Los Angeles � June 21, 2005 � Mandarin Oriental, New York has deployed MTech�s Hotel Service Optimization System (HotSOS, pronounced "hot sauce") to automate workflow and communications, and to wirelessly connect service staff to each other, guests, groups and meeting planners for unmatched personalized, prompt service. MTech announced the deployment at its Booth #1233 of the Hospitality Industry Technology Conference and Exhibition (HITEC 2005) at the Los Angeles Convention Center, June 21�23 Located more than 250 feet above ground level on floors 35 to 54 of the new Time Warner Center in Manhattan, the palatial Mandarin Oriental, New York just turned 1 last December, but already is renowned for its world-class accommodations and service. The property features 251 elegant, spacious guestrooms and suites � all with breathtaking views of Manhattan and Central Park � as well as advanced in-room entertainment technology, a 14,500-square-foot holistic spa, state of the art fitness center, 75-foot lap pool, the chic MObar designed by Tony Chi, and a 6,000-square-foot-ballroom ideal for group gatherings and events � all coupled with Mandarin Oriental�s legendary hospitality. Accelerating Service Delivery
Eric Cruz, Mandarin Oriental, New York IT Manager, said 60 front-line service staff (such as the concierge, bellmen, front desk, housekeeping, in-room dining/food-and-beverage, spa/pool/fitness center, engineering and security) are empowered with Bluetooth-powered Blackberries giving them access anywhere, anytime to the HotSOS To Go application and up-to-the-second needs of guests, groups and department managers. Another 36 employees have HotSOS-enabled cell phones with color screens and various PDA capabilities. "Before HotSOS, when our occupancies were high, say 90-percent-plus, on rare occasions up to four times a month it would take us more than six minutes to respond to a guest request and deliver on their needs," Cruz said. "Even though we were talking just four times a month, and we still were taking care of the customer in less than 10 minutes, we wanted to take it up a notch for our customers. "With HotSOS, a bellman or front desk staff, can instantly and easily submit a service request to a department and all related managers based on customized business rules, and within minutes we have one correctly experienced and equipped person making good on the guest request and notifying all in the loop," Cruz said. "Now, the number of requests taking more than six minutes to fulfill has dropped 75 percent or more to less than one per month. This service enhancement means more-loyal customers and more of their precious repeat business and referrals." High-Tech/High-Touch Cruz said HotSOS provides the framework and tools to manage guest hotlines and recognition campaigns, orders and maintenance within brand and corporate standards. With interfaces to the hotel�s electronic lock, building management, and property management system, HotSOS is a managed service that can be implemented without expensive servers, network infrastructure and IT staff. Cruz said HotSOS is as user friendly as it is to quickly cost justify, and it�s scalable and configurable for individual properties or hospitality organizations with dozens, hundreds, or even thousands of properties. "Not only do we have 96 mobile devices and phones equipped with HotSOS, but every desktop at the property has the hosted application." Cruz said. "HotSOS is the technology for enhancing guest service, maintenance workflow, and purchasing decisions. "Not only can HotSOS help us identify repeat guest service requests and maintenance issues so we can base in-room amenity offerings and purchases on guest expectations and product performance, but we are setting up business rules to use it as our automated IT help desk ticketing system," he said. "We�ve barely scratched the service with regard to fully deploying HotSOS across all applicable departments, and already it�s paid for itself from my viewpoint," he said. "If things continue to go as expected, Mandarin Oriental could deploy this solution across its portfolio of premier properties." The Bottom Line Luis Segredo, President and Co-Founder of MTech, added that another key selling point is HotSOS requires no individual servers or additional staff to maintain and support them. "HotSOS offers improved dispatching via an escalating routing mode, includes unlimited user licenses, and delivers expanded data manipulation, report generation and sharing options � enabling world-class service and smarter decisions based on up-to-the-minute enterprise-wide business intelligence," Segredo said. "Know each guest better, with real-time, enterprise-wide guest recognition and profiling. Enforce corporate guest response and maintenance standards. Improve response times, and ultimately repeat business and referrals, with automated scheduling and dispatching to wireless phones and devices. It�s easy. It�s affordable. And it�s available. � It�s HotSOS," Segredo added The times may have changed, but time still equals money. Cruz said HotSOS saves money by reducing communication steps and labor expenses. It also helps the hotel build revenue by building lasting relationships with customers at a time when their lodging options have never been greater. "There can be no doubt that our goal is to exceed every guest expectation. HotSOS absolutely helps us deliver on that goal," Cruz said. "HotSOS empowers a bellman and front desk staff with the timely information needed to congratulate an arriving couple on their 25th wedding anniversary, and another employee to promptly deliver a personalized commemorative gift so a lasting one-of-a-kind experience can truly be created. I�ve seen the look in their eyes and the broad smiles on their faces, and I just know they�re coming back � and they�re bringing others with them." About Mandarin Oriental Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group is the award-winning owner and operator of some of the world�s most prestigious hotels and resorts, currently operating 21 luxury hotels with a further five under development in Hong Kong and Tokyo (2005), Riviera Maya, Mexico and Prague (2006) and Boston (2007). In total, Mandarin Oriental now operates, or has under development, some 8,000 rooms in 14 countries with 12 hotels in Asia, nine in The Americas and five in Europe. About MTech
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