Tech Companies Expand Offerings

NATIONAL REPORT—Technology companies have introduced a number of new and enhanced solutions that can aid hoteliers through these tough times. Here are a few of the latest:

Kallpod Launches Kontactless Full-Service Mobile Ordering and Payment Solution 
Kallpod, a hospitality tech provider that facilitates real-time engagement between guests, service staff and internal teams, has launched Kontactless at select Hyatt, Courtyard by Marriott and Hilton locations, among others. Using QR code technology, Kontactless allows customers to place orders for food, beverages and merchandise, which can be delivered to where the customer is sitting. Kontactless does not require customers to download an app, and once orders are placed, guests can make payments, track progress, and leave feedback—all from the comfort of their mobile device.

To use Kontactless at a restaurant, bar, hotel or event venue, guests scan the unique QR code at their table or seat. This automatically brings them to a custom responsive webpage where they can place orders, make payments, track progress and leave feedback. Additionally, QR codes can also be featured outside and in parking spaces, so customers can order from multiple locations in their immediate vicinity. Orders can also be placed in advance and customers can alert the venue once they’ve arrived. Kontactless can be seamlessly integrated into many POS systems, and the company provides customized design and printing of QR codes on behalf of operators.

HotSchedules Adds New Solution to Guide Restaurants and Hotels Through Pandemic
HotSchedules, Now Powered by Fourth, provider of end-to-end technology and services for the restaurant and hospitality industries, has added Adaco to its Purchase-to-Pay and Inventory Management solution. This enables the company to offer fully integrated, mobile-friendly procurement, inventory, recipe and menu management tools to improve overall operational efficiency for managers and their teams during the pandemic and beyond, according to the company. Adaco integrates with finance and POS systems as well as with numerous vendors to combat key industry challenges such as increasing costs, food waste, and fluctuating occupancy—all issues most restaurants and hotels are dealing with in today’s climate—in addition to helping brands boost gross profit. Adaco also offers vital business insight through Fourth Analytics, which distributes frequent reports on profitability, outlet performance, spend and inventory turnover.

World Cinema Introduces Suite of Smart Contactless Technology
World Cinema, provider of technology, services and connectivity to guest-centric properties, has introduced a suite of contactless technology and entertainment features for the company’s WorldVue platform. New and notable features include the WorldVue Mobile Web Remote, a contactless solution for hotel guests that puts their personal devices in control without having to touch the hotel television remote. Guests can simply scan and connect to access the WorldVue in-room entertainment system, access room service directly from their personal device, as well as many other customizable services.

In addition, the new WorldVue Housekeeping App provides hotels with another option for managing property operations. The WorldVue Housekeeping App allows in-room notifications to guests and staff that a room has been cleaned and sanitized instantaneously. The Housekeeping App provides the hotel staff with a wide array of customizable stats for hotel management including information on whether the room is occupied; status of the room if cleaned, serviced or sanitized; a staff code or numeric value to indicate the responsible staff for each room; instant, updated record of the time period elapsed since last housekeeping service; and the time period of when the last time the room was occupied, just to name a few.