Date published: 01.09.08 - not release date

NOVOTEL CONFERENCE DELEGATES AND VISITORS BENEFIT FROM ALTERNATIVE HSIA FROM RIEO COMMUNICATIONS

Hotel Boasts 50% Year On Year Increase On Comms Revenue Since Installation

NOVOTEL London West’s decision to replace its BT Openzone two years ago was taken as visitors were limited by bandwidth which, for conference groups, is ever increasing as presentations use more and more new media, and also for travelling business people that need access to corporate applications. Coupled with security fears and the complexities of some organisations’ firewalls, a wireless network, alone, was just not delivering visitors connectivity expectations.

Steve Erskine, IT Manager, NOVOTEL London West, researched the market to ensure the next Internet service they purchased would have a longer lifespan and deliver broader reaching benefits to the business.

Traditional High Speed Internet Access (HSIA) providers deliver networking equipment on a low / free basis and share revenues with hotel properties/chains. In all cases the vendor taking the larger proportion of the revenue generated.

Attractive proposition? Not for the conference specialists’ favourite venue. NOVOTEL, who host major events for the likes of IBM, BBC and BP, opted for a more flexible, usable and rewarding installation from RIEO Communications.
RIEO, from the outset, decided not to work on a revenue share model but on a more traditional commercial model where the hotel purchase or lease the equipment, software and services .. The hotel retain all the revenue generated and have complete control over the pricing strategy.
“The system, which we installed two years ago, has not only delivered the bandwidth and security visitors and conference groups require, but also enables NOVOTEL to be flexible with it’s pricing structure, which gives us a competitive edge on conference packages,” said [Steve] Erskine. “We are about to install RIEO’s WiFi solution to meet the expectations of increasing US visitors and we can still keep our other users happy with a physical cable connection.”

“RIEO’s alternative model is proving popular with properties and chains that are looking for more advanced functionality, with the biggest growth coming from those who are coming to the end of their rigid, revenue share commitments,” says Mark Teasdale, MD, RIEO Communications. “Our technology currently serves over 12,000 rooms across Europe and is favoured by specialist and large scale conference venues like NOVOTEL London West.”

About RIEO Communications

RIEO is a privately held company that delivers a unique High Speed Internet Access (HSIA) proposition specifically for the European hotel and leisure industry. The service is designed for the market and is a multi lingual application that rewards the property/chain with 100% of the revenue opportunity. This gives the property complete control over the commercial offering and offers the opportunity of an excellent ROI.

RIEO has developed one of the most comprehensive high speed Internet access products on the market and includes a "Bi-directional" interfaces to various Property Management Systems, which offers future-proof features and functionality. The standard product includes; automated billing, Check in and Check out, room moves, languages, personalised greetings and port management. The interface is delivered either by a serial or TCP/IP connection with all major Property Management Systems (PMS) suppliers

RIEO also provides a manned 24 hour support ‘hotline’ available to guests and hotel staff to answer any queries.

RIEO sells its offering through direct sales and strategic relationships across Europe.

For more info, please visit www.rieo.com or contact:

Monique Chambers
Compass Rose
Land0207 871 2781
Mobile 07788 751 722
Skype: monique_chambers
Email monique_chambers@compassrose.co.uk