News Briefs
- 1/21/2025
Alabama Golf Resort Kiva Dunes Chooses 13 Modern Software Solutions From Agilysys, Replaces Property Management and Point-of-Sale Software Solutions
Agilysys, Inc., a global provider of hospitality software solutions and services, announced that Kiva Dunes, a highly acclaimed U.S. golf and coastal resort that also manages memberships and residences, has implemented 13 software solutions from Agilysys.Kiva Dunes selected multiple solutions in the Agilysys Hospitality and Leisure Ecosystem to elevate automation and collaboration across the resort’s operations and staff – including membership and residence management teams – to enhance guest experiences, free more time for staff to engage with guests and members, and identify revenue opportunities and cost efficiencies. Agilysys worked with Kiva Dunes to implement 13 solutions simultaneously across the property so that they work together to share data, simplify property-wide transactions and deliver new insights to improve operating productivity and personalize guest experiences.The resort features more than 3,000 feet of private beachfront, a tennis facility, a membership beach club, an award-winning golf course, and accommodations that include condominiums, vacation homes and holiday rentals. The property had been using software systems from multiple different vendors before choosing to replace all of them with modern cloud-native Agilysys software solutions designed to work seamlessly together while also delivering best-in-class performance for each function.The solutions previously in place did not easily share guest data nor transaction visibility and did not enable coordinated processes across the property, which led to frustrations for staff and guests.Katie Avant, Director of Marketing for Kiva Dunes, explained the factors that led to replacing the property’s existing software solutions. “Our team would do a terrific job consistently going the extra mile to provide exceptional experiences throughout a guest’s stay, only for guests to have a complicated check-out experience when departing,” Ms. Avant explained.“Data was not consistent nor accurate across the resort. When we raised issues with the different software vendors in place, they often blamed each other, which would result in our being asked to pay for additional software programming costs,” Ms. Avant continued. “In addition, training on multiple systems was expensive and time-consuming given our percentage of seasonal staff.”Ms. Avant noted that recommendations from others contributed to Kiva Dunes’ confidence in selecting Agilysys. “We researched alternatives online and spoke to several industry peers who all wholeheartedly endorsed Agilysys software technology,” Ms. Avant said. “We didn’t realize it was possible for software to achieve such simplicity and elegance across a resort as complex as Kiva Dunes. We feel we have now found the perfect technology partner, and we are excited to experience the positive impact these solutions, working together, will have on our guests, employees and overall business,” she added.Jeba Kingsley, Senior Vice President of Professional Services for Agilysys, said, “Like many properties, Kiva Dunes was using legacy technology that did not support the leadership team’s goals for optimizing revenue per guest, automating administrative tasks to free staff member time to interact with guests, and perfecting guest experiences end-to-end throughout every stay,” Mr. Kingsley said.“Despite the team’s commitment, delivering exceptional guest experiences was undermined by systems not working together seamlessly, which led to delays in service, lost opportunities to delight guests and staff frustrations across the property,” Mr. Kingsley continued. “With an integrated, modern ecosystem of Agilysys solutions now in place, Kiva Dunes is well-equipped to achieve its goals today and in the future as the property evolves,” he concluded.In addition to solutions for PMS, POS and Golf, Kiva Dunes implemented software that enhances payment efficiency and security; enables mobile transactions and information access; improves booking and check-in/check-out experiences; reserves dining and leisure activities; automates service requests; and simplifies retail and gift card purchases. The resort also has streamlined internal operations across its sales, marketing and catering departments and has eliminated repetitive administrative tasks so staff members can focus on delighting guests, confident that operations and service levels will remain consistent and efficient.Another factor driving Kiva Dunes’ decision to choose software solutions across Agilysys’ ecosystem was the unique ability to complement PMS, POS and other hospitality software with easily integrated Membership and Residence Management software. Agilysys Membership enables Kiva Dunes to easily define and manage membership tiers, privileges and transaction flows and to provide members with a branded online self-service portal. Without staff assistance, members can use the portal to create individual and family accounts, manage profiles and preferences, add guests, manage dependent cards and spending limits, check balances, utilize privileges, view and register for events, book reservations and tee times and redeem loyalty points.Agilysys Residence Management enables Kiva Dunes and its property owners to manage condo, villa and home rentals online, including residence availability and profitability analysis, bookings, statements, expenses and payments, with this information accessible in the PMS. The software also manages revenue allocations and splits among individual owners, the association and the property, and significantly reduces the time it takes the accounting staff to calculate, distribute and report revenues and expenses to owners. - 1/21/2025
Wonder Franchises Buys Pizza Factory
Tucker’s Farm Corp. has acquired Pizza Factory Inc., a restaurant franchisor. The acquisition was completed via the Farm’s franchisor platform Wonder Franchises. Founded in 1979 by Danny Wheeler and Ron Willey, Pizza Factory has approximately $94 million in system sales across 84 franchisees and 110 restaurants. Since 2012, the business has been led by owner and CEO, Mary Jane Riva, who will stay on as CEO moving forward.
In 2023, Tucker’s Farm launched Wonder, a franchise-focused holding vehicle, with $30 million of committed, long-term equity capital. Wonder is dedicated to partnering with and acquiring emerging to mid-size brands with the goal of long-term growth. Wonder’s priority is to be a great partner to sellers and a responsible steward for world-class brands and related assets.
“We’re extremely excited to be acquiring Pizza Factory and to be partnering with MJ to take Pizza Factory to the next level. We love the longevity and stability of the system, the passion that MJ and her team have for their franchisees, and the community-focused culture of the brand. We feel fortunate to be partnering with someone with as much character and knowledge as MJ and believe there’s a great fit both culturally and in terms of our respective skillsets. We’re excited to have the deal closed so we can now focus on driving value for our franchisees,” said Adam Lewin, a partner on the private equity team at Tucker’s Farm and CEO of Wonder Franchises.
This is the third franchise transaction for Tucker’s Farm in recent months, after portfolio company VIO Med Spa, the nation’s med spa franchisor, was successfully sold to Freeman Spogli in September 2024, and Wonder acquired The Decor Group, the leading holiday decorating franchisor with 245 franchised territories and $75 million in system sales, in November 2024.
Riva received HT's Top Women in Restaurant Technology - Lifetime Achievement Award in 2024.
“I’ve been part of this system for more than 30 years and this company means the world to me. I chose Wonder because I really felt they were the partner that could help improve and grow the system but would do so in a way that took good care of the brand and the franchisees. The Wonder team is smart, young, and energetic – all things that I love – but the thing that really stood out compared to other groups was the way they asked so many questions. They didn’t come in with a ‘we know best’ mindset, they truly wanted to learn about Pizza Factory, understand what’s gotten us this far, and build on what we’re doing. The better I’ve gotten to know their team, the more confident I am that Wonder is the right partner and that the next chapter for Pizza Factory will be a great one.”
A community staple in 100-plus communities, Pizza Factory has stayed true to its roots with hardworking operators, family-friendly dining and high-quality products, offering fresh, hand-tossed pizza, pasta, wings, sandwiches, salads, beer, wine and more. With multiple restaurant designs, an Express model, and robust off-premise dining options including delivery and mobile ordering through a custom app, Pizza Factory is built to excel in the restaurant industry moving forward.
- 1/18/2025
Grubhub Expands Delivery Services with Olo Dispatch
Grubhub, a leading U.S. food ordering and delivery marketplace, and Olo, a leading restaurant technology provider, have expanded their partnership to integrate Grubhub with Olo Dispatch. With Dispatch, restaurants can outsource delivery for orders generated through their own website and apps leveraging a network of third-party delivery service providers, now including Grubhub. This integration builds on Grubhub and Olo's existing relationship where Grubhub orders are directly sent to restaurants' point-of-sale system via Olo Rails.
Olo Dispatch seamlessly selects service providers, including in-house couriers, based on optimal price, timing, availability, and other criteria. Olo's automated matching technology enables restaurants to get orders out the door and into the hands of customers faster and in the most cost-efficient way. With Dispatch, brands can quickly deploy delivery at a national scale with integration into their POS and kitchen production systems. This allows brands to strengthen direct relationships with their customers while offering a convenient and branded delivery experience through their own channels.
"As demand for digital ordering and delivery grows across third-party and owned channels, we're proud to expand how we support our merchant partners and create more earning opportunities for Grubhub's delivery partners," said Kyle Emmett, senior director of retail media and merchant solutions at Grubhub. "With our nationwide delivery network, we help merchants manage their delivery operations, reduce costs, and better meet customer demands."
"At Olo, we always strive to do what's best for our customers, and adding a great partner like Grubhub to our Dispatch network is a perfect example," said Kacie Gonzalez, vice president of product partnerships at Olo. "Giving restaurant brands more delivery service provider options gives them more flexibility, reliability, and competitive pricing, while allowing them to grow their direct ordering channels and own their guest relationships."
This integration with Olo Dispatch joins Grubhub's On-Demand Delivery and Supplemental Delivery services that help restaurants easily scale up their delivery operations when it's needed most.
- 1/21/2025
Walk-On’s Sports Bistreaux Launches New Loyalty Program
Walk-On’s Sports Bistreaux, the nationally renowned restaurant and sports bar, will be relaunching its guest engagement platform with Paytronix Loyalty. The new Walk-On’s Rewards loyalty program is being deployed to help the brand support its franchisee community as it seeks to increase growth in the coming years.
Walk-On’s Sports Bistreaux selected Paytronix as the loyalty program best suited to round out its approach to guest engagement, particularly for its best-in-class platform. Paytronix will support the brand’s inherent belief in Southern hospitality while also growing loyalty sales to double digits across all locations.
“We want to better establish the foundation of our brand through loyalty, and Paytronix is the perfect fit to support our fast-growing franchisee community,” said Mark Foulds, Vice President of Digital Media and Consumer Engagement at Walk-On’s Sports Bistreaux. “Its rich feature set includes the data-driven measurement and reporting necessary to give our franchisees greater visibility into how our loyalty program is performing. It’s a one-stop shop for SMS push and pull marketing campaigns.”Designed to scale to the needs of the brand, the Paytronix loyalty program will enable Walk-On’s franchisees to capture guest data, make data-driven decisions and optimize their programs using real-time ROI analysis and reports. All while delivering the rewards and experiences that lead to more visits, higher spend per visit, and an increase in the value of each customer.
“Our franchisees are asking for a loyalty platform with more personalization that will help them build deeper relationships with their guests,” said Mike Lester, CEO of Walking Tall Brands and a member of the Walk-On’s Sports Bistreaux Franchise Advisory Council. “Through enabling greater personalization via segmentation, targeting, and offers based on guest transactions, Paytronix Loyalty will provide both convenience and access to the data and information necessary to learn what our guest journey is and how to increase their visit frequency.”
“Paytronix is incredibly pleased to play a key role in Walk On’s growth plans,” said Paytronix Chief Customer Officer, Andrea Mulligan. “We’ll be working closely with their franchisees and marketers to get the best of their loyalty program. Walk On’s is a highly respected institution in the South, and the greater hospitality industry. We look forward to collaborating and finding new ways to leverage their belief in Southern hospitality to create value for their customers and new growth opportunities for their franchisees.”
- 1/21/2025
Guestline Recorded 2.3M Guest Managed Check-ins Generating Incremental Revenue
Guestline, an Access Company, released figures highlighting the benefits of online bookings and check-ins to help meet guest demand. The data indicates Guestline's GuestStay self-service technology to be a revenue generator for hoteliers with 2.4 million self-service travelers checking in and purchasing additional services.
Guest self-service has also given hotel teams back 6,000 hours of labor time and, together with Guestline's Direct Booking Manager, captures first party data for hotels to improve their communications with guests.
In 2024, Guestline recorded a staggering 2.3 million online check-ins completed via GuestStay. An additional 120,000 self service check-ins through on-property kiosks generated incremental revenue of 2.6% as guests purchased additional services such as breakfast - increasing hotel revenue beyond the room booking.
The impact of GuestStay technology and kiosks also benefits the hotel's team. 72,000 guests opted for autonomous checkouts receiving automated invoices without staff intervention. Each digital interaction not only boosted staff efficiency but also elevated guest satisfaction by eliminating traditional bottlenecks especially at peak times.
Eric Neumann, Managing Director of Classik Hotels Berlin, "Guestline has helped us gain more time. I have more time for my team, and my team has more time to offer our guests excellent service and an enjoyable stay – and that's the most important thing."
In addition, GuestStay’s digital registration cards captured 800,000 personal email addresses directly for hotels, converting third-party bookings into valuable first-party data. This provides hotels with valuable data to build stronger guest relationships and drive loyalty through targeted communications.
The Direct Booking Manager (DBM) booking engine secured 1.2 million bookings in 12 months, from 2023 - 2024, with 6.7% facilitated through seamless integration with Google Connector, further optimizing revenue streams for hoteliers.
These figures highlight how adopting self-service touchpoints not only improves the guest experience through convenience but also assists operational efficiencies. By automating routine tasks to eradicate the zombie culture and creating new revenue opportunities, hotels can refocus their efforts on creating memorable guest experiences.
“With almost 50% of travelers preferring to use tech rather than the reception desk and guest expectations on the rise self-service technology is no longer a luxury but a necessity for forward-thinking hotels,” said Chris Jones, Senior Product Manager, Guestline. “By integrating digital tools like GuestStay and Direct Booking Manager properties can improve guest engagement, reduce reliance on manual processes freeing up time to provide a better guest experience and drive meaningful growth.”
- 1/21/2025
Amadeus Strengthens Commitment to AI Innovation in Hospitality with hivr.ai
Amadeus, a global travel technology company, has announced a minority investment in hivr.ai through its strategic funding program Amadeus Ventures. hivr.ai, an innovative scale – up started in 2019, consolidates and automates meeting and group sales across the fragmented distribution landscape, including hotel websites, email, phone, and third-party venue finders. The technology enables hotels to streamline processes, shorten sales cycles, and significantly increase revenue from meetings and groups.Meetings and groups account for over one-third of room nights worldwide. Yet, the sales process remains largely manual and resource-intensive, with hotels sending proposals often only after 48 to 96 hours. Due to slow response times, only 10-20% of meeting requests are converted into confirmed business, while as many as 70% of meeting planners never receive a proposal. By leveraging hivr.ai’s AI-led solutions, hotels can automate manual workload and significantly accelerate the bidding process for meetings and groups. This enhances the meeting planner experience, and hotels’ chances of converting the business."Our innovative, AI‑led solutions empower convention sales teams to transform their workflows. In an era of understaffed reservation offices, hivr.ai automates time‑consuming and manual back‑office tasks. This includes data entry, complex availability checks, and repetitive follow‑up emails and calls through our voice AI technology. Now convention sales teams can focus on what truly matters: crafting unique experiences for their meeting customers, rather than being weighed down by low‑value administrative tasks," says Felix Undeutsch, Chief Executive Officer, hivr.ai.In addition to its investment, Amadeus is exploring commercial collaboration opportunities for the technology, bringing it to a hospitality-wide customer base. hivr.ai will develop an interface with Delphi, Amadeus' industry-leading sales and catering solution, and will complement Amadeus' MeetingBroker product. This integration will provide hoteliers with expanded channels, new connectivity options, and AI-powered automation capabilities.“Through Amadeus Ventures we closely monitor trends across the hospitality ecosystem, with a focus on the rapidly evolving AI space. hivr.ai provides hoteliers with a practical use for this developing technology, offering solutions which can be seamlessly integrated into existing operations. The investment fits with our wider mission of bringing innovative solutions to our customers and improve their operational efficiency," says Suzanna Chiu, Head of Amadeus Ventures, Amadeus.Founded in 2020 by four former Expedia managers, hivr.ai is headquartered in Germany, with team members based in Germany, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and Romania.