The innovative InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) continues to raise the bar for the hospitality industry. When the group recently deployed new technology in one of its hotels, it wanted both to empower employees and improve the quality of visits for guests. "Many of our competitors are putting new technology in the hands of employees, but we believe that the larger benefits will come from extending a hotel's systems directly to the guest," says Mark Snyder, senior vice president of brand management for Holiday Inn Hotels and Resorts in the Americas.
Building on Holiday Inn’s legacy of innovation, IHG deployed a wireless menu solution at Holiday Inn Gwinnett Center in Duluth, Georgia. Dining guests at the hotel café can place orders using up-to-the-minute menu information, check e-mail messages, confirm the status of a flight, and much more—without having to get up from the table or wait for somebody to take an order. The E-Menu solution not only makes guests’ lives easier, it boosts hotel revenues and reinforces Holiday Inn as a provider of unparalleled value and convenience for travelers.
Tablet PC-Powered Dining Boosts Hotel Productivity
IHG partnered with Ameranth Wireless to debut the E-Menu solution at the hotel’s grand opening in January 2004. With Motion Computing Tablet PCs running Microsoft Windows XP Tablet PC Edition positioned at each café table, guests can use E-Menu as a fun and convenient alternative to paper-based menus.
"This is the first time that technology like this has been used to enhance the customer experience and increase a hotel's productivity," says Snyder. "With Holiday Inn Gwinnett Center, we believe that we have arrived at a convergence of technology and brand authenticity that will define the hotel of the future."
E-Menu Options Have Guests Coming Back for More
With color images of each menu item complete with nutritional information and ingredients, guests can confirm that what sounds good on the menu actually looks good. "Dining is a visual experience, and the ability to provide high-resolution color pictures of each menu item helps assure our guests that they'll be pleased with their menu choices," says Jim Bailey, director of hotel technology and services at IHG.
And it’s not just the pictures that are helpful. On a diet? E-Menu lists menu item compatibility with popular diets such as Weight Watchers and South Beach, complete with total calories and fat content. A wine novice? The menu offers complete wine descriptions and recommendations—perfect for the busy traveler who doesn’t have time to think about it. And don’t forget the entertainment value when waiting for the meal to arrive: Kids can play games and watch videos while you sit back and relax. The E-Menu solution also offers:
Running totals, including tax and suggested gratuity.
Adjustable font sizes for easier reading.
Support for multiple languages and currencies.
Real-time menu updates direct from the kitchen.
"Many people who try E-Menu are using it again at future meals," says Jeffrey Welch, general manager of the Holiday Inn Gwinnett Center. "And many guests are hanging on to the Tablet PC after ordering to do other things like printing airline reservations and e-tickets."
With the convenience and ingenuity of the Tablet PC-based E-Menu, Holiday Inn guests keep coming back for more.
http://www.microsoft.com/industry/hospitality/businessvalue/emenuarticle.mspx
