NEW YORK, N.Y. – Last month’s HX: The News featured eight exhibitors from the 2021 HX: The Hotel Experience Powered By AAHOA. These companies shared innovative products, offering solutions to a variety of challenges faced by hotel operators and guests. The following is part two, featuring additional conversations from exhibitors (such as iFill systems, pictured above) at the Javits Center in Manhattan.
American Hotel & Lodging Educational Institute (AHLEI)
HX: The News: What are the origins of the company?
Jennifer Bonilla, sales manager, Hotel & Lodging, American Hotel & Lodging Educational Institute (AHLEI), Orlando, Fla.: AHLEI provides training and certification for all segments of hospitality. For more than 65 years, AHLEI has worked to provide hospitality organizations and schools with quality resources to train, educate, and certify hospitality professionals, first as the educational arm of the American Hotel & Lodging Association and since February 2017 as part of the National Restaurant Association’s Training & Certification Division. AHLEI serves the world from its headquarters in Orlando, Florida, with additional offices in Lansing, Michigan; India; and China.
HX: The News: What are the primary benefits of your product/services?
Bonilla: AHLEI provides industry-developed and recognized training materials that prepare managers and staff in the hospitality industry to function at a higher level, become more productive, create better-run companies, and enhance the guest’s positive experience. Along with training, AHLEI administers 20-plus professional certification programs for all levels of one’s hospitality career, from line-level to general manager, as well as for educators and hospitality suppliers. AHLEI also offers workforce development agencies strong foundational programs to start new employees on a hospitality career.
Many Florida colleges and universities use AHLEI’s hospitality textbooks and courses to educate future hospitality leaders. Post-secondary hospitality programs can use individual Educational Institute textbooks or adopt one or more of AHLEI’s turnkey curriculum packages. Students have the opportunity to earn AHLEI’s academic course certificates in addition to the credentials offered by their academic institutions.
HX: The News: What types of conversations were you having with HX attendees?
Bonilla: We were overwhelmed with students from around the country who have taken our courses in their hospitality programs and are already mapping out their careers using our training and certifications. The future of the hospitality is bright, and we are happy to support its managers, staff, and students.
The Comms Guys
HX: The News: What are the origins of the company?
Luke Chaplin, CEO, The Comms Guys, London and New York: Founded in 2011 (10 years ago), Luke and Howard (father and Son) were becoming impatient with how poor and also expensive some of the well known telecoms companies are, so they set about opening a support central and high quality phone system company. Over the years, we have evolved into focusing on the hospitality sector where our top class support goes the furthest in an industry where support and quality is most important.
HX: The News: What are the primary benefits of your product/services?
Chaplin: We have the first ever VoIP specific hotel phone on the market. We also offer amazing support, big cost savings and fast, reliable, and backed-up internet. Here is what we send out as a promo text each month:
If you are looking for hotel phones, internet, cell phones or cabling at the best prices available then The Comms Guys are the people to go to. VoIP prices start at just $8.25 per user and they have some amazing hotel system features including fully customizable phone screens. The Comms Guys guarantee that they will beat your current VoIP phone bill cost and if not, they will pay that phone bill!
HX: The News: What types of conversations were you having with HX attendees?
Chaplin: A lot of hotels are still on an older phone system with PRI/Analog cards and slowly (throughout the US) the major carriers are turning off these services. Hotels now need to switch their systems out to either SIP or VoIP and this is where our system fits in perfectly. We have been explaining this, and we can do the cabling, fit out, and everything else all over the U.S. We will also save money and put in a system that has fully customizable screens and is upgraded automatically every few weeks.
dormakaba USA Inc.
“I have been pleasantly surprised by HX. This is our eighth lodging-related show this year, and the level of activity in particular has surprised me. It makes sense for us to be here. I can either have sales reps knocking on doors or I can have hoteliers coming to me at a trade show in one place.” — David Ginn, vice president of Sales, dormakaba USA Inc., Troy, Mich.
Cosmopolitan Hospitality
HX: The News: What types of products and services does the company provide?
Fari F. Unal, managing partner, Cosmopolitan Hospitality, Riverside, NJ.: We provide turnkey hotel project management services to owners, operators, and designers for their hospitality projects—from design and manufacturing of case goods and purchasing of all materials to quality control, shipping, storage, distribution, installation, and maintenance.
HX: The News: What are the origins of the company?
Unal: Cosmopolitan Hospitality is a part of our Group Brand where we have kitchen countertop and cabinets factories, fabrication shops, custom closet and vanity production, design offices, storage warehouses, and showroom for our projects and product lines under the same roof in the U.S., in addition to our case goods manufacturing and design offices in Istanbul, Turkey. Consolidation of said services and extensive know-how of our in-house team from production techniques to supply chain and compliance gives us the competitive advatange of serving clients impeccably in extremely complex projects.
HX: The News: What types of conversations were you having at HX?
Unal: As Cosmopolitan, we were thrilled to see the feedback to both our product and model hotel room design and appreciation of our portfolio which includes full renovation of two IHG approved Crown Plaza Hotels located in Columbus, Ohio and Syracuse, New York, partial renovation of Radisson Northeast in Philadelphia and furniture sourcing to many boutique hotels, restaurants, and offices in NY area.
Dalkia Aegis, EDF Group
HX: The News: What are the products and origins of the company?:
Edward Machado, business development manager, Dalkia Aegis, EDF Group (went to show as Dalkia, EDF Group), Holyoke, Mass.: Founded in 1985 and based in Holyoke, Mass., Dalkia Aegis, EDF Group is an innovative on-site power production company specializing in Combined Heat and Power (CHP), also known as Cogeneration or CHP. We also provide EV Charging units, solar, and microgrids. Under the direction of Lee Vardakas, Dalkia Aegis is a leading provider of CHP systems in the Northeast, the Mid-Atlantic and California. In 2018, Aegis and Dalkia, both part of EDF Group, merged together, combining two powerful forces in the alternative energy field. Aegis expanded Dalkia’s offerings and allowed the group to develop solutions to manage the energy performance of buildings, while strengthening the parent company’s position in the United States.
HX: The News: What are the primary benefits of your product/services?
Machado: Every Dalkia Aegis CHP system is manufactured at the corporate headquarters in Holyoke, Mass. Having our manufacturing operations and technical staff under the same roof allows for timely builds and provides for a single-source of accountability. The systems built are modular, scalable, and compact, making them viable solutions for nearly all types of buildings.
HX: The News: What types of conversations were you having with HX attendees?
Machado: In my conversations with attendees, I found they were curious and intrigued by our cogeneration system that was on display. For most attendees, this was the first time they had ever seen such a piece of equipment and had great curiosity. It was great to speak with individuals and firm leaders about their personal, professional, and facilities energy outlook and future strategies around energy efficiency. As a company at the forefront of Onsite Power and energy conservation, I found attendees quite well informed while also searching for new information and new methods to tackle the issues around energy and climate change. Overall, I felt we had a successful event and had an opportunity to speak and meet with some wonderful attendees. The atmosphere was lively and we all had a great deal of fun in the process.
iFill Systems
HX: The News: Please describe the company and its origins.
Tim Widmer, senior vice president, Sales & Channel Development, iFill Systems: We manufacture single serve k cup style pods and brewers for the hospitality industry. We make the i360 Brewer and iFill Cup Pods that we send to our over 250 partner roasters. We can customize branded pods for Hotels as well.
Our owner started over 20 years ago with the first single-serve coffee brewer the Senseo, working with Phillips and Black and Decker. This was ahead of its time and didn’t take off in the U.S. so it was sold to Sara Lee and widely excepted in the European market where it is the third most popular brewer. When Keurig was increasing in popularity, our owner invented a better pod design and is now able to produce outstanding quality brewed coffee for all coffee lovers. We are featured in a book, “The American Entrepreneur.”
HX: The News: What is the primary benefit for customers?
Widmer: With over 50% of households using single serve brew systems, having as many roasters using our style of pods allows for a better, fuller-body brew. I have had a number of customers remark that it’s as good as a French Press
HX: The News: What was the reaction from attendees at your booth?
Widmer: Everyone who stopped by our booth was ecstatic about the number of grams in the pods as well as the fresh filled-to-order pods for in-room amenities. We also had a great response to the ability to have a tea program for at night.
innRoad
HX: The News: What is the product and the company’s origins?
Doreen Lucero, sales executive, innRoad, New York, N.Y.: The innRoad Property Management System includes Reservation Management, Channel Management, Booking Engine, Revenue Management, and Credit Card Processing.
HX: The News: What are the origins of the company?
Lucero: innRoad was founded in 2007 in New York and quickly became one of the fastest growing start-ups in New York City. We have offices in New York and Hyderabad, India and are expanding more globally each year.
HX: The News: What are the primary benefits of your product/services?
Lucero: The innRoad Property Management System is easy to use, trusted by thousands, and no additional fees. Thousands of properties use innRoad worldwide—all property types, sizes, and experience levels.
The product allows users to manage their property from any device, anywhere in the world with our cloud- based mobile-friendly software. The product is an all-in-one solution for increased bookings, increased room revenue, streamlined operations, better revenue management, and secure credit card processing. Plus, connections to hundreds of OTAs for increased visibility. There are no upcharges, no fine-print, no additional fees.
The product features seamless implementation, 24/7 live support, and new software features added monthly. There is seamless implementation through one-on-one sessions with a dedicated integration expert for every new client and free data migration for both past and future reservations.
There is 24/7/365 live phone and email customer support and our top-tier customer service is unmatched.
We are constantly improving our software so our clients gain value and unprecedented business growth. Our goal is to create a software that helps clients generate more revenue, while making their lives easier. Have a feature you want added? Our development team is on it.
Due to our high converting booking engine, clients have reported a 20% increase in direct bookings. We’ve simplified revenue management. We make it easy to set and surpass goals through several reports and daily performance alerts. Our surge alerts and occupancy alerts help prevent revenue loss due to seasonal changes. We offer more efficient payments processing with fewer 3rd parties. Not only does this save on costs, but the reduced number of middle-men increases security.
HX: The News: What types of conversations and/or interactions were you having with HX attendees, and what was their reaction to the product/services?
Lucero: We were so grateful to be able to meet several hotel owners, other exhibitors, and catch up with current clients at the show. Our current clients were pleased with innRoad and interested in hearing new features coming soon. Hotel owners were interested in hearing about how innRoad has helped our clients and the main benefits of our software.