Innovation

💸 The Franco Grasso Revenue Team (FGRT) has collaborated with over 2500 properties in 30+ countries and advocates that revenue management increases hotel profits and revenue. Common mistakes include ignoring the sales-service link, underestimating hotel business complexity, resistance to change, focusing on discounts, equating price with quality, believing fixed costs dictate sales price, and overvaluing property uniqueness. Effective revenue management involves dynamic pricing, data-driven strategies, and adapting to market demands to maximize profitability and competitiveness.

🚫 Amid increasing robocall scams, 68% of consumers ignore calls from unknown numbers and 87% want businesses to protect them more. Spoofing scams cost MGM Resorts over $30 million last year. A survey showed 94% of contact centers worry about the impact of fraud on outbound calls. To combat fraud, the hospitality industry is focusing on Branded Calling and Call Authentication, with 92% of executives acknowledging their role in customer protection. Additionally, 63% of consumers would respond to branded calls from hospitality brands.

🏨 Claudia Infante, Chief Data Officer at Margaritaville Enterprises, with 27 years in hospitality technology, has significantly contributed to the brand's data management, customer engagement, and operational efficiency. Key initiatives include the adoption of Salesforce Marketing Cloud, Hapi ETL, and SynXis CRS, and the development of the Master Data Management Program. Infante launched the Margaritaville Perks loyalty program, which gained over 350,000 members and generated more than $150 million in revenue in two years. At Hard Rock International, she assisted in opening 26 hotels and implementing revenue strategies. Infante's legacy in hospitality technology leadership is recognized by her Lifetime Achievement Award, reflecting her influence on industry standards and mentoring efforts.

🏡 Mademoiselle Conciergerie, a luxury villa rental brand, doubled its portfolio value by leveraging eviivo's property management system, increasing annual revenues from €470,000 in 2023 to over €1.2 million in 2024 with nearly 2,000 annual reservations. Achieving 40% direct bookings, the brand manages 25 luxury villas across a 250 km region in Languedoc-Roussillon, France. Co-founders Laetitia Denux and Erwann Deverdun started the company in 2022, offering bespoke services and unique experiences at properties like Mas El Chaparo, Villa Halo, and Mas Sureda.

🏡 Mademoiselle Conciergerie, a luxury villa rental brand, doubled its portfolio value using eviivo's property management system. In 2024, revenues soared from €470,000 to over €1.2 million with nearly 2,000 reservations. Direct bookings rose to 40%, leveraging financial insights from eviivo's reports. The brand offers 25 luxury properties across Languedoc-Roussillon, France, and was founded in 2022 by Laetitia Denux and Erwann Deverdun. The company emphasizes bespoke experiences and high standards of service.

🚗 The 2024 QSR Drive-Thru Report indicates a 14-second reduction in service time from the previous year, but traditional drive-thrus still struggle, particularly with staffing shortages. QSRs are implementing technology, such as smart kiosks, AI-powered ordering, and integrated payment solutions, to enhance efficiency and customer satisfaction. AI has shown to exceed human order accuracy, handling 90% of orders accurately compared to humans' 80-85%. These technological advances not only improve speed and accuracy but also assist with labor challenges and promote a better workplace environment.

📱 JW Marriott Phoenix Desert Ridge Resort & Spa is deploying Phunware, Inc.'s Smart Hospitality Solution for enhanced guest experience on iOS and Android. The app navigates through 950 guest rooms, the AquaRidge WaterPark, Revive Spa, multiple restaurants, and a golf club. It features on-property navigation, dining reservations, cabana and experience bookings, spa and golf reservations. Phunware CEO Stephen Chen emphasized technology as key to modern hospitality, offering mobile-first solutions for services like check-ins and room service.

📱 Phunware, Inc. is enhancing JW Marriott Phoenix Desert Ridge Resort & Spa's guest experience with a mobile app for iOS and Android users. The app features real-time navigation for 950 rooms and various amenities. The resort's Director of Marketing, Christa Wood, highlights the app's role in showcasing amenities and activities. Phunware’s CEO, Stephen Chen, emphasizes technology as a hospitality cornerstone, with the app facilitating check-ins, room access, room service, and activity bookings directly via smartphones.

🏨 Phunware, Inc., a mobile enterprise cloud solutions provider, has launched a Smart Hospitality Solution app for JW Marriott Phoenix Desert Ridge Resort & Spa, enhancing guest navigation across 950 rooms and amenities like AquaRidge WaterPark and Revive Spa. The app caters to iOS and Android users, offering on-property navigation, dining reservations, cabana and experience bookings, as well as spa and golf reservations. The resort's Director of Marketing, Christa Wood, emphasizes guest engagement with the property's features. Stephen Chen, CEO of Phunware, advocates the necessity of mobile-first experiences in modern hospitality.