenue strategy solutions at the integrated resort. The mountain resort on the banks of Mescalero Lake will roll out Duetto’s flagship open pricing application, GameChanger, to refine the pricing and distribution strategies for its 273-room hotel. Inn of the Mountain Gods will also adopt ScoreBoard, Duetto’s application for intelligent reporting, and BlockBuster, which Duetto’s customers use to optimize their group bookings and other contracted business.
http://duettocloud.com
**
GUEST SERVICES
- Allin Interactive Demonstrates INNCOM Integration at HITEC 2018
- Ocean Resort Casino Atlantic City to Open with Allin Interactive Television
- Nickelodeon and Sensatori Punta Cana to be First Resorts to Install Allin Interactive’s “Triple Play”
- Angie Hospitality and INTEREL Collaborate to Drive Voice-based Guestroom Controls
- Angie Hospitality and iRiS Partnership Raises Bar on Guestroom Comfort and Convenience
- Cloud5 Partners With Routier to Add Customized Engagement Software to Its Communications Platform
- AT&T Launches Next-Gen Video Platform for DIRECTV for Business Customers
- RoomNetTV to deliver live DIRECTV content via IPTV on Apple TV 4
- Evolve Controls Releases First Consolidated Guest-facing Room Controls Interface
- Callaway Resort & Gardens Relies On Guestware Rapid Response for Asset Protection, Guest Service
- SONIFI Announces Voice-enabled Room Controls in Partnership with Volara
- Hotel Interurban Selects ALICE to Achieve Guest Satisfaction and Hotel Excellence From the Moment Doors Open
- Crave Interactive and Kipsu Partner to Provide Unparalleled Hotel Guest Communications
- GuestTek Interactive Entertainment Likely to Demonstrate Two Nomadix Patents Invalid
- Hotel Internet Services Releases New BeyondTV Features to Enhance Guestroom Entertainment and Revenue Potential
- Instaroom Launches New Messaging Ecosystem for Hoteliers
- INTEREL and TraknProtect Announce Partnership for Staff Panic Alert and Asset Tracking Solutions
- KEYPR Launches KEYPR TV, One of the Most Advanced Casting Solutions in Hospitality
- Nonstop Launches New Line of Wireless Charging Solutions at HITEC Houston
- Percipia Announces Frequency PBX and Parallax Integration with Microsoft Skype for Business and Skype Connect™
- Samsung and ALICE Debut New Smartwatch Solution for the Hotel Industry at HITEC 2018; Viceroy Hotel Group Will Be First to Implement
- The Skyline Hotel Communicates With TTI’s Premier Information Board
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For more information on Guest Services for 06/29/18
PERSONALIZATION/GUEST EXPERIENCE
- HAPI Teams Up with Volara to Personalize Voice-based Guest Engagement with Hotel PMS Data
- Bourbon Ibirapuera Streamlines Property Operations, Creates New Guest Experiences with Oracle Cloud
- Hostelling International and ReviewPro Strengthen Partnership to Help Hostels Deliver Better Guest Experiences
- TrustYou and Volara Partnership Supports Positive Guest Experiences with Guest-Hotel Communication through Voice Activated Devices
- Concilio Labs and REBEL Travel Corporation Announce a Partnership
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For more information on Personalization/Guest Experience for 06/29/18
MARKETING/MANAGEMENT
- Omni Hotels & Resorts selects Cendyn for CRM and Loyalty
- Cendyn Releases eNgage Application for Delivering Real-Time Guest Intelligence and Recommendations to Hotel Associates
- dailypoint™ by TS&C GmbH Announces Review Collection Partnership with TripAdvisor
- TravelClick Unveils Latest Version of Hotel Loyalty Solution, Bringing “Reward and Redeem” to Hoteliers
- CustomerCount® Teams with RCI® to Launch TravelVUE: Social Analytics and Support System Monitors Individual Resorts and Brand
- Milestone Wins Prestigious 2018 “Best Overall Search Marketing Initiative” Search Engine Land Award
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For more information on Marketing/Management for 06/29/18
SALES & CATERING, MEETING PLANNING
- Tripleseat Announces New Features Specifically For Hotels
- Electro-Media Design Unveils AVaStar at HITEC
- McLaren Technologies Makes Investment in Idem Hospitality
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For more information on Sales & Catering, Meeting Planning for 06/29/18
BACK OFFICE
- Beekeeper Wins E20X "People’s Choice" at HITEC Houston
- Beekeeper Adds SIXTY Hotels to its Portfolio
- New and Expanded Solutions by Evention Debut at HITEC Houston
- Oracle Hospitality OPERA Reporting and Analytics Cloud Service Arms Hoteliers with Critical Insights to Improve Operational Efficiencies and Create Rewarding Guest Experiences
- OTA Insight Introduces Parity Insight at HITEC Houston
- New Castle Hotels & Resorts Benefits From Maximized Data Management
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For more information on Back Office for 06/29/18
COMMUNICATIONS/INFRASTRUCTURE
- Comcast Business Launches X1 for Hospitality
- Ruckus Introduces SmartZone Network Controllers — Industry’s First Controller-based System for Wired and Wireless Management
- SageNet Unveils Post-acquisition Aware Software Integration and Combined Solutions Suite at HITEC
- Martello Expands Its Hospitality Presence With Network Performance Portfolio
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For more information on Communications/Infrastructure for 06/29/18
F&B/POINT OF SALE
- Agilysys Releases Latest Version of InfoGenesis
®, A Modern POS Platform to Transform Hospitality Guest Service at Scale
- Springer-Miller Systems Launches Teres™ POS
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Agilysys Releases Latest Version of InfoGenesis®, A Modern POS Platform to Transform Hospitality Guest Service at Scale
Agilysys, Inc. (Nasdaq: AGYS), a leading global provider of next-generation hospitality software solutions and services,
announced the release of InfoGenesis® 4.5.0, the latest version of its award-winning point-of-sale solution. InfoGenesis
® 4.5.0 provides a modern point-of-sale platform that reflects hospitality operators’ growing focus on creating meaningful guest connections and experiences. In addition to increasing revenue opportunities and streamlining IT and operations, this new version has key new features designed to help drive greater guest satisfaction and loyalty.
http://www.agilysys.com
**
Springer-Miller Systems Launches Teres™ POS
Springer-Miller Systems (SMS), a leading provider of guest-centric hospitality and spa management systems is proud to
announce the launch of its newest product and point-of-sale (POS) solution, Teres POS. Springer-Miller Systems brings more than 30 years of hospitality expertise to the table with the launch of Teres POS. Teres provides a premium, guest-centric, point-of-sale solution for both food and beverage and retail operations at luxury hotels, resorts or casinos. The product is built on a contemporary .NET framework and a Microsoft SQL database. Teres delivers modern POS capabilities as well as integration with front desk and accounting departments.
https://www.springermiller.com/
**
PAYMENT PROCESSING
- Agilysys Integrates with Merchant Link’s Tokenization Solution, TransactionVault® and EMV Solution, TransactionLink™
- Shift4 Payments and Megasys Hospitality Solutions Announce EMV-Certified Hospitality Solution
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Agilysys Integrates with Merchant Link’s Tokenization Solution, TransactionVault® and EMV Solution, TransactionLink™
Merchant Link, a leading payment gateway offering cloud-based cardholder data security solutions,
announced rGuest Pay v1.6 from Agilysys is approved as a certified interface on the Merchant Link Payment Gateway™, integrated to its EMV solution, TransactionLink™ and tokenization solution, TransactionVault®. This certification tested Retail and Restaurant TransNet XML messages being transmitted from the rGuest Pay v1.6 interface to TransactionLink™ Model 220 Mini hardware device, using Ingenico PIN pads with ANSI 3DES DUKPT encryption.
http://www.agilysys.com,
http://www.merchantlink.com
**
Shift4 Payments and Megasys Hospitality Solutions Announce EMV-Certified Hospitality Solution
Shift4 Payments, a leader in secure payment processing solutions, and Megasys Hospitality Solutions, provider of the Portfolio HMS solution,
announced the general availability of their joint EMV-certified complete payment solution for full-service, multiproperty hotels, resorts, conference and retreat centers and park lodges, cabins and campgrounds. Shift4’s secure payment gateway integrates with Megasys’ Portfolio HMS to deliver a flexible, cost-effective and highly secure hospitality property management and payment solution, including full merchant services. Megasys users can now process EMV payments for lodging, retail and F&B transactions, helping them prevent card-present fraud while adding the layered security of point-to-point encryption (P2PE) and tokenization to keep sensitive cardholder data out of the property’s payment processing environment.
http://www.shift4.com,
http://www.megasyshms.com
**
SECURITY
- Allin Interactive Demonstrates dormakaba USA Inc Mobile Key Integration at HITEC 2018
- ASSA ABLOY Hospitality to Showcase Future-proof Innovations in Hotel Security Technology at HITEC 2018
- dormakaba USA Inc Launches its Advanced Saffire LX™ Electronic Lock at HITEC
- dormakaba USA Inc Brings a Total Hospitality Access Solution Suite to HITEC
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For more information on Security for 06/29/18
HOSPITALITY EDUCATION
- Fuel Travel, StayNTouch and Flip.to Examine the Alignment Between Hoteliers and Vendors in New 2018 Hospitality Technology Study
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Fuel Travel, StayNTouch and Flip.to Examine the Alignment Between Hoteliers and Vendors in New 2018 Hospitality Technology Study
Fuel Travel, Flip.to and StayNTouch
joined forces to conduct an extensive study of hundreds of hoteliers and suppliers to learn where the industry can improve from a technology perspective. The study addresses technological shifts and trends, highlighting critical issues the industry faces. Moreover, the study identifies where hoteliers and vendors are aligned, and where they differ, in the perceived priorities and challenges the market faces. The results are compiled from 358 respondents, all of whom are involved in the process of purchasing or selling technology within the hospitality industry.
http://flip.to,
http://www.stayntouch.com,
http://www.fueltravel.com/
**
HOSPITALITY EVENTS
- HITEC Houston Makes History as HFTP’s Highest Attended Event in More Than 65 Years
- New Women in Technology Luncheon Announced for HITEC 2019 Minneapolis
- Data Travel and Beekeeper Connect HITEC 2018 Festivities with BeeHAPI Buses
- Chesapeake Hospitality Executive Honored by Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International
- HX: The Hotel Experience Powered by AAHOA 2018 Attendee Registration Now Open
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For more information on Hospitality Events for 06/29/18
PIQUED OUR INTEREST
- Amazon launches an Alexa system for hotels
- Jeff Bezos Announces Customers Can Delete All Of Alexa’s Stored Audio By Rappelling Into Amazon HQ, Navigating Laser Field, Uploading Nanovirus To Servers
- 29 Travel Hacks Even Frequent Fliers Don't Know
- The Collaborative CIO: How IT leaders are partnering with other business leaders to drive strategic outcomes
- More Nefarious Strain of Zacinlo Malware Infecting Windows 10 Machines
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For more information on Piqued Our Interest for 06/29/18
You-Know-What
And now for you-know-what … A few points to ponder ...
I read that 4,153,237 people got married last year, not to cause any trouble but shouldn't that be an even number?
I find it ironic that the colors red, white and blue stand for freedom ... until they are flashing behind you.
When wearing a bikini, women reveal 90 percent of their body ... men are so polite they only look at the covered parts.
Relationships are a lot like algebra. Have you ever looked at your X and wondered Y?
America is a country which produces citizens who will cross the ocean to fight for democracy but won't cross the street to vote.
You know that tingly little feeling you get when you like someone? That's your common sense leaving your body.
Did you know that dolphins are so smart that within a few weeks of captivity, they can train people to stand on the very edge of the pool and throw them fish?
My therapist says I have a preoccupation with vengeance. We'll see about that.
I think my neighbor is stalking me as she's been Googling my name on her computer. I saw it through my telescope last night.
Money talks ... but all mine ever says is good-bye.
You're not fat, you're just ... easier to see.
If you think nobody cares whether you're alive, try missing a couple of payments.
**