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teresastas

What Is Planned Obsolescence? Major Tech Companies Rely On It - 1 views

  • A new regulation in France called the French repairability index requires a variety of tech products to publicize repairability scores, meaning the planned obsolescence behind major tech companies is finally coming to light.
  • This planned obsolescence business model is the foundation of many consumer industries, from fashion (especially in fast fashion) to shaving (ever hear of the razor and blades business model?). But one of its most interesting applications is in technology.
  • France launched the French repairability index. As part of this new program, France is now requiring manufacturers to clearly disclose repairability scores next to prices for five types of products: laptops, lawnmowers, smartphones, TVs, and washing machines.
    • teresastas
       
      I think this is a mandate that will help consumer's make better choices when it comes to purchasing tech. If something like this were to come to the US it would help consumers make more informed decisions.
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  • According to Apple’s French website, the company gave all varieties of its iPhone 12 a 6 out of 10; its iPhone 11 models all scored either 4.5 or 4.6; and its MacBook Pro computers scored between 5.6 and 7, meaning Apple’s scores top out around a C-. 
    • teresastas
       
      I am not surprised by these scores at all for Apple their business model is based off of Planned Obsolescence.
  • Microsoft’s website shows its scores for a variety of Surface laptops, which range from 3.7 to 4.1.
  • Samsung products’ scores range from 5.6 to 8.2, as reported by Le Monde. As part of the French repairability index, Samsung actually published a free repair manual for its Samsung Galaxy phone, which should help customers avoid having to pay for a repair or replaceme
  • The new French repairability index forces tech companies to be more transparent about how easy it is to repair their products. With mounting piles of e-waste polluting the Earth, rampant injustice in the cobalt mining industry, and labor law violations in overseas tech factories, forcing tech companies to make products easier to repair (and therefore create less of a demand for more new products to be made) could do a lot of good. 
    • teresastas
       
      This is an important step in trying to eliminate e-waste but with technology moving and changing the way that it is I don't know if being able to do repairs or updates will make too much of a difference.
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    This article addresses the French reparability index which is a relatively new implementation that started in January of 2021, It requires that reparability scores are posted on some major tech products in France in hopes of slowing down planned obsolescence and eliminating tech waste. France is the first country to implement such as mandate and it bringing to light the notion of planned obsolescence to the general public. This article shares some of the major tech brands scores and how they are fairing against their competition.
ecast038

The Truth About Self-Serve Kiosks At Fast Food Restaurants - 0 views

  • self-serve technology is not only making fast food service more efficient, but also subtly changing customer behavior. Namely, it is encouraging people to spend more
  • elf-serve kiosks increase customer spending, on average, by 20%, and this figure is borne out by data presented in a 2015 Harvard Business Review article. According to the review, major chains, including Taco Bell, McDonald's, and Chilis have all reported self-serve kiosks generating larger sales than in-person ordering, usually by a margin of 20%. In one instance, McDonald's even saw sales increase by as much as 30%.
  • On the one hand, standard industry practices such as "upselling" (promoting premium goods, add-ons, and customization) are programmed right into the machines. Human cashiers may neglect to upsell, but self-serve kiosks can't help but do so (via FoodTec). Given the visual nature of self-serve kiosks, upselling can be cleverly woven into the menu itself, and more easily escape customer notice. 
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  • In a 2017 study published in the Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, researchers demonstrated that touch screens create "experiential and effective feelings" in customers — and, moreover, a greater sense of privacy. In short, customers are happier and more self-assured when using self-serve kiosks, and are therefore more likely to spend more.
  • Using a self-service kiosk can be a joyful experience, but one that comes at a cost if you're not careful.
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    The self-serve kiosks or unattended POS systems are changing the customer behavior and getting consumers to spend more. Many major chain restaurants have incorporated them in their business such as Chilis, McDonalds and Taco Bell. Kiosks tend to upsell the customer while regular cashiers may not. Self serve is bette for business, not so much for the customers wallet.
jblan183

Beyond: What the Metaverse is and How Hotels Can Take Advantage of it | By Simone Puort... - 0 views

  • "We," Zuckerberg stated in his keynote, "believe the Metaverse will be the successor to the mobile Internet. We'll be able to feel present, like we're right there with people, no matter how far apart we actually are. We'll be able to express ourselves in new, joyful, completely immersive ways. And that's going to unlock a lot of amazing new experiences. When I send my parents a video of my kids, they'll feel like they're in the moment with us, not peering in through a little window. When you play a game with friends, you'll feel like you're right there together in a different world, not just on your computer by yourself. And when you're in a meeting in the Metaverse, it'll feel like you're right in the room together, making eye contact, having a shared sense of space, and not looking at a grid of faces on a screen. That's what we mean by an embodied internet. Instead of looking at a screen, you're going to be in these experiences."
    • jblan183
       
      Zuckerberg is currently working on creating a "Metaverse Program," conveniently named Meta, which will connect all users to be a part of it, rather than simply on it.
  • the Metaverse is not only VR and AR, but also Mixed Reality. In a few years, we could be able to join our friends at a concert under the appearance of holograms, and enjoy the experience from our couch while our pals are physically at the gig. "The feeling of presence," as Zuckerberg highlighted, "is the defining quality of the Metaverse."
  • If the Metaverse can be (and will surely be) a goldmine for online microtransactions-centric industries (think of gaming: the console microtransaction market alone generated $2.94 Billion in 2017), on the other hand, VR traveling never really got mainstream, and this is something we all learned during last year's lockdowns.
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  • for our industry, the Metaverse can be (and probably will) be a fully functioning economy. "Individuals and businesses," Managing Partner of EpyllionCo, Matthew Ball, wrote on a series of must-read articles on the topic, "will be able to create, own, invest, sell, and be rewarded for an incredibly wide range of work that produces value that is recognized by others."
rhera004

10 Jaw-Dropping Event Marketing Stats That Point to the Future of the Industry - Endles... - 0 views

  • November 2, 2017
  • In fact, it’s the intersection of digital marketing and event marketing that makes the latter as effective as it is.
  • They are absolutely critical for outpacing and outlasting competitors.
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  • To paraphrase the mantra of the Instagram era: “Events or it didn’t happen.”
  • Businesses invested heavily in the online world, but a response from consumers was inevitable.
  • advertisers have to fight tooth and claw with one another to be noticed.
  • Every minute 3.8 million Google searches are made, 1,440 blog posts are published and nearly 150,000 emails are sent.
  • The ability to track, attribute and analyze event ROI just wasn’t there before.
  • be it attendee engagement, contacts management or marketing automation
  • Whereas 63% of all of the marketers surveyed said that they plan on investing more in live events in the years to come, 80% of marketers from organizations that are overperforming in regards to their business goals plan on investing more in events.
  • “Live events are a great way for generating leads, if your annual contract for a client is large enough. If you’re selling 10 dollar stuff it’s not worth it, a way to primarily generate leads. Otherwise, it’s a great opportunity engage your community and to build products, to understand what your community cares about. Because as a business you should always be talking to your customers.”
  • In fact, 80% of marketers plan on investing more in event technology and they plan on doing so with thousands of more dollars than marketers from organizations that are underperforming or performing as expected.  
  • The combination of both the modern CRM and the modern marketing automation system has given rise to the modern event management platform, which enables marketers to manage, measure and grow their events like never before.
  • One of the biggest obstacles for organizations in the past was accurately attributing and measuring event ROI
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    Statistics re: the use of tech in events and its importance/future
amoon008

Advantages of Cloud Computing for the Hotel Industry - 0 views

  • Is cloud computing secure?If you invest in a cloud Hotel Property Management System (PMS), then you won’t need to store any data onsite; it simply resides on a server elsewhere (it could even be in another country)
  • In reality, the opposite is true, because if you choose the right cloud-based Hotel PMS, then your operations will benefit from some of the best cybersecurity in the business. You’re unlikely to have enterprise-level security and firewalls, intrusion detection and industry-standard SSL encryption in-house, but the cloud PMS delivers all those protections for a fraction of the cost.
  • Cloud computing relies on a robust Internet connection and a device of your choosing.
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  • Lower operational costs
  • With cloud computing, you can truly work from anywhere – a capability the hospitality industry has historically struggled to embrace, often due to the limits of the technology in use.
  • Firstly, it must provide the best suite of management tools for all members of your hotel staff; and, secondly, it must help you provide the best guest experience possible. Another advantage of cloud computing is it enables your staff members to work more efficiently by freeing them from fixed terminals. Check-ins aren’t limited to the reception desk,
  • Improved guest experience thanks to mobility
  • Remote working
  • Depending on the system from which you’re moving, a complete import of your data might be possible, and the ease with which such systems can be learned means staff adoption is unlikely to cause any problems or service interruptions.
    • amoon008
       
      If you use a cloud Hotel Property Management System, you won't have to store any data on site (PMS). Instead, it will be kept on a different server (it could even be in another country). It's understandable that you'd feel insecure as a result. In reality, the opposite is true: if you choose the right cloud-based Hotel PMS, your operations will benefit from some of the best cybersecurity in the industry. You're unlikely to have enterprise-level security and firewalls, intrusion detection, or industry-standard SSL encryption in-house, but the cloud PMS offers all of these protections for a fraction of the cost.
    • amoon008
       
      It is undeniable that times are changing. Older, on-premise hotel PMS solutions are being transferred to cloud computing, which is helping to improve basic, but crucial, hotel operational circumstances like a check-in or check-out line. Cloud computing requires a strong Internet connection and a device of your choice. Because cloud applications are so versatile, you can use your cellular-enabled tablet to run your reception desk from the palm of your hand even if your main Internet connection is down. Cloud computing allows you to operate from anywhere, at any time, in a secure environment, all while reducing IT infrastructure and continuing IT costs. In today's connected world, cloud computing is incredibly dependable.
    • amoon008
       
      Changing to a cloud PMS isn't as difficult as you would imagine. A comprehensive import of your data may be achievable depending on the system you're transferring from, and the ease with which such systems can be learned assures that staff adoption is unlikely to cause any problems or service interruptions. Finally, and perhaps most critically, one of the most major benefits of cloud computing is that it takes far less time to make adjustments. It's not unusual to have virtually 100% uptime, allowing you to take use of the best features and benefits your PMS supplier has to offer without having to deal with lengthy, inconvenient update routines.
  • Older, on-premise hotel PMS solutions are now being shifted to take advantage of cloud computing, helping improve basic, but important, common hotel operations situations, such as a line of people waiting to check in or out.
  • Cloud computing relies on a robust Internet connection and a device of you
  • Cloud computing relies on a robust Internet connection and a device of your choosi
  • Cloud computing relies on a robust Internet connection and a device of your choosing
  • Lower operational costs
  • Lower operational costs
  • invest in a cloud Hotel Property Management System (PMS), then you won’t need to store any data onsite; it simply resides on a server elsewhere (it could even be in another cou
  • Cloud computing relies on a robust Internet connection and a device of your choosing
  • Remote working
  • Improved guest experience thanks to mobility
  • Depending on the system from which you’re moving, a complete import of your data might be possible, and the ease with which such systems can be learned means staff adoption is unlikely to cause any problems or service interruptions.
  • In 2019, just 24% of hotels in the U.S. were using a cloud
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    This article is telling us about some advantages of cloud computing in hospitality industry (hotel industry). You won`t need to store any data outside if you invest in Hotel Property Management System (PMS). There are advantages in cloud computing in hotel industry both for hotel staff and guests.
kyleemcroberts

Why Tablets on Restaurant Tables Are Here to Stay - Eater - 0 views

  • tabletops at numerous restaurants, from fast-casual burger chains to pillars of the casual-dining sector like Olive Garden and Chili’s.
  • Putting tablets on tables is intended to speed up service by enabling diners to perform various tasks such as ordering food or paying their check without having to wait for their server to appear. I
  • restaurants to turn tables more quickly and serve more guests
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  • Outback Steakhouse franchisee in the nation operates more than 100 stores, said that the tabletop tablets enable their restaurants to cut labor costs by “one or two percent,” and run fewer servers per night who are each making more money.
  • 15 percent of diners use the tablets to play games during their meal, but all those small transactions add up — and mean that the tablets basically pay for themselves.
  • tablets are a valuable tool in their technology arsenal.
  • There’s been a fair amount of concern that tablets would put human servers out of jobs, but thus far Outback and other casual dining chains say they are using tablets as server’s assistants:
  • Human servers still interact with the tables and lead service, but diners can use them for common requests like ordering drink refills and closing out their tab.
  • tips have stayed steady or even increased, thanks to the ease of tipping via tablet:
  • automatically apply a tip of the industry standard 20 percent, which is easier than manually entering a smaller tip. Tips are likely also higher thanks to diners’ increased satisfaction with service
  • increased check averages when tablets are in use
  • tablets are also serving as a valuable data gathering tool.
  • restaurants with useful feedback on food and service, and in some cases guests who want to provide more specific feedback
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    The rise of tablets.
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    Tablets have become a success in faster casual and casual-dining restaurant and seem to be better for all around service. Customers like how fast they are able to order, servers are happier because they see a trend of getting more tips at the end of the night, and businesses are profitable because less servers on shift and more profit in business pockets. People tend to spend more money with games to play and ability to order more food in less time. There is a benefit for data collecting on experience at the restaurant as well that helps the companies out on what they need to focus on. Tablets are showing great promise and will most likely be on almost all casual dining tables.
armanyleblanc767

Data Security in Hospitality: Risks and Best Practices - 0 views

  • Best practices for companies in the hospitality sector to protect data include:
  • Always encrypt payment card information. Operate a continuous training program in cybersecurity to maintain a well-trained workforce. Always adhere to relevant regulations, such as PCI DSS. Use cybersecurity measures such as firewalls, network monitoring, anti-malware, and traffic filtering to protect against common threats. Conduct tests against your organization’s cybersecurity defenses in which you mirror the behavior of an actual hacker. Know where your data is and enforce the principle of least privileges to limit access to sensitive information.
  • From the perspective of cybercriminals, hospitality appears to offer an ideal target vector for conducting crimes such as identity theft and credit card fraud due to the existence of multiple databases and devices containing both Payment Card Information (PCI) and Personally Identifiable Information (PII).
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  • five of the biggest data security concerns in the hospitality industry and highlights some best practices for protecting hospitality data.
  • Data Security Concerns in Hospitality
  • complex ownership structures
  • groups may use different computer systems to store information, and the information can also frequently move across those systems.
  • Reliance on Paying By Card
  • t was reported in 2017 that out of 21 of the most high-profile hotel company data breaches that have occurred since 2010, 20 of them were a result of malware affecting POS systems.
  • can go unnoticed for months.
  • High Staff Turnover
  • In the U.K., for example, the job turnover rate in hospitality is as high as 90 percent.
  • challenge to maintain teams of well-trained staff.
  • Compliance
  • Insider Threats
  • t involves employees selling data to third parties without the knowledge of the organization that employs them.
  • Hotels, motels, resorts, and rented apartment complexes all gather and electronically store a range of sensitive personal guest data, such as names, phone numbers, addresses, and credit card details.
  • A case in point was the Wyndham Worldwide breaches of 2008 and 2010. Hackers gained access to the systems of an individual operating company through easily guessed passwords, and the attack easily proliferated through the entire corporate network, with the result that 619,000 customers had their information compromised.
  • Each of these groups may use different computer systems to store information, and the information can also frequently move across those systems.
  • ospitality appears to offer an ideal target vector for conducting crimes such as identity theft and credit card fraud due to the existence of multiple databases and devices containing both Payment Card Information (PCI) and Personally Identifiable Information (PII).
  • ybercriminals use this reliance on cards to infect point-of-sale (POS) systems with malware that steals credit and debit card information by scraping the data
  • The high level of turnover and high degree of staff movement between different locations makes it a real challenge to maintain teams of well-trained staff
  • While GDPR protects individual data within the EU and EEA, its ramifications have rippled through industries globally, and organizations are realizing the need to put greater compliance measures in place. PCI DSS is another important global regulation that protects credit card data, and fines for non-compliance begin at $500,000 per incident. The risk here is not just to data security but to the future survivability of hospitality companies, many of which would not be able to absorb the s
  • This type of data risk is more subtle and it involves employees selling data to third parties without the knowledge of the organization that employs them
  • Always encrypt payment ca
  • rd information. Operate a continuous training program in cybersecurity to maintain a well-trained workforce. Always adhere to relevant regulations, such as PCI DSS. Use cybersecurity measures such as firewalls, network monitoring, anti-malware, and traffic filtering to protect against common threats. Conduct tests against your organization’s cybersecurity defenses in which you mirror the behavior of an actual hacker. Know where your data is and enforce the principle of least privileges to limit access to sensitive information.
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    This article highlights several important security issues in the hospitality industry, followed by the practice of protecting data from loss. The data structure of the hotel industry is complex, customers mainly use bank cards to pay, and the staff turnover rate is high. There are certain internal threats. In order to solve these problems and avoid data loss, it is not enough to strengthen network security. It is also important that employees are trained and familiar with and comply with relevant regulations.
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    Data security is a major issue in the hospitality industry. A lot of personal information is stored on the computers specifically credit card information of the guests staying at the hotel. It is the responsibility of the hotel to ensure that the data is protected. High turnover rate in the industry can make this an even bigger challenge. Ensuring that your staff is properly trained to ensure the highest level of security is maintained is highly important.
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    This article speaks about the data security concerns in hospitality. Restaurants, hotels, and other companies in the hospitality sector often have complex ownership structures in which there's a franchisor and a management company that acts as the operator. Businesses use different computer systems to store information. The nature of the hospitality industry is such that it is extremely reliant on cards as a form of payment. Cybercriminals use this reliance on cards to infect point-of-sale (POS) systems with malware that steals credit and debit card information by scraping the data. A vital part of protecting data is training staff to securely gather and store personal information. Well-trained staff also know how to recognize social engineering attempts and they understand an organization's compliance requirements. Data security risks in the hospitality industry extend far beyond the reputation hit that a hotel can take if guests' data is compromised. Industry and political regulators are becoming stricter in governing how organizations process and store personal data. Some of the best practices for companies in the hospitality industry to use are: always encrypt payment card info, operate training programs in cybersecurity regularly to keep everyone informed, adhere to regulations, know where the data is, and enforce limit access to sensitive info, and more.
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    This article explains how data security is at an all time high in the hospitality industry. Focuses on the 5 security concerns and what are some practices that leadership can help employees detect when someone is trying to hack into sensitive information. Also, making sure employees are in compliance with company policy when leaving the company if they have access to sensitive data and making sure employees are not using to their advantage when leaving the company.
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    Hospitality offers an ideal target vector for conducting Cyber crimes such as identity theft and credit card fraud due to the existence of multiple databases and devices containing both Payment Card Information (PCI) and Personally Identifiable Information (PII). Restaurants, hotels, and other companies in the hospitality sector often have complex ownership structures with an individual owner or group of owners, and a management company that acts as the operator. Each of these groups may use different computer systems to store information, and the information can also frequently move across those systems.
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    In this article, we learn about the top five data security risks as well as best practices to help prevent data breaches. According to the article, the hospitality industry is a prime target since it stores a vast amount of sensitive guest information like names, phone numbers, addresses, and credit card numbers. Some of the five risks included complex ownership structures, reliance on paying by card, and insider threats to name a few. In order to avoid these threats, the article suggest that companies become PCI compliant, use cybersecurity measures like firewalls, and know where exactly their data is stored.
asanc036

7 restaurant technology trends to watch in 2022 - 2 views

  • Many restaurants have turned to tech in the last couple of years, even if reluctantly, to adapt to a new reality.
  • 1. Online ordering systems and delivery apps
  • he food delivery market is now worth more than $150 billion globally, which has more than tripled since 2017 largely attributed to the pandemic, according to statistics from McKinsey.
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  • 2. Contactless payment
  • It’s estimated that contactless payments will triple from $2 trillion to $6 trillion worldwide by 2024, and having such options are reportedly extremely important for 34% of customers.
  • 3. Online table reservation system
  • initiative Experiences
  • OpenTable is offering
  • unique culinary events and dining experiences
  • Ramen Nights in celebrity chef Hugh Acheson’s dining room, a ‘side-dish’ of line dancing lessons or a fixed-price tasting menu,
  • 4. Digital kitchen ‘boards’
  • Kitchen Display Systems (KDS) are a digital menu board for kitchen staff
  • Directly linked to the restaurant’s point-of-sale (POS) system, the screen displays orders automatically according to priority and flagging any special dietary requests.
  • racking meal delivery times and monitoring inventory to signal when a product is out of stock,
  • 5. Automated inventory management software
  • tracking food and beverage stocks, anticipating quantities and even scheduling reorders
  • implementation of such software
  • reduce food wastage, which is reportedly costing the hospitality industry $100 billion annually.
  • (AI) technology, companies like Kitro
  • cut food waste and costs
  • platforms like Too Good to Go also save restaurants from wasting their food surplus
  • 6. QR codes
  • QR codes
  • allows customers to access online menus, order and pay – without contact –
  • 7. Air purification technology
  • bipolar ionization
  • purifies the air and surfaces in indoor spaces by neutralizing contaminants
  • systems which make use of ultraviolet light
  • f both air and surface sanitization
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    "Technology and innovation are what have helped, even saved, restaurants as they transform how they operate to not just survive, but thrive, in this new connected and contactless era" "Third-party food delivery apps like UberEats, Foodpanda, or Door Dash will continue to be an important solution for those not able to offer in-house ordering and delivery services" "Contactless technology is going mainstream, and it's not just about placing an order online, but also about paying with a smartphone, smartwatch or smartcard via an app or touchless device" "technology-enabled reservation systems, restaurants can manage seating, waitlists, customer loyalty and dining preferences as well as collect vital client data be it for contact tracing or market insights" "Kitchen Display Systems (KDS) are a digital menu board for kitchen staff helping restaurants streamline back-of-house operations" "companies like Winnow are helping restaurant owners and managers cut food waste and costs and run their businesses more efficiently and sustainably" "auto-scanning barcodes with smartphone cameras on posters, tables, coasters, doors or websites allows customers to access online menus, order and pay - without contact" "air purification technologies to promote 'clean air'" https://diigo.com/0lmspn
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    Some of these technologies such as food delivery services, and conctactless payments I have grown used to as a consumer. However, technology like KDS to improve the back of house operations or air purification technologies are more behind the scenes type of technologies that I have not given much thought so I found this article interesting.
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    Many restaurants are adapting to a new reality. Some of the digital trends to watch in 2022 are as follows: 1. Online ordering systems and delivery apps - Food delivery market worth more than $150 billion globally. 2. Contactless payment estimated to triple from $2 trillion to $6 trillion by 2024. 3. Online table reservation system such as Open table Experiences initiative offering unique culinary events and dinner experiences. 4. Digital kitchen boards such as KDS, a digital menu board for kitchen staff linked to the restaurant's POI which displays orders automatically and efficiently. 5. Automated inventory management software tracking food and beverage stocks, anticipating quantities and scheduling reorders. 6. QR codes that allow customers to access menus online, order and pay. 7. Air purification technology like bipolar ionization and ultraviolet light.
psanc081

Smart hospitality-Interconnectivity and interoperability towards an ecosystem - 0 views

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    Collection of data from internal and external allow the managers to use mention data to analyze, forecast and plan on marketing, channels of distribution and financial indicators such as occupancy, ADR, RevPAR, and costs.
dvieg001

The Impact of AR and VR Technology on the Tourism Market - 1 views

  • the major factors that drive the demand for AR and VR tourism are the increasing awareness of AR/VR
  • The global AR and VR market is projected to grow at a high CAGR, reaching $304.4 million by 2023.
  • AR and VR tourism has enabled the industry to enhance their services, offering stay-at-home travel experiences for people who are not yet willing to travel.
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  • R travel experiences by providing users with interactive 3D tours
  • VR is a great tool for travel agencies that want to encourage more bookings and increase their sales. For instance, Amadeus is already developing and testing its Virtual Reality Search and Booking Experience as a travel booking option.
  • Virtual reality travel
  • Virtual hotel tours
  • Immersive navigation and guided tours
  • Test drive excursions
  • AR/VR-powered museums
  • Beacons are special AR technologies that use low Bluetooth connections to communicate with users’ smartphones.
  • At present, hotels make up the majority of the businesses taking up this technology. They place beacons on physical objects and strategic locations such as hallways and lobbies. The technology enables visitors to receive real-time information on hotel activities, special offers and more. Beacons have a number of other uses too, such as allowing guests to unlock their rooms or streamlining the check-in process.
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    I chose this article because it has good examples of how AR and VR has the possibility to change the guest experience in the hospitality industry. It also talks about beacon technology that has been used by companies for marketing purposes. Using bluetooth technology and by placing small devices through out a hotel property, hotels can send signals to guests devices that generate suggestions or things to do, places to eat or even to have digital keys for their rooms
artandmer

Is a lost hotel card key a financial risk? We found out - 0 views

  • USA TODAY took a stack of used hotel key cards to the Black Hat computer security conference in Las Vegas recently and had an expert see what exactly they contained.
  • “You’ve got nothing to worry about. There’s nothing on here at all except the room number and a date field,
  • the presentation the detective had seen actually featured a blank hotel card key which had been used by cybercriminals to store stolen information about a victim and was in no way connected to a hotel.
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  • The credit card-sized plastic keys used by most hotels today contain at most four pieces of information — which room the key is for, when the key can begin opening the door, when it should stop working, and, sometimes, a guest number.
  • hotel key cards are a great example of what the computer security world calls “least privilege,” the concept that to maintain security a system should have only enough privilege to access the information it needs to get its work done and no more
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    At some point, we've all probably heard that hotel keycards store guests' personal information and that puts our privacy at risk and perhaps even exposes us to credit card fraud. This is pure myth. Hotels encode the least amount of information possible (a term called least privilege) on a keycard, limiting it to room #, arrival and departure date. The only way anyone's personal information could get onto a keycard is for someone to reuse a hotel keycard to program it as a credit card, and that information would not be obtained from a hotel PMS system.
alo328

Electronic Waste Is Becoming a Global Environmental Problem | Time - 1 views

  • s a tech-hungry nation flush with cash gets ready to upgrade to the next generation of lightning-fast 5G devices, there is a surprising environmental cost to be reckoned with: a fresh mountain of obsolete gadgets. About 6 million lb
  • Workers with hammers hack at the bulkiest devices, while others remove dangerous components like lithium-ion batteries
  • That cycle of consumption has made electronics waste the world’s fastest-growing s
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  • “In our society, we always have to have the new, best product,” said Aaron Blum, the co-founder and chief operating officer of ERI, on a tour of the facility
  • Even when e-waste rules exist, it’s left up to consumers to handle their old devices prop
  • But less than a quarter of all U.S. electronic waste is recycled, according to a United Nations estimate. The rest is incinerated or ends up in landfills
  • Environmental concerns aside, compacting flammable lithium-ion batteries with paper recycling can be dangerous; recycling centers have reported an uptick in fires
  • 5G promises faster speeds and other benefits. But experts say it will also result in a dramatic increase in e-waste, as millions of smartphones, modems and other gadgets incompatible with 5G networks are made obsolete
  • ly. But recycling them can be a
  • We don’t necessarily have the measures to make sure people aren’t throwing it away,” Walters said.
  • Even so, some companies are increasing their recycling efforts on their own, whether for the economic benefit or the public relations boost (mining fresh materials has financial, environmental and human costs of its own). For instance, Apple in 2018 introduced Daisy, a smartphone-recycling robot that can take apart 200 iPhones every hour, and says it diverted 48,000 metric tons of electronic waste from landfills that year
  • Our products today don’t last as long as they used to, and it’s a strategy by manufacturers to force us in
  • o shorter and shorter upgrade cycles,” said Kyle Wiens, the founder of iFixit
  • Some environmental groups say multibillion-dollar companies like Apple and Samsung should pick up the cost of recycling the devices they sell. Lawmakers in parts of Europe and Canada and in some U.S. states have passed so-called Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) laws, which require manufacturers to establish and fund systems to recycle or collect obsolete products
  • One solution is to make electronics last as long as they once did. At ERI’s facility, Shegerian showed TIME dozens of televisions from the 1970s and 1980s that stopped working only recently
  • About 6 million lb. of discarded electronics are already processed monthly at recycling giant ERI’s Fresno plant.
  • Americans spent $71 billion on telephone and communication equipment in 2017, nearly five times what they spent in 2010 even when adjusted for inflation, according to the Bureau of Economic Analysis. (Apple alone sold 60 million iPhones domestically last year, according to Counterpoint Research.)
  • That stream is expected to turn into a torrent as the world upgrades to 5G, the next big step in wireless technology.
  • Part of the problem is regulatory. Only 19 states have laws banning electronics from the regular trash. In states without such rules, like Nevada, electronics often end up in garbage and recycling bins, said Jeremy Walters, a community-relations manager for waste collector Republic Services
  • Our products today don’t last as long as they used to, and it’s a strategy by manufacturers to force us into shorter and shorter upgrade cycles,”
  •  
    Advancement in technology every day has led to the dumping of electronic gadgets no longer wanted to the environment. Heaps of unwanted electronic waste, hazardous containing substances like lithium-ion batteries, are dumped into the ground with all their toxicology. As the world upgrades to 5G, it will end in a rapid surge in e-waste. According to John Shegerian thinks people are yet to see the magnitude of the transition to 5G, it is tremendous than changing from analog to digital (Samuels & Calif, 2019). However, it comes with many advantages; its outcome is a drastic rise in electronic waste. The ERI recycles less than a quarter of the United States' e-waste according to the estimate made by the United Nations, and the other dumped in landfills. This waste contains harmful metals such as beryllium and mercury, that have adverse environmental dangers. Among the 50 states in the United States, only 19 States have imposed a law to bun electronics from regular trash (Samuels & Calif, 2019); the rest of the states, like Nevada they are incorporated in recycling and trash bins, according to Jeremy Walters's manager for waste collection. The consumers are left to handle their e-waste even though there are e-waste rules. Multibillion companies should the responsibility and cater for the cost of recycling for the products they are manufacturing. Companies like Apple and Samsung, nonetheless the United States is repelling modifications to the prevailing laws, according to Scott Cassel Product Stewardship Institute found. However, some companies are improving through increasing their recycling efforts. For instance, Daisy, a recycling robot introduced by Apple, can collect more than 200 iPhones for recycling every hour. But this is not enough since e-waste generated annually globally is more than we can imagine, which almost 50 tons (Samuels & Calif, 2019). In a nutshell, technology can bring many benefits to society. Still, it can also harm both the environment and the p
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    the article explores the dangers of elctronic waste and give suggestions on how to better monitor this issue and resolve.
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    This article explains how the rapid advancement of technology has impulsed an increase in the use of technology, however has resulted in a rise in ewaste percentage. This happens because companies have opted for creating products that do not last for long periods of time, since they want to sell future products.
emilywest5

Developing an eMarketing model for tourism and hospitality: a keyword analysis - ProQuest - 0 views

  • Advances in IT have prompted the hospitality and tourism industries to move in a new direction, i.e. internet marketing or eMarketing (Leung et al., 2015)
  • On the other hand, from the customer perspective, tourism and hospitality are an information-intensive consumption experience because a customer might make considerable efforts to collect information and understand the image of a travel destination before making a purchase decision (Kim and Law, 2015). In this regard, search engines and social media are two of most fundamental information sources for making such decisions (Xiang and Gretzel, 2010). With their information-sharing capability, social media empower customers, granting them a “democratic consumption culture” by reducing information asymmetry and increasing their bargaining power (Leung et al., 2013). The pervasiveness and powerful computational capability of mobile technology make it possible for tourists to easily access information, book online services or even make impromptu purchases (Kim and Law, 2015). Apparently, the tourism and hospitality industries have been facing a revolution that has arisen largely because of IT turbulence (Piccoli, 2008).
  • Studies suggest that IT plays a prominent role in the tourism and hospitality industries, and it will be imperative, and indeed beneficial, for tourism and hospitality practitioners and scholars to keep abreast of all the advances in IT
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  • Correspondingly, the frontiers of IT-related research will not only benefit the innovation and encroachment of the industry but also support managers, researchers, policymakers and other interested audiences in understanding the progress of developing trends and themes in the context of IT development
  • Among these analyzes, the keyword co-occurrence network particularly aims to construct knowledge, as the keywords of an article are anchored by the authors to distill the core concepts of a paper. Keywords generally represent the main idea of a research paper and express authors’ understandings of their work within the thematic context of their research domains (Ali et al., 2019). Keywords are regarded as one of the most meaningful indicators of an article’s content (Weismayer and Pezenka, 2017). Although keywords indicate the topic area and key variables/theories used in a study, they do not convey key findings such as the causal relationship between two keywords. Nevertheless, a group of keywords from the same domain creates an intellectual knowledge map of that realm. A knowledge map is generated from keywords according to the following steps
  • Keywords are collected from journal articles. A network of these keywords is built. A knowledge map connects the same keywords in different articles. A complete knowledge map is formed when all articles undergo the previous three steps.
  • eMarketing Capability As this study’s model of eMarketing capabilities is a major contribution and these capabilities play a critical role in marketing performance, future studies can investigate the antecedents/consequences of eMarketing capability, develop a scale or investigate the formation process of this construct. Future studies might validate the proposed model-based either on a single eMarketing capability or on multiple eMarketing capabilities. Empirical studies could benefit the development of research concerning eMarketing tourism and hospitality.
  • 3. Methods3.1 Data collection
  • 3.2 Data processing
  • 3.3 Analysis process and tools
  • Emerging Digital Technologies The purpose of this study is aimed at understanding the impact of IT on tourism and hospitality. However, as IT continues to evolve and advance, and as new technologies often alter customers’ behavior, as well as firms’ marketing strategies, it is necessary to pay attention to the impact of new digital technologies on focal fields. Specifically, it could be interesting and promising to explore the impact and role of forthcoming digital technologies in different eras, specifically, artificial intelligence, machine leaning, AR, virtual reality (VR), mixed reality (MR), chatbots, robotics, blockchain, 5 G or the internet of things (Park et al., 2018; Tung and Au, 2018).
  • As the database contains journals from various domains, this study first identified the target journals by using the keywords “travel,” “tourism” and “hospitality,” identifying 24 journals. Next, as these journals are affiliated with different publishers, the keywords “IT*,” “IS” and “technology*” were input to search ICT-related articles on the official website of each journal from its first issue to April 2020.
  • Customer Equity and Engagement Value Customer equity and engagement value are two of the crucial variables that require a better understanding in the eMarketing tourism and hospitality research. With the application and support of advanced IT and quantitative mathematical models, it will be valuable for future work to explore all aspects of the factors that influence customer experiences over time to synergize and maximize customer equity and CEV for DMOs or hotels.
  • Marketing Performance Apart from loyalty, other marketing performance indicators including financial and non-financial ones are encouraged to be developed. Such work will contribute to both the tourism and hospitality academia and allow industrial managers to link financial performance with innovative IT in terms of profit, sales revenue or cash flow. Moreover, assessing non-financial marketing performance (market share, quality of services or CEV) will help researchers and managers better understand the predictors of future financial performance than traditional accounting measures have in the past, and it should also supplement financial indicators in internal accounting systems (Ittner and Larcker, 1998). Finally, it will be contributory to develop a combined indicator linking financial and non-financial measures. Table 4 summarizes the overview of future research avenues.
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    This article is about how hospitality and tourism have been reshaped through IT, eMarketing and how it has helped prove sales, information, made destinations more popular and also help travelers plan. eMarketing also is a massive platform for word of mouth. This study also shows what helped eMarketing become what it is. When certain things are typed into search bars, this data is collected and used for eMakreting and to target specific groups of people.
mmoutsatsos

Digital Transformation in the Hospitality Industry | Boston Hospitality Review - 0 views

  • We are now experiencing the fourth industrial revolution, a period marked by emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, robotics, virtual reality, the Internet of Things, and fifth-generation wireless technology.
  • The recent Covid-19 pandemic has accelerated this digital transformation resulting in a widening technology-mediated customer experience.
  • The core interactive and communicative features differentiate service robots from other self-service machines, which result in unprecedented human-technology interactions in the hospitality industry.
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  • Service robots are “system-based autonomous and adaptable interfaces that interact, communicate, and deliver service to an organization’s customer” (Wirtz et al., 2018, p. 109).
  • he service production process, disinfection robots, which emit UV light to kill viruses and bacteria, were announced to be used in airports and hotels worldwide to ensure a safe and clean environment (Greg, 2020).
  • The robots drive around autonomously in high-touch public areas and select rooms at the hotel, removing all airborne viruses and bacteria. As an extension of the hotel’s “SmartStaySafety” operation, the use of UVD robots not only provides a safe environment but also assures guests that they are being protected. 
  • In
  • Service robots are still novel in hospitality. Their ability to cope with unexpected, dynamic conditions remains to be fully explored.
  • service robots can effectively respond and interact with guests, even in multiple languages. 
  • While robots make significant contributions to operational efficiency, they also raise concerns.
  • the service delivery process, service robots assist frontline staff in a sequence of service encounters. For instance, the robot concierges assist employees with guest greetings upon arrival, transporting luggage, guiding guests, and delivering room service.
  • If guests do not follow the pre-set route, service robots may fail to respond, which can lead to a service failure.
  • AI-powered online chatbots are also employed to provide swift answers to customers via live chats.
  • provide customers with immediate responses 24 hours a day, significantly improving customer engagement.
  • customers believed VR simulations would be the best tool for hospitality operators to create a compelling customer experience.
  • VR can make a huge difference in a customer’s booking stage.
  • The current applications of AR in hospitality are largely for entertainment and practical purposes.
  • VR application is the virtual tour video,
  • This not only offers customers a chance to experience prior to booking, but also allows the hospitality business to benefit from the “try before you buy” marketing strategy. 
  • Unlike VR, which puts customers in a completely virtual environment, augmented reality (AR) is about enhancing the physical environment and the experience of exploring one’s surroundings in real-time.
  • Through the digitally accommodated environment, customers can have a much clearer sense of what they are expecting, thus attracting more prospective customers.
  • One example is the Best Western Hotel Group’s experiment with AR and Disney stars.
  • Another application of AR is indoor navigation
  • Internet of Things (IoT) refers to “an ever-growing network of connected devices which communicate with a central server as well as with each other” (Car et al., 2019, p. 163).
  • IoT can collect customers’ preferences for in-room features, and the data can then be used to customize the room settings for their next stay.
  • These allow customers to control or monitor their devices from a central server, such as a mobile phone or a tablet. 
  • For example, customers can use their mobile phones for self-check-in and check-out.
  • Rooms also become “smart” with the help of IoT, which is also called the “connected room” at Hilton hotels.
  • Customers can also use voice-controlled assistants, for example, the Amazon Alexa, to control those in-room features, and order food or drinks, which can be delivered by autonomous delivery robots.
  • In addition, devices, such as luggage carts with GPS function and sensors in the parking lot, can help customers to locate their luggage and cars. Thus, IoT helps improve service processes and makes customer experiences smoother.
  • It obtains real-time data through continuous tracking from various devices, as well as a collection of customer information that was previously unavailable, such as preferences, routines, and habits (Marek & Woźniczka, 2017).
  • there are several emerging issues that hospitality practitioners must take into consideration when embracing digital technologies, which include security, privacy, costs, and human touch in hospitality. 
  • IoT with locational information can send real-time personalized recommendations to customers based on their stored preferences.
  • IoT provides integrated services, such as automated door locks, light switches, electric blinds, and voice-assistant devices, which are connected on a network.
  • Security is a fundamental issue in digital transformation in any industry, including hospitality.
  • Also, t
  • he broad connection of various devices brings vulnerability to digital networks.
  • Thus,
  • hospitality managers must prepare for security implications of digital transformation, which can be accomplished by adopting high-security technologies to reduce software vulnerabilities, building resources to mitigate risk of cyber-attacks, and training employees on cyber-attack prevention.
  • Privacy is another important factor as highly personalized services rely on storing and tracking customer preferences and behavior through digital technologies.
  • a transparent, strict, and clear privacy policy clarifying what data can be collected and shared, and who can own the data, is necessary.
  • Another challenge is associated with the high costs of employing these digital technologies.
  • For small businesses, using digital technologies in their daily operations may require significant upfront investments.
  • it is becoming critical for hospitality businesses to consider what digital technologies would most benefit their business.
  • for small hospitality businesses, they need to prioritize what works best for them when adopting digital technologies.
  • the paradox between digital convenience and in-person experience.
  • hospitality, particularly in fine dining restaurants, customer-staff interaction is highly valued by customers.
  • it is important for hospitality businesses to strike a balance between digital convenience and in-person experiences
  • Key considerations include judging what services cannot be replaced by digital tools, preservation of the choice for customers to decide between digital or human services to maximize customer experience, and incorporation of interactive digital features in the process.
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    This article talks about the current applications of 3 innovative technologies and how they are used in the hospitality industry.
avanzado

Hotel Safety: Security for Hospitality and Hotel Management Companies | By Kacey Bradley - 1 views

  • improved software allows hotel owners to match up specific transactions with the surveillance footage,
  • IT and security departments should work in conjunction
  • Offering employees profit-sharing, a stake in the hotel's future is an effective way to improve security.
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  • Mobile keys, on the other hand, strengthen security and allow guests to bypass the front desk altogether.
  • Most commercial properties have some type of video surveillance system.
  • In today's technologically advanced world, guest and staff security are more critical than ever. Luckily, you can take plenty of steps to make improvements. From smart surveillance technology to secure Wi-Fi networks, read the advice below to improve your hotel's setup.
  • Your Wi-Fi should be a secure network users must log in to before using. Make the username and password easy to find. Also, alert guests about possible security risks, such as connecting to public Wi-Fi networks nearby that don't require a password.
  • A straightforward update is an in-room safe. It's easy to come up with relevant items to stash inside, especially when traveling. Guests can stow essential documents, passports, collectible coins, souvenir gifts and more.
  • A safe and secure environment all starts with knowledgeable staff. Set up regular meetings with all employees to talk about guest safety. Go over OSHA requirements and how the team can stay safe in the event of fire and evacuation. You should also provide training on compliance regulations and bloodborne pathogens.
  • Profit-sharing gives employees room to grow in a chaotic industry. Most profits come in the form of an end-of-year bonus people can use to their hearts' desire. Beyond increased loyalty, employees with profit-sharing options are more likely to take ownership of their role in the business and improve productivity.
  • In today's technologically advanced world, guest and staff security are more critical than ever. Luckily, you can take plenty of steps to make improvements. From smart surveillance technology to secure Wi-Fi networks, read the advice below to improve your hotel's setup.
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    This article basically gives tips about how to create a safe hotel. There are many ways you can ensure that your staff and hotel guests are protected.
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    Among other ways that hotels in the modern are using to ensure safety and security, the article looks at cybersecurity. The author proposes that hotels' security and IT departments should work together to create a safe online environment that "prevents unwanted third parties, like hackers, from intercepting private guest data." This reiterates the significance of updating computer equipment to mitigate potential threats.
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    This is a great article that explains the different ways hotels are trying to make staying at a hotel safer. They start by explaining how they have surveillance cameras placed around the hotel to help them see everything that is happening all at once. Cybersecurity protects the hotels computer systems from being hacked and having people steal all the hotels and customers information. Mobile room keys helps guests find their keys faster because they will now have it on their mobile devices. For hotels the guests safety are their top priority and they train their staff to believe in the same thing.
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    This article is about steps a property can take in order to ensure the safety of their employees and guests. This includes: surveillance cameras, cybersecurity, mobile room keys, safes in rooms, among other things. - Be sure to invest in high-quality cameras that can pick up the little details, such as facial features and bill amounts. - Your Wi-Fi should be a secure network users must log in to before using. Make the username and password easy to find. - Mobile keys strengthen security and allow guests to bypass the front desk altogether. -Set up regular meetings with all employees to talk about guest safety. -In terms of profit-sharing, workers feel a sense of pride or ownership, they will keep their eyes and ears open for signs of waste, fraud or theft.
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    This article talks about hotel's safety and the usage of surveillance cameras, cybersecruity, mobile room keys, guest safety, staff training, and profit sharing. Each section talks about the procedures that should be taken to keep guest and staff safe.
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