For the end user, having the ability to conduct payments on mobile is extremely convenient. For businesses and financial institutions, the convenience and security of mobile payments can bring new revenue sources via e-commerce, and enhance customer loyalty through programs that leverage consumers’ mobile data
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Mobile payments go beyond mainstream » Telecoms.com - 0 views
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The hospitality industry has been quick to embrace mobile payment technology as operators seek industry-tailored mobile solutions that improve efficiency, boost profitability and increase guest satisfaction. Case in point: Gaylord Hotels’ poolside ordering and payment uses an iPod Touch, featuring mobile POS software and an attachment that allows the server to scan, collect payment and print a receipt from anywhere, so guests never have to leave their cabana
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The future of mobile payments offers unrivalled opportunity for businesses, but ensuring its security is vital to maintain consumers’ trust. End users expect secure access to services from any device. With application security growing increasingly threatened, fraud prevention in this area is top priority. Ultimately, non-intrusive clientless verification of fraud activity helps both businesses and consumers
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The growing trend of using mobile payment technology could lead to many opportunities for businesses and consumers alike. The hospitality industry is looking towards mobile payments as a way to make transactions more efficient and profitable for both the business and their customers. Hotels such as the Gaylord Hotel are now using mobile payment methods poolside. By using an iPod Touch, the hotel staff is able to collect payment and even print a receipt from their mobile POS system. This option to use the mobile payment system is a great convenience for their guests as they don't even have to leave their poolside cabana. Not only are hotels starting to use this technology to collect payments but major retailers have also begun to use this technology as well. Retailers such as Target and Walmart have teamed with Merchant Customer Exchange to develop an app that allows their customers to pay for their goods by using their smartphone at the store's register. With this growing technology also comes some concern of security. Businesses are being urged to consider the importance of fraud protection as they begin to use mobile payment. If businesses choose to use a mobile payment app or POS they must follow the proper procedures to ensure the security of their software. The benefits of this growing technology could be great for both businesses and their customers.
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How Can Hoteliers Take Advantage of the Disruptive Shift from Desktop to Mobile? | By M... - 0 views
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Last year over 38% of web visitors and nearly 40% of page views were generated from non-desktop devices
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Keeping the consumer engaged and reaching them multiple times throughout their journey (through which you will also be competing with the OTAs and other hotel websites) requires using multiple channels to tell your hotel's story.
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Mark Starkov, President & CEO at HEBS Global provides advice as to how to understand and optimize several tools hotels use for bookings. We live in a world where mobile connectivity is on the rise with no fall in sight. More and more people are spending more time and money on and through these devices, and it is something that our travel and hospitality industries are booming from. In 2014, nearly 40% of web visitors and page views were credited to non-desktop computers. In terms of hotels, these devices can also account for over 20% of bookings and 17% of sleeping room nights. Between 2013 and 2014, hotel revenue generated via tablets more than doubled and booked over 77% more room nights than non-"pure" devices. These stats alone should have all hoteliers seeing opportunity. The world of e-commerce is allowing hoteliers and other travel companies to open up many revenue streams. Between DGS, OTAs, and CRM, we are able to reach a much wider audience and bring in an exponentially larger amount of business. These tools do not work for free, as there are often commissions or subscription fees these companies are compensated for. As valuable as these third-party tools are, it is equally important to invest in your direct-booking outlet. Booking direct business keeps the most money in your pocket. Not only will you get optimum rates, you will also save on commissions, referral fees, etc. Just imagine not having to pay a third-party commission of 10% of a $100,000 dollar piece of business. That's 10 thousand saved. Sometimes, when large corporate events are booked, there can be two referral services involved, resulting in 15% commission payout. In terms of direct vs. third-party business, a hotel could not survive on only one.
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E-marketing in Malaysia: some are and some are ignorant - 0 views
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When Uruguayan footballer Suarez bit an Italian player during a match in the Fifa World Cup in June last year, an Indian restaurant in Kuala Lumpur used it as a marketing tool. On that day, Fierce Curry House in Bangsar offered free biryani meals to those who walked in wearing a Uruguayan football jersey. That is e-marketing for you.
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In December last year, the bakery called Tommy le Baker posted on Facebook a photo of two large baskets of bread with a poster next to them that said: “Take if you need, pay if you want.” The post was shared numerous times over and within a short time the bread was all taken.
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Scicom Education Group’s head of Creative Services Vernon Adrian Emuang feels positive about social media in Malaysia when compared to other countries in Southeast Asia. “Perhaps (we are) way ahead of others, in terms of widespread public engagement and intensity of online activity,” he tells The Establishment Post. “Essentially, Malaysians seem pretty clued in. The social media landscape is pretty populated which has facilitated marketing and sales efforts that ride on technology,” adds Mr Emuang.
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Mr Emuang says: “As a fragmented market, it is hard to build significant numbers. So it is always important to involve cross-border initiatives.” Especially, the tourism and hospitality businesss. “Boutique accommodation places could register with aggregating travel websites like www.booking.com and www.tripadvisor.com.”
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Under Budget 2015, the government is giving funds for SMEs to equip themselves with IT facilities for expansion purposes and to venture into overseas market using e-commerce. There is RM80 million (US$24.4 million) to encourage the use of new technology, automation and innovation.
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“In my consultancy practice, I do not see companies incorporating social media in their crisis communications plans, even though it is very evident that many crises today stem from social media or can spread and be magnified through social media channels. It is only after they are caught like deer in the headlights are they likely to change or take social media seriously,” the Trinetizen Media Sdn Bhd director tells The Establishment Post.
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“The crux of the matter is that social media forces companies to be more open, transparent and accountable to their stakeholders. But the management culture here, especially with family-owned companies, is closed, almost secretive, and opaque.” Time and the need to expand will force many a business to get into e-marketing.
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Malaysia and Southeast Asia is slowly but surely adapting strategic social media and e-marketing into their small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). This article focuses on the opposing views on how these tools are being utilized and adapted to help these small businesses. Scicom Education Group's head of Creative Services Vernon Adrian Emuang is confident that Malaysia is ahead of the games in terms of social media and "widespread public engagement". This may sound like a far cry considering that 64 percent of the SMEs in Mayalsia were not engaging in social media in 2012. Emuang emphasizes the impact that social media can have, considering that SMEs account for 99 percent of the 5 million registered Malaysian businesses. Zeno Group Malaysia's CEO told The Establishment Post that "lack of knowledge is holding back many of the SMEs. They feel they need not use social media for marketing purposes." Emuang also says that many of these companies are not implementing the proper technological infrastructure to support their ecommerce, should they receive an influx of traffic on their servers, etc. He even shamed the customer service that lacks the manpower to follow-up with the volume of customers. Many hotel and lodging businesses are adapting global initiatives, such as registering with Booking.com or Tripadvisor.com. These outlets allow ecommerce to flow to a much wider, international audience, boosting bookings and revenues at venues that wouldn't have otherwise. Julian Matthews, a famous Digital Media Trainer and Consultant, says companies are operating social media on a tactical rather than strategic level. The Trinetizen Media Sdn Bdn tells The Establishment Post that many companies aren't utilizing Social Media for crisis communication-something many companies we are familiar with fully rely on. In conclusion, social media adds accountability and reliability for the companies and their stakeholders.
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E-Marketing and the Hotel Industry: Calculating Web Presence Index (WPI) for the Hospit... - 0 views
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This article goes in depth on what emarketing is and how it's used. Emarketing is used for business to market and their business online. E-commerce goes hand in hand with Emarketing as it is also an internet venue where people can process their transactions from a business. But Emarketing does go beyond just the internet.
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Why is GDS important to the travel industry? | TTS - 4 views
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GDS is a network/platform that enables travel agencies and their clients to access travel data, shop for and compare reservations options, and book travel.
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Through such commerce platforms as the GDS Travelport, agents can access scheduling and inventory of hotels, airlines, car rentals, and (some) railway and bus reservations – in real time. GDS links all those services across the three primary travel reservation sectors (airline, hotel, and ground transportation, i.e., car rentals), and activities.
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The modern GDS system evolved from this early labour-intensive manual system, thanks to the collaborative team efforts of American Airlines (AA) and IBM. The result of that collaboration? The first airline industry mainframe-based system, SABRE.
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Promotional messaging to agents through GDS cores like the most prominent airline national distribution systems (Amadeus, SABRE, Galileo, and Worldspan) alert agents to special rates, fares, and travel packages – an effective marketing tool for passing savings on to agents, and from agents to their customers.
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GDS booking has increased worldwide over the past 4 years yet some industry observers suggest that GDSs may become nearly obsolete by 2020. But like many technology/software-based systems, GDS may evolve, instead.
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GDS is probably not going to fall into disuse any time soon. Rather, it will continue to evolve as it did from the Lazy Susan system of the 1950s.
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I found this article interesting as it talks about why the GDS is important and also gives some insight to how the booking process has changed over the decades. For instance, thanks to the internet we can book a flight within minutes while comfortably sitting on our cough. The article however states, what I did not know, was that back in the 50's, it took an airline reservationist 1.5 to 3 hours to book a single airline flight for the customer. At the end, the article also states that GDS most probably will not be going anywhere any time soon and still be around, at least for some time, and keep on evolving.
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The Hotel industry has been trying to move away from Global Distribution Systems (GDS), because of the high cost associated with them; however, travel agents more than ever are turning to the global distribution system for their hotel and travel bookings. In a recent article written for Travel Technology & Solution they discussed why GDS is important to the travel industry. Educating the reading on what GDS is and how it works, the importance of GDS to travel agents and the future of GDS. According to tts.com "GDS is a network/platform that enables travel agencies and their clients to access travel data, shop for and compare reservations options, and book travel. This allows for the travel agent to provide the best option at the best price to their clients. Travel agents are in favor of this system as what once took hours to complete can now be done in minutes. An agent has the ability to receive messages through the system alerting them of special rates, fares and travel packages which in turned are passed on to their clients. "Not only is messaging through GDSs effective in promoting travel savings to clients, GDS providers are becoming fundamental to the supply of travel products to retailers in the online channel." With a large percentage of people still turning to travel agents to book their travels GDSs might be here to stay. Over the past four years the use of the Global Distribution System has increased, "yet some industry observers suggest that GDSs may become nearly obsolete by 2020".
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This article discusses the history, importance, and future of GDS in a way that is simple and easy to understand. It use to take a long time to make a travel reservation until GDS came along, and it is now used by travel companies and their agents everywhere. It allows them to see a variety of airlines, hotels, transportation, and activities to compare pricing, in order to select the best of each one for their clients. They say GDS will become extinct in a couple of years but this article states otherwise. They believe it will become more sophisticated/developed into something greater.
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The article describes the importance of GDS to the travel industry. The article describes GDS as "a network/platform that enables travel agencies and their clients to access to travel data, shop for and compare reservations options and book travel." The system is used globally as it helps in generating travel sales in billions of dollars. Travel agents use the system access scheduling and inventory of hotels, car rentals, airlines and bus tickets all in real time. The system achieves this by linking the travel reservation sectors of car rentals, hotels and airlines. The major GDSs in the world are Sabre, Amadeus, Worldspan, Apollo, and Galileo. The authors argue that GDS is important to travel agents as it helps the agents to make reservations in real time for their clients and can complete bookings for their clients within a short time. The end of the article proposes that GDS may become obsolete by 2020 due to technological advances. However, the authors argue that the system will evolve with the technological changes and will not fall into disuse anytime soon.
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GDS I feel will always have an impact in the travel industry because it is what it was built for since the beginning. Yes, we advance with apps and direct booking but people will always use travel agencies and GDS I believe will always be the primary source for booking for travel agents because it is what makes them comfortable.
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shared by kgall030 on 24 Sep 18
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Hospitality Upgrade | Hospitality Industry Technology Focus 2017 - 0 views
www.hospitalityupgrade.com/...stry-Technology-Focus-2017.asp
hospitality E-Commerce hotel technology trends
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more than 70 percent of the respondents indicated that they would be increasing their IT investment in the coming year
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Most organizations realize that in order to grow their companies and revenues they need to invest in technology and systems that will create operational efficiencies, improve the customer’s experience, and help generate sales.
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Fewer than 10 percent of the companies surveyed reported that that they would be reducing their IT spend.
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With the market continuing to be extremely competitive, revenue management and channel optimization remain key focal areas of investment for publicly traded companies as well as independently owned organizations alike.
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Enhancements to CRM and loyalty programs are also on the list of investment directives. A number of responses (almost 70 percent) indicated that they were targeting business intelligence (BI) initiatives for the coming year as part of their technical focus and in an effort to become more strategic in managing the business and targeted revenue focus.
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The investment in guest experience technology continues to be strong as hotels attract guests to hotels. There continues to be increased expenditures on key drivers such as improved Wi-Fi service, self-service mobility applications and expanding the in-room offerings.
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With a number of breaches within the hospitality industry this past year, and other large corporate breaches such as Yahoo headlining the news, this continues to be an area of concern.
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With the sophistication of the threats and the possibility of breaches increasing, companies are looking to outsource their information security/cybersecurity requirements to third-party service partners that specialize in countering these risks.
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in recent years corporations are beginning to understand that investment in human resources is one of the most important assets they have. A recent Forbes article referenced the Deloitte Global Human Capital Trends Research analysis, which said, 78 percent of business leaders rate retention and engagement as being urgent or important.
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While managing Big Data has long been an Achilles heel for most companies, most would agree that there are significant competitive advantages that can be gained from being able to effectively manage the information. With a number of respondents targeting CRM projects for the coming year, the promise of being able to effectively target individual guest preferences becomes more obtainable.
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A significant number of companies are continuing to look at transitioning to cloud-based applications for some of their applications. However, more than 80 percent indicated that they are not ready to transition all of their applications to the cloud.
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With more than 70 percent of respondents reporting that they expect an increase in their IT spend this coming year and only 10 percent expecting a decrease, 2017 promises to be a good year for the hospitality technology industry. Most respondents indicated that their primary reason for investing in new technology was to improve their customer engagement and experience. This was closely followed by their directive to make operations more streamlined and efficient.
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This is a very detailed article about the various ways that hospitality firms are utilizing technology and using their capital to invest in IT related projects. A variety of hospitality firms were surveyed to produce this article on ways they plan to invest in IT and the various projects they feel are most worthy of their dollars. Some of the areas that were most noted and listed as worthy of additional IT investment include improving technology to improve financial performance and enhancements in CRM and loyalty programs, guest experience technology and ensuring the guest stay is always seen as paramount, as well as improved information and cyber security technology as well as an increased focus on understanding big data and improving employee engagement. This article is highly detailed in what it analyzes and it lists a long list of potential investments that a variety of companies will be taking on in the future. The focus of this article was on the year 2017, but many of these concepts still apply to the hospitality industry today and well into the future. Many of these things listed are also things we can see that many companies worked on leading to 2018 and continue to work on and it is the companies that put these IT investments at the forefront that will be leading the hospitality enterprises of the future.
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shared by tgore002 on 20 Feb 19
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Check-in with a smile: Marriott, Alibaba trial facial recognition at China hotels | Reu... - 0 views
www.reuters.com/...-at-china-hotels-idUSKBN1K11B0
hotel software business hospitality technology travel tech
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HONG KONG/SHANGHAI (Reuters) - Chinese guests at Marriott International, the world’s largest hotel chain, may soon be able to check in with a quick scan of their facial features. The chain will work in a joint venture with Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba Group to test facial recognition check-ins at two China hotels this month, the firms said on Wednesday, with ambitions for a global rollout later. China is spearheading the use of facial recognition for everything from helping control major live events to ordering fast-food, but also bolstering a growing domestic surveillance system that has raised fears among human rights activists of privacy being invaded.
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shared by marvahb on 16 Jul 17
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PRN Wire: Cyber Gear Launches DubaiHotelsGuide.com - 0 views
www.pressreleasenetwork.com/...news_view.phtml
emarketing crm hotel travel marketing iot Technology Hospitality
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Cyber Gear services include design of web sites, intranets, e-CRM, e-business, CMS, e-commerce & mobile applications, Social Media, IoT and e-marketing.
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8 Financial Themes Shaping the Hotel Industry in 2018 and Beyond – Skift - 0 views
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This article discusses how a hotel has put hotel owner model second to marketing, branding and technology related functions. Although it may seem like an easy job, however it's actually a huge job due to the heavy competition. Travel is a hard e-commerce category because it's hard to get customers to be loyal to their hotel. It's not simply about loyalty points anymore. Another aspect in this article mentions is how hotels are investing in tech to improve profitability. Having better tech can ensure a guest has a better experience and providing benefits to hotel owners. Specifically, the Hyatt is using technology in order to engage with their guests. Wyndham has installed over 4000 cloud-based reservation systems. Hilton also developed a system for loyalty members to be able to control the lighting and entertainment in their hotel rooms right from their mobile phone. This is called Connected Room and will launch this year.
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Big Restaurant Brands Dive Into Grubhub Era Of Delivery Rivalry - 0 views
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"There's a growth problem for a lot of restaurants in the U.S. Many fast-casual dining-type restaurants are mall-based or attached to retail spaces and consumers are just not going there as much," said Tom Champion, a Cowen analyst who follows Grubhub. Grubhub stock has shot up 141% from a year ago.
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Millennials think about cuisine in global terms, says Warren Solochek, a restaurant industry analyst at NPD.
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They typically share 20% to 30% of a bill with third-party delivery services. That matters in an industry with 10% to 15% operating margins and high fixed costs, including rent and staffing.
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home delivery services enable consumers to order from a restaurant that might be 5 miles away as opposed to one around the corner, Solochek says.
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"We're going to see more and more quick-service chains begin to try out delivery," he said. "The margins associated with third-party delivery may be slimmed down. But, the question for restaurants is, 'If I don't do it and I'm not delivering my food, am I in the game anymore? Am I in people's consideration? It boils down to being an opportunity cost. The hope is that at some point people will like the food enough to come in and sit down."
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In some cases, menus posted on mobile apps may be priced a bit higher to offset revenue-sharing with delivery partners, she says.
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Restaurant stocks received a boost as the industry's same-store sales rose 1.5% in April, the best restaurant industry gain in 2-1/2 years, says Black Box Intelligence.
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If something goes wrong with a delivery order, it's usually the restaurant that gets the blame, according to Consumer research firm NPD, not the likes of Grubhub (GRUB), Uber Eats, DoorDash or Postmates.
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Wingstop is not the only national restaurant brand with good reason to be testing home delivery services. Also testing or charging ahead with food delivery services are McDonald's (MCD), Yum Brand's (YUM) Taco Bell and KFC, Chipotle Mexican Grill (CMG), Shake Shack (SHAK), Zoes Kitchen (ZOES), Panera Bread, Bloomin' Brands' (BLMN) Outback Steakhouse, and others.
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While restaurants may test food delivery with a few service providers, they'll usually settle on one to ensure that the process runs smoothly, says Cowen's Champion.
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The result had lifted the Retail-Restaurants industry group to a top 10 ranking at the start of May among the 197 industries tracked by IBD.
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The big picture is that consumers buying goods at Amazon.com (AMZN) and other online businesses are doing less of the traditional brick-and-mortar shopping. That means they're also not stopping off to eat on the way home or getting takeout food.
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"If you're turning a transaction into a less-profitable transaction, that isn't doing any good," said Bartlett, "but if it's a transaction you wouldn't have had in the first place, then it's a positive."
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This article discusses the increasing demand for e-commerce and third party delivery in the food and beverage industry, as well as the costs associated with it. Restaurants are currently facing a growth problem in the United States as foot traffic has declined due to a "millennial generation shift" that sees diners doing more in their homes, while third party companies like Grubhub have seen it's stock rise 141 percent from a year ago. For many restaurants, it is a matter of opportunity cost. As explained in this article by Warren Solocheck, a restaurant industry analyst at NPD, "We're going to see more and more quick-service chains begin to try out delivery," he said. "The margins associated with third-party delivery may be slimmed down. But, the question for restaurants is, 'If I don't do it and I'm not delivering my food, am I in the game anymore? Am I in people's consideration? It boils down to being an opportunity cost. The hope is that at some point people will like the food enough to come in and sit down." I found this article very interesting as a General Manager. We recently decided as a brand to begin offering delivery through third party services as we noticed a decline in covers leading to a decline in revenue. This new revenue stream, although at a higher cost, still brings in revenue that we would be missing out on either way. We also offer free appetizer cards for a consumer's next in house visit to help attract new guests.
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The Hospitality Industry Welcomes Chatbots With Open Arms | BCW - 2 views
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reduce the stress of travel.
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see a way to differentiate their business in a very competitive industry
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The industry has moved on from just a room to using bots to help make the travel, dining and tourist experience as good as possible.
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Most of these bots operate on Facebook for maximum exposure, but there are plenty of other chatbot destinations, solutions and vendors willing to provide them.
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European giant KLM’s bot shows how they can extend beyond flight finding and booking by offering a smart way to receive flight documentation. Booking confirmation, check-in notifications, boarding passes and flight status updates can all be delivered by Messenger.
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This is where chatbots step in, as they’re able to mix conversational interfaces, with product images, descriptions and calls to action. The best conversational commerce bots are also social, allowing friends to share the online shopping experience.”
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They can help build, connect and publish intelligent bots to interact with customers on Messenger, Skype and other platforms.
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they won’t think twice before spending money with a bot,
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benefits, bonuses and instant, reliable customer service.
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The topic of the article is about the use of Chatbot within the industry and how it could be valuable to e business. Chatbot is a messenger tool that allows for customers to communicate with someone to provide a more personalized and better customer experience when booking online. The article mentions that Chatbot is used on a variety of hotels, airlines and even booking agents to provide a different way of booking trips and experiences. It focuses on providing images, prices and descriptions to enhance the "online shopping experience." (Knight, 2018) The way Chatbot seems to operate through different partners by providing the guest with requests, transportation, last minute reservations and up to date information regarding hotels, airlines, etc. Knight takes into account the potential that Chatbot has in the future to help the hospitality industry grow earnings while positive service. Although, Chatbot seems like the newest way to appeal to those guests that are within the technology wave, i feel like apps like these are already implemented. It is convenient to have the information coming from one source, but hotels brands like Marriott have the mobile app and GXI where you can communicate with someone in assist with creating reservations, add requests and also create a profile that gives the hotel an idea of what someone expects at the hotel. The same goes for those airline apps such as American and Delta, providing similar services. What i do take into consideration is that bots like these where it be a direct bot or Chatbot are being used more and more daily to enhance the experience a customer receives which helps to increase sales for the industry.
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Amadeus, Travelport and Sabre GDS Systems helping travel agencies grow using OTA model - 0 views
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GDS is and will remain as the most important channel of distribution for airlines, hotels, and car rental companies alike.
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Travel agents require the assistance of GDS and it is for the sake of their own profits.GDS serves as direct sellers of the Air Fares travel agents get into an agreement to the GDS and get access to a list of fares what he/she can again sell to the customers.
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For Years, GDS has been serving the travel industry with reliability, security, speed and accuracy to airlines, hospitality, car rentals and many more. As per IATA study, the future of GDS is very huge and it will create a robust e-commerce platform for the travel industry
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Ebusiness And Its Impact On Hospitality Industry Information Technology Essay - 0 views
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It encompasses e-commerce, which relates to buying and selling, but also includes servicing customers (i.e. business to consumer) and collaborating with business partners (business to business).
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This new virtual marketplace allows small companies competing with business giants by just having a better web presentation of their products/services
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online customers can enjoy a wider choice of products or services, more competitive prices, and being able to buy their favourite items/services from the sellers located thousands miles away
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E-business is having a huge impact on the hospitality industry, an impact that looks set to continue. An increasing number of people are booking and viewing restaurants and hotel rooms online, and they are working with the smartest time-saving electronic systems.
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Smaller travelling agencies, among others, are more interested in the application of Internet to gain certain competitive edges over their larger counterparts.
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In the past, travel agents were used for not only travel plans but they also sold transports, tours and accommodation for suppliers. Travel agents were the most common source for booking hotel rooms and any other travel components.
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The internet emerged and the World Wide Web was invented, linking the world into one global network. The emergence of the internet had a great impact on all businesses including the hospitality industry.
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increased choice speed greater independence more information eg services, appearance, location, virtual room tours ability to compare prices increase in direct booking, less use of intermediaries
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It has been reported that the online booking in the hospitality industry (including hotel/motel, airlines, travel packages, etc.) is increasing at a very rapid speed recently. An online hotel room booking has been increased by six times just during last four years (from 1999 to 2002) from $1.1 billion in 1999 to $6.3 billion in 2002. As a result, its percentage as of total annual bookings is increased over 400% - from about 2% in 1999 to 9% in 2002
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technological barriers for business and customers e.g. slow connections, inadequate hardware, slow download times, staff resistance to change, lack of staff training, requirements for web maintenance inflexibility of business structure lack of business planning e.g. cash flow forecasting, marketing strategy poor website design security for payments (perceived and real)
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Organisational issues e.g. business planning, staff development, recruiting new staff; customer education and awareness campaign; support issues e.g. government support, support for web design, dedicated technical support
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Best POS Systems for 2020 - 1 views
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it comes with back-end features like reports, built-in CRM software, a timeclock with payroll exporting, offline mode and web orders.
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cloud-based POS system for independent retailers as well as those with multiple locations, such as chains, franchises and buying groups
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accounting programs, property management systems, gaming and casino systems, and liquor dispensing systems
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s, Cake has table and guest management features such as reservation and waitlist management as well as a mobile solution, OrderPad, that helps your staff take orders and payments quickly. Cake is cloud-based and provides 24/7 support.
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It has a built-in timeclock and accounting system. Its restaurant-specific features include reservations, table and delivery management tools, and a kitchen display system.
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employee management, inventory, and reporting tools. It also has an app marketplace and its own API, giving you plenty of options to fully customize the software. The company offers 24/7 phone support.
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It supports omnichannel sales and has tools for inventory management, tiered pricing, purchase ordering, analytics, and email marketing and customer loyalty programs.
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he company partners with software vendors, system integrators and value-added resellers in many industries, including retail, healthcare, hospitality, kiosk, gaming and manufacturing.
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Features include appointment scheduling, employee management, inventory tracking, integrated payment processing, and gift card and loyalty programs.
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It also has multiple customer support resources, including free 24/7 phone and email support, live chat, and community forums.
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ERP company that offers both retail and restaurant POS software that you can use as an on-premises system or as a web-based platform that you can access from a browser on any computer, tablet, or phone.
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This article presents suggestions on POS selection for companies sized from small to large. I found this article really interesting and reiterates that the selection of the POS is going to be based on company needs/culture. Their research was extensive and conducted market research repeatedly, before suggestions were made. It also touched on the different pricing options, in addition to any special features the POS may offer.
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This article talks about the best POS systems for 2020. What I found interesting is that the majority of these systems are cloud-based and offer integrated information services for a variety of industries, not just hospitality. A lot of the systems also are ipad based and work well with third-party POS hardware. They also have automated payment options integrated, for people who like to process payments electronically (i.e. Apple Pay). I think its important to know about these POS systems and what they can accomplish for hospitality companies.
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In this article, they talk about the best pos systems to use for 2020. They list each pos system name and then summarize the benefits and give a full review. The first system they talk about is lightspeed, which Ipad pos system has solutions for retail stores, restaurants, and online businesses. It's fully mobile, so you can check inventory from anywhere in the store, show customers product images and descriptions, and ring up orders and accept payments on the sales floor or, for restaurants, tableside. The next system is Vend that has real-time reports, inventory management features, and access to various integrations that can help you run your business, save time, and boost sales. This POS software is suitable for nearly every type of retailer. Whether you run a clothing store, a sporting goods store, or a specialty service-based business such as a car wash or computer shop, Vend has the features you need. Touch Bistro is a simple and affordable POS system that focuses on the unique needs of restaurant owners, with tables, reservations, and delivery management features. It's suitable for all types of food establishments - fine dining, casual eateries, cafes, pubs, food trucks, and more. Lastly, there is eposnow has both retail and hospitality versions of the software are available, each with a robust selection of features to help you run your business. It also has more than 80 integrations, so you can add extra capabilities and connect to the business programs you already use.
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Innoviti Introduces Cloud Payment Reconciliation Technology for Restaurants | Hospitali... - 0 views
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Innoviti Payment Solutions announced that after successful pilots, it will now start extending its newly introduced cloud-based reconciliation technology to full-service restaurants, that require payments to be collected at a customer's table with automatic reconciliation with the bill.
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The new technology works in a simple way. In a typical restaurant example, the central billing server first uploads every new bill generated to Innoviti's cloud-based integration server. Thus, the Innoviti Integration Server maintains an updated real time list of all pending bills that are yet to be paid. When a patron calls for his check, the waiter assigned to the relevant table simply uses the table's id to 'pull' the correct pending bill from cloud-based integration server on to the portable POS terminal in his hand. Once payment is completed on POS terminal, it generates an on-spot charge slip and updates back the necessary payment details against the specific pending bill on cloud server and then onwards to the restaurant billing server which initiated the bill.
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Across India, Innoviti processes over US$ 6.5Bn of payments annually from over 1000+ cities, with a throughput per point of acceptance of 7000$, 2X of India's average (as per RBI data). Innoviti's payment solutions help merchants, banks and brands influence commercial transactions happening in offline commerce more efficiently than possible otherwise, through unconventional use of payment terminals.
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Innoviti is backed by marquee investors including Bessemer Venture Partners, USA, SBI Venture Capital, Singapore and Catamaran, India
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Innoviti Payment Solutions announced that it will start extending its cloud-based reconciliation technology to full-service restaurants, that need payments to be collected at a customer's table with automatic reconciliation with the bill. Innoviti processes over US$ 6.5Bn of payments annually from over 1000+ cities in India and is backed by major financial investers like Catamaran, India, Bessemer Venture Partners, USA, and SBI Venture Capital, Singapore.
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shared by allisonweets on 16 Feb 20
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Guests: Hotels are not investing enough in cybersecurity | Hotel Management - 0 views
www.hotelmanagement.net/...investing-enough-cybersecurity
hospitality technology business hotel cybersecurity security data
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More than 22 million U.S. travelers self-report as being the victim of a cyberattack through their business with hotels, according to the Morphisec 2019 Hospitality Guest Threat Index.
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Following the Marriott International/Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide breach that was discovered nearly a year ago, U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross noted that “many companies have been scrimping on the cybersecurity budget” — both in the hospitality sector and beyond.
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Almost 60 percent of consumers said restaurant point-of-sale systems are the most susceptible to cyberattacks within the hospitality industry.
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Millennials (24- to 35-year-olds) believe they are most vulnerable to a cybersecurity breach when staying at a traditional hotel rather than when booking with Airbnb.
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More than 25 million U.S. consumers self-reported that a restaurant visit has resulted in a data breach.
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Earlier this year, Morphisec discovered FIN8, a cybercrime group most known for targeting the retail industry, was actively targeting POS systems within hospitality companies in the U.S. and abroad.
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“Increasingly, attackers are targeting weakly defended point-of-sale systems as an entry point into the broader hospitality organization network. With many POS devices in the hospitality industry still running on Windows 7 or even Windows XP-based embedded operating systems, they are increasingly vulnerable to breaches, and cybercrime groups are taking notice.”
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This article discuss the idea that cybersecurity has been neglected according to consumers and more emphasis should be placed on protecting their private information. It has been found that point-of-sale systems are the most common victims of these breaches, and most often at restaurants. Attackers are targeting systems with weak points and outdated software, making them at a considerably higher risk for breaches and cybercrime. Companies must start investing more in heightened security measures in order to retain consumer loyalty.
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GDS, OTA and Meta: What's the difference? | HotelMinder - 2 views
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GDS, OTA and Meta: What’s the difference?
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The article covers the topics discussed in this week's topics related to Global Distribution Systems (GDS) and Online Travel Agency (OTA). It goes in detail regarding the difference and benefits of each. The landscape of the traveling industry changed in the late 1900s with the introduction of the GDS from the airline industry. Although costly, hotels are able to provide unsold rooms at a cheaper rate in order to secure bookings. Similarly, OTAs have gained popularity with the rise of use and reliance of the internet. Most beneficial of a OTA is more visibility for the hotel, since they invest a significant amount of capital in advertising. Whether a hotel is deciding whether or not to invest in a GDS or OTA, it is important to do a cost benefit analysis in order to determine which may be more beneficial to the property.
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GDS is a rather costly selling channel that mainly allows the sale of rooms in larger quantities to bigger companies (for corporate guests) or travel agencies (leisure travellers). Thus, small independent hotels usually do not need GDS.
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With the rise of the internet, many websites began selling rooms without the need for human interaction. These sites very quickly gained important market share,
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Rather than trying to compete with them, it would be better to see them as another selling distribution channel instead.
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Travel agencies use GDS to get real-time availability, and preferred rates on flight tickets, hotel rooms and car rentals all over the world as it allows them to be very reactive when asked for a quote.
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They were first created by airline companies during the 1950’s to broaden hotel and car rental businesses by enabling automated transactions between travel service providers and travel agencies (traditional and online).
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Central Reservation Services (CRS), such as Sabre, allow hotels to sell their rooms to all GDS simultaneously. However, it is up to the hotel whether to connect with only one or two GDS directly, without the need for a CRS. The good news is that some channel managers are also able to connect with GDS systems.
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The most popular example is Booking.com, although Expedia (for corporate guests) and Hostelworld (for more economical accommodation options) are also well-known.
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Your hotel can usually be listed on an OTA free of charge by adding your hotel photos, descriptions, rooms, rates, etc. You can then choose how many rooms you’d like to sell through the OTA. The availability you’d like to sell as well as the room rate is your decision, and although appearing on the OTA is free, you will have to pay a commission of approximately 15% to 20% every time you get a booking.
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Although they produce rather time-consuming work as you need to log into each of their extranets to update daily availability and rates, you can very easily connect an OTA to a channel manager to automate, or at least greatly facilitate these tasks.
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They were created shortly after OTAs and display the current rates of many different hotels in a given destination.
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Today, OTA’s are a must, and although metasearch engines are slightly more technical to manage, they can also be an attractive selling channel to consider.
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This article introduces GDS, OTA and Meta in a short space. GDS stands for Global Distribution System, GDS is a rather costly selling channel that mainly allows the sale of rooms in larger quantities to bigger companies. Small independent hotels usually do not need GDS. OTA stands for Online Travel Agency. meta stands for Metasearch Engines. For small hotels, the cost of GDS is high and it is generally difficult to adopt. OTA and meta are two methods worth considering.
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shared by anonymous on 31 Mar 21
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Product Packaging Trends 2021: For Brand Managers - 1 views
blog.beaconstac.com/...cpg-product-packaging-trends
tech technology hospitality Software business solution mobile
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price sensitivity, higher digital engagement, a rise in attention to wellness and hygiene, and a redefinition of brand purpose.
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CPG brands should leverage smart packaging technology such as QR Codes and NFC to digitalize their product packaging and transform the way consumers interact with them.
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Packaging designers should make use of recyclable materials to create innovative and sustainable packaging designs.
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QR Code-powered digital product labels that communicate the sustainability practices are the easiest way to achieve this.
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The campaign incorporated QR Codes on the packaging of their free-range grass-fed meat to direct consumers to farmers’ stories and the farm of its origin.
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Customers could tap the cap using their smartphones to access in-store information about the brand, along with its history and food pairings.
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The World Economic Forum indicates that there’s now a whopping increase in consumer demand to understand the product’s journey; from its manufacturing to point of sale.
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The pandemic accelerated the adoption of e-commerce. Most customers now prefer to shop online given the convenience and safety.
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brands should make essential product information available through digitalized product packaging, coupled with the relevant certifications.
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This article focuses on current packaging trends along with the diversification of brand management. Additionally, how companies, through smart packaging with QR Codes and NFC tags, can keep up with the below-mentioned trends and achieve higher ROI for their business. Successful incorporation of these technologies will help companies achieve product transparency and authenticity, supply chain visibility, elevated consumer experience, and many more positive outcomes.
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shared by anonymous on 27 Mar 21
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Why Augmented Reality Is Having a 2021 Moment - Moonshot - 2 views
www.moonshotio.com/...eality-is-having-a-2021-moment
tech technology hospitality Software business solution mobile
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The New York Times reports that more retailers are making AR a priority in the new year especially as popular apps such as Snapchat make it easier for retailers to reach shoppers with AR filters.
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Deborah Weinswig, the chief executive of Coresight Research, says people stayed engaged with AR experiences for three times as long as they do with traditional e-commerce websites.
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Meanwhile, we’ve seen a spike in news reports about Apple unveiling its much-anticipated AR eyewear in 2021.
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This news is another example of how savvy businesses are sensing and responding during the pandemic to adapt to changing consumer preferences.
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As we enter another stretch of prolonged social distancing, retailers in particular are looking for ways to apply AR to make shopping more natural.
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This article discusses how AR has been around for a while but has now had a boost thanks to the pandemic. The article mentions how companies such as Lenovo, Panasonic, and Apple are going about the implementation of AR through their product offerings as they are sensing and responding to demand created by the pandemic in order to adapt to changing consumer preferences.