Have you ever been reading about a service or product and thought AHA!  Thought that it would make traveling a little more fun, a little easier, and maybe even a little cheaper?  When I heard about the new text service from Orizzi, I knew that I had sampled a bit of the technology before, loved it, and now it looked like it was just the tip of the iceberg.

I’ll explain:  I was on staying at a major resort property and on check in was given the opportunity to opt into their text message service for the duration of my stay.  I received 2-3 text messages per day from the property letting me know of unadvertised specials that were being offered.  It included drink specials, dinner discounts, and even 2 for 1 show prices.  Several times when I couldn’t make a decision about what I wanted to do, I took advantage of these offers.  I stopped receiving messages after I checked out.  I thought the service was cool.

So when I heard about Michael Voulgarelis and his new text service, I knew that I wanted to talk with him about how Orizzi, was being used to deliver the same type of experience that I had had.  Here’s what Michael had to say:

MJ:  How can Orizzi.com help make life on the road easier?

Michael:  Orizzi will help you travel more frequently, and enjoy travelling for less money.  Here are a few examples:

• Let say a couple had a wonderful romantic getaway at a Bed and Breakfast about two hours from their home.  They enjoyed it, and didn’t mind the $500 price tag for the special occasion.  While there, they signed up to receive specials via text message.  A few months later, on a Thursday night, they receive a simple text:  “Enjoy this weekend at Gooseberry Inn for $250.  Call 212-555-1212.”  It’s a great weekend deal that they can’t pass up!
• From the travel business side of things, this type of text can help any travel related business that sells a perishable good – like hotel rooms, airline seats, tour packages.  It’s a win-win because the business receives some revenue, and the customer gets to travel at a steep discount.
• We’re also seeing Resorts and Spas offer daily text specials.  So when guests check in, they can “opt in” to receive specials on spas services, dining, tours, local shopping, etc.  On the last day of the trip, the customer can “opt out” – or the business can simply remove them from the list upon check out. It’s actually fun knowing each morning you’ll get a text from the Resort with a great deal, and trying to book it before it sells out. (MJ notes:  this last method is exactly what I experienced, and it was great!)

MJ:  So where can I find Orizzi?

Michael:  Orizzi is available in the Unites States, and we have businesses participating in each state.  As long as the business is located in the United States, and so are you – the text message will go through.
Its also worth noting that Orizzi allows businesses to connect via text, as well as email and instant message.  So if a customer would rather receives emails, or a simple IM, or all three – they can!

MJ:  I’d like to get some of these special offers in my neighborhood.  How do I get my favorite restaurant, hotel, or store to sign up and participate?

Michael: Orizzi is an opt in service – so you will never receive a message from a business affiliated with Orizzi unless you specifically ask for it.  If your favorite business does not offer any type of text specials, feel free to visit our site Orizzi.com and click on the “Suggest a Business” link at the bottom.  We’ll reach out to them and let them know they have customers who want to receive text messages in the future.  Most travel related businesses see the value immediately. Orizzi only costs about 10 cents per text, so a travel business can recover the costs very quickly and usually makes much more money than that in the process.

I think this is a pretty cool service, allowing me to choose who I want to receive messages from (meaning I won’t need to worry about spam), and I always love a good bargain.  I’m anxious to start letting some of my neighborhood places now about Orizzi   If it sounds like something that you’d like, too, check out the Orizzi FAQ’s for further information.

Many thanks to Michael Voulgarelis, founder and CEO of Orizzi, and a heck of a nice guy, for the interview.

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