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This article talks about how hotels can use mobile event apps to attract event planners. Hotels can use these apps to not only add value to their offerings, but also set themselves apart from the competition. These mobile apps provide information on the meeting agenda, speakers, and hotel details to all attendees. Mobile event apps are beneficial to the event planners because the apps help facilitate communication, offer networking opportunities, and improve the overall digital experience. Hotels are able to move away from traditional meetings and offer planners something more, something intangible that will contribute to the event's overall success.

The article introduces the benefit of using mobile event apps as a marketing tool. It is not a usual practice to mix technology promotion by hotels yet but it is becoming more mainstream. Destinations and properties can use mobile offerings as a marketing and sales tools to attract more event planner. It makes easier to organize the event more effectively and enhance the networking opportunities for attendees. Thus, properties will gain benefits greatly in terms of positioning and promotion of the services or facilities inside the business as a marketing tool. For example, mobile app can include the information about event and property service details, which will facilitate on-site communication and advertise hotel services via the app. It will, in turn, make the overall digital experience for attendees outstanding. As a measurement of success, properties can monitor ROI for new technology through feedback from attendees and event planners, and the number of events adapting mobile app.

There are kinds of meeting technologies in nowadays. This article mainly introduced how Mobile Apps affect this industry. It gave a description of two categories of mobile apps which are particularly relevant to meetings. They are meeting management apps and meeting apps for attendees. App use is gaining traction among attendees, particularly when event producers market it well.

As mobile devices become more advanced, particularly cell phones and tablet devices, more pressure to keep up with mobile and social trends is placed on the hospitality industry. People are using their mobile devices more now than they have in the past. So much so, that "two thirds of Americans sleep with their mobile device in range, something we cannot say about desktops". A world of information is at your fingertips because of the capability of mobile devices. Information that can help us make decisions about anything. Even last-minute decisions about hotels and food. More people are using their mobile devices to book rooms and many of the people that do this, are booking a hotel for the same night. The fact most of the people who do this are under 30 means that it is very likely that this trend will increase. People are expecting the technology to be there so that they can pick a hotel and a restaurant to go to if they are unfamiliar with a city. They are expecting a hotel chain to have a mobile site or better yet an "app" that will not only allow them to book a room, but, one that will give them directions from where they are to the hotel. The same can be said for restaurants. Potential customers want to be able to look over the menu and determine if they want to come to the restaurant, all from their mobile device. Mobile guests are also using customer review sites to determine where they will lodge or dine. They are using sites like TripAdvisor which allows you to post comments about your stay. The sight even allows the guests to post pictures. "Customer reviews are also important to the hotel industry, but the jury is still out on exactly how hotels should react with people who post reviews." It is always great when a guest posts a positive review of the hotel, but imagine how one bad stay could tarnish a hotels reputation. And what if there are cleanliness issues that the guest can photograph and upload to the site? Exactly what to do in this type of e

This article discusses some current trends in property management systems and how Maestro by NORTHWIND is ready to deliver. Maestro by NORTHWIND is a PMS used by many independent hotels and resorts and offers 20 integrated modules. One of the top trends for 2012 is mobile optimization for management and guests. More and more people are turning to mobile apps for personalized services, and express check-in and check-outs. Maestro Xpress Check-In App allows properties to use iPads and other tablets to do this anywhere there is WIFI. Maestro's App will also allow managers access to reports, and real-time activity from anywhere allowing managers more control over their business. Another growing trend is cloud PMS. Maestro has a cloud based system that claims it can increase productivity at the same time reducing costs. Managers can manage multiple hotels from a single location and reduce costs because they won't have to maintain an in-house PMS. There is also a steady increase in direct online booking from mobile apps and social media sites. Maestro Web Connection reduces the commissions paid to online travel agencies and 3rd parties by allowing guests to book reservations directly. Another way Maestro helps independent hotel chains is by offering them a guest loyalty system to help them offer some of the same incentive and reward programs offered by larger hotel chains.

Northwind Maestro leads the innovations of industry. Cloud system platforms are not just for the large chains. Small, independent operators also can use web-enabled platform with lower cost. Mobile is another trend of PMS innovations. Customers can check in and checkout on iPad by using Maestro Mobile Apps. In addition, direct-booking online from Mobile is the third top trend in 2012 PMS technology. Maestro's Guest Loyalty System with online capabilities is the first application to offer independents the same benefits as major chains to recognize, reward, and retain guests.

Seeing the rapid development of mobile devices and social media, hoteliers are connecting PMS with mobile devices and social media. NORTHWIND Maestro™ is a kind of software which satisfies hoteliers' current requirement. NORTHWIND Maestro™ is an Internet-based PMS. It brings plenty of benefits to hotels. To illustrate, Maestro can reduce cost, create operating efficiencies, secure cardholder information, and to have instant remote access to their property or hotel group's data. Furthermore, since more and more people are using mobile devices to book rooms, make dining reservations or some other services, Maestro also develops mobile apps. "The Maestro Mobile App enables operators to wirelessly connect to their Maestro centralized system and provides access to management reports, real-time activity and other features found in Maestro." Maestro also thinks of customer loyalty by tracking customers and establish database.

This article gives pros and cons of mobile apps compared to mobile websites for event planners. Of course each have their positives and negatives. I think the decision of going mobile app or website depends on the people who are attending your event. If it's more of an older business crowd, I think a mobile website would be most appropriate. You can email the web address to all attendees and then they can click into it straight from the email on their smartphone. This can work with any phone that supports a web browser so you don't have to worry about developing an app for iPhones, Androids, and Blackberries. If the attendees are younger and more tech savvy, an app is probably the way to go since that can incorporate parts of their phone like the camera. Younger people are more apt to take pictures and post them to twitter or facebook. With the app they could do that right in the app and connect to more of their peers that way. Younger attendees are more likely to go through the trouble of downloading the app and using all of its features whereas older, more business oriented attendees are more likely to appreciate the ease of use of just clicking on a web link. At any rate it's an interesting choice to make if you are unable to afford both options. 

Accounting trends in the hospitality industry are always evolving with technology. Hotels are looking for technology that will catch their data and analyze it all while delivering it in a more user friendly app. Apps, Automation & Analytics are the A's of hotel accounting and technology.

Accounting cannot be without data. In my opinion it is mainly about data analysis. With automation and analytics, it will be more reliable and descriptive. Apps helps mainly in its portability and time efficiency.

The article talks about three future trends called A's - apps, automation, and analytics. It makes examples of their function and works. In my opinion, the A's can use in any industry, not only in hospitality. They can help us work more efficiently and shorter working hours.

The pros of using the mobile apps for meeting are a lot. It could provide the location-based services and push messaging. Using the mobile apps is not wholly dependent on a Wi-Fi connection. It makes possible to obtain a large delegate list and content without downloading because those are already on the app. Additionally, security and privacy are also much better with an app. On the contrary, mobile websites can be advantageous because they need fewer resources to develop that differs from mobile apps. The mobile websites are easier because there's no writing code for different operating systems such as iOS, Android and Win- dows Phone. For a website, the coding is done once, and users don't have to wait and download it; it just happens automatically. For smaller properties,having a mobile app wouldn't be as useful as trying to communicate with a large group of people. It could benefits more on the large size of groups.

More and more mobile apps for meeting attendees are being created to help enhance the meeting experience.  This article discusses the growing demand for more reliable meeting apps, as well as tips and recommendations on what to consider as one goes about developing an app.  Meeting apps are unique in that they must be property-specific because of the many core features that align with property information.  Core features include, but are not limited to: session schedule and description, speaker photo and bio, attendee profile and schedule, and documents (i.e., PowerPoint presentations).  Mobile meeting apps are not without much effort from event coordinators/organizers plugging the information useful to attendees.  Apps are meeting-specific as they are property-specific. 

RFID, event applications, wearable technology, virtual reality, and social media are upcoming popular uses for event planners. With RFID event planners are able to keep better track of the guests attending the event as well as keeping them more involved. I first heard of this a few months ago when attending an event and it described that a chip with RFID was placed inside the wristband-type ticket. For me, the most interesting thing is the wearable technology! Imagine an event where you can have directions given to you or a layout of the event right on your wrist! Also, the watch can notify you of events happening within an event or you can see order your food or see the menu. To know that soon enough it will be a norm for everyone to have some type of wearable technology and that event planners can truly get the guests involved through this use is exciting.

This article introduces four new advances to technology that help ease the process of event planning. Projection mapping, 5G, Branded multi-use apps, and event diagramming.

This article shares the technology innovation with meeting/convention operations and how these technology help offer better guest satisfaction.

Hospitality e Business Strategies (HeBS), the leading marketing consulting firm for the hospitality industry, today announced the firm will present during EyeforTravle;s mobile Strategies for travel USA conference to be held in Chicago September 16-17. This conference presents about event of the year aiming to educate and inform the travel industry for integration of :mobile" into a comprehensive marketing strategy. According to the HeBS, one of the dominant in mobile strategies in the hospitality industry is the mobile eCommerce recently. It creates and implements mobile-ready websites and mobile internet marketing strategies for the customers. During the conference, Max Starkov will discuss how hoteliers can take advantage mobile channel, how they may implement mobile marketing formats that make the most sense for their hotels, and hoe to apply the latest trends and best practices in their mobile internet marketing efforts so that can realize respectable ROI and incremental revenues growth.

Since more people are using smartphone and the number of people using mobile devices keeps rising, hoteliers are trying to focus more on mobile marketing, especially on establishing completed mobile website. Based on a survey, 60% hoteliers are interested in mobile website marketing. More and more hoteliers realize that establishing mobile apps are not that efficient and it becomes an unnecessary expense. Considering cost and revenue, hoteliers have to balance mobile marketing and traditional marketing methods.

Neon is a new app designed by Eventbrite to be used by Event Planners in order to help organize the events they are coordinating. The app is available for iPod, iPad and the iPhone making it conveniently accessible through one's mobile device. The app allows event organizers to sell tickets in advance to an even as well as provide last minute deals to fill all remaining spots. The app even allows payment to be taken right from the event organizer's mobile device. The app also allows the user to manage guest lists and even helps those who have access to the app to make customer service decisions so that disgruntled guests are not sent to a different location to settle ticket disputes. With all the data the app collects even organizers are able to see important data pertaining to popularity of certain events as well as price variations. The app was designed to be used in dark places. This feature, along with many others makes it user friendly and it is helping event organizers to keep track of important data that will allow them to better assist customers in the future.

I think I'd need to see it in action. The Forbes article sounds a lot like an Eventbrite press release. I like the idea in principal, but it almost sounds like too much to jam into a single app. Tickets sales, venue status, customer service, revenue tracking.,,, Deployed and linked across multiple tablets, each with it's own purpose and/or scattered across the event venue (with users in some sort of identifiable uniform), I can see it being useful. This also seems like a bit of a departure from straight tickets sales. Who else is in the market space? I'd be interested if Ticket Master is also coming online with event software.

This article was very informative about the effect of mobile tech within the hospitality indsutry. It definitely broke down how hoteliers were not very open to using this wireless technology but how the pandemic gave that push to hoteliers and now they are noticing how much travelers enjoy it. Hence, they are innovating the mobile access and enhancing their guests experiences with mobile access solutions such as food ordering, contactless payments, encouraging loyalty with mobile app download and to gain promotions, control in-room amenities, and more. This article also touched upon the increased security and reduction of lost or stolen room key, as it eliminated the need of a phsyical key. Essentially, mobile technology benefits the industry in the long-term.

This article mainly talks about the pros and cons for mobile app and mobile web. For mobile apps, it is required that in order to develop a new app for every individual type of device that you want to reach. However, only one mobile website can extend to anyone with devices that can perform web browsing. Therefore, it is a more expensive choice to develop an app if a company has mass marketing goals. Also, mobile websites tend to cost less to maintain over time. That's because to change an app you have to hire a programmer, and you need approval from the app store. Plus, every time a particular device is updated, you'll need to change your app accordingly.

In this article it begins to explain property management systems PMS going mobile in the hotel industry and how beneficial it is for hotel corporations and for customers. The author explained that the most in-demand PMS function for hotels is the ability to have a real time data of room availability, access to guest information such as comments and special request, room/ work order status, and up-to-date pricing. For customers facing mobile apps they would enjoy the guest self-service of booking, self check-in/out, service request, and messaging to staff. However even though mobile devices makes such functionality seem easier mobile-enabling a PMS is not easy at all in fact, making functions available via a browser would be a huge transition for a business.

More and more are properties interested in having a PMS device that they can be accessed at anytime and anywhere. The answer to this challenge is to have PMS functions accessible via mobile devices which can be challenging for some of the systems, especially those that do not reside in cloud. For some smaller properties, the goal is to have no front desk at all and some have been quite successful in making this a reality. As stated in the Property Management Goes Mobile article, the ski resort Tremblant Elysium has been successful with using the cloud-based FrontDesk Anywhere. The guests receive a letter a week prior to check in containing a door code and 30 minutes after their arrival concierge comes to their room to complete their check in and sign the registration card. The CEO of Tremblant Elysium stated: "Guests love it because it is simple and easy and we do not have staff waiting around for people to check in." As stated in the article, guest require for Mobile PMS to include access to room availability and full front desk access including guest profiles and preferences, room/work order status, up-to-date pricing and housekeeping access for rooms statutes. Mobile-enabling PMS can be quite challenging to design, as it can bring difficulties with screen size, performance or choosing which device to use as the code must be re-written for each one. Another major concern for this type of PMS is the synchronization with other system with which PMS is integrated. As hotelier consider implementing mobile-enabling PMS device for their property, there are concerns about security as far as data storage or mobile check-in or the issuing of keys for guests. In my opinion mobile-enabling PMS is the future for smaller properties. Why would a hotel need to have a stand-alone front desk when we can use mobile phones to do the work for us as we are on the go? Eventually, we can have our staff cross trained in smaller properties all equipped with phones, all available to ch

This article discusses the wish-list for hoteliers when they are considering cloud-based systems.Tthe most in-demand mobile PMS functions include GM access to KPIs, CRM and room availability, and front desk staff access to guest information such as comments and special requests, room/work order status and consolidated messaging among staff. It would seem that with all of these personal apps that are appearing on the market, that mobilizing a PMS would be easy, but that is not the case. The code is not universal; i.e. code must be re-written for each one, although there are tools like service-oriented architecture and html5 to help. There will naturally be concerns when considering adopting a mobile PMS across properties. Before investing in a roll-out of new technology, decision-makers must ask the right questions dealing with security, data storage, and functionality.

The growing trend of using mobile payment technology could lead to many opportunities for businesses and consumers alike. The hospitality industry is looking towards mobile payments as a way to make transactions more efficient and profitable for both the business and their customers. Hotels such as the Gaylord Hotel are now using mobile payment methods poolside. By using an iPod Touch, the hotel staff is able to collect payment and even print a receipt from their mobile POS system. This option to use the mobile payment system is a great convenience for their guests as they don't even have to leave their poolside cabana. Not only are hotels starting to use this technology to collect payments but major retailers have also begun to use this technology as well. Retailers such as Target and Walmart have teamed with Merchant Customer Exchange to develop an app that allows their customers to pay for their goods by using their smartphone at the store's register. With this growing technology also comes some concern of security. Businesses are being urged to consider the importance of fraud protection as they begin to use mobile payment. If businesses choose to use a mobile payment app or POS they must follow the proper procedures to ensure the security of their software. The benefits of this growing technology could be great for both businesses and their customers.

The article reports MyCheck has created an app to eliminate ordering food and drinks at the table for some restaurants using tablets or servers. The app allows guest to order from the menu on their smart phone and the order is directly is sent to the POS system. The goal is to eliminate the big hardware. The hope is by restaurants using MyCheck the server will be able to spend more time on quality service. The power of ordering and paying will be at the power of the guest. Customer rewards are also going to be tracked through the app.

The article reports MyCheck has created an app to eliminate ordering food and drinks at the table for some restaurants using tablets or servers. The app allows guest to order from the menu on their smart phone and the order is directly is sent to the POS system. The goal is to eliminate the big hardware. The hope is by restaurants using MyCheck the server will be able to spend more time on quality service. The power of ordering and paying will be at the power of the guest. Customer rewards are also going to be tracked through the app.

The author of this article, Tara Thomas, summarizes the top five technologies for event planners. The first technology that she mentions is smart phones. She writes that this is the most obvious technology that event planners can't live without. Planners can do things like set alarms, look up information, communicate instantly, and use social media to promote the event. The second technology that Thomas mentions is SaaS cloud applications. Software as a service allows planners to access all details and execution aspects of an event from any web enabled device, eliminating printed or emailed reports. Thirdly, Thomas talks about virtual events. Virtual events save the planner and the attendee valuable time, money, and resources. Thomas next talks about social media and viral marketing. Using sites like Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn to share event details is a great way to communicate to a very large group of people. The fifth and last technology that Thomas speaks of is Ipads and tablets. Through event management applications, planners have all of the information they could possibly need right at their fingertips. Ipads and tablets also make it possible to communicate in real time if needed.

This article was about the 5 technologies event planners can't live without. These technologies are: smart phones, SaaS cloud apps, virtual events, social media and viral marketing, and finally iPads and tablets. Smart phones are important to the daily activities of an event planner because they are able to look up phone numbers, response to emails, update a status on a social media site, review or add to lists for events, and so much more all on the go. SaaS cloud apps let planner take advantage of accessing all devices and execute aspects of an event for any web enabled device. With SaaS cloud apps you are also able to link up your event management system with a customer relationship management system. Virtual events allow planners to fill seats at a cost that won't cost a burden. Social media and viral marketing allows event planners to market themselves and get event details to different consumers. iPads and tablets get rid of the need for a large heavy binder stuffed with event details. Now event planner can carry a tablet that allows you to access anything you need. In conjunction with the SaaS cloud apps you can also access contracts, registrations, and room blocks and also link up a CRM system as mentioned before. The technology advances we have now let event planners do even more on the day to day, but also make it easier for them to do so.

The article lists five technological necessities that used by the event planners. They are smartphones, SaaS cloud apps, virtual events, social medial and viral marketing, ipads and tablets. All of these technologies can save time and costs for the event planners. What`s more, they provide a more simplified life for the human beings. 

This article brings up some great points on building your Brand on a mobile App. As a whole, we are attached to our cell phones and using apps for everything. Creating a Brand for your Mobile App is a must have in our industry and it is the direction most hotels, cruise ships, and resorts are taking when you are on property/ship. Personalization and Onboarding is important to the user as they want to be able view their interests/preferences/needs. By providing a personalized experience (interactive maps, videos, etc.) via App we hope to provide the most positive guest experience. As the article states, providing a positive user experience creates happy users which results in Brand loyalty. The end result is always to capture repeat business and Brand loyalty.

Hertz Corp. has just launched numerous travel apps for 11 major US cities. These apps let customers plan a trip by browsing content which is cutomized to that city and having it wirelessly sent to the GPS system in their rental car. The apps complement Hertz's NeverLost Gen 5 GPS route-guidance system. While in the car, this service will deliver certain information based on which city they are in and can be taken with them once they leave the car as well. Hertz is using this as an attempt to reach out to potential customers and expand their clientele. In an effort to remain unique, each app includes six categories: Explore, Top Must See, Events, Favorites, Tours, and Neighborhoods. There is also a feature that allows you to track the weather as well as see the nearest restaurants and attractions by simply pointing your iPhone at the horizon. The first app purchased is free and each subsequent app can be downloaded for only $0.99. Hertz already has an app for making reservations and confirmations so these apps are being used to build upon that and take it to the mobile level.  This is smart as people who are renting cars are more likely to be unfamiliar with their whereabouts than when driving their own vehicle. Being able to take GPS voice directions and find specific attractions while outside the car is a step in the right direction for m-commerce.

Good for Hertz! They seem to be differentiating themselves from other rental car brands with this unique service to their customers. Its also a good way to capitalize on the immediate needs of their customers who are the perfect target market for this app. I wonder if you can 'hands-free' your mobile device and sync it with the rental car while on that would be extremely helpful!

This article talks  the new application that Hertz is introducing on the iPhone to allow customers to plan their trip that can be wires sly  delivered to the GPS system in their Hertz rental car .  This apps have been lauchend for 11 cities so far. Each city app includes six categories: Explore, Top Must See, Events, Favorites, Tours and Neighborhoods. So far the map can be downloaded  for free on the app store. Those apps on the iPhone give herts a chance to advertize  their merchandise to the user of iPhone with age varies .