Group items tagged

This article is eye-opening as it proves how important technology such as HRIS systems are within the Hospitality industry. This article does this by describing common human errors that occur when working with data and then immediately providing ways that these errors can be avoided or limited by the use of this technology. For instance, the article states "It can become challenging to track each employee's availability and providing updates to all of your staff as soon as possible." The next section responds to this situation with "Having an employee time tracking tool that's integrated with your payroll system ensures that all data can easily be found in one place. This eliminates the need for multiple systems, where information can be easily misplaced." The industry is ever-changing thus it is becoming increasingly more difficult to keep up with all of the duties. Moreover, human error will always exist as we are not perfect. For these reasons, businesses need to incorporate technology systems to create a more productive and effective workplace.

This article goes over the importance of HRIS in regards to the employees. It talks about how the employee must be comfortable with the process and understand it as well. They must have a good experience with it.

There is a lot of talk within the travel industry about the future of travel distribution. Some argue that direct bookings from airlines are the new future, while others are arguing that the continued use of GDSs still remain essential to travel distribution. ASTA and Travel Weekly conducted a survey of travel agencies to get their take on GDSs. Although the use of GDSs continues to shrink, the declining rate of use has been slowing down. In 2010, the rate was 76% and in 2011 the rate was 75%. In 2012, surveys found that 72% of agencies surveyed were still using a GDS. ASTA predicts that the rate of decline will eventually stop because no other method of booking flights beats the GDS System. Agencies surveyed said that they continue to use GDSs because of the speed, and the ability to easily compare airlines and hotels. Airline bookings continue to be the main reason for the success of GDSs, with 90% of air bookings made through the GDS. 95% of car rentals are made through a GDS, and 50% of hotel bookings are done through GDS. GDS systems continue to drive competition, and make it easier for agencies to negotiate with suppliers. Agencies also continue to receive incentives from GDSs as long as they use a GDS. I believe that as long as travel agencies stay in business and are continuing to turn a profit then the GDSs are safe. Travel agencies are not likely to switch to a new system if the easily accessible, and easily manageable system is still GDS. If travel agencies begin to become less popular, then GDSs may see a rapid decline in the use of the system.

Tripleseat offers a cloud-based system that keeps client information-even little details- and can be used to assist event planners. Private parties/events represent over 30% of a restaurants revenue and event managers lose time and money conducting their planning the way that they have before. Tripleseat streamlines the process and makes finding leads and simplifying the planning process. 

This article talks about a Tripleseat company a cloud base sales and event management application for the hospitality Industry, announced they have recently achieved the milestone of having over 400 restaurant hotel and unique venues as costume. Tripleseat has delivered over 200m in leads and managed over $500 million in event in cities around the country. THE EVENT BUSINESS IS a $26 billion a year industry and it is being run on past it notes. Tripleseat, a web base sale and event application that can deliver and capture leads while simplifying the book and planning of event

This article discusses a program called Tripleseat that was created in 2008 as a way to better organize sales and even planning within the hospitality industry. The program is a cloud-based software that provides a competitive edge that event managers need. The founders of the software said that the idea came when he realized that Event sales managers were still using paper and pens to organize their events. He said that event planners were losing sales by not having a simple organized system to track their events. The point of Tripleseat is to provide a fast yet simple to learn program that allows event sales managers to easily book and plan any sort of event no matter the size. It keeps track of little details as well as past client information, there is less paperwork, and managers are able to focus on sales. Since this is a web application it can easily be integrated with other websites as well as social media. It is a sophisticated event planning system, but is also offered at a manageable cost. This type of system sounds like a great system to use. I only wonder if it is able to interface with a property management system of a hotel? Especially one that isn't cloud-based.

The article introduces the trend of HRIS system in 2017. As information technology have considerably improved, its functions have heavily impacted on human resources management. Especially, it is said that the human resources technology market is one of the fastest growing segments in business IT and with an HRIS, companies can align HR strategy with business objectives to maintain the workforces and adapt the changes quickly. HRIS is integrated with training, payroll, HR, success planning, recruiting etc. and centralized, which encourages staff to access easily from anywhere within the company and reduce work redundancy. This article emphasizes that as one of the 2017 trends, mobile HR Apps will be spread out, so employees can expect to see the update via their smartphone. As the functions are centralized in one place, the data will be managed easily and it can increase focus on employees. Also, the cloud system can be applied in the HRIS, which means increased flexibility, faster updates, and decreased costs. As the HRIS features are getting various, a company should investigate an HRIS that fits their goals, objectives, mission, and values and choose the best options.

The hotel industry has experienced a lot of change and cloud based hotel software continues to do so.With a good understanding of this technology it will make it easier to interact with guests. It provides real time updates and data that will keep people up to date, keeping things quick and efficient.

Sentry Hospitality company has implemented Aptech Computer Systems Inc.'s Profitvue and Webvue. This web-enabled hospitality back office solution easily handles single or multi-property and multi-company accounting, and incorporates accounts payable, general ledger, budgeting, forecasting, and financials. Profitvue is used by over 500 properties! These programs are back office accounting systems to automate several financial reports and analysis functions for businesses and hospitality companies. Managers can check on a hotel's performance from anywhere using real-time access to financials at any time, from any location! Webvue is an extension of Profitvue that supports property accounting and reporting via the Internet. Coupled with Profitvue, Webvue enables properties to quickly and easily send and access financial and statistical data and generate reports through its Internet. Both Profitvue and Webvue are protected and secure to use!

This article is concise, yet very informative. It refers to at least 5 of the advantages that Property Management System brings to a hotel. The web-based software provides support to any kind of hotel: small, medium, and large. Cost effective solutions is number one benefit. It is easily acquired and fit any budget. It talks about other benefits, such as web based system, graphical interface that is easy to use and easily located, multiple module modes that enhances the features of the PMS, and multi-language and multi-currency support. It is persuasive showing that acquiring PMS is the best and right thing to do!

This article talks about the benefits of HRIS implemented in the workplace. The benefits are both for HR Departments and Employees as well. These systems save time and also money, and are able to better adhere to compliance regulations. These systems are able to track an employee from a candidate stage to termination. It makes the onboarding process a quicker one and employees are able to access trainings online as well as their handbooks. Eliminating paperwork and having records all in one place is another benefit, and those with access can easily retrieve a file in seconds. Automatic payroll facilitates the process, and approving or denying requests and shift changes are also able to be completed with ease. This also provides flexibility for employees to clock in and out from their smart phones if they work remotely, they can also check their schedules easily and communicate to others through these systems. This is a great article that highlights the benefits of HRIS. I use one of these systems on a daily basis, and I can vouch for it's efficiency to my daily tasks.

Since we spent time discussing both the positives and negatives of utilizing an electronic restaurant menu, this article primarily focuses on six positive things about utilizing electronic menus. One positive thing I did not even consider is that it allows for people that speak different languages to communicate what they want better since they would have a menu that is in their native language. It also makes updating the menus much easier on the restaurant owners because everything is online which makes adding and deleting items much easier overall.

This was light, I wonder why they never mentioned Chain Wide deployment as a key benefit? Imaging instantly changing all branch menus (adding/removing/editing) instantly across hundreds or thousands of stores...that is powerful.

A very straight forward article highlighting various benefits of the eMenu. Namely the: Visual Formatting (Pics easily added). Increased Order Accuracy. Easier to Update (edited in practically real time). Additional Information (ie. nutritional information etc. can be easily inserted as opposed to a traditional menu) Upsell Items Automatically (ie. recommend paired dishes automatically). Mutiple Languages ( save cost, while increasing the number of potential customers).

This article is about the different keys available for hotels to use for their rooms. Metal keys which are like what we use everyday for our homes is an outdated form of security key in the world of technology. The key card system is a plastic card with electronic access. Hole cards seen rarely today is a plastic card with a series of holes to correspond to a specific door in the hotel. Bar code cards is exactly that a card with a bar code, like you see at the supermarket, which is placed under an electronic reader. This type of key has been fazed out due to easily being fooled. The magnetic strip key card are widely used in the hotel industry. They look like a credit card with a metallic strip on the back. It has extra protection unlike other types of keys. The newest system is the RFID key card system, which has a radio sensor chip embedded inside. It works with a programmed reader and when the key is brought in close range the door unlocks and opens. This article was about the security keys being used in hotels.

Marilyn, This is an interesting article because I never knew the progression of hotel key cards. I do not think anyone did and we just assume they started somewhere simple and got to where they are at now. Key Cards with RFID seem as though they are the best type of key but also very expensive for the hotels, especially if it is a large property. We only see the one kind of key card now in hotels and to me it seems secure but who knows what information is actually stored on that card. Great article !

This article is about the different keys available for hotels to use for their rooms. Metal keys which are like what we use everyday for our homes is an outdated form of security key in the world of technology. The key card system is a plastic card with electronic access. Hole cards seen rarely today is a plastic card with a series of holes to correspond to a specific door in the hotel. Bar code cards is exactly that a card with a bar code, like you see at the supermarket, which is placed under an electronic reader. This type of key has been fazed out due to easily being fooled. The magnetic strip key card are widely used in the hotel industry. They look like a credit card with a metallic strip on the back. It has extra protection unlike other types of keys. The newest system is the RFID key card system, which has a radio sensor chip embedded inside. It works with a programmed reader and when the key is brought in close range the door unlocks and opens. This article was about the security keys being used in hotels.

According to the article, two Romanian nationals have plead guilty for participating in an international, multimillion-dollar scheme to remotely hack into and steal payment card data from hundreds of U.S. merchants' computers, including a great number of Subway restaurants. The reality is that anyone with an Internet connection can search for, identify and target remote applications that businesses rely on. This case is a warning to operators utilizing POS systems to shore up their security by taking steps to make their accounts more difficult to breach and therefore less attractive hackers.

This article discusses the security issues with restaurants using remote desktop applications that are easily accessed by hackers trying to steal stored credit card information. The relative simplicity in which these hackers were able to steal the numbers should pose a real concern for restaurant owners in making sure their systems are properly secure from theft. They were able to crack simple password protected applications to gain access to private information. These remote applications used by restaurants are a not provided with enough security and therefore are easy targets for hackers.

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.

The IT staff in the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino prefer to use the Policy Patrol Disclaimers from Red Earth Software in order to solve too goals: to standardize the signature on all outgoing e-mail with a more corporate and consistent feel, and the em-mail signatures had to be flexible enough to accommodate marketing promotions. E-mail is an important tool for team member to communicate with other parts as an entertainment marketing tools to streamline their brand and publicize the events. The reasons for choosing the Policy Patrol are, its close integration with exchange server and active directory. It can immediately applies updates to active directory contact information in the users' e-mail signature to make easy to maintain. Also, the Policy Patrol Disclaimers is very easy to operate and need little to maintain. It is consistent, reliable, and easy to use.

The article is talking about that the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino communicates with vendors, partners, legal teams, and hotel and casino patrons via e-mail. Hard Rock had two goals for the e-mail signature to improve their e-marketing. One is to standardize the signature and the second is to be flexible enough to accommodate marketing promotions. The Hard Rock Hotel and Casino chose the Policy Patrol Disclaimers to help them achieve goals. The Policy Patrol has a close integration with Exchange Server and Active Directory. It allows the hotel to configure one template that is automatically personalized with the sender's contact information. The Policy Patrol also allows to easily updating e-mail marketing information for all e-mail signatures by configuring e-mail signatures from one central template.

This article mentions a marketing tool through e-mails and a specific solution, eSignature Solution, implemented by Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas. The employees at the Hard Rock increasingly communicate with co-workers, partners, vendors, and customers via e-mails. The company realized that e-mails could be an important marketing tool which costs less than other tools, such as TV commercials. Thus, the Hard Rock implemented eSignature Solution which allows them to send out e-mails to customers, vendors, and partners with upcoming events, special deals, and so on. In addition, this centralized e-mail signatures program enables the company to configure one template that is automatically personalized with the sender's contact information, and to customize e-mails and its contents (events or special offers) based on customer information. According to Mike Essig, the director at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino, the new solution is very easy to operate, update and mostly cost effective. Along with social media marketing, marketing through e-mail could be very effective and potential as the number of use of e-mail is significantly growing and e-mail is widely used in our lives.

Coastal Hotel Group implemented the IDeaS Revenue Management System (RMS) to maintain speed and accuracy across revenue strategies. The new system allows the director of revenue management more time for analyzing trends and making more strategic revenue decisions because the revenue management process is simplified and expedited, providing market information quickly and easily. Although the system doesn't replace human insight, its complex algorithms and ability to pull data multiple times a day provides Coastal Hotel Group with a clear vision of hotel data, making it easier to book the right guest at the right time for the right rate. In addition, the IDeaS RMS automatically uploads rate shopping reports from vendors and uses competitors' data to create the best available rate decisions. In today's fast-paced, interconnected business environment, the new automated revenue management system can provide a quick and intelligent reaction to various market conditions in order to capitalize on consumer behavior. That can be a strong competitive edge of the Coastal Hotel Group properties. 

Labor costs are likely one of the largest expenses for almost all business. Although each business have different situation, reducing labor expenses is one of the fastest ways to realize more profit. After reading this article, I realize hospitality industry have some difficulties to control labor cost, such as peak hours, high season, part-time workers and a variety of job positions to schedule and multiple shifts to cover. So I think great labor schedule software could make creating work schedules and controlling labor budgets more efficient. Great labor schedule software should have below features, 1. Easily. This software could easily create rolling schedule for unlimited number of workers, define schedule and operational constraints. Easily publish schedules, calendars and any reports to staffs and managers. Manage labor costs and avoid over/under staffing with ease. 2. Flexible. Adjusting individual shift assignment start time, end time and payable hours when necessary. Quickly and efficiently find a substitute worker to fill a cancellation. 3. Comprehensive. Tracking all training, vacation, sick leave, and other off-work requests. Could visually assign tasks of any length from 1 minute to several hours. 4. Analytic. Numerous available reports can provide different kinds of detailed and summary information, such as labor cost data, payroll, employee position and etc. In a word, an efficient labor scheduling software will alert staffs when to work, and will reduce the amount of time that managers spend performing scheduling.

Travelport, one of the world's largest GDS companies reported about corporate travellers' preference and expectation. Visa informations is the top information followed by immunisations, weather, city maps, restaurants, and entertainment information. More customers, expecially corporate travellers want to book with ancillaries. The most commonly authorised ancillaries are extra baggage and hotel wifi. I've learned that the range of destination services and ancillary options grow increasingly and more complex. Because travellers' needs are evolving and yonger generations now expect customised content, intelligent itineraries and easily bookable ancillary content.

Today's many hotels have been trying to innovate their hotel technology to keep pace with their competitors. However, it seemed like that they're too much depend on the unnecessary and expensive technology. Thus, before investing the hotel technology, stop and look and listen people and what the travelers really want and need. Instead of adding Blu-ray players or IP-TV systems with video-on-demand, or putting an expensive dedicated shaver socket into the bathroom, hotels need to rethink and downsize. Here are some simple and short lists. 1. Super-fast, reliable and suitably priced Internet access 2. A well-lit room with simple controls. 3. Power sockets, power sockets and more power sockets. 4.Temperatures that can be easily controlled, both up and down. 5. A place to work 6. And as for the TV, include 24-hour news channels, sports channels and some entertaining TV channels. From the lists, what guests want from a hotel room with three Cs: 1. Clean 2. Comfortable 3. Connected For conclusion, too many investment on expensive and unnecessary technology would lead a fail in ROI. Rather than just spend money on the technology, hotels should rethink and research what the guests really want while they're staying.

The Thai government is considering adding technology as an addition to security for visiting tourists, As an addition to a potential curfew, use of the buddy system, and a restriction on where parties can be held, wristbands containing resort information can easily be issued to travelers. The Thai government is also considering an electronic tracking device, but they haven't worked out the details of its implementation. After the recent murders of two British tourists, the Thai government is anxious to show the world that people can still visit Thailand safely.

Even though the GDS had reformed the distribution system of the travel industry, will it continue to grow and update it's current model to upkeep the growing age of tourism? The International Air Transport Association (IATA) is looking for newer ways to revolutionize the travel industry. Tony Tyler, IATA CEO, feels that the Global Distribution System (GDS) is lacking upgrades and says "the GDS model is too clunky to adapt easily to the emergence of trends". As a result, the IATA is working on a new distribution capability (NDC) that will enable the industry to become on trend with online retailers and transform distribution. However, the GDS will still play an important role in aiding the NDS to get there. Tyler spoke at the SITA Air Transport IT Summit in Belgium, asking the IT partners to help innovate the air transport industry. He also explained that the IT already did and will continue on doing a great job with facilitating the operational efficiency.

This article introduces three reasons to upgrade POS system. Most restaurant owners think traditional POS system is good enough to use because they already used to the system and it has not bothered their business seriously. Even though there are some malfunction problems on POS machine, they just chose to keep using them. However, below three reasons support why restaurant owners need to upgrade POS system. First, owners sometimes neglect small hardware malfunctions such as fuzzy monitors, printers, or connectivity issue. Yet, it will not be fixed automatically and it might cause the worst scenario which affects business negatively. Not only this reason but also the advantages of cloud-based POS system can give more efficiency and safety. By easily replacing the hardware in the event of damage or failure, information can be stored safely. Second, upgraded POS provides the unified system. Even though it still needs third-party apps, these resources are well unified into the core POS software and owners can operate system seamlessly based on user-friendly, and on-brand manual. Third, it is a security issue. Traditional POS system requires simply login/password combination, but advanced system can be protected with stronger security system such as fingerprint scanner or ID card logins. Therefore, important business information can be secured safely and it can prevent the possibility employee accidentally change key settings or information. To sum up, customers demand is changing fast and technology is developing fast to meet the new trend, so it is the time for restaurant owners to check their POS system and update it when it is needed.