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The HITEC Minneapolis Innovations Digest
Part 2 - Operations Technology Innovations
23 min read
Maastricht, The Netherlands - Last week HospitalityNet published the first part of The HITEC Minneapolis Innovations Digest featuring the guestroom technology innovations which were on display at HITEC Minneapolis. Part 2 of the HITEC Minneapolis Innovations Digest is all about operations technology innovations.
7X by SevenRooms is the industry's first-of-its-kind marketing automation and guest engagement software. Designed to turn first time hotel F&B guests into regulars, 7X combines four elements into one powerful product, helping hotel restaurant operators to leverage automation and data to nurture guest relationships at scale through highly personalized interactions across the customer lifecycle. The new software was recently rolled out with four components: Guest Satisfaction, Automated Tagging & Segmentation, Email Automation, and Experiences & Special Offers. Additional details on each include:
visit the company profile of SevenRooms, Inc. on HospitalityNet
Team SevenRooms at HITEC Minneapolis — Photo by Hospitality Net
Meet Relay, the worlds most powerful GPS enabled cellular walkie-talkie that fits in the palm of your hand. Use Relay to communicate with your staff, see where they are in real-time using our web console & provide guests with quick and easy access to services.
Relay is built tough, drop and water-resistant so it can stand up to the harshest conditions. It also comes with two-day battery life, to power through multiple shifts without needing a charge. With our custom solutions, you can add Panic Button, and Front Desk Call Button features or use our API to integrate it with your own custom solutions.
Relay Pro — Photo by Hospitality Net
The new feature, called "Documents," will enable hotel administrators to share work collateral with specific teams, departments, or locations in an easy-to-navigate folder structure that employees can access from their mobile devices. Managers can own and edit folders for their teams or locations, ensuring every employee finds the exact, locally relevant information they are looking for.
Documents on Beekeeper differentiates itself by serving as a highly targeted, location-specific document sharing tool for mobile device users. It gives distributed workforces the right information specific to their locations; this is crucial for ensuring operational efficiency. "Documents feature will enable hotel administrators to share location-specific documents directly to the appropriate team, ensuring that the proper procedures are always being followed," Rheams said. "It also allows for customizable editing permissions that are currently not available in many of the other document features on other team apps in the market."
visit the company profile of Beekeeper on HospitalityNet
Team Beekeeper at HITEC Minneapolis — Photo by Hospitality Net
SABAGuest automated communication solution eliminates the dissatisfaction experienced by guests due to antiquated communication methods that are inefficient, costly, and no longer meet the needs and wants of modern travelers. A 360° solution providing a centralized communication platform, SABAGuest not only enhances the guest experience, but improves hotel efficiency, decreases labor costs, drives hotel revenue, and frees up staff to engage in truly meaningful guest interactions.
SABAGuest is capable of managing all guest questions and requests, gathering real-time guest sentiment, making recommendations, presenting the latest hotel offers and driving F&B revenue via our digital F&B ordering platform. It can be 100% customized to meet the needs of each individual property, while maintaining a consistent brand language across an entire group. But best of all: It allows any guest, from any country, to chat with a hotel in their own native language, truly breaking down the language barriers that modern travel has brought. And it can be deployed into a single property, or an entire group, in less than 1 week!
SABA Hospitality at HITEC Minneapolis — Photo by Hospitality Net
Site 1001 is a software developer using AI to revolutionize how buildings are run. The company's Skylight Building Performance and Operations platform combines core building information, live building systems, sensors and "people-generated" information like work requests and comments, with artificial intelligence and machine learning technologies to help make buildings truly "smart".
Property investors, owners, and managers tap Skylight-powered apps to reduce unplanned maintenance and downtime, lower operational costs, increase asset longevity and performance, maximize guest/tenant experience and increase a property's value. Skylight customers include major hotel operators, casino/resort properties, performing arts centers, mixed-use commercial, and office building owners.
Skylight — Photo by Hospitality Net
The Asset Details Module on Mobile has a brand-new Asset Dashboard module. End-users can use the module to look up a wide variety of asset details including but not limited to site's full asset list, asset's openwork, asset's work history, and asset details.
Transcendent — Photo by Hospitality Net
Text4Service is a mobile ordering and payment platform that requires NO APP for the patron to download. They simply text in a keyword or scan a QR code and are directed to a mobile ordering site on their browser. The ordering site can be completely customized to the needs of the venue and is white labeled as their platform.
When an order is placed, the venue staff will know exactly where the item or service needs to be delivered.
TEZ at HITEC Minneapolis — Photo by Hospitality Net
Take control of your olfactory environment with the world's first 100% Internet controlled diffuser. No efforts have been spared to make sure that property managers, shop operators and home owners, are able to manage their olfactory environments both simply and efficiently.
Most diffusers on the market use an inefficient timer-controlled method. We firmly believe that the precision and flexibility of our solution, will ensure that people enjoy all the benefits of a well-regulated olfactory environment.
Cloud-based Scent Marketing — Photo by Hospitality Net
With over 1.5 billion active users in over 180 countries, WhatsApp is one of the most important messaging applications available on the market today. By harnessing this integration, Whistle is able to give hoteliers an even wider ability to access their guests. A two-way integration allows hotel guests who prefer WhatsApp to communicate directly with their hotel!
visit the company profile of Whistle on HospitalityNet
Team Whistle at HITEC Minneapolis — Photo by Hospitality Net
Enseo's MadeSafe® is a complete employee safety system that accurately locates employees in distress. Currently on its fourth generation, MadeSafe has been protecting some of our most vulnerable, underrepresented populations, such as housekeepers and teachers since 2015.
The MadeSafe employee safety system includes a discrete employee safety device carried or worn by staff and listening devices located throughout the facility. With the tap of a button, MadeSafe immediately transmits the name and location of distressed employees to designated emergency response personnel. The designated personnel receive these notifications via text and email as well as an alert on a console located at the facility. MadeSafe is available as a standalone service or as an added feature to the Enseo platform.
Enseo at HITEC Minneapolis — Photo by Hospitality Net
Ivy, powered by Go Moment, is the world's first smartconcierge for hotels. Ivy brings together human expertise and machine intelligence in a seamless experience for the guest. Via messaging, Ivy answers routine guest questions like Whats the Wi-Fi password? in less than one second, reducing calls and disruptions to the hotel staff. Ivy provides conveniences like fulfilling guest requests, booking restaurant reservations, and accessing offers that enhance the guest experience from anywhere, at any time. Ivy has served tens of millions of guests, and shes often recognized in TripAdvisor reviews for providing exceptional service.
visit the company profile of Go Moment on HospitalityNet
Team Go Moment at HITEC Minneapolis — Photo by Hospitality Net
The Luxe 6200m features a unique manufacturing design that combines a smartphone-sized base device with a choice of attachable power and printer modules, allowing businesses to only pay for features they need. This combination of connectivity, power and printer options results in an array of use cases—PIN pad, stand-alone terminal, integrated POS, roaming/pay-at-table, wireless—suited for the various acceptance environments necessary throughout hospitality venues: registration counters, gift shops/spas/business centers, restaurants/pools/gaming floors, outside events, reservation centers.
The base units in the Luxe 6000m support a choice of communication options: cable connections, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, 4G LTE, and combinations of each. Power is provided via a choice of attachable wired or battery-charged modules that feature an optional integrated receipt printer. The system architecture is standardized across the Luxe product family, enabling seamless integration of payment applications, third-party software, and POS systems. The Luxe 6000m is PCI PED 5.0 certified and supports all leading P2PE technologies.
Luxe 6200m Modular Payment Device — Photo by Hospitality Net
GroupPay is the first payments solution for the groups, meeting and event industry. It is a comprehensive automated system that brings transparency, faster payments and easy billing reconciliation to the group, meetings and events market.
GroupPay consolidates meeting and event data in one location, including contracts, reservations as they are made and changed, consumed stay data, and commission payments to be made. The solution provides the vital link between hotels and meeting planners, ensuring unparalleled transparency and efficiency to track and manage events.
visit the company profile of Onyx CenterSource on HospitalityNet
Team Onyx CenterSource at HITEC Minneapolis — Photo by Hospitality Net
As more hotel brands are enabling guests with technology, Apple TV along with iPad and iPhone are enhancing the visitor stay with intuitive and cost-effective hardware. Creating an unforgettable guest experience has never been easier thanks to Apple TV, iPad and Jamf. Go the extra mile with customizable, in-room hotel technology. Real-time communication with hotel services and local recommendations offer guests access to everything they need for a once-in-a-lifetime stay. Your guests will have a seamless experience from the moment they check in to the moment they check out.
Team jamf at HITEC Minneapolis — Photo by Hospitality Net
Based on Dialexia's award-winning cloud PBX platform, HERO Hospitality is a hospitality PBX solution built specifically for hotels, resorts & other hospitality environments including military and government housing. It offers industry-leading phone system management & billing capabilities, in addition to providing hotel operators with useful customer care & productivity tools to help them reduce costs and better serve their guests and residents.
With its easy-to-use front desk management interface, cost-saving features and superior scalability, the HERO Hospitality PBX solution allows hotel and housing operators to raise productivity across the board. What's more, being entirely software-based means HERO can be purchased outright for a fraction of the cost associated with traditional PBX upgrades. By contributing in the routine administration of hotel affairs, HERO Hospitality can help operators boost productivity levels, limit the impact of human errors & serve guests more efficiently in their establishments.
Team Dialexia at HITEC Minneapolis — Photo by Hospitality Net
Streamline hotel operations by deploying a single device which enables staff members to communicate directly, privately, instantly, and hands-free. Staff can reach the right team member by simply saying a person's name, role or group, and our hands-free device routes alerts and messages directly based on assignments and using intelligent rules. This versatile technology integrates with your telephone, rapid-response, workflow tracking, and property management systems. Management can locate staff easily for quick service request completion and deliver a distinctive hospitality experience for guests.
The award-winning* Smartbadge ™ is durable, light-weight, and has a dedicated panic button to instantly and discretely alert security in emergency situations. The Smartbadge continues the hands-free calling capability of the Vocera Badge and adds smartphone functionality. It has a 2.4" touchscreen which enables staff to receive prioritized messages and read notifications with context, and to securely text requests and responses. Vocera's innovative approach has created a powerful, wearable IoT device for improved communications and tangible benefits.
*2019 MedTech Breakthrough Award for "Best Internet-of-Things Healthcare Wearable Device," https://medtechbreakthrough.com/2019-winners/.
Team Vocera Communications at HITEC Minneapolis — Photo by Hospitality Net
Created with extensive feedback from users, and working collaboratively with industry and trade association partners, the new TraknProtect Staff Safety Alert Button 2.0 has been designed to be both durable and reliable, considering the wear and tear caused by daily proximity to water, cleaning products and general use. The button is also equipped with new safety enhancements including a vibration mechanism, which can assure users that the device has been triggered, even if concealed in a pocket or otherwise hidden.
TraknProtect 2.0 also features improved data analytics with the new safety button providing daily reporting on its battery health, in addition to an onboard LED light indicating the device status.
visit the company profile of TraknProtect on HospitalityNet
Team TraknProtect at HITEC Minneapolis — Photo by Hospitality Net
Featuring powerful user-driven interactive dashboards, mobile compatibility, ad hoc reporting and robust analytics, Insight is M3's fully integrated, self-service platform designed from the perspective of a hotelier from start to finish. Insight effortlessly rolls up data from some of the industry's most recognized data providers, along with operating statistics, brand data and proprietary M3 financial and labor data into a single, actionable and visual dashboard allowing hoteliers to make real decisions in real time.
In addition to providing at-a-glance centralized data through dashboards, Insight allows hoteliers to automate, schedule and share customized reports to improve operational efficiencies. The product also includes a pulse alert feature that enables users to set thresholds for specific key performance indicators, alerting the user if a threshold is crossed.
visit the company profile of M3 on HospitalityNet
M3 at HITEC Minneapolis — Photo by Hospitality Net
ProfitSword and WVC RubixCloud have partnered to offer a comprehensive data management and accounting solution that provides key financial and operational benefits for the hospitality industry. The integrated solution is designed to allow a single hotel or an entire portfolio of hotels to easily add themselves to a robust, hospitality-specific technology and support environment with little setup and effort. Hoteliers can also benefit from preferred pricing that would otherwise be difficult to locate for such enhanced functionality.
The WVCRC best-of-breed accounting solution along with ProfitSword's robust BI solutions are built to handle multiple entities within the same environment, providing the new integration with the readiness and ability to scale in lockstep with a company's growth. The in-depth integration between WVCRC and ProfitSword further ensures data integrity between the accounting system and the BI platform. This creates a singular source of truth for all data across all properties and departments. Data is accessible on any device with an internet connection for instant comparison across multiple properties and brands, actual to budget trends and/or drill-down to ledger level details
visit the company profile of ProfitSword on HospitalityNet
Team ProfitSword at HITEC Minneapolis — Photo by Hospitality Net
LiaCX(TM), powered by Intouch Insight, is an industry-leading customer experience management (CEM) software that helps hotels listen, interpret and act on customer feedback and operational data in a unified platform. The platform leverages innovative technology such as Internet of Things (IoT) devices, video and audio surveys, automated key driver analysis, text analytics and other artificial intelligence-powered features, to provide real-time intelligence that makes it easier for hotel operators to deliver better guest experiences.
The platform also includes patent-pending Action Campaign(TM) (https://www.intouchinsight.com/press-releases/provisional-patent-application-filing-cem/) technology, which helps hoteliers drive actions that will have the greatest impact on guest satisfaction and their bottom line. Action Campaigns allow LiaCX customers to:
Intouch Insight at HITEC Minneapolis — Photo by Hospitality Net
A real-time Mobile/Tablet App extension to the Maestro Housekeeping Module, designed to reduce the time required updating housekeeping room status, as well as improve communications by providing Housekeeping with information about each guest and room requirements via mobile devices. Front desk can offer early arriving guests check-in to their reservation & post charges to room while waiting for it to be cleaned and ready; App communicates with housekeeping teams to prioritize room and when they update status, instantly messages guest that room is ready.
The Housekeeping module in Maestro offers full capabilities to track and manage information such as:
visit the company profile of Maestro PMS on HospitalityNet
Team Maestro at HITEC Minneapolis — Photo by Hospitality Net
The hospitality industry is rapidly embracing IoT with its ability to transform organizations for the better. Along with lower operating costs, advances in artificial intelligence are extremely attractive to those who wish to stand out from the competition. Lean on Blueport's network design expertise to ensure you have a resilient, secure infrastructure that will defy the test of time.
Hospitality Technology - Done Right — Photo by Hospitality Net
StayNTouch's Zest Station is a smart, self-service kiosk solution. Because it runs on a tablet, Zest Station allows a hotel to incorporate self-serve technology while remaining true to their brand aesthetic. Zest Station also incorporates optional ID scanning and facial recognition technology for an added layer of assurance and convenience. Zest Station incorporates advanced AI, allowing guests to use their ID for a reservation search, or securely process walk-in reservations on the fly 一 all without the need for staff interaction.
StayNTouch's Zest Web gives guests a completely mobile check-in experience 一 from either a web-based url, or a native mobile app. Now guests can use their mobile device to open their room door, order food and beverage, review their folio, and even communicate with hotel staff. And hoteliers can drive additional revenue with monetized early check-in/late check-out and automated offers for amenities and room upgrades. Zest Web is also integrated with MyCheck payment wallet (acquired by Shiji) 一 making it fully compliant with PSD2 regulations, and helping to cut down on fraud and chargebacks.
visit the company profile of StayNTouch Inc. on HospitalityNet
StayNTouch, A Shiji Group Brand at HITEC Minneapolis — Photo by Hospitality Net
SkyTab is a powerful mobile solution that is a true game-changer for the hospitality and foodservice industries. It combines state-of-the-art hardware with simple and intuitive software to deliver an exceptional experience for businesses and their guests. This complete order- and pay-at-the-table solution will take your operations to the next level while delivering an unmatched experience for your customers — anytime, anywhere.
SkyTab delivers unique features that increase operational efficiency, build customized marketing programs, improve online reputation, and more. Businesses can securely accept EMV chip cards, NFC, and traditional swiped card transactions wherever their guest are — at the table, bar or nightclub, poolside, on the golf course, special events, and more. Guests can split checks, add tips, and choose from an e-receipt or use the device's built-in printer. They can even rate their experience, with a low rating prompting a text message alert to a manager, so they can address and resolve their concerns before they leave, preventing negative online reviews. Best of all, by eliminating the need for servers to walk back and forth to a stationary POS system, they are able to serve more customers quickly.
Shift4 Payments at HITEC Minneapolis — Photo by Hospitality Net
Nuvola, pioneers of custom-designed service optimization and guest engagement software, has just announced the addition of Kairos by Nuvola to its suite of hospitality-focused solutions. The first hospitality software company in the U.S. to offer facial recognition technology, Nuvola partnered with Kairos, a leading facial recognition company, to create a unique, AI-backed solution that expedites and personalizes a guest's experience from check-in to departure. Layered with added security capabilities, the exclusive solution will reduce wait times during transactional moments that require name recognition throughout the guest journey.
Hospitality partners who deploy Kairos by Nuvola will expedite their check-in and check-out processes, reduce time spent during transactional moments, enhance security practices, and significantly elevate the overall guest experience. Created by Kairos, the facial recognition software will be fully integrated into Nuvola's comprehensive optimization system and will be supported by best-in-class security camera hardware.
visit the company profile of Nuvola on HospitalityNet
Kairos by Nuvola — Photo by Hospitality Net
PurpleCloud organizes the housekeeper's day with a world-class digital platform. Gone are messy paper assignment sheets and balky walkie-talkies. The system is easy to use: self-explanatory; requires only a few clicks; and is available in the housekeeper's given language. The system further provides housekeepers with feedback on their performance and rewards them for doing well by way of a gamification leader board. The result: housekeepers are connected and function as a team.
PurpleCloud responds quickly to industry trends and is able to provide resources that deliver results. These include one of the industry's most comprehensive and well-integrated personal security systems, as well as a built-in incentive program that identifies top performers and motivates departments to achieve their goals. In controlled studies of Housekeeping Overhead, the PurpleCloud platform has achieved a 5.18% cost improvement over an annual expense approaching $1 million. In particular, the use of PurpleCloud resulted in outstanding gains thanks to need for overtime assignments.
PurpleCloud Technologies - Housekeeping Optimization Software — Photo by Hospitality Net
CONGRATULATIONS to TraknProtect for winning the E20X Judge's Choice Award!
CONGRATULATIONS to SABA Hospitality Technology Solutions for winning the E20X People's Choice Award!
THANK YOU to all the other startups for participating!
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