Microsoft and OYO have entered into a multi-year
strategic alliance that will see the two brands work together to create “next-gen
travel and hospitality products and technologies.”
In announcing the partnership, Microsoft also acknowledges
it has made a strategic equity investment in OYO. Although it does not specify the
amount, regulatory filings in India indicate it was $5 million, according to
sources.
As part of this agreement, OYO will develop smart room
solutions built on the Microsoft Azure cloud service, such as self-check in, IoT-managed
smart locks and virtual assistants, as well as artificial intelligence-based
products for pricing prediction, all targeted to operators of small and medium hotels and homes.
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The companies say the pandemic has accelerated the needs of operators for technologies that serve consumers' new preferences, such as the need for social distancing, local travel, flexibility and faster booking.
“This alliance with Microsoft
will accelerate the deployment of our products in the hands of small businesses
we work with, allowing us to create even more impact through an integrated
technology ecosystem available on the cloud for businesses in the remotest
corners of the world. For our guests, this alliance will mean more
personalization, better choices, differentiated experiences and an improved
guest experience in the future,” says Abhinav Sinha, global COO and chief
product officer for OYO Hotels & Homes.
OYO says it already offers more
than 40 products and solutions to operators of hotels and homes across India,
Europe, Southeast Asia and more than 35 other countries.
“Combining the power of Azure
with the tech and product stack developed by OYO, we are looking forward to
accelerating innovation in travel and hospitality,” says Anant Maheshwari,
president of Microsoft India.
“It is inspiring to see how the
Microsoft cloud is empowering digital natives like OYO to accelerate industry
transformation and innovations, turning the challenges of a post-pandemic era
into opportunities for the future.”
Last week OYO
launched a new self-service onboarding tool that it says cuts the time to
enroll new hotels from 15 days to 30 minutes.