While the International Hotel/Motel & Restaurant Show floor
wasn't as expansive or heavily trafficked as it normally is in more
robust economic times, there were some several companies at the show
that could not only help hotels generate business in this recession but
also revolutionize the industry (in my opinion). The three companies in
particular were Openways, Runtriz and Travel Tripper.

OpenWays is a provider
of mobile-based access-management and security solutions. At the show,
the company unveiled a new solution that completely eliminates the need
for front-desk check-ins and keycards by taking advantage of guest
mobility. Basically, guests get a message on their cell phones from the
hotel with their room number. The cell phone communicates with the room
lock and essentially becomes the key card. The guest skips the
front-desk process, which is both beneficial to the guest and the
hotel, which has more front-desk flexibility. The company is working
with several major electronic lock manufacturers (Saflok, Haefele) system integrators, kiosk and CRS/PMS providers.

I
know mobile check-in technology has been hovering around for a few
years with varying degrees of success, but OpenWays is the first
company to offer a solution that is compatible with every make of cell
phone. And with its partnerships, the product can be retrofitted into
many existing lock setups.

Runtriz
is an interactive design and software firm that specializes in web
design, development and interactive touch-screen solutions. The mobile
application they have available mostly caters to four- and five-star
properties, but I think its principles could benefit just about any
hotel. After making a reservation, a guest will receive an email, which
can be viewed via the web or a smartphone, that allows them to make any
reservations or room requests to fully customize their stay before
arriving on property. While on property, guests with smartphones can
download the hotel's app and use it as their own personal concierge.
Enterprising properties might want to offer their own iPod Touches for
guests without their own smartphone.

What I liked about
this mobile solution was its ability to upsell and process data. For
example, a poolside guest that orders a drink with the property's iPod
Touch, before completing the transaction, might be asked if they'd like
a slightly bigger size for a little bit more money, or maybe a buy two
at half price special. Options then exist to alert guests to deals
while increasing hotel revenue.

Also, in this same scenario, that
drink order gets registered as a preference for that guest, allowing
other deals to be sent the guest's way later in his or her stay.
Further, the data is collected into an overall database, and depending
on what kind of service you order from Runtriz ($500 to $1,500 a
month), you could learn if people sitting on that side of the pool are
more inclined to one drink or another, if a drink is more likely to be
ordered at specific times of day, etc. With Runtriz's technology, which
works in conjunction with HotSOS, the guest has ultimate power over
buying decisions during a stay—even to options they wouldn't normally
have considered (who wouldn't start poking around random entertainment,
food and transportation options on an iPod Touch just to see what was
available?). And this, in turn, gives the hotel ultimate power to
promote, upsell, customize and revenue manage all of its options. It
can promote local partnerships in the surrounding area. It can quickly
update its menu based on what has been selling well that week.
Opportunities for on-property revenue growth and data analysis are
practically endless.

Travel Tripper
is a provider of hotel distribution, e-marketing and revenue-management
solutions. I found its goals for a hotel website particularly spot-on:
attract, convince, convert. Travel Tripper works to maximize keyword
searches to get people to your site instead of finding you through an
OTA. But from there, its booking engine is set up to streamline
booking, remove most, if not all, confusion and frustration from the
booking process, and, like Runtriz, it gives a great deal of
opportunity to upsell guests to more nights, more amenities, etc.

All
three of these companies provide what the hotel industry needs right
now: power. They are leveraging existing technology that guests use
every day (Google, smartphones), providing attractive guest-facing
services (quick check-in, customization, easy booking), all while
giving the hotel power to increase its revenue (upselling, revenue
managing) streamline and lower costs (save time of front-desk employees
and concierge).

Even if you don't use these particular companies,
heed their message: Times have changed, and success will come to those
who use those changes to their advantage.

By:: Chris Crowell