Tony Loeb

🎁 On August 24, Cheba Hut offers free Kool-Aid to its dine-in and carryout guests. The first 200 visitors receive a "Cottonmouth Cures" cup for free Kool-Aid for a year. Embracing kitchen display systems (KDS) and just-in-time service, Cheba Hut prioritizes fresh food and customer respect. Their loyalty app, featuring games like "Flippy Bird," caters to evolving customer preferences alongside a flexible approach to third-party delivery services.

🤖 Elad Inbar, CEO of RobotLAB, discusses robotics in hospitality, highlighting that sensor technology advancements dropped prices by a factor of 10. Customer-facing robots feature virtual faces and speak clearly, while industrial robots focus on utility. Robotics address labor shortages by automating tasks, with delivery robots starting at $15/day, cleaning robots at $20/day, and cooking robots at $30/day, offering a strong ROI for business owners.

👨‍💻 Attribute-Based Selling (ABS) is revolutionizing the hospitality industry by personalizing guest rooms selection and enhancing revenue. Hotels are integrating ABS into cloud-based property management systems for real-time availability and seamless guest experiences. Dynamic pricing is vital for ABS success, adjusting rates based on demand and customer behavior. Hoteliers must evaluate attributes individually for profitability and avoid overwhelming guests with excessive choices. Simplifying booking processes, listening to feedback, and using technology to analyze guest preferences are key. With continuous refinement, ABS can significantly contribute to hotel revenue and guest satisfaction.

💾 Agilysys, Inc., a global provider of hospitality software solutions, acquired the SaaS spa management company Book4Time, Inc., which serves the most Forbes 5-Star-rated spas. Book4Time operates in over 100 countries and is integrated with over 60 technology providers. The acquisition, closed for approximately $150 million USD, strengthens Agilysys' global presence and offerings. Agilysys CEO, Ramesh Srinivasan, anticipates leveraging both companies' strengths to accelerate hospitality technology innovation. Financial impacts will be discussed in the Agilysys fiscal 2025 second quarter earnings call in October 2024.

📦 Grubhub expands Campus Dining to over 60 schools, reaching half a million new students and serving a total of 4.5 million. Partners with University of Alabama at Birmingham, University of Tampa, University of Missouri, Howard University, and Tulane University; now works with over 360 universities, a 21% increase. Collaborates with Cartken, Kiwibot, and Starship for robot deliveries on nearly a dozen more campuses, with over 20 campuses already utilizing robots for order delivery. Implements Amazon's Just Walk Out technology at Ursinus College, University of Virginia, and Lindenwood University, allowing purchases without traditional checkout. Introduces sustainable dining with Topanga.io's ReusePass at Virginia Tech and SUNY New Paltz, among others. Grubhub+ Student offers $0 delivery fees and other benefits to students at partnered schools.

🏩 Hospitality industry faces a high turnover rate of 84.9%, nearly double the national average of 47.2%. A Gartner study found no correlation between L&D course completion scores and performance, attributed to lack of data savvy. Effective training programs require a data-focused approach, including establishing pre-training performance baselines, plans to assess training results, and goals for post-training performance. Continuous data collection and analysis optimize these programs through learner feedback, performance metrics, and predictive analytics for future needs. Key modern L&D program elements include micro-learning, multimedia, gamification, simulations, and multi-device delivery, aiming to enhance customer service, increase efficiency, and reduce turnover.