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sbarr011

Expedia Leads $26 Million Alice Investment in Hotel Tech Push - Skift - 0 views

skift.com/...-investment-in-hotel-tech-push

#hoteltechnology #ITinvestment #hospitalitytechnology

shared by sbarr011 on 06 Jul 18 - No Cached
  • Alice, a startup that sells operations software to hotels, has raised $26 million in a Series B funding round led by online travel giant Expedia.
  • Expedia’s interest in Alice suggests that the online travel company is curious about possibly providing more back-end software services for the hotels that use it to market and distribute their inventory globally.
  • The company “is now at a completely different level,” when it comes to putting into place a set of tools that are broad and comprehensive and that are responsive to what hotels have said their needs are, he claimed.
  • ...9 more annotations...
  • A key part of Alice’s system is its ability to let guests, front-of-house workers, and back-of-house staff communicate and track requests. For instance, a guest request via a text message for, say, more linens, can be conveyed to the right worker using Alice, the company said.
  • It now processes more than 50,000 requests a week, up from the 10,000-a-week pace it had a year ago. The company anticipates hotels will handle more than two million requests on its platform over the next year.
  • Alice has more than doubled its count of hotel clients this year.
  • It has since evolved into software that aims to provide the first unified platform for a hotel to run its entire back-end operations, such as housekeeping and customer service communication.
  • Expedia officially began to market a series of new tools for hoteliers that it has been adding to its extranet for suppliers since 2015 under the name Expedia Powered Technology. Tools include help with revenue management and messaging with guests.
  • There are other hotel tech brands that offer software-as-a-service (SaaS) solutions that overlap with what Alice’s platform provides, such as the housekeeping-focused services of Amadeus Hospitality’s HotSOS. Other potential players in the market include Sabre Hospitality Solutions and Oracle Hospitality.
  • Expedia’s suite of data analytics tools includes a free service that aims to help hotels set their rates to command the most revenue and Expedia’s first meetings-and-events booking tool to help hotels automate requests for proposals — which today is still, largely, a manual process.
  • Priceline Group has, since 2015, been investing in business services for its hotel partners under the BookingSuite brand. The tools include revenue management software and digital marketing help for a property’s own branded website.
  • Trivago, the hotel metasearch brand that is backed by Expedia (but operates independently), is also offering hotel services, such as for revenue management and hotel management (like Base7booking).
  • sbarr011 on 06 Jul 18
     
    Alice, a relatively new start-up which sells operations software to hotels, had a significant investment from Expedia in the previous round of funding. Alice has become a software that provides "the first unified platform for a hotel to run its entire back end operations, such as housekeeping and customer service communication". The system allows guests to send a text message with a request for more pillows or towels, for example, which will be directed to the proper the hotel employee department. Customers can track their requests and both the front and back of house staff can receive communications from guest requests. This IT platform has seen 5 times the amount of requests being generated. Also, the platform has partnered with double the number of hotels and they project more than two million requests will be communicated through this software in a year. Expedia is the largest shareholder in Alice currently. Alice suggests that this is because Expedia could be more interested in "more back-end software services for the hotels that use it to market and distribute their inventory globally." Expedia currently markets tools such as revenue management under the name Expedia Powered Technology to hoteliers. Expedia also offers meetings and events booking tools for hotels. Priceline, which is a competitor to Expedia, also has invested in tools and services that include revenue management software for their hotel partners. Trivago is also offering these services. Alice believes that the size of the market will allow for many other companies to work in this space, and is even open to partnering with other firms to expand. Alice also plans to expand their own business and add personnel with the new funds.
sbarr011

Another Airline Follows Lufthansa And Adds GDS Fees - 0 views

www.travelmarketreport.com/...ws-Lufthansa-And-Adds-GDS-Fees

#Lufthansa #ukraineinternationalairlines #hospitalitytechnology #GDS #gdsfees #travel

shared by sbarr011 on 04 Jun 18 - No Cached
  • “the overall business case is more positive than we thought,” he pointed to an uptick in ancillary sales through the direct channel.  “From what we hear in the industry and with the visible success of Lufthansa, I would be very surprised if others would not follow.”The global GDSs, including Amadeus, Sabre and Travelport, continue to strongly oppose Lufthansa’s strategy, saying that their platforms offer agencies and their clients the most choice of services.
  • Meanwhile, Lufthansa says it won’t change course on the booking-fee strategy, which is aimed both at reducing GDS costs, and encouraging agencies to use the airline’s direct-connect platform to buy tickets. 
  • But the Ukrainian flag carrier is also slapping a slew of new fees on all bookings made through a variety of channels, including third-party booking sites as well its own ticket offices – which will also be subject to the $9-per-segment fee.  Thus, the action appears to be designed to steer consumers to book directly on the airlines’ own website, rather than specifically targeting agencies.
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  • Like Lufthansa, which introduced a 16-euro fee on GDS bookings in the fall of 2015, Ukrainian argues that the fee is in response to what it calls the “growing fees of GDSs.”  
  • Any new fee can generate a backlash, and particularly for price-sensitive leisure travelers, could lead to booking away from a particular carrier. 
  • Lufthansa German Airlines’ CEO recently raised eyebrows in the industry by predicting other airlines would match its controversial fee on all bookings made through Global Distribution Systems. But since then, the only news on this front has been from a relatively small carrier, Ukraine International Airlines, which said it will impose a new $9 surcharge on GDS bookings at the end of April.  
  • sbarr011 on 04 Jun 18
     
    This article discusses Lufthansa airlines and Ukraine International Airlines who both now impose a surcharge on GDS bookings. The GDSs Amadeus, Sabre and Travelport disagree with this strategy and say that they offer the most choice of services and think that steering clients away from using GDSs to book travel is not a smart idea. In 2015, Lufthansa and its other airlines (which also includes Austrian, Brussels, Eurowings and Swiss airlines) implemented a 16-euro fee on all GDS bookings. Ukraine International Airlines (UIA) is a much smaller airline than Lufthansa, however, some analysts believe that this decision could prompt other airlines to do so as well. About one month ago, UIA imposed a $9 surcharge on GDS bookings. Some analysts believe that the new imposed fee will drive some customers, especially the price-sensitive leisure travelers, towards other airline carriers. In addition to implementing a surcharge on GDS bookings, UIA is also adding fees to any bookings made on third-party booking sites. The airline is trying to incentivize its travelers to book directly through their website and not go through any other channel. Lufthansa has had success with their strategy. The CEO stated the fee had a net-zero impact on their business, but there was a rise increase in sales through their direct channel.
sbarr011

Top 7 Features of an Event Planning Software - event planning software - 3 views

eventplanningsoftware.net

#eventmanagementsystems #eventregistrationsoftware ##hospitalitytechnology

shared by sbarr011 on 21 Jul 18 - No Cached
  • You can simply use an all-in-one event planning software.
  • The event planning software simply makes communication between you and your attendees easier and less cumbersome.
  • As soon as attendees will log into the event website, they will be presented with these platforms so that they can interact with co-attendees before, during and after an event.
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  • For conferences, a corporate event planning software may meet very specific needs such as awards management.
  • A delegate event app is a mobile application that attendees can download to their mobile devices before the start of an event. It will include various functions such as seeing event details, setting meetings with other attendees, and even in-app messaging. On the other hand, the check-in app is designed for event organisers.
  • If you are using CRMs and emailing tools, you may ask the software provider to integrate these systems into the event management platform.
  • You can either upload email lists in the software or work on databases from past registrations. This feature is very helpful if you are soliciting feedback from your attendees after an event.
  • If you are still employing old-school methods such as using paper registration forms and accepting offline bank transfers, it is time that you turn to technology to automate these processes. Registration and ticketing can now be easily done through an event website. An event planning software practically allows any interested party to register and pay for your event online.
  • create an event website for your upcoming events; this is one of the best ways for you to generate publicity.
  • One of the most practical uses of a software for event planning is its feature to let you build your own event website
  • Investing in a software that is entirely dedicated to helping you with your tasks just might be your best move yet.
  • sbarr011 on 21 Jul 18
     
    This article discusses the top seven features of event planning software. This can be applied to any business in the hospitality and tourism industry. If the hospitality or tourism company has the money to invest in event planning and registration software, it would be a very smart move to do so. The first feature the article mentions is that the software can build, for example, the hotel or restaurant its own event website which can help generate publicity for the event. Secondly, the article mentions that with event management software, registration, ticketing and payment methods can all be done online. Thirdly, the article mentions that this software allows companies to upload email lists from past registration and helps to manage email campaigns. This can be an avenue where the hotel or restaurant can advertise their event and also allow guests provide feedback after the event. The fourth feature of event planning software that this article mentions is that some event planning software can allow for mobile check-in for attendees, easily look up event details, and allow for in-app messaging. This feature can also be available in free event planning software. The fifth feature mentioned was that some software can also incorporate awards management into their platform. The sixth feature mentioned was the ability for guests to network and interact with each other through the app before, during and after the event. Lastly, the seventh feature mentioned is that multiple systems (such as emailing tools or CRM tools) can be integrated into event planning software so all of the event planning needs can be in one place. Event management software will help "automate the event management lifecycle" which can be beneficial for both the hospitality and tourism business and their customers.
sbarr011

Mobile key: It's the new reality for hotels | Hotel Management - 1 views

www.hotelmanagement.net/...-key-it-new-reality-for-hotels

#mobilekeyentry #hospitalitytechnology #futureofhotels #hotelmanagement

shared by sbarr011 on 20 May 18 - No Cached
  • ” Shedd said. “On average, guests using digital key rate a hotel seven points higher than keycard guests with 84 percent of guests likely to use digital key again. 
  • New technology always takes time to enter the mainstream and mobile key is still on the adoption curve, but reviews among users and hotel satisfaction scores prove out that mobile key is the future
  • “The global demand for digital locks has swamped the manufacturers to the extent the typical wait time to receive new locks is up to 90 days. Challenges still exist around budgets to fund upgrading locks to BLE, but the desire to do so among hotels worldwide seems to be universal.”
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  • Remote check-in with mobile keys will allow guests to go straight to [their] room and improve the hotel’s operational efficiency.”
  • The mobile technology used with radio frequency ID electronic locks delivers a more personalized and interactive guest experience—from check-in and informing guests of hotel amenities to securely accessing their room, all via their mobile device,
  • sbarr011 on 20 May 18
     
    The article titled Mobile Key: It's the new reality for hotels by Esther Hertzfeld, discusses the various aspects of the implementation and utilization of the mobile key technology in hotels. The mobile key technology is a Bluetooth enabled lock that a user can open with their mobile devices. The popularity and demand for mobile key entry in hotels is skyrocketing. However, hotels can't implement them as fast as the guests demand and desire them. It will be easier for hotels that are being built from scratch to integrate the feature than established hotels switching over to this new technology, but I believe they will eventually. In the article it states that guests rate the hotel 7 points higher with mobile key cards. Higher reviewed hotels will bring in more guests thus increasing hotel revenue. The utilization of the mobile room key allows the guest to check in on their phone remotely. Once the guest arrives to the hotel they can go straight up to their room without having to stop at a front desk. This gives the guest a more personalized and efficient experience, which I agree with. In my opinion being able to walk into a hotel and go up immediately to my room is ideal. I have not stayed at a hotel yet that has used the mobile key feature but I imagine it is great. I think all hotels in the future will run on mobile key entry. The article states there will be a learning curve for the guests and staff initially. It will be important to educate guests who don't travel often and guests in general. It stated that some people might feel embarrassed if they don't use the mobile key correctly and need to return to the front desk. That could be very frustrating to some guests who come to their room and then have to go back downstairs to talk to the front desk if something goes wrong. It is also stated that there will be awareness and comfort challenges with the front desk staff. I believe that mobile key entry is the future of hotel technology. It will take
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