H&C News meets with suppliers regularly to keep up to date with the latest product and service innovations, aiming to get the inside track on what companies offer to the market and how it is delivered.
Meet The Supplier AcenticThis week, we spoke to Richard Robinson, Chief Executive of Acentic to gain a better understanding of the business.
Acentic is a global leader in hospitality technology, operating in more than 40 countries and is at the forefront of hospitality HSIA and in room communication and entertainment.
Acentic has more than 30 years of industry experience and has successfully installed its technologies in more than 200,000 rooms in some of the world’s leading hotel chains, including Accor, Dorint, Intercontinental Hotel Group, Hilton, Hyatt, Maritim, Marriott, Mövenpick, Starwood and Wyndham Worldwide.
Richard Robinson is an expert in the hospitality technology industry with significant grounding in the hospitality market. Before joining Acentic in 2003, Richard was marketing and development director at Granada, one of Europe’s leading TV media businesses and former owner of hospitality business’s including Le Meridien and Travelodge.
1. Today Acentic is a global business, but where did it all begin?
We were formally Granada Business Technology (GBT) and Acentic established its roots as a leading hospitality technology provider, specialising in TV’s, networks and in room entertainment technology for hotels in the early 2000’s after GBT broke away from Granada Group. In 2011 Acentic bought REIO Communications, specialists in the development and installation of high speed internet access (HSIA) solutions who were already a partner having worked with us across a number of big projects.
2. How has the company’s products portfolio evolved?
Over time we have developed a complete portfolio of integrated technologies which combine guest entertainment with communication and HSIA technologies.
Our products include Panorama NG, Push & Play, AEON, AEON Hybrid and our high-speed internet solution, Radiant 4. Panorama NG is Acentic’s latest interactive guest communication and entertainment system and Push & Play allows guests to enjoy the content on their own tablets or smartphones, via the TV in their room. Guests can browse, select and view movies on the Panorama NG system, view and select from TV Channels available at the hotel (including by language) and finally, it allows the device to act as a remote control for the In room TV.
Acentic Media provides bespoke packages to enable brands to communicate with hotel guests at numerous touch points to ensure they are engaged. At the same time it provides Acentic’s hotel partners with a valuable additional hotel revenue stream and the opportunity for them to engage with their own guests.
3. Tell us more about Radiant 4, Acentic’s latest HSIA offering ?
Radiant 4, is a platform designed specifically for hospitality. It offers hoteliers ‘hands on’ management of their HSIA incorporating well over a decade of HSIA system software development, technology experience and service delivery. Radiant 4 is uniquely designed to deal with the ever growing connectivity issues posed by multiple device usage.
Software design best practice ensures that the installed network can be managed flexibly and monitored easily enabling hoteliers to monitor the usage and spot any overuse of available bandwidth throughout the property. It also offers flexibility of managing conferences and delivers significant incremental revenue opportunities.
4. What support is offered through your services for Radiant 4?
The service we offer to support Radiant 4 is key. Radiant 4 has a low cost of entry and we offer free comprehensive product training, account management and 24/7 multi-lingual, UK-based support as standard, alongside guaranteed system up time and response times to act on any queries.
Free software updates and upgrades during the lifetime of the contract are also included. Our exceptional track record and in-depth knowledge of industry and guest requirements has ensured that Radiant 4 delivers a great user experience.
5. Discuss the importance of “proactive monitoring” for HSIA?
Pro-active monitoring is vital and at Acentic we have invested heavily in our remote monitoring and support systems.
Our 24 hour monitoring service means that we can alert hoteliers to any issues with connectivity and bandwidth usage within a property. In the unlikely event something does happen we can notify them so they can get on top of a problem before a guest even notices.
Our mantra at Acentic is that the phones should not be ringing because our systems allow us to anticipate problems.
6. What makes for a successful HSIA collaboration between hotel operator and technology provider?
A successful collaboration has to be a ‘partnership’. Planning, understanding, implementing and setting the right goals for an installation have to be integral to this partnership to deliver seamless and faultless connectivity.
Furthermore, remember that a good solution is very often not the cheapest solution; but a good solution is the best route to happy clients in your hotel!
We have a saying… “The bitterness of low quality long outlasts the sweetness of a low price” It succinctly sums up why an investment in a quality HSIA infrastructure is so important.”
Working with the right partner, a partner like Acentic, will enable you to deliver an outstanding guest experience.
H & C News comment
We enjoyed meeting with Richard who clearly has a vast knowledge of the hospitality technology industry. As a leading hospitality provider, specialising in TV’s, networks and in room entertainment technology for hotels, Acentic provide the means for you to deliver an outstanding guest experience and we wish them continued success.
Haydn Bass, Commercial Support Manager
Acentic Ltd, The Limes, 12 Dunstable Street, Ampthill MK45 2GJ
01525 844 951
Visit our Website here
E-mail us radiant4@acentic.com
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