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Just for fun for my fellow Tech group ... Are you dreading Valentines? Wondering why you are single? Well there is an app for that. Wot Went Wrong beta will help you find out why your ex left you. Fill out your name their name and it makes a questionnaire to send to your ex. Once they fill it out using the drop down adjectives and phrases you just might get the answer to the question keeping you up at night. Or you will realize that is why you left the tool in the first place.  Put the chocolate down! Be proactive! Actually, I just thought this was a funny app and wanted to share. ***Not responsible for any restraining order violations, unwanted make ups or horrible self actualizations. 

This article basically talks about four different types of POSs for restaurants, a brief overview of the main contenders and considerations.  The one of the interesting POS systems in the article is The Rail which is introduced last month, a digital bill folder that enables restaurant customers to self-swipe credit or debit cards at the table without the cards ever leaving their possession, thereby protecting against credit card and identity theft.  The basic Rail system includes POS integration, the BaseStation, a secure wireless system, a set of Rail devices (generally 1 device per every 3 tables), and monthly maintenance. Basic Rail devices incorporate a credit card swiper with encryption, billing touch screen display, bill splitting, tip calculator, signature field, NFC payment capabilities, LED stage lights, and receipt email program. The other POSs in the article are Card Case, Tabbedout which are a mobile payment system with smart phone, Square which is mobile card reader, and Chain-Specific Apps which permit the patron to call up menus, locations and nutritional data, as well as to order and pay on-line. Nowadays, many mobile payment systems tailored for restaurants and other food vendors are being introduced. Since they are new and challenges to restaurateur, considering what the pros and cons are and what kinds of POSs best fit to their establishments will be necessary and critical to remain competitive with others.

This is a great article highlighting the cons of of cloud-based PMS. In India, the infrastructure is not developed enough for hotels to rely on a cloud-based PMS. While the hotel industry is slowly adopting things such as mobile check-in, there is great hesitation to adopt the cloud-based PMS. The Internet in India is not reliable therefore it would not be efficient for hotels to send all their data to the cloud. In the event of an outage, the hotels would not be able to operate. There are also many concerns over data security; Indian hotels are worried about transferring secure information to an "unknown" place. Yet, individualized properties are looking forward to centralizing PMS and perhaps embracing cloud-based PMS in the near future. Only time will tell how long it will take the Indian hotel industry to become more technology oriented. 

This article describes the introduction of the cash register to the retail world after discovering a need to improve security of his cash transactions. Over the years, this evolved into our modern-day POS systems. Cash registers became more successful as technology improved. This meant anything from adding touch screens , to introducing sophisticated mobile technology. These advances benefit both the business and the consumer. Businesses are find affordable POS options at a fraction of the cost from decades ago, and customers are given convenient options for mobile ordering or self-service.

The Hospitality industry have been greatly impacted over the years by the advancements made in technology. Customers have everything assessable by the click of a button or utilization of an app. Various software is being created to provide for quick and easy service but in turn takes away from the personal experiences.

This article is about the new advances in technology and investing whether it has been taken too far. It analyzes the new advancements such as apps where reservations are made. These new technologies have been made to enhance experience but not replace the warm feeling that hospitality gives you. The article concludes that we haven't taken it too far, instead it has made guest experience better. Especially when it comes to checking in, and not having to wait a huge line when you just want to get to your room.

As we learned this week, technology is impacting the hospitality industry. As the article states- "improving a guest's experience depends on the ability to identify the individual guest's preferences." This reminded me of the Smart Bar video we watched this week. Technology can enhance the quality of experience. However, depending on the businness/ company- most people would be unwilling to put a an investment into tech unless they see a significant uptake from the technology. Even though technology plays a major role in the industry, it has not completely took over human interaction.

This article explains how the restaurant business has adapted new technologies to overcome changes that came after COVID-19. The usage of these technologies allow the restaurants to minimize the contact points during the experience while also giving the option to the patrons to customize their experience as they want. It also talks about how technology is not a replacement for server or bartenders because the human contact is still part of the hospitality business

Linga is a B2B software company that introduced a new product called LingaROS which is a restaurant or retail operating system. This system includes premium features that integrate the hotels property management system (OPERA) with the restaurants and retail stores within the property. This software aims at improving the guest experience and increase efficiency in operations.

This article talks about how hoteliers should be balancing the human touch with technology. Some businesses in the hospitality industry are leaning towards technology, forgetting the human touch is what hospitality is all about. Cutting costs does not outweigh guest experience. Hotels still keep the front desk as a nice touch, yet when we go to the movies we tend to go to the shortest line possible, which is usually the self-service machine. I think this is a trend at the movies because we don't consider it to be hospitality, all we are asking for is a movie ticket and can barely hear the person behind the speaker anyways. Front desk at a hotel is completely different. This is a huge first impression of the hotel itself. Guests are deciding to use mobile apps to check in early or use keyless entry, which means one of the things for front desk: a promotion or getting fired. Hotels are deciding to become more tech friendly to please guests and of course, to cut labor costs. The article mentioned: "The travel industry also needs to rethink its chase of digital tools and services as a proxy to the human experience, and build real social experiences as part of the social spaces it incorporates." This statement was very important to me going back to what I said about human interaction being the face of hospitality. Hotels in China began using mobile check in devices, which seems to be a way to meet in the middle with human experience and technology. These clerks are no longer standing behind a desk. In a way, this seems a bit more personal. Hotel front desks have not changed much within two decades. Of course, certain hotels within Hyatt or Marriott are exceptions. The point here is simply to make checkin and checkout flexible. A hotel can earn customer loyalty this way. It's nice for a guest to feel remembered if they have stayed at the hotel before. Creating loyalty can be very difficult when guests are booking through third parties.When it comes to check

I am adding a travel site rather than a travel article. The Future Travel Experience site provides news of technological innovations for travelers world wide. Every travel consideration is covered, including Self service, Baggage Handling, Facilitation & Security, Mobile Technology, Boarding & Gates, Immigration, Arrivals, and Technology. The index page lists all these on the menu at the top, as well as displayed below as separate "file folders" which show the most recent article for each subject. This website has a wealth of up-to-date information regarding world wide travel technologies in place and how such innovations enhance and simplify the passenger experience. The information is even relevant to would-be travelers by explaining available options for booking travel arrangements, and assisting them when they arrive at their destination. The site describes such options as being able to order food delivered to the gate that is properly packaged according to airline requirements (B4 YOU BOARD). Other articles describe self-boarding, curbside lounge access, and sleeping pods for layovers. This is not only a extremely informative website for world travelers, but also is a forerunner in media that provides exclusive international travel related topics and information. Any site visitor can browse the articles and gain a greater understanding of the technological capabilities, and the issues present in the world market. The site is connected to Facebook, and LinkedIn, and has ongoing Twitter updates right up front. FTE is an interactive site which fully communicates travel considerations worldwide and provides comprehensive information regarding technological systems available for travelers so that they can know what is being offered, where ever they are going, and how to utilize it to their benefit.

This article discuss the idea that cybersecurity has been neglected according to consumers and more emphasis should be placed on protecting their private information. It has been found that point-of-sale systems are the most common victims of these breaches, and most often at restaurants. Attackers are targeting systems with weak points and outdated software, making them at a considerably higher risk for breaches and cybercrime. Companies must start investing more in heightened security measures in order to retain consumer loyalty.

This article reviews Mobile POS systems and unattended POS systems and provides key features of each.

This article talks about the current applications of 3 innovative technologies and how they are used in the hospitality industry.

The Kimberly hotel located at 145 East 50th Street in New York City became Manhattan's and New York's first hotel to utilize touch screen technology in its guest rooms. The technology is provided by Intelity, an Orlando based hospitality software solution company. The touch screen use a prgram called ICE (Interactive Customer Experience) to allow guests to order room service, check flight status, express check outs, check destinations using Google maps, and even the ability to print their boarding pass. This software and touch screen technology will definitely increase employee custoemr service and reduce guest wait time. Hotel personnel will be able to spend more time with the guest because many of the tasks will be literally at the guests fingertips. The hotel will save money because they will not need to staff as much because of the automated system. Fantastic technology.

This article discusses how the traditional vendor RFP (Request for Proposal) model is no longer the ideal way to integrate the right technology marketing that a hotel needs. The traditional vendor RFP model is time-consuming and expensive, and with the way that technology is constantly expanding and changing, hotels need to stay up-to-date with technology more and more frequently, which can mean this process is wasting time and money on an ever-increasing scale. Furthermore, it is not always an accurate indicator of the kinds of technology a hotel might need, especially what a hotel might need in the future, and it is difficult to determine who would best be capable of knowing what the property will need or what exactly to ask for in an RFP. The article talks about three alternatives to the traditional model: the Scorecard model, the Digital Marketing Partner Interview model, and the Trusted Partner model. With the Scorecard model, hotels have a checklist of things they need and can check off each point from each potential vendor. With the Digital Marketing Partner Interview model, which is similar to the traditional vendor RFP process, except that the interview focused on finding a Digital Marketing Partner that aligns with the hotel's management philosophy, values, and culture in order to find the right partnership. With the Trusted Partner model, the hotel works with one particular company with whom they share common goals and objectives, and they work together to solve problems and adapt new technology as the hotel's technological needs are manifested over time.

This article mainly describes the use and benefits of intelligent technology in restaurants. For chain stores and fast-food restaurants, often pursue speed more than service experience. Therefore, it is profitable for enterprises to replace employees with technological equipment. Of course, this is not to say that restaurants pursuing high-end service experience do not need intelligent technology. As a mobile system, MPOS can effectively simplify the ordering process, increase the rotation speed of the dining table, while also saving guests' time and improving their dining experience. The intelligence of the restaurant table management system also simplifies the reservation process to a certain extent, helping restaurants and users to effectively deal with these complicated processes.

Every year, NRF hosts a large retail conference in New York City to debut new technology for the new year. At the 2020 Retail's Big Show, some of the most innovative technology was displayed for all to see. Technology including: FaceFirst, Elo, and Kiosk.

Hotels have always looked for ways to improve guest satisfaction to stay competitive. And since travelers are becoming increasingly tech savvy it makes sense that those hotels would look for ways to meet the "wants" of today's travelers. But it's not just about providing new services, it is also about improving existing services that are difficult to provide at consistent levels. For example, there are so many things included in the check-in experience that must be done right in order for a guest to be satisfied with the process, e.g. the agents appearance, demeanor and professionalism, their level of competency, the wait time, etc. So much effort is made to find, hire and properly train these first contact employees and even then hotels often fall short of guest expectations. Technology solutions would eliminate the need for these tasks and bring a level of consistency to this and other activities related to staying at a hotel. But can tech completely replace human interaction? I believe it can and will in some hotels that will be designed for those guests that want that kind of experience. As a business traveler, I'm happy when I can bypass the front desk check-in lines and register myself using my phone and also use my phone as my room key. It's exciting to see the innovative spin being placed on routine hotel related activities, but the industry is likely a generation away from unmanned hotels being an accepted norm.

This article introduces the application of tablets in hotels, including Lodging Management, Restaurant management, Beverage Management, Club management, etc. This article also introduces the important role of tablets and T-Commerce as a PMS medium in hotels.