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our operational flexibility ,” Morrow said .
No matter : DirecTV remains a dominant force in media and entertainment . But Eichler understands that it isn ’ t immune to competition , especially with the continued disaggregation of video . “ It ’ s getting fiercer . The media landscape has completely changed ,” he said .
TODAY , TOMORROW DirecTV , for now , holds onto a singular position since most streaming providers are unique only to the residential market and not for commercial use . “ A business can ’ t buy that and show it in their establishment ,” Eichler said . Instead , DirecTV ’ s AEP allows hotels and guests to access the myriad apps that exist , while also accessing live TV and on-demand titles . For example , the platform contains the entire Showtime library .
The hotel industry is often razzed for its glacial embrace of new technology , an almost repudiation of the earlier years of color TV and air conditioning promises . As Eichler put it : “ One of the premier television experiences in the country was in a hotel and then by the 1990s it became one of the worst .” There was no interactive program guide and unless you traveled with a TV Guide , you were out of luck . It was channel up , channel down ; no clue what was going to come next . More than 30 years later , it ’ s progressed . “ Hoteliers and vendors have made strides in improving the experience ,” Eichler said .
Now , artificial intelligence
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could help redefine it once again . DirecTV , on both the residential and commercial side , has scores of engineers — Eichler calls them rocket scientists — that are dedicated to solving customer problems and testing new technologies . AI , he said , is changing everything . “ It can be the best thing ever ; it can also be a bit of a distraction .”
DirecTV is embracing AI , but Eichler believes it remains secondary to problem solving for guests and businesses first . “ We ’ re trying to use it strategically to fill a need ,” he said . “ You start with the problem statement and then you create an AI solution around it .” Like many companies , hotels included , a lot of AI isn ’ t yet directly embedded in the product but used to streamline operations and resolve frustrations , especially in call centers . “ We still get thousands of phone calls ,” Eichler said .
In the entertainment space , AI can help identify hardware or software issues . “ It can
The TV remains the focal point of a hotel guestroom . DirecTV ’ s AEP puts the profusion of entertainment in one place .
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detect that the TV isn ’ t working quite right . Is it an HDMI connection problem or a network ?” Eichler said . “ If you do it right , it can recommend corrective action before a guest calls the front desk .”
The hotel industry moves on the vendors it works with . All the technology and all the programming aren ’ t worth a lick without partnership . It ’ s at the center of Eichler ’ s ethos : “ You want to partner with someone you think is going to be there for you ,” he said , offering the COVID pandemic as an example . Hotels , restaurants , bars , which make up two-thirds
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The at once recognizable DirecTV satellite dish .
of DirecTV ’ s commercial business , were decimated , literally going dry . This is where true partnership showed its worth . DirecTV worked with its clients , foregoing what Eichler called “ a lot of revenue .” For more than a year , it allowed customers to suspend their service or adjust billing dependent on occupancy .
“ It ’ s as much about the kind of company you ’ re working with as it is the kind of services you offer ,” Eichler said . “ Our approach was one that cost us some money , but it created goodwill that ’ s yielded benefits to this day .”
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December 2024 hotelsmag . com 9 |