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priscillamuniz

How to Strike a Balance Between Automation & Personalization in Hospitality | Hospitali... - 0 views

hospitalitytech.com/on-personalization-hospitality

shared by priscillamuniz on 15 Nov 21 - No Cached
  • From apps and facial recognition to robotic butlers, technology is rapidly moving in on the very human world of hospitality.
  • Studies show that 75% of guests still value face-to-face interaction alongside other communication channels.
  • Ultimately, technology and personal service need not be in conflict if you focus on enhancing your guest experience.
  • ...1 more annotation...
  • It’s less about gimmicks and more about giving guests the option to choose how they want to interact and when. It’s about greater convenience and efficiency. It’s about building connections that optimize guest experience before, during, and after their visit. 
  • mmorr116 on 15 Nov 21
     
    With proper management, the perception of AI/robotics as a block to personal touch can change to a perception of convenience and luxury. The key is to use the right mix of technology and person-to-person interaction giving guests the option to choose how and when they want to interact. Both should help to enhance, not only operational efficiency but, build stronger guest connections before, during, and after their visit.
  • priscillamuniz on 16 Jul 23
     
    In past discussions we discussed how the hospitality industry is moving forward with advanced technology in property and restaurants. The article discusses how important it is to have a smooth transition of those services but also striking a good balance of high-tech and face to face that can ensure and build confidence with guest and provide long-term loyalty.
Catherine Gibson

New 'Dexter' malware strikes point-of-sale systems | Security & Privacy - CNET News - 0 views

news.cnet.com/...-strikes-point-of-sale-systems

hospitality malware strikes systems

shared by Catherine Gibson on 27 Feb 13 - No Cached
  • Rather than targeting thousands of individual machines through traditional Trojans or phishing emails, the custom-made malware targets specific POS systems. The malware injects itself into the file iexplore.exe in Windows servers before hijacking process lists, stays active through rewriting in the registry key, and then scrapes sensitive credit card data from the server -- before transferring it through a remote command and control (C&C) system.
  • Rather than targeting thousands of individual machines through traditional Trojans or phishing emails, the custom-made malware targets specific POS systems. The malware injects itself into the file iexplore.exe in Windows servers before hijacking process lists, stays active through rewriting in the registry key, and then scrapes sensitive credit card data from the server -- before transferring it through a remote command and control (C&C) system.
  • Catherine Gibson on 27 Feb 13
     
    This article is about a new and advanced malware called Dexter that is targeting POS systems. The article reports that 30% of the infections are in the US (world wide). When the virus attacts the POS it steals credit card information that can be used to make duplicate credit cards to be used. There is software to help fight off the virus however people have never seen this kind of virus because of the power it was to attack the system, so this is something to be on the look out for.
Jing Huang

Wrap-up: Software, Telecom, and Recovery - HBS Working Knowledge - 0 views

hbswk.hbs.edu/2783.html

software telecom

shared by Jing Huang on 24 Jan 13 - No Cached
  • Venture capital firms ask themselves tough questions these days.
  • Among them: how can they dig out of the dot-com collapse? How should they invest going forward? How should the leader of a firm strike the right note for the future? And is it a field that graduating MBAs should aspire to enter?
  • The software industry has been heavily over-invested in for the last few years, according to panelists at the session "Can Software Recapture Investors' Interest?"
  • ...2 more annotations...
  • The new thinking is to avoid huge packaged platform suites and focus on spot applications for blocking hackers and preventing online invasion. There is a trend to invest in application and infrastructure hardware, said John G. Simon, a partner at General Catalyst. An opportunity exists, he said, for add-ons and plug-ins that ride on top of ERP systems. "People want to get things in digital form."
  • The best VCs are managing investments the same way in both areas. "We're helping them stay alive during a horrible economic downturn so they can last on a minimum amount of capital during a period in which their top line is not going to grow very much," said Kevin Maroni, of Spectrum Equity Investors. "We're waiting for the cycle to return."
  • Jing Huang on 24 Jan 13
     
    Venture capital firms ask themselves tough questions these days. Among them: how can they dig out of the dot-com collapse? How should they invest going forward? How should the leader of a firm strike the right note for the future? And is it a field that graduating MBAs should aspire to enter? According to experts at the conference session titled "From Bubble to Recession: The Current State of the Venture Capital Industry," none of the answers are simple, but a sense of perspective remains one highly valuable commodity. According to Walter Kuemmerle, a Harvard Business School professor who served as panel moderator, the money flow in venture capital may have been down 51 percent in 2001 compared to 2000, but the sum total was still greater than the previous eighteen or so years combined.
Xue Yan

Why Internet Marketing Is So Important for Hotel Businesses? - 0 views

ezinearticles.com/?Why-Internet-Marketing-Is-So-Important-for-Hotel-Businesses?&id=7366900

shared by Xue Yan on 09 Nov 12 - No Cached
  • the Internet has changed the very way communication and marketing is perceived
  • Internet marketing is an umbrella term to classify a range of practices, that may involve Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Social Media Optimization (SMO), Pay Per Click (PPC) campaigns, Content Marketing, E-mailers, Article and Blog distribution with a backlink to your hotel website, Online Booking Engines, OTA management, website analytics and campaign tracking, and many more.
  • Internet marketing also have some special benefits for hotel properties
  • ...2 more annotations...
    • TIANJIAN ZHANG
      TIANJIAN ZHANG on 10 Nov 12
       
      Internet marketing is a very important component of overall hotel business, and hoteliers can ignore it only at their own peril. An effective online hotel marketing strategy involves piling up of vast mental and material resources, and channeling them where it matters most i.e. to the right audiences. As hoteliers are trained into different enterprises, most of them have neither the time or the skills required for online marketing, and the majority of them outsource this work to companies specializing in online marketing.
  • A successful internet marketing campaign is one, that can strike a perfect balance between all these various practices associated with E-marketing.
  • Long Jin on 09 Nov 12
     
    This article introduces the reason that the hotel needs develop its e-marketing. The author pointed that a successful internet marketing campaign is one that can strike a perfect balance between all these various practices associated with E-marketing. Here are the key reasons why it is important for the hotel. Firstly, advertising on the internet is much cheaper than advertising on TV, radio, or even newspaper. Secondly, e-marketing make it easier to find hotel's target audience. Thirdly, the success and failure of any marketing campaign on the internet can be tracked and analyzed very easily by using Google analytics, and various other means. Through internet marketing brands can establish a regular committed community of their fans and followers, and engage with them in a two way communication. A carefully, and strategically designed hotel website can provide its prospective clients a lot information. In addition, as most of the prospective travelers use the internet to gather information about their destinations, and hotels, hotel properties can ignore internet marketing only at their own peril. Also, the hotel can make use of Internet to show its property to the guests. A good designed web page can attract more customers for the hotel.
  • Xue Yan on 18 Nov 12
     
    The article demonstrates the reasons that Internet marketing is important in recent days. To begin with, the author provides several ways of Internet marketing, such as SEO, SMO, PPC and so on. In order to see the effectiveness of each Internet marketing method, marketing campaign is one good choice. The author then tells us how the Internet marketing is superior among traditional media. The Internet marketing is cheaper, easy to target audiences, easy to track data and it also can establish a regular committed community, which attracts lcustomers. Moreover, Internet marketing benefits the hotel properties. For example, the hotel website can help customers better know the hotel. So we see that Internet marketing is crucial to hotels.
  • Gaby Belardo on 19 Nov 12
     
    Internet market is super important in the hospitality world. It helps customers answer questions such as charges, tariffs, location, and etc. and they are able to get answers they need fast, and from a reliable source. Another great use for internet marketing is the ability to draw in customers by showing what their property has to offer through pictures and videos.
Allen Lok

New Retail Credit Card Standards Affect Quick Service Restaurants | QSR magazine - 0 views

www.qsrmagazine.com/...are-you-ready-emv

shared by Allen Lok on 01 Mar 13 - No Cached
  • By October 2015, all restaurants and other merchants will be subjected to new Europay, Mastercard, and Visa (EMV) standards, which reflect a shift from magnetic-stripe credit cards to chip-and-pin cards.
  • , the chip-based cards require insertion of the card into a terminal throughout the entire transaction.
  • chip-based cards are less susceptible to fraud.
  • ...1 more annotation...
  • It’s a rather slow conversion over to EMV. But it’s definitely coming.” View the discussion thread. Subscribe Subscribe to QSR Renew Update Address eLetters Advertising Contact &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Articles Food &amp; BeverageMenu Innovations Marc Halperin: Resident F&amp;B Expert Food Safety Health Ingredients &amp; Dayparts ExpansionQSR 50 Franchising Growth Fast Casual George Green: Fast-Casual Expert Emerging Concepts TechnologyOrdering Social Media Promotions Sustainability Denise Lee Yohn: QSR’s Marketing Guru OperationsExecutive Insights Competition In the Store Consumer Trends Charitable Giving Outside Insights Women in Foodservice Human Resources Alan Philips: Trends to Watch Research QSR 50 OneSource Drive-Thru Study Growth 40 Smart Chain Franchise Opportunities Find a Supplier Find a Job Restaurant Management Events NRA Show <a h
  • Allen Lok on 01 Mar 13
     
    A new set of standards is coming up for credit card transactions. EMV or Europay, Mastercard, Visa, standards include a chip-and-pin device on the card that requires the card to be inserted into the card processing terminal. While this does not prevent all fraud, it's important that this standard is mandatory by 2015 and business operators should be preparing for changes.
Alyssa Westmeyer

Hotel technology trends that are changing how hotels do business - 1 views

www.lodgingmagazine.com/...2

pms cloud

shared by Alyssa Westmeyer on 03 Oct 13 - No Cached
  • Choice created the software in 2003 as an inexpensive solution for franchisees of its economy brands.
  • The PMS had a lot of growing pains at first, but eventually it became more and more cloud enabled and was adopted across the company.
  • “A lot of companies had outsourced their IT and now they’re bringing it back in house because they can do almost everything they need on the cloud or through software as a service.
  • ...4 more annotations...
  • Switching to the cloud from a client server platform pays off with a big drop in both the initial capital outlay and the ongoing operating costs for the property management and other systems.
  • pects of a franchisee’s business, from guest check-ins and housekeeping services to billing and finances. Over time new features have been rolled into the software platform making it more robust and useful for hotel owners—it’s currently distributed in eight countries and available in four languages. And while plenty of cloud-based PMS packages are now available from third-party vendors like Micros, Maestro, and RoomKey, Choice’s internal solution has garnered its fair share of attention. “We had been getting knocks on the door from IT vendors at other hotel companies and individual Choice franchisees that own other brands, saying they were interested in our product,” says Pacious, “So we set up a new division so we could take a look at other opportunities we could develop.” This led the company to launch SkyTouch last year, a new division that develops and markets cloud-based software solutions to hotels inside and outside the Choice system. Pages: 1 2 3 4 2013-06-18 Sean Downey !function(d,s,id){var js,fjs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];if(!d.getElementById(id)){js=d.createElement(s);js.id=id;js.src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js";fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js,fjs);}}(document,"script","twitter-wjs"); (function(d, s, id) { var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0]; if (d.getElementById(id)) return; js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id; js.src = "//connect.facebook.net/en_US/all.js#xfbml=1"; fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs); }(document, 'script', 'facebook-jssdk')); (function() { var po = document.createElement('script'); po.type = 'text/javascript'; po.async = true; po.src = 'https://apis.google.com/js/plusone.js'; var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(po, s); })(); (function() { var li = document.createElement('script'); li.type = 'text/javascript'; li.async = true; li.src = ('https:' == document.location.protocol ? 'https:' : 'http:') + '//platform.stumbleupon.com/1/widgets.js'; var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(li, s); })(); inShare0 Related Articles attachment-3
  • his led the company to launch SkyTouch last year, a new division that develops and markets cloud-based software solutions to hotels inside and outside the Choice system. Pages: 1 2 3 4 2013-06-18 Sean Downey !function(d,s,id){var js,fjs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];if(!d.getElementById(id)){js=d.createElement(s);js.id=id;js.src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js";fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js,fjs);}}(document,"script","twitter-wjs"); (function(d, s, id) { var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0]; if (d.getElementById(id)) return; js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id; js.src = "//connect.facebook.net/en_US/all.js#xfbml=1"; fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs); }(document, 'script', 'facebook-jssdk')); (function() { var po = document.createElement('script'); po.type = 'text/javascript'; po.async = true; po.src = 'https://apis.google.com/js/plusone.js'; var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(po, s); })(); (function() { var li = document.createElement('script'); li.type = 'text/javascript'; li.async = true; li.src = ('https:' == document.location.protocol ? 'https:' : 'http:') + '//platform.stumbleupon.com/1/widgets.js'; var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(li, s); })(); inShare0 Related Articles Hotel Market Insight: Cleveland a
  • This led the company to launch SkyTouch last year, a new division that develops and markets cloud-based software solutions to hotels inside and outside the Choice system.
  • Alyssa Westmeyer on 03 Oct 13
     
    Choice Hotels has been a industry leader in the cloud PMS movement. They identified the opportunity to create their own platform 10 years ago when cloud was barely on the radar and have now successfully distributed it to 5,500 of their properties. Unique functionality built into the system is internet redundancy via cellular data plan, company-wide campaign pop-up messages to staff, interface to Pegasus and revenue management through predictive analytics. The platform has been so successful that, in response to inquiries from other companies who wanted to use Choice's proprietary system themselves, they created an additional revenue stream by establishing a separate company that sells and creates custom cloud PMS systems. One advantage pointed out is that managers no longer need to be on property to access and make changes to their PMS. While this is hugely beneficial to the majority of the industry (who already work long hours and visit the property on their day off), there may be some who take advantage of the situation. If this becomes the case, less oversight at the property means that operations has the potential to slip. It doesn't seem that this is a concern for Choice Hotels but it should be considered.
sliu043

eMarketing Do's and Don'ts | Top Stories | Hospitality Magazine (HT) - 0 views

hospitalitytech.com/emarketing-dos-and-donts

Hospitality e-marketing

shared by sliu043 on 02 Apr 18 - No Cached
  • The Do's: 1. Follow the rules of spam filters and the Can Spam Act, which applies to all marketing and promotional e-mail distribution, except transactional e-mails such as confirmations or thank-you correspondence.
  • 2. Play the keyword game.
  • The Don'ts: 1. Avoid messaging without a purpose. Inundating customer mailboxes with generic and too-frequent messaging dilutes the program's value and can be interpreted as spam. Sign-ups without an explanation of the program garner little participation.
  • ...6 more annotations...
  • 4. Tap e-marketing's immediacy. Among the benefits of e-marketing is the ability to cut the cycle time from offer to close.
  • 3. Make your customers feel special.
  • 2. Don't overwhelm.
  • 3. Don't overuse e-coupons, an easy temptation to succumb to when early campaigns boost business. Making a special offer in every e-mail trains guests to wait for the offer and diminishes the full price value of the product. Narrow e-mail coupons to a few per year and always for a particular reason, and make it time sensitive, tied to a purchase and personalized.
  • 4. Don't forget surveys.
  • Surveys can also flesh out information garnered through earlier solicitations, making for a richer database to mine for marketing uses (and avoiding appearing too intrusive at sign-up).
  • sliu043 on 02 Apr 18
     
    In this article, the author pointed out that nowadays the Internet has played a prominent role in the lives of most consumers, so hotels and restaurants must make the good use of the Internet to send their marketing messages. Through the e-marketing experiences, the article has introduced some best practices as well as tactics for hotels and restaurants, revealing a list of e-marketing Do's and Don'ts. In one word, the author believed that striking the right tone is essential in an e-marketing program. Be clear, straightforward, respectful and fun to score points with recipients, and offer things they value: exclusivity and meaningful rewards. In addition, use database analysis tools to make the most of the data collected: to cater to specific groups and even personalize messages.
Mohan Song

Green Hotels: Eco-Friendly Hospitality Must Strike A Balance - 0 views

www.huffingtonpost.com/...els-ecofriendly-_b_826805.html

hotel green hospitality travel

shared by Mohan Song on 24 Sep 12 - No Cached
  • Gaby Belardo on 24 Sep 12
     
    I chose this article because it is an opinion article from the Huffington Post about the balance of luxury and being eco-friendly. Joanna Zelman shares her views on green hotels. She presents the question of whether living luxuriously during your hotel visit means sacrificing our planet. She also shares that hotels are indeed recognizing the major amounts of waste they have been producing. Zelman feels that hotels are trying to be green, but in the end they let the guests decide how green they want to be.
  • Gaby Belardo on 24 Sep 12
     
    "Some hotels now recognize the astronomical amount of waste they produce daily, and a green hotel movement is underway. The Hilton Americas-Houston generates a reported 675,000 pounds of dirty linens per month. With the purchase of an AquaRecycle water recycling system, they reduced their water usage by 75%, from 630,000 gallons to 157,500 gallons per month."
  • Mohan Song on 05 Feb 13
     
    Some hotels now recognize the astronomical amount of waste they produce daily, and a green hotel movement is underway.Element Times Square West is Starwood's most recent endeavor, an "eco-chic" hotel located on W. 39th street in New York City. The hotel proudly touts recycling bins in every room, complimentary bikes, reusable laundry bags, silverware instead of plastic, dispensable bath products, and an organic on-site pantry.But right next to the reusable laundry bag is a plastic laundry bag, beside the ceramic mugs are paper cups, across from the dispensable soap is an individually wrapped bar, and after consuming your organic food, you can rest your guilt-free head on a bunch of down feather pillows. Someone suggests that guests unplug chargers when not in use, turn lights off, and take advantage of linen reuse policies.
Tracy Kohn

Top 2013 Restaurant Trends Affecting Quick Serves | QSR magazine - 0 views

www.qsrmagazine.com/...5-things-watch-2013

technology hospitality software Business mobile

shared by Tracy Kohn on 29 Jun 13 - No Cached
  • Tracy Kohn on 29 Jun 13
     
    The quick-service industry will continue to evolve in 2013, and these five trends will have the biggest impact. Last year was marked by continued economic uncertainty, the rapid expansion of the fast-casual segment, a devastating drought, and innovative new menu items and promotions. The five top trends that will affect restaurants in 2013 are: 1. Competing with Fast Casual: The Quick-Serve Empires Try to Strike Back 2. Labor Costs: Uncertainties Create New Opportunities 3. Pricing: The Conflict Continues 4. Mobile: It's More Than Following Food Trucks 5. Technology: Ordering in HD While this article does not only talk about POS systems, it addresses the topic, as well as, the trend of mobile apps.
anonymous

Investing in the IT That Makes a Competitive Difference - 0 views

hbr.org/...makes-a-competitive-difference

shared by anonymous on 22 Oct 16 - No Cached
  • To better understand when and where IT confers competitive advantage in today’s economy, we studied all publicly traded U.S. companies in all industries from the 1960s through 2005, looking at relevant performance indicators from each (including sales, earnings, profitability, and market capitalization) and found some striking patterns:
  • Most industries have historically been fairly immune from this kind of Schumpeterian competition. However, our findings show that the internet and enterprise IT are now accelerating competition within traditional industries in the broader U.S. economy. Why? Not because more products are becoming digital but because more processes are
  • One interpretation of our findings might be that IT is, indeed, inducing the intensified competition we’ve documented—but that the change in dynamics is only temporary.
  • ...2 more annotations...
  • To survive, or better yet thrive, in this more competitive environment, the mantra for any CEO should be, “Deploy, innovate, and propagate”: First, deploy a consistent technology platform.
  • As corporate IT facilitates the implementation and monitoring of processes, the value of simply carrying out rote instructions will fall while the value of inventing better methods will rise.
  • anonymous on 22 Oct 16
     
    This article talks about how accelerated competition has coincided with an increase in the quantity and quality of IT investment. A lot of companies have change the operating model that they have with the Internet and enterprise software. I learned that the link between competition and technology has become much stronger. In 2008 it was projected that the worldwide enterprise software revenue would approach $190 billion. We learn that it is not easy for most companies to deploy enterprise IT successfully. The technologies themselves are complicated to configure and test, and changing people's behavior and attitudes toward technology is even more challenging. The IT has changed dramatically for a long time and it is still growing and developing.
elena_martynova

Hotel Cybersecurity: What Can Happen When Hackers Strike? | By Robert E. Braun - 0 views

www.hospitalitynet.org/...4080977.html

shared by elena_martynova on 18 Feb 17 - No Cached
  • Hoteliers remain vulnerable to hackers seeking confidential information such as guests' credit card data and employees' personal information.
  • In a recent hotel breach, the hackers did not go after confidential data, but rather sought a ransom payment after taking control of the hotel's technology.
  • hotels, more than most private industries, have to take into account the kind of physical harm that might be done by a hacker.
  • ...9 more annotations...
  • not only are guest information systems targets, but also the life and safety systems – HVAC, elevators, electricity and so on.
  • while financial theft could impact a hotel and its reputation, a hack of the physical structure of a business could put the hotel out of business.
  • Moreover, hotels are complex businesses with overlapping and interconnected systems. Thus, finding a way into one system can allow a bad actor to access other parts of the hotel, giving them the opportunity to demand payment for protection.
  • Hotel owners and operators should be aware that ransomware is increasingly popular because it provides for almost immediate return on a hacker's "investment."
  • Rather than selling personal information, which rapidly loses value, the use of ransomware gains the hacker an immediate return
  • Hotels need to take the same steps that other business take to achieve data security:
  • Analyze risk.
  • Train Personnel.
  • Plan for the breach.
  • elena_martynova on 18 Feb 17
     
    Theft of data by hackers remains the major threat to Hospitality Industry. Usually, hackers attack hotel point of sale for obtaining personal information. But now days hotel owners should be aware of ransomware which is becoming more popular among hackers as it provides the hacker an immediate return.
anonymous

Tech-Laden Hotels Call for Modern Disaster Plans - 0 views

www.e-hospitality.com/...ll-for-Modern-Disaster-Pl-0001

hotels technology physical plant hotel hospitality business plans disaster

shared by anonymous on 16 Apr 12 - No Cached
  • angelamenoher on 16 Apr 12
     
    I found an old article on Physical Plant and preparation for Y2K! The claimed that high tech hotels needed to check their flash light batteries, first floor grounding of elevators, back up generators and fuel tanks. Besides the fact that this is written for doomsday Y2K they have a valid point to have a disaster plan if an earthquake, hurricane or any disaster takes the hotel off line. Loss of power is a real threat especially in hurricane Miami. We need to know that data will be backed up, rooms can be accessed, and that people will not remain stuck in an elevator. Please read below With hotel systems growing ever-more tech-dependent, disaster planning extends well beyond protecting data. Proaction Better Than Reaction Computer Systems Demand Special Attention Just outside California's state capital, the Sheraton Sacramento Rancho Cordova Hotel is a magnet for business travelers in the high-tech and government sectors.
  • angelamenoher on 16 Apr 12
     
    Before Midnight Cilli! No pumpkin carriage here lol. Thanks
dawn davis

Hacker Will Expose Potential Security Flaw In Four Million Hotel Room Keycard Locks - F... - 5 views

www.forbes.com/...llion-hotel-room-keycard-locks

shared by dawn davis on 23 Aug 12 - No Cached
  • The next time you stay in a hotel room, run your fingers under the keycard lock outside your door. If you find a DC power port there, take note: With a few hacker tricks and a handful of cheap hardware, that tiny round hole might offer access to your room just as completely as your keycard
  • Using an open-source hardware gadget Brocious built for less than $50, he can insert a plug into that DC port and sometimes, albeit unreliably, open the lock in a matter of seconds. “I plug it in, power it up, and the lock opens,”
  • The ability to access the devices’ memory is just one of the two vulnerabilities Brocious says he found in Onity’s locks
  • ...1 more annotation...
  • he company also uses a weak encryption scheme that allows him to derive the “site code”–a unique numerical key for every facility–from two cards encoded one after another for the same room
  • dawn davis on 23 Aug 12
     
    A security researcher discovered that he could unlock certain electronic key card entry devices used at millions of hotels by inserting a plug into the small port in the bottom of the key card device and unlocking the door. When he inserts the plug and turns on his device it triggers the mechanism inside that key card device and opens the door in seconds. Granted when he tested this at a conference he was only able to open 1 of 3 doors but it was still enough to show the flaw in the system. It doesn't sound likely after reading the article that there is an easy or cost effective fix to this problem because so many hotels across the world use these devices supplied by Onity. I think the lesson here is to always be vigilant in securing your valuables in any hotel room. Any time new technology is installed there is going to be someone right behind trying to hack it or find the security breaches.
  • ...1 more comment...
  • Nelson Placa on 25 Aug 12
     
    Dawn, I wrote about the follow-up article regarding this issue. I can not believe that it has taken Onity this long to correct the issue. I can't imagine why Marriott and other companies haven't address their guests regarding this concern. I understand the negative impact this could have to the business, however the companies should keep in mind safety.
  • dawn davis on 25 Aug 12
     
    Nelson, I went back and read your article, very interesting to see the follow up but I am surprised that it has taken this long to come out. I wonder if this would have been more publicised if it would have put more pressure on Onnity to fix the problem without putting financial burden on the hotel owners? I am curious now to see if my own company has been effected by this issue.
  • marilyn diaz on 26 Aug 12
     
    That is scary that you can think you are secure and anyone can hack the system and open your hotel room door. Now paranoid people that think they may be robbed by hotel staff, also have to think of outsiders, not even staying at the hotel. Anyone can enter hotels now a days and start opening doors like a lottery system, until they strike gold. The moral, be vigilant while on vacation, because there may also be someone eyeing your stuff. Also, if you have an in room safe use it.
Jia Zhu

The hyper-competitive landscape of travel The heat is on: five online travel trends set... - 0 views

www.eturbonews.com/...line-travel-trends-set-explode

shared by Jia Zhu on 15 Sep 12 - No Cached
  • Expedia reports that 65% of hotel bookings within this last 24-hour window are via mobile, and 15% for flight bookings. Vegas is a particularly striking example of this last-minute mobile booking trend, with 32% of all bookings coming in via mobile,
  • does this mean that traditional travel companies and online travel companies should
  • rush into launching a mobile app?
  • ...8 more annotations...
  • there is a risk that firms focus too much on one particular channel at the expense of others
  • what the industry really needs to do now is focus on how the customer got to that point, how they moved through and interacted with each channel, and what role each channel played in getting the customer to book.
  • India, Brazil, and Russia are growing,
  • marketers need to identify those channels that are helping to drive more conversions, or can influence the conversion funnel.
  • Increasingly, revenue management needs to integrate with all the disciplines – sales, marketing, channel optimization, loyalty marketing, and operations.
  • China, where the number of outbound tourists rose by 70% in the first 6 months of 2012.
  • Big data, personalization, and being relevant is key in the marketing battle.
  • By 2020, about 50 million Indians are expected to travel overseas, according to estimates drawn up by Tourism Australia, which has been actively targeting this market.
  • Jia Zhu on 15 Sep 12
     
    This article gave us a five new online travel trends.Because travel is a hyper-competitive industry, the most pertinent emerging themes in onine travel are considered and experts insights and predictions are provided in the Las Vegas TDS North America event. First trend is the travel industry need be ready for a mobile-only world. Researches indicates that the mobile sales will increase extremely. Because it is expensive to develop mobile app, so traditional travel companies and online travel companies do not such into launching a mobile app in a short term. Convergence, commerce, content and how these impact customer behavior will be an ongoing theme. There is a risk of firms focus too much on one channel, Customers are using a range of different devices to plan, research, book and review their travel experiences.  Revenue management became essential for the business. It needs to integrate with sales, marketing, channel optimization, loyalty marketing , and operations. Think new markets and new customers like China, India, Brazil and Russia. Firms need to be actively targeting this market and make adjustment such as develop local website etc. Last trend is that there are lots of new development in the industry. Facebook start to monetize travel. Google and Apple are also developing their travel related products. This social travel planning tools become successful. Technology develops and standards emerge, mobile bookings may not just be for the last minute.
angelamenoher

KLM Announces "Social Seating" with Facebook Data: Brilliant Idea or Nightmare? - 4 views

diigo.com/0muw3

social media travel planes apps tech klm

shared by angelamenoher on 29 Jan 12 - No Cached
  • angelamenoher on 29 Jan 12
     
    Would you pick your seat based on an app for your next plane ride? Well on KLM you can and Virgin is working on one too. Personally I use that time to relax but if I could use it to avoid an avid stamp collecting chatter box it would be worth it. There may be a small fee and possible sell of personal information to marketers but on a long haul flight sitting next to a like-minded individual might make all the difference in a good vs awkward ride. Very neat! Unfortunately, the fun and celebrations of the Christmas season are often dampened by the stressful experience of holiday air travel. ...
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  • YONGHE FAN on 29 Jan 12
     
    WOW..That is a very interesting article. The "social seating" is a creative techonology with a great wish. But I think it is not a easy job to solve and avoid the negatives of this program. The article said the program is meant to align people of certain interests and is not meant to be a type of on-board dating service. No...No matter how many times the company emphasizes that the program is not on-board dating service, it would turn into a dating model.
  • Carl Miller on 29 Jan 12
     
    This seems like an idea that would be very popular, particularly with those who are addicted to facebook. I think it's creative and interesting in concept but I don't think I would even use it if it were free. I am pretty tall so getting an aisle or exit row seat is more important to me than who I sit by. Even if I travel with family or friends, I prefer to listen to music or catch up on reading when I fly. This is a pretty cool idea, but it's not for me.
  • Melissa Krajewski on 30 Jan 12
     
    I agree with you Carl, great idea but not for me. I'd prefer physical comfort over social activity when it comes to flying. If you are the social butterfly who uses Facebook on a regular basis you are probably likely to introduce yourself to your seat mate anyways and strike up conversation. I like the mystery. However, crying babies are never fun so I can see how some people may use this to benefit their sanity.
  • angelamenoher on 31 Jan 12
     
    Hate to say it but I would pick either a short quiet bookish seat mate for silent comfort or a hot single well traveled man if I was feeling talkative. You're right Yonghe it would turn into a potential singles app.
  • Lorena Collazos on 05 Feb 12
     
    I feel that an app that uses information from social media may be too personal for most. However I do see an opportunity from this idea. Airlines may consider adding an option for their passengers to select if they are travelling for business or pleasure. They could assign seat depending on the purpose of the passengers trip.
  • chunxia gao on 05 Feb 12
     
    To tell the truth, I will try it if it is free to choose people around you. But on the other hand, I think it is hard to implement this system.....
Jenna Wieland

'The Most Exciting Thing to Happen to a Hotel' Will be Introduced at HITEC! - 3 views

About DigiValet DigiValet is a convergence platform which interfaces with in room amenities, back of the house services and the hotel management services. It brings all of these on one common plat...

started by Jenna Wieland on 03 Jun 12 1 follow-up, last by Jenna Wieland on 03 Jun 12
ernestbailey

Chinese Restaurant Owner Says Robot Noodle Maker Doing "A Good Job!" | Singularity Hub - 0 views

singularityhub.com/...-noodle-maker-doing-a-good-job

automation restaurant tech menu

shared by ernestbailey on 03 Sep 13 - No Cached
  • ernestbailey on 03 Sep 13
     
    Restaurateur's evaluation of machines purchased in move to automate noodle making process in business units owned. Owner reports that machines are working proficiently and cost of ownership provides good ROI vs human wages. Also mentioned were projected cost advantages achieved through greater economies of scale vs variable cost that would be incurred utilizing human-based alternative.
  • ernestbailey on 03 Sep 13
     
    Foodservice automation technology: Robot Serves Up 360 Hamburgers Per Hour | http://bit.ly/18p0HoW SushiBot Serves Up An Order Of 3,600 Per Hour | http://bit.ly/14gEmg3 Foodservice automation technology issues: Fast food strikes NYC | http://nbcnews.to/175TET1
  • Bing Kwok on 04 Sep 13
     
    Noodle Power Rangers! Only thing I am worry about is the sanitation standards, not to mention you have no idea what goes inside that noodle dough mix. Other than that, cute little robot with automation technology in food production.
Chengcheng Feng

Can VoIP Save Hotel Telephone Revenue? - 0 views

www.sunzu.com/...-hotel-telephone-revenue-70772

telephone revenue

shared by Chengcheng Feng on 06 Sep 13 - No Cached
  • This article describes VoIP and how it can be used by hoteliers to rebuild guest telephone revenue, reduce the expense of the hotel's own telephone service costs, enhance your guest service portfolio and add a differentiation factor against your competition.
  • In simplest terms, VoIP reduces the cost of international calls by using the public Internet instead of dedicated telephone operator facilities.
  • The caller places the call on a special desktop telephone connected to the Internet, through a computer with "soft phone" software or through a VoIP-enabled PBX.
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  • The most striking feature of VoIP service is the low cost of International calls
  • A new trend in hospitality is giving guests free limited or unlimited international calls.
  • If your property has a Wi-Fi wireless system for guests, you may offer guests the option of renting the new breed of Wi-Fi VoIP telephones. These look and work much like a normal mobile phone anywhere in your property where the Wi-Fi service is available.
  • The simplest and least expensive way to start offering VoIP service to guests is to use wireless VoIP handsets connected directly with a VoIP service provider.
  • Depending which country you are in, and which countries your guests are most likely to call - you should select your VoIP service provider based on the balance between cost and quality of service for the most important called countries.
  • Chengcheng Feng on 06 Sep 13
     
    This article describes the advantage of Voice-Over-IP Telephone (VoIP). By using VoIP, hoteliers can increase guest telephone revenue, reduce the expense of the hotel's own telephone service costs, enhance guest service portfolio and add a differentiation factor against competition. The reason why VoIP can reduce the cost of international calls is using the public Internet instead of dedicated telephone operator facilities. With the technology of VoIP, hotelier can even give guests free limited or unlimited international calls, which may attract more guests.
ypere044

Apple Point-of-Sale Upgrade Signals Better Security, NFC Access - 0 views

www.forbes.com/...als-better-security-nfc-access

apple POS technology NFC

shared by ypere044 on 02 Jun 14 - No Cached
  • EasyPay mobile point-of-sale (POS) system
  • the company has taken a pre-emptive strike to ensure the security of customer credit card transactions and prepare for the future possibility of contact-less credit card purchases
  • the device accepts chip-and-pin (EMV) cards, which offer the current maximum level of account security.
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  • NFC-equipped smartphone might be tapped to exchange information with the EasyPay device.
  • ypere044 on 02 Jun 14
     
    This article introduces the upgrade to the EasyPay mobile POS system used in the US by Apple. The company has improved it's POS system by choosing to use new hardware (the iPhone 5s) and enhancing the hardware with a hard shell, accepting chip-and-pin (EMV) cards as well as a pin pad, and a Near Field Communications (NFC) feature in which smart phones may exchange information with the EasyPay. The article also talks about the future of chip-and-pin cards, Visa and MasterCard may be forced to begin using chip-and-pin cards by October of 2015. There is also talks of Apple including NFC features in their phones making it easier for guests to pay, share pictures and documents. 
Yudika Claude

Entrepreneur Uses Technology to Make Wedding Planning More Transparent - 3 views

www.businessnewsdaily.com/6194-the-wedding-spot-inc.html

technology entrepreneur wedding planning business Tech hospitality event management

shared by Yudika Claude on 28 Feb 15 - No Cached
  • Tina Hoang-To got the idea to build Wedding Spot after planning her own wedding in late 2012. She felt overwhelmed by the stacks of wedding packets quickly taking over her coffee table, and the thought of researching hundreds of wedding venues was exhausting.
  • a big opportunity to create a company that could help brides plan their dream weddings without going through all the stress
  • many sites with a ton of information about wedding venues, but none of them answered the most important question — what would it cost to have a wedding there? Couples would have to email, call or even visit venues just to get a basic wedding information packet with rental fees
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  • Working directly with venues, Wedding Spot gathers all the information required to allow newly engaged couples to easily search for venues based on budget, location, style and guest count. Users can "build out" their ideal wedding day by selecting specific services and options to get an instant price quote and then book a site tour with one click of a button
  • On average, our venues are booking one wedding for every three appointments that we set up, which is a striking contrast to the low-single-digit conversion rates for the wedding industry
  • Consumer behavior has evolved drastically since the introduction of the Internet
  • successful because we were founded at a time when consumers are used to searching for things online and venues are definitely more open to providing transparency in pricing
  • demo our product to venues using an online meeting tool, and our small sales team has been able to onboard hundreds of venues a month
  • online meeting and collaboration software
  • With each venue, we need to walk them through a quick demo of Wedding Spot and then start the process of gathering all the information we need to build out their venue-listing profile on our site
  • Yudika Claude on 28 Feb 15
     
    I found this interesting interview of Tina Hoang-To by Jeanette Mulvey. Tina describes what led to the creation of Wedding Spot (the stress of her own wedding) and the growth her company is continually experiencing.  Wedding Spot allows couples to browse, price and compare wedding venues around their preferred location, eliminating the stress of having to visit a high number of different places in order to get of quote. As she described it, I realized it was very similar to what Yelp does for restaurants and bars.  I am not currently planning a wedding but I went browsing through the website and in my opinion this can prove to be an invaluable tool for brides and grooms to be as it saves them time and reduces their stress. It also has a feature that allows users to set a budget.  As more venues join Wedding Spot, I am sure it is only a matter of time before it is a necessary first step to planning a wedding and choosing a venue. 
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