News Briefs

VENZA, a provider of cybersecurity, data protection, and compliance solutions for the hospitality industry, announced that James Filsinger has been appointed Chief Executive Officer. Jeff Venza, previous CEO, will remain in an advisory capacity with the company taking on the role of Chairman of the Board.

Filsinger was most recently Managing Director at Ponterra Business Advisors, where he partnered with companies to optimize performance and accelerate growth. With more than two decades of executive leadership in technology companies serving the hospitality sector, Filsinger has guided organizations through significant transformation, delivering operational excellence, product innovation, and exceptional client service. 

“James’ extraordinary track record of transforming businesses and inspiring teams makes him the perfect leader to guide VENZA through its next chapter of breakthrough innovation and unparalleled client impact,” said Venza. “His passion for excellence and deep industry experience make him the ideal person to lead VENZA and I look forward to working alongside him in this new chapter.”

“I am thrilled to join VENZA and grateful for the opportunity to help lead this incredible company, alongside our talented team and longstanding industry partners,” said Filsinger. “VENZA has a clear mission, a strong reputation in the hospitality industry, and a team deeply committed to protecting client data and driving innovation. I look forward to leading it as we continue to elevate our impact for our clients.”

A strong, values-driven culture has been central to VENZA’s success, shaping how the company serves its clients, supports its team, and drives innovation. Filsinger’s leadership style and commitment to transparency and integrity align with VENZA’s core values. His approach not only complements the company’s culture but strengthens it—ensuring that as VENZA grows, it will remain a purpose-led organization that champions its people and builds lasting client relationships.

Before his time at Ponterra, Filsinger was CEO of Yapta, a travel technology company for real-time price tracking. During his tenure, he successfully pivoted the business from a B2C to a B2B model, amassing over 8,300 enterprise clients and leading the company to a 35x revenue increase.

Earlier, he led EZYield.com, a hospitality tech company focused on online channel management, serving over 1,800 hotel clients. He also served as CEO and General Manager of Moneydirect, a joint venture between Sabre and Amadeus, where he managed more than $2.5 billion in annual travel payment transactions.

In addition to his operational leadership, Filsinger brings significant expertise in mergers and acquisitions, having successfully led organizations through complex, high-value transactions. This experience will be instrumental as VENZA explores strategic acquisition opportunities to enhance its capabilities, accelerate innovation, and expand its impact across the hospitality industry. His disciplined, value-driven approach ensures that any future initiatives are thoughtfully integrated and aligned with the company’s long-term vision for sustainable growth.

Grubhub unveiled a suite of new offerings that make it easier than ever for customers to get what they need—all in one order. Grubhub is introducing Multi-Store Ordering, enabling customers to bundle items from multiple stores in a single, seamless transaction. 

Multi-Store Ordering is now available nationwide on Grubhub and on Seamless in New York City. The new feature lets customers place a combined order from two eligible stores with a single checkout flow and only one delivery fee—eliminating the need to toggle between apps or pay multiple service charges.

“Today’s customers aren’t just ordering dinner—they’re looking for smarter, more convenient ways to check multiple things off their list in a single tap,” said Emma Cai, Director of Product Management at Grubhub. “With Multi-Store Ordering, we’re creating a more unified shopping and delivery experience that reflects how people actually live—combining everything from sushi to snacks to birthday bouquets in one order.”

Expanding Alcohol Delivery Options

The launch of Multi-Store Ordering coincides with the expansion of alcohol delivery on Grubhub. Customers in select markets can now order beer, wine, and spirits from local independent liquor stores and national retailers like 7-Eleven. Alcohol delivery has seen a more than 20% increase year-over-year on the platform, underscoring the growing demand for more than just meals.

Grubhub has implemented a series of safety and compliance features to ensure responsible alcohol delivery. In-app ID verification requires drivers to scan and confirm valid identification before completing alcohol orders. All deliveries follow local laws regarding delivery times, product types, and quantity limits.

Grubhub is also announcing its first national floral delivery partnership with FTD, one of the country’s leading flower networks. Through this collaboration, customers now have access to nearly 3,000 local florists directly within the Grubhub app.

VoicePlug has completed its Qu-Certified Integration. The integration enables restaurant brands using Qu’s Unified Commerce Platform to implement VoicePlug’s conversational AI across phone and drive-thru—helping streamline order-taking, ease staffing challenges and enhance the guest experience.

VoicePlug’s technology enhances restaurant operations by enabling seamless, real-time order automation across phone and drive-thru channels. Integrated directly with Qu’s Unified Commerce Platform, it ensures orders are consistently accurate, instantly synchronized, and scalable — all without disrupting daily workflows. The result: faster service, fewer errors, and a smoother, more efficient operation.
 

“We’re thrilled to bring VoicePlug’s real-time conversational AI into the hands of Qu’s restaurant customers,” said Jay Ruparel, Co-Founder and CEO of VoicePlug. “This integration enables operators to deploy scalable voice solutions across channels without compromising on speed, accuracy, or customer experience. We believe this marks a major milestone in helping restaurants modernize guest interactions.”

Benefits include 24/7 order taking across channels.  VoicePlug’s AI can be tailored to fit each brand’s voice, menu, and operational needs, giving guests a consistent brand experience.
 

SuiteOp has partnered with Cloudbeds to deliver real-time smart device automation and guest-level control to hotels and lodging operators. This new integration connects Cloudbeds’ property management system (PMS) with SuiteOp’s guest operations platform, allowing hotels to automate in-room devices (like locks and thermostats) through live reservation data and customizable workflows.

With this setup, actions like generating door codes, adjusting room temperatures, and switching devices to eco-mode can now be triggered automatically based on guest activity. Guests can also manage room features and access digital services through a no-download web portal. Importantly, device data and operational updates feed back into the PMS, creating a two-way communication flow between guest-facing tools and back-end operations.
 

Why It Matters to Hotel IT Leaders:

• Integrated Automation at Scale: This isn’t just IoT control – it’s full integration with live PMS data. That means automation can occur based on real-time bookings, check-in/check-out, or custom triggers, improving operational precision.
• Reduced Manual Labor and Errors: By automating routine tasks (e.g., adjusting thermostats or dispatching maintenance tickets), hotel staff are freed up to focus on higher-touch guest interactions and urgent service issues.
• Energy Savings + Sustainability Impact: Automating eco-modes and other energy-saving settings at scale directly supports sustainability goals and reduces utility costs without relying on staff memory or manual input.
• Improved Guest Experience Without App Fatigue: The no-download web interface gives guests control over their environment with zero friction. That’s crucial in a market where guests expect seamless, app-free interactions.
• Enhanced Operational Intelligence: The system sends device status and workflow updates back into Cloudbeds, creating visibility and accountability across departments – from engineering to front desk to housekeeping.
• Future-Proof Infrastructure: For IT leaders focused on building scalable tech stacks, this kind of modular, API-powered integration represents a shift from point solutions to connected ecosystems.

dailypoint has launched Profile Snapshot, a new AI-powered tool that gives hotel front desk staff instant access to relevant guest information at check-in—especially for VIPs like celebrities, diplomats, and executives. Built into the company’s Central Guest Profile (CGP) system, the feature enables discreet, highly personalized welcomes while adhering to strict data privacy standards like GDPR. The goal is to elevate service without compromising guest security or experience.

Why this rollout is notable for hotel IT leaders:

• Enhances VIP recognition and personalization at scale using AI-generated guest profiles from aggregated data sources.
• Improves front-desk efficiency and service quality by surfacing relevant info discreetly and automatically at check-in.
• Supports data privacy compliance with GDPR-compliant design and a secure interface, easing IT and legal concerns.
• Seamlessly integrates into existing tech stack via the dailypoint platform, avoiding the need for new systems or retraining.
• Demonstrates real-world use of AI in guest service, offering a blueprint for other AI-driven upgrades in operations and CRM.

1Huddle, the leading digital talent development and training company, has announced the launch of its AI Skills Agent, a tool that instantly transforms real-time point-of-sale (POS) data into customized, skill-building training games for frontline teams. Designed for fast-moving hospitality environments, the new AI helps brands close performance gaps and boost revenue without lifting a finger.

“This changes the game—literally,” said Sam Caucci Founder & CEO 1Huddle. “Sales data becomes a skill-building moment, and training that once took weeks now takes seconds. It’s not just smarter training—it’s training that happens before your team even knows they need it.”

Instead of relying on static content or delayed coaching sessions, 1Huddle’s AI Skills Agent monitors real-time POS data to detect shifts in performance—such as lagging liquor sales, missed upsell opportunities, or inconsistent service metrics. 

The moment a trend appears, the platform automatically generates a tailored training game and deploys it to the team before their next shift begins. While many tools simply report what happened after the fact, 1Huddle trains teams before problems repeat themselves.

What makes it different:

• Games built in seconds: AI-powered games are automatically created from POS insights—no content development required.
• Personalized, not one-size-fits-all: Training adapts to each employee’s performance, strengths, and weaknesses.
• Training that sticks: Learning through 1H’s game format has been shown to stick 11x longer than traditional methods.

• Zero operational drag: Operators get a scalable, high-impact solution with measurable results—and no extra lift.

“We’re impressed by how 1Huddle’s AI platform has been training and learning for the past year—refining its ability to spot where gaps exist and deliver the right coaching to the right people,” said Mathew Focht of The EMERGING Fund. “We’re always looking for solutions that help restaurants run smoother and create better guest experiences. POS integration like this closes knowledge gaps before they become revenue gaps.”

With no manual input required, hospitality operators no longer have to guess whether training is relevant or effective. The AI ensures that the right people receive the right coaching at the right time—personalized, proven, and completely automated.

The AI Skills Agent will improve key performance indicators, including higher check averages, faster onboarding, and increased employee retention. For operators under pressure to do more with less, 1Huddle’s AI Skills Agent offers a critical advantage: on-demand coaching that drives measurable impact.