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anonymous

Eco-friendly baby steps can grow green initiatives - 0 views

  • Ted Turner and restaurant veteran George McKerrow Jr., the co-founders of the 55-unit Ted’s Montana Grill chain,
  • Charlie Ayers, the former executive chef of Google and the owner of sustainability-focused Calafia Café in Palo Alto, Calif
  • one of the most enlightened businesses in the world
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  • challenge is convincing them that being green won’t hurt
    • anonymous
       
      Hurt profits, customer service reviews and experience, and overall efficiency are main concerns here
  • needs to be action at the top of command,
  • 99-percent plastic-free by using paper straws, cornstarch to-go cups and special biodegradable takeout containers
  • within 150 miles
    • anonymous
       
      small carbon footprint
  • sustainability mission to be reflected in its construction and decor, which involved the use of recycled Sheetrock, floorboards and acoustic panels along with reclaimed barn wood and a chandelier made from old milk bottles
  • energy-efficient lighting and low-flow toilets
  • People ask for out-of-season fruits and vegetables, and I explain why we don’t do it. That education is essential to get people to buy into the idea.”
    • anonymous
       
      SO IMPORTANT
  • We should phase out the subsidies. If we did away with fossil fuel subsidies, it would make wind, solar and geothermal energy more competitive, which is cheaper than subsidizing those industries.”
    • anonymous
       
      Looking at more of a federal/ national level rather than just independent restaurants
  • energy-efficient light bulbs. At Ted’s Montana Grill, that switch ended up saving the restaurant company $80,000 in the first year alone. —
  •  
    Ted Turner, George McKerrow Jr, and Charlie Ayers led a panel discussing the local and national benefits of making eco-friendly changes at restaurants. While there is a strong push from customers to eat at sustainable restaurants, "the challenge is convincing them (the restaurants) that being green won't hurt profits." The easiest baby step that seems to have the most ROI is simply changing the lighting in the restaurant to energy-efficient light bulbs. At Ted's Montana Grill, this switch saved his company $80,000 in the first year. Other small changes to consider would be to move to plastic-free straws and biodegradable takeout containers. But those things cost money and may be out of reach for many restaurants. Some places are taking it a step further and incorporating sustainable materials into the restaurant design and decor. The last major suggestion from this panel is a large scale shift in fossil fuel subsidies. If those can be removed, green energy can become a more competitive field and thus offer restaurants another alternative and opportunity to become green.
yvenisem

How Wi-Fi 6 is changing the hospitality landscape | CommScope - 0 views

  • Wi-Fi was originally designed to support basic network connectivity for limited services such as retail point of sale (POS) transactions in proprietary business environments.
  • Intel’s endorsement and integration significantly simplified connecting wireless clients and helped make Wi-Fi a standard requirement at hospitality suites across the world.
    • yvenisem
       
      Faster internet = happier customers in the 21st century
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  • arly iterations of the IEEE 802.11 Wi-Fi standard were relatively limited in terms of speed, spectrum utilization and the efficiency of communications
  • The latest Wi-Fi iteration – Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) – offers a four-fold increase in speed over its Wi-Fi 5 predecessor, enabling hotels to smoothly stream a range of guest applications
  • Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) is revolutionary, rather than simply evolutionary.
    • yvenisem
       
      REVOLUTIONARY, changing the game, prioritizing efficiency
  • it is smarter (deterministic) and moves away from a ‘first come, first served’ model
  • This provides higher throughput and performance for networks, allowing everyone to move at 15 miles an hour instead of 10. 
    • yvenisem
       
      Efficiency
  • the dominant enterprise Wi-Fi standard by 2021
    • yvenisem
       
      shows how quickly technology can go
  •  
    This article was surprisingly a very interesting read due to how fast things actually are in the world of technology as it relates to the hospitality industry. In this article, I read about the origins of Wi-Fi when it was primarily used as basic network connections for POS software to where we are now with an expectation of the revolutionary technology that is Wi-Fi 6 to roll out in 2021. Currently, we as a society are only really familiar with Wi-Fi 5 that functions on a first-come, first-served basis. Wi-Fi 6, moves past the focus of getting faster internet to getting more efficient internet. While this is a factor of the technology in that it is 4-5 times faster, it actually goes about giving people better internet acces in a more intelligent manner. Based on the article, this intelligence means that instead of someone benefitting from 100MB download speeds when they're watching a short YouTube video since they logged onto the hotel internet first, a person that is streaming a live convention with several cameras and computers would benefit more because it would be more efficient than a simple YouTube video. Something that the author of this article makes very known is that this technology is not getting "better" interms of evolution of product. Wi-Fi 6 is actually entering a new era of intelligence, making it a more revolutionary development in the tech industry and hospitality. In the 21st century, new technology like this is essential because we see so many things moving onto online services when it comes to booking a hotel, buying event tickets, interacting with other people, etc. In a hotel setting, this new technology would lead to increased satisfaction since their Snapchat and Instagram stories are being uploaded at nearly instantaneous speeds, same with their YouTube videos, and Facebook photos. While this may not be the best thingsto do when considering how much of our lives we spend online, it is best to go along and welcome it since the advancemen
tredunbar

10 Best E-commerce Practices for Hotels - SmartGuests.com Blog - 0 views

  • Make sure your photos accurately represent your property
  • Invest in a good professional photographer
  • Regularly update your photos
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  • Link your website to your social media networks
  • Display guest testimonials
  • in ecommerce, the goal is to minimize friction in the buying process, or in the case of hotels, in the booking process
  • Avoid long checkout forms and asking for too much information
  • Having an easy to understand URL structure
  • you should always be reachable to answer questions
  • hotel’s customer service hotline or 1-800 number
  • customer support email
  • Live chat tab
  • Use autofill for your forms
  • Scarcity.
  • A lot of hotel bookings are now taking place via mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets. Majority of these bookings are last minute bookings, which means those who book via mobile devices are those who are in need of a hotel accommodation on the same day.
  • it is important for you to demonstrate that your website can handle financial transactions safely.
  • Prominently display your SSL certificate and display security icons on your checkout page
  • Provide a guarantee statement that you won’t save any of the financial information
  • Only use payment gateways or ecommerce systems that are proven secure
  • email still produces the highest return on investment (ROI) compared to other marketing platforms.
  • marketing experts say that the money is in the list
  • Whatever technique you use, make sure that you offer a guarantee that you will respect their privacy
  • Persuasion elements are basically marketing techniques that you can use to compel travelers to book with your hotel and not with your competitors
  • Urgency
  • Base your call to action on the content of the page
  • Extraordinary proof points
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    This article focuses on the important drivers that hotels can employ to seal the deal with online booking. Hotels should consistently update their websites with links to their social media, guest testimonials and high quality photos while also making it easy to book a room. It is also suggested that websites be mobile friendly, easy to navigate and secure in processing financial transactions. Prominently featuring contact information along with a way to collect email information, ensures that the property can reach out to the guest and vice versa. A hotel can seal a booking transaction with a call to action by using techniques such as urgency and scarcity as persuasion points.
Lymaris Collazo

EventTow Online service booking for Event Management Wedding Planning - Everything Expe... - 0 views

  • Event Tow, the one-stop Android application and website for event management & wedding planning, announced its launch today. With a sharp vision of solving age-old problems of event planning through AI, the company is targeting to change the way people plan their events & weddings. Using the EventTow app, customers can easily book all their events and wedding needs online. The EventTow app is the first attempt to provide customers seamless booking experience through transparent availability for venues/artists/DJs/makeup artists/salon services/birthdays/caterers, etc. at the best prices. Now, from the comfort of their homes, users can book vendors for different events as easily as they buy products online. For vendors, Event Tow offers year-round opportunities and a superior reach to millennials for events in all categories‐ from big fat weddings to corporate parties.
  • Event Tow also provides concierge services and helps the customers and corporates to make their events and wedding planning hassle-free and smooth. The app has bridged the gap between consumers and businesses by collaborating with large salon chains and hotel chains and offering their services directly to the clients.
  • To ensure safety and hygiene during the pandemic, Event Tow requires its vendors to maintain social distancing norms and other best practices such as wearing masks and sanitization. The app enables customers to organize their events safely without taking the risk of going out.
  •  
    Another Article about how Covid-19 has affected the industry. In this one in particular, is about an application that can be accessed by Android phone or website called Event Tow. With this new app that was inspired in millennial technology and Covid-19 pandemic, the customers can book events from the comfort of their homes and/or office. I believe this could be another example like the Smart-bar
yvenisem

What is Proximity Marketing? - Business 2 Community - 0 views

  • Proximity marketing has been in and out of the headlines since Apple launched iBeacons in 2013. It was a platform that ultimately failed to take off but more refined (and open-source) versions have had better success since then – namely Google’s beacon system.
    • yvenisem
       
      I had no idea of this. Just goes to show that people can keep trying until they get it right
  • You can even create networks to track people as they move around a store, sending them messages based on the aisle they’re walking down or the range of products they’re looking at.
    • yvenisem
       
      This might be frightening for unaware customers. This may even cause some anger because customers are being tracked and many consumers may not like that
  • Customer recalls: Send promotions and other messages to people who leave without buying anything to entice them back into the store.
    • yvenisem
       
      This is less invasive and actually a great idea for businesses to implement in order to promote repeat business
  •  
    This article goes over the very short history of proximity marketing. It was first brought onto the scene by Apple. But after it failed to take off, it was taken up by Google and it flourished. The article goes over how the technology works, but most importantly it goes over the benefits of the technology, all of which promotes repeat business.
ldevaul

Making the Move to a Cloud-Based Restaurant POS - 0 views

  • The beauty of the cloud-based POS format is how scalable and customizable it is—it can work for single-location full service and quick service restaurants, multi-location restaurants, and restaurant groups alike.
  • Most cloud-based POS systems also update with new features as technology improves across the industry—something you’re unlikely to get with a legacy POS system.
  • Cloud solutions facilitate faster, easier, and more extensive business insights, which can help you make strategic decisions. By connecting what’s happening in the back of the house to the front, restaurant operators get a holistic picture of how the business is running
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  • Real-time data means real-time solutions to situations before they become problems. Just think of the time and money you’ll save by identifying issues before they blow out of proportion
  • Instead of printing out lengthy reports for every shift, now you can access your insights from any smart device—such as your computer, phone, or tablet—and get updated sales, inventory, customer feedback, and more, no matter where you are. 
  • Legacy systems only allow on-premise access to data, which means you have to be in your restaurant in order to access the information on your POS system.
  • If you anticipate growth or change, a cloud-based POS system is better enabled to grow with you. 
  • While buying up all of the necessary technology to get a cloud-based POS system off the ground may seem expensive, they tend to have cheaper operating costs in the long run and some, like Upserve, offer free support 24/7/365. 
  • With a cloud-based restaurant POS, you have the ability to add on a mobile POS unit that provides a number of benefits.
  • That decrease in time spent waiting for their check or credit card to return to the table also increases guest satisfaction, boosting your reputation. A mobile restaurant POS also provides contactless payments with a built-in EMV reader, minimizing the exchange between servers and guests – something that is particularly important in this moment.
  • Cloud-based POS systems update automatically and for free, just like the apps on your mobile device, while traditional POS systems require manual updates that can be labor intensive and costly. 
  • The beauty of the cloud-based POS format is how scalable and customizable it is—it can work for single-location full service and quick service restaurants, multi-location restaurants, and restaurant groups alike. 
  • Whether it’s updating your menu on the regular, launching new or improved loyalty programs, or requiring more precise inventory tracking, the more your needs will shift over time, the more sense it makes to opt for cloud-based.
  • If the internet ever goes down, the system that your legacy POS relies on will be offline and non-functional. Luckily, on a cloud-based restaurant POS system you have the option of switching to offline mode as a back-up. You’ll stay up and running until the internet is able to connect again.
  • Thanks to the cloud and its encrypted online storage, there’s no risk of hardware or software incompatibility or failure, no viruses or driver hiccups, and no risk of a hard drive accidentally deleting a weekend’s worth of sales reports. It’s all backed up, automatically. 
  • Plus, younger generations of workers—think millennials and Gen Zs—will be able to get right on board with a cloud-based POS solution with little-to-no training.
  • Customers will feel good knowing their credit card information is secure and encrypted with the most up-to-date technology. 
  • No matter what type of establishment, your cloud-based POS can track every last drop of product, allowing you to spot discrepancies in an instant and fix gaps before they become problematic.
  • Hardware costs are separate from service, and maintenance and support services often come with a hefty fee. 
  • While traditional POS systems certainly have lower start-up costs, they tend to come with plenty of hidden costs that reveal themselves over time.
  • upfront costs are kept to a minimum and monthly subscription fees are lower. 
  • Best of all, instant free upgrades mean no lost revenue from downtime or inconvenient hardware upgrades as your business grows. Instead, plans can be upgraded or downgraded at will, and most providers don’t even charge a fee for the trouble. 
  • If you have existing setups in place, many third-party vendors have upgraded apps for cloud POS systems to help you maintain your current rewards and promotions planning. 
  • Most studies are showing that those who switched are sticking with a cloud-based solution, and that legacy POS systems will only decline moving forward.
  • After over three decades with a legacy POS system that only slowed them down, they made the move to a cloud-based POS to bring their restaurants into the future.
  • “Our restaurants are chef-driven, so we have specials that change every day. We need to add buttons every day. We change pricing every day. Having to stop and reset all the terminals because it’s not instantaneous was a headache.”
  • Not only did constant resets of the system create roadblocks for the team at Homegrown Hospitality, but service was also less than stellar and cost more than what it was worth.
  • We went through a lot of pain—our system would crash all the time, credit cards wouldn’t spool, and data would be lost. Our IT department would spend numerous hours a week just trying to recover data,” Simon explained.
  • “That was pretty much the breaking point: we were at the point where we needed to upgrade, but it would have cost us several hundred thousand dollars. So we decided to source something new. The functionality and capability of Upserve won us over.”
  •  
    This article takes you through why your restaurant may want to switch to a Cloud-Based POS. There are many positive attributes associated with making the switch, such as; data accessibility, cheaper operating costs, easier upgrades, less frequent downtimes, increased security, and adaptability. If you are a growing business, the Cloud would grow with you.
  •  
    Cloud based POS systems can be apprehensive at first, but we are always satisfied once we are able to se the technology work to keep the business safe, effiecient and also more profitable. Cloud based POS systems are speedy and saves a lot of time which frees up staff to do other things in the establishment.
  •  
    This article discussed the benefits of switching from a localized POS system to a cloud-based restaurant POS. The article touched on how cloud-based systems provide real-time data and how that instant data could provide a management team real-time solutions. You can save so much time and money by identifying issues before they even arrive. I found it very interesting that with cloud-based systems you have the "ability to add on a mobile POS unit that provides a number of benefits." With this option, your servers do not have to run back and forth to a POS station. They simply have the option in the palm of their hands. It also decreases the time spent waiting for a check or credit card to return to the table. This not only increases guest satisfaction, but helps with table turnover. The article also touched on how cloud-based POS systems are "better enabled to grow with you." They are super adaptable and the article mentioned that restaurants can update their menu whenever, launch new loyalty programs, and help with more precise inventory tracking. This article also touched on setup, increased security, staff accountability, and the ability to make better business decisions due to the cloud software being able to provide extensive business insights. Finally, the article touched on POS cost and how " upfront costs are kept to a minimum and monthly subscription fees are lower." It also ended with a case study about Homegrown Hospitality Group and their switch from Aloha to Upserve Cloud-based POS. It was very interesting and I'd recommend everyone read the brief two paragraphs about how the switch changed their business trajectory.
nashalsiddiqi

AI in Restaurants: How it's Reshaping Restaurant Management | Lightspeed - 0 views

  • Artificial intelligence software that makes restaurant forecasting more accurate and less time-consuming. 
  • From employee scheduling and cutting down on food waste to projecting sales and planning promotions, the benefits of AI are numerous. Ultimately, it helps you minimize labor and food costs and maximize profits. 
  • sales forecasting is a set of processes that restaurants use to project their future sales. For many restaurants, this means looking at the previous year’s sales reports for a specific timeframe and using that as a benchmark for the current year’s sales over the same timeframe
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  • there’s a problem with this process. There are a ton of factors that contribute to sales growth or regression that simply looking at last year’s sales doesn’t give insight into. 
  • Things like the weather, your restaurant’s location, holidays and even local or international events can have a big effect on your sales. 
  • Whether it’s sunny, cloudy, rainy, snowy or warmer than usual, consumers are drawn to certain foods and drinks based on the conditions outside. Based on the food and beverages a restaurant serves, the weather will influence how many customers a restaurant serves on any given day. 
  • it lets you know how many sales you can expect in the future based on that historical sales and weather data. 
  • A study from the World Resources Institute found that for every dollar a restaurant invests into reducing their food waste, they save seven. That’s a 7x return on investment! 
  • By using historical sales data and weather conditions to predict how much inventory you actually need to buy to fulfill customer demand. In doing so, restaurants remove the risk of overspending on cost of goods sold (COGS).
  • Using AI, restaurants can accurately project their sales, inventory and staffing needs for holidays. Instead of guesstimating your sales for events like Saint Patrick’s Day, use artificial intelligence to decipher what (and how much) food and beverages you need to stock up on to fulfill demand.
  • Your restaurant’s location will also affect sales on holidays, and AI can help you predict foot traffic and walk-in customers based on the same historical sales and weather data. 
  • For example, if your restaurant or bar is near a basketball arena and your local team is in the finals, you can expect larger crowds of customers who want to watch the game. If you’re not prepared for that spike in customers, that’s effectively missed revenue. 
  • Rather than guess which menu items attendees prefer, pinpoint your best (and worst) sellers and adjust what you purchase from suppliers accordingly. 
  • AI can help restaurateurs determine what their promotion includes, which maximizes that promotion’s returns. 
  • With AI-powered forecasting, businesses in the hospitality industry can plan and make decisions based on previous sales data and analytics in relation to the weather, their business location and so much more. 
nashalsiddiqi

How will technology impact the efficiency and sustainability of waste management? - 0 views

  • How will technology impact the efficiency and sustainability of waste management?
  • This is the way waste management has always been. New York’s first waste management was an attempt to clean the streets of the thousands of tonnes of horse manure dumped on them every day.
  • The advent of packaging, plastics and electrical/electronic products has changed the way waste managers work. Yet, in 70% of the world, the old pick up and dump model continues sadly unchanged with disastrous consequences, such as oceans being full of plastics. But elsewhere waste management is now a sophisticated, technically and socially complex industry.
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  • Technology has enabled waste management to ensure environmental and human health protection while at the same time handling complex materials, increasing recycling, producing energy and virtually eliminating landfills in some countries.
  • Robotics are already widely present in sorting material facilities
  • The internet allows continuous real-time tracking of waste across countries
  • Hydraulic collection systems are increasingly being introduced in new buildings to avoid bins on the road.
  • Plant management, emission monitoring, chemical/biological parameters within plants
  • These new technologies are creating vast amounts of data. The data allows us to understand the movement not just of waste but of people – how they behave and what products and materials they are buying and will turn into waste.
  • predict the future and plan waste collection, the location of bins on the streets, the amount of plant we need, with some anticipation.
  • It also allows producers of waste to intervene to reduce their waste outputs
  • Add to this the use of artificial intelligence and blockchain computing – technologies that allow the multiplication of the access and transmission of intelligence and its automation. How does this work in practice?
  • First, data collection will be faster and simpler; then automated trend and performance analysis allows the user to see anomalies immediately; finally, this informs employee behaviour and decisions and allows immediate corrective actions.
  •  
    the article suggests the different ways technology contributes into solving one of the issues production companies face which is managing waste. by suggesting different aspects to limit the negative outcomes of the production also to help in overcoming the challenges in the area. the article also emphasize the importance of data collection and utilization to enhance the efficiency in the industry.
kmill139

Why the U.S. is Terrible at Recycling Electronics | Digital Trends - 0 views

  • E-waste in the United States is out of control.
  • You may assume America has to at least be on par with the rest of the first world when finding a forever home for computers, phones, and printers, but you’d be wrong.
  • Those millions of old motherboards and TVs consoles rotting in landfills and warehouses aren’t just eyesores. They amount to a massive health hazard. While electronics waste comprises only 2-3 percent of America’s solid waste stream, the lead, cadmium, chromium, and other materials in aging circuitry account for 70 percent of the hazardous material in landfills, according to an EPA report.
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  • Others go belly up, leaving behind millions of pounds of old gadgets piled in mountainous heaps atop land which has lead levels many times normal.
  • You’re probably not screaming into a paper bag about the $20 billion or so of gold that’s trashed in electronics every year worldwide. Precious metals come and go. But if you care about the soil that comprises the land of the brave, you should start thinking about what happened to last year’s smartphone (even if it’s just sitting in the garage).
  • This list of reasons isn’t exhaustive, but serves as a solid starting point for understanding the United States’ e-waste dilemma and what can be done.
  • U.S. e-waste recycling laws are often outdated or nonexistent
  • Only 25 states (plus Washington, D.C.) have legislation that addresses e-waste recycling. The other 25 don’t have comprehensive programs, and don’t report what happens to the electronics beyond occasional voluntary numbers, says Jason Linnell, head of the National Center for Electronics Recycling (NCER). Federal laws don’t explicitly address e-waste recycling.
  • The U.S. isn’t good at recycling
  • The current level and effectiveness of e-waste recycling depends on which state you live in and whether or not you trust locals to “do the right thing.” The hope for improvement sits with congressional reps, state lawmakers, manufacturers, and gadget freaks (yes, you).
  • Single-stream recycling hasn’t helped
  • Between 2005 and 2014, single stream recycling programs increased from 29 to 80 percent in American towns and cities. During that same time period, material contamination rates increased from 7 to 25 percent.
  • E-waste legislation regularly disappears in Congress
  • This is not the first Congressional session in which similar bills have been introduced and allowed to die like a first grade classroom goldfish on summer break. SEERA currently sits with the house’s Foreign Affairs Committee. Why is it so tough to pass e-waste legislation?
  • The U.S. is an environmental rogue
  • As of late 2018, 186 states and the European Union have ratified it and follow its legal framework. The United States has signed the Basel Convention, indicating an intent to ratify, but is the only developed nation that hasn’t actually done so, which
  • After the initial Basel Convention was adopted in 1989, many organizations said the treaty didn’t do enough to address the disposal of waste from first world countries into the developing world, and pressed for an update, which eventually became 1995’s Basel Ban Amendment. The tweak — which was attacked by many industrial powers, including the U.S., Canada, and Japan — needed three decades before it was accepted by enough countries to go into effect. In August 2019, Croatia became the 97th country to ratify it, which transformed the updated stipulations into international law in December 2019.
  • EPA regulations are incomplete
  • Federal attempts at regulation have stalled, been killed
  • U.S. pushes back against international efforts
  • As a part of the 2003 Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive (WEEE Directive), the public was guaranteed free recycling services, and conveniently located collection centers. Around the same time, the EU also passed the Restriction of Hazardous Substances Directive (RoHS), aka the “lead-free directive,” which restricts the use of several toxic materials in the manufacture of circuitry and electronic products.
  • In Japan, the Association for Electric Home Appliances requires consumers to help pay for the processing of their goods and manufacturers to set up recycling programs. Electronics recycling has been promoted as such a point of national pride — because Japan is both a huge consumer of gadgets and the country has few indigenous precious metals — that there’s serious talk of making the 2020 Tokyo Olympic metals out of recycled materials. An estimated 80,000 cell phones need to be pulled apart and picked over to complete the plan.
  • State-level e-cycling programs are uneven
  • Certified e-cycling programs are important, but also confusing
  • If you’re the compliance officer who has to make sure the company’s used servers don’t wind up getting tossed in an Indonesian landfill, and you won’t have to nervously answer questions in a “60 Minutes” exposé, you probably want to get that e-waste removed by a disposal team with one of these
  • That all sounds great until you listen to Puckett, who helped create the e-Stewards protocols. He’s one of several people who took part in the development of R2 for over two years and then refused to continue when the proposed guidelines seemed to be too tainted by lobbyists, including ones at the Institute of Scrap Recycling (ISRI), an organization that favors a free market approach over regulation. Puckett and 13 recyclers created e-Stewards, which describes itself as the “the cleanest, most globally responsible standard for e-waste recycling.” He points out that the R2 certification still allows recyclers to export to developing countries. E-Stewards’ doesn’t. R2 recyclers can drop toxic e-waste in landfills or incinerators in the event of “circumstances beyond their
  • Scrap recycling lobby doesn’t like regulations
  • The announcer proudly explains e-cycling is a vibrant industry that adds 20.6 billion to the U.S. economy and supports 45,000 jobs domestically, “safeguarding our environment,” along the way.
  • Can anything be done? Possibly
  • Recycling isn’t the only answer for fewer landfills filled with decaying circuits. Chris Wellise, Chief Sustainability Officer for Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE), which installs and recovers tech, emphasizes the importance of designing products for longevity, disassembly, and reuse.
  • “On average, 85 percent of the environmental impacts can be addressed in the design phase,” estimates Wellise.
  • Similar challenges exist for smartphones. Review IFixit’s guide for repairability and you can expect the phones that are easy to disassemble are also easier to refurbish or scrap. In an unusual display of transparency, eco-minded electronics company Fairphone sells spare parts on its site and has visual cues printed on the pieces to help novices figure out where everything goes. In case you’re wondering, it’s possible to make a Fairphone work in America, but most of the company’s sales are in Europe.
  • In 2018, Apple gave birth to Daisy, a robot that can disassemble 200 of the company’s phones in an hour — 1.2 million a year. The company has an installation of the machine in Austin, Texas, and another in the Netherlands. Daisy’s supply chain of used products comes from the company’s in-store trade-in program and a partnership with Best Buy.
  • Pretty awe-inspiring, right? Keep in mind that Apple sold over 217 million phones just in 2018 and has moved 2.2 billion iPhone units since the product line launched in 2007. The two Daisy divisions aren’t even working at capacity. Apple is willing to license the robot technology so any company can use it to disassemble phones, but none have approached them yet.
  •  
    "Maybe it's easy to ignore the huge percentage of vintage gadgets that wind up torched in dicey scrap heaps in developing countries". This article was written on Feb-27-2020. The problem we saw on the old video is still very much a problem now, only bigger.
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    This article was super informative in the realm of E-waste. It covered every aspect of the issue and most definitely is relevant in today's world.
sdavi111

How To Use Social Media To Build Your Catering Company - Convert With Content - 0 views

  • You’ve already committed a sin in the social media world. It’s the personal page vs. fan page debate, and it’s a hot one.
  • how will your new
  • fans tag you in posts if they aren’t your “friend”
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  • The next thing I want you to work on is your online
  • distribution
  • work on building your Instagram presence
  • Food is killer on Instagram,
  • because people love to look at photos of food
  • Use the new video feature to
  • enrapture your audience and make them want to buy your products.
  • start branding yourself on Pinterest.
  • Since you are a content creator (hello, you create food for a living!) you can pin your own images and edit them to link to your site from the backend of your Pinterest account.
  • One thing that will be very important to help brand yourself on Pinterest is creating keyword-friendly board
  • names. Things like “food” and “beverages” won’t cut it. Create boards that are more original and that people will search for online. Board names like “DIY Party Ideas” or “Summer BBQ Appetizers” are going to bring your brand more value and more search traffic.
  • create a blog
  •  
    Although technically this is not an article per say it is a tremendous piece of advice on how best to market your company especially if you don't have the budget for a marketing/PR firm or you don't have people within your organization to dedicate the hours needed to create a campaign. This article has simple ways that you can boost your business and it can truly be done while drinking your first cup of coffee! I know it is what I did with my company!
wenjieyang

How Technology is Changing the Restaurant Industry - 0 views

  • Restaurants that quickly pivoted to online ordering, drive-throughs, and carry out food were able to maintain steady business. Mobile ordering technology also reduces wait time for customers, making fast food even faster.
  • Online reviews have changed the restaurant landscape forever by giving an immense amount of  control to consumers.
  • In a world where any bad experience can turn away potential visitors, restaurants must step up their service, cleanliness, and food quality.
    • wenjieyang
       
      I agree. The restaurant I work at now takes customer reviews very seriously. Employee bonuses are related to customer reviews.
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  • it removes another touch point and both simplifies and speeds up the buying process.
  • Three of the biggest ways technology helps restaurants is with their digital food safety, employee performance, and team accountability.
  • digital food safety helps restaurants be compliant and serve hot fresh food.  
  • BOH digital software also helps restaurant owners ensure orders are accurate, service is friendly, and all employees are trained with the tools they need to succeed.
wenjieyang

8 POS Trends & Technologies Shaping the Future of Retail - 0 views

  • A POS—or point-of-sale—system is an invaluable business tool that has replaced the traditional cash register with constantly evolving, tech-driven solutions.
  • mobile and cloud-based POS transactions enable businesses to make sales from anywhere.
  • Cloud-based POS technology: Today’s POS software is often cloud-based, meaning you can access your POS software and all of its data from any compatible device at any time.
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  • POS technology makes it possible for small businesses to accommodate these complex buying behaviors, letting them compete with larger companies with bigger budgets.
  • POS technologies continue to empower retailers to create a more seamless customer experience across all touchpoints.
  • mPOS systems: Many cloud POS options also have a mobile component, or an mPOS, so associates can meet customers where they are and make sales on the floor.
  • When you accommodate additional payment methods with a flexible, tech-forward POS, you can accommodate more customers—and encourage more sales in turn.
  • While credit and debit cards remain popular, usage is expected to decrease gradually as consumers access ever-expanding payment options
  • Having a POS that provides personalized shopping experiences is important
  • POS software captures valuable information with every transaction, so you can build customer profiles that help you learn more about your clientele. Over time, you can personalize automated campaigns through your POS, enabling your associates to access customer profiles at checkout or on an mPOS.
  • POS data is valuable for more than just getting to know your customers and their communication preferences. The metrics from your POS can also reveal information about your business’ staff, products, store layout, foot traffic, and returns rate—among other metrics.
  • Choosing a POS system that lets your customers subscribe to products or services makes it easy for them to keep their favorite products in stock while effortlessly maintaining brand loyalty.
  • many of the best loyalty program software options integrate with POS systems and make it easy for customers to sign up for rewards.
  • With increased mobility, data analysis, and security, POS technologies are becoming an integral part of every retail business.
jblan183

What Will Smart Homes Look Like in 10 Years? | Time - 0 views

  • manufacturers are putting their R&D and marketing budgets behind home-monitoring and security gadgets–they will have 22.6% of the smart-home market share by 2023, estimates research firm IDC, with smart speakers and lighting equipment not far behind, at 15.4% and 11.8% respectively
  • cybersecurity will become all the more vital. Any kind of massive breach that turns off consumers, says Daniel Cooley, chief strategy officer at electronics-component manufacturer Silicon Labs, could be catastrophic for the industry. “I call it a mass-extinction event for the Internet of Things,” he says.
    • jblan183
       
      This can hint towards a huge improvement with a huge risk; a house with everything you could ask for being automated for your convenience could be easily hacked and just like that, your personal information is taken and shown to the entire world, or used to the hacker's advantage. My tip: tread carefully if you wish to buy a smart home or invest in a smart home company.
  • Smart vacuum cleaners like iRobot’s Roomba are already picking up after us, while products like the Aibo, a robotic dog for children, show how they might help keep us company like a pet. As for the future? Robotic-furniture company Ori Living is working with Ikea on pieces that change based on your needs, getting the bed out of the way when you need a desk, or hiding your closet when it’s dinnertime.
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  • A bill put forth by Virginia Senator Mark Warner in March would push the government to set up minimum security requirements for smart devices used by federal agencies; such requirements could eventually become standard for the industry at large.
    • jblan183
       
      Hacking could become rare with this bill, with any smart device requiring minimum security requirements that would force all smart device businesses to comply to the eventual standard of the industry.
  • All the automated attentiveness will come with a high price tag: consumers will spend $123 billion on IoT gear by 2021, according to advisory firm ABI Research, a number that’s likely to rise thereafter.
ysu006

What Can We Do About the Growing E-waste Problem? - 1 views

Today, technology is becoming more and more integrated into every aspect of our lives. As electronics are rapidly being updated and it is often cheaper and easier for people to buy new products tha...

https:__news.climate.columbia.edu_2018_08_27_growing-e-waste-problem_ technology green solution

started by ysu006 on 30 Sep 21 no follow-up yet
amoon008

The robots behind the bar that want to pull your next pint - BBC News - 0 views

    • amoon008
       
      Cecilia was released on 02/24/2021 and uses artificial intelligence to make drinks for guests. Cecilia can be purchased for $45,000 or rented for $2,000/month
  • Proponents of bartending robots also note that they can help bars become more efficient - which, in turn, helps their bottom line.
  • t may venue owners take as a "given."
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  • owners take as a "give
    • amoon008
       
      Alan Adojaan, who unveiled the robot, says that robot bar staff can help address staffing problems, and also put a halt to other factors, such as overly generous pouring of measures, or giving free drinks to friends, issues he says that may venue owners take as a "given."
  • "We are aiming for places that have a huge turnover of clients, such as sports events, festivals or nightclubs," he says
  • One of its Yanu robots is currently making alcohol-free cocktails at the Estonian pavilion at the World Expo event in Dubai.
  • To help affected human bar staff do just this it launched an initiative in the US in 2019, whereby for each sale of one of its units it would give a barman or woman $1,000 (£747) towards helping them retrain.
  • "Robots will not replace traditional [human-staffed] bars," says Jan Hiersemenzel, the head of marketing for Swiss firm F&P Robotics, which makes a robot bar server called Barney Bar
  • The bar staff themselves, he adds, often have the unenviable task of dealing with "obnoxious drunk people"
  • Harry Gordon Johnson once said: "The greatest accomplishment of a bartender lies in his ability to exactly suit his customer."
  • The company says that each unit can be filled with 70 litres of different types of spirits, and that it can serve up to 120 cocktails per hour.
  • Enter Cecilia, a robotic bartender that mixes and serves cocktails, and uses artificial intelligence (AI) to talk to customers in much the same way that Alexa, on an Amazon Echo speaker, or Siri, on an iPhone can respond to you.
  • Customers can either buy a Cecilia for $45,000 (£34,000), or hire one for $2,000 a month.
kesca010

Why AI is the Future of the Food Industry | Nasdaq - 1 views

  • several developments that have recently become mainstream: phrases like ‘farm-to-fork’ and ‘buy local,’ organic sections in almost every supermarket, and alternative meats in fast food restaurants are all indicative of rising awareness that food is about more than taste.
  • These changes in food consciousness are important in that they are pushing the conversation towards sustainability.
  • we need to also start looking at the optimization of agriculture as a data management problem. It is precisely here that AI can make a big contribution.
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  • AI is a natural ally in this environment, as all forms of machine learning require robust data inputs to be truly effective.
  • Consumer environments play the largest role in lowering food waste, and AI can also help here in some surprising ways.
  • At the top of the list, inventory control systems could make huge improvements if they were enhanced by data tools that were as wide as possible in scope.
  • AI will also be utilized on the manufacturing side to develop products more targeted to consumer demand.
  • AI can provide better monitoring and analysis of how food gets from farms to people, offering predictive metrics for retailers and money-saving incentives for consumers.
  • AI will have a big role to play as people incorporate more of their personal health data into shopping lists that will factor in purchasing history with the global movements described above.
  • Recent developments in machine learning and data management are offering some very promising solutions toward optimizing our food system.
  •  
    This article covers the how AI has played a big role in helping the food industry especially with food waste. This is through inventory control systems, monitoring and providing analysis on how the food gets to farms, predictive metrics, personal health data, and developments in machine learning.
  •  
    This article captures the current and future issues we are having concerning farming, agriculture, supply and demand and so forth. AI can become a valuable asset in helping professionals in these fields work in a more efficient manner regarding to producing more from less. For instance, a drone can be a useful tool in helping farmers understand their crop's condition by taking preventive measures. Furthermore, AI can help forecast the weather and help understand environment related patterns such as floods and atmospheric conditions.
ecast038

Top 15 Advantages and Disadvantages of Social Media Marketing - 0 views

  • But just like the two sides of coins, social media also has its two sides; positive and negative. Every marketing strategy to be applied needs proper research and planning to make it effective and worthwhile in social media. Social media marketing has become a core element of success in marketing. It will only prove successful when used properly and efficiently.
  • 1. Reach Your Target Audience Many businesses are using social media as a marketing platform for their business to reach a large number of audiences to increase the demand for the products and expand the range of services.
  • By keeping an eye on the engagement on the posts, customer reviews, and followers, you get a better idea about the customer
  • ...12 more annotations...
  • 2. Directly Connect With Your Audience A direct connection with your audience is possible with the help of social media. You can grow followers of your social media accounts, and finally, you can collect the data about user behavior, their likes, and dislikes, etc
  • It helps to know about your customers so that you can provide them better services.
  • 3. Create Organic Content One of the major advantages of social media is businesses can post organic content without paying a penny. It is very helpful for your company to build connections with people.
  • Build Your Brand
  • When people start knowing your brand, it helps in the creation of brand loyalty and recognition. Social media helps in building brand loyalty, which in turn provokes customers to buy the brand which they are familiar with.
  • 1. Negative Reviews Social media is used as a platform to share the content and experience they have gone through, be it a positive experience or negative experience. If someone is not satisfied with your business, then it gives them a chance to share the negative experience with others, which can definitely become a hindrance in the path of success of your business.
  • 2. Embarrassment Social media is a medium where it takes only a few seconds for your posts to become viral. You should always be careful before posting your content on social media. Check many times before posting it so that you don’t have to face any sort of embarrassment.
  • 3. Time Consuming Campaigns Social media is one of the most exciting and interesting platforms to create and recreate the content, to post photos, videos, and to engage the audience with it. But, the main disadvantage is that creating and running social media campaigns is a time-consuming process.
  • If you don’t spend enough time on this because you lack resources, capital, and people, then definitely, you will end up leading to a problem where your social media marketing campaign will suffer losses.
  • . Results Come Late
  • You have to continuously post new content related to your campaign to achieve success. The result of social media marketing campaigns will take time to determine results. Never expect immediate results, and you have to wait for it patiently for a few weeks or even months to get success.
  • . Need to Stay Engaged and Active It is also one of the disadvantages of social media that you need to stay engaged and active every time you monitor your marketing campaign. Social media is constantly changing, so you need to be up-to-date else you will lack behind.
  •  
    Social media can both positively and negatively affect companies. Companies need to dedicate time and resources into creating content to help build brand recognition and fan loyalty. Content needs to feel organic, to help drive more traffic and brand loyal and awareness. With the many upsides to social media marketing, comes some disadvantages. Posting content allows for negative feedback from consumers. Companies should work on replying back with positive solutions to customers as other potential clients will also see these and reconsider using your brand.
fischerc014

What Can We Do About the Growing E-waste Problem? - 0 views

  • Why the upsurge in e-waste? Technology is becoming more and more integrated into every aspect of our lives.
  • Companies intentionally plan the obsolescence of their goods by updating the design or software and discontinuing support for older models, so that now it is usually cheaper and easier to buy a new product than to repair an old one.
  • The U.S., the second largest producer of e-waste after China, produced 10 million tons of e-waste in 2012
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  • 40 percent of the e-waste supposedly recycled in the U.S. was actually exported. Most of it ended up in developing countries—usually in Asia
  • only 29 percent of this was recycled—the rest is usually landfilled, incinerated or stuck in a closet.
  • With the flood of e-waste growing around the world, recycling alone will not be enough.
  • A circular economy is one that aims to keep products and all their materials in circulation at their highest value at all times or for as long as possible.
  • imagine a system where the provider or manufacturer retained ownership of the device through the contract so customers would pay a lower monthly fee and be expected to return the device for an upgrade. The value could be recaptured in the form of parts for remanufacture or materials for recycling, and customers would still get their upgrades.”
  •  
    E-waste (electronic waste) has continually risen due to technology being part of our everyday lives. Upgrades for technology happen e very year and so the life span of devices becomes shorter due to new technology being available. Only 29% of e-waste is recycled in the U.S. There has to be better solutions to combat e-waste. The concept of circular economy can help with the e-waste problem.
kellym64

Best 10 Digital Tipping Solutions 2023 | Find Reviews, Pricing, Buying Guide - 0 views

  • Without cash tips, some employees are left without a sizable portion of their paychecks.
    • kellym64
       
      Cash is no longer the preferred way for people to pay. Especially when Apple and Samsung give people the opportunity to go out without money.
  • By giving guests a way to leave cashless tips, employees will feel more motivated to provide exceptional service, knowing they can be rewarded for it.
  • modern digital tipping solutions handle much of the digital paperwork for you
  • ...4 more annotations...
  • Distributes tips to employees:
  • Pooled and individual tips:
  • Tip distribution:
    • kellym64
       
      The perfect example of how to keep your company looking like it is keeping up with technology and allowing your employees to feel fulfilled in knowing they can rightfully get the bonus they deserve.
rrodr658

Here's How Travel Will Look In The Internet Of The Future - 1 views

    • rrodr658
       
      A non-fungible token (NFT) is a unique digital identifier that is recorded on a blockchain, and is used to certify ownership and authenticity.
  • Patagonia has created an Oculus Rift experience
  • Virtual reality (VR) allows us to explore new places without leaving our homes, offices, or classrooms
  • ...7 more annotations...
  • With metaverse and decentralized internet tech, travel companies will be able to offer more personalized and immersive experiences to customers.
  • VR as a marketing tool t
  • VR to "try before they buy"
  • Disney parks are already working on incorporating virtual-world simulators into their venues, using projected images
  • virtual reality theme parks,
  • more travel-related non-fungible tokens (NFTs
  • tokens
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