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nelson1oliva

Augmented Vs Virtual Reality - Which Should I Choose? - 0 views

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    what I enjoyed about this particular article is that it actually not only explains the concepts of AR and VR and hw they elate to AI but also how it contrasts them: see the highlighted excerpts in quotes below; "Augmented Reality Definition Augmented Reality (AR) is the overlaying of computer-generated objects upon the real environment. The application recognizes some element in the real environment and then places objects in relation to it with differing levels of interactivity." And, "Virtual Reality Definition Virtual Reality (VR) is a completely digital experience that is viewed inside a closed visual environment. It may also include physical elements from the outside world such as movement, temperature, and sound." I discussed these contrasts in my academic journal in which VR is a completely digital experience in most cases, although there can be some physical animation involved that may be perceived as a type of AI or AR incorrectly. it does however allow a greater margin that the its counterparts to create a complete fantasy world that has no similarities with reality whatsoever. Ai however presents a more reciprocal thinking addition to the equation which in my opinion at some point will blend seamlessly with VR. AR on the other hand in a way does this by allowing the concepting of augmenting the reality by definition. They all have advantages and limitations, to where these are pushed will be the real question in the future.
nunes305

What is green computing? - Definition from WhatIs.com - 1 views

  • Green computing, also called green technology, is the environmentally responsible use of computers and related resources. Such practices include the implementation of energy-efficient central processing units (CPUs), servers and peripherals as well as reduced resource consumption and proper disposal of electronic waste (e-waste).
  • The work habits of computer users and businesses can be modified to minimize adverse impact on the global environment. Here are some steps that can be taken:
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    "Green computing, also called green technology, is the environmentally responsible use of computers and related resources. Such practices include the implementation of energy-efficient central processing units (CPUs), servers and peripherals as well as reduced resource consumption and proper disposal of electronic waste (e-waste). One of the earliest initiatives toward green computing in the United States was the voluntary labeling program known as Energy Star. It was conceived by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in 1992 to promote energy efficiency in hardware of all kinds. The Energy Star label became a common sight, especially in notebook computers and displays. Similar programs have been adopted in Europe and Asia."
Donald Wojciechowski

Hotel Technology Trends Revolutionising the Industry | Hotel Industry Magazine - 6 views

  • These benefits are not reserved for just large international chains: the low capital expenditure investment for mobile hardware and much reduced software costs mean that mobile is a viable option for small independent properties, looking to develop customer service as a competitive edge
  • Cloud / Software as a Service (SaaS)
  • Software delivered as a service, rather than held on premise is already a mainstream technology topic and despite being a new concept in the hospitality sect
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  • As hotel technology trends continue to develop at a relentless pace
  • Mobility
  • Mobile is the new face of computing as devices such as tablets and smartphones revolutionise the way we interact with technology.
  • investment
  • 3. Social
  • For any hotel to not at least monitor social media is tantamount to willingly flying blind.
  • Personalised Systems
  • Customers expect their experience within a hotel to be totally personalised
  • Integration
  • Globalisation
  • This means that the technology systems in use – especially those in large chains – must account for the global perspective.
  • All of these trends have already brought about a profound change in the hospitality industry – and they will continue to disrupt and redefine operations.
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    The article highlights new advances in technology trends that has captured the attention of numerous businesses in the UK due to the significant reduction cost and savings that can be achieved. The trends include cloud computing which businesses view as a low initial cost or capital investment to undertake. Eliminating the need for hard drives storage, maintenance, and giving way to quick upgrades and updates of an It system. A company's main goal is to provide the best products and services at the lowest cost, and if cloud computing creates this ease of burden without compromising the quality of products and services offered to guests then transitioning to this new technology remains one of the best and newest innovation as the savings will undoubtedly add to the company's bottom line. Smart phones, tablets and other mobile devices has definitely revolutionize the way people communicate and hotels in the United States, China the UK and other parts of the world are capitalizing on this mobile trend as a way to improve customer service. Whether it may be making reservations, or checking in and out of hotels from any location without having to wait in long lines at the front desk. Mobile computing is definitely a way to save cost, and time. It's important to note that this trend does not only benefit huge companies but it's a viable option for small businesses who definitely wants to position itself as a company offering the best and most unique service. Social media is extremely paramount for business exposure and that's why hospitality companies continued to capitalize on this growing phenomena. From Trip Advisor which informs potential guests about the facilities, products, and services to Facebook or Twitter which not only help to market or promote the company's products and services but these are great resources and tools for companies to capture and address comments or concerns that can potentially put the business in a negative light.
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    This article discusses hardware and software trends in the hospitality industry. Article discusses six points that are having a major effect on the hospitality industry. The first area is the definite shift from software held in-house to software used in the cloud. The article estimates that around 85% of all inquiries are from companies that are looking to use the cloud for software needs. The second item article discusses his mobility. The use of devices such as tablets and smart phones are revolutionizing the way people interact with technology this is also revolutionizing the hospitality industry. The third area that the article discusses the social media and the profound impact it has had has had on the hospitality industry. Article points to trip advisor who has become one of the major sources of information for people researching holidays travel, hotels and leisure facilities. The fourth area in which hardware and software is changing hospitality industry is the feeling of a personalized experience. People are expecting that their experience within the hotel to be personalized and technology is helping the industry personalized their experience. The fifth area is the integration of the hardware and software from the many specialized facilities within a property. Traditionally golf spas have operated their own individual software system now that software system is integrated into the overall properties software system. The last area of hardware and software trends that is changing industry is an area of globalization. Properties will need to adapt their two different management approaches to survive in high levels of economic uncertainty. Consequently, brands with large chains must look at their business from a global perspective.
kelseybarton

What is Point of Sale (POS) Systems? Definition of POS with Examples - 0 views

  • A point-of-sale (POS) transaction is what takes place between a merchant and a customer when a product or service is purchased, commonly using a point of sale system to complete the transaction.
  • In its most basic definition, a POS system is a combination of POS hardware and POS software to create a POS machine for processing a transaction and payment.
  • a POS terminal is the electronic equipment performing the sales transaction and processing the credit card payments. Used in most storefront businesses, a computer terminal combined with the POS software helps to manage everyday sales transactions and operations.
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  • The hardware components bundle will typically include a POS terminal, receipt printer, credit card reader, cash drawer, barcode scanner, kitchen or bar printer (for restaurants), and possibly even an on-site computer server for older legacy systems
  • The primary reason you need a point of sale for a restaurant is to accept cash and credit card payments. In addition to receiving payments, you need to be able to track all your financial and tax data.
  • A restaurant management system is recommended if you’re a restaurateur and want to be competitive in the business. Many types of restaurants need to utilize a POS like full-service restaurants, quick-service restaurants, fast food, take-out only, cafe’s, pizza shop, etc
  • Recipe costing is just one example of features a restaurant computer system can provide. Some other features and services you’re going to need potentially are restaurant marketing, customer management, online ordering, loyalty program, server sales performance, new versus repeat customers, invoice purchasing, menu performance, employee management, and sales reporting.
  • The only negative to implementing a new restaurant management system is the training time and challenge of learning new software. But that’s only temporary,
  • The main features to look for in bar software is preauthorization (or “preauth”) of payments for tabs management, bar and liquor inventory and control, speed functions like reordering rounds, bar prep printing, fast checkout, and quality 24/7 support. For the reporting side, you’ll want to see your labor costs compared to sales, product reports, and all your sales and tax reports.Additional register features to consider for nightclub and bar point of sale software is employee management, inventory management, customer loyalty, recipes, tab management, quick reorder rounds, and quick customer checkout. Reporting is critical as well to keep track of your food and beverage taxes. Also, you’ll want to have online access to see your labor costs and sales reports
  • Retail businesses can have some particular requirements and features that other programs will not have. They can have retail shop features such as color and size matrixing, inventory tracking, employee commissions, gift registry, customer database, layaway, and purchase orders
  • If you’re not processing an enormous amount of volume and speed isn’t as critical (like in a restaurant or bar), then a mobile POS could be just the answer to save you some money
  • A cloud-based POS system is a point of sale platform that stores information on the cloud. Cloud-based systems typically don’t record much information on your terminal device. Instead, all data is stored in the cloud and synchronized across multiple terminals.
  • Nail and hair salon POS systems can sometimes crossover for other business types like barber shops, gyms, fitness clubs, beauty schools, massage parlors, pet grooming, tattoo parlors, to name a few. That is because these other business types will especially require an appointment calendar and may need retail functionality with inventory control, and not every software program has those features
  • In this POS guide, we discussed everything related to POS systems, including the meaning of POS, the definition of mPOS, what the difference is between a cash register and POS, how a point of sale system work, and the different types of systems with examples
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    (1 of 3) POSUSA had originally published an article in 2017 about the definition of Point-of-Sale (POS) and a guide to understanding POS more in depth. This article was updated in May of 2021 to represent the ongoing challenges in the hospitality industry due to COVID-19. The article begins by defining a POS transaction as "what takes place between a merchant and a customer when a product or service is purchased, commonly using a point of sale system to complete the transaction." The original idea of a POS system was that of a cash register, but what is in the system make up today is far more complex. A POS system and a POS terminal are one in the same, as the terminal is the physical piece of equipment that processes the information for the POS. The system is composed of many different components as with any piece of technology. "The hardware components bundle will typically include a POS terminal, receipt printer, credit card reader, cash drawer, barcode scanner, kitchen or bar printer (for restaurants), and possibly even an on-site computer server for older legacy systems." These systems continue to make advancements that evolve with the times and can keep up efficiently with the business they are working with.
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    (2 of 3) The article continues on to discuss the many different types of POS systems and how they can be used for different types of businesses. The restaurant POS system, for example, is the most complex POS system and is the most commonly seen system in the industry. Through the restaurant POS, a business can have a restaurant management system, which helps them run the business efficiently through features such as recipe costing, customer management, reporting, and many other features discussed. Bar, nightclub, retail, small business, salon, and spa POS systems all have very similar features, but are catered to each businesses specific operational need. Cloud-based and mobile POS systems are also discussed in the article as a way to store all POS information in the cloud. The advantages of mPOS were discussed in depth as this can be accessed through an application, making mobility much easier in our ever-advancing technological world.
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    (3 of 3) The article also provided an introduction of how POS systems work, as a basic understanding is necessary when considering purchasing a system. Through understanding how the POS system works, we see that a POS transaction is "simply any transaction that occurs within a business." POS payment is "when a customer and merchant exchange products or services completing a POS transaction aka point of sale purchase," which can sometimes be referred to as point of purchase, or POP. Finally, the article discusses how POS systems have played a role during the pandemic. While online POS systems have been used for many years to keep businesses on their feet, during the current state of the world this has become even more necessary. The article discusses how important it is to keep the payment process simple, yet secure so that the business may rely on this as a way to make income and customers can enjoy a seamless experience. This article does a very good job of explaining in-depth what a POS system is and how it is relevant to every line of business in the hospitality industry. As online sales continue to grow and as the state of the world remains uncertain, POS system popularity will only continue to rise and advance to create the best possible experience for both the businesses and consumers involved.
ldevaul

8 Disruptive Hotel Technology Trends to Watch in 2021 - 6 views

  • For those of us keeping an eye on technology in hotels, it can be difficult to discern what trends are here to stay and what trends are simply a marketing stunt.
  • Venture capitalists are finally starting to recognize the opportunity to invest in tools and platforms that allow hotels to capture new levels of hotel operations efficiency and revenue growth.
  • Cloudbeds offers an all-in-one suite of tools, including a property management system, channel manager, booking engine, and revenue manager, growing revenue and automating workflows at more than 20,000 properties.
    • ldevaul
       
      This is definitely something to look into. SaaS programs, nowadays, are super robust and offer so much data and opportunity for large and small businesses.
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  • Despite being one of the largest and most dynamic segments of the US and global economy, penetration of cloud-based technologies in the segment remains incredibly low, and the vendor landscape remains tremendously fragmented on a global basis,” says Matt Melymuka, co-founder and partner at PeakSpan Capital.
    • ldevaul
       
      This is very interesting...one of the largest industries and they are the slowest to invest in cloud-based technologies. A lot of companies clearly prefer to print everything and leave an actual paper trail!
  • Life House, a tech-first hotel experience, shows proof-of-concept: that hotels that invest in technology drive higher revenue, better guest reviews, and a higher star-rating.
  • Hotels use Zingle’s messaging tools to deliver five-star service at scale; Medallia’s investment in Zingle gives hotels the opportunity to provide frictionless guest service and streamline time-consuming interactions, such as check-in.
    • ldevaul
       
      I'm sure companies who invested in this program during the height of pandemic were very thankful!
  • Hotels are catching on, adding convenience through streaming, voice activation, guest-room tablets, and food ordering tech.
    • ldevaul
       
      The guest room tablets that can order room service and manage the operating system in the room is a game changer. Hotel Mousai in PV Mexico has this installed in all of their suites and it was super impressive!
  • White labeling is a practice in which a product – in this case, hotel software – is manufactured by a third party and uses branding by the purchaser, or marketer, so that the end product appears to have been produced by the purchaser.
  • An API, application programming interface, is simply a messenger of data between applications. APIs allow your various hotel technology tools and programs to work together, connecting your RMS to a PMS, or your PMS to your upsell software, or your business intelligence software to your PMS. An API makes your technology user-friendly and efficient; when your tools work together, you capture each platform’s full capabilities.
    • ldevaul
       
      This is super useful! When all of your software can speak to each other it improves productivity so much!
  • For instance, feeding data from your PMS into a business intelligence tool leads to real, operational data to analyze trends and provide recommendations for better marketing campaigns, smarter staffing decisions, seasonal trends, and market competition. Hotels that are comfortable using APIs can automate tasks that take up much of their employee’s time with manual data entry.
  • On-demand convenience dominates our lives, and guests expect this level of ease from their hotel experience as well.
  • Oaky, one of the industry’s leading upselling tools, raised a Series A funding round of $9.5 million led by PeakScan Capital. Oaky’s appeal to investors stems from the app’s data-driven approach to driving incremental revenue. Their deep understanding of customer behavior makes Oaky one of the top-rated upselling tools on the market today.
    • ldevaul
       
      This would be great for hotels who are struggling to increase their revenue.
  • Hilton is taking a different approach, partnering with Netflix to allow guests to control their streaming straight from the Hilton Honors mobile app.
    • ldevaul
       
      This is genius! Definitely will be trying this at my next Hilton stay.
  • As far as voice-activation, Volara is leading the way in providing a thoughtful, Alexa-esque guest-room solution. Volara integrates with the most popular work order management systems so that guests can make requests and get confirmation when the item or service they need will be delivered.
  • And for savvy marketing managers, tablets provide a new channel through which to send targeted, automated messages generating $5,000 per month in additional revenue.
    • ldevaul
       
      This is great for hotel marketers! Proving their value and having the company invest in tech that shows an huge ROI. Love this!
  • 2nd Kitchen is a godsend for hotels without a kitchen on-site: guests can order room service from restaurants near your hotel, taking care of care of orders, menus, payment, fulfillment, and customer support for your property.
  • Hotels are a prime target for hackers. “Only about 25% of all U.S. businesses, including hotel operators, are fully compliant with current data security best practices. That means that three out of four are not and are potential disasters waiting to happen,” reported one cybersecurity expert.
    • ldevaul
       
      This is definitely worth exploring more!
  • Numerous high-profile malware attacks on the hotel industry have led to hundreds of millions of guests’ data being compromised and millions of dollars in damage. Just this February, MGM Resorts revealed they were the target of a massive data breach that compromised personal information for more than 10.6 million guests. Files leaked in the MGM attack included information on celebrities, chief executives of technology companies, reporters and government officials, according to Skift.
  • Expedia and Booking have taken some pretty big hits in recent months.
  • Why the dive in stock price? There are two factors outside Coronavirus that are impacting OTAs. First, hotels are getting better at capturing direct bookings. Hotel tech like direct booking platforms, metasearch ad managers, and messaging integrations help properties draw more visitors to their site and convert more direct bookings, circumventing the high OTA commissions in the process.
  • Secondly, Google has entered the travel market in a big way. Google has expanded from traditional AdWords to include hotels everywhere via its Hotel Ads product.
  • 5G may be getting all the buzz, but for property owners, WiFi 6 is much more relevant. WiFi 6 is the term used to describe the next iteration of Wifi, a faster, more efficient connection enabled through new technologies. WiFi 6 is about 30% faster than our current WiFi.
  • With WiFi 6, your property can leverage in-room technology to provide better service, driving positive guest reviews and repeat business. Smart thermostats, smart speakers, and smart locks will all perform better with the adoption of WiFi 6 over the next five years.
  • Investors in Oaky already recognize this next insight: data has become the world’s most valuable resource. The sooner you start to mine guest data for better customer insights, the better positioned your property will be against your competition.
  • Data can fuel smarter marketing campaigns, inform your pricing, and help you capture a higher market share than your competitors by knowing your guests on a deeper level.
  • Earlier this year, Revinate launched the hotel industry's first Guest Data Platform to aggregate, clean and deliver rich guest profiles for hotels and property groups of all sizes. The platform combines data from multiple sources to provide a complete picture of a hotel’s guests, delivering the information needed to increase guest satisfaction scores, direct bookings, and ultimately, profit.
  • Brands in the alternative lodging sector include Stay Alfred, Sonder, The Guild Hotels and to some extent groups such as Selina and OYO. 
  • The biggest distraction or barrier these next-gen hotels face is that they’re taking the wrong approach to tech. The companies that win will be the ones who stop acting like tech companies – using buzzwords like AI and virtual concierge – and focus on being more innovative and agile real estate businesses than traditional market players today. Those that succeed will be tech-enabled businesses; not tech businesses.
  • Smart hotel rooms use technology to allow guests to personalize their stay experiences.
  • Technology is becoming more important to hotel operations because it can deliver increasingly high value for hoteliers and guests.
  • The most important software in the hotel industry is the property management system, which acts as “mission control” for hotel operations. Hoteliers use a PMS to manage reservations, check guests in and out, and handle billing.
  • While exciting technologies present new options for hoteliers to enhance their offerings, these new innovations also mean hoteliers must focus on data security and continued training when implementing the technology that guests expect.
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    This article takes a deep dive into the emerging tech trends in 2021. They briefly touched on how SaaS is slowly taking over the traditional PMS and how venture capitalist can't get enough of these programs. Another honorable mention in this article is the explosion of guest room tech such as streaming services, voice activation, and guest room tablets. OTAs that have traditionally been top dogs when it came to hotel bookings are slowly declining and big data is becoming super insightful to hoteliers. This article touches on so many avenues of tech and it's definitely a must read!
jennifer amador

New Restrictions Quickly Added for Air Passengers - NYTimes.com - 0 views

  • new restrictions on travelers that could lengthen lines at airports and limit the ability of international passengers to move about an airplane.
  • But several airlines released detailed information about the restrictions, saying that passengers on international flights coming to the United States will apparently have to remain in their seats for the last hour of a flight without any personal items on their laps.
  • Overseas passengers will be restricted to only one carry-on item, and domestic passengers will probably face longer security lines.
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  • Travel has declined about 20 percent since 2008 because of the economy, and airlines have been dealing with numerous delays in the past week because of snowstorms on the East Coast and in the Midwest.
  • T.S.A. had ordered new measures for flights departing from foreign locations to the United States, including mandatory screening of all passengers at airport gates during the boarding process. All carry-on items would be screened at security checkpoints and again at boarding, the airline said. It urged passengers to leave extra time for screening and boarding.
  • The new restrictions began to be instituted Saturday on flights from Canada and Europe to the United States. Air Canada said it was waiving fees for the first checked bag, and it told passengers to be prepared for delays, cancellations and missed connections because of the new limits.
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    After September 2011 alot of changes have occured in airline and airports throughout the world. TSA has purchased, trained, and introduced innovative machinery that can easily detect authorized items inside luggages. The US governement have spend alot of money also to simply protect the nation from terrorists and any form on violence especially in the hospitality and tourism industry. Alot of th airlines have changed the way they used to operate before the attacks; for instance food is no longer served on airplanes, and more fees are charged for luggages and definitely more screening in airport terminals. The introduction of air marshalls and new machinery have definitely changed the perspective of traveling nowadays, travelers have to wait longer to be screened and to even get out of the plane after the plane have landed at its destination. On a positive note, everything that have changed is for our own safety as citizen of the US and i personally believe moew things should be implemented if it can only improve the way we are being protected.
cmelendez24

What is Local Area Network | features and characteristics | functions of LAN - Networki... - 0 views

  • LAN (Local Area Network refers to a particular region interconnected by multiple computers into computer groups.
  • A LAN usually has low cost, installation, expansion and maintenance and LAN installation is relatively simple, good scalability.
  • In LAN you can run the multiple devices to share a transmission medium.
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  • LAN’s main function is to provide resource sharing and mutual communication, which provides the following main services:
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    The article provides on outline on what a local area network is by definition. Although written in 2013 I think this article provides information that remains relevant today in 2018. The article provides a definition of local area networks along with a listing of characteristics and functions. I made notations in pink which define local area network and explain its purpose. As noted in the article, LAN refers to a particular region interconnected by multiple computers into computer groups. For example, LAN can be found in your office building, home and even school building. Through LAN there is a local domain server. I know that my office building works on a LAN as both my coworker and I have access to print from our wireless computers to the printer. The main purpose off LAN as noted in the article is to provide resource sharing and mutual communication. As a result of this purpose LAN services as the sharing of resources, data transfer, improving reliability and a form to easy distributor processing. LAN has many different characteristics. It is the job of all of the noted characteristics to work together to service its main purpose. Some of the noted characteristics to remember include its ability to run multiple services and ability to support a variety of communication transmission system. LAN is an important part of the hospitality industry.
kakaboshi

Top 10 Event-Tech Trends for 2019 - Hubilo Official Blog - Medium - 2 views

  • Top 10 Event-Tech Trends for 2019
  • 1. Facial RecognitionFacial recognition is definitely an aspect of event-tech that is on its way up.
  • Facial recognition tech can be great in attendee management, behaviour mapping, attendee engagement and most of all, event security which is indeed a major concern, especially in high profile events.
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  • 2. Virtual RealityWe have talked about virtual reality for events a lot in the past. This is indeed a trend that is definitely here to stay. A major plus in attendee engagement, event planners have been finding a lot of amazing ways to leverage this tech to create interactive displays, on-site experiences as well as utilizing VR devices as a major factor in their event promotion strategy.
  • 3. Augmented RealityAlternate reality transports attendees while ensuring that attendees remain connected to the event.
  • From scavenger hunts to exhibitor promotions and lead management, augmented reality has a plethora of use cases in events.
  • 4. Event DataBig data is considered to be the future of technology. Event technology definitely is no exception. Time and again professionals have emphasized the importance of data and data security in events.
  • 5. DronesThere’s a lot that can be done with drones. Events like Superbowl, Winter Olympics etc. have used drones in the past to mesmerize attendees with breath-taking drone shows.
  • Apart from event experience, drones are also a great asset in terms of event security and surveillance.
  • 6. RFIDWearable tech is all the rage these days. It’s been in the market for quite a while now, its utility beginning with events such as concerts, music festivals, etc.
  • From event ticketing to attendee mapping, RFID enabled bands and other wearable gadgets along with Beacon technology will be one of the most used event technologies in the coming years.
  • 7. Mobile App for EventsMobile apps for events is officially mainstream. A lot of events these days are going smarter, making the most of a mobile event app to let attendees access their event on the go.
  • Event app developers are now focusing on integrating new and improved tech including AR and AI within the event app to engage attendees as well as for lead generation in events such as tradeshows, expos, etc.
  • 8. Voice SearchNot much has been talked about SEO for events. Organic traffic through SEO is a great tool for event promotion. Talking about SEO, voice search is definitely the future.
  • 9. Artificial IntelligenceAI is making great leaps in every field imaginable. One of the most popular implementations of AI is Social Media such as the Facebook chatbot.
  • Event tech developers have started to focus on this tech in a lot of ways including stand-alone chatbots for events, integrating AI within the event app as well as using AI robots for attendee engagement.
  • 10. Experiential TechEvent professionals are now putting heavy emphasis on experiences. Experiential marketing is on the rise. Attendees, consumers even, now value experiences above anything.
  • The value addition that an event provides is important to gain loyal attendees. Event technology such as 3D projection mapping, video mapping, etc. that aid event planners in developing these experiences are the future.
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    This article talks about new technology advancements that will greatly help the event management industry elevate the guest experience and efficiency. Sensory experiences are a big trend and with some of these technological advancements, it will allow for event planners to create unique offerings such as video mapping, virtual reality, augmented technology, etc. Facial recognition and drone technology will aide in improving security measures. Mobile Apps can create customized apps for events with all the information in one place. The planning and execution of large scale events will become more effective with the aid of these and other new technology, which will benefit the planners and attendees alike.
kmill139

What is SaaS (Software as a Service)? Everything You Need to Know - 0 views

  • Software as a service (SaaS) is a software distribution model in which a cloud provider hosts applications and makes them available to end users over the internet. In this model, an independent software vendor (ISV) may contract a third-party cloud provider to host the application.
  • Products range from personal entertainment, such as Netflix, to advanced IT tools.
    • kmill139
       
      Applications such as Netflix, Spotify, or Apple Music are all examples of cloud computing methods that we have available to us in the 21st century. Many of us use these applications or services without knowing how they truly work.
  • The application will be accessible to any device with a network connection. SaaS applications are typically accessed via web browsers.
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  • A software provider will either host the application and related data using its own servers, databases, networking and computing resources, or it may be an ISV that contracts a cloud provider to host the application in the provider's data center.
  • As a result, companies using SaaS applications are not tasked with the setup and maintenance of the software. Users simply pay a subscription fee to gain access to the software, which is a ready-made solution.
    • kmill139
       
      Many companies will benefit from this as they do not have to worry about the hardware necessary to run the servers and applications.
  • SaaS removes the need for organizations to install and run applications on their own computers or in their own data centers. This eliminates the expense of hardware acquisition, provisioning and maintenance, as well as software licensing, installation and support. Other benefits of the SaaS model include:
    • kmill139
       
      All the examples down below make the SAAS system desirable for a company.
  • Depending on the service-level agreement (SLA), the customer's data for each model may be stored locally, in the cloud or both locally and in the cloud.
  • SaaS applications and services typically use a multi-tenant approach, which means a single instance of the SaaS application will be running on the host servers, and that single instance will serve each subscribing customer or cloud tenant.
  • The typical multi-tenant architecture of SaaS applications means the cloud service provider can manage maintenance, updates and bug fixes faster, easier and more efficiently. Rather than having to implement changes in multiple instances, engineers can make necessary changes for all customers by maintaining the one, shared instance.
    • kmill139
       
      This is great to prevent any inconveniences to the customer.
  • According to a recent McKinsey & Company report, technology industry analysts predict further growth in the software as a service market, and expect to see the market for SaaS products near $200 billion by 2024. 
    • kmill139
       
      I see this happening most definitely when looking at the way we are moving forward as a population. We use technology on a day-to-day basis. Just look at your personal life and see how often you use and are around technology.
  • SaaS also poses some potential risks and challenges, as businesses must rely on outside vendors to provide the software, keep that software up and running, track and report accurate billing and facilitate a secure environment for the business's data.
    • kmill139
       
      The disadvantages down below might lead a company to stay with traditional hardware methods.
  • As a result, security is more the responsibility of the independent software vendor and third-party cloud provider.
  • SaaS is one of the three major cloud service models, along with IaaS and PaaS. All three models involve cloud providers that deliver their own hosted data center resources to customers over the internet.
    • kmill139
       
      We're focusing on SAAS but it's good to know the difference between the three.
  • Salesforce Google Workspace apps Microsoft 36
    • kmill139
       
      All of these are very common in today's world and I see many on this list that I use in my personal life.
  • HubSpot Trello Netflix Zoom Zendesk DocuSign Slack Adobe Creative Cloud Shopify Mailchimp
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    A great in-depth article about the service SAAS. This article talks about how it works, and how the host provide their services to their clients. In the article it also talks about the three types of cloud based services.
Jiabao Han

Ecommerce the New Definition of Online Trade - 0 views

  • The branch of technology that incorporates the electronic media in the buying and the selling process is known as the Ecommerce
  • With the technical world advancing rapidly, and online stores gaining more momentum, environ is such that the consumers buy products regardless of their geographical barrier. This unprecedented growth of the E-commerce website has made this a feasible option making it probable for the sellers to deliver their products all over the world.
  • The various components of the E-commerce Website Virtual storefronts integrated in the website with online catalogs, which is clustered to form a "virtual mall." The demographic data collected through Web contacts. Electronic Data Interchange or the business-to-business exchange of data. Email, Fax and the use of media to promote the future endeavors and to establish the consumers. Secured business transactions. B2B trade and selling.
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  • With groundbreaking popularity in the world, the retailers today prefer to have an online platform.
  • Propaganda by the social networking platform is also popular.
  •  
    Just as a website can be the online brand identity, the ecommerce website enables the entrepreneur to successfully display information about their products and services.
Diya ZHAO

Top ten technology gadgets for the modern hotel room | Tnooz - 5 views

  • 1) High definition televisions (HDTVs)
  • 2) High speed internet access
  • 3) MP3 docki
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  • ng station and al
  • 5) Mirror televisions
  • 4) Convenient power sources
  • a connectivity panel which enables content from a laptop, digital camera or MP3 to be viewed/listened to via the television so they don’t have to keep recharging their batteries.
  • arm clock
  • 6) Lighting and climate control
  • s weather gauges on its in-room control panel,
  • 10) And, finally, technology to rotate a Croatian hotel once every day is being explored to give every guest a sea view during their stay. Not viable for every hotel, but boy would it help you stand out from the crowd.
  • use any brand of mobile phone to gain access to their hotel room
  • .  Face recognition key locks and LCD screens connected to a digital camera to let guests know instantly who’s outside their door
  • 8 ) Energy management systems
  • A combination of energy-efficient air conditioning, a rainwater harvesting system and low energy lighting can reduce a hotel’s carbon footprint by 75 per cent compared to the average establishment.
  • 9) Guest sensors
  • 7) RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) door lock for keyless entry to a hotel room and other areas of the hotel is becoming more popular in hotels across the world.
  • Mirror televisions are more commonly found in bathrooms, saunas and swimming pools at luxurious hotels.  They are equipped with high definition technology, digital tuners and touch screen functionality.  In fact, there were some impressive Mirror TVs being demonstrated at the recent CES in Las Vegas.
  • High definition televisions (HDTVs) are the focal point of every hotel room and there are a huge variety of models for hoteliers to choose from to suit differing room sizes and budgets.
  • (wired and wi-fi) in hotel rooms is a must for any business traveller and now many leisure travellers too
  • are two essential gadgets for many travellers.  Apple has sold over 100 million iPods and many travellers use them to listen to favourite songs, watch movies, or view family photos, so any docking station that couples as an alarm clock should be at the top of any hotelier’s list for in-room gadgets. Alternatively, most in-room televisions also double up as an alarm clock.
  •  
    This article presents insight into the best technology available right now to put into a new construction or facelift of a hotel.  From the basics like HDTV and internet connection, to facial recognition key locks, this article discusses the trend in the industry.  It also discusses energy management systems, which are clues that the industry is evolving and looking to save cost and the environment at the same time.  These style of systems, I believe will emerge as the most important out of the whole list because they demonstrate the exact way to cut cost.  The article says that an effective energy management system "can reduce a hotel's carbon footprint by 75 percent."  Thats not too shabby...  For more on energy management systems, visit http://ems3.com/.
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  •  
    The mirror televisions is a great idea. I personal very like this hardware. It integrated the mirror and television together, not only save more space onthe wall but also bring a new feeling for customer. This system have touch screen, digital tuners and the most important is waterproof. That means the hotel can put it in bathroom or some damp environment. It make cuntomer more convenient and the hotel do not need to worry about the damage.
  •  
    The technology to rotate the Croatian hotel once every day is absolutely phenomenal. By giving their guests a chance for an ocean view during their stay, they provide the guest with the utmost of service although like the article pointed out, this is not feasible for most hotels. I especially like the energy efficient programs being implemented in hotels across the country. Most guests, including myself, leave hotel rooms with out adjusting the air, leaving lights on, etc. Because we are not at our own home, we seem to lack concern. With energy-efficient air conditioning, water harvesting shower heads and sensors to detect when the room is vacant will all help reduce the hospitality industry's carbon footprint drastically.
  •  
    echnology director at Quadriga, recommends the top ten bits of technology that every hotel room should have, ranging from the most obvious to the more unusual. They should provide a range of high quality HD channels to reflect the needs of guests and most major suppliers including Samsung and LG, for example, offer a range to suit all requirements and budgets.
Yudika Claude

Why Indian hotels are not riding the cloud - The Financial Express - 0 views

  • Though cloud based PMS is gaining momentum in the global hospitality market, it still has a long way to go in India as hotels are hesitant to adopt it.
  • Today PMSs have become more powerful, with features that enhance efficiency, improve control over processes, enable faster delivery of services, and engender guest loyalty. But among the biggest trends in PMS is cloud computing. The introduction of cloud based PMS has revolutionised the hospitality industry globally as it has opened up a vast array of features, allowing hotels to work in a new environment that is highly efficient, secured and technical, and minimises human errors. It also allows easy accessibility anywhere across the world and can be customised according to the hotel’s requirements.
  • despite the benefits, cloud based PMS still hasn’t been able to gain the much needed impetus in the India market. Concerns over internet connection loss and data security are the two consistent arguments against cloud-based PMS.
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  • current internet infrastructure is not yet robust enough to handle the requirement of property system in terms of speed, up-time and minimum delay.” Security is another issue. “It definitely is more viable but less secure as information is literally in an unknown electronic cloud. However, with this technology, access of information has become much easier and larger data can be stored and accessed at any given time,” mentions Apte. Though these are legitimate concerns, hotels need to find themselves a professional, dependable and trustworthy cloud PMS vendor.
  • Centralised PMS is a potential capital cost saving option for any property owner which will help him to minimise the entire project cost. The saving comes through many aspects like hardware cost, data centre space, electricity, air-conditioning, fire suppression cost in data center, etc.
  • emergence of cloud computing has made centralised PMS a reality. Definitely, hotels in the future would opt for a centralised PMS as even today we co depend on each other for information. Making it centralised would mean access to information at any given point for use in any part of the country. A definite time efficient system to opt for
  • As for Holiday Inn Mumbai International Airport, the OPERA PMS system in the hotel offers several modules including housekeeping, reservations and account receivable. “It is well interfaced and connected with the outside world for online reservation from different portals and our own website holidayinn.com
  • There were days when guests would enter the hotel and line up at the counters to get their room and compete the check-in formalities. With our mobile check-in app guests can now check in a day prior, get their allotted room and even complete basic check-in formalities such as ID or passport scan right from their smartphones,” reveals Apte. Another initiative on its way at the hotel is the mobile concierge. Guests would be able to order room dining, get their laundries ordered or even request for a dental kit from their smartphones. “High speed internet, smart TVs, mobile check-in, mobile integrated room controls, etc are some of the factors that each guest highly prefer. Guests even desire internet access and Wi-Fi in the hotel cars and we have provided each of these services. With our PMS solution you can set parameters important to your enterprise. It offers a friendlier user interface, while ensuring easy maintenance, faster updates and greater security
  • Interactive mobile PMS application and self check-in kiosks is going to be the future trend. This will help the hospitality industry to eliminate the fixed desk concept in the lobby area. Self check-in and in-car check-in will help guests to access his room in minimum time after exhaustive office hours and hectic travel
  • With such advancements, the hospitality sector is on its way to become a highly technology oriented sector where manual tasks and services are no longer required
  •  
    This is a great article highlighting the cons of of cloud-based PMS. In India, the infrastructure is not developed enough for hotels to rely on a cloud-based PMS. While the hotel industry is slowly adopting things such as mobile check-in, there is great hesitation to adopt the cloud-based PMS. The Internet in India is not reliable therefore it would not be efficient for hotels to send all their data to the cloud. In the event of an outage, the hotels would not be able to operate. There are also many concerns over data security; Indian hotels are worried about transferring secure information to an "unknown" place. Yet, individualized properties are looking forward to centralizing PMS and perhaps embracing cloud-based PMS in the near future. Only time will tell how long it will take the Indian hotel industry to become more technology oriented. 
mellakygg

Cloud Computing Is Crucial To The Future Of Our Societies -- Here's Why - 0 views

  • Cloud will provide the digital infrastructure of tomorrow’s cities, where an estimated 6 billion of the world’s population will live by 2045. Smart elevators and parking lots, driverless cars and drone taxis, trains and subways, farms and power plants -- all will be safer and better managed, thanks to the cloud’s ability to store and analyze data.
  • The cloud will also be transformative for companies, especially small and mid-sized businesses, as data analytics, artificial intelligence and other capabilities become available as services.
  • A utilities cloud will automatically repair faults in the power grid to ensure that homes and businesses get the electricity they need.
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  • A commercial aviation cloud will help airlines manage ground operations such as maintenance, fueling, baggage handling, and cabin cleaning, thereby increasing efficiency and helping flights take off on time.
  • A banking cloud will let financial institutions scan thousands of transactions per second to prevent fraud.
  • The cloud will also help society cope with growing volumes of data. This includes applications like high-definition video, which Huawei estimates will account for 89% of individual user traffic by 2025.
  • The cloud will support emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence and help them to adapt to new platforms such as mobile. When smartphone sales overtook sales of PCs in 2011, mobile became the world’s largest computing platform. Naturally, AI has made its way into phones.
  • Because inference needs to process data in real time, all the time, even tomorrow’s super-advanced smartphones won’t be able to meet the computing demands imposed by AI. They’ll have to rely on the processing power of the cloud.
  • In particular, video will feature prominently in tomorrow’s vehicles, providing in-car entertainment, enhancing road safety by allowing drivers to “see through” other vehicles, and making cars more secure. To thwart burglars, vandals and car thieves, many cars now have multiple security cameras. Video footage can be stored on a secure digital card inside the car or beamed up to the cloud.
  •  
    The cloud will provide the digital infrastructure for the cities of tomorrow, where an estimated 6 billion of the world's population will live by 2045. A commercial aviation cloud will help airlines. A utilities cloud will automatically repair faults in the power grid to ensure a smooth supply of power to homes and businesses. A banking cloud will scan thousands of transactions per second to prevent fraud. The cloud will help society cope with growing volumes of data. High definition video will account for 89% of individual user traffic by 2025, of which image and video content will be for non-entertainment purposes. The cloud will support the emerging artificial intelligence technologies which will be adapted to mobile use, notably the cell phones which overlook PC sales in 2011. Although driverless cars are still a ways off, it will be realized soon, thanks to the power of the cloud.
yvenisem

Hotel Closures: How to Communicate Important Temporary Updates in the GDS - By Laura Th... - 0 views

  • communicate the changes to the travel industry and the traveling public.
    • yvenisem
       
      this was definitely essential when COVID started popping off
  • set yourself a reminder to reverse these changes once conditions improve
    • yvenisem
       
      if forgotten, this can impede on business since people will think the establishment is still closed
  • Clsd Until May 1st Spa-Dine Temp Clsd Room service only
    • yvenisem
       
      reopendings going on now can be using this verbiage
  •  
    This article was created during the time when everything with the pandemic had started looking more and more grim. It outlines a few things hotels could do before, during, and after closures to ensure there was seamless communication across the various channels they use to market their facilities, book their facilities, and many other things. Although I was not very familiar with the lingo being used, I still understood the general concept of what the writer of the article was trying to get across. This definitely showed me just how interconnected everything is and how much easier it is to "communicate the changes to the travel industry and the traveling public" when using GDS systems. This has been made especially important since COVID has disrupted the way that we operate in everyday life, we need to know and understand how best to communicate with customers. What really interested me was the way that the writer started looking forward and being more on the offensive by saying "set yourself a reminder to reverse these changes once conditions improve" This is very refreshing to read considering how grim things were looking at the time. It definitely speaks volumes of how the industry works. Overall, the article was moreso of a "how-to" guide of how to communicate changes through the medium of the Synxis CRS. It also went a little further and explained how to use marketing messages that "display with rate availability in Amadeus, Apollo/Galileo, and Worldspan."
yvenisem

Going livestream: How in-person summits have become virtual events - 0 views

    • yvenisem
       
      My thoughts exactly, there is a missing element
  • So how can a business possibly recreate that kind of experience online?
  • there’s been increased dependency on technology to help support business continuity
  • ...8 more annotations...
    • yvenisem
       
      I think the reason for this is that many people don't have the funds or time to travel long distances, but this format is much more accessible. Plus, it was free so that helps lol
  • adding that the online event had more than three times the usual number of registrations
    • yvenisem
       
      relates a lot to this week's discussion on relying on tech too much
  • (the virtual conference was free to attend this year, whereas it usually costs upwards of $1,000)
  • created 14 local events in various languages and time zones, with regional heads addressing their relevant markets.
    • yvenisem
       
      This is definitely much more accessible. This can also do well in terms of revenue for future events
  • switching to being an online speaker isn’t quite the same. “You don’t have the body language, you don’t have the eye contact,” she explained.
    • yvenisem
       
      This would be my main concerns in producing events. I feel like ther has to be a personal element to it instead of just looking at people through acomputer screen
  • vents organizers may be encouraged to film their speakers in a way that works better for a small-screen format, instead of the usual “dark room with a very small person,
    • yvenisem
       
      this could be a hybrid thing
  • “While online events might seem less permanent, there’s actually a much higher chance that any misdemeanors or breaches of copyright or online regulation will be captured or stored.”
    • yvenisem
       
      I never considered this, but this definitely has to be something to consider when in something like this
  •  
    One of the main reasons why I chose this article is because my industry is currently seein a huge shift in the way we do things that can either stay or have impressions in the industry after COVID. One of the main concerns when it came to in-person events going online is how we would be able to recreate the same experience. Several large events that see thousands of people had to convert to online platforms. For example, "in 2019, around 20,000 people attended SAP's Sapphire Now conference in Orlando". Imagine 20,000 people logging on to view the same same content an then some! In this case, the event saw larger audiences with "more than three times the usual number of registrations". Granted, the conference was free to attend this year. However, now that this conference was more accessible to people who in normal circumstance would be unable to attend due to time and fianancial constraints, it was a no-brainer that more people would attend. This bodes very well in terms of revenue for the future since if those extra 40,000 people enjoyed it, they would most likely be willing to pay for the service and consider the event and investment. I think the wider topic of the article is accessibility. Before technology, it was harder to bridge the gap between the haves and the have nots. Now that technology is becoming more accessible (in the first world), many are better able to see beneficial information. Not only that, but when considering the "14 local events in various languages and time zones", people are better able to cast wider nets. This article wasn't all good, however. One thing that many people have not adressed that I as an event professional am concerned about is the fact that going online is just not the same. A speaker said in an interview that it's harder to ready body language, which can impact how much a speaker is able to reach their audience. Another thing that has to be given intense consideration is the fact that there can be some legal ramifica
ivonneyee

Modern Management Technologies in the Hospitality Industry - 2 views

The article talks about how it's worth investing in proximity marketing to increase the speed of a customer's decision, increase engagement, and eloyalty. The article states that marketers who know...

rnobl005

How Facial Recognition Is Shaping the Future of Conferences - Skift - 5 views

  • How Facial Recognition Is Shaping the Future of Conferences – Skift
    • rnobl005
       
      MODULE 2: Hardware and Software (Rebecca Noble) I did a deep dive into recent developments in the hospitality software world and came across this article from September of 2017. It focuses on facial recognition software and there were some really great takeaways that I thought would be beneficial to share with all of you. The software mentioned here definitely falls under Application Software. The article gives multiple examples of how facial recognition software can be utilized in the hospitality industry, specifically events and conferences. The main benefit of this from an event planner's perspective is easing the registration process which the article mentions is one of the most difficult parts of event logistics. Coming from an events background I can definitely attest to this statement. In one instance, Zenus (the software mentioned) made the check-in process run 5 times faster for attendees to uploaded their photo to the system compared to those who didn't. Thanks to this innovation, event planners can use their time more efficiently. Instead of focusing on the headache of check-in they can make sure the actual conference is running on track. The article also says that it's not as expensive as you would think. Additionally, this benefits attendees too because they can zip through registration and get right to the trade show floor or speaker they want to hear. The end of the article mentioned another application of the facial recognition software: a "smile swag" vending machine. Hampton Hotels tapped into the experiential aspect here - people were interested in getting a prize but they also wanted to see how the machine worked. What I liked about this is that it made technology fun. I noticed a lot of students in the lecture video thought that technology puts barriers into the hospitality industry because you lose the personal connection. But here software doesn't come off as cold. Hampton encouraged people to smile and in doing so hopefully g
  • High-tech software companies and event production firms are rolling out new technologies
  • improve event security, streamline the check-in process, and measure the attendee experience.
    • rnobl005
       
      These are some of the benefits of incorporating the facial recognition software at a conference or event.
  • ...7 more annotations...
  • speeds up the check-in process, prevents registration fraud, and adds an extra level of security to an event or conference by ensuring that the person who registered for the event is actually the person attending
  • Of the more than 250 guests that attended, most of whom were in-house corporate event planners, 126 used the facial recognition check-in, resulting in a process that was five times quicker than the barcode or QR system used at the previous year’s events.
    • rnobl005
       
      Here is where the article mentions the software's impact on how much it can speed up the check-in process. Attendees don't necessarily have to participate, it's more of an additional tool. Not everyone may be a fan of this type of integration at an event but I definitely would be.
  • “insanely cost-effective” option,
  • facial recognition can drive down the costs of check-in to less than a dollar per attendee.
  • You can use a basic Android phone or an iPhone or tablet to work with the process, so you don’t have to invest a lot of money to make that work for you,” Wynant said.
    • rnobl005
       
      I thought this was a really smart feature. The software works on platforms that companies already own potentially so there is little overhead financially.
  • Hampton Hotels partnered with agencyEA to create a vending machine that used facial recognition technology to dole out “smile swag.”
  • I think brands are starting to see it as having a really good opportunity to broaden what some of their goals are and engage audiences in new ways
Long Jin

The Importance of a Human Resource Information System - 0 views

  • A human resource information software system or HRIS system is one way that a lot of companies use to manage everything easily and become even more productive.
  • It is only fair that you treat all the information involving them with utmost confidence.
  • With the HRIS system, you can track down to which path your work-related decisions are taking you.
  •  
    This article introduced the importance of HRIS. Having HRIS in the hotel could aid the human resource team to become more organized and practice being practical in the workplace. Since this converts all the information digitally, the use of paper will definitely decrease. Having this kind of attitude towards employees will make them feel confident and secure. This in turn makes them more productive and will become happy at work. By having a clearer view of what is presently happening in the hotel, top management can also predict what could happen in the future. Some HR-related expenses that can be monitored through this system are the training costs of newly-hired employees, and the benefits given to the employees and their reported dependents. In addition, attendance can also be monitored here. Since being frequently absent or tardy could decrease the company's productivity, it is important that the hotel have a system where in top management can easily observe if there is an abuse of the company's system.
Xu Wang

Emerald | Have human resource information systems evolved into internal e-commerce? - 0 views

  • Human resources (HR) have been a well-established function in organizations for decades,
  • the department was typically perceived by many organizations as a “necessary evil,” that is to say, as an essential but in no way profitable or advantageous element,
  • even at the current time HRIS is not limited to technological elements alone, such as computer hardware and software applications, but also includes the people, policies, procedures, and data required to manage the HR function.
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  • Nevertheless, these well-accepted attributes of HR have been challenged in the past few years, as several indicators reflect fundamental changes within the HR function,
  • although little has changed in this function over the past decades, there are growing expectations that HR will improve corporate competitive advantages by adding real measurable value to the organization.
  • The apparent difficulties in upgrading HR to a strategic position in organizations result in missed opportunities especially in hospitality and tourism, where the human capital has substantive potential to improve the competitive advantage of enterprises, particularly due to the growing competitiveness of the industry, as well as the centrality of the human element in the delivery of hospitality products and services
  • The second change in contemporary HR which, interestingly, is closely related to the previous one, is the growing trend of incorporating advanced information technology (IT) in HR practices.
  • There is extensive evidence to the growing transfer of HR functions to digital formats, as can be seen in the growing popularity of human resource information systems (HRIS) among organizations. HRIS is currently perceived as one of the important factors influencing the role of the HR function, as well as the workplace as a whole. Although in many aspects, technology remains under-utilized in HR functions (Jones and Hoell, 2005), recently its effects have begun to be evident in many organizational aspects,
  • Furthermore, it is widely argued that the adoption of HRIS is likely to promote HR to the awaited position of strategic partner in the organization. The main reason for this is that by using HRIS, HR professionals can improve their performance by gaining better knowledge of the organization and its employees, thus facilitate participation in strategic planning and implementation. In addition, by improving the efficiency and effectiveness of the HR day-to-day administrative tasks, HRIS allows the HR staff to dedicate more time to strategic decision making and planning, which consequently provides more value to the organization to enhance its position within it
  • modern HRIS make optimal use of internet and web capabilities for performing their tasks
  • successful HRIS support the planning and implementation of managerial key processes in the organization, such as executive decision making, technology selection, interdepartmental integration, and organizational reporting structures.
  • Intranet-based employee self-service (ESS) provides employees direct access, mainly through a web browser but also through a centralized kiosk, to personal HR-related information. Thus, the employees can individually handle transactions that used to be carried out by HR personnel,
  • Both MSS and ESS create a trend of delegation of responsibilities and activities that were once considered to be the domain of HR professionals and administrative personnel, directly to employees and managers
  • HRIS was seen mostly as a special form of office automation systems, the emphasis being on reducing costs and staff while making the standard HR tasks more efficient
  • In addition, in today's workplace the HR tasks have become more complex, along with organizational trends such as globalization, consolidations, strategic partnerships, and greater than ever governmental and regulatory reporting requirements for employees.
  • Therefore, from the administrative perspective, by providing powerful computing capabilities, HRIS are changing and improving procedures and processes that were carried out less efficiently before,
  • the automation of routine transactions provides HR professionals with time to perform strategic functions related to the human capital
  • HRIS allow the firm to be proactive in HR planning, by giving managers a constant flow of employee information
  • since HRIS can significantly improve the way employees and managers communicate with each other through various communication channels, this improves the flow of information and expertise throughout the organization, thereby enhancing the firms' strategic capabilities
  • Another prominent perceived characteristic of the HR function has been its reliance on relatively low-tech methods in implementing its tasks
  • Although HRIS can provide both administrative and strategic advantages, it should be noted from the onset that they are usually expensive systems to purchase and implement. Designing and implementing customized HRIS, adapted to the specific needs of the organization, will significantly enhance its functionality, but will result in increased software and hardware costs, as well as time-to-deployment
  • the initial costs of developing such HRIS are high,
  • In order to reduce the costs of HRIS, an organization can purchase off-the-shelf applications composed of HR database programs, aimed at meeting the general needs of HR functions
  • These findings point to the vital need of the HR function to provide evidence of the effectiveness of HRIS, for the purpose of attaining the executive management support for the change.
  • for a successful implementation of HRIS, it is no less important to obtain the support of managers and employees in the organization. Although modern HRIS offer clear advantages to managers, through the use of MSS, for better management of their staff, the implementation of such systems is likely to be followed by a certain level of resentment on the part of the managers. Since MSS transfer the responsibility of performing employee HR-related transactions from the HR staff to the direct managers, many of them are frustrated since they feel that additional administrative tasks are being imposed on them
  • Another relatively common problem, concerning both the implementation and the flowing management of HRIS, is the question of who is in charge of the system. Since the successful development of HRIS requires the input of both the IT and the HR departments, it is not uncommon for disputes over areas of responsibility to break out between these departments.
  • Other territorial conflicts around HRIS may arise when departments feel that the system expropriates some of its authorities; for example, the payroll department might resist HRIS that combines payroll functions. A possible solution to such a problem can be the establishment of cross-functional teams that run HRIS projects
  • the implementation of HRIS raises both ethical and legal issues that need to be addressed by the organization. First, the use of relational database technology provides access to more detailed employee information than ever before.
  • Second, HRIS usually contain private information on the employees, while the access to this information is often allowed to employees outside HR, as well. As a result, some employees feel that their private lives are not protected adequately.
  • The hospitality industry is characterized by a higher turnover rate than other sectors of the economy
  • Traditionally, HR in organizations has utilized low-tech methods in recruitment.
  • Internet recruiting benefits both the organization and the job seeker's perspectives (Pearce and Tuten, 2001; Singh and Finn, 2003). The benefits to the recruiters include: Cost savings, as it is significantly cheaper to advertise on the internet than in a newspaper. Compared to the use of professional search firms (also known as headhunters) the amounts saved are even higher. Recruiters generally receive more applications, which results in a greater pool of candidates from which to choose. Recruiters may receive applications faster, often even on the same day a position is announced. Improved ability to target a specific audience, thereby decreasing future turnover. Time saving, as more unqualified or unfit applicants can be eliminated, through online contact, in the initial phases of the recruitment process.
  • On the other hand, internet recruitment is not without limitations.
  • Once the recruitment process has ensured a large pool of applicants to choose from, the next phase is to select the most suitable candidates.
  • Traditionally, these selection methods involve the visit of the candidate to the organization or, to a lesser degree, to an assessment center, for interviewing, pen-and-paper testing, or situational testing, including group dynamics.
  • The use of advanced technology allows the selection process to complete the widespread online recruitment methods.
  • Nevertheless, the main impact of technology in selection procedures is in relation to employee interviewing and testing.
  • Anderson (2003) broadly described the prominent technology-based selection procedures, along with an assessment of their acceptance and effectiveness.
  • Adequate training is essential in providing quality services, yet traditionally hospitality organizations have not invested adequate resources in training their employees (Conrade et al., 1994). Most of the knowledge and skills of hospitality employees is transferred through on-the-job training,
  • However, as noted by Collins (2004), delivery of organized and structured training programs in the hospitality industry is a constant challenge, mainly because of the size and geographical dispersion of the workforce, as well as the extensive resources – financial, work, and time – needed to establish in-house training programs.
  • Although technology-based training methods have been available for a long time, the hospitality industry has usually lagged behind other sectors in adopting them.
  • Web-based training (WBT) can deliver courses nationwide or worldwide at all time zones to any connected computer, and is easy to update and monitor.
  • Effective performance evaluation plays a critical role in the successful implementation of organizational strategy and in gaining a competitive advantage. Therefore, in addition to important HR decisions that greatly rely on performance evaluation, such as promotions, outplacements, dismissals, many organizations link performance to compensations and rewards. As noted by Bowley and Link (2005), a performance-based compensation plan, often known as “pay-per-performance,” should reflect the organization's goals.
  • the traditional methods, based on a disconnected blend of discrete applications, spreadsheet programs and paper-based systems, to communicate goals, track employee performance and manage compensation, are insufficient in the contemporary challenges of linking performance evaluation to organizational strategy (Bowley and Link, 2005). Yet, although sophisticated HRIS were developed to meet these contemporary challenges, Ensher et al. (2002) found little effect of HRIS on the process of performance management among HR executives, who still rely on paper-and-pencil administration and hard copy documentation of employee evaluation.
  • Nevertheless, CPM has drawbacks that are highly relevant to a service industry such as the hospitality industry (Miller, 2003). The main concern that CPM raises is that reliance only on quantitative criteria is likely to lead to the neglect of more qualitative aspects of performance.
  • Consequently, an effective CPM must be followed by the establishment of an employee development plan, designed in collaboration with his/her supervisor. The second application of technology in appraisal management is online evaluation and appraisal software (Miller, 2003). In contrast to the aforementioned CPM, in these cases technology facilitates delivering performance feedback, rather than generating the actual evaluation outcome.
  • 360° feedback,
  • In addition, evaluation software packages can be used as stand-alone applications or as an integral part of the organization's HRIS, which offers computerized standard evaluation forms. The use of user-friendly software in evaluating employees allows managers to focus more on the contents of the evaluation, rather than on the forms.
  • Therefore, the use of computer software programs allows better coping with these challenges, while saving time and money.
  • While the organization enjoys the reduced need for complex bureaucracy, the employees enjoy better control and enhanced anonymity, as there is no need for dealing directly with HR staff on personal financial matters.
  • The use of HRIS has significant impact on the current affairs between the management and the employees, as well as the characteristics and the environment of the contemporary workplace. From the administrative perspective, through the HRIS the managers and the employees have access to relevant information on employee work rules, policies, and regulations on issues like privacy, illegal discrimination, and work diversity. In addition, the HRIS can assist discharged or displaced employees in finding alternative employment, by providing links to career counselors, training programs, and information, all of which are required for a successful and effective job search
  • technology has changed the nature of the workplace and employer-employee relations more fundamentally than just providing more accessible information.
  • Traditional e-commerce technology provides product/service, promotion, placement, and pricing strategic initiatives to external constituents through the use of extranet platforms merged with intranets (for instance, customer relationship management). HRIS technology provides the same initiatives through the use of intranets merged with extranet platforms (for example, recruitment). Thus, HRIS technology may be considered to represent internal e-commerce systems, which are crucial to the alignment of HR functions within strategic initiatives aimed at sustainable competitive advantages.
  • The evolution of HRIS platforms provides a range of tools for use by enhancing employee-employer relationships. The full service range of HRIS functions brings human capital closer to the strategic direction of the organization.
  • However, the technology is merely a tool that may enhance strategic alignment.
  • There is also evidence from the literature that a disengagement of the HR function from strategic initiatives exist in many hospitality enterprises.
  • It is common knowledge that the hospitality industry is labor intensive with many points of intimate service interactions of long duration. HR will produce sustainable competitive advantages for those firms that include the HR function in a united strategic direction.
  • The literature identifies the advantages of aligned human capital as a means to accomplishing sustainable competitive advantage for enterprises.
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    This article is a research paper did by Amir and Beer-Sheva. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the impact of technology on the human resources function in organizations, in general, and in hospitality firms, in particular. At the beginning, it introduced the role of human resources department in organizations for decades. And the trend or changes in contemporary human resources. Then it came out that we cannot skipped the effect of technology on the HR function, especially in tourism and hospitality industry. So, next it gave the definitions of HRIS by introducing technology. And list some advantages and challenges of using HRIS. In the end, it listed how technology put infusion across HR function, including recruitment, selection, training, performance evaluation and compensation, payroll, benefits and pension administration, labor relations and outplacement.
Grant Beck

Monscierge Launches New Hospitality Software Application Tool Monscierge | Connect - Pr... - 0 views

  • Monscierge | Connect provides hotels with the tools to stay in touch with guests through their smartphones, allowing guests access to the full array of a hotel or brand’s services in a way that suits the needs of today’s tech-savvy consumer.
  • Monscierge | Connect
  • wraps itself in the approved brand voice for each hotel, and makes that hotel and brand’s specific content available at their fingertips.
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  • After 3 years of researching over 1,000 hotels and resorts across several countries
  • Our joint research with these thousand hotels was conclusive – 73% of inquiries to the front desk, bell staff or concierge were related to hotel services and local information and recommendations.
  • Hotels and guests want an easier way to stay connected with one another, and local information from trusted sources via technology.
  • Freeing-up staff time, yet delivering the guest experience desired. Reception by guest-users and the hospitality industry has been overwhelmingly positive.”
  • Digital postcards are also available through the app, which carry the client hotel branding.
  • Trip-planning functionality is built into the app for travelers to plan their customized experience virtually anywhere they stay.
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    This article is about a new application: Monscierge that launched in December for the iOS (apple) and Connect for the Android in January. The software allows all of the amenities of a hotel to be available to guests via smartphones. The app is completely customizable for each of a brand's specific hotels. This is an excellent idea for both hotels and guests with the recent rise in smartphone and tablet technology. Guests who may not be as comfortable requesting things in person or over the phone would now have the option to do so digitally. Research of 1,000+ hotels and resorts worldwide was conducted over 3 years and found that the majority of questions to the front desk, bellmen, etc. were related to: services, local information, and recommendations. This app seeks to improve that by making those inquiries easily searchable on a smartphone or tablet, also allowing guests to input their own comments. With this finding it should be expected this kind of technology would be very well accepted, which it was. In respect to benefits for the hotel the app is completely customizable down to specific hotels to suit their image needs. With the use of this application it would also allow staff to be more effective, negating redundant questions. By allowing guests the ability to send digital postcards bearing the hotels brand it gives the company more exposure. These benefits are significant for a company looking for new technologies to give them an edge The benefits of this application are numerous for both the customer and hotel. Hotels may also see benefits moving into future years with easier training due to familiarity with this type of technology and customers with easy-to-use technology. For hotels and consumers attempting to plan completely customized experiences, trip-planning functionality is built into the app providing many possible uses. This app to me seemed to be very logical in the current progression of technology. The majority of people today
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