News Briefs

Enseo, a provider of hotel technology, including hospitality TV, managed Wi-Fi, room controls, and employee safety devices, will feature advanced, guest-room TV customization tools at HITEC Charlotte 2024. Enseo has elevated the TV experience yet again, crafting a merging of technology and personalization that enables hotels to offer not just a stay, but an event tailored to every guest’s desires. Hotels can use Enseo’s powerful platform to: send messages through the guestroom TV, customize TV screens with user interface editing capabilities, and create channel content targeted to various groups within a hotel.

Enseo’s platform, experienced by 85 million users annually, recently underwent an upgrade with the release and rebranding of CORE. CORE by Enseo™ benefits include the industry’s most robust guestroom TV customization options that can be utilized by hotels directly, giving brands and hoteliers the ability to control content for entire properties, specific groups by group code, floors, or even individual guestrooms.

“Our customers are unique, and their hotel technology should be unique as well,” said Corey Rhodes, Enseo CEO. “Enseo has always placed priority on creating entertainment experiences that reflect the brand, and our new toolset takes that one step further, with more guestroom TV options and management for hotels than ever before.”

Enseo optimizes the TV with multiple ways to connect with guests, which in turn provides added revenue opportunities when offering these features to groups. Enseo’s Promote includes TV house channels that are managed with an easy-to-use playlist, including both pictures and videos for guests, events such as weddings, corporate events, and more. These channels can be based on group code if desired and sold as part of group packages. Enseo’s CORE Messenger is just as flexible, delivering custom messages to individual guests, groups, or entire properties. Additionally, Enseo’s CORE Create delivers the ultimate in TV user interface customization, catering to groups and easily reflecting hotel branding, different seasons, hotel promotions, and more.

With more than 24 years in hospitality, Enseo is committed to enhancing guest and hotel satisfaction through innovation and customized services. This initiative emphasizes Enseo’s dedication to meeting the evolving needs of modern travelers, ensuring each stay is memorable and seamless. From essential TV services to high-speed internet access, guestroom automation, and employee safety devices, Enseo allows the in-room tech to be bundled with one trusted provider. To see the latest releases live, visit Enseo at HITEC Charlotte in booth #2045. For more information on Enseo, visit www.enseo.com. 

CallTek, Inc., a provider of white-label technical support services, is excited to announce its new Technology as a Service (TaaS) program. This innovative offering delivers a comprehensive technology solution, including third-party financing for on-site implementation, 24/7 remote support, and essential professional services. Covering infrastructure, licensing, and a diverse array of IT and medical devices, TaaS represents a significant advancement in technology integration.

TaaS will make its debut at two major technology events for the hospitality industry: the Hospitality Industry Technology Exposition and Conference (HITEC) and the Technology Investment Conference, hosted by Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals, during the week of June 24 in Charlotte, NC.

"CallTek’s TaaS approach offers technology integrators a competitive edge by providing immediate access to innovative solutions through a streamlined financial model. This method not only conserves working capital but also boosts operational efficiency," said Tony Espinoza, CEO of CallTek. "The TaaS model ensures integrators receive vital installation and support services, and state-of-the-art equipment, all bundled into a single finance package without any initial capital outlay. Our program is designed to help integrators secure more business while enabling hotels and businesses to meet their technology needs and obligations to guests and customers."

This program is available to technology integrators and operators across North America, including the hospitality, healthcare, education, and multi-family dwelling sectors

SoundHound AI, Inc., a provider of voice artificial intelligence, announced the acquisition of key assets from Allset, an online ordering platform that connects restaurants and local customers. As part of the acquisition, Allset’s team will be joining SoundHound, further strengthening the company’s capabilities and commitment to innovation.

The closing of the acquisition will bring additional restaurant relationships, engineering skills, and marketplace know-how to SoundHound AI as it builds towards its vision of a voice commerce ecosystem that enables consumers to access goods and services through natural conversation. This includes plans to facilitate voice-enabled food and drink ordering across millions of cars, TVs, and smart devices.

Founded in 2015, Allset is a food ordering platform designed for local pick-up, providing a seamless, cost-effective dining experience that allows both consumers and restaurants to bypass the high fees charged by delivery apps. The business received backing from investors, including Andreessen Horowitz, and has amassed nearly 7,000 restaurant partners nationwide, including Joe & The Juice and Charleys Cheesesteaks.

Alongside continuing the services provided by Allset, all of the platform’s current restaurant partners – as well as all new signups to Allset – will now have full access to a suite of SoundHound’s voice AI products to improve operational efficiency, reduce costs, and drive sales.

The Allset leadership team, including Co-Founders Stas Matviyenko and Anna Polishchuk, will also apply their extensive marketplace experience to accelerating SoundHound’s first-of-its-kind voice monetization platform. The move mobilizes a key part of the company’s growth strategy, enabling consumers to use conversational voice AI to effortlessly order food from their vehicles or a voice-enabled device, like a TV.

Today, SoundHound is a market leader for restaurant voice AI solutions, working with over 10,000 restaurant locations. The company’s fast, accurate voice ordering technology can be deployed across multiple channels, including via phone, drive-thru, kiosk, and mobile app. The system can seamlessly pick-up customer orders, understand speech in a range of major languages, learn any restaurant’s menu, process orders directly to the POS, answer customer FAQs, and even upsell add-ons and offer special promotions.

SoundHound also works with world class clients across a range of other sectors, including smart devices, TVs, and automotive – where SoundHound’s solutions are in millions of units around the world today.

“As a business, Allset will help SoundHound bring voice AI solutions to even more restaurants looking to improve operational efficiency. At the same time, the Allset team brings a wealth of marketplace experience and knowledge that will make our bigger vision of a voice commerce ecosystem a reality,” said Keyvan Mohajer, CEO and Co-Founder of SoundHound AI. “Together, we plan to provide dynamic and convenient ways for people to order food and complete a range of other transactions just by speaking naturally.”

"We are thrilled to join forces with SoundHound to combine our established partnerships and marketplace expertise with SoundHound’s class-leading voice AI solutions and capabilities," said Stas Matviyenko, CEO and Co-Founder of Allset. "From the beginning, we realized that we share the same vision for the voice commerce ecosystem that elevates the consumer experience. This team-up will accelerate our progress toward the next exciting phase of AI-powered ordering convenience."

Learn more about SoundHound AI’s vision for a voice commerce ecosystem here.

Onity, a provider of electronic locks and mobile access solutions, is thrilled to  announce the enhanced DirectKey™ 3.0 system and an advancement in IoT-based hospitality security.  The company is set to showcase its expanded connected capabilities for electronic locks and mobile  access solutions at the Hospitality Industry Technology Exposition and Conference (HITEC), from June  24-27 in Charlotte, North Carolina. Onity is part of Honeywell, a leading provider of solutions and services  that improve the occupant experience and are used in more than 10 million buildings worldwide. 

DirectKey 3.0 

Onity is proud to present the latest iteration of its flagship DirectKey mobile access technology. Onity’s  DirectKey technology allows guests to unlock doors upon approach using their mobile device - enabling  seamless entries across the property from parking garage, to elevators, guest rooms and beyond. Key  enhancements include: 

• Updated DirectKey ecosystem: Faster update times for firmware and data transfers as well as  lower power consumption for improved battery life.  

• Security and Enhanced Performance: Utilizing 128-bit AES data encryption to provide an  additional layer of security, complementing existing user access permissions and audit trails.  Designed to deliver faster open times and support quick connection to multiple users in common  areas such as elevators. 

• Soft Broker Technology: Enabling DirectKey/DirectKey Firmware capabilities on third-party  hardware platforms without the need for a DirectKey/DirectKey module. 

IoT Transformation for Enhanced Hotel Management 

Onity’s new 1-way and 2-way connected solutions will set the stage for future developments, offering  significant benefits to hoteliers: 

• Enhanced Front Desk Monitoring & Control: Allows front desk staff to monitor battery levels,  receive live alarms for forced door openings or doors held open, and remotely lock down  individual doors. 

• Improved Maintenance Capabilities: Features such as remote time setting adjustments for  daylight savings, lower staff costs, remote audits, and elimination of lock re-programming after  battery replacement. 

• Outstanding Guest Experience: Enables seamless room moves or extended stays, enhancing  the overall guest experience. 

New connected capabilities redefine property management and guest interaction:

• CloudConnect™: A cloud-based property management software (PMS) interface that eliminates  the need for on-premise hardware and wiring. It provides a single endpoint for PMS collaborators,  allowing seamless creation of key cards or digital keys. 

• Serene™ Wall Reader: A complete and connected solution offering flexible access to elevators,  parking garages, and common areas. 

• IoT Gateway: A scalable IoT mesh network infrastructure for properties with online locks,  facilitating remote access control for Onity connected locks. 

• Integrations: Collaborations with Wi-Fi access points and room management systems (RMS),  such as Inncom by Honeywell, enabling 2-way communication with Onity locks. 

"Providing connected capabilities for our customers highlights our dedication to enhancing experiences  for both hotel staff and guests," said Fayyad Sbaihat, President of Onity. "The future is promising as Onity  will soon launch a comprehensive dashboard for property owners and operators, offering valuable  analytics and insights into the operation and performance of their mobile credentialing and electronic  locking systems." 

For more information, visit Onity booth #3040 on June 25-27 at HITEC or visit www.onity.com. 

Mews, the industry-leading hospitality cloud, has announced the addition of Mews POS (Point-of-Sale) to the embedded payments experience offered with Mews Hospitality Cloud, bringing increased operational time savings for hotels and frictionless experiences for guests.

Mews is the first cloud-native solution to introduce embedded payment solutions to hospitality throughout the guest stay. With Mews POS now fully embedded with Mews Payments, it means digital ordering of food and beverage (F&B) transactions can use the same payment processing platform as all other transactions within the guest journey, including upgrades and bill settlement. The solution is also unique for its international presence, as it is available in 16 countries.

“By harnessing the power of embedded payments, hoteliers will feel real benefits across their business,” said Josef Starýchfojtů, Chief Product and Technology Officer at Mews. “Consolidated payment functionalities mean faster, more secure operations, with cumulative time savings, richer guest data and an increase in guest satisfaction.”

Mercure Roeselare, a four-star, full-service hotel in Belgium, benefits from embedded payments across their F&B offering. Damien Janssens, General Manager, commented: “Having all payments in one basket that we can check daily in Mews is crucial for our cash flow. It simplifies the reporting process for both myself and our accounting team.”

Additional benefits include fee unification across all PMS and POS transactions, as well as consolidated payouts. It also allows for complete payment reporting directly within Mews Operations without any need to manually import or export data. This translates into significant time savings because properties only need to deal with a single provider, and all reporting is unified. It also removes the need for additional Know Your Customer (KYC) checks, saving further time during implementation.

Capsule Hotel is an innovative hospitality brand with four properties in Switzerland. A single person staffs their multi-purpose lobby and can handle all transactions from check-ins to drink orders on a single device. Hendrik Renken, Project Manager at Capsule Services, said: “I am very satisfied with Mews Payments on POS. I can't imagine a simpler solution than what we have now. It's the most convenient way to handle payments, making front desk operations as straightforward as possible for all staff to understand.”