<a href="https://www.iris.net/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">IRIS</a>, a global leader in digital F&amp;B, guest directory, and concierge solutions for hotels, is thrilled to announce that <a href="https://www.marriott.com/en-us/hotels/dpswi-the-westin-resort-nusa-dua-bali/overview/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The Westin Resort Nusa Dua, Bali</a> has achieved record growth in guest orders and a 30% increase in average guest spend after implementing their <a href="https://www.iris.net/iris-solutions" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">mobile ordering</a> and e-compendium platform, outperforming traditional in-person orders.In the first six months of deployment, the team now processes 90% of orders through the app, compared to 10% of in-person orders, driving growth in order volumes, halving ticket times, and increasing revenues across the resort.A contemporary, five-star resort, The Westin Resort Nusa Dua, Bali offers family hotel amenities alongside business-friendly event&nbsp;spaces, catering to both leisure and business guests. There is a choice of six restaurants, ranging from family casual to upscale. Wellness is also a key focus and guests can indulge in a revitalising treatment at the Spa or relax by the freshwater pools or white sandy beach of Nusa Dua.Throughout the resort and to reflect its 5 star service offer, the hotel team were keen to implement a digital solution that would not only enrich the guest experience and increase guest spend, but also enable them to operate more sustainably, omitting the need for numerous hard copy menus throughout the resort and to support staff to deliver a more efficient service.<a href="https://www.iris.net/food-beverage-ordering" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">IRIS Mobile Dining</a> solution was selected for its pool area, beach and in-room dining, all high-volume areas and popular with guests for F&amp;B orders, and the <a href="https://www.iris.net/guest-directory" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">IRIS Guest Directory</a> was implemented to supply guests with information on the hotel and its facilities.Both solutions have delivered a host of benefits in the first six months of implementation. In particular, across mobile dining, guest cheques are 30% higher compared to traditional, call down orders. The digital menus feature complementary upsell items and photos of the items, all of which contribute to a growth in spend.Commenting on the results, Jadan Sheive, Executive Assistant Manager F&amp;B, Westin Resort Nusa Dua said, “If you want to improve your performance, enrich the guest stay and maximise the revenue potential across your F&amp;B outlets, then the IRIS app is the tool to do it. I would advise other F&amp;B Managers to put the time in and you’ll see the rewards.“We need to stay competitive and offer guests the digital experience they’ve come to expect in their daily lives and that they’ve seen in other hotels so we need to keep innovating and offering exceptional experiences to boost loyalty and spend.“By enabling guests to effortlessly order food and drinks and access information from their smartphones at a number of places across our resort, it has helped us streamline our processes, improve our service and double our revenue.”Across the pool and beach areas in particular, easily accessible QR codes at every seat means every guest can place every order immediately, without the need to wait to flag down a member of staff, again driving order volumes and revenues.As a direct result of guests now adopting a more automated, self-order approach, order processing and speed of service have increased – calls to the front desk are lower and customer wait times have reduced, delivering higher guest satisfaction levels and less pressure on staff.Alongside the F&amp;B mobile ordering solution the digital Guest Directory enables guests to access the most up-to-date information across the resort, from managing reservations to spa opening times, accessing resort maps and the Bonvoy loyalty programme, all at a time and place most convenient to them.Graham Rushin, VP Sales and Marketing, IRIS added, “It has been incredibly rewarding to see how enthusiastically both guests and staff have adopted mobile ordering across the resort. Westin Resort Nusa Dua has a wealth of luxury services and facilities available for both leisure and business guests.To be able to support key aspects of its service offer in realising their operational and revenue potential with the added support of F&amp;B mobile ordering and the Guest Directory is testimony to both of our customer success team and the team at the hotel who have been so committed to its implementation. We look forward to continuing to work with the team and growing their staff and guest satisfaction and revenues even further in the future.”Read more on the IRIS and Westin Resort Nusa Dua, Bali success story <a href="https://www.iris.net/articles/westin-nusa-dua-bali-success-story" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">here</a>.For more information on the hotel please click here: <a href="https://www.marriott.com/en-us/hotels/dpswi-the-westin-resort-nusa-dua-bali/overview/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Resort in Bali | The Westin Resort Nusa Dua, Bali (marriott.com)</a>For more information on IRIS or to book a demonstration, please click <a href="https://www.iris.net/demo" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">here</a>.

The Westin Resort Nusa Dua’s partnership with IRIS delivers 30% increase in guest spend

Elevating revenue strategy with real-time smart compsets

<img src="https://www.triptease.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Blog%20imagery/HSMAI%20CSC%20-%20Blog%20header%20image.jpg?width=2250&amp;height=1075&amp;name=HSMAI%20CSC%20-%20Blog%20header%20image.jpg" alt="HSMAI CSC - Blog header image" height="1075" width="2250"> Triptease is proud to sponsor the 7th annual HSMAI MEA Commercial Strategy Conference, an event that promotes education, insights, connections, and inspiration in these dynamic fields through events created by hoteliers for hoteliers. Discover how Triptease is helping hotels like Jaz Hotel Group, Nikki Beach, Delano, Banyan Tree, Four Seasons, and Versace to deliver the best online experience possible for their guests.&nbsp; Want to boost your direct bookings? For over a decade, Triptease has been the trusted partner helping hotels just like yours take control of their digital success story. Your guests want to book direct - and we make it happen. Our innovative platform brings together everything you need to drive more direct bookings and revenue:<ul><li>Smart Price Match: Real-time rate intelligence that automatically keeps you competitive and ensures rate parity across all channels</li><li>Tailored Marketing Campaigns: Personalised messaging that converts lookers into bookers, with targeted offers at the right time</li><li>Guest Insights Dashboard: Rich data analytics to understand and optimise your guest journey, from first click to final booking</li><li>Website Optimisation Tools: Turn your hotel website into your best-performing sales channel with conversion-focused features</li></ul> <a href="https://www.triptease.com/events/hsmaicscdubai?hs_preview=mBPjkESF-182503302361" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Book a meeting slot now</a> to meet our team at the event! <h2> </h2>

Triptease will be at the HSMAI MEA Commercial Strategy Conference in Dubai!

With messaging apps like WhatsApp Messenger from Meta, iMessage, Telegram, X, WeChat, and others, the landscape of communication channels is ever-expanding. Should you chase every new trend and app, or is there a more pragmatic approach? Here’s a practical perspective:&nbsp;All messaging services require users to have the corresponding app installed on their smartphone or tablet. The prevalence and usage of these apps vary significantly based on the target audience’s age and geographic location. For instance, while WhatsApp dominates in Europe with an average usage rate of nearly 85%, it’s virtually non-existent in the USA. Conversely, WeChat is indispensable for reaching Asian customers. Privacy-conscious users and "conspiracy theorists" might shun these apps in favor of alternatives like Telegram.&nbsp;However, let’s focus on WhatsApp, which many hotel managers in Europe currently prioritize. Yet, anyone who uses WhatsApp is familiar with the incessant stream of messages. Who hasn’t felt overwhelmed by a deluge of unread messages in their chat inbox? In 2022 alone, approximately 100 billion messages were sent daily on WhatsApp. It’s no surprise that such volume diminishes the visibility and quality of this channel as a message transmitter.&nbsp;<h2>The communication dilemma: Why SMS outperforms WhatsApp in hotel CRM&nbsp;</h2>The Revival of SMS: A Reliable Channel for Effective Guest Communication and CRM&nbsp;Effective communication starts with ensuring that a message is noticed by the recipient. Only then can the desired reaction occur. Different channels vary significantly in their effectiveness, a factor often overlooked by many marketers today. An alternative to WhatsApp could be an old but reliable friend: the SMS. Peaking over a decade ago, with nearly 60 billion SMS messages sent annually in 2012, SMS usage declined sharply to just 7 billion messages in 2020, leading many to consider it obsolete. But the trend is reversing, with a significant increase in SMS usage since 2021. Banks, airlines, and online travel agents prefer SMS over WhatsApp for good reasons. In Germany alone, SMS usage rose by 800 million to 78 billion in 2021.&nbsp;<h2>Why the SMS revival?&nbsp;</h2>Is this resurgence of SMS a mere coincidence, or a nostalgic trend? Not at all! The unbeatable advantage of SMS is its universal reach. Anyone with a mobile phone can receive an SMS, regardless of the phone’s age or internet access. This reliability makes SMS the go-to choice for critical communications like weather alerts.&nbsp;Also many other industries trust SMS for their communications. For instance, OpenTable uses SMS for reservation confirmations, and airlines rely on it for flight updates and boarding information. This widespread adoption highlights SMS's effectiveness and reliability.&nbsp;<h2>The SMS advantage: Privacy, cost efficiency, and simplicity in hotel CRM &amp; guest communication&nbsp;</h2><h3> </h3><h3>Enhanced privacy</h3>Cost efficiency simplicity&nbsp;SMS as a secure alternative for hotel communication&nbsp;&nbsp;One reason for the SMS comeback is privacy. Unlike WhatsApp, which is owned by Meta and known for "exploiting" user data, SMS offers a more secure option. Consumer privacy is increasingly important; whether or not you’ve read an SMS remains your secret, unlike with messenger services where your online status and message read status are visible to others unless manually disabled—a step few users take.&nbsp;Studies show that SMS campaigns can achieve conversion rates of up to 45%. This high efficiency is partly due to the 160-character limit, which forces marketers to be concise and enables recipients to quickly grasp and respond to messages. It’s said that "one SMS can achieve more attention than 20 emails."&nbsp;<h2>How SMS can boost your hotel's guest communication and CRM&nbsp;</h2>Airlines set the precedent by offering downloadable tickets via SMS, yet few hotels do the same. Sending reservation confirmations via SMS should be standard practice today. Reservation staff we spoke to for this article confirmed an increasing demand for this service. SMS is also ideal for sending important notifications and emergency communications. It’s effective for in-stay communication, such as post-check-in messages and satisfaction surveys. For security, two-factor authentication often legally requires SMS.&nbsp;dailypoint supports SMS for sending reservation confirmations and updates via the <a href="https://www.dailypoint.com/solutions/booking-manager" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: windowtext;">Booking Manager</a>, as well as direct guest communication through the Message Center. Automated actions and marketing campaigns can be sent via SMS, with prioritization options for target groups. Dailypoint also ensures <a href="https://www.dailypoint.com/solutions/data-laundry" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: windowtext;">global mobile number validation</a> for reliable SMS delivery.&nbsp;Note that not every provider can send SMS to every location. Local providers are necessary in some countries, which is why Dailypoint offers various SMS providers on its <a href="https://www.dailypoint.com/marketplace" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: windowtext;">Marketplace and Integration Platform</a>.&nbsp;

SMS – The better alternative? Hyped, dead, and now back?

FLYR unveils major upgrade to Hospitality Insights, boosting business intelligence for hotels.

At The Phocuswright Conference, <a href="https://hotelrunner.com/en/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent;">HotelRunner</a> embraces this "new age of travel" by advancing industry transformation through its innovative technologies and robust partnerships. HotelRunner is dedicated to redefining the travel value chain by connecting every element seamlessly, from suppliers to travelers. With real-time distribution capabilities, data-driven insights, automation, and AI HotelRunner equips travel and hospitality businesses to scale, adapt swiftly, and deliver superior guest experiences. Its mission is to seamlessly bridge the gap between supply and demand, completing the travel value chain and driving forward a resilient, tech-driven future in hospitality.Arden Agopyan, Founder and Managing Partner of HotelRunner said "We are thrilled to return to Phoenix and sponsor this forward-thinking conference. Our team is eager to connect with other industry leaders to discuss the future of travel and showcase how our platform and solutions empower our partners to thrive in a rapidly evolving market."Founder and Managing Partner Ali Beklen added, "Attending The Phocuswright Conference each year is an invaluable experience. Industry-leading events like this are instrumental in reinforcing our vision, fostering strong partnerships, and connecting with those who share our passion for pushing the travel industry forward."HotelRunner’s leadership team, including Arden Agopyan, Ali Beklen, Rıza Kaynak, Cihan Coşkuntuncel, and Yiğit Can Bacakoğlu will be present to meet attendees at the JW Marriott Desert Ridge Resort &amp; Spa, to discuss industry trends, and share insights into how HotelRunner’s data-driven platform leverages technology to redefine hospitality operations.HotelRunner continues to grow its presence in the U.S. and across the globe, supporting the industry’s sustainable growth with strong partnerships and solutions that connect the travel ecosystem seamlessly.

HotelRunner to Attend The Phocuswright Conference: The New Age(nts)

<h2>Maximizing Revenue with Strategic Voucher Use&nbsp;</h2>In the vast expanse of direct marketing literature, vouchers emerge as a formidable strategy to amplify revenue streams. They are not merely a tactic employed by online travel agents to foster additional bookings or transform casual browsers into confirmed guests. Nor are they exclusively the realm of e-commerce platforms. Some organizations, such as Payback, have built their entire business model around the allure of vouchers and consumer eagerness to leverage them. This begs the question: why is the hospitality sector, especially hotels, lagging in harnessing this potent tool for revenue generation? The discussion should transcend the conventional scope of gifting birthday vouchers; it’s about strategically deploying vouchers to fuel revenue growth. The conversation around vouchers in hospitality needs to evolve beyond the traditional gifting model. It’s about using vouchers as a strategic tool to enhance direct bookings and guest loyalty.&nbsp;<h2>Bridging Technological Gaps in Hotel Infrastructure&nbsp;</h2>The crux of the matter lies in the technological infrastructure of hotels, from boutique establishments to sprawling chains. A glaring gap in hotel technology is the lack of a Central Guest Profile (CGP), which significantly hinders the effective utilization of vouchers in direct marketing and distribution.&nbsp;<h2>The Importance of a Central Guest Profile (CGP)&nbsp;</h2>The essence of a voucher campaign is to nudge potential guests towards making a purchase. This requires a nuanced understanding of the customer’s current engagement level with your hotel. Issuing a 10% discount voucher for direct bookings to someone who has already secured a reservation could inadvertently prompt them to cancel and rebook or request the discount post-booking—outcomes that are counterproductive to the intended goal of boosting sales.&nbsp;<h2>Implementing a Successful Voucher Strategy&nbsp;</h2>Implementing a successful voucher strategy necessitates the creation and maintenance of a Central Guest Profile. This database acts as the cornerstone for personalized marketing efforts, enabling hotels to identify and target potential guests with compelling offers at the opportune moment.&nbsp;<h2>Recalibrating IT Strategies for Effective Voucher Use&nbsp;</h2>Firstly, it’s imperative to recalibrate your IT strategy, positioning the Central Guest Profile at its core. This shift will not only facilitate a more targeted and efficient use of vouchers but also enhance overall guest engagement and satisfaction.&nbsp;<h2>Learning from Competitor Analysis&nbsp;</h2>Secondly, skepticism towards the guest-centric claims of competitors can be enlightening. A simple test—visiting their website without an existing booking to see if a voucher is offered—can reveal much about their direct distribution strategy and customer recognition capabilities.&nbsp;<h2>Unlocking the Full Potential of Vouchers in Hospitality&nbsp;</h2>In summary, vouchers represent a significant, yet underutilized, opportunity for revenue enhancement in the hospitality industry. By addressing technological gaps and adopting a guest-centric approach, hotels can unlock the full potential of vouchers, transforming them from a missed opportunity into a dynamic tool for growth and guest satisfaction.&nbsp;

Vouchers: A Game-Changer for Hospitality Revenue

<a href="https://www.iris.net/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">IRIS</a>, a global market leader in digital F&amp;B ordering and concierge solutions for hotels, has been selected by <a href="https://thehoxton.com/poblenou/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The Hoxton, Poblenou</a> to provide guests with a modern, accessible means of ordering food and drink and viewing hotel information from the convenience of their own smartphone. With 240 rooms, a spacious lobby, a sun-drenched rooftop pool, a pizza terrace, and a multi-functional basement space, this contemporary&nbsp;Barcelona hotel (part of the <a href="https://ennismore.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Ennismore</a> group) joins the growing list of Hoxton properties that have implemented IRIS mobile ordering. With quick QR code access, guests will be able to leverage <a href="https://www.iris.net/food-beverage-ordering" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">self-service</a> ordering capabilities in the lobby, from the Tope rooftop, from their bedrooms, and in the hotel’s Four Corners Detroit-style pizza restaurant. Guests can order a range of snacks, meals, hot beverages and alcoholic drinks from the comfort of their own device, at their own pace. Mobile orders are then sent straight to the kitchen to be processed, thereby automating manual processes for waitstaff, reducing customer wait times and boosting guest satisfaction. &nbsp; Alejandra&nbsp;Otero, Director&nbsp;of Operations at The Hoxton, Poblenou commented, ‘We’re delighted to introduce a digital guest experience with IRIS’ seamless, self-serving mobile ordering app for guests, that requires minimal intervention from our staff. Guests’ comfort and convenience is the utmost importance to us to ensure they have a seamless and enjoyable stay at our hotel. Furthermore, the app improves our processes and frees up valuable staff time, enabling us to maintain consistent, effective operations whilst maximising the F&amp;B revenue potential from our outlets.” Through the <a href="https://www.iris.net/food-beverage-ordering" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">IRIS app</a>, guests (and non-residents) will be able to view menus and hotel information without the need to flag down a waiter or go to the bar - heightening their experience whilst relaxing, socialising or working in the lobby area or pizza terrace – and enabling staff to focus on providing an exceptional service. Graham Rushin, VP Sales and Marketing at IRIS added “This marks the 11th Hoxton hotel that has deployed the IRIS app and we’re delighted that The Hoxton, Poblenou is utilising our platform to enhance their guest experience and improve operations. Today’s guests are embracing technology at a rapid rate and coming to expect it these days as a mainstay of their experience. This Barcelona hotel will soon relish the time-saving and operational capabilities of the app and benefit from the inherent increase in guest spending that is custom with our digital F&amp;B ordering app. As a forward-thinking, stylish lifestyle brand, we look forward to many more Hoxton hotels joining the IRIS family soon.” For more information about the IRIS platform or to request a demo, please visit <a href="https://www.iris.net/demo" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.iris.net/demo</a>. For more information on The Hoxton, Poblenou please visit <a href="https://thehoxton.com/poblenou" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://thehoxton.com/poblenou</a>

IRIS’ Digital Ordering chosen by The Hoxton, Poblenou to boost F&B revenue and free up staff time

Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year provide huge opportunities to connect with your database, guests and followers. For hoteliers seeking to tap into the seasonal spirit of family getaways and gifts, email deliverability should be at the heart of their marketing strategy.However, email success depends on more than just a witty subject line or a great value offer; maintaining a strong reputation as a sender of email campaigns is key to landing in the largest number of inboxes and driving conversion through email marketing.<h2>Ho, ho - oh no! Factors impacting deliverability of festive cheer</h2>Sadly, it’s not hard working elves who deliver emails into inboxes. There are a number of factors which impact the deliverability of your emails - and the best way to stay on top of them is to constantly review and action any hiccups before bad habits place you on Santa’s naughty list.IP and Domain reputation are key to deliverability. The former is based on activity from your specific sending server; the latter refers to the trust email service providers (ESPs) such as Google, Yahoo and Outlook have in your internet domain (eg cendyn.com). Domain reputation is based on a number of factors such as list hygiene, recipient engagement, and sender authentication.Both factors will impact email performance, which is why regular reviews of sent emails are essential, tackling each issue as it arises. Failure to act delivers a fate worse than Rudolph not being allowed to join in any reindeer games. A poor reputation sees your emails land in spam or junk folders, or even be blocked entirely. A positive reputation signals your emails are legitimate and desired by recipients.<h2>Don’t let greed Scrooge your campaigns</h2>The adage ‘quality over quantity’ is key with your list management - having incorrect email addresses which bounce or sending to those who haven’t opened and clicked your emails in a year or more may help inflate your database total, but you’re better having 1,000 active subscribers from a list of 1,000, than 10,000 total email addresses with just 1,000 engaged.Protect your domain reputation and boost your chances of successful delivery by:<ul><li>Regularly reviewing your email campaign performance</li><li>Resolving any issues as they arise - aim for 98% delivery rate and 2% or lower bounce rate, regularly cleanse your database</li><li>Avoid the temptation to use misleading or deceptive subject lines. While they may boost your open rate, they increase the likelihood of your emails marked as spam or encourage unsubscribes</li><li>Be strategic in your campaign calendar to avoid inundating recipients with too many or irrelevant emails.</li></ul><h2>Making a list… or ten</h2>Santa doesn’t deliver the same gift to everyone - and nor should you deliver the same email to every contact. Just as the man in the red suit segments into naughty and nice, hoteliers should divide their audience into carefully targeted audiences to conquer the holiday season.By tailoring content - for example, sending family-friendly stay packages to families or gift vouchers for cocktail making classes to people who’ve visited your bar - you are more likely to have engaged subscribers.<h2>Optimized email campaigns are the gift that keeps giving</h2>By optimizing your email database and marketing campaigns, conversions will increase. It’s a simple principle but requires consistent input and a strategic approach. Nurturing a highly engaged database is not just a job for the holidays - it should be cultivated year-round to ensure consistent results. Remember:<ul><li>Review audience lists, ensuring that relevant segmentation is clear and up-to-date.</li><li>Assess the level of engagement by audience type. We classify ‘engaged audiences’ as people who have clicked in the last six months. Opens are not a clear sign of engagement as they can be machine-driven.</li><li>Consider your average campaign size - Inconsistent volumes can harm your IP and domain reputation; a balanced approach is beneficial, and don’t exceed twice your average send volume.</li><li>Plan - and execute with tracking and review processes - your communication strategy for each target segment. A failure to plan is a plan to fail!</li><li>Allow for 7 days between emails. Ensuring you are spreading information in a timely yet not spammy way.</li><li>Send emails to your most engaged subscribers first. This will allow you to gauge what messaging best connects with your audience, while boosting your domain reputation with high engagement rates.</li></ul>As the holiday season swings into motion, hoteliers should be reviewing their email deliverability now and putting the finishing touches on a holiday campaign schedule. Maximizing engagement with your emails is key - not only will this deliver greater bookings, it will help boost your domain reputation and improve the chances of future emails landing in the right inbox year-round.As the holiday season swings into motion, hoteliers should be reviewing their email deliverability now and putting the finishing touches on a holiday campaign schedule. Following the right strategy - not only will deliver greater bookings, it will help boost your domain reputation and improve the chances of future emails landing in the right inbox year-round. Maximizing engagement with your emails and getting guests to your website is key to generating more revenue this holiday season.

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