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davidclark33

Coronavirus cybercrime can attack your restaurant system, too | National Restaurant Ass... - 0 views

  • Protecting your business from a data breach is a constant struggle, and it’s even more important during a disaster.
  • Eliot, director of education and strategic initiatives for the NCSA, says cyber incidents and attacks, such as coronavirus-themed email phishing scams, increased as much as 300% to 350% in the first quarter of 2020 and adds that cyber scammers are now trying to target restaurant companies in particular.
  • Cybercriminals have mostly directed malicious emails at telework employees or people donating time and money to those impacted by coronavirus. “We're seeing a huge increase of cyber-related scams promoting coronavirus information or relief efforts. “It’s a big issue.”
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  • The PCI Security Standards Council claims that since March, malicious virus-related reports are up 475%. The reason for the uptick is that cybercriminals are trying to take advantage of rapid changes to the payment-card data environment. In addition, 41% of small businesses have said they’ve suffered breaches costing more than $50,000 to fix.
  • Contactless payment is one of the big changes within the payment data environment. Several restaurant companies – from chains to independents – are offering it because it reduces customers' physical interaction with the restaurant's POS system. As part of this move, some businesses have eliminated credit-card PIN numbers.
  • Eliot says malicious email is usually the easiest way for cybercriminals to access your networks. The emails typically show up as urgent requests for sensitive information, often pretending to be from the Small Business Administration or the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. When the intended victim types in his or her credentials and clicks on a specific link or downloads an attachment, criminals are in.
  • Anyone looking for easy-to-implement security tips can try these six to start. Reduce areas where payment-card data is stored. The best way to protect against a data breach is to avoid storing any card information at all. With many small operators offering curbside pickup and accepting payment over the phone instead of through face-to-face transactions, it’s important they train employees not to write down payment card details. Instead, have them enter numbers directly into a secure terminal. Use strong passwords. Using weak and default passwords is one of the leading causes of payment data breaches among businesses. Effective passwords must be strong and updated regularly. The most recent guidance is: the longer, the better. Think of it almost as a “passphrase” rather than a password. Use it in the form of a sentence, but mix in different characters within the phrase. It’s much harder to break a long passphrase than it is a short, complex password. Weak and vendor default passwords often result in small business data breaches. Also, don’t repeat your passwords. Update your software often. Criminals look for outdated software to exploit flaws in unpatched systems. Timely installations of security patches are crucial to minimizing the risk of a breach. Whenever updates are available, use them. They will improve performance and close out some of the vulnerabilities cybercriminals are searching for. Enable two-factor authentication. It's so important for restaurateurs, especially where their POS systems or any of their sensitive databases are concerned, to have two-factor or multi-factor authentication enabled. If an instance where credentials are stolen occurs, there will be a second layer of verification the operator can rely on to potentially reduce the chances that information will be breached. Segment your networks. If you are going to store payment data, make sure your POS system has its own separate, secure network. Do not store sensitive documents on public cloud services such as Google Docs or DropBox. If you’re going to store sensitive documents, house them in an encrypted, locked down location.   Be hyper-vigilant. Criminals are going to try to take advantage of this pandemic situation as much as possible. You can protect yourself by not giving out sensitive information, especially within unsolicited emails. Don’t click on links you’re not expecting and do everything in your power to protect all sensitive information.
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    This article is about data breaching and cyber crime in the restaurant business. The article specifically talks about the increase in cyber crime during a crisis, and in this case, a pandemic. It talks about contactless payment as a great form of protection for restaurants as well as customers. At the end of the article, it lists six easy to implement security tips.
mannypjr

The Best HR Practices in the Hospitality Industry - 0 views

  • the quality of your customer services and staff responsiveness has a direct impact on the image and reputation of your hotel
  • Hotel executives need to devise a well-managed and robust talent management strategy that creates a culture of ongoing development, high performance, and organization-wide commitment to providing top-notch service in a practical way.
  • recruiting, hiring, and retaining skilled and experienced employees
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  • Many hotels are incorporating web-based solutions to optimize their key management functions in order for managers, HR executives, and employees to shift their focus to other high value activities.
  • Within just a year, the hotel experienced significant positive results in terms of better alignment and lower turnover.
  • scale, magnitude, duration, and strategic importance
  • hotels are cultivating talent pools internally and preparing their employees to assume leadership roles whenever the time comes.
  • The senior management needs to outline such customer service values of their hotel, and ensure that their staff at all levels has clear understanding of how their individual actions contribute to providing these values.
  • senior executives also need to empower employees to ensure they deliver them in a way that adds values to the customer experience.
  • experience and knowledge must be readily available to employees, and must be proactively delivered to the right person at the right time.
  • they need to reinforce core messages through timely advice, which should be both practical and inspirational.
  • Each employee needs to know this change is going to affect their work, what they are expected during and after the transformation process, on what basis their performance will be measured, and what is the altered definition of success and failure.
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    This article outlines some best practices in the hospitality industry. These include: Talent Mgmt. & High Levels of Customer Centricity, Executing Enterprise-Wide Transformation, and Lessons from Industry Leaders.
artandmer

Working with OTAs: The Indirect Distribution Dilemma - 0 views

  • properties that work with Online Travel Agents (OTAs) perform significantly better financially than those that do not, with commissions being more than compensated for by the increased revenues, resulting in higher bottom-line profits
  • However, in reality, many hotels still have a (perhaps historic) negative opinion of OTAs
  • the commission levels reaching 25%, sometimes even 30%, that was steep. The current situation is more within the 15-20% range
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  • would you have gotten that booking without the OTA?
  • OTAs are a necessary evil, and they bring value most of all whenever they bring incremental revenue to hoteliers. The challenge is to strike the right balance in the distribution mix.
  • play the role as a true partner — must offer independents and chain hotels alike greater flexibility around closing out dates, close to arrival/departure, MLOS, and related tools in their inventory management toolkit
  • Few property owners or managers would object to paying higher margins on inventory that they can't sell on their own; but having to eat that cost on last room available, or even close to last room, during high demand periods is too high a price to pay
  • hoteliers tend to think these bookings are "free." Well, bad news is that they're not: booking engine commissions, advertising on search/metasearch engines, website creation, promo-codes, hosting, SEO, etc.
  • The real question is: How much dependency on the OTAs is healthy for your property: 20%? 30%? 50% or more of of booked room nights?
  • I believe a healthy distribution ratio is the one of 2.5:1 direct online vs OTA booked room nights, enjoyed by the major hotel chains. Marriott and Hilton are doing even better with 3:1 ratio.
  • So what is a smart distribution channel strategy? Blended distribution strategy is the smart thing to do in hospitality
  • OTAs are storms of computer engineers with a pack of money. Would you bet them at their own game? Not sure. Can you "use them" for your own needs only when necessary under particular conditions? I'm sure you can! 
  • OTAs can help hotels gain market insights and business intelligence by applying machine learning algorithms to analyze property-level data. Some OTAs might have already provided some of those value-added reports to their hotel partners. If that is the case, I encourage the OTAs to engage the hotel sales team and see what additional value/reports they can add to the partnership.
  • In fact, we would advise hoteliers to take advantage of OTAs' online reach by listing on their platforms while, concurrently, strongly reinforcing their direct channels by adopting new technology solutions. 
  • The 2021 travel landscape has dictated that the leisure guest is all-important and that guest loyalty should be the prize, not channel loyalty.
  • To put it simply, OTAs are perfect for a first-time visitor to your hotel destination.  If a returning guest books via the OTA for their 2nd visit, then this is a complete failure on the hotel for missing the opportunity to create value or establishing a compelling reason for the guest to book directly.
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    The relationship with OTAs should be about finding the right balance (or mix of business) for your specific hotel. A commonly held point of view is that OTA commissions are exorbitant (in dollars, or as a % of revenue), but shouldn't we be glad if they sold a room we were not going to sell otherwise?
Yichen Yang

Online Reservations Streamline Event Planning for Iconic Hotel - 1 views

  • In order to streamline and simplify event planning for meeting professionals working with their hotel, The Red Lion Hotel on the River - Jantzen Beach has implemented the GroupMAX online reservation system from Passkey.
  • Planners that choose Red Lion Hotel on the River for their event will be equipped with a powerful set of tools that include various templates and themes, libraries, bundles and customized event websites
  • The booking process for each event also includes a dedicated social network, which helps drive attendance and extend the event lifecycle, allowing attendees to connect before, during and after the event. An event-centric social networking option dramatically boosts the perceived value of the event.
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  • While guests enjoy the convenience of online booking and networking, meeting planners can track the progress of their events via their own set of online dashboards that provide automated email alerts and other tools helping to mitigate the difficulties of managing room blocks and bookings.
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    According to the article, the Red Lion Hotel on the River - Jantzen Beach has implemented the GroupMAX online reservation system in order to streamline and simplify event planning for meeting professionals. Planners that choose Red Lion Hotel on the River for their event will be equipped with a powerful set of tools that include various templates and themes, libraries, bundles and customized event websites. The booking process for each event also includes a dedicated social network, which helps drive attendance and extend the event lifecycle, allowing attendees to connect before, during and after the event. An event-centric social networking option dramatically boosts the perceived value of the event. While guests enjoy the convenience of online booking and networking, meeting planners can track the progress of their events via their own set of online dashboards that provide automated email alerts and other tools helping to mitigate the difficulties of managing room blocks and bookings.
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    The Red Lion Hotel has implemented the GroupMAX online reservation system to streamline and simplify the event planning. For hosting the events and also using the related facilities, Red Lion has became the convention destination. Now GroupMAX may combine the housing management, communications, booking processes and logistics together and working with the hotel. Red Lion has a lot of powerful tools to guarantee the event. Also, the mobile version of booking website can be accessed from other mobile devices. Booking process for each event is more like a social network. The event will present the value. Meeting planners will track the progress of the events through the dashboards that provide automated email alerts. Those things all make sure the events going smoothly.
Melisah Miller

Hotel Security: Locking Systems | Hotel Industry Magazine - 0 views

  • Historically, hotel users travelled with less high value transportable goods. However, in today’s world this is no longer the case. Most clients now travel with laptops, mobile phones, iPads and so on. This obviously appeals to the less law abiding members of society and today’s conscientious hoteliers are addressing this threat with increased traceability and security.
  • Mechanical keys are no longer an acceptable security measure in the Hotel sphere. They are easily lost and readily duplicated. A lost Key will necessitate the changing of the entire Lock at the guest room if security is to be maintained. Modern RFiD card systems negate the need for concern in this area, a lost card can simply be deactivated and rendered useless to a potential intruder, when combined with the audit trail of events at the lock this inspires guest confidence.
  • RFiD locking systems are becoming the technology of choice in today’s market. As there is no physical contact between the card and the lock there is no need for open channels for card insertion or interference from external sources. The cards themselves have no magnetic strip or microchip on the surface of the card and the limited information on the card is securely encrypted (No personal information is contained on the card at all).
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  • Today’s biometric locks are reliable, cost effective and aesthetically pleasing. I think it is only a question of time before we see the emergence of cost effective systems based at reception that will read the clients print and update the room lock remotely.
  • Security requirements in hotels will inevitably become more of a deciding factor for consumers when booking rooms. As consumers become more aware of the technology hoteliers with a blasé attitude to security will inevitably see their occupancy rates suffer.
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    Nowadays, people are traveling with more valuables than they used to years ago. As a result, "hotel security measures are now paramount for hoteliers, and selecting the right type of locking system for the property can be a minefield for owners". Mechanical keys and poorly maintained electronic door locks do not offer guests a sense of security. Modern RFiD card systems are becoming the popular technological choice for hoteliers. Biometric locks, which read a fingerprint or face, are reliable and cost-effective, as well. However, they are more of an ideal security solution for offices, back-of-house, or wine stores. Not only are the RFID locks harder to hack, they are cost-effective as well. The lack of physical contact between the card and the lock makes open channels for card insertion unnecessary. The cards do not have a magnetic strip or contain microchips. The card itself only has encrypted non-personal information associated with it. In addition, since there is no contact between the card and lock, "there is no requirement for read head cleaning or replacement of read heads due to wear". As a result, the amount of faulty cards is minimized and guest satisfaction increases.
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    As this article mentioned, more and more people pay attention on the issue of hotel security because of the development of modern technology. People began to worry about their safety. For the locking system, we use RFID card systems to ensure the safety. Even though it is lost, we can deactivate it at soon. It also reduce the burden of employees in Front Desk. At the same time, we should observe surrounding environment and learn to protect ourselves. In my opinion, the updating of this locking system is a very good idea to save cost and more efficiently.
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    This article answers questions that summarize the change in hotel security. The article explains why hotels have taken a new route in locks for the guests, stating that the needs of a secure stay has grown with the changes in the value of goods that each customer brings.  The article concludes with a brief description of how hotel security will evolve over the next 5-10 years.  overall i think this is a good article that explains some of the questions that many people have.
Paulette Grant

How companies are benefiting from Web 2.0: McKinsey Global Survey results | McKinsey & ... - 0 views

  • Nearly 1,700 executives from around the world, across a range of industries and functional areas, responded to this year’s survey.1 1.McKinsey Quarterly conducted the survey online in June 2009 and received 1,695 responses from executives across industries, regions, and functional specialties. We asked them about the value they have realized from their Web 2.0 deployments in three main areas: within their organizations; externally, in their relations with customers; and in their dealings with suppliers, partners, and outside experts.
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    The article highlights the benefits that companies around the world are deriving through the use of web 2.0. This was done through a survey from a range of industries that has used web2.0 and has seen tremendous value of the technology in dealing with both internal and external customers. According to the report 69 percent of respondents report that web 2.0 has impacted their businesses in a positive way. They are able to market products more effectively, reduce the cost of doing business and better able to communicate with customers, suppliers and of course the ability to collaborate with business partners and experts in a dynamic way; something that was not possible using the static web pages of web 1.0 The article was written four years ago and this goes to show that the technological capabilities of web 2.0, one that revolutionizes the way business has been conducted online, has been around for quite a long time and has been creating tremendous benefits for many businesses such as increase revenues. As the technology continues to increase and expand, and the public's acceptance continues to grow, going beyond web 2.0 is what we are presently experiencing using tools such as semantic web and augmented reality with the launch of web 3.0. The report uses exhibits to highlights areas that companies have gain measurable benefits using web 2.0, how companies have tie other technologies into web 2.0 and regions of the world such as North American and China that have experience tremendous benefits from web 2.0 interaction with both customers and business partners.
Irina Stepanenko

The Power of Email Marketing in the Hospitality Industry - 0 views

  • arketing power of the Internet in terms of reach and frequency. Nowhere is this better illustrated than through email marketing. Following the lead of the airlines, many hospitality managers are evaluating email marketing for its low cost, rapid dissemination, and measurability.
  • Following the lead of the airlines, many hospitality managers are evaluating email marketing for its low cost, rapid dissemination, and measurability.
  • Email marketing is a crucial component of the hotel eMarketing and online distribution strategy.
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  • Email gets the most attention of any hospitality eMarketing effort because intuitively it makes sense—since email can create direct revenue opportunities with past, present, and future customers.
  • By category, travel relate
  •   Reach:
  • ssion-based email marketing is the second-generation email approach that goes well beyond guerilla email marketing, known as email spam.
  • Permi
  • Precision e-mail marketing is the next, third generation email approach that dynamically "reads" customer profiles, purchasing habits and history to create highly personalized emails.
  • Low cost
  • Hotels must employ new strategies to take advantage of these opportunities to capture this Internet market. 
  • Protects brand integrity:
  • d email marketing retains a loyal audience, especially if it offers the recipient value, accurate communication, relevance, and familiarity.
  • Instant gratification:
  • Rich Media:
  •   Results: Outcomes based, from knowing who opened the message, clicked on which links, how much time spent viewing each page, completed a transaction, or forwarded the email.
  • There are three main groups of email audiences: consumers (leisure or business), travel intermediaries (travel agents, wholesalers) and corporate clients.
  • Hoteliers are in a unique position to build a robust list from existing customers. Using a list built from existing customers, the conversion rates can be ten times greater than any standalone rented mailing list because the targeted group already knows and has experienced the product first-hand. In addition, the hotel can stratify the customer list by specific characteristics, communicate and offer value in the message, and send targeted and rele
  • vant mailings frequently to the intended audience, an audience that even anticipates these messages announcing hotel specials.
  • Personalization:
  • Travel agents that use the Internet and email are exactly the travel agents hoteliers must reach.
  • Collecting the right information is essential to not confuse long-term marketing plans
  • Recent trends in email technology and services include:
  • A total email strategy addresses every aspect of the email marketing process. It's organized to leverage a hotel’s existing and future client base for ongoing and upselling opportunities. This includes matching the right messages with the intended audiences for ongoing customer relations.
  • In conclusion, a total email marketing strategy serves as a springboard to launch various email campaigns, to boost ongoing customer acquisition, relationship management, and increased bookings on and off line.  An experienced eBusiness hospitality consultancy can help you navigate and utilize the Internet to its fullest potential.
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    Email marketing is a crucial component of the hotel eMarketing and online distribution strategy. The website is a key to establish interactive relationship with customers and capture client email profiles by the company. In hospitality industry, especially the travel agency frequently use the emarketing to retain the loyalty, and offer accurate communication. The permission-based email marketing is very useful and practical for sending the promotional emails. And the precision e-mail marketing used by the airlines has generated up to a fivefold increase in response rates and tenfold lower conversion costs than direct mail. The email marketing provides some benefits for hoteliers, such as low cost, accessibility, protecting brands integrity, hommization, timeliness, good visual sense and positive results. The consumers, travel intermediaries and corporate clients are the significant customers for email marketing. The hotel can stratify the customer list by specific characteristics, communicate and offer value in the message. Hotels must employ new strategies to take advantage of these opportunities to capture this Internet market.
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    As this class teaches us, along with this article, " the marketing power of the Internet in terms of reach and frequency." This article in particular speaks about the advantages of email marketing. With the low cost for companies in the hospitality industry, email marketing can produce positive results form the masses. The article goes on to explain how and why email marketing have been seen to be so efficient as a marketing tool. One obvious pro for instance is that everyone uses emails in today's society. After reading this article I can agree that email marketing is a very good way to put the internet to use when it comes to marketing. My concern, however, as mentioned in the article is the control the receiver has with the emails. For instance, how many emails are too much, too frequent or just not relevant? Features today have given the consumer the opportunity to now have a bit of control over this issue as I have mentioned. I believe this may be one of, if not the best form of marketing online because it gets directly to the customer, usually requires interaction whether to the main website or further clicking for deals, and sets up a format in which sufficient information can be given.
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    Many hospitality managers choose email for its low cost, rapid spread, and measurability. There is an incline to online purchasing, which means that Internet is the place to establish relationships with your customer, through email for instance. Email can be easily personalized, include only relevant promotions, and be a tool to keep in touch with your regular and new customers. Permission-based email is sent only to customers who have allowed to be emailed, thus, you are targeting people who gave you permission and who most likely are interested in your product/service. Email is also a better tool because it is cheaper and faster than regular mail. Also, it is easier to track the results, using the tools to see who opened the email, clicked on the link, etc. There are key factors to remember in order to be successful: -interactive relationships -frequency -personalize and relevance -permission-based The article provides a rationale for implementing total email marketing strategy.
martha villamizar

Travel and Hospitality | Keane | IT Investments. Optimized. - 1 views

  • Optimized solutions to maximize customer value As a trusted partner to hotels, airlines, and other hospitality service providers, Keane designs and builds systems and business processes to support loyalty and affinity programs, and mobile applications that bring added convenience to travelers. We evolve, operate, and maintain innovative applications such as passenger check-in, airline availability, airline cargo, departure control, and airline message interface solutions — bringing added efficiency, productivity, and convenience
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    Kaene its a NTT data company that offers a technology solution to optimize and maximize customer value. Kaene designes systems and programs that bring convinence to people who loves to travel. Kaene develops applications such as check in, departure control, etc. In the hospitality industry, Kaene has created a new online credit card payment system, to secure millions of dollars in real time. Also, customer service has improved with all the hotel technology, and also has reduced costs....
xiyu wang

Evaluating IT Investments - 0 views

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    This article was discussing about the evaluation of information investments of government. It metioned the ROI--the public return on investment (PROI). The Center for Technology in Government defines PROI as a measure of the delivery of specific value to the people and the improvement of the value of government itself as a public asset. PROI gets at the scietal benefits derived from an IT investment including increased efficiency, increased effectiveness, enablement, intrinsic enhancements.When identifying PROI leads to two questions: (1) How does a public-sector IT project generate increased public value, and (2) for whom? The answers are finances, politics, society, strategy, ideology, and stewardship. When considering projects that have benefit to citizens that are more difficult to measure, discussion among government official coupled with traditional ROI measurements may result in more informed and accurate assignment of the public return on the IT investment.
brittsengl

HNN - Hoteliers adjust to new accounting guidelines - 0 views

  • One goal of the new guidelines was to recognize the increasing globalization of the hotel industry, Temling said.   “Many of the changes are reflective of what’s happening in the world in our industry,” he said. “Chains based in the (United States) have generally adopted the guidelines; that’s not the problem. But we also hope chains domiciled outside this country will accept the changes outlined in the book.”   Some of the changes are small, but symbolic, Temling said. In previous editions of the book, accounting for some employee benefits reflected terminologies used by U.S. companies.   “Up through the 10th edition, we called it FICA or social security for employees’ benefits,” Temling said. “This time around we call it social benefit contribution, which is more universally acceptable.”   Large hotel companies might have more difficulty adopting the new guidelines than will smaller ones, said Michelle Russo, founder and CEO of Hotel Asset Value Enhancement, a hotel asset management and real estate advisory company. She is a member of the financial committee that created the latest edition.   “It’s actually harder for larger operators because they often have many divisions,” she said. Examples she cited affect reporting of telecommunications, labor and segmentation data.   “We created a new (information technology) department, and in a large company that is worldwide that operates on multiple accounting platforms, the mapping process is massive,” she said, adding that some companies have decided to defer adopting the new IT department guideline until 2016.
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    "One goal of the new guidelines was to recognize the increasing globalization of the hotel industry, Temling said. "Many of the changes are reflective of what's happening in the world in our industry," he said. "Chains based in the (United States) have generally adopted the guidelines; that's not the problem. But we also hope chains domiciled outside this country will accept the changes outlined in the book." Some of the changes are small, but symbolic, Temling said. In previous editions of the book, accounting for some employee benefits reflected terminologies used by U.S. companies. "Up through the 10th edition, we called it FICA or social security for employees' benefits," Temling said. "This time around we call it social benefit contribution, which is more universally acceptable." Large hotel companies might have more difficulty adopting the new guidelines than will smaller ones, said Michelle Russo, founder and CEO of Hotel Asset Value Enhancement, a hotel asset management and real estate advisory company. She is a member of the financial committee that created the latest edition. "It's actually harder for larger operators because they often have many divisions," she said. Examples she cited affect reporting of telecommunications, labor and segmentation data. "We created a new (information technology) department, and in a large company that is worldwide that operates on multiple accounting platforms, the mapping process is massive," she said, adding that some companies have decided to defer adopting the new IT department guideline until 2016."
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    This article discusses the increasing changes in the world with globalization and technology. It tells how large and small hotels adjust to these new guidelines, the resort fee and management agreements.
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    This article discuses the changesin technology and increasing globalization in the world with a highlight on the hotel industry. It explains the guidelines large are small hotels take to adjust.
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    This article explains the changes and increasing globaliztion in the world and hotel industry. It explains the new guidelines and the procedures large and small hotels take.
Gabriela Moreno

The travel business: The ineluctable middlemen | The Economist - 0 views

  • Some of the tastiest margins in the travel business are enjoyed by the “global distribution systems”
  • The airlines’ chronic unprofitability is partly the result of a wave of competition
  • But it is also due to two moves by the airlines, from the 1990s onwards, that in retrospect were strategic errors. One was to stop paying direct commissions to travel agents. The other was to set the reservation systems free to become (as the airlines see it) profit-gobbling monsters that devour their parents.
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  • These were originally created by several of the largest airlines to distribute their flights through travel agencies but have since become independent firms. Most flights booked through a physical or online travel agent go through a GDS, which charges the airline a fee of about $12 per round trip, passing a few dollars of that to the travel agent.
  • Some airlines have thrown in the towel and let a GDS take over the running of all their in-house systems for handling passengers—in some cases, even their websites
  • In recent years the main hope for restoring airline profitability has been ancillaries: all those extra charges for meals, checked bags, less-cramped seats and the like
  • Hoping to solve these problems, the airlines’ international association, IATA, is working on a grandly titled “new distribution capability”
  • The GDSs could make use of such services, so as to sell the airlines’ full range of extras as well as just flights. But perhaps of more interest to the airlines is that it would become easier for travel agents to build computer systems that deal directly with airlines. It would also become easier for search engines to scour the web for flights, assemble a list of options for travellers, then let them click through to the website of their chosen airline to complete the booking—again without a GDS’s involvement.
  • IATA hopes to have its new technical standards agreed by the end of the year—though as a rule, getting airlines to agree on such things is tricky
  • The airlines argue that the cost of the middlemen adds to the price of tickets (though the superficial evidence suggests that it is airline shareholders who suffer). They say they want to reform the distribution system to offer flyers a wider choice and a more individually tailored service. The GDSs argue that they provide travellers, through their agents, with impartial comparisons of all available flights, allowing them to get the best value.
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    This article gave me a different perspective as to how the GDS system has affected the airline industry.  According to The Economist, the airlines chronic unprofitability is due to two strategic errors of their own doing. One was to stop paying direct commission to travel agents and the other was to set the reservations systems free. Despite their best efforts airlines are now having very hard time getting travelers to bypass GDS agents and come to their websites. A majority of the profit margins in the travel business are seen by the GDS systems and airlines are left footing the bill. In hopes of resolving this problem, the airlines international association is working what is called "new distribution capability." Through use of this service it would become easier for travel agents to utilize computer systems that would deal directly with the airlines. However, ambitious IT projects have failed hundreds of different times across hundred of different industries and getting the airlines to agree to make such a dramatic change in IT would be a daunting task. Both the airlines and GDSs argue they hold the true consumer advantage.  On one hand, airlines are able to provide flyers with personally tailored service, while on the other, the GDSs allow customers to compare flights for the best value. Whether it be the airlines or the GDSs that prevail, the future of travel is now online. 
Marla Baldomero

Choice Hotels International Installs choiceADVANTAGE Cloud-Based PMS in 5000th Location... - 0 views

  • The user-friendly choiceADVANTAGE solution provides Choice Hotels franchisees with advanced hotel management functionality
  • our choiceADVANTAGE system provides our franchisees with a fully integrated solution to manage guest interaction at every stage
  • this software adds value for our hotel owners
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  • choiceADVANTAGE requires a minimal initial investment for hotel franchisees
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    Choice Hotels International has established thousands of Cloud Based Property Management Systems in its hotels. It can track every aspect of a guest stay in one centralized location and store it in the much cheaper and more efficient Cloud System. This system is being used in 5000 locations globally and is contributing to Choice Hotels' increasing profits.
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    Choice Hotels International Inc. manages its 5,000 hotels using a cloud-based hotel PMS named choiceADVANTAGE. It provides user-friendly functionalities to assist with guest services and revenue management, and gives the company's employees remote access through any computer that offers Internet access. The system provides companies a competitive advantage by providing them an easier form of checking guests in and out which in turn leads to superior guest interaction. The program is designed to provide seamless interaction with the central reservation and customer relationship management system supplied on the Internet, providing a higher value to the hotel. ChoiceADVANTAGE is a great investment for large hotel chains because it requires a small initial investment and eliminates the need to purchase, store and maintain the infrastructure and hardware usually associated with traditional property management systems.
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    This choiceADVANTAGE allows the Choice Hotel to integrate different systems without too much start up cost. I think its really a great investment helping hotels adding their value.
liang qian

Revolutionary new guide for enhancing international hotel accounting | ehotelier.com Ne... - 0 views

    • Charlie Barrett
       
      The hotel industry, according to the study, is not using accounting practices to focus on the market. The accounting is focused on departments making it an internal tool. What the article states is that it should be used as an external tool focusing on the consumers. This process is called customer profitablity analysis. This is certainly an intersting concept. As we are focusing on our end of month P&L at my hotel i think about how we look at the market from a group and transient trends perspective.While we do look departmentally at costs and revenues we also look at the ADR (average daily rate) and try to understand how the market is influncing that. I believe that the artile suguests that the market and consumer information should be the focus.
  • On the first and most basic level, the study uncovered what each customer's contribution had been to the firm's operating profit and how this information could be used for cost management through activity-based cost analysis, revenue management, and marketing management.
  • o be seen to be relevant, the information should reflect both the decision-maker's responsibilities, together with the nature of the product and/or service to which the information relates.
  • ...3 more annotations...
  • for management accounting to add value to the business decision-making process, the information presented should be perceived to have relevance to the decision maker.
  • Second, the study provided detailed description of how revenues and costs are best assigned to individual customers. It is anticipated that the first attempt described in this research is only the start of a continuous improvement of such allocation methods.
  • Third, the case-study in the hotel provided knowledge about the various factors that determine the value of each individual customer - such as customer profitability.
  •  
    This news talk about the benefits of the CPA model to the international hotel sector that for management accounting to add value to the business decision-making process, the information presented should be perceived to have relevance to the decision maker. To be seen to be relevant, the information should reflect both the decision-maker's responsibilities, together with the nature of the product and/or service to which the information relates.
Adilen Alfonso

HFTP Begins Development of a Global Hospitality Accounting System Users Guide - Busines... - 1 views

  • our Global Board is investing heavily to create a benchmark that stakeholders can use to compile accounts, compare regional differences and define the value of a hospitality operation
  • will provide the industry with a comprehensive glossary of inventory terminology, charts of accounts and will benchmark common allocation for specific regions of the world
  •  
    Hospitality Finance and Technology Professionals (HFTP) is creating an accounting system users guide to create a global resource for the hospitality finance industry. This is going to be a great resource for companies to use as a benchmark when compiling accounts, comparing differences with competitors and defining the value of their operation. Although it will not be used as mandatory protocol that all companies must abide by, it is a great tool to use as guidance. It will consist of a glossary, accounting charts and provide examples.
  •  
    This article explains how the hospitality industry is taking their own twist on accounting. Similar to GAAP, the hospitality industry will use the Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals' (HFTP) global hospitality accounting system users guide. HFTP is a global professional association dedicated to financial and personal in the industry. It is implementing a benchmark that stakeholders can use to gather accounts, compare regional differences, and set the value of operations. It will have a glossary of inventory terminology, charts, and benchmark specific regions of the world. HFTP plans to create this in 3 steps. The first step is to gather bachelor students at Ecole Hoteliere De Laudanne to gather data from hotel operations and assemble the terms. The second step is to distribute the data to regional teams that will create sample charts of accounts for the local areas. The third step is to discuss similarities and differences in allocations. I think this great for the hotel industry because will have a common accounting principle to reference to. It will allow hotels to better be indexed and compared to one another.
Chang Ren

New "ATM" takes old phones and gives back green | R&D Mag - 2 views

  •  
    In the video we had about e-wastes, people cannot really know where their dumped devices would be and most of them are not really care about recycling. This new ATM can collect used devices directly from users and the company which is doing this is definitely certified by government which will follow the laws and recycle them. This machine eliminates the possible that people just dump the devices, because they will be motivated by the value of recycling;. This is not really a cutting edge technology, but the meaning of this is that it can increase the percentage of e-wastes recycling.
  •  
    I think it's pretty sad to see that people would try and take advantage of such a wonderful environmental and economic system. Asides from now being able to turn in your cell phone for monetary value and recycling purposes, you can also donate your used to battered women shelters, I have done this before. Although, the phone would not fully work if there was no service provider, women would still be able to make emergency phone calls should they have to.
Tamara Lang

Five Hotel Companies Streamline Management Processes with Aptech's Business Intelligenc... - 0 views

  • Profitvue and Webvue stand out as our top choice to centralize accounting and financial reporting,” said Narry Krushiker, president of Krushiker Hospitality Group. “They interface with our multiple property PM Systems and the solutions are easy to use. It is important that managers at our seven hotels have accurate P&Ls and other reports each day. Profitvue will accomplish this.
  • Aptech systems handle back office operations with scalable, 24/7 dependability
  • Execuvue is a web-based enterprise business intelligence application for large and small hotel companies. Execuvue coordinates data from various systems, including Smith Travel Research, into accessible information with familiar browser simplicity.  Extended Stay Hotels, Innkeepers Hospitality, Ashford Hospitality Trust, Peabody Hotel Group, and many other successful companies rely on Execuvue
  • ...2 more annotations...
  • The system incorporates accounts payable, general ledger, statistics, and financials. Profitvue gives users open database compliance (ODBC) within a scalable, client/server, open systems architecture. Profitvue is available as an ASP service or on a licensed basis.
  • Aptech Computer Systems, Inc., based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, leads the hospitality industry in leveraging change by valuing human relationships and applying technology to solve business problems for people.
  •  
    This article is five hotel groups streamlining their management accounting process by using Aptech's intelligence and financial products. The systems were selected because of their ability to interface with several property management systems, level of accuracy, and reporting capabilities. The systems are internet based and be used for single or multi-property companies. I find this article to be interesting because at the end, it speaks about Aptech Computer Systems, Inc. as a leader in the hospitality industry. It approach to creating state of the art products is attributed to "leveraging change by valuing human relationships and applying technology to solve business problems for people". I think that is a great premise for a company to build on.
pattyjoe10

6 Lesser Known Uses of Beacons in Restaurants | News | Hospitality Magazine (HT) - 1 views

  • allowing customers to order ahead
    • pattyjoe10
       
      Beacons allow customers to order-ahead of time. It attracts a different clientele and allows us to gain others because of a shorter or no waiting time. Like an express line. But they have to make sure the order is left ready by the time customers arrive.
  • consumers today value personalized, contextual mobile engagement, built around their current location, interests and buying preferences.
  • 80% of consumers prefer receiving personalized, context-aware branded content through their mobile app.
  • ...12 more annotations...
  • Therefore, it is highly likely that, merging mobile marketing efforts with iBeacon technology could result in higher click-through, quicker conversion, more sales and greater loyalty.
    • pattyjoe10
       
      Technology has taken a huge toll on society and business now a day. If our business is keeping itself updated with technology, could mean we are at the top of our game. 
  • Q app
  • busy a restaurant is at a particular time
  • real-time information
    • pattyjoe10
       
      Beacons also allow customers to know exactly how much people are at that exact time at the restaurant or business, and thus waiting time, if any.
  • not overwhelm users with notifications
  • deep understanding of the value offered to customers and deliver it in the best way possible.
    • pattyjoe10
       
      I believe this is one of the most challenging for businesses. Customers (as myself) hate when we get attacked by too much notifications.  If it were useful in anyway or if it called my attention every now and then, buy companies apparently don't pay attention to how customers may feel.  It is very important to use the access wisely and give out information customers really want. Offer what they are looking for, by personalizing.
  • delivering personalized deals and messages
    • pattyjoe10
       
      Attract customers by promoting events or special offers. People like a place they can see as happy and fun. Also, who doesn't like discounts.
  • prevent boredom
  • offer customized discounts for first-time customers, encouraging them to come back often
    • pattyjoe10
       
      I believe this is one of the best efforts to retain and gain customers. Reward the customer who passes by every now and then, with personalized dishes; and reward  first time customers by attracting them with discounts specifically for them.
  • deliver custom menus to valued customers based on previous orders and visit history
  • awarding crawlers
  • ollect massive amounts of untapped data
    • pattyjoe10
       
      Another must. Keep track of everything to better improve employee wages and specifics of customers that are out-and-about.
  •  
    Technology has taken a huge toll on society and business now a day. If our business is keeping itself updated with technology, could mean we are at the top of our game. This article briefly  demonstrates how Beacons can help improve your business by providing how, when and where are customers behaving. For example, Beacons allow customers to order-ahead of time. It attracts a different clientele and allows us to gain others because of a shorter or no waiting time. Like an express line. But  it may become a challenge if the business doesn't know how to ensure a time-effective preparation before customers arrive. Beacons also allow customers to know exactly how much people are at that exact time at the restaurant or business, and thus waiting time, if any. Another advantage would be "push-customized notifications". I believe this is one of the most challenging for businesses. Customers (as myself) hate when we get attacked by too much notifications.  If it were useful in any way or if it called my attention every now and then, but companies apparently don't pay attention to how customers may feel.  It is very important to use the access wisely and give out information customers really want. Offer what they are looking for, by personalizing. It also helps to attract customers by promoting events or special offers and notifying via beacons. People like a place they can see as happy and fun. Also, who doesn't like discounts? A fifth advantage, and as I believe to be one of the best ways to retain and gain customers, is to reward the customer who passes by every now and then, with personalized dishes, and reward first time customers by attracting them with discounts specifically for them. And finally, another must consider, is that beacons help keep track of everything (all happening at a specific given time) to better improve employee wages and specifics of customers that are out-and-about.
  •  
    Technology has taken a huge toll on society and business now a day. If our business is keeping itself updated with technology, could mean we are at the top of our game. This article briefly demonstrates how Beacons can help improve your business by providing how, when and where are customers behaving. For example, Beacons allow customers to order-ahead of time. It attracts a different clientele and allows us to gain others because of a shorter or no waiting time. Like an express line. But it may become a challenge if the business doesn't know how to ensure a time-effective preparation before customers arrive. Beacons also allow customers to know exactly how much people are at that exact time at the restaurant or business, and thus waiting time, if any. Another advantage would be "push-customized notifications". I believe this is one of the most challenging for businesses. Customers (as myself) hate when we get attacked by too much notifications. If it were useful in any way or if it called my attention every now and then, but companies apparently don't pay attention to how customers may feel. It is very important to use the access wisely and give out information customers really want. Offer what they are looking for, by personalizing. It also helps to attract customers by promoting events or special offers and notifying via beacons. People like a place they can see as happy and fun. Also, who doesn't like discounts? A fifth advantage, and as I believe to be one of the best ways to retain and gain customers, is to reward the customer who passes by every now and then, with personalized dishes, and reward first time customers by attracting them with discounts specifically for them. And finally, another must consider, is that beacons help keep track of everything (all happening at a specific given time) to better improve employee wages and specifics of customers that are out-and-about.
  •  
    Creative and a bit scary application of existing technologies. Much like Facebook Messenger, when do we cross the line between convenience and forfeiture of privacy? As part of the industry, the responsibility falls to us to manage the line in favor of our guests. They will know when it has become too much, and we will know very soon after when business evaporates. Provide friendly, targeted service without being too invasive. Remembering orders and having them ready on time is fine. Sending a pop-up message every time the guest passes by in a cab may be a bit much. Consider how many Starbucks messages you could receive in any major metropolitan area. Without proper care, we could be giving a whole new meaning to the word Spam.
adel168

Merging Art & Tech in Spokane: Ruby Hospitality Chooses StayNTouch's Cutting-Edge Mobil... - 0 views

  • Using his love for art and theater, Jerry began renovating historic buildings including the revival of the famous Bing Crosby Theate
  • Jerry's projects emphasize innovation, smart designs, and most importantly, artistic vision.
  • Dicker's management team chose StayNTouch because it fits closely with the company's mission, which is to deliver a unique high quality product with amazing service at a great value
  • ...2 more annotations...
  • "StayNTouch's Mobile PMS gives our guests seamless self check-in options, while always keeping us in touch if they need us."
  • "StayNTouch shares Ruby Hospitality's commitment to forward-thinking innovation,"
  •  
    StayNTouch which is a mobile hotel PMS technology provider, is partnering with Ruby Hospitality. The owner, Jerry Dicker, chose StayNTouch because it fits in with their mission to deliver a unique high quality product with amazing service at a great value as well as their commitment on forward-thinking innovation.
adel168

CHMWarnick Expands Accounting Services for Hotel Asset Management Clients | Hotel Business - 0 views

  • this marks its formal entry into the space, making it the only third-party hotel asset management company providing full owner-entity accounting capabilities.
  • “CHMWarnick is the first and currently only asset management firm that provides a full suite of accounting services tailored to hotel owners,” said Celeste Cloutier Ledoux
  • Having this accounting expertise in-house also has proven to further elevate the firm’s asset management capabilities and effectiveness in delivering value for hotel owners.
  •  
    CHMWarnick has become the only third-party hotel asset management company providing full owner-entity accounting capabilities as it has expanded its accounting services available to asset management clients. It's ownership accounting include several services that have proven to further elevate the firm's asset management in delivering value for hotel owners.
kteme001

Why sustainability should be a core subject in hospitality management | By Arturo Cuenl... - 0 views

  • The CEO of Scandic hotels Ronald Nilsson prognosticated in 1994: "Tomorrow's market is about mutual values.
  • These hotel groups strive to accomplish their key performance indicators such as reducing energy and CO2 emissions, reducing water consumption or waste going to landfill.
  • "No complex, evolving, and self-adapting organization can be adequately understood merely though analysing its parts and ignoring the full system.
  • ...6 more annotations...
  • And, of course, sustainability still needs to fulfil the classic economic axiom: to offer great value for money.
  • Hospitality practitioners consider it essential that hospitality management educators provide students with a more realistic view of the industry in addition to the technical skills and knowledge essential for careers in the industry.
  • the environmental dimension: how can we minimize environmental impacts in our organization? (2) The economic dimension: how can we maximize our economic profit? And (3) the social dimension: how can we maximize the social well-being of all stakeholders?
  • The interesting thing about hotel companies that are more sustainable is that they are better capable of attracting and retaining talent.
  • Employees work together with managers to improve and innovate in social and environmental actions.
  • However, though sustainability is about improving company image, it should not be seen as involving only one specific department or consisting only of isolated actions. It must be established as a core value within the company, as a part of its DNA
  •  
    This article touches upon why it is so imperative for sustainability practices to be taught in the hospitality industry. It talks about how the next generation to come will not be able to tolerate today's world's insensitivity to the environment. Sustainability has shifted from a want to a must. Many big name hotels, like Marriott, have set high goals to reduce their environmental impact. They have key performance indicators like reducing energy use and the level of CO2 emissions to help aid the Earth's environment. The goal should be to have zero CO2 emissions and zero landfill waste, but this is a goal that will take time to reach. Profits should not be the only thing businesses are interested in. Sustainability should be included in the training process of employees within the business whether they be in customer service, kitchen or marketing...everyone can help save somewhere. Sustainability has become the new management dimension, right along with providing memorable experiences and providing good service. It has been shown that companies who practice sustainability in the workplace have a lower turnover rate because the employees know they are working towards a greater good and are given a sense of purpose.
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