More people are working and learning from home than ever before, and as such they have become dependent on tablet computers to engage with the world and be entertained. Ready to travel, these #WorkFromAnywhere individuals expect tablets to be part of their journeys. Hotel Communication Network (HCN) has re-engineered its in-room Navigator tablets to give guests more control over how they experience the hotel and engage with staff. The NEW Navigator 2.0 tablet solution – featuring real-time language translation – makes two-way communication effortless and operators can easily update and self-manage content as often as needed throughout the day.

“Navigator 2.0 is a rich, modern approach to guest engagement and revenue enhancement,” said Kevin Bidner, HCN President. “The cloud-based platform is built on the latest technology stack leapfrogging traditional guest-facing tablet solutions. Our Netflix-inspired user interface appeals to the masses, and the look of the content is compelling and draws people in to click around, discover on-premises services and amenities, and spend more money on site. This familiar navigation style makes it very easy for anyone to find the information they need in any language the hotel chooses to provide. Operators can make changes on the back end with just a few clicks and content is automatically updated to the tablets. This new buildout hits the sweet spot in affordability, functionality, and engagement.”

Navigator 2.0 has an elegant look with the tablet set on a Bluetooth pairable speaker base. The unit’s high-quality sound, USB A&C charging points, and stunning HD graphics give guests a user experience they are comfortable with and appreciate. The speaker base also serves as a voice assistant, enabling guests to request services and amenities, report problems, plus control lights, thermostat, and blinds by voice command.

All-In-One Device Cuts Costs, Drives Revenues

Navigator 2.0 is a smart way to replace in-room equipment — phone, TV remote, clock/radio — with the functionality of those devices built into the tablet. This not only improves the guest experience, but it removes clutter and save on CapEx costs. For example, hotels can replace the clunky old clock-radio with HCN's configurable night-mode and alarm clock with great visuals, wake-up alarm, sleep assist sounds like white noise and ocean, or even a bed-time story.

The platform facilitates personalized in-room messaging, dynamic alerts (reaching all guests or targetable by floor, room range, group code or wing exposure), room service ordering from local restaurants delivered direct to guests and managed by HCN (DineIN), request fulfilment, digital tipping, group business/event communication (EventLink), guest-stay survey deployment, housekeeping preference and optimization (Guest Choice), interactive city guides, early/late check out, and customizable alarm clock with guest adjustments (including brightness and minimal visuals, white noise sleep sound, and the ability to schedule wake-up calls and turn on/off night-mode).

“Navigator 2.0 will quickly become a hotel’s newest source of revenue and cost reduction,” Bidner said. “For example, DineIN has proven to increase revenues by 20% to 30% (a net gain above $10 per room per month in incremental revenue from f&b upsell opportunities) while Guest Choice reduces labor costs by 5% (between $15 - $30 per room) with each opt-out of room cleaning. Also, digitalizing the compendium saves printing costs while digital marketing earns thousands of dollars in advertising, spa, golf, tours, extended stays/late check-out fees, rebooking, and group branding and sponsorships. More importantly, the device enables brands to drive membership in their loyalty programs and increase mobile app use.”

Coming Soon . . .

Later this year, hoteliers can push Navigator 2.0 content to guests’ cell phones for property and citywide access. This functionality will enable guests to order a meal, schedule housekeeping services, or find events to take part in while out of their rooms or off premises. This will add convenience to the guest experience and cut down operating expenses. A new phone interface through the tablet will also be introduced later this year that will enable hoteliers to replace all guestroom phones.

The meetings and events industry is experiencing an unprecedented recovery, and all signs point to a busy 2023, according to the American Express 2023 Global Meetings and Events Forecast. To ensure frictionless execution of group bookings from reservations to checkout, Maestro PMS has formed an integration partnership with web-based sales and event management platform Tripleseat.

Together these technology providers are streamlining event data and pulling group room block information — including room types, rates and allocations — from the Tripleseat sales-and-catering system and pushing it into Maestro PMS. This automated process ensures that clean data is available to sales-and-catering teams in real time, eliminating headaches for meeting planners and greatly improving the stay experiences of event attendees.

“The Maestro/Tripleseat integration partnership was formed at the request of our mutual customers,” said Warren Dehan, Maestro President. “Together, we are enabling group sales and catering teams to book, manage, and plan guest room blocks and share that information with Maestro PMS for fast and accurate booking and billing. Not only does Tripleseat push the name of room block details, but it enables operators to better forecast inventory and revenue. There are a lot of moving pieces when it comes to event management. Tripleseat and Maestro PMS are streamlining communication to prevent operational disasters like overbooking from ever happening.”

Features of the Maestro PMS and Tripleseat integration include:

• Room inventory is sent from Maestro PMS to Tripleseat once a day for the next 365 days.
• Guest room block from Tripleseat to Maestro: Once the guest room block is created in Tripleseat, the room block details will go into Maestro in real time and create the group in Maestro. In addition to rates and room types, information sent to the PMS will include the following: block release date, booking name, room block name, account and contact, and booking notes.
• Guest room block pickup from Maestro to Tripleseat: When a room is picked up in Maestro, it will update the pickup count in Tripleseat and on the hotel, resort, or conference center’s guest portal. Occupancy will be reflected in pickup counts. Pickup updates occur in real time.

“Hotel management is a complex business. We are thrilled to partner with Maestro PMS, streamlining group booking and events management and reduce the room for error by teams working in silos,” said Jonathan Morse, CEO of Tripleseat. “Our mutual clients requested this integration, and we are always happy to help make their job easier.”

As hotel operators work towards closing the labor gap, integration partnerships like Maestro PMS and Tripleseat are enabling operators to work smarter, not harder. This joint solution not only ensures that no event details or revenues slip through the cracks, but it greatly improves the event experience for planners and attendees alike. The smoother the stay, the more likely group business will return.

“We are delighted to be working with Tripleseat to lessen the stress placed on today’s operators and planners,” Dehan said. “Together we are working towards increasing sales and positive online reviews without increasing a hotel’s workload. The Global Meetings and Events Forecast shows ‘in-person meetings are roaring back in 2023 and have already surpassed 2019 levels’ across North America. While attendees want to see each other in person after suffering from virtual fatigue, the costs to support these guests continue to rise due to higher labor, food, and other fixed costs, not to mention the impact of inflation. We as hotel technologists must continue to work together to create ways to offset workload for staff, streamline operations, and ultimately exceed the expectations of guests.”

Hotel Internet Services (HIS), a full-service provider of internet services and solutions for the hospitality industry, announced a successful WiFi network upgrade alongside the implementation of BeyondTV with GuestCast streaming services at Hourglass Hotel. A property that combines modern-day elegance and convenience into a resort style setting, Hourglass Hotel’s recent investment with HIS will ensure that total guest satisfaction and relaxation extends to both in-room entertainment and the quality of online connectivity.

As part of a renovation featuring a modern refreshment of its lobby, open courtyard, swimming pool, cabanas and guestroom/suite areas, Hourglass Hotel leadership also placed a priority on providing its guests with exceptional internet service quality and access to personalized in-room entertainment. By partnering with HIS, the upscale boutique property was notably able to address its WiFi service needs while working around other renovation projects in order to minimize disruptions or delays. With HIS technicians performing any necessary hardware installations as blocks of rooms become available following renovation, Hourglass Hotel was nonetheless able to swiftly deploy a WiFi network upgrade ensuring fast speeds and connection reliability. This was achieved thanks to HIS utilizing the latest in network hardware technology in addition to leveraging its industry-specific expertise. Examples include the strategic placement of advanced Ruckus access points, guaranteeing a strong and uninterrupted WiFi signal while eliminating any WiFi coverage dead zones that can often result in guest frustration.

“Both internet access and streamed entertainment rank high on the list of guest priorities, so we likewise made it a priority to adopt the latest capabilities and ensure that when guests stay with us, they experience something that is both exceptional and memorable,” said Sonny Gulati, CFO, at Hourglass Hotel. “From the start, HIS has been very accommodating in serving our needs while our building underwent renovation and have continued to make themselves readily available should an issue suddenly arise. Our WiFi service now consistently operates at 200Mbps, which is sufficient to cater to bandwidth-intensive activities such as online streaming and ensure that guest experiences are always seamless. With casting services available in each guestroom, guests staying at our property can also look forward to effortlessly accessing the content they enjoy at home while on the road.”

Using BeyondTV enabled with GuestCast, Hourglass Hotel guests can personalize their in-room entertainment experience thanks to the platform’s compatibility with thousands of mobile-based streaming apps. This includes instant access to all of the leading streaming services such as Netflix, Amazon Prime, Disney+, Hulu, ESPN, HBO Max and more. The solution also importantly addresses guest concerns over security and privacy by automatically erasing all usage data when a guest checks out.  

INTELITY®, a guest experience and staff management platform for the hospitality industry, and the Westlake Village Inn have announced the continuation of their strong partnership with the iconic Southern California property’s investment in new smart-room tablets featuring the INTELITY platform. 

Nestled in the Conejo Valley halfway between Santa Barbara and Los Angeles, California, the established Westlake Village Inn is a lush Mediterranean-style resort featuring 156 well-appointed, deluxe accommodations, as well as three award-winning restaurants, a newly remodeled luxury spa, an adjacent 18-hole golf course and driving range, and an on-site winery.

“We are excited to launch the newest smart-room tablets at the Inn as we are looking forward to making our guests feel more at home with the tablet's customized features,” said Maria Solorzano, Director of Sales, Marketing & PR at the Westlake Village Inn. “The INTELITY platform has enhanced our guest experience by streamlining the communication between the guest and our staff. Any request on the smart-room tablet will continue to be seamlessly fulfilled, continuing to improve the guest journey. The most exciting feature is that our international guests no longer have a language barrier challenge as the latest version of the platform on the new tablets support other languages, reducing the burden on the client while enhancing their onsite experience.”

Powered by the INTELITY platform, the new smart-room tablets will continue to allow guests to explore the property’s many offerings. The INTELITY platform also creates a seamless guest experience, letting guests connect with the property and its staff, while the guest is relaxing in their room. Guests can continue to request additional items and services, order in-room dining, book spa appointments, and review the latest hotel compendiums all with a few taps on the screen. The tablets, which feature nearly twice the processing power and vibrant, larger screens, are supported by INTELITY’s GEMS®, Guest Experience Management System, and the platform backend, streamlining staff’s day-to-day operations, allowing them to field maintenance requests, update digital compendiums and menus, automate and track digital dining requests, and much more.

“The Westlake Village Inn has been a key member of the INTELITY family for many years,” said Robert Stevenson, INTELITY CEO. “We are excited to deploy this latest integration of the INTELITY platform on new high-end devices to allow them to take their luxury accommodations one step further.”

Tripleseat, a web-based sales and event management solution for restaurants, hotels, and unique venues, is proud to announce the launch of TripleseatDirect Reservations. With TripleseatDirect Reservations, consumers can now easily request a table for 10 people or book a party for hundreds directly with any restaurant enabled with TripleseatDirect.

TripleseatDirect provides a frictionless event booking process, allowing consumers to quickly and easily view menus and availability in real time and book directly with the restaurant. With TripleseatDirect Reservations, consumers no longer have to go through third-party event planning websites or rely on phone calls and emails to make a large party reservation.

"We're thrilled to introduce TripleseatDirect Reservations to the market," said Jonathan Morse, CEO and Founder of Tripleseat. "We've seen a growing need for a platform that allows consumers to easily book events and make large party reservations directly with restaurants. With TripleseatDirect Reservations, we're simplifying the event booking process for both consumers and restaurants."

TripleseatDirect also benefits restaurant owners and operators by streamlining the reservation process, allowing them to manage their event and off-premise catering bookings and reservations more efficiently. With TripleseatDirect, restaurants can easily manage availability, pricing, and menus and have more control over their event business.

TripleseatDirect Reservations is now available to all restaurants that use Tripleseat as their event management solution. To learn more about TripleseatDirect Reservations, please visit tripleseat.com/products/tsdirect.

Jersey Mike’s Subs and customers across the country rallied to raise a record-breaking $21 million to help more than 200 local charities during the company’s 13^th Annual Month of Giving in March. 

Jersey Mike’s locations nationwide accepted donations throughout the month, building to the company’s Day of Giving on March 29, when nearly 2,500 restaurants donated 100 percent of sales, not just profits, to local charities including hospitals, youth organizations, food banks and more.

“We were humbled to see how our customers came out in droves to support their local charities on Day of Giving,” said Caroline Jones, Senior Vice President, Jersey Mike’s Franchise Systems, Inc., and daughter of Founder Peter Cancro. “Day of Giving is our busiest day, and we look forward to it all year. Thank you to our customers, franchise owners, team members and charity partners for making a difference!”

This fundraising total exceeds the $20 million raised during last year’s campaign. Since Month of Giving began in 2011, Jersey Mike’s has raised more than $88 million for local charities. (View/download b-roll)

“Giving…making a difference in someone’s life” has been the mission of Jersey Mike’s from the beginning. 

For totals raised on behalf of more than 200 charities nationwide, please visit our listing of charities by state.