News Briefs
- 2/26/2024
MDO Becomes Otelier and Launches IntelliSight, a Unified Business Intelligence Platform
MyDigitalOffice (MDO), a Cove Hill Partners company, is now Otelier, the hospitality performance optimization platform that brings together best-in-class technologies to put data and efficiency at the heart of hotel operations. Simultaneously, Otelier is announcing the launch of its unified, next-generation unified business intelligence platform: IntelliSight.
Otelier brings together the best features and functionality from MDO, Datavision, inTouch, HelloGM, Focal Revenue Solutions, and Broadvine to deliver a unified platform that meets the evolving needs of today's hotelier.
The Otelier team consists of more than 300 global employees and serves more than 10,000 hotels, from independent properties to luxury resorts to leading industry brands. Guided by a leadership team that combines decades of experience in both hospitality and software delivery, Otelier’s mission is to drive hotel business performance by harnessing data, easing decision-making, and automating mundane back-office tasks.
“Our customers are seeking ways to improve the guest experience and their financial performance, but more importantly, they want more time to focus on their core business – hospitality,” said Otelier CEO Vic Chynoweth. “Over the past three years we’ve brought together best-in-class technologies and are consolidating capabilities into a next-generation platform, starting with business intelligence, to enable hoteliers to optimize their business performance and improve efficiency. Our new brand encapsulates our mission to put data and efficiency at the heart of hotel operations so hoteliers can return to hospitality.”
Otelier’s suite of products enables hotel owners, operators and brands to automate mundane back-office processes and improve financial and operational performance in three key areas:
- DigiAudit: A night audit compliance solution that allows hoteliers to automate back office tasks, reduce operating costs and stay in audit compliance.
- TruePlan: A budgeting and forecasting solution that allows hoteliers to simplify and streamline budgeting processes and forecast with confidence.
- IntelliSight: Otelier’s new business intelligence solution that allows hoteliers to aggregate cross-functional data for powerful analysis and insights.
“The release of IntelliSight further solidifies our leadership position in business intelligence for the hospitality industry,” said Otelier Chief Product Officer Niki Johnson. “We are transforming disparate data into actionable insights to help our customers make smarter decisions across their businesses. Our customers now benefit from a business intelligence solution built for rapid innovation that sets the stage for purpose-built artificial intelligence to increase efficiency, personalize guest experiences, and improve financial performance.”
Key new features of IntelliSight include:
- Advanced Analytical Dashboards: unparalleled access to deeper operational insights, providing a 360-degree view of a hotelier’s portfolio, including revenue management dashboards, detailed P&L views, operational dashboards and benchmarking data.
- Customizable Dashboards: tailored views for each business stakeholder within a hotel portfolio, making data and insights easily accessible.
- Modern, Scalable Technology Stack: architecture supporting rapid innovation and easing of integration to internal and external source systems, which allows Otelier to quickly respond to the dynamic needs of its customers. Customers can spend less time looking at data and more time making decisions with actionable insights.
IntelliSight integrates with hundreds of hotel technology systems to automate data collection from various sources across a property and portfolio, providing stakeholders across all departments with the real-time analytics they need to make more informed decisions. IntelliSight is built for any size hospitality business, from a single hotel to a global hotel brand.
To learn more, visit otelier.io.
- 2/26/2024
A New Type of Robot- High Tech Helpers Enhancing Hospitality Efficiency With Smart Follow Technology
More than ten years ago the first robots were implemented in hotels. Early robots were expensive and limited to mostly room deliveries or used as hotel marketing tools. The ROI was difficult, the impact on guest experience was questionable, and staff were skeptical that this technology could be used to replace them.
Fast forward to today and a lot of those problems still remain. However, costs have become more manageable and the ROI can be quantified under the right circumstances, but there are still relatively few hotels that have robots in use today. A new wave of robots enhancing the guest and staff experience are changing that.
Co-bots and humans working together
Most of the robots that hotels have implemented are autonomous. They are intended to replace some or all of a task that has been provided by hotel associates like bringing towels to a guest or delivering food. In a business that is based on human connections, robots can be perceived as a hindrance to providing a personal experience or as a rival with employees for their jobs.
But co-bots are changing that perception, Co-bots or collaborative robots, are created with a different purpose in mind. These co-bots are intentionally designed to work with humans with a focus on augmenting staff, not replacing them. Co-bots can perform a variety of repetitive or menial tasks in collaboration with their human counterparts and have been deployed in a number of other more industrial settings. Piaggio Fast Forward is reshaping the way hotels deliver exceptional guest experiences through groundbreaking robotic technology and leading the way with introducing co-bots to the hotel space.
The newest co-bot that Piaggio has developed is called kilo. kilo was formally announced at MODEX in Atlanta in March 2024. With current pilots in progress, the kilo is set for full commercial release later this year and it will change the way that robots are used in the hotel industry and beyond.
PFF kilo and Benefits for Hotels
The kilo platform is flexibly designed to be either a stand-alone solution or to be integrated into existing hotel carts and platforms to move and carry materials throughout the property. Whether it is housekeeping carts, mobile bars, catering trolleys, or luggage carts, all of those platforms can be automated to follow staff and travel independently back to a designated location for storage, re-use, or re-stocking.
A great example of this would be a typical housekeeping cart that follows the housekeeper to the room and can travel back to a stock room to be replenished while the room is being cleaned, making the staff member more efficient and helping them eliminate a non-essential task. It also works to lower the physical wear and tear on the associate, making their job easier, more pleasant, and potentially lowering turnover as well as reducing potential injuries.
Studies show that 30% of workplace claims are related pushing and pulling injuries, so eliminating these tasks don’t just improve the employee environment, it makes it safer and saves the hotel money on both premiums and from associate downtime. It also helps with compliance to OSHA regulations.
Additionally, the kilo robots can actually follow each other. So instead of having to take 3 trips to
banquet storage to set up for an event, or pulling three heavy mobile bars for an outdoor event, they can caravan together being led by a single associate who will not have to push or pull those heavy loads The technology is easy to learn, implement and complement employee jobs. Finally, they provide the associate with new skills that can help to justify the rising hourly costs for many of these roles.
Putting People First while embracing new technology
As we continue to use technology to solve problems in the industry, and enhance customer service we must never lose sight of the fact that our associates and our guests are the reason that we are here. Technology that augments and improves the guest experience as well as the work environment is how our industry can keep our focus on people, while still delivering value for owners. Co-bots have the potential to truly bridge that gap and ensure that both needs are met without compromising our primary mission of delivering hospitality.
- 2/26/2024
Chris Caldwell Named Brinker International's CIO
Chris Caldwell has joined Brinker International as SVP and Chief Information Officer.
Caldwell is a world-class leader with an impressive background across all functions of IT. He spent 27 years leading technology teams at Yum! Brands, most recently serving for a decade in the role of Chief Technology Officer at KFC, where he helped build a leading technology team, robust tech platforms and an amazing culture. As Brinker's CIO, Caldwell will lead the IT team and accelerate its progress against the company's ambitious technology roadmap.
Brinker International Inc. announced other updates to its executive leadership team, including the retirement of Joe Taylor, EVP and Chief Financial Officer, the appointment of Mika Ware as SVP and Chief Financial Officer, effective June 27.
Chief Financial Officer Joe Taylor has informed the Company of his intention to retire at the end of the company's fiscal year in June 2024 after almost 25 years at the company. He will continue to serve the company in a senior advisory role through August 2024.
Current VP of Finance, Investor Relations, and Restaurant Development Mika Ware has been appointed SVP, Chief Financial Officer, and will assume the role upon Taylor's departure at the beginning of fiscal year 2025 on June 27. Ware started her Brinker journey in 1988 as a Chili's host and earned her finance degree while working at Chili's. Over the years, she's held finance and IR roles of increasing responsibility at the Company and is an expert in Brinker's business, brands, and the finance organization.
- 2/26/2024
Wendy's Promotes Matt Spessard to CIO
The Wendy's Company promoted Matt Spessard to Chief Information Officer. He will report to President and Chief Executive Officer Kirk Tanner and serve on the Wendy's Senior Leadership Team. Spessard will succeed Kevin Vasconi who has served as Chief Information Officer since October 2020.
Spessard has served as Senior Vice President, Global Chief Technology Officer for The Wendy's Company since August 2022. In this role, he was accountable for establishing the Wendy's System global technology vision and leading technological innovation and development to drive continued growth, competitive brand advantage and topline revenue for the Company and franchisees. As Chief Information Officer, Spessard will assume responsibility for all aspects of Wendy's global technology efforts, including Restaurant Technology, Data Management and Analytics, Enterprise Technology, Software Architecture and Engineering, and Information Security.
"Driving the growth of the digital business and harnessing technology in restaurants to improve the customer and crew experience are important pieces of our plan to accelerate sales and profitable growth across the global System," said President and CEO Kirk Tanner. "Matt's extensive experience in overseeing global technology initiatives at Wendy's positions him as the ideal leader to build growth on our already successful foundation."
Spessard joined Wendy's in May 2020 as Vice President, Restaurant Technology and assumed the expanded role of Vice President, Digital and Restaurant Technology in September 2020. Prior to that, he spent six years with Inspire Brands. He served in several roles of increasing accountability, including Vice President of Technology at SONIC. He also previously held various operations and technology leadership roles at YUM! Brands, Church's Chicken and Braum's Ice Cream & Dairy Stores.
- 2/26/2024
McDonald's Brings Anime Fans' Favorite Fictional Restaurant to Life
For years, anime fans have been making McDonald's-inspired "WcDonald's" restaurants a part of anime's most memorable movies and shows. Now, in collaboration with some of the biggest names in anime, WcDonald's will make the move from fiction to real life.
Beginning Feb. 26 in more than 30 global markets, McDonald's is building on its fans' vision and imagination by unleashing the WcDonald's universe in our restaurants and beyond, with a new sauce, manga-inspired packaging, episodic shorts and so much more.
"Anime is a huge part of today's culture, and we love that our fans have been inviting us into the conversation for years," said Tariq Hassan, Chief Marketing and Customer Experience Officer at McDonald's USA. "The WcDonald's universe is a reflection of what fans have created. It honors their vision and celebrates their creativity, while authentically bringing it to life in our restaurants for the first time ever."
Marketing with Manga
McDonald's teamed up with iconic Japanese manga artist/illustrator Acky Bright to design custom WcDonald's packaging that will take fans deeper into the world of WcDonald's. For a limited time, fans will receive manga-inspired packaging featuring WcDonald's Crew characters, sketched by Acky himself.Fans can also scan the code on the packaging to access weekly digital manga drops that star a full cast of WcDonald's Customers and Crew, including Hashirune, a WcDonald's regular, Mr. Bev, the Crew jokester, WcDizer 3000, WcDonald's very own mecha, and many more.
"I had a great time partnering with McDonald's to help make WcDonald's a reality for manga fans who have a genuine love for the brand," said Acky Bright. "From the details of the diverse Crew characters to the manga plot itself, I loved being able to use my artwork to bring to life the dynamic, vibrant world of WcDonald's for people around the world."
The First Official WcDonald's Anime
McDonald's has partnered with legendary animation house studio pierrot to produce the first official WcDonald's anime. Four episodic shorts will take fans into the flavorful world of WcDonald's, where a story about the WcDonald's Sauce and WcNuggets unfold each week.Every Monday, from Feb. 26 until March 18, a new short will drop in tandem with new manga on WcDonalds.com, or by scanning the code on the WcDonald's bag. The shorts will honor four of anime's biggest subgenres - Action, Romance, Mecha and Fantasy.
- The Race to WcDonald's (drops Feb. 26): A rivalry strong enough to withstand the test of time as our two heroes embark on an epic race to WcDonald's.
- Love from Across the Booth (drops March 4): Our two protagonists discover the WcDonald's Sauce and WcNuggets aren't the only perfect pairing.
- WcNuggets Space Frontier 3000 (drops March 11): A team of WcDonald's pilots must protect the last WcNugget against an ominous force.
- The Wisdom of the Sauce (drops March 18): Three women are transported to a distant land to unravel the mystery surrounding the elusive sauce before it's gone forever.
An Immersive Dining Experience at WcDonald's
Taking inspiration from the isekai anime subgenre, McDonald's is transporting fans to the first IRL WcDonald's on March 9-10. The WcDonald's Immersive Dining Experience will be a multi-sensory dining experience in Los Angeles, - a genre-bending fusion of entertainment and food. Guests will be transported into the WcDonald's universe through 360 projection mapping and immersive tabletop projections inspired by the four WcDonald's anime episodic shorts – all while enjoying a set menu of WcDonald's items. Fans can reserve their spot exclusively on OpenTable starting Feb. 28 by searching "WcDonald's Immersive Dining Experience" on the OpenTable app or website.A Celebration of Anime Fan Art
WcDonald's wouldn't be what it is if it weren't for the creativity of our fans. So, we're recognizing three up-and-coming anime artists who have created WcDonald's-themed artwork with grants to help fund their upcoming projects and a celebration at their local McDonald's. Additionally, the three artists will receive a one-on-one mentoring session with top manga artist/illustrator, Acky Bright.On Feb. 26, get ready for an anime-fueled adventure that starts with, "Welcome to WcDonald's, may I take your order?"
- 2/25/2024
Tropical Smoothie Cafe Rewards Financial Literacy
Greenlight Financial Technology, Inc., announced a new rewards program with Tropical Smoothie Cafe, to bring financial literacy game Greenlight Level Up to more families for free. Starting today, families can download the Greenlight app and play a selection of Level Up challenges with no Greenlight subscription required, while earning fun rewards for a limited time.
Tropical Smoothie Cafe is the first brand to reward kids and teens for completing Level Up challenges in the Greenlight app. The program is designed to motivate kids to improve their financial knowledge and skills by rewarding them with a free 12-ounce kids smoothiewhen they or their referred friends complete 10 Level Up challenges in a learning quest.
93% of teens believe they need financial knowledge and skills to achieve their life goals, and 97% of parents agree. Still, only 35 states require a personal finance course for students, and teens score an average of 64% on the National Financial Literacy Test, showing a clear gap in financial education that is accessible and effective. Parents also rank personal finance as the #1 most difficult life skill to teach their children with 81% saying they wish they had more financial education tools and resources.
Greenlight Level Up is an in-app financial literacy game with a curriculum to empower young people with money skills and confidence. Built by academic and game design experts, Level Up challenges are packed with bite-sized videos, quizzes, and minigames that keep kids and teens engaged.
“Our collaboration with Greenlight aligns with our mission to Inspire Better and help all kids shine bright. As the first brand providing rewards that are integrated into the Greenlight Level Up game, we look forward to the opportunity to reward hard working kids with a free 12 oz. kids smoothie,” said Deborah von Kutzleben, CMO of Tropical Smoothie Café, LLC. “Tropical Smoothie Cafe hopes to enhance Greenlight’s mission to improve financial education among kids by offering an incentive to learn about money.”
Families can download the Greenlight app to start playing a selection of Level Up challenges for free and earn rewards. The full suite of Level Up challenges are also available for free through Greenlight’s partner programs with banks, credit unions, and employers.
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