InnSpire

With an increasing use of technology anytime, anywhere, hotels have to adapt and propose more innovative ways for guests to experience their stay. Hotels are not only active on Internet via various social media (facebook, linkedin, twitter, pinterest), they are now being technology-active within their establishments, developing apps and all sort of gadgets. 

Martin Chevalley, CEO & Co-Founder of InnSpire, said, "Gadgets are becoming an ever-

more integrated part of our everyday life, but that doesn’t mean that everybody loves the gadgets.  What people love is what their gadgets do for them.  I think that Guest Media Streaming won this award because hoteliers realized that it hits the sweet spot for travelers, being able to easily use their gadget to wirelessly stream photos, videos or music of their choice directly to the TV in their room, without downloads or installations.  This innovation meets that need for hotels." 

Hotel Technology Next Generation (HTNG) has announced the 6^th March 2014, the 2013 winner of the most innovative hospitality technology award.

HTNG is a global non-for profit organization that coordinates and articulates the technologies related to hotel industry. It aims in fostering the innovation in order to improve the guest experience, increasing the effectiveness and efficiency of the professionals.

Hotel Technology Next Generation is a link between innovation, technical practices and the businesses.

It manages every year the most innovative hospitality technology award, during which a technology firm is elected as the most innovative of the year. Different hoteliers and consultants evaluate online or on-site, the technology firms who have developed products and services for the hospitality market. This year’s competition hosted 18 new entrants developing various technologies and systems mainly focused on guest service and entertainment.

The award opens each year a handful of possibilities for innovative firms as well as for hoteliers willing to cope with the continuous and perpetual changes of the technology landscape. 

The winner was the firm InnSpire. InnSpire is an hospitality solution which develops fully integrated technologies to improve the customer experience and the efficiency of the hotel. Indeed, it has systems for staff and resources planning with alerts when there is a peak. It also has a communication software to increase the interaction with the guests, in the case of special requirements or just for a simple room-service order. It enables hotel to follow instantly the activity of their establishments and have a overall view of their sales and for example who are their most profitable clients. 
The awarded service is their streaming solution: guests can easily and wirelessly load their own contents (movies, games, music, photos) from their devices directly to the TV in their room. This technology is possible via the Innspire box; guests just need to activate the system via the TV and connect their IPhone, IPad, Android or Windows phones without any app downloading or any setting up.

This technology respond to a willingness to be connected at all time. It allows guests to be over-connected while travelling, it is a way to facilitate the access to their own data. It also develops value for the hotel implementing the technology, creating an intelligent environment. 

Though this technology seems to be fully integrated in the hospitality industry, we can be critical and wonder if this type of technology wouldn't be a brake to the exploring and wandering implied by any kind of travel. Is the ease of digital accessibility in hotels will change the tourist behavior? 

Sources

Hotel News Resource http://www.hotelnewsresource.com/article76818.html
HTNG Organization http://www.htng.org/press-releases/572

Video and Image: http://www.innspire.com

Amandine Peton & Mélanie Lesieur 

Introduction of IT in restaurants

  

The implementation of new technologies and the rapid development of IT lead to lot of changes in some industries particularly in the service industries. For example, we can quote the high development of online banks or online travel agencies.

The main issue of service providers is to deliver an equivalent or highest quality of service while implementing technologies.

The use of social media and smartphones push companies to adapt their IT tools in order to stay up-to-date but also to increase visibility and sales.

As a service provider, a restaurant seems to be very complex to change into an online service. Indeed, it involves direct food service as the centre point of the experience. When customers are going to the restaurant they expect human experiences, they want to be looked after.

The human force is irreplaceable in the hospitality industry. Though, restaurants are more and more implementing IT into their production and service process.

The emergence of new technologies and tools in restaurants has been very brief these last years and it exists a large amount of possibilities. The choice to implement new tools depends on the restaurant strategy but mainly depends on the financial possibilities. It is evident that developing technology lead to investment.

We couldn’t develop all the new technologies used in restaurants, so we will focus on some of them.

Some interesting technologies used in restaurants are: 

·     Menu boards, smartphones app: Because menus always change, and customers get accustomed to TV screens and smartphones use. The digital support for menu through TV boards, website and app allow to save paper (in fast-foods). Those tools are useful in the decision making process, because the customers will consult the menu before going to the restaurant.

·     Online coupons, special offers: As in the travel industry, the customers who are used to surf online and looking for good deals, will be able to buy or even win online coupons to go to the restaurant. Those tools will encourage customers to subscribe to mailings, social media pages and force them to actively look for online special offers.

      Ordering systems: 

-        At a kiosk: In order to escape from queuing, the kiosks allow the customers to order and pay quickly. From the restaurant point of view, it permits to decrease the walk-aways and maximize the number of orders.

-        Through mobile devices: Implemented by the fast foods, this ordering system has the same advantages than the kiosk because customers save time and the restaurant maximize the number of orders. As additional advantage, the mobile devices allow to take orders anywhere, at anytime and for any people. For instance the customer can order 5 hours in advance, from home and for a group of people. 

-        Through the Facebook page: The social media trend extends to the ordering system. In more their presence on Facebook, within the restaurant page, it could be possible to order food directly through the restaurant Facebook page. That ordering system needs to be managed by specialized companies in ordering and payment integration as ChowNow or NetWaiter. This ordering system could be a good communication tool, which encourages customers to go to the restaurant’s Facebook page.

·     Payment of bill through tablet: Customers often wait to pay the bill at the restaurant and the waiting time is more felt when the customers are in a hurry. In the US, and especially in the diners, they implemented the payment of the bill through a tablet. The customer will pay by card by himself and that allow the waiter to be discharge of a task and the customer won’t wait too long. This self-payment allows an optimisation of the customers’ turnover.

All those implementations of technologies show that several options exist to optimize the restaurant turnover but also to add entertainment in the service experience.

However, to nuance the effects, it would be interesting to answer the questions:

-        Do the new technologies in a restaurant lead to a lack of human experience?

-        Is the service really improved thanks to new technologies?

-        Do those new tools only concern the new generations?

Sources:

http://thenextweb.com/insider/2012/09/22/how-technology-changing-restaurant-industry/#!tg4PS

http://www.forbes.com/sites/caroltice/2012/12/07/how-restaurants-are-using-technology-to-deliver-better-customer-service/

http://www.netwaiter.com/online-ordering 

http://www.chownow.com

Amandine Peton & Mélanie Lesieur 

Geo-fencing - how tourism and event companies can profit from its mobile usage

Tourism and event companies are looking to use today’s mobile technology to their advantage. As a large number of people are traveling with mobile devices, a company who uses this technology may find itself getting ahead of its competition. The fast-changing technology not only helps to speed up many processes in tourism and events, it also contributes to getting things done more efficiently. Furthermore, it is used to connect people, share information and knowledge, and spread travel experiences.

AT&T, the largest American telecommunications company, and Sabre, an American-based international travel technology company, recently announced a joint venture in geolocalization and personalization in travel. They plan to use AT&T’s Location Information Services (LIS)-Hybrid software to develop applications to help streamline the travel experience for travelers and travel companies, namely airports and airlines. This software allows the creation of so-called “geo-fences” which can be defined as “visual perimeter[s] within a geographic area” (Karantzavelou, 2014). Whenever a traveler’s mobile device passes into or out of a geo-fence, mobile applications can alert either the traveler or a company to important information based on his or her location. For events, geo-fencing can be very beneficial as it quickens registration processes, connects attendees and facilitates networking and the sharing of information, and can be used to create “added event intelligence” (Aubespin, 2013).

Image courtesy of suphakit73/ FreeDigitalPhotos.net

The example given in the Travel Daily News article is of a traveler passing through an airport. Based on his or her location given by the GPS, cellular, or Wifi signals of his or her device, various services can be personalized. For example, as he approaches a boutique in the terminal, the traveler can receive notifications of sales or special deals valid in said boutique directly on his smartphone. Or a passenger arriving on one flight could receive pop-up information on her iPad on where to find her connecting flight in reference to where she is currently.

Sabre’s research department, Sabre Labs, is looking to combine their data and research on travel with AT&T’s technology to develop applications that can work on all mobile devices in order to better serve travelers. The two companies hope to finish the first part of their project by this summer.

In today’s increasingly connected world, tourism and event companies are looking for ideas to set them apart from the competition. Additionally, customers are coming to expect more from their travel and event experiences than just the cookie-cutter basics.  As more and more companies make use of technology to enhance their products and services in order to provide added value to their customers, it is will not be a question of setting yourself apart, but rather of not getting left behind.

This is an interesting endeavor and a logical starting point, however, to maximize the efficiency of such technology in the travel and event industries, AT&T will have to open up its LIS-Hybrid to use by rival American and international telecommunications companies.

Sources:

Aubespin, D. (2013, October 17). 5 benefits of geofencing at events. ReJuvenate. Retrieved from 

http://www.rejuvenatemeetings.com/2013/10/17/5-benefits-of-geofencing-at-events/

Karantzavelou, V. (2014, January 20). AT&T and Sabre to test and develop new mobile services for travel industry companies. Travel Daily News. Retrieved from http://www.traveldailynews.com/news/article/58611/at-amp-t-and-sabre-to-test

Image source:

http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/images/Telecommuncations_g177-Handsets_With_Applications_p55509.html

Aline Biber & Caitlin Richardson 

Another key to the concierge

           Since 2010, Zingle has been growing extensively, having clients such as Hilton, Marriott, W Hotels or Ritz Carlton. In January 2014 Four Seasons Philadelphia has adopted this technology.

How does it work? 

Zingle is an instant message software conceptualized for businesses. Any demand or request can be sent via a mobile phone with an immediate response from the concierge department. This service aims to highly personalized customer service as well as provide an accurate and quick response to the customer. It is currently applied to the hospitality industry or the parkings. 

Chekitan Dev, Marketing Professor at Cornell University's School of Hotel Administration and author of Hospitality Branding, argues that texting is a more appealing tool because it is more immediate: "Not having to download an app saves a step and time, and anything that saves time will win in the marketplace. Plus, this saves voice message errors, waits time and allows for a text trail. This service is sure to resonate”. (Chekitan Dev)

At the Four Seasons Philadelphia, guests are allowed to text the conciergerie for anything they need, at anytime during the day, whether they are in or out of the hotel. They directly text a mobile number, linked to the concierge desk, it is as instant as mobile-to-mobile texting. The ease of use and speed of the demand treatment is very seducing for the demanding customers willing to have their needs quickly fulfilled.

With only 8% of the hotel guests staying loyal to a brand (Deloitte survey, January 2013), Zingle seems to be a good way to maintain a relationship: it has brought a higher level of positive guest reviews while lowering the demand treatment.

Indeed, customers are much more driven by the price than the loyalty, when selecting a hotel brand for their stay. Having this competitive advantage is an added value for the customer. He will remember this extra mile of service and will take the decision to choose an hotel brand with this technology rather than another one without. 

The system does not require extra staff as it is fully integrated in the conciergerie system: the staff has a direct access to the text messages on the dashboard of their screen. Four Seasons Philadelphia’s Hotel Manager, Michael Nenner, guarantees an answer in four minutes or less.

Does it ring the end of the good old concierge?

This new texting service is already really appreciated by the adepts of text messages; it relies on an existing technology capturing an existing market.

The concierge department is an institution of the palaces; it creates an extra relationship with customers. The human relationship is essential in a service industry, the customer appreciates to be considered and recognized.

Zingle is a complement to respond to the new technology trends and is acting as a side tool to back up the original activities of the conciergerie department. This tool won't ever replace the expertise and attention of the concierges, it simply adds on a complementary service, aiming to capture another type of clientele and rejuvenating the concierge department. 

Sources

“Loews and Four Seasons Personalize Guest Service with Text Message Concierge” , Hospitality Technology, January 2014 http://hospitalitytechnology.edgl.com/news/Loews-and-Four-Seasons-Personalize-Guest-Service-with-Text-Message-Concierge90721

Zingle website http://www.zingle.me

“Send a text, get a towel: Hotels try new concierge concept”, USA Today, January 2014 http://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/hotels/2014/01/02/loews-four-seasons-zingle-texting/4222525/

Image source: www.freedigitalphotos.com 

Video source: Youtube  

Amandine Peton & Mélanie Lesieur