Innovation

💻 OYO partners with IBS Software in Atlanta, Georgia, to enhance digital capabilities for its brands, including Motel 6 and Studio 6. This collaboration focuses on integrating services like hotel stays and activities within membership programs. iStay CRS, a real-time management platform, will align with OYO’s global tech ecosystem. Shashank Jain from OYO highlights iStay's role in guest experience and profitability, while Jitendra Sindhwani from IBS emphasizes shared goals in hospitality tech innovation.

📊 Koddi has launched new features in their analytics suite, introducing a pacing funnel and enhanced AI recommendations. These tools, part of their commerce media networks, offer operators and advertisers deterministic ad serving and clear performance insights. Advertisers can pinpoint pacing blockers like low budgets and narrow targeting, making every potential drop-off point visible and actionable. This update builds on the momentum from an earlier release this year, further enhancing campaign outcomes.

💻 GuestRevu and For-Sight, since early 2020, enhance hotel CRM and feedback integration. Automating feedback requests and syncing guest data improve service and loyalty. Real-time feedback management is now available via text, email, or QR code. The Hotel Folk group utilizes this upgrade to boost service and operations. Integrating these tools requires no complex setup, allowing for immediate action and less admin, enhancing guest profiles and segmentation.

💻 Lighthouse, available on Oracle Cloud Marketplace, integrates with OPERA Cloud via Oracle Hospitality Integration Platform, serving hotels in 185 countries. The platform enhances hotel revenue with real-time market insights and pricing tools. This integration ensures seamless data flow and eliminates manual data processes. Dave Collier, Lighthouse's CRO, emphasizes the benefits of unified, real-time data access for hoteliers. This collaboration aims to optimize revenue and business intelligence for both independent and chain hotels worldwide.

🛑 SoundHound AI Inc. and Acrelec are partnering globally to enhance drive-thru systems with voice AI, integrating SoundHound’s technology and Acrelec’s digital solutions. Over 25,000 drive-thrus worldwide, including brands like McDonald's, will benefit from streamlined, automated ordering. With 80,000 technology deployments globally, SoundHound's voice AI is already in 10,000+ locations. This partnership addresses labor shortages and high operational demands, focusing on customer experience and efficiency.

💻 AI and automation are transforming restaurant IT. By integrating AI-driven, self-healing infrastructure, restaurants boost system uptime, performance, and data security. This tech reduces downtime, cuts operational costs, and simplifies management across multiple locations. Predictive analytics, automated maintenance, and scalable platforms meet digital demands, enhancing customer experiences. By automating troubleshooting, IT teams prioritize innovation and growth. Investing in AI-powered IT is crucial for adapting to evolving needs and ensuring long-term success.

📰 Danica Smith, founder of MorningStar GX, discusses Zara's "Travel Mode" initiative in Hospitality Daily. The episode explores how hospitality can learn from retail innovation, focusing on creative cross-industry collaborations. Key topics include sustainability, brand alignment, and retail's future role in hospitality. Danica emphasizes the importance of these strategies for enhancing guest experiences.

🤖 Yesterday, Mark Zuckerberg outlined Meta's aim to develop "personal superintelligence" AI, which would deeply understand individual goals and routines. This innovation, to be integrated into devices like Ray-Ban smart glasses, marks a significant step from science fiction into daily life. Meta's Superintelligence Lab will focus on self-improving models, prioritizing human empowerment over replacement, while exercising caution with open-source AI access. The emphasis is on personalized AI assistance and human-centered branding in a tech-driven world.

💻 OYO partners with IBS Software to boost global digital transformation. This initiative covers brands like Sunday and Motel 6. The focus: enhance hotel packages with airline and transportation services, tap into the resort market, and improve membership programs in regions like Europe and India. Employing IBS's iStay platform, OYO aims for better efficiency and guest satisfaction. Jitendra Sindhwani highlights the partnership's potential for hospitality innovation and profitability through advanced digital strategies.

✈️ Air and hospitality tech provider Duffel teams up with software platform Rippling to launch Rippling Travel. Available in Rippling's Spend Management suite, it enables businesses to manage travel expenses alongside payroll and corporate cards in one place. Employees can book flights and hotels while finance teams track trips in real time. Duffel CEO Steve Domin highlights the integration's efficiency for managing travel expenses.