https://www.asianhospitality.com/digital/issue187/

Putting on the Tuxon

Bryan Tubaugh,  Executive Vice President,  with Focus Hospitality Management, managers of The Tuxon in Tucson, Arizona, said,  “Contactless Software has been deployed successfully at the hotel since it opened in July, 2020.”

The Tuxon, because it opened mid-pandemic, was designed with cleanliness and safety features built in, from an open-air design with exterior corri­dors that allow guests to park near their rooms to spread out seating in the lobby. A major aspect of that safely first approach also includes three major forms of contactless technology, said Bryan Tubaugh.

“First is obviously the mobile check in and the mobile key app, that’s been probably our biggest success.” Tubaugh said. “With an exterior corridor type property., especially during a time like this,  you don’t have to come in contact with any­one at any point, if that’s what you choose.”

There also are two new F & B options by Silverware, he said.

“We have a QR code set up at certain seats, which are six feet apart,” he said. “You can put your phone over, it shows you the menu, which is great because we actually get to control, for example, the time the breakfast shows up. Breakfast will show up at 6 a.m. to 10 a.m., and then the item disappears, so we don’t have somebody coming in at 11 trying to order breakfast. As the seasons change and we want to offer more food offerings, it makes sit very easy to pu on there.”

Bryan Tubaugh’s final example is the newest part of the software system.

“We have just incorporated the option to order food and beverage from your television. The hotel guest is now able to order online exactly what they want from the food options and we deliver it to the room.” he said, “It’s nice to come to the gate with the things because you get to really work out all the kinks before you open the doors.”

Those kinks are not necessarily a matter of defects in the software, Bryan Tubaugh said.

“I would say that’s the biggest one with the QR code piece was getting the menu set up properly, the timing of the transition of the menus,” he said. “When you are opening a hotel, during a pandemic like this, you open up with ideas and then you start to see how the hotel is operating, the occupancy is running, and you say wait, wait, we need to cut this out because of the costs, etc. So, I would say the biggest hiccups were our own, because we were coming up with what makes sense.”

Guests have been very receptive to the new technology, he said.

“People don’t realize how important is or how much of a benefit it is until they actually use it,” Bryan Tubaugh said.