Monscierge Blog
Experience a better way to Connect
Author: Mandy Green
Digital Signage: Is Your Brand Showing?
Digital signage is on a sharp rise in the hospitality industry. Interactive touch screens are in, and those back-lit “you are here” maps are making an exit. So what are some key features to identify when implementing a signage upgrade?
Digital signage should first and foremost connect you to your guests, giving you the opportunity to enhance their experience through multiple channels:
Interactive wayfinding
Travel information such as flights, maps, and weather forecasts In-house promotions
Menus
Event information
Interaction with your brand
Social media integration
Secondly, ensure that the signage you are purchasing has a content management system (CMS) that allows you to customize the content, retaining brand consistency and reliability. Digital signage is an elegant, meaningful, and effective tool and your brand can be at the front and center if you manage the content in-house.
Social media integration is another way for your brand to shine through digital signage. Users are able to share photos of your property along with your branding on their own social pages, combining peer recommendations with instant brand messaging. In short, keep the needs of your guests at the top of your mind and stay true to your brand.
The Future of Travel
Imagine that you come across an industry report detailing what to expect in your field over the next decade – a glimpse of the future. Curiosity piqued, you read through and realize that they are describing your company word for word. Do you know what this means? You work for the future! That is how we felt when we read the “From Chaos to Collaboration” report from Amadeus (which can be read and downloaded by following the link), under the heading “Intelligent Recommendation.” (p.28)
“As technologies make it easier to tag and recommend all aspects of the travel experience, travelers will increasingly be influenced by their peers. However, internet search engines and expert advice will be equally important. The combination of the three will make the exploration of niche tastes or interests while traveling more accessible to a wider group of people.” (excerpt, “From Chaos to Collaboration” p. 28)
This is what our Recommendation Network™ is all about. We have spent the last 3 years researching the hospitality industry to understand how it is that hotel guests want to be interacted with in today’s digital age. It became apparent very quickly that what travelers are looking for are trusted sources of local information.
Monscierge has developed a platform which connects hotels to their guests and provides them with trusted, intelligent recommendations and travel information. Our Recommendation Cloud™ has been curated by industry professionals, many of which are the hotels themselves. Our technology allows hotels to connect and communicate with guests on their terms, how and when they want it. We give hotels the technological tools to stay in touch with guests and provide a consistent message across multiple customer touch points, including staff, web, mobile, in-room and at high traffic locations throughout the hotel. The result is an unrivaled guest experience and an invaluable tool set for any traveler.
It is thrilling to think that the innovation we are working so hard to provide will soon be an expected way of life. We are excited to be a part of the quickly changing landscape of the hospitality industry and look forward to helping our clients connect to guests, and assisting travelers on their journeys to amazing experiences.
Moving Forward
Our team had a great time at the 2012 International CES with Dell and Startup America. We can’t say enough about how much we appreciate the support Dell has shown us, and how awesome it has been working with them. It goes without saying that Dell is one of the most-loved success stories in the U.S., but getting to know the people behind the company has been a great experience for our crew at Monscierge.
Startup America was launched about a year ago at the White House to help young companies grow in five areas: expertise, services, talent, customers, and capital. One of the highlights of our CES trip was a Google+ hangout that included Startup America CEO, Scott Case, and Dell president, Consumer, Small and Medium Business, Steve Felice. 
“I think the effort by Dell and Startup America to promote up and coming businesses is to be commended. By promoting and supporting startups, each is helping create jobs in today’s tough economy. Other large corporations should take note and follow Dell’s lead. By giving innovative companies exposure at places such as CES, they are directly and positively impacting the engine behind the US economy, small to medium sized businesses (SMB). After meeting Dell’s entrepreneur in Residence (EIR), Ingrid Vanderveldt, I’m positive we will see more and more support for up and coming entrepreneurs from Dell.” (Monscierge CEO, Marcus Robinson) 
And we couldn’t send people to CES without getting all the details on what to watch for in the coming year. Our team seemed unanimously impressed with a group who have developed a 3-D smart-phone app that uses “augmented reality” to allow users to interact with with certain brands by overlaying content directly onto certain items in the real world. It’s free and loads of fun. You can check them out at www.blippar.com.
January Employee Spotlight:
Vice President of Customer Development, Amy Morgan
How long have you worked for the company? I started with Monscierge in November, 2010.
What is your job position and what are your responsibilities? I’m Vice President of …