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. Hoteliers say outsourcing Business Center operations to Vertical Systems Inc. increases guest satisfaction, reduces operational stress and boosts incremental revenues SUNNYVALE, CALIF.� JANUARY 4, 2007 � Sony PlayStation 3, Nintendo Wii and the TMX Tickle-Me Elmo were highly coveted consumer gifts this past holiday season. But what tops the services list for hotel guests in 2007? Vertical Systems Inc., a company committed to providing comprehensive and innovative guest-services solutions that meet or exceed hotel guests� expectations, is receiving rave reviews from hotels and guests for its Automated Business Centers. �Certainly iPOD audio equipment, curved shower curtain rods and 600 thread-count sheets are much sexier guest amenities than business centers, but �trendy� can�t replace �tried and true�,� said Saeed Kazmi, president of Vertical Systems Inc. (VSi). �Recent industry studies, such as a survey of meeting planners conducted in 2006 by PKF Hospitality Research (PKF-HR), show that business centers rank very high on the wish lists of business travelers all year long. The 2006 PKF-HR Meeting Planner study revealed that 72.6 percent of meeting attendees require business centers at the hotel, followed by fitness facilities (68.9%), and pools (61.6%). The only item ranking higher than business centers was on-site hotel food and beverage outlets (85.4 percent) -- verifying that travelers want to be productive and healthy while on the road. �Being able to listen to your own music preferences while on the road is certainly a great way to make guests feel at home . . . and giving guests more room in the shower and providing silkier, more comfortable sheets on the bed also adds to a more home-like environment,� he said. �The most appreciated guest amenity or service�and the one that delivers the highest levels of customer satisfaction�is the one which keeps guests connected to their office or home while on the road. The desire to communicate is the underlying requirement that travelers have in common. A 24-hour business center gives travelers a desired peace of mind in knowing that they can check emails, send messages or print documents right from their hotel any time, day or night. No other guest-service amenity can generate revenues, increase brand or property awareness, and build customer loyalty and quickly and easily as an automated business center.� VSi is a leader in outsourced, self-service Automated Business Centers, with more than 700 locations installed worldwide. The company provides a comprehensive and automated business center package that includes PCs, laptops, printers, copiers, and fax machines. Not only are VSi solutions effortless to operate, but the company offers a unique business model in which all equipment is provided with no upfront cost or need for additional hotel staff. The revenue-share model instantly turns a Business Center into a profit center. �At VSi we understand the frustration associated with managing a business center in addition to orchestrating the various other operational tasks required at a hotel,� Kazmi said. �That�s why our outsourced service makes operating a business center so easy! We manage the business center operation while hoteliers concentrate on doing what they do best � managing their hotels. Together we are providing the best possible guest-service atmosphere. But don�t just take my word for it.� Kudos from satisfied customers Vertical Systems Inc. is an approved vendor for Hilton Hotels Corp. and for Hyatt Hotels & Resorts. Its Automated Business Centers also are found in Radisson Hotels & Resorts, W Hotels and Sheraton Hotels & Resorts (Starwood), Holiday Inns and Crowne Plaza Hotels (InterContinental Hotel Group), Best Western Hotels, Ritz-Carlton Hotels, Fairmont Hotels, Accor Hotels and many individually owned properties around the world. Here is what a few of VSi�s many satisfied customers have to say: �Providing our guests with 24-hour access to business services is very important to us,� said Aamir Khan, director of front office operations for the Sheraton Atlanta Hotel. � With business travelers becoming technology savvy, the majority of them are able to help themselves at any time they want out of their busy schedule. Our No. 1 concern when looking for a business center partner was customer support. VSi really won our confidence. On a scale of 1 to 10, I believe customer satisfaction never went down below 7. I recommend VSi mainly for the reason that there will be one less headache for the hotel management and the customers to worry about when VSi is operating the automated business center. VSi�s product and customer service are reasons anyone will select them to provide efficient, friendly and hassle free service to the hotel guest.�Fettah Aydin, director of front office operations and guest services for the Hilton Atlanta, said he believes that �Simplicity is the No. 1 benefit of providing a VSi Automated Business Center.� �There�s nothing easier than providing guests with a 24-hour Automated Business Center that we as hoteliers don�t have to do a thing to keep it operating smoothly and at high guest satisfaction levels,� Aydin said. �Our business center virtually runs by itself. It�s trouble free. If there is a technical issue, VSi�s customer service and support handle it on behalf of the hotel. We simply love the service and so do our guests. Best of all, we are generating revenue as a result of this partnership.�Perhaps Alex Tolentino, area systems manager for the Newark Liberty International Airport Marriott, said it best. The property installed the VSi automated business center last month. �We are very impressed with the layout in the business center,� Tolentino said. �I have not heard a single negative comment from guests or associates since the VSi business center was installed. Before VSi took over, managing the business center was making me go grey with the headaches. Today, the headaches are gone because VSi has made business center operations much easier on me and effortless for our guests.�VSi�s computing solutions are specifically designed for multiple, non-repeat usage. In contrast to traditional PCs, when a user logs out of the VSi computer, the computer's entire system is completely rebuilt and a new Windows operating system, factory settings, and applications are loaded. As a result, all the user�s files, personal data, and usage history are permanently erased, thereby ensuring the user absolute information security and privacy. Additionally, in rebuilding the system after each user, any user-loaded non-standard programs (viruses or spyware) that might jeopardize future system or guest security or cause ongoing support and maintenance issues, are also deleted. This proprietary functionality makes the VSi solution ideal for environments such as the hospitality market, where multiple users log on to the same public computer. �We would like to give every hotel company a very special gift for 2007 � a gift that keeps on giving to guests and owners year after year � an outsourced, Automated Business Center from VSi,� Kazmi said. �This gift comes with a flexible, financial model that requires no out-of-pocket expense and no additional staff. Just give us a call today at (866) 874-9222 or visit www.ver-sys.com.� About Vertical Systems Inc. Vertical Systems, Inc. (VSi) is the worldwide leader in providing guest services technology and solutions to the hospitality industry. Its products, which are aimed at serving the growing needs of business travelers and mobile users, include automated business centers, Wi-Fi hotspots, kiosks and in-room technology. VSi's products are sold through channel partners that include major hotel chains, broadband and wireless service providers, audio-visual service providers and large system integrators. For more information, please visit our website at www.ver-sys.com . VSi contact: [email protected] . VSi is a privately held corporation based in Sunnyvale, California, in the heart of Silicon Valley. The company's revolutionary software and system architecture uses FreshStart� (proprietary technology developed at VSi) to create computers ideal for multiple users and remote situations. VSi solutions are backed up by 24/7 tech support. |
Barb Worcester
Shaukat Anjarwala
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