by Apryl Lamberti | Sep 6, 2017 | Hospitality, Uncategorized
SIZE MATTERS.
The United States hotel market is made up of 4 million hotel rooms and the typical life span of guest room televisions ranges between 5-7 years according to recent studies.
Going back just a few years, the most popular size for guest room televisions in economy scale properties like Choice brands for example, typically required a 28 or 32-inch TV although some properties are moving towards a 40-inch in efforts to future-proof investments with trends leaning towards bigger panels.
Midscale brands such as Hilton for example, typically consider a 40-inch guest room TV acceptable however will often make a bigger investment for the next size up (43-inch) as larger screen sizes bare higher rack rates (room rates) and can boost incremental revenues; suites with living rooms or separate seating areas from sleeping rooms frequently specify larger sizes such as 48-inch or 50-inch to provide a more impactful experience for in-room entertainment and we even see trends to 55-inch becoming the most popular future-proof size in this segment.
When it comes to some upscale or luxury chain scales, including some Hyatt brands for example, there are requirements that stretch to a 60-inch and even a 65-inch set- some with mandates for smart features such as those offered by Samsung. Who knew those big and bulky armoires would eventually be sawed in half and re-purposed as dressers to make (visual) room for a slim and sleek flat panel television with built-in swivel capabilities- that we now consider essential for that modern, high-tech, designer look?
Similar implementation can be seen in other luxury brands like JW Marriott, Westin, Ritz Carlton and others, with the combination of larger screen sizes and high-designer appeal of a wall-mounted installation like with the HPF-650 specifically made for hospitality by Peerless-AV, the most widely deployed mount hands-down in the industry.
We will keep tabs on the trends and keep you posted of any new ones we see. We’re in a prime time in the industry with so many of the first generation flat panels now due for replacement. Be sure to check property websites as you’re working with them on any other opportunities so you can easily spot feature listings that may show guest room pictures with outdated models prime for upgrades!
by Apryl Lamberti | Mar 8, 2017 | Education, Events, Hospitality, Uncategorized
Almo Hospitality will unveil the latest technology trends and teach valuable skills to help resellers grow their business in 2017. Hospitality Conference at E4 (March 21st) includes a full-day of hospitality-dedicated agenda with opening presentation by Samsung’s dynamic Vice President of Hospitality TV, Jonas Tanenbaum with Hospitality Industry Update & Trends Driving Integration.
THE FOLLOWING SESSIONS ROUND OUT THE AGENDA:
- · Driving Revenues & Customer Loyalty with Hospitality Installations (Steven’s Digital)
- · Catering to Hotel Guests & Drive Revenues with Samsung REACH
- · ALMO Connect: The Ultimate Shopping Service for Free-to-Guest TV, Bandwidth & Voice (Comcast Business Solutions)
- · RoomCast: How Today’s Guests Watch TV (TeleAdapt)
- · The Significance of Brand Standards in the Hotel Industry (Peerless-AV)
- · Charged Up! Drive Revenues & Guest Satisfaction Ratings with the Latest in Hospitality Charging Trends (Kube Systems)
- · BrightSign Digital Signage Experience LIVE Workshop
- · Navigating the World of FF&E with Hospitality Furniture & Furnishings (Ramler International)
The Hospitality Conference at E4 wraps with an energetic and interactive discussion led by the authentic Kiwi, Almo’s own Stephen McKay, Senior Vice President- Special Markets.
This action-packed day concludes with a fun yet relaxed customer appreciation and networking dinner at a local Oak Brook area gem hosted by Almo Hospitality along with Samsung and other manufacturer partners where customers will have the opportunity to mix and mingle with our hospitality team and get to know our family of customers and vendors over a memorable dining experience!
Hospitality Conference at E4 attendees will automatically be registered for a full-access pass to the Almo E4 Tour & Expo the following day (March 22nd) where they will see the very latest technology and tech-trends from 35+ leading vendors in the Pro AV space including: Pro AV, Digital Signage, Audio, Electronics & Charging Solutions, Appliances & Furniture and Furnishings- PLUS a special Almo Hospitality Exhibit featuring some of our most in-demand product offerings for hotel properties, including solutions from: Samsung, Peerless-AV, Harman/AMX, Kube Systems, TeleAdapt, Danby, Hanover & Ramler International; even our hospitality-dedicated installation partner, Steven’s Digital and free-to-guest provider, Comcast will be there to talk shop!
Space for the Hospitality Conference at E4 is limited so register today to confirm your spot!
Resellers are welcome to invite their customers to join them for the E4 Expo (March 22) as a resource to help end users see the latest technology and talk with on-site experts so resellers can help them with full implementation; E4 Expo Registration. Both events are free to attendees and resellers; free breakfast and lunch is also provided (as well as dinner for registered conference attendees). We look forward to learning your “lightbulb moment!”.
Please contact Apryl G. Lamberti, Director Business Development Hospitality with Almo Professional A/V with any questions or for more information.
by Apryl Lamberti | Jun 16, 2016 | Digital Signage
Gone are the days of just one flavor of outdoor displays… Samsung has totally revamped its outdoor lineup to include a wide variety of sizes ranging from 24” up to 75” and with an impressive range of brightness levels from 200 nits* to 3,000 nits to meet practically any outdoor application you may be up against.
The first thing you want to learn more about when a client comes to you with an outdoor application is anything and everything you can find out about the location where the unit(s) are planned and what the client is trying to accomplish by implementing outdoor digital signage.
Here are 5 questions that are a great starting point to getting outdoor digital signage right the first time: 
- WHO is the audience?
Patrons, employees, students, children (theme park), etc.?
- WHAT is the application and purpose of the display/digital signage? What size did you have in mind and what kind of content will be displayed?
Theme park/corporate or college campus, etc.?
Will it be used to draw attention to an attraction, communicate helpful information to reduce wait times/perceived customer satisfaction, advertise promotions/events to drive sales, etc.?
Will content be full motion video, still images, slide-show like content, GIF, TIF formats, etc.?
- WHERE will the unit(s) specifically be located within the facility/property/campus/park, etc.?
Will it be positioned under an overhang, or directly out in the elements (rain, snow, direct sunlight, high/low outdoor temperatures)? Will the display be within reach of audience/viewers at ground level or mounted higher and totally out of reach?
- WHEN will the unit be used?
What hours/schedule will the display need to run each day; Will 24/7 be required?
- HOW does the client plan to update content?
Will a network (Cat5) cable be available at the installation location? Would they like to update content via USB thumb drive, network or over Wi-Fi, etc.?
Believe it or not, if you take the time to ask the right questions early on, you’ll be leaps and bounds ahead of most of your competitors and at the end of the day, your client will appreciate you taking the time to understand their goals for implementing digital signage and their viewpoint will change from thinking you’re just a vendor who’s quoting some outdoor units to what the great firms strive to become, a valued partner fully engaged with their clients.
Stay tuned for The Great Outdoors (Part II) where we’ll dive into some of the new unique features Samsung has engineered as part of their expanded outdoor digital signage lineup and how Samsung can help solve digital signage problems common to outdoor applications. Give us a call with your application questions today!
by Apryl Lamberti | May 23, 2016 | Digital Signage, Education, Events, Uncategorized
Since moving to Pensacola in 2014 after living in major markets like New York and Atlanta for so many years, flying out of a smaller airport isn’t so bad—with no security lines I can breeze into the airport, grab my regular parking spot right near the elevator in the garage right across from the terminal… and “Who’s bedda than me?” as they say in New York.
Visiting Vegas this time for the NAB Show, (National Association of Broadcasters), it’s the perfect event to showcase Samsung’s new broadcast video wall display solution, the UD55E-S. Looking forward to hearing feedback from dozens of major TV networks and their engineering teams over the next two days, as I deplane I’m immediately greeted by a number of Samsung displays 
before we even leave the gate area and I’m vividly reminded how rich this destination is for digital signage as it pounces on visitors at every turn. Countless displays clamor for your attention- larger than life images and dazzling graphics promoting the latest acts and long-standing shows on the strip not to mention tantalizing jackpot tickers and even slot machines right in the terminal. Checking into my hotel, Samsung video wall displays (UD Series) serve as a sleek, gorgeous digital canvas behind the minimalist and modern check-in desk to create the chic, hipster experience at SLS Las Vegas. Samsung displays, tablets and other technology are hard at work supporting the property’s mission for world class hospitality. From the lobby and restaurants, concierge lounge right down to Smart TVs in every guest room, (we’ll save that for another blog).
Samsung’s UD55E-S displays are calibrated specifically for use by broadcast studios. Factory-calibrated to a low 2,800˚-6,500˚ K color temperature, UD55E-S monitors are in sync with nearly all broadcast cameras and lighting, giving you the confidence of knowing the image on your studio’s videowall is precisely what your audience at home will see. UD55E-S displays also maintain a sharp image and accurate color when viewed off-axis, and the ultra-narrow bezel-to-bezel width of just 3.5mm (about 1/8″) delivers a near-seamless videowall, with maximum impact, clarity and accuracy. In the below images taken at ISE by our VP Marketing, Melody Craigmyle in March, you can see the difference in the images through the eyes of a viewer at home watching a broadcast with a traditional video wall display (right) and UD55E-S broadcast video wall display (left). Notice how crisp and vivid the content appears on the broadcast videowall unit compared to what the majority of studios are using today.
For a limited time, we are offering special pricing on IN-STOCK UD55E-S broadcast videowall units, while supplies last. We can help you save money on the product AND reduce installation labor by more than half of typical requirements for traditional videowall panels with Samsung’s extensive factory color calibration and advanced color expert software (included free) and with every UD55E-S. Give me a call or email me today with details about your ON-CAMERA videowall application or studio set client who is ready for an upgrade and I’ll help you confirm if this solution is right for your specific project.
So whether you call it “Sin City” or “The Entertainment Capital of the World,” Vegas is totally a Samsung town!
Here’s a picture of Almo’s Business Development Manager, Apryl Lamberti and Nancy Onffroy, Samsung’s Channel Manager at NAB on the show floor.
