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deden004

What is Cloud Computing & Why is it Important? | Accenture - 1 views

  • Cloud is a model of computing where servers, networks, storage, development tools, and even applications (apps) are enabled through the internet. Instead of organizations having to make major investments to buy equipment, train staff, and provide ongoing maintenance, some or all of these needs are handled by a cloud service provider.
  • With a public cloud environment, users "plug into" the data and applications via an internet connection giving anytime, anywhere access.
  • Cloud is often pay-as-you-go, where you only pay for what you use. Think about how a utility company meters how much water, electricity, or gas is used and charges based on consumption. The cloud is the same.
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  • Services can be requested and provisioned quickly, without the need for manual setup and configuration.
  • Cloud often uses the multi-tenancy model. This means a single application is shared among several users. So, rather than creating a copy of the application for each user, several users, or "tenants" can configure the application to their specific needs.
  • Cloud platforms are elastic. An organization can scale its resource usage levels up or down quickly and easily as needs change.
  • Before cloud computing, companies had to store all their data and software on their own hard drives and servers. The bigger the company, the more storage they needed.
  • This way of treating data is not scalable at speed
  • t's not just businesses that benefit from cloud computing. The cloud has transformed our lives as individuals as well.
  • cloud technology means that companies can scale and adapt at speed and scale, accelerate innovation, drive business agility, streamline operations, and reduce costs.
  • The first thing to consider is the deployment model—public cloud, private cloud, hybrid cloud, and multi-cloud. The next element is the service category—Saas (Software as a Service), Paas (Platform as a Service) and Iaas (Infrastructure as a service). When a company is considering its cloud migration strategy, it must consider both factors.
  • using an internet connection to access computing resources hosted on data centers managed by a third-party cloud service provider, rather than owning and maintaining these resources on-premise
  • hyperscalers.
  • organizations concerned about sharing resources on a public cloud.
  • A private cloud environment gives you complete control over data and securit
  • IaaS is the simplest option for businesses. With IaaS, an organization migrates its hardware—renting servers and data storage in the cloud rather than purchasing and maintaining its own infrastructure.
  • PaaS is a popular choice for businesses who want to create unique applications without making major financial investments.
  • SaaS is the most commonly used cloud application service and is becoming a dominant way for organizations to access software applications.
  • Hybrid cloud eliminates reliance on any single cloud provider and allows for additional levels of flexibility in terms of capabilities, security compliance, etc.
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    The article I chose is about the cloud. The cloud as its described in this article is a model of computing enabled by internet access that connects servers and networks to the public without the need to purchase large expensive equipment or staff to perform maintenance, and rather pay a monthly fee where this along with other services are performed. In this article we are given step by step instructions on the cloud computing environment and there five key characteristics. From internet access to measured service, on demand self-service, shared recourse pooling to rapid elasticity, the cloud encompasses many things and if you were like me, unsure of the what the cloud is and its functions, here is a is a step by step manual on the cloud and what it can do for you.
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.
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  • 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
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    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.
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    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.
pjohn091

The Property Management System (PMS) of the future is already here | By Max Starkov - 0 views

  • The traditional, legacy PMS is an on-premises software platform with features and functionality ranging from barebones to rich and very complex. These legacy platforms have a number of serious disadvantages: a) too expensive to install, train staff and maintain, b) their "all-in-one solution approach" stifles innovation and prevent quick adoption of new functionality needed to meet new guest requirements or sudden changes in the market conditions, like the contactless experience from last year, and c) as closed systems they are reluctant to open up to third-party integrations, applications and solutions, depriving the property and its guests from some very innovative and much-needed applications and services.
  • Some of the benefits of the cloud PMS are significant and timely: No upfront costs - its pay-per-use model makes it an operating expense (OpEx), which helps the constricted cash flow Easy to install, train staff and use which increases staff productivity Automation of many administrative tasks, saving the property team time and effort AI driven workflows and database management and intelligence Automatic software upgrades with minimum downtime and no extra cost No need for on-property IT support, which is getting quite unattainable in the post-crisis era Complete automation of redundant processes and tasks, allowing the property to operate with leaner staff The ever-changing data security requirements are handled by professional data security engineers at the cloud PMS vendor Provides guests with contactless guest experience and mobility. Upgrade and up-sell capabilities or easy integration with an upsells vendor, important in this depressed revenue environment Easy access to reporting and performance analytics from any device anywhere. Most importantly, an Open API for seamless, fast and free or low-cost connectivity with the myriad innovative third-party vendors out there. Ex. Oracle's legacy OPERA PMS has 400 API capabilities vs the OPERA Cloud PMS with 3,000 API capabilities.
  • he three main advantages of the OPERTA Cloud PMS over the legacy PMS:
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  • Ability to achieve more with fewer resources,
  • Security of data
  • Ability to be agile, adapt and evolve
  • the three key advantages of the cloud PMS over the legacy PMS:
  • Flexibility:
  • Ease and efficiency:
  • Connectivity:
  • I believe over the next 5 years the adoption of cloud PMS solutions will explode and this will be the highest growth component of the hotel tech stack
  • Why? Low costs, efficiencies, higher productivity and data security aside, in the near and mid-term a full-service 3-4-5-star hotel will need over 100 plus APIs with third-party tech applications and solutions to be able to function and meet the basic needs and wants of today's digitally-savvy travelers.
  • According to Laura Calin from Oracle Hospitality, switching from a legacy to a cloud PMS has occurred traditionally when a) on-premises hardware reaches end-of-life and warranties are expiring, or b) when a brand affiliation comes to an end and a replacement system is required.
  • (PMS) is the hotel 's command center for rooms and F&B management, sales and catering, distribution, availability, pricing, reservations, guest interactions, issue resolution, housekeeping, reporting, billing, guest communications, etc. and is often described as "the central nervous system of the hotel operations."
  • the three key advantages of the cloud PMS over the legacy PMS:
  • Luckily for our industry, the future is already here in the form of a cloud PMS with Open API (application programming interface) integration platform, just on time in this most challenging era in our industry.
  • Ever since the emergence of the cloud-first PMS platforms like Cloudbeds and Mews, there has been a monumental shift in the PMS vendor community's mindset: from closed system mentality to cloud PMS with Open API mentality. At Oracle Hospitality, with the adoption of the Oracle's self-service cloud technology tools, the OPERA Cloud PMS with Open API has become the most important innovation strategy
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    This article deals with cloud PMS and its advantages. Some of the advantages stated by the article are efficiency, low cost, and provides guest with more contactless experience. This is a new trend we are starting to see emerge into the industry especially now more than ever after the events that have occurred due to the pandemic.
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    Seems to me this took a lot longer for companies to start getting onboard then I would have anticipated. The cost perspective and ease of use should have attracted people right away. Not having to house or protect on site servers from damage and theft is also a critical point. Not to mention the ability to grow the system when necessary.
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    The article discusses traditional PMS, an on-premises software platform that can range from very basic to extremely powerful and complex. Installation, training and maintenance are expensive for such platforms, and they stifle innovation by not allowing third-party integrations, applications, and solutions. Cloud-based hotel management systems with Open API integration platforms are the future of hotel management software. They are cost-effective and offer many operational benefits. Operating expenses such as the OPERA Cloud PMS improve cash flow, are easy to install, train personnel, and automate many administrative processes. Also, it provides easy access to reporting and performance analytics, as well as contactless guest experiences and mobility.
imgonnarecit

Cloud Computing Is Becoming the Default Setting for Enterprise Business - 1 views

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    " It is a reasonable argument that the only reason millions of workers have been able to successfully work remotely over the past year is because cloud computing has reached a level of maturity that now makes working without the cloud unthinkable. Microsoft 365 is arguably the most widely used. Cloud computing is no longer a choice, but rather the default position of any organization that wants to remain competitive. The number of ShareGate desktop users performing on-premises SharePoint upgrades decreased by 19.7 percent in 2020. On-premises operations decreased by 60.63 percent. Operations to migrate from on-premises to the cloud increased by 37.2 percent. Cloud-based operations jumped by 50.1 percent. Cloud-to-cloud migrations increased by 67.9 percent and included the transfer of 144 percent more terabytes of data in 2020 versus 2019. Microsoft also made significant investments in industry specific certifications in financial services, energy, health and manufacturing to meet the stringent requirements of these heavily regulated environments, making it an even more attractive option for enterprise clients. He pointed out that companies that need extreme low-latency transactions, have geographical proximity restrictions or highly secure data handling needs should consider traditional methods as well as the cloud While security is improving, some old and new attack vectors remain for cloud-based applications. That threat landscape will continue to grow as the market for cloud and SaaS networks and platforms expands and bad actors follow the money. The cloud service providers are asking businesses to trade off convenience for control. That will never happen. Further, there is only one cross-cloud provider standard, K8. The other area in need of standardization is security notification. Every cloud provider reports security events to customers separately, with different languages and syntax. Cloud consumption is linear but cloud security notification is exponential.
ortiz004

Cloud Computing and the Hospitality Industry - Insights - 0 views

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    I found this article about cloud computing and the hospitality industry on the website eHotelier. The article focuses on the hospitality industry's unique relationship with technology. Technology has helped the hospitality industry grow throughout the years. With technology, the hospitality industry can offer better services to its customers, and technology also helps develop the tourism industry. The hospitality industry has included technology innovation as it continues evolving with better technology. For example, hotels can now handle information on internal servers and record customer visits through bookings and in-house data systems. Nowadays, hotels are now using cloud computing because it is inexpensive, provides an accessible service, offers faster service and stronger security, and reduces service and cost because it can be flexible when it comes to business demands. Cloud computing in the hospitality industry is very helpful because the services are faster and more efficient. It decreases wait times, which is valuable for offering customer services and customer satisfaction. Customers can have a more personalized service upon arrival or when checking out. The hotel staff also be aware of guests' room preferences, food, activities, and everything the guest likes before arriving on the premises. Hotels can also partner with travel agencies through the cloud because it offers the opportunity to share applications of data-sharing services. In addition, the cloud also has the benefit of reducing workforce and administration tasks.
mabbate

How to Use Facial Recognition for Hospitality - 1 views

  • s. For example, the software stores customer payment methods and loyalty memberships which means staff and patrons don’t need to handle cash or cards to pay a bill or collect benefits.
  • Facial recognition technology can save a tremendous amount of time at check-in. For instance, travelers can simply use their face to verify identity without needing to take the time to provide physical documentation.
  • Facial recognition, on the other hand, provides frictionless access to rooms via a smart lock on the door. Also, guests who use hotel facilities, such as a restaurant or spa, can easily update their tab via contactless facial recognition technology, which enhances the customer experience.
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    Facial recognition and the use of biometrics are going to be essential in the future. This article outlines several ways it can impact the hospitality industry in a positive way. The most interesting has to do with F&B capabilities. This system linked with AI will be able to streamline restaurant ordering and payment.
krikooo94

Cleaning Up Electronic Waste (E-Waste) | US EPA - 0 views

  • EPA works bilaterally with governments and environmental officials around the world on e-waste management.  U.S. EPA and Taiwan Environmental Protection Administration (Taiwan EPA) coordinate the International E-Waste Management Network (IEMN), which has brought together environmental officials from Asia, Latin America, the Caribbean, Africa, and North America to exchange best practices on e-waste management since 2011. 
  • EPA also collaborates with the Solving the E-waste Problem Initiative (Step)Exit Exit EPA website  to jointly address the e-waste problem in developing countries. Step, formerly known as UNU-Step, was previously an initiative under the United Nations University (UNU)
  • “E-waste”, “electronic waste”, “e-scrap” and “end-of-life electronics” are terms often used to describe used electronics that are nearing the end of their useful life, and are discarded, donated or given to a recycler.
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  • An undetermined amount of used electronics is shipped from the United States and other developed countries to developing countries that lack the capacity to reject imports or to handle these materials appropriately. Without proper standards and enforcement, improper practices may result in public health and environmental concerns, even in countries where processing facilities exist.
  • For example, there are problems with open-air burning and acid baths being used to recover valuable materials from electronic components, which expose workers to harmful substances. There are also problems with toxic materials leaching into the environment. These practices can expose workers to high levels of contaminants such as lead, mercury, cadmium and arsenic, which can lead to irreversible health effects, including cancers, miscarriages, neurological damage and diminished IQs.
  • To this end, EPA funded UNU-StEP to lead a study on US exports of used electronics in an attempt to better define the US contribution to the overall e-waste problem.  StEP collaborated with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and the National Center for Electronics Recycling (NCER)
  • In July 2011, the Task Force released the National Strategy for Electronics Stewardship report, which details the federal government’s plan to enhance the management of electronics by: 1) incentivizing greener design of electronics; 2) leading by example; 3) increasing domestic recycling; and 4) reducing harmful exports of e-waste and building capacity in developing countries.  
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    This article is explaining electronic waste and its danger to developing countries when the materials are not properly disposed of. Many countries have joined forces to create the International E-Waste Management Network (IEMN).
deranique

Experts at Davos 2023 sound the alarm on cybersecurity | World Economic Forum - 0 views

  • 2023 will be a consequential year for cybersecurity.
  • "There's a gathering cyber storm,"
  • "This storm is brewing, and it's really hard to anticipate just how bad that will be."
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  • cyberattacks such as phishing, ransomware and distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks are on the rise.
  • Cloudflare
  • a major US cybersecurity firm that provides protection services for over 30% of Fortune 500 companies
  • "There's been an enormous amount of insecurity around the world,"
  • "I think 2023 is gonna be a busy year in terms of cyber attacks."
  • Experts warned that cyberattacks are increasing in sophistication and frequency.
  • “This is a global threat, and it calls for a global response,”
  • “This is a global threat, and it calls for a global response and enhanced and coordinated action,” Jürgen Stock, the Secretary-General of the International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL),
  • “The key to winning the battle against cybercrime is, of course, to work together to make it a priority across the geopolitical fault lines.”
  • This concern has been raised particularly around critical infrastructure sectors like energy, public transportation and manufacturing. SecurityScorecard, a US cybersecurity rating and analysis firm, reported recently that 48% of critical manufacturing companies surveyed were at significant risk of a cyber breach.
  • “Vulnerabilities within the critical manufacturing sector haven’t gone unnoticed by cybercriminals either,” said Aleksandr Yampolskiy, SecurityScorecard's CEO.
  • The Forum's report also notes that the potential targets for cyberattacks are increasing. Today, targets include not only government agencies or major corporations, but largely any organization that handles consumer data—no matter how small.
  • There is no such thing as a hundred percent security. It's about resilience in the face of insecurity.”
  • Consumers, too, need to increase their cybersecurity awareness in 2023, experts say.
  • As more things get connected to the internet there's just more risk. ”— Matthew Prince, Cloudflare CEO
  • Zero Trust approach to cybersecurity, which creates a framework that eliminates implicit trust and ensures that any user—even those who are supposed to be inside an organization's network—is authenticated and validated at every turn.
sosor012

Japan's Henn na Hotel fires half its robot workforce | Hotel Management - 0 views

  • guests complained that robots at the front desk could not answer basic questions
  • cut its robotic workforce after the experience failed to reduce costs or workload for its employees. 
  • return to more traditional human-provided services for guests
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  • Its change of direction can offer lessons for companies that are pursuing robotic solutions for customer-service roles, reports the Business Insider. 
  • complaints from both staff and customers.
  • robots were more adept at creating work for their human counterparts than they were at reducing it. 
  • robots annoyed the guests and would often break down.
  • Human staff ended up working overtime to repair robots that stopped working.
  • robot at the front desk could not answer basic questions.
  • The robot problem extended to the luggage-carrying bots, whose only job turned out to be more than they could handle.
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    The article "Japan's Henn na Hotel fires half its robot workforce" discusses the lessons learned from a hotel who opened its doors using a staff of robots believing it would lessen the workload and move things quickly and efficiently. However, they soon learned the robots did the exact opposite of what they were hoping it would. The hotel has had to cut its robotic workforce in half becuase of multiple guest complaints, robots malfunctioning, and robots creating work for their human counterparts rather than reducing. Not to mention the amount of money spent as well.
georgemacintyre

The Demand for Contactless Technology is Here - and Here To Stay | By Jasmine Seliga - 0 views

  • While hospitality technology is my passion, a pre-pandemic snapshot of our industry proves that adoption was on the slower side
  • Serving guests is the heart of our industry, and there are risks with automating processes that could potentially disrupt the seamless guest experience we have worked so hard to establish.
  • I am seeing an evolution of hospitality like I've never seen before, and it seems it is here to stay.
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  • Our industry has been uncharacteristically receptive to new development and technology since the onset of the pandemic.
  • We are seeing the need for automated solutions to support staff in a way we never have before.
  • We must start looking to invest our dollars in a solution that handles everything from booking and contactless check-in, seamless guest communication all the way to business intelligence t ools that track the guest experience.
  • What should you be looking for if you haven't adopted an integrated solution already? Your system should give guests options to personalize and take control of their experience with online reservations, mobile check-in and check-out, self-service kiosks, communication through a guest portal, and support for online and mobile payments. The more convenient self-service options you can provide, the greater your guest satisfaction will be.
  • Be open to the agility of a product that can do more than take a reservation and check a guest in. And most of all, stay engaged. Stay engaged in what's going on in and around our industry.
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    The Hospitality industry has been somewhat hesitant to adapt to new technologies. This may be the case of hospitality companies being scared to go away from what we consider good customer service. The pandemic helped to jumpstart the hospitality industry into accepting new forms of technology. Technology is on the rise in the hospitality industry and is only going to continue to be more and more prevalent.
rosedelice

Why Is Hotel Security Important? - American Protection Group - 0 views

  • Hotels are part of the hospitality industry, where providing good customer service is essential. A hotel’s reputation is staked largely on the guest experience, and investing in proper security services plays a central role in ensuring guests feel safe and protected. It also protects owners from the damages and costs that may arise from criminal activity such as theft.
  • Security officers patrolling the hotel’s grounds can look out for suspicious activity. Hotels should have security officers regularly patrol the hallways, stairwells, lobbies, parking lots, restaurants and bars.
  • Security officers can handle unruly guests or visitors and prevent negative situations from spiraling out of control. Officers can also provide additional protection to VIP or controversial guests of the hotel that might attract public attention or protests.
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  • Security officers can prevent hotels from incurring property damage, particularly if officers are patrolling the hotel’s grounds. They can also assist in incidents involving guests damaging their rooms.
  • In addition, the presence of security officers at a hotel can make guests and employees feel safer and more at ease. Many hotel guests are in an unfamiliar location, and this sense of security can increase their satisfaction with the hotel.
  • Security officers on the premises of a hotel can react appropriately and rapidly when emergencies occur. In the case of a fire, they can help evacuate guests and maintain order. In a shooting or other act of violence, they can stop the perpetrator and protect guests and staff from danger. They can also provide valuable assistance and information to law enforcement when they arrive on the scene.
  • Hotel guests may occasionally become unruly or intoxicated, particularly in hotels with bars. Security officers follow hotel policy for dealing with these guests by escorting them either off of the premises or to a taxi, or detaining them for the police as appropriate. They can also escort trespassers and loiterers off the premises. In addition, security officers can safely help staff and guests to their vehicles upon request if they feel unsafe.
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    It is very important for hotels to provide excellent security. It makes the customers feel safe and enhance their confidence and safety.Security officers patrolling the hotel's grounds can look out for suspicious activity.Security officers can prevent hotels from incurring property damage, particularly if officers are patrolling the hotel's grounds. They can also assist in incidents involving guests damaging their rooms.
smajo003

Technology in Hospitality: 20 Trends Shaping the Industry - 0 views

  • With so much innovation and change in the hospitality space, it can be difficult to decide what new software to purchase or where to allocate budget. Although the industry changes rapidly, it’s clear that a few key trends are driving hotels forward.
  • 2. Digital cashless tipping Fewer guests are carrying cash, but service workers like valets, housekeepers, bartenders, and bell staff still expect and deserve tips. The solution? Digital tipping apps that allow guests to leave tips via credit cards or other digital payment methods. By scanning a QR code or clicking a link, guests can access the platform, and the platform handles tipping employees out.
  • 3. Contactless Check-in The pandemic expedited the industry’s shift toward contactless check-in, as hotels sought solutions for guests and employees who wanted to minimize face-to-face contact. But this trend is here to stay, as both guests and hoteliers can benefit from faster and more convenient check-in processes via mobile apps and digital room keys or self-service check-in kiosks that scan IDs and dispense room keys.
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    Technology is shifting rapidly and the hospitality and tourism industry is adjusting accordingly. As customers begin to change their way of interacting with business, so must the business. As an example, more customers are becoming familiar with self check out options therefore many companies are adding this service to their stores. Customers are also changing the way they pay for things, like apple pay or google wallet, cash is a rare payment option. So in the restaurant industry tips are now becoming a quicker thoughtless transaction, so digital tips are the norm now. This article will open our eyes to 20 trends that will shape the industry through technology, and this only touches the surface.
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