News Briefs

PPDS, the exclusive global provider of Philips professional displays, digital signage, interactive displays, direct view LED and professional TVs, has announced a wave of exciting changes for its central team to drive, develop, and deliver advanced AV solutions for hospitality partners and customers around the globe.

Part of the company’s evolving ‘total solutions’ strategy, announced in 2021, PPDS has undergone a significant transformation, advancing from a provider of display hardware to a company delivering unrivalled choice, value and support to the AV channel and end customers through an expanding portfolio of complementary hardware and software solutions.

Marking this latest phase in PPDS’ evolution, the company has invested in a dedicated in-house PPDS Software Development Team. The team – located in Ghent, Belgium and scaling to Bangalore, India – is headed by experienced Software Director, Siddarth Gopal, who has worked at PPDS’ parent company, TPV, since 2013.

Relocated from Taipei to the company’s Amsterdam head office, Siddarth is a long-time contributor to PPDS and its Android platform development – used across the Philips Professional Displays portfolio and technology to which the company is committed into the long term.

Martijn van der Woude, VP Global Marketing and Business Development at PPDS, commented: “Siddarth is an exceptional talent and has a proven and successful track record in delivering consistent results with TPV and supporting PPDS on its growth trajectory. With his leadership skills and unrivalled knowledge of AV software, he is the perfect person to lead the team in this next phase of growth and innovation.”

Advancing on success

One of PPDS’ latest and greatest total solutions successes has been the creation and launch of PPDS Wave – the secure, state-of-the-art cloud platform designed to bring a scalable and future-proofed approach to remote device management of display fleets of any size.

Sian Rees, who spearheaded the development and launch of Wave and the ProStore ecosystem, has been promoted to join the PPDS Business Development team, assuming the newly created position of Business Development Director Wave and Software Partnerships.

Also based in Ghent, but with a global remit, Sian will now focus on Wave’s go-to-market, scale-up, and future vision, working with strategic solution partners and expanding the PPDS ProStore marketplace. Sian will also work closely with PPDS product and business managers, industry experts, and new and existing solutions partners, to ensure the company continues to evolve with the latest technologies, and to meet the growing expectations of customers into the future.

Sian emphasised: “We developed Wave for and in collaboration with system integrators and customers to bring one of the most secure, scalable and easy-to-integrate cloud platforms to market. As our team grows, we will continue this open and innovative approach with our partners on the PPDS ProStore to provide the technology, flexibility and choice required to create exceptional customer experiences. Partnerships have always been key to PPDS’ success, and creating value with superior solutions including both hardware and software will continue to be our goal.”

Martijn continued: “Three years ago we started the journey to bring forward our strategy, to position PPDS as a unique, value-led provider of total solutions. This decision has brought us closer than ever to our channel partners and is delivering incredible benefits to customers around the globe. At PPDS, though, we are always looking to achieve more. Today, we are delighted to announce the next phase of our journey, and with these important positions, we will continue to enhance our offerings, firmly upholding PPDS’ position as a trusted global provider of dedicated AV software, tailored to every major vertical.”

He concluded: “With Sian and Siddarth’s realigned positions, we have assembled an elite team to take this area of the business and technology to the next level. The opportunities ahead are incredibly exciting and on behalf of the global management team we wish Sian and Siddarth a smooth progression and continued success in their new roles.”

Domino's Pizza Inc. introduces its new and improved loyalty program. 

Domino's Rewards offers loyalty members even more opportunities to earn and redeem points across its corporate and franchise store locations. Domino's enhanced rewards program allows customers to:

• Earn points for less
  • Loyalty members will now earn 10 points on every order of $5 or more
• Redeem points for even more menu items – and earn free Domino's after just two orders
  • Members can redeem a variety of points for more menu items:
    • 20 points: A free dipping cup, a 16-piece order of Parmesan Bread Bites or a 20 oz. drink
    • 40 points: An order of Bread Twists or Stuffed Cheesy Bread
    • 60 points: A medium, two-topping pizza; pasta; Oven-Baked Sandwich; or a 3-piece order of Chocolate Lava Crunch Cakes
• Earn more rewards
  • Loyalty perks are now even better, as members will have exclusive access to member-only deals, special discounts and opportunities to earn bonus points!

"We are thrilled to give the brand's loyal customers additional ways to earn free Domino's items more often," said Mark Messing, Domino's vice president of digital experience and loyalty. "At a time when most brands are scaling back their loyalty programs and making it more difficult to earn and redeem points, Domino's is doing the opposite. We want to make it easier to reward our customers and give them more options so they can get rewarded faster."

Marketing a LTO 

From now until Oct. 22, 2023, rewards members can take advantage of a limited time offer to redeem 20 points for a free order of Domino's new Pepperoni Stuffed Cheesy Bread, which is normally a 40-point redemption, in celebration of the product's recent launch. 

Chipotle Mexican Grill is testing an automated digital makeline in collaboration with Hyphen, a foodservice platform designed to help restaurant owners, operators, and budding chefs move their business forward by automating kitchen operations. Bowls and salads are created by an automated system that moves the entrées through the bottom makeline where ingredients for the order are dispensed automatically. In tandem, a Chipotle team member can leverage the top makeline to create burritos, tacos, quesadillas, and kid's meals for the same digital order.

How It Works

1. Digital orders would be placed via the Chipotle app, Chipotle.com, or third-party platforms.  
2. If the order included a bowl or salad, those entrées would be routed to Hyphen's automated system. The bowl traverses along the bottom makeline and positions itself under the specified ingredient container. The intelligent dispensers dynamically portion each ingredient into the bowl. If the order included burritos, tacos, quesadillas, or kid's meals, a Chipotle team member would use the top of the same makeline to create those entrées.
3. The completed bowl or salad would be raised from the bottom makeline and revealed at the end of the makeline through an opening in the countertop. A Chipotle team member would place a lid on the entrée and add any final items such as chips, side salsas, or guacamole to the order.
4. Completed orders would be placed in their designated pick-up area: in-restaurant pickup shelves, walk-up window, or Chipotlane.

Employee & Guest Experience

Approximately 65% of all Chipotle digital orders are bowls or salads, so the cobotic digital makeline has the potential to free up more time for employees to service the front makeline and deliver exceptional hospitality, while simultaneously increasing capacity for digital orders during peak periods.

The new digital makeline could also help enhance digital order accuracy, improving the guest experience.

• 71% say the ability to integrate with other systems is driving their POS purchase decisions, according to HT’s2 2023 POS Software Trends Report.

"Chipotle's new digital makeline built by Hyphen embodies our commitment to leveraging robotics to unlock the human potential of our workforce, ensuring an elevated dining experience for our guests," said Curt Garner, Chief Customer and Technology Officer. "Our goal is to have the automated digital makeline be the centerpiece of all our restaurants' digital kitchens." 

Chipotle's Investment in Hyphen

Chipotle invested in Hyphen as part of Cultivate Next, the company's $50 million venture fund that intends to make early-stage investments into strategically aligned companies that further its mission to Cultivate a Better World and help accelerate its aggressive growth plans. As a people-first company, Chipotle is seeking opportunities that will elevate the human experience for its teams as well as increase access and convenience for its guests. Investments may include innovations in farming and supply chain, advanced robotics, alternative proteins, and more.

Through Cultivate Next, Chipotle also invested in Vebu, a product development company that works with food industry leaders to co-create intelligent automation and technology solutions. Earlier this year, Chipotle and Vebu unveiled the Autocado, an avocado processing cobotic prototype that cuts, cores, and peels avocados before they are hand mashed to create the restaurant's famous guacamole. 

image courtesy of Chipotle

Shiji, a global hospitality technology innovator, has partnered with IPORT, an award-winning manufacturer known for enhancing the usability of iPads and iPhones, to introduce an all-in-one software solution for hotel restaurants. This collaboration will provide hoteliers with a seamless combination of a tablet and payment device to maximize their F&B operations.

The integrated iOS and payment device solution simplifies guest service for hotel restaurant servers, providing them with an effortless tool to cater to their guests' needs. As a certified Apple partner, Shiji and IPORT guarantee exceptional performance and reliability. Hoteliers can choose from multiple device options, including iPad Pro, iPad Mini, and iPhone, ensuring flexibility and compatibility with their operations.

“IPORT products are built around modularity and flexibility that empower our hospitality customers to do more with the iOS platform. We are thrilled to partner with a leading iPad and iPhone cloud PMS and POS platform provider like Shiji,” said Chris Lawson, Head of Partnerships, IPORT. “We look forward to innovating with Shiji in disrupting legacy, monolithic providers who have limited the industry from harnessing the power of iOS and mobility. The future is bright, and the possibilities are endless with IPORT, iOS, and Shiji.”

"The partnership with IPORT is a significant milestone for Shiji in our commitment to provide innovative technology solutions for the hospitality industry," said Ryan King, Senior Vice President of Shiji in the Americas. "By combining our expertise with IPORT’s hardware solutions, we empower hoteliers to streamline restaurant operations and deliver exceptional guest experiences. This collaboration represents another step forward in our dedication to driving success in the Americas, and globally."

The tablet and payment device solution seamlessly integrates with multiple payment gateways, allowing hoteliers to choose the system that best suits their needs. By simplifying the payment process, it reduces operational complexities, minimizes errors, and saves valuable time and resources for hoteliers.

Blackbird Labs, a hospitality technology company whose platform helps restaurants directly connect and reward their guests, as well as incentivize these customers to return, has raised a $24 Million Series A round.

Blackbird was founded in 2022 by Ben Leventhal, co-founder of Eater and Resy.

The new funding will help Blackbird scale operations as it meets an ever growing need from leading restaurants across the country for an all new solution that will help them drive customer loyalty and create new revenue streams.

The round was led by a16z, with participation from Amex Ventures and Bolt by QED, as well as the company's previous seed investors like Union Square Ventures, Shine, Variant, plus restaurant groups: Quality Branded, Rustic Canyon Family, Souvla and Brooks Reitz.

In just a few short months, Blackbird has struck a chord with over 80 restaurants in the industry, with 22 restaurants already live. This set includes New York restaurants like: Anton's, Corner Bar, Crown Shy, Di An Di, Ensenada, Ernesto's, estela, Fish Cheeks, Freeman's, Francie, gertrude's, Hanoi House, Joseph Leonard, Momofuku, Nami Nori, Principe, Overstory, and SAGA; Jon & Vinny's (LA), Souvla (San Francisco), Daytrip (Oakland), Little Jack's Tavern (Charleston), The Daily (Charleston), Melfi's (Charleston), Razza Pizza (Jersey City). 

How it Works 

With Blackbird's advanced platform, restaurants can seamlessly gather insights, including their diners' likes and dislikes, where they prefer to sit, and how many times they've visited the establishment. As today's dining landscape becomes increasingly fragmented, with little direct connectivity between guests and restaurants, Blackbird's technology helps restaurants get to really know their patrons. Operators can consistently surprise and delight their customers, while giving them the special feeling that they are very important and appreciated regulars, sparking increased and ongoing loyalty to the restaurant.

• When asked what they really want from loyalty programs, 78% consumers  want discounts, according to HTs 12^th annual 2023 Customer Engagement Technology Study. 

For diners, Blackbird is also incredibly easy to use. When customers arrive at a restaurant, they simply tap their phone on a Blackbird NFC reader and enter their phone number to create their membership. From there they start leveling up their regular status with each subsequent tap-in, thus unlocking benefits and insider perks like surprise off menu items and even a direct SMS concierge. They also earn $FLY, Blackbird's non-transferable native token, which opens up a world of possibility. Diners can use their $FLY to power up for specific items they might want or they can also use them for membership rewards with a specific restaurant. Blackbird users also don't need to have a pre-existing web3 wallet. The company works with Privy to provide embedded wallets, so users who simply sign in with their phone number get a self-custodial wallet for use. Users are able to manage their memberships, view $FLY balance, monitor recent activity and message restaurants all through the Blackbird app.

"Web3 enables a powerful, new way for restaurants and guests to connect, making each dining experience unique and more meaningful," said Arianna Simpson, General Partner at a16z crypto. "...With just a few taps, diners can unlock new loyalty programs that only web3 technology can provide."

With its new funding, Blackbird also has plans to rapidly expand its offering into new markets, as it continues to roll out new features like: $FLY Redemption, which empowers consumers to use their accumulated $FLY points to "power up" and redeem perks either in the moment or in a future planned visit at participating Blackbird restaurants. The company will also be introducing an all-new referral program, giving diners the ability to text their friend a link to become members at a specific restaurant, where they will gain access to an entirely new and exclusive slate of offerings. Diners will also be able to opt into global data sharing, where restaurants will gain visibility into their full dining history and any associated insights, in exchange for providing more $FLY on regular dining activity like tap-ins.

"Blackbird offers a compelling new platform with the potential to evolve how restaurants deliver on loyalty and supercharge the insights they need to thrive," said Matt Sueoka, Global Head of Amex Ventures. "We are thrilled to back Blackbird as they explore how to leverage web3 technology to positively transform the dining experience for consumers and the restaurant industry."

For more information on Blackbird,  visit https://www.blackbird.xyz/.

 Spectrum Enterprise, a part of Charter Communications, announced today that it has been named an Alliance Partner by Historic Hotels of America®, the official program of the National Trust for Historic Preservation for recognizing noteworthy historic hotels, as a preferred technology solutions provider. Through Historic Hotels of America’s Alliance Partners program, Spectrum Enterprise will be providing member properties with an easy way to modernize their digital infrastructure to help improve staff operational efficiencies and enhance the guest experience while maintaining the establishments’ distinguished heritage.

“Hotels inducted into Historic Hotels of America have contributed to a significant part of the history in each of their communities – including hosting U.S. Presidents, First Ladies, and their families; world leaders, authors, composers, celebrities, and guests celebrating special occasions,” said Lawrence Horwitz, Executive Vice President, Historic Hotels of America and Historic Hotels Worldwide. “Many have magnificent art collections, spectacular landscapes and gardens, and legendary golf courses. Spectrum Enterprise will make it easier for our members to further grow their legacies and attract generations to come by ensuring that their network operations are built on a digital infrastructure that can flex and adapt to new technology.”

Today’s guests expect a digital first experience in connectivity and hotel amenities when traveling, including easy access to entertainment streaming and hotel services using personal devices. Spectrum Enterprise technology solutions and managed services can support staff, delight guests and help hoteliers maximize their resources to handle increasing bandwidth demands on a hotel’s network. A modern digital infrastructure is necessary to enable these solutions and scale as the business at America’s historic properties grows.

“Inducted hotels in Historic Hotels of America are dedicated to preserving the legacy of the past, but their properties need to rely on modern technologies to ensure that they continue to operate successfully in a digital world,” said Richard Twilley, Group Vice President, Vertical Markets at Spectrum Enterprise. “We will work with each property to design an overall solution that helps ensure that they will continue to stand the test of time with their guests.”

Spectrum Enterprise is already working with some hotels who are part of Historic Hotels of America. Hoteliers can choose from many different Spectrum Enterprise technology solutions on its scalable, nationwide fiber network, including Enterprise Network Edge, Managed Network Edge, Fiber Internet Access, Managed Network WiFi, Fiber Connect Plus TV, TV Streaming Access and Unified Communications.