HOSPITALITY TRENDS
Lightspeed Commerce Inc | September 08, 2022
Lightspeed Commerce Inc. ( NYSE: LSPD) (TSX: LSPD), the one-stop commerce platform for merchants around the world to simplify, scale, and create exceptional customer experiences, has announced the initial launch of Lightspeed Restaurant in the Australian market - a unified hospitality commerce and point-of-sale (POS) platform to power Australia's restaurant revival.Unveiling at Fine Food Australia, and coming soon to Australian businesses Lightspeed Restaurant, an industry-leading cloud platform, combines an innovative POS, contactless integrated payments, online ordering, advanced inventory, industry leading analytics and more; enabling operators to run smarter, more efficient restaurants. The local launch of Lightspeed Restaurant integrates cutting edge technology to build a single product that incorporates the best features of Australian leading Kounta and the breadth and sophistication of Lightspeed's market leading capabilities, and comes as Australia's world-famous dining industry continues to defy economic pressure.
Data from a subset of Australian restaurants, cafes and bars using Lightspeed in July found that year-over-year revenue was up 50.3% in restaurants, 48.5% in bars, and 25.7% in cafes compared to the same month in 2021. Remarkably, July was the sixth successive month of year-over-year growth*.
"Bringing Lightspeed Restaurant to an Australian market famed for the vibrancy of its hospitality sector is an exciting moment for Lightspeed. Restaurants have rapidly accelerated their digital transformation in recent years, and today merchants can't compromise when it comes to technology. Lightspeed Restaurant allows Australian restaurant owners to take control of seat level ordering, multiple service environments, complex printing setups, and more, all through a single commerce platform - providing the solution they need to meet and exceed the needs of their customers, empower their team and overcome the challenges of today."
-Peter Dougherty, General Manager of Hospitality, at Lightspeed
Key features of Lightspeed Restaurant include:
Advanced insights: Lightspeed Restaurant informs operators what turns customers into regulars, who their best wait staff are and why, and makes them feel like they're on the floor every day even across multiple locations.
Comprehensive integrated inventory: Track and automate inventory without breaking the bank. Know exactly how much product was sold, how much is still on hand, and how much is needed from a supplier for the next order.
Speed and automation for the front of the house: Optimised by years of user testing, Lightspeed Restaurant is easy to use and train on, key for hiring and retaining staff and running smoother shifts in busy environments.
Innovative ordering and payments with Order Anywhere: Fully integrated with Lightspeed Restaurant, Order Anywhere provides contactless ordering and payments for dine-in, and commission-free ordering for takeout, with the flexibility to either pre-pay online or pay at pick up, while avoiding expensive third-party fees.
Real-time data: Restaurant owners, chefs and managers receive a daily email detailing everything they need to know before doors open, and a shift prep email detailing reservations, VIP guests, and notes for the service ahead.
Bluebonnet Barbecue, Melbourne's iconic Texas-style BBQ venue, has been using Lightspeed Restaurant in the initial launch phase. Bluebonnet's Manager, Mikey Buchanan, said the platform gives the business a competitive advantage and the foundations to overcome challenges and provide better experiences for customers and employees alike.
We've been looking for a platform like Lightspeed Restaurant for years. The access to real-time insights has given us a deeper, more accurate understanding of our business than we've ever had before. It's incredibly powerful and sophisticated, but also user-friendly, which is so important in a transient industry where staff come and go.
Rather than using different systems for different business functions everything is on one system, driving operational efficiencies which benefit our team and, ultimately, our customers. We're passionate about our craft and our customers, and with Lightspeed Restaurant we spend less time working on administration and non-revenue generating tasks and more time delivering the food and experiences that bring people together.
The initial launch of Lightspeed Restaurant in Australia follows the recent launch of Lightspeed Payments, an integrated, contactless payments processor that gives hospitality and retail businesses the ability to process customer payments directly from their point-of-sale.
About Lightspeed
Powering the businesses that are the backbone of the global economy, and used by merchants around the world including Messina, Lion, Momofuku, Five Guys, and Vera Wang, Lightspeed's one-stop commerce platform helps merchants innovate to simplify, scale and provide exceptional customer experiences. Our cloud commerce solution transforms and unifies online and physical operations, multichannel sales, expansion to new locations, global payments, financial solutions and connection to supplier networks. Founded in Montréal, Canada in 2005, Lightspeed is dual-listed on the New York and Toronto Stock Exchange ( NYSE: LSPD) (TSX: LSPD). With teams across North America, Europe and Asia Pacific, the company serves retail, hospitality and golf businesses in over 100 countries.
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DESTINATION AND TOURISM
Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts | August 30, 2022
Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts unveiled its new brand creative platform, Luxury Is Our Love Language, celebrating the brand's unique and energetic perspective on the definition of luxury. Developed by Publicis Groupe's NYC-based creative collective, Le Truc, the work highlights the exceptional experiences delivered only by Four Seasons through the deep understanding of their guests and the genuine care of their people.The collaborative approach between Four Seasons, Le Truc, Starcom, Publicis Canada, and Four Seasons CRM Agency of Record, Hawkeye Canada, was designed to deliver a full 360 platform for the brand's creative re-launch.
The creative debuts Four Seasons new branding which is set to roll out across the entire brand portfolio and lines of businesses – from its Hotels and Resorts to Restaurants and Bars to Residential to Retail and to its Private Jet over the next year.Le Truc brought the creative campaign to life through a comprehensive analysis of Four Seasons guest insights and data. Inspired by real stories of actual Four Seasons guest experiences, reflected in feedback surveys, comments and in conversations with hotel teams – the spots are each "based on a true stay," featuring artful interpretations of moments when passionate Four Seasons teams went above and beyond to provide guests with anticipatory, personalized experiences rooted in generosity, kindness and care.
"The future of luxury will be driven by data and insights and defined by human connection and imagination Luxury Is Our Love Language is the embodiment of this vision and an authentic articulation of our values as we continue to evolve and express our brand in new ways. It is a bold creative platform based on our belief that true luxury shouldn't be impersonal or rigid– rather, it's about creating a meaningful sense of belonging through acts of unscripted care and the simple elegance of empathy."
-Marc Speichert, Chief Commercial Officer at Four Seasons.
Speichert continues: Le Truc used data and insights from guest stays to spotlight acts of unparalleled hospitality in action, and the 'Based on a True Stay' spots represent a refreshingly creative portrayal of our renowned brand of luxury with genuine heart.
We are proud to partner with Four Seasons on the brand's new creative platform, using data led creativity to create truly personalised luxury experiences. Le Truc's vision is to drive creative collaboration and convergence across the most diverse disciplines, enabling modern, desirable and authentic experiences for brands and the consumers they serve, said Arthur Sadoun, Global CEO and Chairman, Publicis Groupe.
To shoot the premiere campaign, Le Truc and Four Seasons worked with acclaimed director Akinola Davies Jr. – winner of the Short Film Grand Jury Prize at Sundance for his film "Lizard." From taking a guest's personal logo to new levels in Monogram, to making a budding equestrian's dreams come true in Special Delivery, to bringing the magic of winter right to the guest in First Snow, "Based on a True Stay" stories offer a glimpse into the many ways in which Four Seasons teams go above and beyond for guests every day.
"Four Seasons is an iconic brand synonymous with luxury. Our role was to reimagine how to convey their unique approach to hospitality – in a modern fashion. Throwing aside the tropes of old luxury and capturing the thoughtfulness that elevates guests' experiences above the standard of luxury they might expect from other high-end hotel brands. But in a totally unexpected manner, We worked really closely with director Akinola Davies Jr. who brought to life the style and modernity that the Four Seasons properties have in abundance. We really wanted people to reappraise what luxury looks like in a hotel, and hopefully we've achieved that."
-Andy Bird, Founding Partner and Chief Creative Officer, Le Truc
Starcom led media buying and strategy for the campaign, which will air across digital video, social and digital out-of-home starting August 29. The targeted, high impact multi-million-dollar media spend is the largest by Four Seasons to date, marking the first time the company is supporting brand equity messaging with significant paid media amplification. Starcom additionally facilitated a bespoke partnership with Condé Nast around New York Fashion Week for Vogue's inaugural Vogue World Fashion Experience.
Four Seasons will also build a custom Acts of Love postcard experience at Four Seasons Hotel New York Downtown, inviting guests to immerse themselves in the lost art of letter writing and connect more closely with their loved ones through their very own acts of thoughtfulness and care. In the spirit of September's fashion focus, Four Seasons is partnering with acclaimed fashion designer, Christian Siriano, to design custom postcards out of his one-of-a-kind sketches. To view additional creative assets, please see here.
About Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts
Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts opened its first hotel in 1961, and since that time has been dedicated to perfecting the travel experience through continual innovation and the highest standards of hospitality. Currently operating 124 hotels and resorts, and 50 residential properties in major city centres and resort destinations in 47 countries, and with more than 50 projects under planning or development, Four Seasons consistently ranks among the world's best hotels and most prestigious brands in reader polls, traveller reviews and industry awards. For more information and reservations, visit fourseasons.com. For the latest news, visit press.fourseasons.com and follow @FourSeasonsPR on Twitter.
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TRAVEL TECHNOLOGY, INDUSTRY OUTLOOK, HOSPITALITY TRENDS
Paysafe | October 21, 2022
Paysafe (NYSE: PSFE), a leading specialized payments platform, announced a new integrated payments partnership with HotelKey, a cloud-based software solution provider for the hospitality industry. Paysafe will seamlessly integrate with HotelKey’s software solutions to streamline payments for U.S. hotels across their front-desk, hospitality, retail, food and beverage, and other back-of-house operationsHotelKey’s software solutions are currently deployed across thousands of hotels in the U.S. and are designed to help individual properties and hotel chains, including independently-owned and franchised hotels, manage their end-to-end guest operations. Paysafe will support HotelKey’s mission to simplify hotel property management by establishing a centralized hub for payment processing to securely process in-person, card-present and card-not-present transactions across all designated sales channels.
The integration will provide properties using HotelKey’s simple, cloud-based software applications with the enhanced ability to offer frictionless online credit and debit card payments to hotel guests for transactions at the front-desk, in bars and restaurants, and for onsite events and catering services. This solution provides the flexibility for properties to process transactions through a secure payment gateway, including Freedom Pay, Elavon, or Shift 4 gateways, to maximize revenue and overall efficiency of payment acceptance while enabling more hotels, regardless of their size or scale of business, to meet U.S. and international travelers’ payment preferences.
HotelKey’s integration with Paysafe supports in-person, or card-present, transactions across all retail touchpoints a property can offer. As well as check-ins and on-property hospitality, payment processing for purchases made onsite at convenience stores, gift shops, spas, salons, restaurants, bars, and other recreational services, will all be supported.
In addition to processing guest-related transactions, Paysafe will integrate with HotelKey’s back-of-house-focused app to streamline payments for recurring purchases that support day-to-day operational needs, including food and beverage orders to restock onsite bars and restaurants, guest room linens, and essential supplies for housekeeping and maintenance teams.
“We’re passionate about partnering with innovative technology companies to develop forward-thinking payment solutions. Our partnership with HotelKey is an exciting opportunity to reinvent the retail and payments experience for the hospitality industry. With HotelKey, we look forward to providing the dedicated support that will help U.S. hotels continue to thrive.”
-Afshin Yazdian, President of Merchant Solutions at Paysafe
Alexander Schindelbeck, VP of Operations, commented: “We’re excited to partner with Paysafe to provide our hotel clients with an embedded payment solution that addresses growing consumer demand for convenience by creating a seamless payments experience that simplifies the day-to-day responsibilities of property staff, and increases owner visibility of their property’s payment processing from a single reporting dashboard.”
About Paysafe Limited
Paysafe Limited (“Paysafe”) (NYSE: PSFE) (PSFE.WS) is a leading specialized payments platform. Its core purpose is to enable businesses and consumers to connect and transact seamlessly through industry-leading capabilities in payment processing, digital wallet, and online cash solutions. With over 20 years of online payment experience, an annualized transactional volume of over US $120 billion in 2021, and approximately 3,500 employees located in 10+ countries, Paysafe connects businesses and consumers across 100 payment types in over 40 currencies around the world. Delivered through an integrated platform, Paysafe solutions are geared toward mobile-initiated transactions, real-time analytics and the convergence between brick-and-mortar and online payments. Further information is available at www.paysafe.com.
About HotelKey
HotelKey is a cloud-based Property Management System designed for the Hospitality Industry. Since 2014, HotelKey has provided software solutions that are efficient, reliable, and easy to use. The HotelKey Platform combined with its world class Client Services teams supports individual properties, small to large sized portfolios, and global enterprises. HotelKey is based in Dallas, TX., and serves clients worldwide from offices in South Asia and Europe. For more information, visit www.hotelkeyapp.com.
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