Hotel Online  Special Report

   
GuestWare, Arch Wireless Form Alliance to Provide
Powerful Two-Way Messaging Solution

NEW ORLEANS - June 23, 2003 � Diversified Computer Corp. (DCC), maker of GuestWare, has formed an alliance with Arch Wireless Inc., a leading wireless messaging and mobile information company, to provide a powerful two-way messaging solution to the hospitality industry. As part of an arrangement with DCC, Westborough, Mass.-based Arch Wireless will be a recommended provider of pagers and monthly pager service to hotels that use GuestWare�s Customer Relationship Management solution.
 
Diversified Computer Corp. and Arch Wireless will make the announcement tomorrow in the press room at HITEC, the annual Hospitality Industry Technology Exposition and Conference held here in New Orleans at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center.

�It�s a synergistic marketing relationship without the need for exclusivity for either party,� says Mike Benjamin, vice president of sales for Seattle-based DCC. �Arch Wireless has a strong 


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presence in every major U.S. market and they are educating key reps in each market to understand the benefits of GuestWare and two-way messaging within the hotel industry. With this product, the company is entering the hotel industry in a big way.�

Arch�s Wireless networks provide coverage to more than 93 percent of the U.S. population. The company also has more than 150 office locations nationwide, 5 million messaging units in service and three call centers that support customers 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

�Our relationship with GuestWare is a tremendous opportunity to show the versatility of our two-way product,� says Ed Charik, national account manager with Arch Wireless. �The integration with GuestWare turns our generic two-way messaging product into a focused hospitality solution that allows hotels to improve customer service in a more efficient manner. The end user will have a virtual connection to GuestWare instead of radios and cell phones.� 

Arch Wireless will offer pagers for purchase to hotels that upgrade to GuestWare Version 3.0. The pagers work with GuestWare�s Rapid Response system and integrate with Rapid Response via GuestWare�s Communication Server.

�Rapid Response is a software solution that enables hotel staff to log, dispatch and follow-up on all guest requests and problems,� Benjamin says. �GuestWare also builds a database of incidents that allows hoteliers to pinpoint trends for process improvement. The Communication Server automates the dispatching process by allowing staff to receive and close requests using a pager. Although Arch and GuestWare support multiple two-way devices, GuestWare has created a custom application �SmartRunner� specifically for Motorola�s Timeport P935 pager that provides enhanced features specific to hotels.� 

When a guest calls regarding a maintenance issue, the call center representative logs the request into GuestWare and then pages the person responsible for resolving the issue. The person receiving the page can view the request along with the room number, guest name and priority. The user then selects an �OK� button to confirm receipt of the message. At that point, the status of the incident in GuestWare is automatically changed to �Dispatched� and the time it was received is recorded. When a task is completed, the person selects the �Finished� button. The incident�s status is then changed to �Closed� or �Follow-up.� The SmartRunner also allows staff to report problems or request through the device and send them directly into GuestWare which pages the appropriate runner.

�By using the integrated two-way solution, hotel staffs can be more productive and improve service delivery with more accountability� Benjamin says. �Using GuestWare, hoteliers also can quickly and easily analyze call center data. Process improvements can be tracked and measured using graphs and reports. By closely tracking such data, hotels can save thousands of dollars and improve guest satisfaction at the same time.�

�We are excited and looking forward to working with GuestWare and in a new vertical market�the hospitality industry,� Charik says. �There is tremendous growth potential for the GuestWare CRM solution.�

About Arch Wireless Inc. 
Arch Wireless Inc., headquartered in Westborough, Mass., is a leading wireless messaging and mobile information company with operations throughout the United States. The company offers a full range of wireless messaging services, including paging, two-way wireless e-mail and messaging and mobile data solutions for the enterprise. Arch provides wireless services to customers in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Canada, Mexico and in the Caribbean principally through its nationwide sales force, as well as through resellers, retailers and other strategic partners. Additional information on Arch Wireless is available on the Internet at www.arch.com, or by calling Ed Charik at (410) 963-4866.

About GuestWare
GuestWare, Customer Relationship Management software for the lodging industry, is developed, marketed, implemented and supported by Diversified Computer Corp., Seattle. GuestWare is installed in more than 700 hotels worldwide. For more information about GuestWare, go to www.guestware.com or contact Mike Benjamin at (888) 504-8378.

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Contact:

Ed Charik
National Account Manager
Arch Wireless Inc.
800-340-4743 ext. 5571
E-mail: [email protected]
www.arch.com

Mike Benjamin
Vice President, Sales
GuestWare
1-888-504-8378
[email protected]
http://www.guestware.com

Glenn Hasek
President
Hasek Communications
(216) 476-9663
[email protected]


Also See Case Study: Monterey Plaza Hotel & Spa�s GuestWare Guru Pushes Software to its Limit/ April 2003
GuestWare, Kor Hotel Group Partner to Deliver Powerful, Personalized Service / March 2003 
GuestWare Helps Streamline, Untangle Blue Mountain Ski Resort�s Guest Response Processes / Feb 2003
Case Study: Kimpton Implements GuestWare�s Enterprise to Provide Powerful Guest Service / June 2002 
Customer-Relationship Management Software Helps Salt Lake City's Hotel Monaco Beat the Competition / April 2002 
GuestWare Propels Peabody Orlando to National AH&LA Guest Relations Award / April 2002 
Kimpton Hotel & Restaurant Group Installs GuestWare to Improve Guest Loyalty Program / July 2001 


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