NEWSDIGEST
07
IDeaS GIVES TRAVELODGE
◆ Three quarters
of IT managers
questioned
CONFIDENCE TO GROW
by Sterling
Commerce across
France, Germany
W
ith more than 370 hotels IDeaS works closely with
and the UK, a
and plans for a major Travelodge to clone a profi le from a third of which
UK growth programme sister hotel using booking pace data
were in the retail
to have 1,000 hotels and a projected until the new hotel opens. Over time,
industry, stated
that they plan to
room inventory increase of 280% by as the true patterns for the new
invest in a cloud-
2020, Travelodge needed seamless hotel emerge, the cloned patterns
based, business-
adoption of revenue management are replaced automatically. These to-business
(RM) tools and practices in its new patterns, combined with budget data
integration
hotels. provided by Travelodge for the new
strategy to save
costs and improve
However, as a general industry and pricing solution in place for, and hotel, allow the NHSSP to overcome
agility.
rule, approximately 12 months of a in many cases even prior to, a hotel the lack of historical data and enable
hotel’s historical data is required for opening. NHSSP enables the budget immediate activation of IDeaS V5i and
a newly implemented RM solution to hotel brand’s existing investment in the its resulting forecasts, pricing decisions
deliver effective forecasting and pricing IDeaS V5i On-Demand solution to be and business intelligence.
decisions. implemented at the earliest possible “The cloning mechanism of the
To maximise each hotel’s opportunity. NHSSP allows us to benefi t from
profi tability from day one, the Farabi Syed, Travelodge RM IDeaS V5i immediately,” added Syed.
company implemented the IDeaS decision support and analysis manager “Though we were already aware of
New Hotels Success Service Package said: “To benefi t from accurate IDeaS’ ability to meet forecasting and
(NHSSP). IDeaS’ NHSSP solution is forecasts, automated controls, and pricing challenges, the addition of
designed to enable newly opened complete group-wide reporting NHSSP has instilled in us a great sense
(or acquired) hotels to have a fully upon opening is quite a competitive of confi dence while moving forward
automated revenue optimisation advantage.” with our development plans.”
JUST-EAT IMPROVES RESPONSE
TIMES WITH M2M TECH
Just-Eat, one of the UK’s most robust, fi xed IP [internet protocol] restaurants and affords restaurants
successful online takeaway services solution to address all these issues.” an opportunity to respond to, and
is partnering with Wireless Logic to Just-Eat has pioneered the modify, orders if necessary.
pioneer the use of mobile-to-mobile development of its ‘Just Connect’ Buttress said: “We estimate that
(M2M) connectivity to remove the (JCT) box, developed alongside order and acceptance times have
industry’s reliance on outmoded fax Danish wireless product development been reduced from over 2 minutes to
technology. company, RTX. The box itself just 26 seconds under the new system,
Although Just-Eat’s online service – designed to remove the need for which is an incredible advance. The fact
provided customers with plenty of fi xed-line connectivity - comprises a that Wireless Logic’s SIMs allows us
◆ Belk, the largest
choice and its user-friendly online GPRS modem, a small thermal printing guaranteed connectivity, over a variety privately owned
interface made it easy to order, they device and, crucially, a Wireless Logic of networks, and that the JCT box
department store
were frequently being let down by data SIM (currently with Vodafone is easily accessible by the restaurant,
retailer in the US,
with more than
poor technology at the fi nal fulfi lment or 02). The box is distinct in that it means that we can guarantee that
300 stores in 16
step and so looked for ways to features ‘feedback and confi rmation the order will be received and fulfi lled
Southern states,
develop a wireless solution that buttons’ that allow the restaurant to much more quickly than before. has implemented
would leave the phone lines free for accept, decline or modify orders, there “We have also seen cost
Retail Enterprise
taking orders, remove the reliance on and then, which mitigates any delay. reductions in our customer service
Suite from Episys
to manage all of
a fi xed line to fulfi l orders and speed In this way, for the fi rst time, and support costs, as we experience
its in-store signage
the order acceptance process for the restaurants are given a two-way far fewer technical issues and the
requirements
customer. communication device, via a secure need for us to ‘chase’ restaurants to and has already
David Buttress, managing director fi xed IP address, which allows confi rm order bookings has reduced
seen a reduction
of Just-Eat in the UK and Northern Just-Eat greater control over the with the introduction of the feedback
of approximately
30-40% in
Ireland explained: “We needed a service offered by its participating feature on the JCT box.”
signage printed
unnecessarily.
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2010 RETAIL TECHNOLOGY
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