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anonymous

Proximity Marketing: How Your Business Benefits From In-Venue Targeting - 0 views

  • Proximity marketing allows venues to communicate with visitors at the right place and time, with highly relevant, personalized content on their mobile devices. It allows venue owners and businesses to use location as a basis for marketing activities
  • Use cases for retail, hospitality, transportation hubs, smart cities, shopping centers, restaurant
  • Proximity marketing enables marketers to capitalize on the local nature of an onsite visit, where in-the-moment timing can increase engagement with the messages delivered, and trigger impulse buying. For example, consider a buy-one-get-one-free offer on body soap while a visitor is in the personal hygiene aisle
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  • th an effective data-driven marketing suite, marketers can send messages via a WiFi captive portal, SMS, mobile in-app push notifications, email, digital signage, and more.
  • Mobile Apps
  • Email
  • WiFi Captive Portal
  • First, consider connectivity. As previously mentioned, proximity marketing requires one or more technologies to trigger proximity messages (e.g., WiFi, beacons, GPS, etc
  • n conclusion, the value of timing and context in proximity marketing campaigns cannot be understated. The ability to reach your visitors with highly-relevant content, at a time when they’re most likely to act allows you to cut through the noise
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    This site explains the benefits of using Proximity Marketing but this is the side of a company that is selling this marketing tool. It goes into detail of how it works and gives examples. I like how this site goes over the benefits and does touch base on how connectivity is important. It goes over how sms, email, mobile aps and wifi captive portals are beneficial.
Maria Zuniga

Cyber and data security in the hotel industry - PwC Middle East - 0 views

  • In the Digital Era, technology is everywhere; people can connect to your company, your employees, customers, providers and competitors through laptops, smartphones and even wearable devices.
  • With increasing reliance comes increasing risk, many of which are outside the Enterprise’s control.
  • Legal and regulatory problems bring their own special range of issues. Locking horns with regulators, litigants and judges is the last thing that business needs.
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  • This is a landmark piece of legislation that will radically change our perceptions on how personal data should be handled in business
  • The simple truth is that cyber security and data privacy problems can be big news and newsworthiness drives awareness levels
  • Cyber and data security emerged to prominence as a massive risk area, due to a series of high profile breaches affecting payment cards
  • There is also the economic interest in gaining commercial advantages from the use of personal data. Gaining better customer insights and providing them with personalised services are now recognised by many in the hotel industry as core business goals.
  • The purpose of the GDPR is to put people back in control of their personal information and to improve how entities look after personal information while it is in their custody.
  • when things go wrong and they are fully aware of the fact that some of the world’s biggest, richest and more powerful entities have been humbled by poor approaches to security and privacy.
  • This case has established a need for the development of comprehensive information security programmes, annual security audit cycles and post-incident investigations in the hotel sector.
  • Businesses need to think about trust, confidence and brand health and reputation.
  • they have to do much more to tackle the security and cyber risks they face and to live up to the expectations that society places in them
  • People responsible for security and privacy in hotels ought to ask themselves whether their entities have appropriate Visions for desired end states. If not, they should bring together the stakeholders to discuss ways to take things forward.
  • regulation is seen as the antidote to market imperfection.
  • Trust, confidence and brand health may operate in a different timeframe to share prices.
  • In other words, suffering security and privacy failure might be like a cancer, where the harm is hidden from view until it is too late. This returns the focus to legal risk.
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    This article is extremely important. I feel like everyone should read it because it goes hand in hand with what we have learned this week in class. The topic of cyber security is something that people need to shift paradigms. This article brings us great points about the digital era we live in. since everything we do in business now a days has to do with technology, it is important to have security and trust in this. With the increase reliance on this technology comes a higher risk. The article brings up that awareness levels of cyber security and data privacy issues are growing at a steady pace. It is extremely important that in the hospitality industry, Businesses think about trust, confidence and brand health and reputation. This highlights the fact that it doesn't matter if security systems are costly, in the long run if something goes wrong that will end up being the most costly. The article mentions that there will be a regulation established by the EU called General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). The purpose of the GDPR is to put people back in control of their personal information and to improve how entities look after personal information while it is in their custody. In conclusion, this gives companies a competitive advantage.
cmogu001

Identifying 9 Solutions Hotel Security Concerns | 2014-07-22 | Security Magazine - 0 views

  • Business and recreational travelers demand safe and secure hotel accommodations and responsive and friendly customer service.
  • A single act of crime on your property could diminish your brand.
  • Maintain Security-Minded Customer Service
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  • While maintaining friendly, responsive interactions with customers is crucial, it is also important to vigilantly follow all security protocols.
  • Key Card Access Review
  • Hotels need to ensure that their key card access systems are not vulnerable to hacking or unlawful access.
  • Establish Evergreen Background Screening Protocol–
  • Control After Hours Access– For maximum safety, posting security personnel at front entrances and other access points is vital
  • Assess Location and Local Crime Statistics–
  • When your guests feel that they are both welcome and watched-over, they will feel more comfortable.
  • When private security works in partnership with law enforcement to respond to these issues, police officers have more time to focus on solving crimes and enforcing the law.
  • Maintain Emergency Response Plan and Team–
  • Proactive security efforts and emergency planning initiatives should also involve everyone with a vested interest in safety and security.
  • Commitment to Ongoing Training–
  • Security professionals should be able to access training in a way that benefits their lifestyle whether it is online or classroom training. 
  • Ensuring that all public spaces are continually monitored by staff and security personnel is crucial in maintaining a hospitable environment. 
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    This article expounds how hoteliers can ensure that their property provides a secure environment, while maintaining friendly customer service. This article goes into further detail about implementing key card access reviews in order to prevent the possibility for a criminal to gain undetectable entree to millions of keycard-protected hotel rooms. According to this article, establishing evergreen background screening protocols and controlling after hours access was also crucial in Hotels ensuring that their key card access systems are not vulnerable to hacking or unlawful access. Above all else, this article goes into great depth about maintaining an emergency response plan and team that would allow hotels to proactively implement prevention and response plans for everything from workplace violence to natural disasters.
lvela051

KOOVS' co-founder launches India's first B2B e-commerce platform for the hospitality se... - 0 views

  • The e-marketplace aims at transforming the B2B hospitality procurement space for buyers as well as suppliers across the country
  • widest catalogue of choicest items with curated shopping experience and secure collaborative space for suppliers & buyers.
  • more than a decade of experience in business management, product development and cross-platform technologies.
    • lvela051
       
      Important to have someone with experience guiding the project. Helps also with business planning.
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  • the real strength of this platform is the way it handles and streamlines the industry supply chain.
  • Talks are on with hotel aggregators for providing curated procurement portal to cater to their specific needs.
    • lvela051
       
      Aims to increase the exposure of the site.
  • helping them define and scale product, harvest technologies and streamline operations.
    • lvela051
       
      Knows how to get started with an e business.
  • improving demand prediction for suppliers and simplifying the process of product discovery and supply chain management.”
    • lvela051
       
      Besides bringing suppliers and buyers closer, helping the demand and supply chain management is a priority for the business.
  • Avinash Garg – a hospitality management veteran who brings with him over 35 years of experience in the Hospitality Industry.
    • lvela051
       
      Knowledge is power.
  • Amit is very positive about the future of hospitality industry and shift to e-procurement.
  • the companies that have adopted the e-commerce route saw a 51% increase in their revenues and a 49% increase in profits.
    • lvela051
       
      Helps to increase the popularity of the site. Seems to be working for the better of those companies that are adapting to using the site.
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    The article goes over the different ways that an Indian company is creating an e commerce platform to transform the way business is done. It goes over the benefits, challenges and impacts that are faced when trying to launch the platform, which is becoming more widely used. With technology providing a bigger platform for the industry, the e marketplace aims to help improve the way suppliers do business, by making it easier to manage sales. The article pointed out that companies who have started to implement the e-commerce have seen 51% increase in revenue, which is remarkable. With all that being mentioned the article does briefly mention how the use of this business aims to provide ways to bring suppliers and buyers to improve the way business is conducted. How the supply chain is handled seems to be the biggest priority of the platform. With e ecommerce being such a major market, the ability to capture the online market is important. I think that the article does not touches upon several points that need be focused on, such as website design and security. Having an operational website that is easy to read and directs the consumer to what they are exactly looking for is one an aspects that affects the way a company does business. I these cases, the quality is as important as the quantity of information that is being given. I went ahead and took a tour of the site and seems easy to use, which is important. The site is generating revenue sales, but with more sales creating more information being stored. Having the ability to adapt to higher volumes of personal information creates a security issue, that would need to be addressed if not handled correctly.
anonymous

Use Of Information System In Tourism & Hospitality Industry - 0 views

  • Information is the most important part of an organization as it allows them to communicate easily with customers & employees. For success in both sort & long run, organizations are focusing on collocation & use of information in appropriate manner.
  • A relational database which is designed for analysing and obtaining information for database rather than transaction processing is called a data warehouse.
  • Information technology plays an important role in tourism & hospitality industry as it helps them in maintain their records & transactions electronically (Govardus and Heijden, 2009)
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  • This report specifies role of MIS in tourism & hospitality industry and how these system can be used to achieve competitive advantage.
  • A variety of database according to their advantages & disadvantages can be used by an organization in tourism & hospitality industry (Rahimi and Haug, 2010). Organizations select their database according to their need, cost involved, amount of data to be stored and size of the company.
  • mplementation of information system helps TUI to gain competitive advantage & strengthen its core competencies. Globalization can be achieved through IT systems and customers can be targeted all over the world. Operational cost is decreased as it makes communication quicker, efficient & cheaper.
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    This article goes over how MIS systems began. Then it talks about the role of MIS in the hospitality industry. It goes over everything you need to know about MIS and how to proficiently use it in the hospitality world.
anonymous

In Hospitality Facilities, Facility Managers Find Many Ways to Improve Sustainability -... - 0 views

  • Waste is one area with the potential for big improvement. In many cases, hotels end up throwing out a lot of waste that could have been recycled. The reason is a lack of local support for recycling programs, Jachimowicz says. "We would move forward with recycling if the local trash haulers had the ability to do that today," he says. "We're recycling at 60 percent of our properties. We'd like nothing better than to get that number up. Short of separating it and hauling it ourselves — and we're not in the trash-hauling business — we're at the mercy of the local haulers." One way to work around the recycling challenge, Gaines says, is to reduce potential waste brought in the door in the first place. "We eliminated the USA Today," he says. "That's huge. All those newspapers? They're gone. Everybody's reading it on their iPad."
  • On the operations side, facility management staff has a large role to play as well. The first thing they have to do is understand that it is a balancing act when it comes to what guests want versus sustainability efforts.
  • "You want to continue to give people a comfortable, acceptable shower without sacrificing using more water,"
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  • Getting to that point of balance sometimes requires breaking some old habits.
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    This article was released back in 2013 when technological advances were still not in place. It was interesting reading over the article and seeing what was expected to be the "future" advances compared to what is to date. Ultimately the idea is the same, we do not want our customers to be uncomfortable with any of the changes but we are trying to become more sustainable with water, electricity, and power overall. I believe that as we advance in the generation more technological advances will appear and what we use today will be a past term, but we must continue to cut down on the usage of water, electricity, and waste in order to head in the right direction.
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    This article talks about the struggle in hotels today to be sustainable. Most resources used by hotels cannot be recycled yet. Waste management is extremely important, but not all hotels are investing in it. Thousands if not millions of dollars could be saved a year with the proper recycling methods and technology.
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    This article goes over the fine line of giving the guest a great experience while also being a sustainable business. It talks about what you can do to remain sustainable while remaining an enjoyable place for guests. It also goes over why its beneficial to be sustainable.
marvahb

Toward a network hospitality | Germann Molz | First Monday - 0 views

shared by marvahb on 18 May 17 - No Cached
  • The growing popularity of online hospitality exchange networks like Couchsurfing and Airbnb point toward a new paradigm of sociality for a mobile and networked society as hospitable encounters among friends and strangers become entangled with social media and networking technologies.
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    Although this article circulates around hospitality, it just goes to show how broad networking has become in this day and age. Individuals from all over the work are using networks to connect with one another and form communities. Throughout the article, the author refers to Andrea Wittel's notion of network sociality and relates it network hospitality. The article goes on to state that Wittel's use of the term 'network' refers both to new structures of electronic connectivity and to practices of making social and professional ties.
rderonville

Jury sides with US Airways against Sabre in GDS antitrust trial of the century - Tnooz - 0 views

  • The jury has returned its verdict in US Airways’s $134 million antitrust lawsuit against travel technology giant Sabre.
  • The airline’s lawyers successfully argued that Sabre had threatened it, saying that it had to accept a contract on Sabre’s terms or else be cut off from a network of thousands of travel agents worldwide who depend on the inventory that the tech giant provides via desktop software.
  • During contract negotiations, Sabre never offered a deal for less than full-content, the airline said. Full-content contracts typically require an airline to provide the same fares it offers via any other channel, such as its own website, to Sabre, too.
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  • full-content contracts are widespread between major airlines and the three major global distribution systems (Sabre, Amadeus, and Travelport), who act as middlemen for plane ticket sales worldwide.
  • Sabre argued that its fees are justified relative to the cost an airline would incur to distribute its fares comparably by other methods. It said consumers benefited by agents having a full array of options for price comparison.
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    The role of GDSs in the travel industry has a major impact on revenue, competition, and reservations. In this article, Sabre, one of the largest known GDSs was sued by US Airways for failing to provide a fair contract to the airline. The lawyers from US Airways claimed that Sabre threatened to "cut off the airlines from a network of thousands of travel agents worldwide who depend on inventory that the tech giant provides via desktop software". The jury concluded that Sabre indeed violated antitrust law. Sabre, apparently, charged US Airways increased fees though their cost per transaction decreased because of the advances in technology. According to the article, Sabre argued that the fees were justified relative to the cost that an airline would incur to distribute its fares by other methods. This helped the agents have access to a plethora of information regarding price comparison. In my opinion, this is just a messy situation. However, it goes to show how important and how much of an impact that GDSs have on airline companies. They determine what consumers or agents readily see on the site. They determine how much of a presence a company has. The GDSs provide company information to a worldwide network that markets to consumers. Having a GDS system hold back or increase fees has proved to be detrimental. Ethical issues have come into play. The fact cannot be ignored that the technology being used by Sabre is helping lower cost for transactions. This decrease in cost should have resulted in a decrease in fees for the airlines. Nevertheless, the key to this article is that GDSs have the power (though Sabre did illegally) to determine which avenue a company goes through in regards to apparent competition and markets. The advancement of GDSs is resulting in lower cost transactions and giving agents and consumers "more bang for their buck". So it is important that the relationship between GDSs and airline companies remain ethical in all ways, especially dealing with
tgood006

Is the Future of Hotel Property Management Systems in the Cloud? | By Dean Minett - Hos... - 1 views

  • The internal server has been a standard fixture of hotels for a few decades now
  • The majority of hotels continue to operate internal servers today. Why? Convenience, security and economy are the main reasons. In many cases, these systems continue to perform reliably and the case for adopting a new way of doing things is simply not compelling enough..
  • Cloud-based property management systems know that a major security breach would be fatal to their business, so they have to invest constantly in security upgrades. Overall, their servers are better equipped to protect against viruses and security breaches.
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  • given all the other benefits of cloud computing, it's difficult to argue that in-house software is a better solution.
  • Internet is a must for any cloud-based PMS. If your connection goes, so will your ability to use the PMS. Investing in a PMS before you invest in rock solid data infrastructure is therefore not the best decision.
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    Cloud computing is ever-evolving and I wonder if it's just today's hype and a trend. As this article shows, cloud computing has a huge impact on PMS. Imagine this: If your hotel is using a cloud-based PMS and you lose your internet connection. What do you do? Hoteliers need a strong case indeed before they entrust their valuable operations and data into these cloud computing providers. In the perspective of a hotelier, I'd be worried.
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    I found this article interesting for this week because it is about Property Management Systems being on the cloud. The author states that many hotels chose to use internal servers because of the convenience, security and the economy. "Cloud-based property management systems know that a major security breach would be fatal to their business, so they have to invest constantly in security upgrades." As a future manager, this is comforting to know because at least these companies know the amount of hackers out there and how important security is for hotels. Another important concern mentioned on the article, is the maintenance and updates. Whenever, the internet goes away and you are on a cloud system, there goes your system. "Investing in a PMS before you invest in rock solid data infrastructure is therefore not the best decision." In conclusion, the cloud based systems are slowly increasing but they have a lot of pros and cons, especially due to the hacking and chaos it may cause a hotel if the internet goes down.
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    Having the property management system in the cloud might be a useful concept but it does bring up a lot of security concerns. Maybe the change should be implemented once a security software has been created that can withstand a breach. But then we know that is not something most companies would wait for. Especially when using the cloud would save them money in the long run.
Angelica Saez

Accounting for Hotels | Small Business - Chron.com - 0 views

  • The amount of money a hotel makes from its rooms depends on the average daily rate and the occupancy. Not only does a hotel's occupancy vary by time of year, but the daily rate also fluctuates.
  • Primary features of this software include recording all financial transactions, accounts payable for vendors and specialized forecasting. The hospitality accounting software is also designed to share information between franchises and their partners.
  • The Securities and Exchange Commission and Public Company Accounting Oversight Board regulations require that hotels — both independent and franchise — establish set processes to record revenue and expenses.
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  • Aside from the basic revenue and expenses, staff must take into consideration the varying room rates, late charges, vendor contracts and charges made to a room.
  • Different-size companies typically require different specs from the software, with larger companies typically requiring more complex features due to the broader nature of their business. QuickBooks and FreshBooks are popular options for smaller companies because of their intuitive interfaces and relative ease of use. For larger companies that may need more elaborate features, NetSuite and Sage Intaact are attractive options because of their capabilities.
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    Hospitality Accounting Software is the primary function of the hotels daily functions. This department helps to predict the revenue and expenses of the hotel while maintaining company standards. Many developments over the years has allows many features to be added in software that specialize in accounting. Features such as financial transactions, accounts payable for vendors and labor tracking. With the due and growing stress of accounting daily challenges many properties have now upgraded their systems where many departments can help take the workload off the accounting department.
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    This article explains the accounting process in the hotels. The article goes in great detail of how the training goes for the employee in charge of the accounting of the hotel and the different softwares and technology they use to help them. With these different types of softwares it helps them record the accounting of the hotel.
yvenisem

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

  • Proximity marketing has been in and out of the headlines since Apple launched iBeacons in 2013. It was a platform that ultimately failed to take off but more refined (and open-source) versions have had better success since then – namely Google’s beacon system.
    • yvenisem
       
      I had no idea of this. Just goes to show that people can keep trying until they get it right
  • You can even create networks to track people as they move around a store, sending them messages based on the aisle they’re walking down or the range of products they’re looking at.
    • yvenisem
       
      This might be frightening for unaware customers. This may even cause some anger because customers are being tracked and many consumers may not like that
  • Customer recalls: Send promotions and other messages to people who leave without buying anything to entice them back into the store.
    • yvenisem
       
      This is less invasive and actually a great idea for businesses to implement in order to promote repeat business
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    This article goes over the very short history of proximity marketing. It was first brought onto the scene by Apple. But after it failed to take off, it was taken up by Google and it flourished. The article goes over how the technology works, but most importantly it goes over the benefits of the technology, all of which promotes repeat business.
khiyara_00

Quality Is More Than Making a Good Product - 0 views

  • Yet 49% of 7,000 consumers surveyed in a separate 1981 study said that the quality of U.S. products had declined in the past five years. In addition, 59% expected quality to stay down or decline further in the upcoming five years.2
  • The first is the greater emphasis advertisements place on the word quality and on such themes as reliab
  • Quality should be primarily customer-driven, not technology-driven, production-driven, or competitor-driven.
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  • a company’s or a product’s quality image obviously cannot be improved overnight
  • d why are they suddenly demanding high
  • how do customers define quality, and why are they suddenly demanding high
  • Product performance and customer service are closely linked in any quality program
  • Asking dealers to conduct a quality audit as soon as the products are received and to attribute defects to either assembly errors or shipping damages.
  • Consumers’ priorities and perceptions also change over time.
  • Companies that try to define their customers’ attitudes on product and service quality often focus too narrowly on the meaning of quality for their products and services; an understanding of changing attitudes in the broader marketplace can be equally valuable.
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    This article provided data on customer's who feel quality of products have depreciated over the years. It also goes to mention how companies incorporate word to make consumers think they have the best quality product although in reality they have done nothing different to make it more reliable. It also goes to mention different ways companies try to retain its customers by offering warranties and other promotional programs.
avanzado

The disruptive mobile wallet in the hospitality industry: An extended mobile technology... - 2 views

  • A self-administered questionnaire was utilised to collect data from mobile wallet users who have used a mobile wallet while dining out in restaurants and cafes. Other than technology self-efficacy and perceived critical mass, mobile usefulness, mobile ease of use, mobile self-efficacy, and perceived enjoyment were discovered to have a positive and significant association with the behavioural intention to adopt mobile wallet in the hospitality industry.
  • M-wallet is a service that enables users to store their debit or credit card information, pay for goods and services, and request/send money from/to their contacts [5]. Just like a physical wallet, a m-wallet can store credit card numbers, electronic cash, owner identity, information of contact, billing or shipping details and other information [6]. As the popularity of m-devices continues to increase, m-wallet is expected to be a prevalent payment method in the future for various financial transactions [4].
  • The Central Bank of Malaysia has been continuing its efforts to accelerate the promotion of m-wallet adoption and use [9]. M-wallet is expected to play a pivotal role in catalysing new consumer behaviours that move users away from cash and towards electronic transactions.
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  • In particular, 93% of Malaysians still prefer to pay cash when dining out [10]. In other words, the utilisation of m-wallet is only at a maximum of 7% in this context.
  • Also, owing to the COVID-19 pandemic that demands everyone to practice a “new normal”, m-wallet is encouraged over cash in making payments to avoid infection [27,28].
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    This article goes into depth directly within the Malaysian hospitality industry, of using mobile wallet specifically in restaurants. The Malaysian country wants to to only use mobile wallet however the citizens are mostly cash users. Mobile wallet or M-wallet is used on our telephones that hold our credit/debit card information and have the ability to pay services, people and more. It can be used in stores, restaurants, online and through applications. Malaysia would like to shed light on the m-wallet for their country to shift to a cashless society. As Covid-19 is a way for the m-wallet to be more seen and used to prevent cash exchanges therefore preventing spreading germs. It then goes into the theories and hypothesis of m-wallet as a whole; the technology used. There was a total of 450 questionnaires and 413 responses for the data in whether using mobile wallet was efficient and the level of difficulty it holds. While in this day and age we all have the ability to use mobile wallet. I believe this change in Malaysia will attract tourism from Americans being able to use m-wallet. This will then limit the currency change and we will be able to use our phones for payments without having to exchange money and being able to be as contact-less as possible. Now, while I do not know what the effects of Covid-19 have been in Malaysia, if the mobile wallet is now their everyday use. I hope that their shift has started to work and is making progress.
jordanskj

A GDS Primer: What is the GDS and Which Travel Agents Need It? - 0 views

  • The advantage to travel agents is that the GDS not only can show you many fares from multiple airlines, but it also offers a great depth of information about each flight in one place. The carrier, the times, the costs, the class of the seat, aircraft type and so much more. It’s a smorgasbord of options. So if you’re booking a high volume of tickets, it’s great to have access to every minutiae of information from multiple carriers in one go.
  • In today’s world, the GDSs have a bit of a split personality. There is the old school, traditional GDS commonly called “the green screen.” Then there’s the hip side of the GDSs, which people will call “point and click” or “GUI” (Graphical User Interface). Essentially, it’s a more intuitive and prettier looking version of the GDS.
  • To learn the GDS green screen takes intense training, and to become proficient takes tons of practice and constant use. That means daily use with a mentor (for at least 6 months to a year), not just booking a ticket for a client every few weeks.
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  • While new agents can partially navigate the GDS with the GUI interface, the code that comes back still has important information like fare types and rules that the agents really needs to understand. So many agents, in the end, need to learn the green screen (and find it faster) regardless.
  • One of the reasons that most leisure agents don’t need the GDS is because the air will be included in a vacation package by the tour operator, or you can book it with the cruise line and you don’t need to use the GDS.
  • Global Distribution System (GDS) is a travel agent’s motherboard for booking airline tickets and other sorts of travel goodies (like hotel and car)
  • It can be easy to confuse the GDS with a Central Reservation System or Computerized Reservation System (CRS). CRSs are automated inventory-tracking systems that were (originally) owned and run by individual vendors (like airlines, car companies and hotels).
  • GDSs function as an umbrella for many many CRS systems. It’s like a CRS motherboard. (In fact, many vendors outsource their CRS systems to a GDS.)
  • an show you many fares from multiple airlines, but it also offers a great depth of information about each flight in one place. The carrier, the times, the costs, the class of the seat, aircraft type and so much more. It’s a smorgasbord of options. So if you’re bookin
  • If you are a leisure travel agent, there’s a huge whopping huge chance that you don’t need to use a GDS
  • American Airlines created the first CRS system in 1946. And while this helped automate inventory for vendors, travel agents did not have direct access to that inventory. Travel agents would need to call the airline’s booking center, who would then contact one of their CRS operators, then relay the results to the travel agent over the phone (literally, like playing telephone). It took a lot of people power to book a single airline ticket. Travelers booking their own ticket? Forget about it! 
  • There are many GDS options, and each GDS system will has access to their own pool of carriers. The four largest GDSs are: Amadeus, Sabre, Travelport (which is the parent company of Apollo/Galileo and Worldspan).
  • Let me be blunt: unless you’re some kind of prodigy, the GDS green screens are not user friendly. Be afraid, be very afraid.
  • he GUI is the point-and-click version of the GDS. You may have heard of options such as Sabre Red Workspace and TravelPort Smartpoint. So why doesn’t everyone use it? Here’s the problem: At its current stage of development, even GUI users need to understand the language of the green screen.
  • Essentially, the GUI interface isn’t quite there yet . . . and developing this technology is reeeeeally expensive and comes with a lot of growing pain
  • To book in the GDS, you must have an IATA/IATAN accreditation number, in addition to an ARC accreditation number if you’re located in the United States.
  • As a new agent, you can’t get these accreditation numbers because they require a lot of experience. So you come into the industry under a host agency (more on what a host agency is) and use their accreditation number instead.
  • Corporate travel agents book a whole lot of air, so the GDS is pretty much a must for them.
  • If your specialty is around the world tickets or you have a steady stream of clients with multi-stop itineraries, the GDS will be a necessity. 
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    This article looks at GDS and GUI systems and gives a holistic viewpoint of performance, positives and negatives, and what type of agencies can utilize each system. I felt that the more complicated system and its requirements for agency users to have and understanding of coding, made the GUI system more likely to have a higher utilization in the future.
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    The article delves into the importance of GDSs and travel agents along with the controversy surrounding their evolution as airlines are trying to encourage more direct bookings to make more profits and avoid paying commission to travel agents.
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    This article goes into detail about GDS's, the history of GDS's, and if travel agents actually need to use them. The article first explains what a GDS system is, a brief description stating "Global Distribution System (GDS) is a travel agent's motherboard for booking airline tickets and other sorts of travel goodies (like hotel and car)". The article then quickly goes into a brief history of the GDS. GDS was created by America Airlines in 1946, making it easier to check inventory for vendors, though it would still take some time for this technology to reach the travel agents. "Travel agents would need to call the airline's booking center, who would then contact one of their CRS operators, then relay the results to the travel agent over the phone (literally, like playing telephone). It took a lot of people power to book a single airline ticket". We then take a turn, and learn about the usability of a GDS, and that it's quite low. GDS's are not user-friendly, but sadly sometimes a necessity for certain types of travel agents. These types mostly being the ones who book lots of corporate travel arrangements. Lastly, the article discusses if a GDS is right for your business, and if you decide it's not, how to go about booking things without it.
mmdmd99999

How to Keep Your Business Running When the Internet Goes Down - 0 views

  • How to Keep Your Business Running When the Internet Goes Down
  • One solution to ensure uninterrupted service is redundant internet.
  • 72% of small to midsize companies have at least some of their processes in the cloud
  • ...6 more annotations...
  • If delays happen too many times, they're likely to take their business elsewhere.
  • US small businesses are projected to lose $40 billion in productivity because of internet outages in 2020
  • the brunt of the loss will be felt by the smallest businesses that overwhelmingly do not have internet backup solutions in place. These businesses will lose $22 billion in productivity – the equivalent of just over $4,500 per year per business establishment.
  • Redundant internet is a connection that kicks in automatically when your primary internet connection goes down, which means you never lose connectivity. It's like having a backup generator that can keep a home running after a storm knocks out the neighborhood's power.
  • 66% of small businesses saying that an internet outage would be critical or extreme, Independence Research found that the majority have no internet backup plan, with many likely not having a business continuity and disaster recovery (BCDR) plan.
  • Just 2% of companies with 1 to 20 employees — vulnerable businesses that could suffer significant losses after one significant outage — have redundancies in place.
  •  
    internet redundancy
jsanc478

Getting E-waste Right | Green Lodging News - 8 views

  • In the past decade, televisions have grown bigger, then flatter, then bigger again. The emphasis is on the new: buy now, because your old television is clearly, decidedly obsolete.
  • The demand for the current and the top of the line strikes a chord especially in the hospitality industry.
  • equal to, or greater than, those offered by their competitors.
  • ...22 more annotations...
  • The result is a product cycle that matches the pace of innovation:
  • Between consumers and businesses, an estimated 50 million tons of electronic waste is disposed of each year. Some of that is recycled properly. The rest is not.
  • Nearly 400 million units of consumer electronics are sold per year. Relatively light regulations and recycling standards result in th
  • Multiple Solutions for Hoteliers Despite the doom and gloom, there are a multitude of solutions to the hospitality industry’s e-waste problem.
  • The remaining 86.4 percent made its way into landfills,
  • Old TVs and computer monitors contain lead, cadmium and brominated flame retardants; all of which are hazardous to personal and environmental well-being.
  • 90 percent of the e-waste that is recycled is sent overseas.
  • Developing countries have become ground zero for e-waste collection
  • . According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, only 13.6 percent of all e-waste was recycled properly in 2007
  • That hotels upgrade their televisions is not an issue as long as their existing units are recycled properly
  • It starts with awareness:
  • Then hoteliers can move to change a different statistic:
  • , hoteliers should seek out domestic recyclers and take care of their e-waste recycling with proven, safe commodities.
  • Environmentally responsible, eco-savvy hotels are in vogue right now, appealing to customers with promises of sustainable travel and accommodation
  • Sustainable building materials, recycling services and even linen reuse programs are tangible ways for guests to see that their hosts are eco-conscious.
  • Green Hospitality with a Backbone
  • Green hospitality makes money, but it mustn’t be without a backbone.
  • Actual green hospitality outweighs the appearance of green hospitality
  • organizations hop on the sustainability bandwagon, it is more important than ever that recycling becomes permanent,
  • This means actively looking for and implementing recycling solutions, not simply shipping our problems overseas.
  • e recycle and reuse more than ever. B
  • E-waste recycling, for most people and companies, is not a day-to-day occurrence, which means we should be ready to handle it when the time comes
  •  
    This article is based on how we can improved e-wastes on doing little changes that will benefit on our future. Most of the e-waste is not recycle properly, we buy things after things and more after more, every time a new technology comes up there is the motivation on buying what is the lasted cool technology, and what about what we have , where does it go ? to the trash or recycle, but we do not know where that recycling goes, I believe learning more about it will help on our routine of how to recycle better and help with this process to proceed right.
  •  
    We quickly move to 'next' as far as technology goes and rarely think about how to get rid of it when obsolete. In the Caribbean for example, there are not may recycling plants for e-waste, in fact, many rarely do recycling on a whole. In the Turks and Caicos, disposing of a television or a phone is as simple as throwing it in the trash among everything else. What happens next? It goes into the landfills and there they lie. Imagine the toxic waste from over 40,000 inhabitants on a small island. While moving with the crowd seems to be the way of the world, I believe government entities must act swiftly in ensuring e-waste is disposed of correctly to preserve this island and its inhabitants for generations to come. The technology should not outpace the disposal thereof.
cleon087

Green IT | Green Hotelier - 2 views

  • Reducing energy, emissions and waste are concepts that have been around for many years, but one area that is often overlooked is information technology (IT).
  • it was estimated that 360 million computers were manufactured.
  • quiring over 10 times its weight in fossil fuels to make.
    • cleon087
       
      Computers waste a lot of energy and parts
  • ...30 more annotations...
  • 22kg of toxic chemicals, 240kg of fossil fuels and 1,500 kg of water.
  • consuming 15% of the total electricity used in offices
  • 50 million tons of e-waste was generated worldwide, but only 13% was recycled. US Environmental Protection Agency
  • Reusing working computers is up to 20 times more energy-efficient than recycling them
  • hich utilises the naturally cool environment below ground to reduce power consumption, and increase energy efficiency.
  • o date, more than 28,761 IT assets have been recycled (waiting for latest stats), which equates to 629,408lbs of e-waste diverted from landfill.
    • cleon087
       
      I wonder where is the recycling actually taking pace
  • Big hotel companies have wised up to the costs involved in operating inefficient hardware and are driving system changes to cut wasteful expenditure.
  • nt. A data centre’s life expectancy is relatively long so it is imperative it is built to the highest standards in terms of efficiency as any excess energy use will lead to significant cost implications over the years.
  • most energy-efficient data centre possible.
  • Get the right equipment.
  • Only get the data storage capacity that is currently required and forecast for the lifespan. Many d
  • Don’t have servers or equipment that will not be used.
  • , such as water cooling.
  • allows a single user to access several physical devices on one terminal. A computing device dedicated to an individual member of staff or allocated for one software application is highly inefficient and expensive. Virtualisation consolidates resources, requiring less power and cooling.
  • cloud computing
    • cleon087
       
      We discussed this in class about the benefits of it.
  • e. Once you know what’s using the power, focus on why and whether it’s possible to reduce consumption. Spotlight on Fairmont Hotels & Resorts - T
  • into account not only the initial outlay cost of hardware, but also the running costs.
    • cleon087
       
      It's not only important to know the start up cost but what it cost to maintain it.
  • e up to 30% more energy, making it significantly more expensive when looking at the total cost of running that appliance during its lifespan.
    • cleon087
       
      It doesn't seem obvious but getting something cheaper will cost heavy in the long term.
  • investigate options to upgrade with the latest energy-efficient components to extend appliances’ working life and efficiency
  • Green labels
  • Data centres last 30-odd years and you can’t go back in and fix them, so they need to be efficient. Over time, this saves money as they run efficiently. Servers have to be Energy Star-compliant or I won’t even talk to vendors.”
  • is to reuse, not recycle
  • and flat screens often being replaced well before the end of their shelf life and ending up in landfill, it’s imperative that the most is made of these materials by reusing them productively.
    • cleon087
       
      Normally people just upgrade because something new came out instead of using it until it stops working.
  • Dumping e-waste on developing countries was until recently commonplace, and it has caused huge environmental problems and harm to human health in countries such as Ghana and China. But new legislation, including the EU WEEE Directive and the 2010 US Responsible Electronics Recycling Act, has stopped countries from being able to export e-waste.
  • dopted a scheme where the cost of recycling an electronic item is included in the purchase price. In Switzerland, they’ve been able to return all electronic waste to their place of purchase since 2005, and in the European Union, Taiwan, South Korea and Japan manufacturers must by law recycle 75% of the e-waste they produce.
  • Smaller, more efficient processors.
  • which have greater memory storage capacity while requiring less energy and space. They are due to be on the shelf in about three years.
  • pecialist data centre design.
  • all sizes are starting to view IT outsourcing as a viable option to gain flexibility and reduce short-term costs and increase transparency of cost structures and processes.
  • 6. Water cooling
  •  
    Green IT is an aspect of technology that many people do even consider when thinking about sustainability. According to Computer Aid International, "The production of a computer requires 22kg of toxic chemicals, 240kg of fossil fuels and 1,500 kg of water. 80% of life-cycle energy use is accounted for before we even switch a PC on for the first time." This statistic alone should be enough for us to take action. Marriott has started taking action, however. They created an underground data center where the power consumption goes down and efficiency goes up. Cloud computing is also a massive help due to the fact that the physical software wont be on the desktop computers or laptops being operated so the power consumption will be lowered there as well.
  •  
    Green IT is an aspect of technology that many people do even consider when thinking about sustainability. According to Computer Aid International, "The production of a computer requires 22kg of toxic chemicals, 240kg of fossil fuels and 1,500 kg of water. 80% of life-cycle energy use is accounted for before we even switch a PC on for the first time." This statistic alone should be enough for us to take action. Marriott has started taking action, however. They created an underground data center where the power consumption goes down and efficiency goes up. Cloud computing is also a massive help due to the fact that the physical software wont be on the desktop computers or laptops being operated so the power consumption will be lowered there as well.
  •  
    This article focuses on the importance of having green IT in business. It shows example of other hotels that have already adopted green IT. Not only this but it offers tips for businesses that are looking to adopt green it. It highlights the issue of recycling computers instead of reusing it . They recommend to use the appliance until it doesn't work.
Tracy Kohn

Property Management Goes Mobile - 1 views

  •  
    In this article it begins to explain property management systems PMS going mobile in the hotel industry and how beneficial it is for hotel corporations and for customers. The author explained that the most in-demand PMS function for hotels is the ability to have a real time data of room availability, access to guest information such as comments and special request, room/ work order status, and up-to-date pricing. For customers facing mobile apps they would enjoy the guest self-service of booking, self check-in/out, service request, and messaging to staff. However even though mobile devices makes such functionality seem easier mobile-enabling a PMS is not easy at all in fact, making functions available via a browser would be a huge transition for a business.
  • ...1 more comment...
  •  
    In this article it begins to explain property management systems PMS going mobile in the hotel industry and how beneficial it is for hotel corporations and for customers. The author explained that the most in-demand PMS function for hotels is the ability to have a real time data of room availability, access to guest information such as comments and special request, room/ work order status, and up-to-date pricing. For customers facing mobile apps they would enjoy the guest self-service of booking, self check-in/out, service request, and messaging to staff. However even though mobile devices makes such functionality seem easier mobile-enabling a PMS is not easy at all in fact, making functions available via a browser would be a huge transition for a business.
  •  
    More and more are properties interested in having a PMS device that they can be accessed at anytime and anywhere. The answer to this challenge is to have PMS functions accessible via mobile devices which can be challenging for some of the systems, especially those that do not reside in cloud. For some smaller properties, the goal is to have no front desk at all and some have been quite successful in making this a reality. As stated in the Property Management Goes Mobile article, the ski resort Tremblant Elysium has been successful with using the cloud-based FrontDesk Anywhere. The guests receive a letter a week prior to check in containing a door code and 30 minutes after their arrival concierge comes to their room to complete their check in and sign the registration card. The CEO of Tremblant Elysium stated: "Guests love it because it is simple and easy and we do not have staff waiting around for people to check in." As stated in the article, guest require for Mobile PMS to include access to room availability and full front desk access including guest profiles and preferences, room/work order status, up-to-date pricing and housekeeping access for rooms statutes. Mobile-enabling PMS can be quite challenging to design, as it can bring difficulties with screen size, performance or choosing which device to use as the code must be re-written for each one. Another major concern for this type of PMS is the synchronization with other system with which PMS is integrated. As hotelier consider implementing mobile-enabling PMS device for their property, there are concerns about security as far as data storage or mobile check-in or the issuing of keys for guests. In my opinion mobile-enabling PMS is the future for smaller properties. Why would a hotel need to have a stand-alone front desk when we can use mobile phones to do the work for us as we are on the go? Eventually, we can have our staff cross trained in smaller properties all equipped with phones, all available to ch
  •  
    This article discusses the wish-list for hoteliers when they are considering cloud-based systems.Tthe most in-demand mobile PMS functions include GM access to KPIs, CRM and room availability, and front desk staff access to guest information such as comments and special requests, room/work order status and consolidated messaging among staff. It would seem that with all of these personal apps that are appearing on the market, that mobilizing a PMS would be easy, but that is not the case. The code is not universal; i.e. code must be re-written for each one, although there are tools like service-oriented architecture and html5 to help. There will naturally be concerns when considering adopting a mobile PMS across properties. Before investing in a roll-out of new technology, decision-makers must ask the right questions dealing with security, data storage, and functionality.
rebecca Bonet

New Green Hotel Tech Includes Smart Fireplaces, Lights With Memory || HotelChatter - 2 views

  • We're geeky enough to love new hotel technology, but we've got our green side too;
  • Most of the new green tech developments are focused on reducing energy use, and it seems like there are some killer new innovations coming to hotels at the moment.
  • they control what gets switched on and off using the system that tells them when a guest comes and goes.
  • ...12 more annotations...
  • Other hotels are doing similar things (and even more). An example of a newly-developed energy efficient amenity:
  • And the conference also talked a lot about putting solar panels on hotel roofs with government subsidies.
  • Hospitality Industry Technology Exposition and Conference in New Orleans.
  • We're geeky enough to love new hotel technology, but we've got our green side too;
  • The system will remember how lights are set and if the fireplace is on and will shut down 20 minutes after the guest leaves and come back to the same setting when guest returns.
  • Hospitality Industry Technology Exposition and Conference in New Orleans.
  • Most of the new green tech developments are focused on reducing energy use, and it seems like there are some killer new innovations coming to hotels at the moment
  • For example, at Hotel 1000 in Seattle,  they control what gets switched on and off using the system that tells them when
  • a guest comes and goes.
  • Other hotels are doing similar things (and even more). An example of a newly-developed energy efficient amenity
  • The system will remember how lights are set and if the fireplace is on and will shut down 20 minutes after the guest leaves and come back to the same setting when guest returns.
  • And the conference also talked a lot about putting solar panels on hotel roofs with government subsidies.
  •  
    While we all know now it's the technology era, customers would like prefer new hotel technology which would enhance their experience. When we are geeky enough to love new hotel technology, however, we have got our green side too. For example, in hospitality industry, some hotels control what gets switched on and off using the system that tells them when a guest comes and goes; some also talked about putting solar panels on hotel roofs with government subsidies. Applying new technology in hospitality industry also will have some negative side as everything has two sides. it is just a kind of balance thing. We just need to find the most suitable ones for our hotels and customers.
  •  
    The article talks about how hotel are getting into more green technology. In New Orleans they had a conference for hotel own and GM that want to get greener with their hotel technology. The new green tech development is focused on reducing energy use. For example the new developed energy efficient system will remember how light are set and if the fireplace is on and will shut down 20 minutes after the guest leave and come back to the same setting. It will be a big saving for the hotel especially when the power bills comes in they will notice a different
Marcos Oliveira

Debuts An iPad Point-Of-Sale In A Box | TechCrunch - 0 views

  • Revel Systems, an iPad point-of-sale company backed by $3.7 million in funding
  • Revel Router,” as the device is being called, is an Apple-certified “made for iPad” technology that allows shops to run their POS through an Apple iPad.
  • the system forgoes the need for an ISP-provided Internet connection in order to work – the whole thing can run off the iPad’s 3G or 4G
  • ...7 more annotations...
  • company is selling the device as a package deal including an iPad, the router, peripherals, and POS software
  • a restaurant owner or retail owner doesn’t even know when the Internet goes out,” she says.”This is the biggest problem in these establishments, and it’s our biggest support headache
  • around 300 locations have the system installed
  • The way the system works involves proprietary hardware and a patent-pending wireless protocol
  • system isn’t really designed for mobility, but rather aims to replace the existing, stationary set-ups at the point-of-sale
  • starting package is $3,330 and includes an iPad, cash box, printer, credit card swiper, the router, and the software license
  • two support packages – email and online ticketing support for $100/month or per terminal fee that’s available 24/7.
  •  
    Revel Systems is an iPad point of sale company that is backed by $3.7 million in funding. The Revel Router is an Apple certified made for iPad technology that allows shops to run their POS through an Apple iPad. The company is selling the device as a package deal which includes an iPad, the routerm peripherals and the POS software. Currently there are 300 locations installed. Revel CEO Lisa Falzone says that a restaurant owner or retail owner doesnt even know when the internet goes out and with the iPad being on either 3G or 4G connectivity this problem will not exist. Also the need for intenret is eliminated due to the iPad. The system isnt really designed for mobility but rather it aims to replace the existing, stationary setups at the point of sale. The starting package is $3,330 and includes an iPad, cash box, printer, credit card swiper, the router, and the software license. The company offers two support pacakges and meail and online ticketing support for $100/month or per terminal fee thats available 24/7. The use of the iPad will make it easier for an establishment that is just starting out. Rather than running wires and installing internet, the use of the iPad will give the same functionality that a regualr touchscreen POS can bring. The amount of downtime due to internet failure is virtually non existent and the cost is at a very affordable price for any restaurant..
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