NEW YORK—Volara is now powering the voice module of Bittel’s modern, modular MODA smart device. By speaking simple commands, such as “Alexa, call the front desk” or “Hey Google, bring me more towels,” guests’ requests will be interpreted accurately and fulfilled quickly. Volara’s voice-based conversation management software and secure integrations hub will connect MODA by voice command to relevant property technologies, including IPTV systems, room controls solutions, energy-management systems, workorder-management systems, and SMS guest-based room engagement solutions.
“With digital personal assistants growing in popularity in hotels, Bittel anticipated early on that our guestroom devices should be enabled with voice controls, facilitating interactions by voice command with all the services of the hotel,” said Joe Zhang, Bittel president. “When we developed the MODA smart device—which features a stackable charging module, alarm/clock module, speakerphone module, bluetooth speaker module, casting module, and voice-recognition module—it was voice ready. The next step was to partner with a company that could provide voice-based conversation management software for the device and connect it with other property technologies. We also wanted to work with a partner who could protect guests’ privacy, ensuring that recordings of guests are never associated with their personally identifiable information and that hotel proprietary data is not released to the major natural language processing platforms and used for commercial activities. We found these protections and the industry’s most extensive integrations hub with Volara.
“Through Volara, we have secure integrations to more than 30 leading hotel technologies,” Zhang said. “This means guests can say things like ‘Hey Google, cool my room to 70 degrees’ or ‘Alexa, close the drapes’ and it will instantly happen. Future integration between Volara and the individual MODA modules will enable guests to do even more.”
“Volara is thrilled to be working with Bittel to power its innovative MODA smart device,” said David Berger, Volara CEO. “Voice technology is changing the evolution of the guestroom phone and progressive companies like Bittel are adapting to a new normal by creating tools that meet the needs of today’s modern, mobile-dependent travelers. Millennials and GenXers will love the voice on command capability of MODA powered by Volara, and its wireless charging for all their personal devices and casting of those devices to the in-room TV, while baby boomers can comfortably use MODA’s high-performance speakerphone with its familiar digital display. It’s not just a good solution…it’s a better solution that is voice enabled, privacy compliant, integrated, and enterprise manageable. We hope everyone will visit Volara at HITEC Minneapolis in Booth 2408 and see MODA powered by Volara in action in Bittel Booth 2040.”
