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This article gives us a few tips about how to streamline the facilities management systems, to make the processes easier to track as well as reducing cost and waste. The first tip is to implement a computerized maintenance management system for the property. This CMMS would allow you to track preventetive maintenance schedules, which would alleviate excess labor on the staff. CMMS also allows the staff and even guests to submit maintenance requests electronically. Another tip is to adopt Energy Star's Portfolio Manager, which helps to track the property's performance and use of gas emissions, energy, and water. Third tip is to connect thermostats in guests room to the PMS. This would be able to not waste unnecessarily when rooms are vacant. Lastly, streamlining the property's waste management operations by producing less waste. Switching from paper copies to digital, using refillable containers, re-using leftover materials, and donating food and beverage leftovers to shelters should be adopted. Hotels these days need to be going green, and all of the above are ways in which we could start. This is a great article with helpful tips for hoteliers who are beginning.

Even though the wine industry was once considered more of a "boy's club", woman are now leading the way in the growing Natural Wine Movement as a market dedicated to organic ingredients and sustainable practices continues to emerge. This is largely due to the fact that women outnumber men as the lead consumer of wine in both retail and restaurant bottle purchases, as well as several studies that suggest that woman eat/drink more nutritiously than their male counterparts. This has led to organic and biodynamic wines growing at rates between 10 percent and 20 percent per year in volume from 2013 to 2016, and organic vineyards almost tripling word wide over the last decade. Being in charge of the Beverage Ordering and Menu Creation at my restaurant, I have seen first hand the increase demand for organic and biodynamic wines. It has become so prevalent that I have begun printing menus with asterisks to highlight which of our wines fall into either of these categories. According to a Mintel Study, 60 percent of millennials and 55 percent of Gen-Xers are concerned about harmful ingredients in their food and groceries. With millennials constituting for 36 percent of wine consumers, according to a report by Beverage Dynamics, it is a essential that both the restaurant and wine industries continue to cater and adept to our consumers wants and needs. It would only make sense that Women are the ones leading this growing trend, as they constitute the majority of the market for it as well.

RoomOrders is now available for free trails in the United States offering a digital menu in the cloud to streamline food and beverage options. The web app helps answer hotel dilemmas as well as solving problems which include language barriers, reprinting menus, and customer satisfaction with signal and unresourceful staff members.

A food and beverage point of sale system is more likely to get hacked than any other technology, because it stores customer payment information.

The article by Shiji Group (2020) focuses on how companies can utilize technology in responding to post-crisis operations, increasing their competitiveness in their respective industries. In itself, the Shiji group is a software solutions company that provides its services in the Food, hospitality, entertainment, and retail industry. The company was founded in 1998 and currently employs approximately 5,000 individuals in its over 80 subsidiaries. As of 2020, Shiji Group serves approximately 200,000 restaurants, 74,000 hotels, and 600,00 retail businesses (Shiji Group, 2020. To this effect, the Shiji Group (2020) provides that the utilization of point-of-sale software and technologies is the best suit technological alternative for foods and beverages companies in the post-crisis period. In this line, the article indicates that the best alternative in implementing such technology is ensuring that the company's systems can communicate effectively. In this line, Shiji Group (2020) notes that approximately 65% of all purchasing decisions are affected by the availability of point-of-sale features, modules, and functionalities. Shiji Group (2020) further provides one of the transitioning alternatives: the utilization of cloud-based technologies that provide secure, convenient, flexible, and open application programming interfaces (APIs). Some of the accrued benefits include better customer experiences due to software ease of use, multi-function applications and reports building, and capacity to alter the software and hardware accessibility. Having noted these advantages, Shiji Group (2020) provides an example of its software business partnership with Barstock Exchange. They focused on helping Food and beverage businesses extend their capacity through the upgrading of its technological base. This was achieved through the upgrading and integration of the point-of-sale software and their cloud-based software functionality, hence increasing their operational capacity and effi

This article introduces the application of tablets in hotels, including Lodging Management, Restaurant management, Beverage Management, Club management, etc. This article also introduces the important role of tablets and T-Commerce as a PMS medium in hotels.

This article shares results from an environmental sustainability study of 100 US resorts and a separate survey of 120,000 hotel guests. It discusses a variety of sustainability initiatives such as water and energy conservation, recycling and waste reduction, LEED construction, and guest engagement. While guest engagement was significant, indicating 75% of guests surveyed actually participated in sustainability initiatives during their stay, the effect on guest satisfaction is modest at best. At best, only 0.6% of guests selected specific properties based on environmental sustainability. Guest participation in sustainability efforts were highest at extended stay locations, followed by luxury and upscale properties, with economy properties placing last. The most effective and commonly used aspect of sustainability efforts was towel and linen reuse, showing up in 91% of the survey responses. Overall, while the traditional drivers of guest satisfaction remain consistent across brands and property types (room, facilities, food and beverage quality), sustainability programs do not lower guest satisfaction, but are increasingly becoming a standard expectation of both guests and employees, and have significant cost-savings potential when implemented and managed effectively.

"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

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.

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.

At this moment the majority of hotels and resorts are using disconnected technology to manage check-in/checkout, billing and on site food and beverage charges. Toast POS provides an integrated platform which allows guests to pay bills more efficiently all with one payment. "Toast for Hotel Restaurants will deliver a more efficient way to let guests pay bills by charging them to their room, making the payment process faster and more efficient for both hotel and restaurant staff across full service restaurants, in-room dining, grab & go, bar & cocktail, event venues and poolside dining."

Point of Sale (POS) equipment is the computer-based order-entry technology many restaurants use to capture orders, record data and display or print tickets. Restaurant servers, bartenders and cashiers can all use POS systems to easily enter food and beverage orders.In fact,it has the ability to perform a multitude of functions, including the following: Calculate cash due for every order entered Record the method of payment Keep track of the cash in the cash drawer Create hourly and daily sales reports Allow hourly employees to clock in and out Calculate labor and payroll data Record daily check averages for each worker Keep track of menu items sold Record information on repeat customers Some of them we are familiar, some we are not. And more important, how to choose a right POS for our business is a keyEvery POS system differs based on its software, hardware and application. When looking for a POS system, do some research online and check out several different companies. You can even request a demo from a salesperson. Make sure the POS system you choose is one that fits your restaurant concept, service style and business needs. After all, this software can take a big bite out of your budget. And in this article, the author show us so many aspects should be concern when we decide to buy the POS.

The point of sale (POS) is more commonly used these days with the advancement of technology. Many restaurants use it in restaurants for many reasons. One of the reasons is to organize the orders and sales that are being processes. Not only it helps the employees to gather their information, but it is also accurate to make reports. This machine is efficient in more ways than we think. This article also point out the POS capabilities and how it works. This machine has a description of each item and the amount, it organizes the payments, creates daily financial statement, evaluate payroll, and do the calculations. Now how it works, it keeps track of the credit card payments that have entered the system, creates reports daily, and systematize the cash, etc. It is very easy for employees to access the device. First they have to enter their name, enter the order of the customer, send the order to the kitchen so it can be prepared, then wait till they ask for the check to collect the payment and register it on the POS.

This article indicates the importance of the POS system. It introduces POS system from different aspects, including POS capabilities, how employees use POS system, where to set up the POS, specific POS configurations and what to look for in a POS system. 

Accountancy system is the necessary for both restaurants and hotels. Restaurants need an accounting system that addresses issues like excess wastage on different product lines, and consumption of different products, rather than mere stock control. In hotels, accounting systems need to cope with everything from varying room rates, different ways of charging for phone calls, customer discounts, loyalty programs and everything in between. Accounting system has following features. First, accounting system can back up data quickly and easily. Second, it has comprehensive reporting capabilities, which enable you to monitor ongoing trends within your business. Third, it is easy to use. The last one is automation. You should be able to automate common tasks such as producing invoices and running regular custom reports.

The accounting systems are really different in restaurant and hospitality. but all of them are make work more and more easier and efficiency. In restaurant, the accounting system contain different product lines, the consumption of different products and stock control. In hotels, accounting system should contain varying room rates, defferent ways of charging for phone calls, customer discounts, loyalty programmes and so on. If the accounting system software is fit for your hotel or restaurant, it will save not only time but labor cost.

This article talks about some of the creative ways hotels are going green. As more and more guests are looking to stay at environmentally friendly hotels, properties have to go beyond just offering a towel initiative or just using LEED lights. Hotel chains like Kimpton, The Charles Hotel, Starwood, and Calistoga Ranch are all coming up with new ways to be more eco-friendly. About five years ago Kimpton Hotels implemented a complimentary bike service. Guests are able to check out the bikes and use them to navigate throughout the city. As this service became more popular, Kimpton started investing in more bikes at each property. The Charles Hotel in Cambridge Massachusetts offers a similar program for guests. Their program started eight years ago when they purchased a property in Boston. The program enables guests to experience the city, all-while being environmentally friendly. Hotels are also finding new ways to be eco-friendly with their food and beverage options. The Charles Hotel actually operates a farmers market on-site with local fruits, vegetables, and meats. Other companies like Kimpton focus on offering sustainable seafood in their restaurants. Kimpton has removed whale, turtle, and shark fin from their menus due to environmental concerns. Calistoga Ranch in Napa Valley has come up with a creative way to reduce their carbon footprint when it comes to yard maintenance. About 11 years ago, they brought in babydoll Southdown sheep to graze on property in order to reduce their usage of lawn mowers. These babydolls help Calistoga Ranch reduce noise and reduce usage of gas-powered lawn mowers. Guests love to visit with the baby sheep, which is an added benefit. Hotels like Kimpton, Starwood, The Charles Hotel, Calistoga Ranch and other have to come up with more creative ways to be eco-friendly as more and more guests identify that this is important when considering where to stay.

Event planners has to negotiate with hotel sales to lower some of the expenses.  This article speaks of ways to save money which is by hosting most of your  events at the same property throughout the years; this will get clients to  return. Hotel sales manager should discount guest rooms offer because they offer  great profit margin than any other event service. Sales planners should compare  prices and try to secure the best price.  It's best to try and negotiate food  and beverage requirements because hotel managers and event planners will always  try to keep their guests happy. Negotiate the audio and visual expense by asking  for discounts and expenses to be waived if possible. Also be flexible on time,  space and dates. 

Immaculata University in southeast Pennsylvania has replaced 20 standard water fountains with new "hydration stations." In addition to the regular spout, there is an outflow at the top. The fountains' tap water is supplied by Elkay, an Illinois-based water supply company. Each fountain has the ability to keep track of the number of refills and displays it as the number of water bottles that are NOT going into a landfill as a result. Putting a number to this green initiaive is a great way to get people involved and make them more aware of how much they can contribute by doing simple things like reusing a water bottle. It also encourages students to drink more water instead of sugary sodas and other carbonated beverages. With about half of the students using refillable bottles last year, the university's environmental club plans to hold events and give away refillable bottles to increase the use of these fountains.  I think it is great that you can see the contribution you are making with the tracker on the fountain, as I am all for doing my part to reduce waste headed to landfills. I just wonder how much waste is being produced by replacing the still-working standard fountains. 

Starwood hotel &Resorts Los Cabos have introduced 3-D online planning program to display the event details such as food and beverage, function space and table setting for the event planners. The event planners can design their own event setting by click the mouse. "view in 3D" button will offer a virtual 3D view of the event. Planners experience the event from the guest view. When all the event details are complete, event planners submit it online. The hotel will respond within 24 hours with a price quote. This technology makes the planning easier. It is cost effective way for the event planners to control all the event details in short time.

This technology sounds great! With this technology we can preview our event. That's makes the planning easier. What's more important we can intuitive see how does the design looks like.

Cendyn and Vipe Inc, a video marketing sofeware provider, launches eFaceTime video sales capability for eProposal. By using this technology, hotels enable to offer personalized videos about their service, food&beverage, function space, amenities and staff to the event planners or customers through eProposal presentations. This technology only need a hand-held cameras to link the videos, can hotels' sales people produce a high quality promotion vedio with less cost. It also provides video libraries, sales people can compare the videos and inser the best one into the sales Proposals quickly. Moreover, the eFaceTime video provide an effective way for the hotels to welcome their patrons. This technology drive the eMarketing to go futher. Its unique personalized videos may help the hotels to attract more customers especially for the event planners.

The distance is not a problem anymore. The style of proposal presentations is more is more convenient and less limited.

I think this is a useful technology for a hotel because hotel can sale its product without limited by region. In this way hotel can increase its market share and increase the profit.

Exemplifies trend towards cloud-based Point-of-Sale / Point-of-Sevice systems (ePOS) and the software management being used in fine-dining restaurant beverage programs across global/ partners. Partnership players include: Fine-dining establishments such as Thomas Keller Group (PerSe, The French Laundry, Bouchon); 5-star Hoteliers like  Rosewood Hotels & Resorts; Also includes covergence by providers as Mozza Group (Clebrity Chef leads are Mario Batali and Joseph Bastianic). Facets include maximizing customer experiences and revenue through operational efficiency.

This article talks about the new mobile point-of-sales app has been integrated with the Agilysys InfoGenesis POS system. This system is used for the food and beverage in all properties and can improve guest satisfaction, increase grows revenue and boost staff morale. It also has several features and easily use which based on key functions of InfoGenesis POS system. 

I find this very exciting for the Hospitality industry as both Oracle and Micros have been groundbreaking and their joint venture will bring new innovations for Hotels, Food and Beverage outlets, retailers, etc. I especially found interesting how they plan to use Oracles data-analysis technology and all the information which already exists in Micros POS systems. As we talk about personalizing experiences and being able to use data already collected to the companies advantage, it looks like Oracle is one step ahead with this acquisition and looks to specifically tap into it.

This sounds like a great match. With Micros' expertise in the industry and Oracle's expertise in big data, it looks like a win, win for both companies and the industry as a whole. Could this create a monopoly and force prices up for the industry? Maybe. It could also be the beginning of more modular systems across the industry.

In keeping up to its standard of maintaining high customer service, the Ritz Carlton has a new idea to do just that. As we know with a hotel, there are many hands on the assembly belt to make the hotel run smoothly. Since the guest experience is their main priority, they don't want to leave anyone excluded. So the company has released an app, ((CHIME)), to assist event planners during their event. Sent to the planner three days prior to the event, the Event planner is able to make any changes necessary. On the day of, if something was to malfunction or hotel assistance was needed, instead of the planner panicking, they are able to use ((CHIME)) to get what they need done. Whether it has to do with food & beverage, audio / visuals, seating arrangements, or room relocation, within minutes the event planner can have a request put in and a hotel employee will be there to fix the issue. Just another way of keep guests returning and to ensure a successful event.