December 6, 2005 - When it comes to guest satisfaction,
even championship-caliber golf resorts can�t rest on their laurels. Clients
may welcome challenges on the course, but they expect easy going once they�re
off the links and in their rooms.
Located in
the heart of North Carolina, Pinehurst Resort offers all the outdoor appeal
a guest could want; but the company also understands the importance of
the in-room television to the total guest experience. So in May 2005 �
just before serving as the site of the 2005 U.S. Open � Pinehurst upgraded
its three historic hotels to a SIGNETURE TV® solution from LodgeNet
Entertainment Corporation.
Quality Over Quantity With Targeted Free-To-Guest
Programming
Pinehurst wanted a free-to-guest lineup that matched
its guests� interests and its own business goals. �We are a golf resort,
first and foremost,� says Scott Brewton, executive vice president of operations
and general manager. "The quality of the new programming has a far better
reach and can only increase our guests' enjoyment when they're not on the
course."
Brewton explains that Pinehurst�s new channel
options of local and national news, weather and sports (including The Golf
Channel) � plus general interest and children�s programming � accommodate
all of the preferences of Pinehurst�s clientele and especially sports enthusiasts.
�LodgeNet worked with us to put together a lineup that gives our guests
what they want and expect," he says.
On-Demand Offerings Make The Entertainment
Package Complete |
Carolina Hotel at Pinehurst Resort
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Carolina Hotel Guest Room
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For guests desiring entertainment beyond the
free-to-guest lineup, all three Pinehurst Resort accommodations venues
offer a rich mix of on-demand movies, music, videogames, on-demand TV programming
and special interest videos. Most of these choices are enhanced with LodgeNet�s
PowerPlaySM media playback controls, allowing
viewers to pace their entertainment experience by skipping forward or back,
pausing, or saving their place to return to later.
�We have seen a lift in incremental revenues by
offering more on-demand options,� Brewton says. �But the real benefit is
keeping our guests happy with state-of-the-art programming and convenience.
The expanded choices and convenient controls do a lot to support our reputation
as a premier destination for golfers as well as their spouses and children.�
Channels Drive Marketing Opportunities; Guest
Services Add Personal Touch
In addition to the free and on-demand entertainment,
SIGNETURE TV provides Pinehurst with dedicated channels to support its
branding and marketing programs. These include:
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A Welcome Channel that displays when the guest turns
on the TV
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Two video channels designed to capture the attention
of channel-surfers � one featuring a segment on the history of Pinehurst,
and the other to show marketing videos and presentations now in development
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Two channels displaying text-based information (such
as meeting schedules and promotions) that hotel management staff can create,
edit, schedule and update in real time
SIGNETURE TV also helps Pinehurst serve their guests
at a critical touchpoint with an Account Review and Checkout service. �By
allowing guests to review and approve their charges from the room, we can
help them stay on schedule and keep things moving at the front desk,� says
Brewton. �That convenience has become especially popular with the sophisticated,
tech-smart travelers who are a fast-growing part of our customer base.�
About Pinehurst Resort
Built in 1895, Pinehurst Resort is one of more
than 150 clubs and resorts worldwide owned and operated by Dallas-based
ClubCorp. Pinehurst boasts eight championship golf courses, including the
world-renowned Pinehurst No. 2, site of the 2005 U.S. Open Championship.
The readers of Travel + Leisure Golf ranked Pinehurst Resort as the �Best
U.S. Golf Resort� in the magazine�s 2005 World's Best Golf Resorts reader
survey.
About LodgeNet
LodgeNet
Entertainment Corporation (www.lodgenet.com) is the world�s largest provider
of interactive television and broadband solutions to hotels, including
resort and casino hotels, throughout the United States and Canada as well
as select international markets. These services include on-demand movies,
music and music videos, on-demand videogames, Internet on television, and
television on-demand programming, as well as high-speed Internet access,
all designed to serve the needs of the lodging industry and the traveling
public. LodgeNet provides service to more than one million interactive
guest pay rooms and serves more than 6,000 hotel properties worldwide.
LodgeNet estimates that approximately 275 million travelers annually have
access to LodgeNet�s interactive television systems. LodgeNet is listed
on NASDAQ and trades under the symbol LNET. |