Intelligent CIO Middle East Issue 17 | Page 74

INDUSTRY WATCH AN EXAMPLE OF SUCH AN APP IS ‘GOLD ON 27’, WHICH ENABLES GUESTS TO MAKE RESERVATIONS FOR THE BAR VIA THEIR SMART DEVICES. ARUBA APS DEPLOYED AT THE MAIN GATE ENTRANCE TO THE HOTEL PLAY A ROLE IN ENABLING THE IDENTIFICATION OF GUESTS WHO HAVE BOOKED THROUGH THE APP, PASS THIS INFORMATION ON TO THE SECURITY AND GREETING TEAMS AND THUS FACILITATE A VERY WARM AND PERSONALISED WELCOME devices give our colleagues up-to-the- minute data on room occupancy, guest requests and other vital information. This makes it possible for them to better co-ordinate their efforts and execute their functions more efficiently,” Neil explained. Neil maintains that equally important to the impressive technological features is the support of Aruba’s team. “Aruba’s technology and the commitment of their local team made deploying and managing the Wi-Fi infrastructure as smooth as running a hot knife through butter,” he said. 74 INTELLIGENTCIO “We are a 24×7 operation and any downtime has an immediate impact on our ability to serve our guests. Issues need to be monitored and managed proactively and need to be fixed on the fly and Aruba’s team, together with our highly-dedicated IT Team, has demonstrated that they are extremely committed to making this possible, day and night,” he added. Looking to the future, Neil is confident that together with Aruba, he and his team will continue to explore the complete potential of the WiFi infrastructure and Aruba’s Mobile First solution portfolio. “We will soon roll out location based guest services, powered by Aruba Beacons at Madinat Jumeirah. Once this has been successfully launched, we will expand mobile-based services at other hotels within the Group, including the Burj Al Arab,” he said. “Over the course of our eight-year relationship, we have come to see Aruba’s team as an extension of our own. Relationships are a big priority for us and we look forward to their ongoing support as we continue to leverage technology to create exhilarating experiences for our guests,” he concluded. www.intelligentcio.com