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This article is about the importance of having a hotel PMS in today's competitive hotel business. In this era ,we are dependent on our mobile device and being able to handle hotel operations is a convenience that can not be passed up. You will be introduced to the benefits to having the app and the must have features of a hotel PMS app needed for smoother hotel management.

With the success of having mobile locks for our homes and even our cars, it's no wonder hotels are adopting the technology as well. Technology advances quickly, and like any business hotels must do the same, they're constantly refurbishing rooms and implementing new things to better serve their guests and a mobile lock would be no different. Having keys on a guest's phone would improve efficiency for hotel management because they wouldn't need to replace a lost key, and guests would no longer need to wait in a line to check in, just head up to their room as soon as they get there. This allows hotel staff to use that extra time to ensure guests get even better customer service. Mobile keys do possess a few problems in that, unless a guest is loyal to a particular hotel chain or unless they travel a lot, they might be unwilling to download an app just to be able to get into their room. This can be circumvented by designing an app that can do more than just open their room door such as making/changing reservations, making spa appointments, allowing gym/pool access, and being able to call for a bellboy, and getting help from the concierge. While not quite there yet, mobile door locks will let hotels know more about their guests and how to "better manage assets and the workforce with predictive analytics" that could be used to make guests experiences better and more likely to turn them into repeat guests.

This article talks about the 5 technologies hotels should be investing into for 2020 in order to stay competitive. The technologies are website simplicity, upselling tech to boost profitability, secure payment systems to increase consumer confidence & credibility, self service and automated check-in, and an omni platform which centralises operations.

Hotels are taking new major steps into tech integration as more and more developments are constantly being requested by guest and made by property owners. These I.T investments can help these properties majorly and help increase guest satisfaction. One advantage that many companies can use is it up selling aspect to help push sales. Investing in secure payment options helps with data security and gives the hotel credibility.

-Website simplicity -Upselling technology to boost profitability -Secure payment systems to increase consumer confidence and credibility -Self service and automated check in -An omni platform which centralizes operations -In a 2,000 people study, a quarter of people take into high consideration the quality and detail of a hotel's website before making a direct booking online. -Website simplicity acquires traffic, increases conversion rates and drives more people to book direct. -Upselling can happen subsequently through nudge marketing via emails, push notifications of even on arrival at the hotel. -Investment in secure payment gateways protects the data of hotel guests and the hotels credibility. -Also checks in advance whether the credit card exists and is covered which could reduce chargebacks. -In a survey of 2,654 consumers, 78% of respondents said they would like to see self-service kiosks more widely available for check in. -Self check in is faster service, more privacy, and waiting time/lines are much shorter. -Omni channel platforms enable you to centralize operational systems, take back control of your revenue flow and transparency of guest data, so hotel management can focus on creating the best experience for customers.

This article focuses on the "smart" trends in hotels that are replacing the human service. In this article David-Michael Davies does make a good point about "technology as a substitute for human hospitality" Now days hotels are focusing on having the latest technology that it could be seen as if they are forgetting the human service in the hotels. Though, I do agree with Barbara Kahn, that "most guest, especially younger ones who are used to having information at their fingertips…l" However, hotels are still focusing in personalization and making their guest feel like they care about them and not just their money. In my opinion, it is wonderful that hotels are focusing on being up to date with all the technology that is being offered to hotels because it does simplify the whole experience of staying in a hotel and at the same time it saves money for the hotel. Like they mentioned in the article, hotels are saving money by using technology to manage their inventory instead of having employees physically counting them. Specially, when the technology being adopted in the hotels can help safe money for guest. Just like The Park Hyatt Tokyo helps their guest with saving money with international calls. Furthermore, hotels are adding more advantages to being connected with them through social media. by offering promotions, discounts and even free drinks if you tag, check-in or write about them. This type of telecommunication is growing every day, but hotels should remember that the most basic modern service is important for the guest. Free Wi-Fi is a most for almost everybody now days.

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 is a great article highlighting the cons of of cloud-based PMS. In India, the infrastructure is not developed enough for hotels to rely on a cloud-based PMS. While the hotel industry is slowly adopting things such as mobile check-in, there is great hesitation to adopt the cloud-based PMS. The Internet in India is not reliable therefore it would not be efficient for hotels to send all their data to the cloud. In the event of an outage, the hotels would not be able to operate. There are also many concerns over data security; Indian hotels are worried about transferring secure information to an "unknown" place. Yet, individualized properties are looking forward to centralizing PMS and perhaps embracing cloud-based PMS in the near future. Only time will tell how long it will take the Indian hotel industry to become more technology oriented. 

The Hospitality industry have been greatly impacted over the years by the advancements made in technology. Customers have everything assessable by the click of a button or utilization of an app. Various software is being created to provide for quick and easy service but in turn takes away from the personal experiences.

This article is about the new advances in technology and investing whether it has been taken too far. It analyzes the new advancements such as apps where reservations are made. These new technologies have been made to enhance experience but not replace the warm feeling that hospitality gives you. The article concludes that we haven't taken it too far, instead it has made guest experience better. Especially when it comes to checking in, and not having to wait a huge line when you just want to get to your room.

As we learned this week, technology is impacting the hospitality industry. As the article states- "improving a guest's experience depends on the ability to identify the individual guest's preferences." This reminded me of the Smart Bar video we watched this week. Technology can enhance the quality of experience. However, depending on the businness/ company- most people would be unwilling to put a an investment into tech unless they see a significant uptake from the technology. Even though technology plays a major role in the industry, it has not completely took over human interaction.

"Stop, look and listen before investing in hotel tech"

This article first reviewed the technology revolution in hotels. From the telephone, TVs, to today's mini bars and electronic door locks. Why hotels install more and more technology into guestrooms? Because the hotels believe the guest wants it, needs it, and it's become a way to stay competitive. However, the high technology gives brings them competitive advantages and also provides convenience for the guests, at the same time, it also carries a high cost with it. How to select the best technology and how to make best use of the technology? The author suggested the hotels should Stop, Look and Listen before investing in hotel technology. First, the hotels should justify the reasons to set the expensive devices. How to make sure the devices is useful and worth that much money? The hoteliers need to see whether the guests really want and need the technology. Consider very carefully the kind of tech you are deploying. Is it because you feel threatened by what your competitors are doing? Remember they may be on the wrong track. It is important for hotels to understand what the guests really want and need and before investing the new technology, the hotels need to stop, look and listen.

When it comes to investing in technology in hotels, a better approach might be to simplify. In a day and age when most people carry around all their technology needs in their pockets (Cellphones, Tablets, Laptops, etc.) There may not be a need to invest so heavily in gizmos to attract customers and keep them happy. We may want to consider that all the guest wants is to be connected, so offering a super fast, reliable and suitably priced internet access is all the technology they really need. Investing in every new technology, with short lifespans, can end up making a real dent in your ROI.

Cloud based hotel software is allowing management for more efficient and affordable results. Hotel management can save on time, training, and cash flow. The cloud computing software enables hotels to construct their own IT infrastructure. This saves them money on expensive hardware equipment. Cloud based reservations are becoming extremely popular because of the customer can directly book a room via the web resulting in direct revenue for the hotel. More hotels are considering cloud-computing solutions due to: * Affordability - Hotels can save on hardware and can save on money being paid to employees to manage that hardware. All they need to focus on is paying for computing power and storage that the hotel may need. * Reliability and Security - Information is stored in the cloud, alleviating management of data being destroyed in a natural disaster or security breach. * Flexibility to operate from anywhere at anytime - A chain of hotels can easily use the cloud technology from anywhere in the world. The future of hospitality industry with cloud technology is moving fast and effectively, hotels want to deliver personalized guest experiences that will ensure customer loyalty. This data can be gathered by cloud technology, via email or reservation bookings.

The Article attached to this link reports commun issues found in hotel internet networks. The author mentions a study conducted with 38 hotels. It resulted that 33 out of the 38 hotels had flaws in their network configuration and allowed the researcher to access unauthorized information via the internet. We all understand that reliable internet connectivity is a priority for guests and business travelers; however, security is a concern that can't be neglected. Another reason to be concerned is that so many softwares and applications are stored via internet. Adding a password is a simple measure that every business should consider. Network issues cold not only hinder guests but the hotel as well.

According to the research by Cornell University, most US hotels are vulnerable to hackers. There are two main reasons contribute to the issue. One is the flaws in many hotels' network topology, making it possible for customers to lose their privacy. The other is careless employees provide access information to help hackers' breach. Ogle thought that WPA encryption, VPN and training employees are good ways to solve the problems. I think that if the computer networks of hotel are weak, the guests' password, email message or other private information will not be protected, and they will even suffer loss. So it is important for a hotel to use different measures as Ogle recommended to ensure the safety of the computer network.

this article is talking about the problem on the hotel network security. a author from the Cornell university said he tested wireless network at 38 hotels at the same time. he found that most hotels were easy to break into. moreover, as long as you use the Linux distribution BackTrack and a high-power wireless card and high-gain omnidirectional antenna, you can break into the hotel guest network and then get the password, email message and the website people are viewing. importantly, this procedure just cost 100$. this is full of loopholes. hotel manager should pay more attention on this problem. at the end of the article, the author recommend a security app called Wi-Fi Protected Access encryption. this app require the guest to enter the password if the guest wants to surf the internet.also, he recommend connecting to the internet using a Virtual Private Network (VPN), having updated anti-virus and firewall software and making sure each secured website starts with "https://" rather than "http://".

A digital solutions named Beyond Digital Solutions based in the United Kingdom provided a technology for an airport hotel to enable guests to check their flight status. The technology is being used at the Hampton by Hilton near the Luton Airport just north of London. The hotel "installed a digital screen in its reception area to provide live flight arrival and departure details." This system also allows guests of the hotel to check-in for flights and print boarding passes. The company Beyond Digital Solutions has provided other hospitality technology for the industry such as digital signing that helps to provide information for guests regarding the local area or activity schedules.  I personally believe this is a smart idea for an airport hotel. Having the ability to check a flight status before you leave the hotel can help guests decide if they need to leave or wait if their flight is delayed. When traveling abroad not all the time do I have access to an internet device or my smartphone, so I feel this would be convenient. If my flight is delayed for a longer period of time, I could have the ability to stay at the hotel longer if I did not want to wait at the airport for an extended period of time. Even when traveling in the United States not all the time do I think to check my flight status ahead of time. If I saw this screen I would have the option to check my flight status because it is right there in front of me. I hope to see a system like this added to more airport hotels in the future. I see this as a huge benefit to airport hotels. 

The article talking maining about the issues that companies have in investing into technology without having a set plan. Mr. Estis-Green, among others, stated that they see an industry that is very innovative but lacking direction in its approach to investing in the correct technology. The main issue is seems to follow throughout the article is that these companies are following trends instead of figuring out if said technology would mix well with the brand vision. A first, the implementation of technology within a business was used more as a tactic but it has become more popular that is has changed the way the guest experiences service at a hotel, from POS systems to a front desk check in. It's driving the way hotels run their business. I think that the biggest issue with investing in technology is controlling the way its used within a hotel. With technology becoming bigger and being implemented within larger hotel brands, it is changing the service experience which affects the loyalty of a guests. Taking that into consideration, I think that it causes internal competition within the vision that a hotel original sets out to provide and what other hoteliers are doing to gain that loyalty. As mentioned in the article, i think that the best way to have a vision and trend coincide is to find a way to personalize it to its convenience and effectiveness.

Hotel Communication Network HCN is a corporation that serves hoteliers who have embraced in-room technology as a costeffective and guest-friendly way to automate and enhace guest services while reinforcing the hotel's brand message. In recent 2 years, HCN has secessfully practiced in hospitality industry wide, to hotel opertators and convention maangers. It is a breakthrough for the hoteliers because it makes the GM directly reach every guest in every room with instant personal communication and with the ability to customize hotel service offerting. From the customer pespect, this technology is accepted and loved by majority of the guests.

This article mainly describes the current main trends of artificial intelligence in revenue management, guest experience, and daily operations. AI's concierge service, chat robot translator, ultra-dynamic pricing, forecasting utility, team booking software review data collection, intelligent function charts, and intelligent recruitment are the main manifestations of future technological development. Through these artificial intelligence, the hotel can simplify some service procedures, provide more personalized and improve the guest's staying experience. But at the same time, we must also realize that intelligent technology cannot completely replace employees.

"AI is already changing the guest experience across the travel lifecycle, including the on-property experience."

The article tells us 7 ways to make hotel smarter. 1. Enhanced Connectivity to Guest Services and Staff Members. Hotel should pay attention to online visitor reviews on websites. Many smart hotel systems have adopted bespoke technology to provide faster and more targeted guest selection capabilities without sacrificing quality. 2. Intelligent Environmental and Entertainment Controls. Guests will often rate their experiences in direct relation to the amenities that they are provided with. It therefore makes a great deal of sense that many hotels have adopted the same smart systems that can be found within homes. 3. The Inclusion of Voice-Ready Technology. Voice-controlled technology provides guests with a convenient means to control basic aspects within their rooms. Voice commands can control options. Voice-ready technology has made great progress in recent years. 4. Smart and Interactive Maps. The real-time interactive mapping not only can these items be used to orientate the guests themselves, but such maps are just as capable of displaying important information, like nearby attractions and places of interest to visit. 5. Personalised Forms of Entertainment. Many hotels are now beginning to provide guests with even more intuitive ways to access personal entertainment accounts, like voice control, access to audio books and customized music playlists. 6. The Concept of Sustainability. Guests are now appreciating their relationship with the natural environment. And a smart hotel room is known for its energy-saving qualities. Therefore, smart hotel systems also can improve sustainability. 7. Adopting Smart and Targeted Forms of Data Collection. In smart hotel, data can be collected without violating the privacy of patrons to make important policy changes as well as to cater to the needs of a certain demographic.

This article basically talks about a front-desk bypass solution that allows guests to head straight to their room without standing in lines to obtain a plastic room key as long as a guest has a mobile phone.  To sum up the article, mobile key by Open ways is compatible with any cell phone, as all of the 6+ billion mobile devices in the world. It simplifies hotel Master Key management by harnessing mobile technologies to make all locks 'on line' without the costly infrastructure. It also enhances a hotel's sustainability program because the Mobile key is made only of data and not plastic. Moreover, hotels can eliminate costs originally spent on toxic plastic key cards. It is a creative way to move the technology of mobile keys forward, giving hotels an added dimension to guest satisfaction and a new means of attracting the ever-important business traveler. In my opinion, this solution could be beneficial to hotels' revenue since the system is compatible with not only smartphones but also all kinds of cell phone. It works with all major lock technologies and relies on a combination of text messages and its Crypto Acoustic Credential (CAC) technology. The only modification required to a lock for it to work is the addition of a decoding listening device. I think this is a great convenience for both the hotel management and consumers. Furthermore, there might be a good marketing opportunity here modifying the system to pop up a special offer on a phone once the rock has been deactivated. For example, a free dink at the hotel bar, or a half price meal at the hotel restaurant.

Mobile Key by OpenWays allows hotel guests to bypass the front desk and go straight to their room upon arrival by simply using their cell phone as a room key. Many people do not want to wait in line at the front desk merely to get a plastic key card for their room. As long as the guest has a cell phone and the hotel is equipped with OpenWays they can get secure access to their rooms. Mobile Key by OpenWays is also very beneficial to the hotel as well. Since Mobile Key is only made of data, it cuts the hotel's costs of making room keys out of toxic plastic for guests as well as master keys for employees. The hotel is now "greener," saving money, and improving customer service. With technology growing and customers relying more and more on mobile technology while travelling, Mobile Key creates an easier and more enjoyable way to travel.

In my personal opinion, I love this renovation on mobile key. I don't like to wait a long time for check-in. With the Mobile Key, guests don't have to carry their room key anywhere anytime and if they leave it in the room, they have to wait a long time in the line to the front desk to ask for another one. My favorite part of the Mobile key is that this technology is green. Even though current room keys that used by most hotels made of plastic are reused and recycling, the plastic itself is a material that would pollute the environment. But I still have a question about it that how about guests lose their cell phone during their stay. Does the hotel have a plan B for helping guests to open doors without the plastic key?

This article points out the key features that standard hotel accounting software should have, like keeping track of costs, sales and inventory. It also points out the advantage having these features fully integrated. For example, a fully integrated system can let you make reservations, make sales, take payments, process room charges and manage accounting with one click of a button. The convenience of having a fully integrated system, along with its detialed reporting system, can make hotel accounting software a critical tool for daily hotel operations. In addition to integrated sales/revenue tracking features, you should also be able to track accounts payable to guests and vendors. Overall, hotel accounting software is essential in today's technology-driven Hospitality Industry. With the right software, you can basically run your entire hotel operation from one screen.

The Hotel Accounting System helps hotel owners and managers a lot to mange their cost and profit. That's also pretty easy for them to operate. First, Accounting system can help them keep track of the costs, sales, inventory, etc. Keeping tracking is a valuable way of managing hotel's profit. Second, Owners and managers can view reports and numbers all from one system which will give them huge return on investment. Viewing reports from one system is much easier and more convenience than from multiple. Third, hotel managers can also copy credit card or gift card information from one system to another automatically through the accounting system. That's helps them see all sales information easily. Last but not least, accounting system help managers to manage accounts receivable and accounts payable. By checking the A/P and A/R, they can easily see the sales information and invoices. All in all, accounting software for hotel is a valuable tool that improve the efficiency and even profit of the hotel.

This article tells us what is hotel accounting software and it can be used for different parts of the hotel businesses. And at the same time, it shows us the importance of hotel accounting software for hotel businesses. At last, what benefits we can get from those softwares. 

Many hotels may want to chance their accounting systems but at the same time are trying to avoid all of the new costs and possible disruptions that come with a new system. By staying with their old systems though it could end up costing them more money in the long run if the system decides to just stop working and then you lose all of your data.

This article describes what basic capabilities an accounting software for a hotel who is trying to expand globally should have. As well know, it is very important for a company to be able to adapt to changing times. Hotels are an industry that is constantly facing challenges, especially when trying to expand globally. This article gives some very important tips on what hotels should looks for when putting their financial management system in place. For example, expanding globally means a hotel would have to handle different currencies at one time. This is somewhat of a complex task for a company who is new to the global arena. Hotels should make sure to have a system that would make following different sets of accounting and business rules easier for the company. Another example is hotels should have a system that is able to utilize multiple accounting standards. "GAAP, IFRS and local accounting standards require different accounting treatments", therefore, software for hotels should be able to accommodate these variations.

I found this article very interesting as it discusses various aspects that a financial system should have in order to provide the most accurate and timely financial reports and analysis to help hotels to be more efficient and increase profit. According to the article, as all the hotels are evolving and changing at all times and the financial system has to be able to keep up with all the changes. One of the few things a financial management system should be able to do is to handle currency complexity and make sure that the hotel's accounting system can handle multiple currencies. A good financial system should also be able to handle multiple different languages for employees with different language backgrounds and also units of measurements and formats. The system also needs to be able to support multiple charts of accounts. According to Ventana Research 2011, "maintaining multiple charts of accounts may prove to be both simpler in the long run and more productive." Another important aspect of a good financial system it to handle tax complexities for hotels operating in various countries. The accounting software should be able to "handle complexities associated with different tax regulations and help defending tax audits." The last important fact it that the software should web based therefore accessible from anywhere and anytime. I find the last one the most important one as our technology and our PMS are moving into cloud based systems, it is curial that we are moving in the right direction with all of our systems and have them synchronized.

The rise and rise of consumer technology and the increasing take-up of this technology by our guests combined with the shorter life cycles of this technology creates considerable challenges for both operators and owners of hotels. In the past we stayed in a guest room to experience technology that we could not get at home but now this changed completely and in most instances the reverse is true today where what we have at home is far superior to anything that is in hotel guestroom.