With all the negative talk about the economy, travel may well be headed for a cooling period. The trick will be to attract business and leisure travelers to your hotel and brand and keep them coming back.

The most visual means to accomplishing this is through design. Over the past few years hoteliers have focused on this element by redoing room and lobby décor, purchasing flat-screen TVs and upgrading their beds — even the in-room coffee has improved.

One in-room focal point has been overlooked until now, however: the guestroom telephone. To address that, TeleMatrix makes a bold statement by coming out with three internationally designed telephone series: the angular corded 3300, the cordless 9600 with matching remotes and the beveled 3100. Now the room is complete. These designs fit perfectly with today's styles and have lasting, classic looks.

To show its commitment to room design and the complete guest experience, TeleMatrix designed the 3300 and 9600 Series with seven standard coloured inserts, allowing hoteliers to integrate their color palettes into the room telephone. Insert colours include red, blue, lime, white, orange, gray and ochre. And, of course, solid-colour ash and black phones are also available.

“During the design process in early 2007, we sent the top seven designs out to our Advisory Board. Their favorites, by far, were the 3300 and 3100 drawings. Coloured inserts were an unknown; no one had ever done anything like this before,” says William “Bill” Hazelton, Marketing & Communications Manager for Scitec/TeleMatrix. “We took a risk, and the industry's response has been tremendous! Hotel owners and brand executives love our creative approach,” he adds. “Orders have been fantastic this year, and we owe a great deal of thanks to our distributors, dealers and hotel friends for their loyalty. To our new customers and their newfound faith in TeleMatrix, we pledge a long-lasting, enjoyable relationship.”

The appeal of a particular hotel or brand is made up of many intricate details. Most go unseen, smoothly operating in the background. But guests remember the visual impressions the longest — the sparkling look of a new lobby, the crisp outfits of the front-desk people, the hotel's décor, and how everything ties together. That also includes the modern TV and furnishings, and yes, the telephone, an item guests can't miss when they reach for it to order room service or set up a wake-up call.

TeleMatrix encourages hoteliers to ask for 3100, 3300 and 9600 Series samples to see how they fit their rooms. Also, be sure to try out the added advantages of the world's only colour-coordinating telephone with features such as High Speed Internet guest laptop access located on the side of all 3300 and 9600 Series phones. To request a sample, contact your Regional TeleMatrix Sales Director, call 1.800.462.9446 or e-mail info@telematrixusa.com.