Cambria White Plains is Making Guest Stays, Meetings More Memorable with Kube Mobile Device Charging

What happens when a hotel guest sitting at the bar needs to charge his cell phone but there are no electrical outlets in sight? Either he leaves the bar and goes to his room to charge the device or he tethers himself to a nearby wall socket. What about a meeting attendee in the same predicament? She could fight fellow attendees to plug into one of two available outlets in the room, but it is far from her seat and she needs to access content stored on her tablet during the meeting. Both scenarios can potentially lead to poor online reviews or worse – they can prevent those guests and others from coming back.

Situations like these are playing out daily at hotels across the globe, but not at the Cambria hotel & suites White Plains in New York, a Meyer Jabara Hotels owned and operated property. In November, the downtown all-suite hotel began offering the Kube 5 portable mobile device charging system from Kube Systems to customers at its Social Circle™ bar and to meeting planners. The result: customer reviews are soaring.

"There is nothing more rewarding than anticipating the needs of our guests, and that's exactly what the portable Kube system enables us to do," said General Manager Sean Meade. "The Kube 5 is a set of five portable charging units and a recharging tray that we keep in the kitchen. Each Kube can power up to six mobile devices at the same time. In the evening, when a bar guest appears to need a charge, we bring out a Kube. Customers are blown away by the service, the convenience, and by how fast they – and others around them – can plug in and power up. It's not only fun to see their reaction, but it gratifying to know that we could help make their stay a little more enjoyable. Plus, bar patrons are sticking around longer."

Because each charging Kube is portable, it can be strategically placed in high-traffic public areas, like the hotel's Social Circle™ Bistro located in the main lobby. Each Kube features three built-in connectors, two USB ports and comes with Qi wireless charging. Each holds a 18,000 mAh battery that charges at a speed comparable to wall outlets, and provides up to nine hours of phone charge time. Better yet, Kubes are future proof; the cables are replaceable and can be upgraded when global charging standards change.

"Recently, I was walking through the lobby and noticed a guest who had just returned from the Apple store," Meade said. "She was sitting at a high-top next to the bar and had three boxes in front of her: an iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch. Plugging the iPhone into the wall, she began to look around the lobby to see where she could power up the other devices. I went to the kitchen and grabbed a Kube. She was so grateful. She told me she had just traveled from overseas and was exhausted, frustrated and in dire need of getting on the grid. She couldn't thank me enough. While charging, she ordered food from the Bistro. Throughout the week, I noticed that she came back again and again. This type of proactive service is what we are training our staff to provide. Kube Systems is helping to go that extra mile in making the guests' stay experience exceptional. It gives us a competitive advantage in the local market, and guests love the convenience."

Making Meetings Memorable

The Cambria hotel & suites White Plains is finding Kube 5 to help "seal the deal" when it comes to meetings. If an event planner is teetering on taking their business elsewhere, Meade said offering the portable charging system goes a long way. It's a value-added benefit and a point of differentiation.

"It's rare that the bar is open during the hours when our meeting rooms are booked, so it's been easy to use the charging Kubes for events during the day and at the bar in the evening," Meade said. "As a trial, we placed one charging Kube in the entrance of each meeting room with instructions informing attendees how to power up. According to our banquet staff, it's been a real hit, especially in a large-group scenario. Let's say the room is set-up with six rounds of 10 for a 60-person workshop; an attendee will grab the charging Kube and take it back to the work area or table where others will power share. When a hollow square is requested, multiple units can be placed on the tables. When the room is set theatre style, attendees needing a charge will connect their devices in the back of the room and then take a seat. The feedback has been spectacular."

Here's what some Cambria hotel & suites White Plains customers had to say about the Kube 5:

• "Having charging Kubes available to our group was the highlight of the meeting."
• "My phone battery kept dying during my stay and unfortunately I forgot my charging cable at home. Kube saved the day. I would grab a cocktail at the bar or lunch at the Bistro, power up, and have enough battery power for the night and into the next day."
• "The power bank delivered to my room was perfect. This hotel really goes the extra mile for its guests."

The Cambria hotel & suites White Plains is in the process of adding the Kube 5 to its Audio-Visual price list for 2017. Like renting a projector for a meeting, the hotel will weigh the benefit of adding mobile device charging to its equipment rental list.

"We believe the Kube 5 could be a new revenue generator for our hotel," Meade said. "Charging for the service will enable us to purchase more portable systems in the future."

Dave Weinstein, Kube Systems vice president, had this to say: "We were thrilled when Meyer Jabara Hotels purchased the Kube 5 for its Providence Marriott Downtown property last year. Based on the success at that hotel, the company requested a system for its Cambria in White Plains. Undoubtedly, the Kube 5 was victorious at driving customer satisfaction once again. This is proof that regardless of brand affiliation or location, offering a portable charging solution is key to driving positive reviews and providing heightened service. We are eager to see how successful the hotel will be in charging for the system as part of its 2017 meetings package."

About Kube Systems

Kube Systems (www.kubesystems.com) was born from more than 50 years of experience by renowned hospitality brand Ramler International. Kube Systems designs, manufactures and markets unique technology solutions focused on the hospitality industry. Its solutions blend innovation with intuitive technology to enhance the guest experience. The Kube Systems suite of products combine the convenience of multi-device charging with portability, streaming audio playback and time keeping. Visit Kube Systems at CES January 6 to 9 at the Las Vegas Convention Center in SL-4.