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anonymous

The $28 billion opportunity for hotels | PhocusWire - 0 views

  • Ancillary bookings represent a significant opportunity for hotels to add revenue while increasing guest engagement. The airline industry adopted the practice of cross-selling and up-selling trip extras more than a decade ago with impactful results.  How can hotels do the same and best complete their guests' travel experience by offering products beyond hotel rooms?
  • This article will share some of the findings of the new white paper, which show that the majority of business travelers surveyed are very interested in purchasing either on-site or off-site extras. The research also identifies business traveler segments and details the preferences on when, where, and what extras business travelers are interested in buying.
  • business travelers are receptive to offers that will make booking their trip easier.
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  • Hotels that participated in the white paper cited reasons why they do not currently offer ancillary services. Many talked about resources, including a lack of technology to streamline ancillary offerings for both on-site and off-site trip extras. With many hotels having their staff and management doing multiple jobs, hotel management is reluctant to add another task to management’s plate. This highlights the need for digital ancillary technology to address these valid concerns and reduce such effort while simultaneously scaling the operation.
  • managers are focused on perfecting the on-site process, instead of branching out and offering new services to differentiate their brand from their competitors.
  • Hotels, both large chains and independent boutiques, can learn from other companies in the travel sector who have successfully implemented an ancillary sales strategy.  Airlines were quick to offer ancillary services more than a decade ago. Now these non-core services such as priority booking, baggage fees and car rentals make up an estimated US$28 billion in revenue annually for the top ten airlines. This trained travelers to  purchase travel add-on services during checkout, and at other cross-sell merchandising points such as confirmation emails.
  • ancillaries that increase productivity provide value.
  • Trip extras that increase productivity include wifi access, early check-in/ late check out to continue working between meetings and travel. More than 70% of business traveler respondents indicated they are interested in purchasing more than core hotel products such as on-site dining, retail sundries and transportation options
  • Business travelers surveyed were most interested in purchasing off property local dining (36%), access to fitness/wellness activities (32%), and tickets to live shows/ events (31%), while in destination or on the day of service.
  • An ancillary strategy that is managed and implemented, with constant communication at the individual properties, can offer a consistent guest experience across the brand. Off-site ancillary offerings are opportunities for hotels to access more wallet-share for the business traveler’s trip. Offering car rentals, or restaurant reservations through strategic partnerships and additional loyalty points add revenue streams to the hotel, boosting profits without increasing ADR.
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    The article describes how hotels have been late in adopting the cross-selling and up-selling trip extras that airlines have been so successful with over the last decade or so. It also summarizes the results of research done by Phocuswright with iSeatz which found that the majority of business travelers surveyed are interested in purchasing additional on-site extras and off-site extras. The research also found that the hotels that were surveyed cite reasons such as a lack of technology and stretched resources at hotel level as barriers to implementation.
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    The author fails to recognize that the e-commerce platforms developed by the airlines over the past decade have been focused on selling unbundled extras, whereas until recently the hotel e-commerce platforms have been very focused on offering the customer bundled packages and only had limited capability for up-selling and cross-selling.
teresastas

5 Reasons Why You Need A Travel Agent - More Than Ever - 0 views

  • The major search sites routinely leave out flights (lots of them) and even entire airlines. A lot of the flights they do show are ones you don’t want, starting with “basic economy” fares that hit you with tons of restrictions and fees, so the price you see isn’t the one you end up paying, along with connections way too short or way too long, ones that no responsible travel agent would let you book.
    • teresastas
       
      This is a very good point that is often overlooked. Southwest Airlines is one of those who do not publish their fairs on most of these OTA searches.
  • The reality is that while it was widely predicted that the internet was going to kill off travel agents when digital tools were placed at every traveler’s disposal, that just hasn’t happened, for several good reasons.
  • “They can find crazy deals”; “They will be your advocate”; “They’ll take care of the little things”; “They’re true experts” and “They don’t usually cost extra.”
    • teresastas
       
      I think that the general public believe that TA's cost extra to use. For the most part that isn't true...unless it's a cooperate travel.
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  • Travel agents are a thing of the past - they primarily booked tickets and beds. Travel advisors have taken on a much more complex role - part psychologist, life coach, executive producer, concierge, fixer, dream maker, and ‘Blink Blink’ genie, with the multitude of services that they provide.
  • Anything that causes cancelled flights (or cruises, etc.) means hassles, but the people who get through this process the most smoothly and the ones who get rebooked first and get the few available seats out of Dodge are usually the ones who used a travel agent. It’s that simple. First off, you actually have someone to call, versus long lines at banks of airport phones masquerading as “help desks.” But good agencies are constantly monitoring their clients’ flights and they usually know about your problem before you do - and often have a resolution before you even call them.
    • teresastas
       
      They make a good point about having someone to call.
  • Expertise: No one knows everything about travel, no matter how deeply they are involved in the industry.
    • teresastas
       
      Reason #2: Expertise
  • Emergencies: This is the one most applicable to the average occasional travel.
    • teresastas
       
      Reason #2: Expertise
  • It is important to remember that these advantages are not just for luxury travelers. Good travel advisors do not just know what the best hotel is, they know what the best hotel is for you and your budget and can help you find the right fit.
  • Connections: Whether you are trying to book space at a coveted 8-villa safari lodge in Africa or get a room in a top Paris hotel during Fashion Week, most hoteliers keep emergency inventory and guess who gets it? The travel advisors they have known for years who book a lot of guests and send them a lot of business.
    • teresastas
       
      Reason #3: Connections
  • “Travel advisors provide our clients with access: access to people, places, and experiences that could never be replicated, much less imagined. A great travel advisor has invested time and relationships in creating their ‘black book’ of contacts and relationships, so that when their clients travel, they are treated as a VIPs, not just a credit card number.” In my experience, everyone likes being treated like a VIP.
    • teresastas
       
      I think this lends itself to who your travel agent is and what they are most experienced in. I couldn't agree that all travel agents are going to give their clients VIP experiences.
  • “Information overload, thousands of new hotels on the scene, all sorts of new cruise ships, passport and visa issues, weather, transit strikes, political unrest, natural disasters, travel insurance, travel providers going out of business, it’s never ending. How does one navigate all of this? To avoid the travel landmines that lay in front of you, you need to get a great travel advisor!
  • Extras: When you get more than you expected for the same price, that’s a great deal, and with travel advisors this happens all the time.
    • teresastas
       
      Reason #4: Extras
  • “The millennial generation specifically may have seen their parents use a travel advisor, but don’t feel like they need one - until they are deep in the spiral of research. By shifting gears to planning with an expert, they feel liberated from the immense pressure of choosing the ‘best’ resort - because we’re cutting through the noise of all the conflicting opinions they’re seeing online.
    • teresastas
       
      This is a great point. I know first hand that when booking an actual vacation it can be so much easier to have an expert weed out the options they know won't work for you.
  • Air: If you are trying to buy the cheapest round-trip economy ticket from New York to Dallas, even the best advisors probably can’t get it for less than you can buy it online, though you still have to deal with all the pitfalls of the online travel sites and you will lose the safety net advisors provide when things go wrong. But in a couple of other cases, buying your air through an agent can actually save you money, or miles, or both.
    • teresastas
       
      Reason 5: Air Fare You will usually be able to find the cheapest economy online but there are times when a travel agent might be able to save you fees on airlines.
  • It just doesn’t seem possible, but it is, real tickets, same airline, better seats, less money. I don’t know how they do it, and frankly I don’t care, but if you know who to call this happens all the time (if you are not a client of SmartFlyer booking your vacation or business trip, they will charge you a fee to do the legwork and find you great deals on premium and mileage tickets, but in almost every case I’ve seen, it still saves you money).
    • teresastas
       
      This is a great travel tip!
  • Better Trips! At the end of the day this is the bottom line, the big win you get with a good travel advisor. They know more than you do, they are better connected, they have access to benefits you can’t get yourself, and they can match and often beat any prices you find. They plan a better trip and then provide a safety net.
    • teresastas
       
      Reason number 6: Better Trips Your trip is better all around when you use a good travel advisor!
  • Travel advisors take the overwhelming amount of information out there and distill it into the key points that apply to you - the best hotel/destination/tour for your interests, your budget, and your time frame.
  • 5 Reasons Why You Need A Travel Agent - More Than Ever
    • teresastas
       
      We have been discussing a lot about the role of GDS's and OTA's it has become clear that the role of the traditional travel agent has evolved. The question of what is the role of a travel agent and why should we still use them has come up a lot and this article breaks down the answer giving 5 reasons why we still need travel agents. The reasons are listed as emergencies, expertise, connections, airfare and extras. All of these reason collectively make a better trip all around. After reading this it makes me want to book my next vacation through a travel agent!
Patrick Montesano

Can restaurants go green, earn green? - USATODAY.com - 0 views

  • Restaurants are the retail world's largest energy user. They use almost five times more energy per square foot than any other type of commercial building
  • Nearly 80% of the $10 billion dollars that the commercial food service sector spends annually for its energy use is lost in inefficient food cooking, holding and storage
  • The average restaurant annually consumes roughly 500,000 kilowatt hours of electricity, 20,000 therms of natural gas and 800,000 gallons of water. Using the latest EPA carbon equivalents, that amounts to 490 tons of carbon dioxide produced per year per restaurant
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  • A typical restaurant generates 100,000 pounds of garbage per location per year, the Green Restaurant Association estimates.
  • the industry is responding to criticism and to new awareness that restaurants can save serious money by taking small steps:
  • "Everything that comes out of a restaurant could either be recycled or composted,"
  • "Yet, most restaurants don't do a good job of either."
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    The National Restaurant Association has implemented a new "green" restaurant initiative to persuade owners of the US's 945,000 restaurants to adopt measures to control energy use and waste. They have some celebrity firepower in billionaire Ted Turner, who owns Ted's Montana Grill causal dining chain. His restaurants use straws made from biodegradable paper, and the menus are printed on recycled paper, among other initiatives. The NRA makes recommendations like using LED lights, composting, installing low-flow valves, and using recycled materials. In practical terms, however, going green doesn't necessarily mean "making green." In a tough economy, most people won't pay for the extra costs of green initiatives. In a poll, just 29% of consumers said they would be more likely to go to a green restaurant. Those numbers make it difficult to convince a restaurateur to make that extra investment. 
jazminesnyder

Guest Column: How Distribution Systems Are Like Seat Belts - Business Travel News - 0 views

  • global distribution systems use old technology
  • their interfaces aren’t quite as attractive as airline websites
  • they still do what they’re designed to do efficiently and affordably.
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  • agency portals
  • Are not designed to manage high transaction volumes generated by large TMCs.Do not offer comparison shopping on competing airlines.
  • Its strategy seems to rest in shifting distribution costs to corporate buyers.
  • Building out airline websites, keeping website content updated, investing in agent portals and investing in direct connect technology all come with significant capital expenditures or resource costs.
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    My article this week is about how GDS (Global Distribution Systems) can be compared to a seatbelt. The author opens the article discussing the main reasons we still continue to use seatbelts; even though they aren't the most comfortable or fashionable items to use, they still do their jobs in saving our lives when it comes to a collision of some sort. The author is in favor of GDS and makes the claim that like seatbelts, the GDS may not be the most up-to-date or may not appear to be as nice as other local systems to each individual airline, but they get the job done and there are no other systems out there like it that we know of (no other systems that do everything he GDS system does that is). The main topic of discussion that the article is concerned with is the recent decision made by the company Lufthansa to start charging its customers an additional surcharge for using GDS systems instead of going through its own system. The author clearly makes it know that she doesn't believe Lufthansa when they say they are charging this additional surcharge because GDS is the most expensive channel to go through. "Because there's no reason to think that an airline should expect to distribute its products without any cost, Lufthansa's recent gambit seems more of a tactic for increasing lagging direct distribution... Its strategy seems to rest in shifting distribution costs to corporate buyers" claims Rose, the author of the article. The author also points out some of the draw backs of using agency portals, the main reason being that a customer cannot compare rates of other competitors and that agency portals cannot handle high volume transactions like the GDS can. It is also made known that there are costs that come with other channels as well, like the prices you pay for building airline websites and keeping them updated. The author concludes that "Given the history of negotiations between airlines and GDSs, it's impossible to know whether Lufthansa is using DCC as
jfuen093

7 Most-Popular Hotel Management Software for Small Hotels - 3 views

  • For hotels, finding the right software fit is especially important, because without a suitable software solution, you’re wasting time and money—big things that take you away from your customers and keep you from providing a stellar guest experience. For smaller hotels, you may think you’re getting more bang for your buck with a solution designed for enterprise hotels, but in reality you might need some tailoring. You may be paying for a bunch of extra features you’ll never use, or perhaps you run tours as well and need a feature for managing that aspect of your business.
  • 11 most popular hotel management software
  • Easy-to-use interface Customizable availability calendar Personalized guest, company, and travel agent profiles that can be exported into marketing campaigns Data encryption on secure servers, and the ability to restrict user privileges
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  • For smaller hotels, you may think you’re getting more bang for your buck with a solution designed for enterprise hotels, but in reality you might need some tailoring. You may be paying for a bunch of extra features you’ll never use, or perhaps you run tours as well and need a feature for managing that aspect of your business.
  • you’re wasting time and money
  • you’re wasting time and money—
  • you’re wasting time and money
  • For smaller hotels, you may think you’re getting more bang for your buck with a solution designed for enterprise hotels, but in reality you might need some tailoring. You may be paying for a bunch of extra features you’ll never use, or perhaps you run tours as well and need a feature for managing that aspect of your business.
  • For smaller hotels, you may think you’re getting more bang for your buck with a solution designed for enterprise hotels, but in reality you might need some tailoring. You may be paying for a bunch of extra features you’ll never use, or perhaps you run t
  • Cloudbeds serves as an all-in-one hotel management system that can also connect your property to hundreds of channels (such as Booking.com and Orbitz) with real-time, two-way integration
  • Rate management to maximize revenue through seasonal rates Mobile application to receive reports on smartphone/tablet Event management Self-service check-in kiosk
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    Capterra is a webiste that offers the proper research for businesses to look for a software that works best for them. The article discusses the most popular software solutions that works best for small hotels. The list of the software's discussed already included what reviewers loved, their advice for improvement, and cost. This is a great article for small hotels to look at because it is an easier way for them to select a software that suits them best.
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    For any hotel, it's important to find the right operating software. Especially for small hotels, choosing a well-designed software is able to save more money and time. In this article, the author has introduced 11 most popular hotel management software specially for small hotels, including Cloudbeds, eZee Frontdesk, Frontdesk Anywhere, Hotelogix PMS, Maestro PMS, MSI CloudPM, OPERA Property Management System(PMS), RDPWin, Rezlynx PMS, roomMaster, SkyTouch Hotel OS.
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    The following article reviews the 11 most popular PMS systems that are used within the lodging industry. The importance of choosing the right system for your property is vital and should be taken seriously when comparing the different features offered, etc. I found the article to be very helpful in the fact that it goes into detail analyzing the different systems and highlighting what each have to offer. Depending on the size of your property, facilities, and even location are just a few factors that truly depict which system is best for you. Comparing cloud based systems to dashboards is also something to consider and can drastically change the overall functions of your property based from the system that is used.
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    This article is about the new software technology ad uts benefits in the hospitality industry
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    This article discusses the 7 different PMS systems that would benefit each hotel style in the hospitality industry. It's important for hotels to find the right PMS system so they do not waste time and money. Cloudbeds serves as an all-in-one PMS system, it connects your property to hundreds of channels with two-way integration. It allows guests to make direct reservations through their desktop or mobile device. eZee Frontdesk serves to help with rate management to maximize revenue, mobile access to reports, event management, and self-service check-in. This PMS system is mainly used at boutique hotels, hostels/lodges, resorts, and small hotels in 140 countries. Frontdesk Anywhere serves to create personalized guest, company, and travel agent profiles that can be exported for marketing campaigns, data encryption on secure servers, and the ability to restrict user privileges. Hotelogix PMS serves as a multi-device booking engine for third-party integrations with OTAs. This system is mainly used by small to midsize hotels and is used by more than 10,000 properties worldwide. Maestro PMS serves its purpose by helping small properties. Maestro is designed for the cloud, and brings 20 different modules under one umbrella, including reservations, front desk, sales, space and club management, and dining POS. Maestro aims to simplify things, enabling hotel managers to run everything from one dashboard. MSI CloudPM serves to keep costs down by bypassing the purchase of additional hardware. It provides an Automatic backup and optional on-site backup. Lastly, OPERA PMS system serves to help big corporations, as well as independent hotels with profile management, housekeeping management, accommodation management, and much more. These PMS systems all are beneficial to understand them to learn what PMS system fits best for your business instead of going into the hospitality industry blind.
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    These are the most popular software that are used by small hotels specifically
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    Smaller hotels run with tighter profit margins. This article discusses the 7 top softwares that are available to a small hotel that have many features i.e. front desk, bookings, food and beverage - all in one software application.
tcale003

5 Reasons Why You Need A Travel Agent - More Than Ever - 0 views

    • tcale003
       
      Travel agents are considered travel advisors or consultants. Large corporations still use travel advisors for their travel needs. Travel consultants are needed for a multitude of reason including their expertise.
  • Travel agents are even more important to luxury travelers, who ironically often think they know a lot about travel and rely on their own misguided sense of expertise. But while a good agent is so vital that it is simply foolish to plan a high-end trip on your own without one, they can also help travelers of all budgets.
  • pros of using an agent: “They can find crazy deals”; “They will be your advocate”; “They’ll take care of the little things”;
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  • The reality is that while it was widely predicted that the internet was going to kill off travel agents when digital tools were placed at every traveler’s disposal, that just hasn’t happened, for several good reasons.
  • a good travel advisor can often save you money.
  • true experts” and “They don’t usually cost extra.”
  • My tech savviest friends use travel advisors, and so does every major corporation - because it is the smart thing to do.
  • “Information overload, thousands of new hotels on the scene, all sorts of new cruise ships, passport and visa issues, weather, transit strikes, political unrest, natural disasters, travel insurance, travel providers going out of business, it’s never ending. How does one navigate all of this? To avoid the travel landmines that lay in front of you, you need to get a great travel advisor!
  • “They’re
  • good travel agents prefer to be called travel advisors, or sometimes travel consultants, and those are both totally accurate, but since most people still think of the industry in terms of travel agents
  • “Travel agents are a thing of the past - they primarily booked tickets and beds. Travel advisors have taken on a much more complex role - part psychologist, life coach, executive producer, concierge, fixer, dream maker, and ‘Blink Blink’ genie, with the multitude of services that they provide.”
  • Emergencies:
  • Expertise
  • VIP Connection
  • Extras
  • Better Trips
  •  
    There are many reasons one still needs a travel agent. They are now called advisors or consultants because of what they can do and their knowledge. These advisors can assist with a multitude of things including emergencies, getting great deals on trips, They will be your best advocate when issues arise and at no extra cost to the consumer. In addition, a good travel advisors save you time and money on trying to plan you own trip. Travel agents who just booked flights and beds are a thing of the past, travel advisors play a much more complex role and provie a great variety of services.
Yanqiu Li

Why and How Hotels Need to Go Green? | Hospitality Technology - 2 views

  • Eco consciousness
  • guests are conscious about
  • a low carbon footprint.
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  • energy efficient, are pro environment
  • 80 per cent of travelers
  • are willing to pay extra to visit an eco-friendly destination
  • “green technology”
  • Wireless controllers
  • Key Cards
  • Lighting
  • Air Conditioning
  • System that responds to guest needs and presence Compact hot water distribution systems that allow hot water to reach end users faster Dual flush toilets that use less water High performance fireplaces Lighting and fans that automatically turns off when it senses the room is empty
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    This article give relative brief summary of green technology trend and benefits for hospitality industry. Green technology' s prosperity results from eco awareness increasing of the customers. Nowadays, about 70%people would like to care whether the hotel is eco-friendly, engergy efficiency and low carbon dioxide when they are travlling around the world. They also would like to pay extra money to this trend. This social cocious require hotels to react as soon as possilbe to meet cusoterms new demands. From the article, we learn that to better meet customers' requiements, geen techonlogy application will be the one of the most effective way to realize customers'needs. However, one of the most difficulty problems for supporting this requirement is implement fees so costly, which set barriers to many hotels. Thus, there are still monetary issues to think about for hotelers.
Marcos Oliveira

Optima Go Green - Green PMS for Hotels - 0 views

  • Go Green
  • Until now, reservations offices used to be filled up with papers, files, folders and paper racks. Each reservation was written on paper with faxes, vouchers and other documents physically attached to it. There was always the danger of fire or other means of damage that would result in permanent loss of those papers. There is no doubt that hotels need to work in paperless environment. Optima Go Green solution is all about managing documents without wasting time and space
  • There was always the danger of fire or other means of damage that would result in permanent loss of those papers. There is no doubt that hotels need to work in paperless environment.
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  • There was always the danger of fire or other means of damage that would result in permanent loss of those papers. There is no doubt that hotels need to work in paperless environment
  • presentation of guest folio on an iPad, or similar device
  • presentation of guest folio on an iPad, or similar device
  • advance check in that can be done on the Internet or Smart-phones up to 24 hours before check in, saving the need to print registration cards and speeds up the checkin process at the hotel.
  • advance check in that can be done on the Internet or Smart-phones up to 24 hours before check in, saving the need to print registration cards and speeds up the checkin process at the hotel.
  • advance check in that can be done on the Internet or Smart-phones up to 24 hours before check in, saving the need to print registration cards and speeds up the checkin process at the hotel.
  • advance check in that can be done on the Internet or Smart-phones up to 24 hours before check in, saving the need to print registration cards and speeds up the
  • presentation of guest folio on an iPad, or similar device
  • Optima Go Green allows the hotels using Optima Hotel Management Solution to go the extra mile and reduce the total amount of paper used by implementing Optima green solutions
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    Optima Go Green allows hotels using the Optima Hotel Management Solution property management system to go the extra mile and reduce the total amount of paper used by implementing Optima green solutions. The Optima Go Green solution includes features such as advance up to 24hours before using a smart phone; guest checkout allowing the guest folio to be viewed via an iPad; scanning of IDs to save time and ensure accuracy, managerial reports being able to be directly sent to the appropriate manager without having the need of being printed; allowing managers to check rate strategies and availability online on their smart phones. The maon concept of Optima goGreen is a cost effective solution which is all about managing documents without wasting time and space. This article tied in with the previous weeks discussion about green initiatives. A hotel's priamry office expense is paper and toner. By printing less we are drastically saving money by not having to waste paper. Storage is also cut down because the need of storing paper is eliminated. In such a tech savvy world, this is definitely the way to go.
Xinyu Tian

Hotel's free WiFi comes with hidden extras - 0 views

  • The hotel’s Internet service was secretly injecting lines of code into every page he visited, code that could allow it to insert ads into any Web page without the knowledge of the site visitor or the page’s creator.
  • “Imagine the hotel delivering complementary issues of The New York Times to every room, except some articles have been accidentally blacked out, all the ads have been cut out, and on every page there’s a new ad that’s been stuck on top,”
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    The Courtyard Marriott in Midtown Manhattan installs a software that can insert some ads or cut off some articles on a website that a hotel guest is visiting. And this was found out by Justin Watt, a Web engineer. After he post it on his blog, it came to a big discussion. Is it legal for a hotel to get into a personal's visit on a website? But this kind of technique also has some potential use in the future, such as hotel can deliever the newspaper to each room with all some ads or some articles being cut off by using that technique, or adding hotel's daily special menu or event on an online newspaper and also pint it delievering to each room.
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    I believe the security issues is what we will be getting everywhere, because what is made online, always can be tracked and checked by some smart ITs. Another aspect - is anyone exept us is interested in our security? More often we can hardly guess what is really secure ...
Adilen Alfonso

New Utility Management Provider Increases Properties' Net Operating Income - 0 views

  • The new system allows property managers to easily manage resident billing and utilities through fully automated convergent billing and electronic payments combined with a full suite of utility management products and services.
  • “Convergent billing is a great solution to providing properties more cash earlier in the month,
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    This article touches on Property Solutions' new ResidentUtility initiative to bundle billing and utilities for the multifamily industry. Property Solutions is the nation's largest provider of apartment community websites and management software tools. The new system will enable property managers to manage billing and utilities through electronic payments. It solves the industry's utility billing problems, like costs associated with inefficient standards. ResidentUtility combines billing and utility management with en electronic payment systems that will increase extra incomes for properties, especially given that option that utilities and rent and be billed on the same invoices, properties will have extra cash inflows earlier in the month. As a result of extra income, properties can also reduce working capital and pay their own bills in a timely fashion. In addition, residents can reap the benefits because their bills will have more transparency and be bundled so that they only need to worry about paying one large sum. I think this is a great idea for properties, I used to be a leasing manager for residential condos and we offered this billing system to residents and it was very successful. Although I do see residents getting scared by one large invoice as some prefer to pay everything separate. From the management perspective, it is very beneficial because accounts payable and receivables become easier to handle when it is all done under one invoice and electronically.
katya zelinskaya

Will Self-Checkout Obliterate Traditional POS Systems? | Point of Sale News - 1 views

  • Even though the general trend towards self-checkout is positive, many customers are still wary.
  • The temptation to steal from self-checkout terminals is practically absent with the new buzz about the instillation of cameras, laser scanning, and weighted sensors.
  • hese people have an understanding of how they work and know how to check themselves out in the most efficient way possible (many times they check themselves out faster than a cashier).  
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    It is knowledgeable why retailers would be skeptical over self-services in grocery stores, which include lack of floor space, the ability to lower labor cost, and the concerns of consumer acceptance and usage, but this has changed with the future of technology. The permutation of self-checkout technology now gives the retailer opportunities to reduce labor intendment, and it also orchestrates the front-end operations to offer state of the art customer service to the consumer Self- checkout allows retailers to save space and it easily fits into the store's existing layout. Five self-serve lanes can accommodate the floor space of only two conventional lanes. Cash balancing and reporting for each station remains the same as it was before the device was installed.
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    I cannot imagine the human factor completely disappearing in stores. I have three young children and I cannot go through teh self check-out if I have more than a couple of items. There will always be those people who need the extra help. I do enjoy self check-out lines, so hopefully there will be a balance of machine and man in the stores.
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    after the invention of the first POS system of 1974 and the self- check out counters of 1992 researchers projecting 430,000 of self check out counters to be opened by 2014.  The benefit of the Self Check out counters is very tempting for the owners.  Article mentions that some customers are still not too happy with the self check out counters, because of possible bad experience in the past.  Managers are delaying the installation of the automated check outs, because of the scare of the theft, but it's proven that theft is not as issue because usually losses occur from the cashier's negligence.  Article provides some of the proves that self check out counter , can help customers to lose weight, and check out faster, and provides extra privacy. 
Ashlee Livingston

Green Marketing: The Benefits of Green Marketing | Hotel Industry Magazine - 0 views

  • enables them to generate additional positive publicity and engage with existing and new target customers.
  • 80% of travellers are willing to pay extra to visit an eco-friendly destination or business
  • meant that environmental issues were given a low priority – ignoring the fact that there are often cost savings associated with such things as improved energy and waste management.
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  • responding to the challenges of the recession and keeping overheads down
  • hoteliers who rely on business trade may be the first to start seeing customers staying elsewhere if they aren’t making any efforts to demonstrate environmental responsibility.
  • greenwash’ accusations
  •  
    This article is an interview with Leigh Tymms from Green Edge Environmental on the marketing benefits of going green. The most beneficial is generating a positive reputation with customers looking to go green. These customers are increasing everyday. According to the article, a report by Travelocity stated that 80% of travelers are willing to pay extra to visit an eco-friendly destination. Basically, more and more guests are taking into consideration the size of a hotels carbon footprint. Although it may be costly originally, in the long run it is also economically beneficial for hotels to go green. Tymms warns that hotels ignoring the green trend in hospitality risk losing customers. And he also suggest that hoteliers make sure they are actually taking steps to go green and not just marketing false claims for revenue gain. 
Jia Kim

Visas, Vaccinations and Weather: the top information corporate travellers can expect - 0 views

  • visa information (59%), followed closely by immunisations (41%) and weather (40%). Other information provided includes city maps (37%), restaurants (25%) and entertainment (10%).
  • Extra baggage and hotel Wi-Fi are the most commonly authorised ancillaries, at 57% each. Advance boarding (45%), hotel breakfast (45%) and flight upgrades (39%) are also popular options provided
  • 26% corporations allow no ancillaries to be booked for corporate travel trips.
  • ...3 more annotations...
  • the range of destination services and ancillary options grow increasingly more complex
  • Within the ancillary mix, it becomes further segmented by organisations offering options such as upgrades and lounge access only to select groups of employees.”
  • Travellers’ needs are evolving and ‘Generation Y’ now expects customised content, intelligent itineraries and easily bookable ancillary content.
  •  
    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.
dominiquewalker

The Importance Of Offsite Backup | Monster Technology - 1 views

  • Offsite backup is the use of cloud-based storage systems for data recovery in case of a power failure, fire, tornado, earthquake, flood, or other disaster.
  • Data stored offsite usually involves accessing information using an Internet connection.
  • Physical disasters and human error remain the primary reasons for having offsite backups. For instance, you need an extra copy of your data in case your office floods and external drives become soaked with water.
  • ...6 more annotations...
  • backups for these reasons:
  • To retrieve lost data after a security breach
  • An extra copy for extra peace of mind
  • To use up less onsite space
  • To take advantage of unlimited storage room
  • To prevent from neglecting to back up your data
  •  
    This article is short and very much to the point. Plainly explaining what is an "offsite backup". Its purpose, and reasons one would utilize the cloud-based application.
marble_bird

CloudBasedvsDesktopBased_PMSHotels.pdf - 0 views

shared by marble_bird on 09 Jul 20 - No Cached
  • Even though keeping up with the modern developments in IT sector is crucial for the success and competitiveness of a hotel, it is usually very hard for new technologies to be accepted and implemented.
  • On the example of hotel property management system (PMS) and comparison between features of its older desktop-version and new web-based programs, this research aims at finding out at which stage and how effective is usage of cloud technology in hotels.
  • Constant innovation in hardware, software, and network developments and applications means that only dynamic organizations that can respond efficiently and effectively to these innovations, will be able to outperform their competitors and maintain their long-term prosperity.
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  • It is crucial for tourism and hospitality practitioners to proactively incorporate new technologies into their businesses as these will improve service quality and differentiate their products and services.
  • In order to be able to follow the increasing guests' requests for qualitative services, it is mandatory for hotel management to constantly work on improving its functions and operations. For this it is necessary to keep track of innovations in sectors outside the hospitality, like IT sector that works on creating, developing and introducing new technologies
  • Hospitality is one of targeted sector that is considered appropriate for application of cloud technologies and services. Hotel Management System or widely known as Property Management System (PMS) is one of the system where IT practitioners saw the chance for improvement by ''moving it to the cloud''.
  • Hotels will be forced to upgrade their current systems so that they can respond to various and changeable guests' habits and requirements. However, until today, there was not enough academic papers related to usage of cloud technology in hospitality industry even though this sector is under continuous changes caused by usage of new technologies which made search, evaluation and payment of the hotel rooms easier than ever.
  • After comparing the two groups of hotels, from which one was using desktop PMS and other group cloud- based PMS, the results of the research were derived and presented. In conclusion of the paper, challenges with which the hotels are facing and which affect their decision of starting to use cloud- based technology as well as recommendation for future work will be discussed.
  • As stated by the Sharif (2010), cloud computing is the latest technology that is being introduced by the IT industry as the next (potential) revolution to change how the internet and information systems operate. The term “cloud” was probably inspired by IT text books’ illustrations which depicted remote environments (the Internet) as cloud images in order to conceal the complexity that lies behind them (Sultan,2010).
  • The goal of a new computing world is to develop software for millions to consume by easily accessing it over a network. Cloud service providers are making profit by charging consumers for accessing these services.
  • Products offered via this mode include the remote delivery (through the Internet) of a full computer infrastructure (e.g., virtual computers, servers, storage devices, etc.); the building blocks of an IT enterprise.
  • Services provided in this category include CPU processing on demand, virtual Web hosting, and storage on demand. The most notable vendors are Amazon’s EC2, GoGrid’s Cloud Servers, and Joyent.
  • With cloud computing, services and applications that were managed locally in the past requiring hardware, operating systems, web servers, as well as teams of network, database and system management experts are now provided remotely by cloud providers under this layer.
  • Cloud computing services can be adopted by firms in three different forms (Goscinski and Brock, 2010):
  • Public clouds - online applications that are open to everyone for free, such as Google
  • Private clouds - involves firms deploying key enabling technologies, such as virtualization and multi-tenant applications, to create their own private cloud database
  • Hybrid clouds - mix of the previous two types that are emerging with the intention of providing clients with a level of “control” over their resources
  • The cloud offers enterprises the option of scalability without the financial commitments required for infrastructure purchase and maintenance.
  • Reallocating information management operational activities to the cloud offers businesses a unique opportunity to focus efforts on innovation and research and development. This allows for business and product growth and may be even more beneficial than the financial advantages offered by the cloud.
  • These investments and efforts for a new technology to be presented open a new progress circle of technology advancements and it continues in the same way.
  • When creating software or an application for a hotel, IT personnel have to possess a certain level of flexibility, openness and creativity. On the other hand, hotel employees are expected to have more insightful and openminded approach towards new ways of performing business operations, sometimes take risks and have experiences with using different programs and applications.
  • A hotel's PMS can gather and keep valuable information about hotel guests by incorporating business intelligence tools which help hoteliers organize and make sense of the gathered data. Regardless of whether room reservations come from Online Travel Agency, Global Distribution Systems or by telephone, all of them are gathered, stored and managed in the PMS.
  • Simplicity of the cloud based property management system allows it to be productive. Cloud based PMS's can operate on any advice that has a web browser and the companies are putting their efforts to make it even more friendly on smaller devices like tablets and smart phones.
  • Business intelligence options provide hoteliers with a threedimensional view of guest data, which allows easily statistical reporting and increased hotel management efficiency.
  • The aim of this study was to investigate the difference in practical usage of the two types of PMS systems – cloud based and classical (desktop) ones.
  • On the question about the reasons for using the current PMS type in hotels, answers of Group A were based on usage of their current PMS for years and on the fact that employees in all hotel departments were used to work on it. As time passed by, hotels upgraded their system to new versions for several times and additional customization was implemented with regard to hotel preferences.
  • Hotels from Group B were consisted of relatively new boutique hotels that operate for more than a year and from those that were not using any kind of PMS solution (they were using Excel tables and creating reservation records manually). The reason why hotels from this group wanted to use cloud PMS was a desire to try the latest technology used in hospitality industry.
  • Other reasons for using it were: PMS could be reached from any place where Internet connection is available, simple but effective design with lots of visual solutions, more options to enter the important information and the fact that it is working not only on any PC but also on any mobile device due to its mobile applications.
  • low investment costs were main reason for hotels from Group B to decide in favor of cloud based version.
  • The similar amount of initial investments were confirmed by the Group A. Being considered as great amount of money for newly opened and small sized hotels to invest, management decided to try out the cloud version which allows access to this system based on monthly subscription with very little or no investment cost, depending on the solution provider.
  • After initial investments in the system implementation, hardware, software and training of employees, every year hotel makes a one-year-based contract for additional support services and, if needed, extra training. Support is provided any time a hotel reports an issue or malfunction by directly connecting to hotel's computer through remote programs.
  • Changes are made either for each hotel at a time, or after releasing new version, when provider try to convince all the current users to upgrade to it. Upgrade is provided by the extra charge, so these costs should be also considered during planning investments in classical PMS.
  • Regardless of which type of system they used, all participants were very careful about and interested in the matter of data security.
  • However, it is totally different situation with cloud based system, which is mainly open system where all authorized users and providers from outside have access to. Of course, it is up to hotel management to whom the authorization rights will be given and being an open system it makes support, development and innovation activities much easier. Cloud based PMS are hosted on some of the world's best known servers so there is no need for additional computers to be used as servers.
  • Although there are some great differences in functions and way of managing regarding classical and cloud based system, both have their advantages from which hotels do not want to give up.
  • One of the biggest advantages of cloud based PMS for the Group B is the fact that this system can be directly integrated with hotel online booking engine. This is considered as a great advantage for the hotels that besides having functional web site, wish to maximize use of its online booking engine, receive more online reservations directly from the guests and gain more profit.
  • Such a functional connection between hotel’s PMS and online reservation system allow hotels to have a social media integration as well. This means that hotels are able to receive online reservation through their Facebook page as well as receive direct links to its page from the biggest review sites such as TripAdvior.com.
  • In this paper two different approaches and perspectives on usage of cloud based and classical hotel management systems were exposed. Hotels from Group B have shown a tendency for usage of new technologies and readiness to adopt and continuously learn about them.
  • Among factors, affecting why hotel prefers one system over another, are type and size of hotel, through which channels are guest reservations coming, previous experience with IT stuff and different programs, etc.
  • Cloud based program can help them in order to update prices and room availability information to hotel's booking engine. This prevents overbooking, provides easily management of CRM functions and information, with no first investment costs or extra expenses which results in revenue increase.
  • Hotels that use classical PMS pay a great attention to the security issue because they do not want to risk opening their hotel for external intervention. In recent years we can find in media lots of evidence of information linkage from system that had much higher security measures than an average hotel.
  • Measuring the performance of cloud-provided services is another challenge for the hotel management, primarily due to the lack of measurement standards.
  • While investigating the previous knowledge about the other system solutions, hotels in Group A have claimed lack of information about the cloud technology and its solutions.
  • Even though IT stuff in these hotels has some basic knowledge about it, it is still not enough to convince the other managers about its benefits. Therefore it may be concluded that, besides trying to overcome the above mentioned challenges, developers of cloud based solutions to hotels should also work hard on training the potential clients about the positive aspects and correct usage of cloud technologies.
  • Lack of measurement standards for cloud-provided services in general as well as for hotels is another important limitation due to which qualitative research was conducted. Authors’ recommendation is that academicians should focus more on topics of cloud computing, cloud solutions for other business operations and on defining measurements standards for cloud services.
  •  
    This article, published in 2015, covers a study performed in Turkey to analyze factors in hotels that lead management to prefer desktop-based PMS over cloud-based PMS or vice versa. The study uses qualitative research to determine the reasons for the usage of PMS and the advantages and disadvantage of either system. The study found that, among others, significant factors that contribute to the form of PMS implemented by mangement may include the size of the property, reservation channels, and prior level of IT experience.
rosedelice

How to Combat the Negative Side of Consumer Behavior With Societal Marketing - 0 views

  • Some companies treat corporate social responsibility primarily as a form of branding. For instance, a company that donates 10 percent of profits to cancer research might develop a marketing plan to let the public know about its good works so customers will feel better about buying its products. A more comprehensive approach to societal marketing would include an examination of the company's products and services and what effect they have on the customer and the society.
  • Consumers generally say they want to buy products that are more environmentally sustainable or socially responsible, but that doesn't translate to actual sales if the product costs too much or doesn't perform as well as its rivals. It might seem as if there's a gap between what customers say they want and what they really want, but in reality they want it all. An unpleasant-tasting, expensive brand of fair trade coffee is not going to outsell a delicious and affordable rival just because it is fair trade. However, a delicious and affordable fair trade brand could do very well. The fact that the coffee is fair trade is a benefit to the consumer, but only if the coffee meets the customer's other requirements for taste and price. Effective societal marketing treats the social responsibility aspect as an extra benefit to choosing an already fine product.
  • Sometimes a company can make its marketing campaign more socially responsible by making relatively small changes to a popular product. For example, if a restaurant offers a children's meal option including a grilled cheese sandwich, chips and a soda, it could improve the menu by offering fresh fruit and milk or juice as options. Some parents will still decide to order the chips and soda, but some will choose the fruit and milk. The company is giving customers what they want either way, but by including healthier options the company is doing what it can to have a positive impact on society.
  •  
    Consumers generally say they want to buy products that are more environmentally sustainable or socially responsible.Effective societal marketing treats the social responsibility aspect as an extra benefit to choosing an already fine product. The company needs to give customers what they want either way by including healthier options.
wenzheng guo

What Are the Different Types of Key Card Systems? - 2 views

  • Metal keys with a jagged row of teeth are becoming increasingly rare as technology improves.
  • In locations as diverse as hotels
    • wenzheng guo
       
      4 kinds of keys mention in the article.
  • using key cards instead of traditional keys.
  • ...17 more annotations...
  • four types of key card systems: holecards, bar code cards, magnetic strip key cards and radio frequency identification (RFID) cards
  • Holecards are the earliest type of key card systems
  • An individual key card is programmed by a computer with a unique electronic signature.
  • If stolen, magnetic strip cards and RFID cards can have the signatures changed, adding security protection from theft.
  • Key card systems operate on the relationship between a plastic card and electronic access control locks
  • Bar code cards were the next innovation in key card technology.
  • The technology used by this type of card includes microchips and radio technology, so it is considered the most difficult to forge and provides the highest level of security.
  • an individual bar code is created to correspond with a particular lock and is printed on a card.
  • his key card type lost popularity when magnetic strips became more readily available,
  • because bar codes could be forged and the electronic reader easily fooled.
  • Magnetic strip key card systems are widely used in the hotel industry and in workplace security. This card looks like a credit card with a thin metallic strip on the back.
  • This type of card is much more difficult to forge than holecards and bar codes, providing an added layer of security.
  • RFID key card systems are a more recent form of technology than holecards, bar code cards or magnetic strip cards. RFID cards have a radio sensor chip embedded inside the card.
  • When brought into close proximity of a correspondingly programmed reader, the door unlocks.
  • Sornes devised a system that would punch a series of 32 holes into a plastic card. The card would correspond to a lock and would open a door when it was inserted into a slot in the door.
  • The technology used by this type of card includes microchips and radio technology, so it is considered the most difficult to forge and provides the highest level of security.
    • wenzheng guo
       
      Later biological key like facial identification may be the next era of keys.
  • In 1975, inventor Tor Sornes devised a system that would punch a series of 32 holes into a plastic card. The card would correspond to a lock and would open a door when it was inserted into a slot in the door.
    • wenzheng guo
       
      first step of security keys.
  •  
    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.
xwang023

Seoul hotel loans smartphones as room key | Hotel Management - 0 views

  • The idea of using smartphones as hotel keys has been picking up steam of late, especially as near field communication becomes more prevalent in mobile devices.
  • hotel launched the smart-key service on December 26, changing the locks and room controls in 16 of its rooms.
  • LG CNS and Hotel Skypark Central say this is the first time this particular technology has been used in a hotel anywhere in the world. 
  • ...3 more annotations...
  • But some questions may make this possible trend less likely to spread
  • "Smart Green Platform
  • most importantly, how will guests who are less tech-savvy handle the new concept
  •  
    It's cool for me to use smartphones as hotel keys.I think it's easy to make guests understand what the new technology is and to use it in each check-in.In the end of the article we may face some questions from the guests. Such as will guests want an extra smartphone to carry, and will the rapid development of new smartphones and apps make any product the hotel purchases obsolete within mere ounths, and will the guests who are less tech-knowledge accept the new concept.
alibaba0512

ArmorActive Raises iPad POS Industry Standards With New SwitchBack Enclosure - SFGate - 0 views

  • The SwitchBack iPad enclosure is extremely versatile and accommodates a variety of business needs due to its extensive feature set.
  • With several included attachments, the SwitchBack quickly and conveniently transforms to a credit card payment iPad kiosk.
  • The robust friction hinge and lockable quick-release spring-loaded buttons enable ease of adjusting the viewing angle and orientation of the iPad. Using the optional Kensington ClickSafe® cable tether lock, the SwitchBack can also be used as a mobile or secured solution with the turn of a key.
  • ...1 more annotation...
  • Furthermore, the payment adapters will meet the needs of many restaurants, churches, events, and retailers.”
  •  
    It is obvious that IPAD or other mobile device can replace traditional POS system. With simple extra equipment and IOS APP, people can enjoy different kinds of POS service. What's more, with eManu's popularity, tablet can be a a more efficient and cheaper approach for POS. It supplies a brand new way for running business. To sum up, from inventory, shift time, training to POS, this can be a niche for future restaurant.  
Omar Shalaby

Keep your rooms secure from door lock hackers - 0 views

shared by Omar Shalaby on 02 Jun 13 - No Cached
  •  
    Following a robbery at a Houston hotel in which thieves exploited security flaws in Onity locks first revealed at the Black Hat conference in July, Hotel Management spoke with Todd Seiders, director of risk management at Petra Risk Solutions and former director of loss prevention at Marriott, for tips on how hoteliers can keep their rooms secure.
  •  
    Though this was posted in January, I can still remember the situation like it was yesterday. Of course news articles tend to reach the public later than the issue arises; however, we try to be on top of our game. We heard rumor of the break-ins happening, so we did our research and actually found videos on You Tube on how to create the hacking device and use a dry erase marker to conceal the microchip. It was ridiculously simple, yet a huge threat to the entire industry. We called Onity immediately and had our locks all updated with the new software and hardware to prevent the issues. It was a ridiculous charge per lock for them to come out and manually fix them all, which wasn't at all in our budget, but definitely worth the security increase. That's where there is a problem. Most hotels didn't predict this kind of an issue, so it wasn't accounted for in their budgets. Some are willing to spend the extra to ensure safety and security, but some would prefer to do the "mail-in" procedure to get the motherboard replaced for free. That being said, most hotels do not carry an entire second set of locks, I would estimate 10-20% of the number of rooms is the number of extra locks on hand at any given time, functional or not. So, this process takes up quite a bit of time in doing it in the "mail-in" way, as it would take a minimum of 6 shipments to get all locks replaced. That is beyond time consuming and way too long to wait for this important of a matter. I hope all hotels are done with this by now, but still something for everyone to keep in mind while travelling. Always use your deadbolts and privacy locks, never leave your valuables in plain sight, use the in-room safe or safety deposit boxes where available, and use your instincts. Even as a guest, you can still follow the 5 foot rule and greet everyone you see, not only to be nice or courteous, but also to try and weed out the potential thieves!
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