Out of the Blue

The hospitality industry is one of the world’s longest established industries, and also one of the most ever-changing. The need to be cutting edge – but also comforting and consistent – proves to be a constant challenge. As a General Manager, the friction between managing your hotel on a daily basis and staying on top of […]

Hotel management is the essential backbone behind overseeing the general operations of a hotel business. In many cases, these duties are distributed across a management team comprised of a general manager and other senior-level professionals. However, in other cases, the strategic operations of a hotel are handled by a third-party management company. What’s a Hotel […]

Both customer and employee job satisfaction are priority matters of concern for any organization in hospitality. In a fast-paced, high-stress environment where employee turnover reaches some of the highest rates, retaining quality team members for the long term is an uphill battle. In hospitality, satisfied employees are more likely to provide exceptional guest service. They […]

Free WiFi connectivity is commonplace for hotels, coffee shops, and airports. But just in the last several years has WiFi become an integrated feature for apartment complexes, condominiums, and other multiple-dwelling units, or MDUs. In most housing complexes and MDUs, tenants are responsible for acquiring their own Internet service. However, this general approach comes with […]

Security is a top priority for both private and public networks. It’s a foundation for trust among guests, vendors, and employees. Network Access Control is a security solution that functions to ensure that whoever has access to the network has the proper authorization. In simple terms, Network Access Control controls who has access to what […]

Hospitality professionals are a special breed. Sociability, amiability, and a perpetual drive to deliver guests a great experience are second nature to them. They are the face of a hospitality business and often remain in constant contact with customers. These professionals are the go-to people when guests’ needs must be fulfilled or when things go […]

With the rise of competition and guest expectations in hospitality, the importance of delivering an exceptional guest experience is a top priority for occupancy and profitability. A positive guest experience is what keeps guests coming back to your hotel stay after stay. So if you want to go above and beyond for your guests, consider […]

Wireless networks, which provide WiFi signals or hotspots, have become the most popular means of Internet connectivity for homes and businesses. Today, most mobile devices now come with a wireless network associated with the device’s carrier. Cafes, restaurants, hotels, and airports are just a few examples where you can expect to find public WiFi. Despite […]

Tourism and hospitality conferences come in many forms. Not only are there events for niche areas of hospitality, such as finance or technology, but there are also conferences tailored for specific industry professionals, such as executives and leaders.  With the last couple of years shaken up from pandemic-induced cancellations and postponed events, the outlook for […]

Anyone who’s spent time working in hospitality over the last several years knows that the role of technology in hotels has drastically expanded. Hotel technology trends continue to drive efficiency on many fronts as well as provide better service for guests. From streamlined check-in and service automation to enhance connectivity and smart technology integration, many […]

WiFi for senior living and long-term care facilities provides more than just enhanced Internet connectivity for residents. WiFi can significantly improve the delivery of care and maximize operational efficiencies among care providers and staff. Senior living facility WiFi establishes a valuable connection that benefits many parties, thereby allowing: Residents to connect to their loved ones […]

From the front desk to concierge, most hospitality jobs are generalized as entry-level positions with room for growth and advancement. So how do you go about climbing the ladder and securing yourself a career in hotel management and leadership? Hotel management jobs encompass a diverse range of opportunities for professionals interested in tourism, guest relations, […]

Hoteliers are always looking for ways to innovate, keep guests satisfied, and drive more bookings. Strategically sound hotel operations don’t only maximize efficiency internally but can also help improve the guest experience and market it in creative ways. There are various measures hotels can take to optimize their operations to reduce costs and maximize guest […]

Simply put, change can be both daunting and difficult. Most people prefer to maintain their existing habits and comfort zones versus venturing into unknown territory. Organizational change comes with a unique share of challenges. Opting to change one’s personal life is very different from embracing top-down change in the workplace. Resistance to organizational change occurs […]

Wireless networks play an essential role in most hotels. Any downtime or interruption in connection can severely disrupt both the guest experience and critical business operations. This is why maintaining the optimal performance of a hotel’s WiFi networks should be a top priority. Aiding this effort are several key performance indicators (KPIs) that measure the […]

The options for hospitality certifications are vast with opportunities, ranging from online courses and exams to in-person training and internships. Not only can professionals earn industry-specific skills and experience, but many hospitality certification programs are hyper-focused on specific areas of business, such as revenue management, administration, analytics, destination management, and marketing. To highlight some of […]

Blueprint RF will provide the nation’s largest equestrian complex with property-wide WiFi solutions ATLANTA and OCALA, FL., May 19, 2021 – Blueprint RF, a Cox Business company, today announced it will become a connectivity provider for the World Equestrian Center, the nation’s largest equestrian complex located in Ocala, Florida. Blueprint RF will power WiFi network […]

Resilience development is a powerful strategy that enables professionals to tackle stress better, address workplace conflicts, and embrace challenges while on the job. Because professionals place work as the number one stressor in their lives, cultivating resilience is essential to overcome stress and burnout. In competitive industries like hospitality, work stress can intensify. In a […]

It’s inevitable that any hospitality business will eventually encounter some type of conflict. Research indicates that an overwhelming 85% of workers experience some degree of workplace conflict. That same report found that on average, each employee spends 2.1 hours every week (or approximately one day a month) dealing with conflict in some manner. Time is […]

Property-wide wireless Internet in multiple-dwelling unit (MDU) complexes has become a standard expectation. Managed WiFi for MDUs has become increasingly in-demand as today’s property owners and managers compete to provide the most appealing and up-to-date amenities for their communities. Whether it’s an apartment complex, assisted living facility, or college dorm, there are unique challenges when […]

In order to design a high-performing WiFi network that delivers optimal coverage across the entire premise, the strategic placement of wireless access points is fundamentally critical. Access points, which are positioned throughout a property and connect to a wired network, allow devices to connect to that network via a wireless signal. They are the foundation […]

Starting your own hotel extends well beyond offering a place for people to sleep. Successful hotel businesses center on providing an exceptional experience that exceeds guests’ expectations, whether they’re vacationing tourists or business travelers. Like any hospitality business, entrepreneurs must exercise a sense of empathy and know their target customers’ needs. The type of guests […]

Not only is it critical to stay on top of the latest technology trends in hospitality, but given the highly competitive nature of the industry, hotel entrepreneurs and managers need to evolve alongside these trends. Between augmented and virtual reality, AI-driven automation, and IoT integrations that streamline the guest experience, the technology trends and cutting-edge […]

The Hospitality industry is infamous for staffing and employee retention issues. Job burnout and dissatisfaction are frequent challenges for hospitality managers and leaders. With this in mind, it’s crucial for hotel managers and hospitality HR departments to invest in their employees well beyond just a paycheck. Below we share five employee incentive ideas that motivate […]

As anyone in Hospitality will confirm, hotel General Managers (GMs) have their work cut out for them. According to Indeed, hotel managers typically need at least five years of on-the-job hospitality experience working in varying departments, and that’s on the early end of the career spectrum. The long and bumpy road of growing one’s career […]

For the several last decades, the idea of being productive has centered on working hard, working smart, and putting in the hours. But these productivity measures are arbitrary societal constructs that fail to acknowledge the key habits and routines that ultimately shape our lifestyle as a whole. In today’s modern mindset of working smarter and […]

As more and more seniors adopt smartphones, tablets, and Internet-enabled technologies, residences like assisted living facilities and senior care centers must keep pace with adequate WiFi solutions to remain competitive. In the world of multiple dwelling units, or MDU’s, assisted living WiFi is crucial for residents and guests. Unlike college campuses and other residential living […]

Many factors can shape an entrepreneur’s success as they launch, operate, and scale their hospitality business. These factors often include the timing of their business launch, the amount of capital they can obtain, the market’s competitive nature, their supply chain’s dependability, and the current economic climate. In addition to these external factors, successful entrepreneurs have […]

The Hospitality industry is notorious for high rates of employee burnout. With most job roles being highly labor-intensive and emotionally consuming due to intense interpersonal relationships, Hospitality employees encounter higher burnout rates than most other industries. Mayo Clinic describes burnout as a state of physical or emotional exhaustion that also involves a sense of reduced […]

Maintaining a secure and effective internet network is a rather difficult job if you lack the know-how. Most businesses understand this is something they cannot often handle themselves. To ensure their WiFi is up and running, most organizations decide to go with a managed internet service. Investing in managed internet should guarantee high-performance internet connectivity […]

Great leaders are people whom one would never expect to lead. They come from all walks of life and usually never end up following the predetermined path to leadership. Now, some people are born leaders, but more often than not, leaders are people who wish to see change and use that fire inside of themselves […]

Unlike retail shops and restaurants, running a successful hotel business requires a unique set of entrepreneurial and leadership skills. Having a convenient location, great amenities, and a solid business plan is one thing. But how you go about organizing your team and delivering impeccable guest experiences is another. With more than 74,000 hospitality providers in […]

Picture this: You are on a business trip, pacing back and forth across your hotel room floor while you take a very important business call. The person on the other end of the line is just about to give you a piece of crucial information when all of a sudden… they cut off mid-sentence. You […]

While your personal identity sets you apart from every other individual on the planet, a brand identity can be the special factor that helps a business distinguish itself from other businesses. Much like an attitude, the ways in which you spend your time, or how you treat other people, a successful company must collect certain […]

Julia Sugarbaker said it best, “Hospitality is simply an opportunity to show love and care.”  There is no other industry in the world where people get to care for people the way that they do in the hospitality industry. Whether you are waiting tables at a diner, mixing drinks at a local watering hole, checking […]

If you aren’t a tech guru or even someone who hasn’t spent time on the phone with a WiFi provider setting-up WiFi in your home, then the acronym ‘IoT’ is probably just a jumble of random letters to your brain. IoT stands for the “internet of things”. To put it plainly, IoT is a system […]

To quote the award-winning author and speech-coach, Patricia Fripp, “It’s not your customer’s job to remember you, it is your obligation and responsibility to make sure they don’t have the chance to forget you.” Operating a successful hotel can be made or broken by hotel management. Like all in a management position, a hotel manager […]

Online reputation management is a cornerstone of any successful business- be it hospitality, technology, or retail. Reputation management involves utilizing platforms (i.e. Google, Facebook, and Yelp) to monitor customer reviews. Reading reviews gives businesses insight into what is working for their consumers and what is not. A recent TripAdvisor study showed that 83% of those […]

Keeping your visitors and hospitality staff connected is essential. Nevertheless, the sheer number of guest devices and streaming activities makes it difficult for wireless networks to keep up. A guest WiFi as a Service platform puts the control in your hands while eliminating the headache of managing your hotel internet. Learn how high-speed WiFi solutions […]

DG2 is redefining managed WiFi with enhanced capabilities and comprehensive modern architecture. ATLANTA, Oct. 27, 2020 – Blueprint RF, a Cox Business company, today announced the launch of its new all-in-one managed WiFi platform – DG2. Built with the needs of modern hotels and other businesses in mind, this out-of-the-box solution integrates network appliances into […]

Sales veteran Kathy Hatala brings a long history of increasing revenue, delivering results ATLANTA. – Sept. 17, 2020 – Blueprint RF, a Cox Business company, announced the appointment of Kathy Hatala as its new director of sales. In this role, she will lead Blueprint RF’s sales efforts with a renewed focus on developing and nurturing […]

Can your guests safely use their banking app on your wireless network? What happens if an unsuspecting traveler downloads malware? With cybercrime rising, a recent survey shows that 85% of hoteliers believe it’s very important “for guests to know that the hotel WiFi service they’re using is secure and able to safeguard their privacy.” However, […]

New hospitality technologies support efficient operations and stellar guest experiences. Yet, adding IoT solutions or hosting large conferences may strain your existing system. Your tech amenities won’t deliver a high return on investment without a stable and secure wireless network. Therein lies another challenge.  Overseeing your WiFi system is a full-time job. It requires time and financial […]

Co-Founder and industry pioneer Ron Peterson to retire effective July 1, 2020   ATLANTA. – June 30, 2020 – Blueprint RF, a Cox Business company, announced today two new executive appointments as the company pursues continued growth and celebrates the retirement of its CEO and founder, Ron Peterson. Jady West, an industry veteran with Cox […]

Choosing the best internet for hotels is no easy task. Along with assessing your WiFi installation cost, you need a strategy to ensure a return on your investment. However, estimating a price tag for your wireless amenities is challenging, as each building needs a custom solution. Although your final hotel WiFi cost may vary, the […]

Does your hotel guest WiFi network delight business and leisure clients? A stable and fast connection using the latest security protocols gives an excellent first impression of your brand. Your guests don’t have to question your internet capability because it works well as soon as they step foot on your property. But, legacy systems weren’t […]

As private users embrace the internet of things (IoT), hotels look for connected solutions to add extra value. Your hotel guests want every comfort of home, including voice-activated services. Hoteliers need more ways to reduce expenses while improving customer experience. Smart technology, like IoT solutions, delivers both. According to CSGI, “94% of organizations that have […]

Is it time to update your hotel WiFi network design? Boosting your internet speed or server capacity helps deliver fast WiFi to guests. But, using a system designed for offices as opposed to a custom hotel WiFi solution creates issues. It may limit your conference presenters from live streaming during the event. Or you find […]

The world around us has changed rapidly in recent months, and nowhere is that more true than in the Hospitality and travel industry. And while the next few months are unclear, our commitment to this community is unwavering. To address the quickly-changing landscape, we have reached out to some of our industry partners to learn […]

Are your guests concerned about hotel WiFi security and privacy? Travelers want convenience. But, it’s expensive and time-consuming to monitor data breaches or, worse, fraudulent activity. As more consumers use data tracking tools, their awareness about cybersecurity grows. Secure websites using HTTPS soothes some worries. Yet, customers also want to know their data is safe […]

ATLANTA – Feb. 12, 2020 – Blueprint RF, a Cox Communications Company, was recently awarded first place in Overall Partner Performance, Americas Region, in the inaugural Property Internet Award of Excellence from Marriott International. Acquired by Cox in August 2017, Blueprint RF is a leading managed network solutions provider serving major hotel brands and properties […]

Will you adjust your hotel’s High Speed Internet Access (HSIA) pricing structure this year? As hoteliers prioritize technology investments while reducing costs in other areas, the question of free or fee-based Wifi often comes up. The answer plays a substantial role in overall guest experience and, ultimately, your hotel’s revenue. As the recent Hospitality Technology […]

So much about management, marketing, and entrepreneurship centers around knowing your competitors and your client base. While understanding the layout of the field and the key players involved is crucial in reaching your goals, your attitude, outlook, and the daily practices you employ can easily undermine you. To help you keep ahead of the game, […]

In the hospitality industry, customer experience is king. What does it take to succeed, grow as a professional, and lead better in a business that is chaotic and ever-changing? Here’s what 15 hospitality leaders, past and present, had to say. Gray Shealy, AVP of Architectural Design and Innovation, Royal Caribbean Cruises “Respect for others will […]

Looking for help upgrading or installing your hotel WiFi? You’re not alone. According to a 2019 Lodging Technology Study by Hospitality Tech magazine, hoteliers are increasing their IT budgets in 2019 to invest in equipment and system upgrades. One of the core areas of investment is hotel WiFi hardware and software systems to manage the […]

You’ve heard it already: to get ahead in business, you need to work smarter, not harder. It’s a nugget of wisdom that applies to any area of life, but it’s become such a cliche that the idea behind the saying needs revisiting. At the end of the day, working hard isn’t what delivers your results. […]

MINNEAPOLIS and ATLANTA – June 12, 2019 – Blueprint RF, a Cox Business company, will be showcasing their latest technology and upgrades to their network intelligence platform at booth #2926 at the Hospitality Industry Technology Exposition and Conference. Blueprint RF delivers a comprehensive suite of network controls through its comprehensive cloud-based data-warehouse and adapted toolkit. […]

ATLANTA – June 3, 2019 – Blueprint RF, a Cox Business company, welcomes both David Elrod and Sunshine K. Hodges to the sales team. Blueprint RF, a division of Cox Business, is a leading provider of technology solutions to hospitality clients. Built from the ground up by a team of highly qualified industry leaders and […]

Viral blog post “13 Things Mentally Strong People Don’t Do” became a cultural phenomenon that inspired two books. Written by a social worker after the death of her husband, the list shows ways most people unconsciously make life more challenging with bad mental habits, fears, and subliminal thought patterns. We thought we’d flip the script with […]

What’s the difference between hearing and listening? While it might seem like they’re two sides of the same coin, there’s actually a huge gap between them. The classic research on the subject, Edgar Dales’ Cone of Experience, suggests that we only remember between 25 and 50 percent of what we hear. In an hour-long meeting, […]

Your hotel’s WiFi network is a crucial part of your guests’ experience. The hotel marketing experts at Revinate dug through over 53 million hotel reviews on sites like Yelp! and proprietary customer data from the hospitality industry. What they found was astonishing: internet-related reviews have a much lower overall score than those that don’t mention […]

ATLANTA – April 2, 2018 – Guests of Augusta, Georgia’s exclusive, five-star Club Magnolia will once again enjoy high-speed wireless connectivity compliments of Blueprint RF, which is owned by Cox Communications, Inc., who also owns Cox Business. Blueprint RF will provide high-bandwidth connectivity for the VIP guests who visit the Club during Master’s week. “From our putting green […]

Today’s travelers demand top of the line technology packages from their lodging providers. Uptown Suites surpasses its guests’ expectations by providing amenities such as free super fast Wi-Fi, 43″ Smart HDTVs, rapid charge USB ports, an electric car charging station, and even cellular signal boosters in their latest Homestead, FL property.

Strategic acquisition expands Cox Business’ network solutions for hotels nationwide ATLANTA (Aug.9, 2017)– Cox Communications today announced that it has finalized its acquisition of Blueprint RF, a leading managed network solutions provider serving major hotel brands and hotel properties across the United States. The acquisition of Blueprint RF, based in Norcross, Ga., immediately expands Cox […]

Norcross, GA (November 9) – To meet the needs of today’s mobile, posting, streaming and gaming family travelers, Great Wolf Resorts has upgraded its system network from the guest room to the water park. Recently, Blueprint RF installed a top-of-the line, Cisco® Enterprise-Grade Network in 10 Great Wolf Lodge Resorts. Providing coverage across the expansive family destination resorts required […]

Norcross, Georgia & Raleigh, North Carolina – July 19, 2016 – Bulk TV and Internet (Bulk TV) has expanded its portfolio of offerings to include Blueprint RF‘s turn-key network systems, providing customers a secure, managed, and rules-based Internet connection. Blueprint RF services are approved by most major hotel brands and offer Bulk TV’s customers the same reliability as […]

Norcross, GA (June 20) – Blueprint RF announces the launch of a revolutionary and propriety Network Operations Center (NOC) technology platform designed to accelerate network issues response times and successful resolution, no matter how large or small the issue. Drawing from Blueprint RF’s broad data storage and analytics architecture, Help Desk agents now actively leverage […]

ATLANTA (June 15) – Blueprint RF (Hospitality Core Services, LLC), a next-generation hotel network systems provider, has entered into a settlement agreement with Nomadix, Inc. to resolve their patent litigation filed in the Central District Court of California. Under the terms of the settlement, Nomadix has agreed to dismiss all claims in the lawsuit, and […]

It’s Blueprint RF’s fifth consecutive year helping guests stay connected during the Masters Atlanta (March 10) – Augusta, Georgia’s exclusive five-star hospitality venue, Club Magnolia, has chosen Blueprint RF as their WiFi provider during The Masters golf tournament for the fifth consecutive year. Blueprint RF will provide connectivity for elite guests who are expected to […]