This week’s Partner News is highlighted by AKA implementing the Maestro PMS Payment Portal in 12 properties; Radisson Hotel Group Americas partnering with Special Olympics; and Knowland expanding its partnership with Aimbridge Hospitality. Read about all that and more below.
AKA implements Maestro PMS Payment Portal
AKA has implemented the Maestro PMS Payment Portal at 12 of its properties. The Payment Portal enables travelers to pay deposits, make full payments for third-party reservations or settle outstanding balances on hotel or monthly/annual residential stays from their mobile or desktop device.
AKA Beverly Hills (shown above) was the first property in the AKA portfolio to go live with the software. Following a successful pilot, 11 additional properties have deployed the tool.
Maestro’s Payment Portal is a mechanism that enables a contactless way for guests to pay for their stays. For example, rather than having to walk down to the front desk to make a payment for the next month’s stay, residents can pay from the privacy of their accommodations via mobile devices, tablets or computers. With this PCI-compliant tool, transactions are funneled through the hotel’s payment gateway.
Radisson Hotels Group Americas partners with Special Olympics
Radisson Hotel Group Americas has formed a partnership with Special Olympics International, which gives the hotel company the opportunity to support Special Olympics’ mission to create a more inclusive world for people with intellectual disabilities (ID). Joining forces with Special Olympics exemplifies Radisson Hotel Group Americas’ commitment to investing in communities by assisting with programs for vulnerable people, helping them develop personal and professional life skills, according to the company.
Through this partnership, Radisson Hotels Group Americas will help expand Special Olympics’ Unified Leadership Program. This program increases equity for people with ID through unique training and leadership opportunities and often opens doors to employment for Special Olympics athletes, which contributes to more diverse and inclusive workplaces.
Radisson Hotels Americas corporate associates and managed and franchised hotel team members will also have impactful opportunities to volunteer and mentor through the Special Olympics partnership. These immersive experiences bring people with and without ID together to build friendships and understanding.
Additionally, the company will participate in a variety of fundraising efforts, including the Special Olympics Polar Plunge. A team of Radisson Hotel Group Americas associates in Minneapolis are raising funds for Special Olympics Minnesota while braving the frigid waters of Bde Maka Ska lake.
Knowland expands partnership with Aimbridge
Knowland, a provider of data-as-a-service insights on meetings and events for hospitality, has expanded its partnership with Aimbridge Hospitality, providing access to meetings and events data for the management company’s sales teams at the property level.
Management companies such as Aimbridge are turning to Knowland to increase group revenue, improve sales team productivity and better understand market opportunities across their portfolio, according to Knowland. Above-property reporting provides increased visibility to better manage property-level activity while gaining insight into local market recovery.
Today’s sales teams must look beyond their hotel’s traditional comp set to grow revenue. Using Knowland helps them easily access relevant detail at the property level. Data-driven insights such as accounts booking in their market, industry segments with the highest growth and insights on competitors help reveal new target industries and accounts, according to the company.
Dellisart launches Hotel Sales Max
Dellisart LLC, a national hotel ownership, management and development company, has launched Hotel Sales Max, a sales service being offered to hotels to enhance their sales reach on a remote basis. Elizabeth Mount will be rejoining the company as corporate director of sales for the new entity.
“Many hotels do not have the ability to hire their own sales team or even have a director of sales, which causes them to miss opportunities both locally as well as nationally with the RFP process,” said Mount. “Hotel Sales Max functions as a hotel’s external dedicated and trained sales team who have the expertise to handle local and RFP contracts to ensure the property gets a seat at the table to compete for this lucrative business.”
Seven properties have already contracted with Hotel Sales Max:
- 77-room Candlewood Suites, El Dorado, AR
- 69-room Hampton Inn, El Dorado, AR
- 77-room Holiday Inn Express, Mystic, CT
- 120-room Holiday Inn, New London, CT
- 77-room Howard Johnson by Wyndham, Mystic, CT
- 168-suite Staybridge Suites, Irvine, CA
- 124-suite Staybridge Suites, Bowling Green, KY
Mews acquires Bizzon
PMS provider Mews has acquired Bizzon, a developer of POS software, to expand its fintech offering to hotels and their F&B teams. The Bizzon POS product family will become part of the Mews Payments product line.
Founded in 2015, the Bizzon team developed an integrated suite of products that were designed to help hospitality businesses connect and modernize the guest experience through fully integrated POS and digital ordering.
Prior to the acquisition, Bizzon supported an integration with the Mews Hospitality Cloud. The company believes the acquisition will streamline the PMS and POS experience for hoteliers and their staff. Mews anticipates that with both technologies in their portfolio, customers will be able to make smarter decisions about their guests through consolidated reporting and centralized guest profiles.
