Ahead of IHTF 2023, we speak to the presenters, panelists and sponsors to get the insight on the content that will be shared and the key trends hot on hospitality lips. In this episode we speak to Dhiraj Singh from Canary Technologies and discuss how security is embedded within the guest journey but the challenges hoteliers face in realising the benefits.
Listen to the podcast here.
Programme Notes
Ryan Haynes:
Welcome to the Pre-Conversations for IHTF 2023. This is the 25th anniversary that the spend has been running and we’ve already had as part of this podcast series, conversations with Accor Real Hotels Groups and Best Western. We’ve also covered topics like what to consider when buying hotel technology tech for the guest experience and digital check-in. Remember, you can subscribe through any of the Key Bob podcast channels or to our LinkedIn group Travel Market Life. Thanks for listening.
Ryan Haynes:
Joining me now is DJ Singh, VP of Sales and Canary Technologies. DJ, thanks ever so much for joining me today. Now, Canary Technologies, it’s not the first time that your organization has attended the IHTF. You’re going to be there yourself this year. What’s going to take you to Vienna? Why do you see it so valuable for the organization?
Dhiraj Singh:
Yeah, thank you, Ryan. Very happy to be here. It is my first time, but not the organization’s first time, but I’m very excited to go to Vienna and you know, for us, it is a fantastic opportunity. It’s really a perfect opportunity, a perfect event for us to visit existing customers, to see new potential prospects. Also, you know, other technology vendors, other folks that are really advancing technology for hotels in the space to just network, exchange ideas and see if there’s, you know, some, some growing interest in what we’re providing for the market. And so very excited to just be able to talk to the broad audience there.
Ryan Haynes:
Talking about some of the key issues and concerns for hoteliers itself been a huge development in digitalization, particularly the guest experience. Where are your customers currently really looking for those solutions and what problems are they trying to address?
Dhiraj Singh:
Yeah, so there are a number of common themes that we’re seeing globally. You know, the same value props that we find valuable no matter where we are in the world. And so, you know, a couple of those are just continuing to advance cybersecurity and fraud prevention. And so, this is really the heritage of the Canary. We come from payments infrastructure, PCI compliance and fraud prevention. And so we’ll continue to address that as those problems evolve across the world through our digital authorization solutions, through our secure payment solutions. And so that’s, that’s a big piece. The other big theme is just continuing to operationalize efficiencies for hotels through some key workflows.
Dhiraj Singh:
And, you know, where we really focus are around things like check-in and check-out guest management and helping to provide hotels with solutions that allow them to do more with less. And then, you know, solutions that really plug into existing systems. You know, one of the issues that we hear all the time is, yeah, there’s a lot of solutions out there, but can they seamlessly connect into all of the tech stacks that we have today? And with the, you know, technology stacks so fragmented across the world and especially in in Europe across property management systems, payment gateways, having systems that can come in that are innovative but also just plug in seamlessly to what they have currently.
Dhiraj Singh:
That’s a big, big challenge for technology vendors. And so something that we focus on very closely is not only providing a solution but making sure that it melds well with the existing technology is just as important. And so something that we want to help address for hoteliers, but also come and just learn more about their experiences so that that helps us kind of evolve our product roadmap as well.
Ryan Haynes:
I mean, you know, so much talk about digitalization and guest experience. One of the key things, as you mentioned there for what you’re known for is cybersecurity. Do you feel that topic particularly has lost priority within the industry and that it still must need, particularly with the threats with so many digitalization transactions now?
Dhiraj Singh:
You know, it’s, it’s really just embedded in every part of you. Even the top trends today. Let’s take check-in for example. You know, check-in is more than getting a registration card from the guest and knowing when they’re arriving. It’s, it’s about the secure collection and validation of an ID right, that matches the reservation. It’s about the secure collection of payment method that we know is not fraudulent. And so, you know, the underlying plumbing that’s required to do complex workflows like check-in or checkout is vital. And making sure that that information is kept securely in a way that doesn’t, you know, threaten the guest data as well.
Dhiraj Singh:
And so, you know, I think these, these trends around operationalizing things like check-in, you know, there’s still, the, the essence is still included cybersecurity, secure collection of data, secure transfer of data that are still pervasive throughout. And so that’s a, you know it’s an important aspect of these, of these solutions.
Ryan Haynes:
Now, I mean, you, you’ve been operating for some time, you’ve expanded your product portfolio. What’s the value that you particularly provide your customers? I mean, you, you talked about this in seamless integration there as well and obviously, you’ve been renowned for the security side of things, but how and where do customers recognize the effectiveness that Canary Technologies provides as a partner?
Dhiraj Singh:
Yeah, absolutely. So, you know, big, big values that we try to drive throughout all of our products is one, of course, we’re just re-reducing fraud and chargebacks across the guest journey through, you know, really any source of payment, whether it’s through third parties, through folks checking in through corporate booking, sales and catering, really helping significantly reduce, if not eliminate fraud is a, is a big value prop that will continue to drive, you know, the others are just around, again, operational efficiency. So, addressing challenges around staffing shortages is big across the world. And so, finding operational efficiencies in these key workflows like check-in, guest communication, check out to help, you know, really leverage your staff to their full potential to make best use of their time and eliminate kind of the administrative work that’s often tied up in these processes.
Dhiraj Singh:
Automate as much data entry as possible and make sure that that’s done well. And that really goes back into really seamless integrations. The last piece here is, is just around the guest experience. The preferences of guests have changed dramatically, you know, over, over time, especially in the last few years. And so the ability to do whatever you need to do from the comfort of your own mobile device, whether that’s, again, around checking in, checking out, but if you want to enhance your stay, communicate with the hotel, being able to do so just from, you know, the palm in your hand, whether it’s through a cell phone or any device that you may have on hand, that’s, you know, become table stakes for a lot of guests and that’s their expectation now.
Dhiraj Singh:
And so being able to do that seamlessly for folks, I think that’s going to help both drive great guest experience and improve guest ratings and, you know, online ratings for hotels where it really matters.
Ryan Haynes:
Now you guys really invest in your technology, I think as has been seen with your 3 20 23 hotel tech award wins for contactless check-in cybersecurity and fraud prevention. W you’ve already talked and the best places to work in hotel tech and you had a big win last year by raising 30 million pounds within a series funding series B funding, sorry to accelerate these guest-facing technologies. What other developments are you to share with us today?
Dhiraj Singh:
Yeah, no, and I really appreciate that. We were very proud of the hotel tech report wins. The contactless check-in was a big win. There were I think over 60 vendors. And so we take a lot of pride in being able to provide technology that works well for folks. And I think that’s representative of creating a solution that works well across use cases globally. The other big launch for us in the last year was our digital tipping product. Digital tipping has been a really big launch as a new product for the company. It’s been very popular across markets and in Europe, specifically the luxury and upscale markets. We’ve seen great reception, just allowing guests to seamlessly be able to tip staff and be confident about where that tip is going, whether it’s to an individual, or to a department, and to do so just very easily from their phone without downloads of any sort to make it take seconds.
Dhiraj Singh:
And then for staff, it really ties into the staffing shortage. I think Skiff released a report saying the average tenure of a housekeeper today is 78 days. And the cost it takes to recruit a new staff member that often is insanely costly for hotels. And so, if we can extend that tenure for the staff by helping hotels provide that benefit and that perk for them and make it easy for guests, it’s really a win-win scenario. And so very excited about this product.
Ryan Haynes:
Excellent. Well, I look forward to learning much more about it at IHTF this year and meeting you in person as well, DJ. And thank you ever so much for joining us on this episode.
Dhiraj Singh:
Of course. Thanks, Ryan. Looking forward to it.
About Haynes MarComs
Haynes MarComs supports businesses with strategic brand marcomms and digital and PR campaigns by taking an holistic approach to sales, marketing and customer delivery. Our aim is to make your business more efficient and productive in your go-to-market strategy to secure the confidence from the market that drives lead generation to meet your commercial goals.
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