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Rui Zhu

Smartphone- and Tablet-based Point-of-Sale | Aruba Networks - 0 views

  • Retailers are the midst of a point-of-sale (PoS) transformation from terminals to smartphones and tablets. In fact, many retailers have started embracing this as best practices and, according to a recent poll, 56% of retailers who were surveyed plan to use iPads for PoS in the next two years.
  • This joint solution combines Infinite Peripherals’ Linea-Pro, a combination barcode scanner/credit card swipe reader, with LightSpeed’s mobile PoS application for the iGeneration, supported by an Aruba wireless LAN infrastructure based on the Aruba Mobile Virtual Enterprise (MOVE) architecture.
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    POS is common in today's restautant operation since of its powerful function and wide approach. Thus, most properties have installed a matural POS for their daily operation. On the other, smartphone or tablet is a trend in recent years because of its convenient and fashionable. For this reason, how to combine these two innovative products has become a new task for retailers who are eager to improve their performance. Some POS service companes have offered some new products to the market whcih can give their clients an absolutely different style of service providing. All of these products have similar advantages like more accesibility, more storage, and more spreading. So we can make a positive forecast that this combination will be more and more demanding in the future.
Paige Wuensch

ResortSuite Releases Tablet-Based F&B Ordering App - 0 views

  • ResortSuite, a leading provider of integrated guest-centric hospitality management solutions, is pleased to announce the release of their new tablet-based F&B ordering app, TabletSide POS
  • ResortSuite TabletSide POS allows a server to take an order quickly and efficiently and have the order sent to the kitchen printers immediately for preparation.
  • It exposes key ResortSuite functionality via many mobile and tablet devices and form-factors for quick, cost-effective and highly personalized levels of guest service.
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    This article is short and to the point. It reflects the unattended POS and e-menu discussions from blackboard. The company ResortSuite, has created a new tablet-based food and beverage ordering app on what is called their TabletSide POS. This device provides guests the tools they need exactly when they need them. The POS synchronizes real-time with the full ResortSuite food and beverage modules for up-to-date menu and guest information and even has an offline mode if WiFi were to lose connection!
YU CHEN

iPad POS use rising among restaurants | Nation's Restaurant News - 1 views

  • Wishart said the most appealing aspect of the iPad is how it speeds up the ordering process in the restaurant. “The orders are in the kitchen or bar while the server is still at the table,” he said.
  • He said food and beverage notes can quickly be called up from the tablets’ built-in applications or third-party software by the wait staff to answer guest inquiries.
  • Wishart said he spent about $3,000 on the hardware — including around $500-plus for each of four iPads and another $900 or so for four wireless printers, two of which are in the kitchen, while the third and fourth are in the bar and dining room. That compares with the $12,000 to $20,000 upfront costs of some conventional POS systems, he said.
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  • Wishart said Trio has yet to suffer any significant snafus with the cloud service. He expressed confidence in the reliability of, and redundancy of systems in, the data centers operated by e-commerce giant Amazon.com, from which Lecere contracts for support.
  • He added that the cloud-based model’s elimination of store-level software maintenance further sweetened the deal for him
  • Lappert is among the iPad POS users or vendors that have adapted magnetic stripe readers for credit and debit cards for use with the iPads. Others, such as Wishart, are processing card payments with one or more free-standing readers, such as the one behind the bar at Trio.
  • “You don’t have to worry about servers coming back into the kitchen 10 or 15 times a night asking questions, and the recipes for all the bar drinks are there, too,” Wishart said.
  • Wishart said he spent about $3,000 on the hardware — including around $500-plus for each of four iPads and another $900 or so for four wireless printers, two of which are in the kitchen, while the third and fourth are in the bar and dining room. That compares with the $12,000 to $20,000 upfront costs of some conventional POS systems, he said.
  • the touch-screen device’s ease of use, among other benefits
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    The article, iPad POS Use Rising Among Restaurants, reflects the evolution and implementation of both hardware and POS software within the restaurant industry. The iPad is revolutionizing POS systems, helping to increase the efficiency for the restaurants. According to Chris Wishart, restaurateur of the Trio Restaurant & Bar, "You don't have to worry about servers coming back into the kitchen 10 or 15 times a night asking questions". This allows for the quicker and more efficient placing of orders that contribute to higher customer satisfaction, which is to an extent difficult to measure. As well, Wishart comments about the hardware cost an estimated $3,000, in comparison to the typical upfront POS system costs of $12,000 to $20,000. Including, the use of the cloud base technology has eliminated the need for store software upkeep. The iPad is a versatile hardware that has allowed POS software companies to benefit mutually along with restaurants.
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    This article introduces using ipad as a POS in restaurants. Customers liking ipad, this is a big advantage of using ipad to take the order. What's more, ipad can improve the efficiency for the restaurant and decrease the workload of servers. "You don't have to worry about servers coming back into the kitchen 10 or 15 times a night asking questions, and the recipes for all the bar drinks are there, too," And ipad POS can bring the benefit for the cost of the restaurants. In addition, it also has the reliability to assure users.
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    It is a revolution that tablet brings to restaurant industry. Taking orders, reservation, planning and inventory, all things are possible with iOS platform devices. Both restaurants and guests like new tablet POS because it improve experience and time efficient. Both servers and restaurant owners like it because it is cheaper to set up comparing with traditional POS.
Ted Rood

Mobility rewrites the rules for POS system services - 0 views

  • Mobile technology is rewriting the rules for point-of-sale system services. This is creating opportunities for solution providers with security, wireless and broad e-commerce skills.
  • Tablet computers have accelerated adoption of open system point-of-sale (POS) solutions that integrate multiple transaction methods, including mobile and traditional fixed in-store sales terminals as well as e-commerce sites
  • One motivation is generational: Entrepreneurs are opting for systems that can "follow" clients and support better tableside service
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  • opting for mobile computers that can run POS applications served up via an Internet connection
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    This article focuses on how Mobile technology is changing the way the hospitality industry is utilizing POS systems. Ever since the rise of tablet  computer usage, open system POS solutions that integrate multiple transaction methods have become increasingly more popular. Entrepreneurs in the hospitality industry are opting to go with systems that follow clients and offer better table-side service. Instead of using the traditional POS system terminals, business owners are going with a POS system that can be run on mobile computers through an internet connection.  Mobile POS solutions are becoming more and more popular in the restaurant and hospitality business. Retailers are delivering different mobile applications, such as personal shopping solutions as well as encouraging customers to use their mobile devices to receive promotions and other marketing incentives. In january 2012 it was reported that almost half of all tablet computers are being used for some kind of shopping transactions. 
Gian Altamirano

Squirrel Restaurant POS System for Apple iPad and iPhone to Make U.S. Debut at Internat... - 1 views

  • Squirrel Professional is a point of sale solution that allows restaurants, bars, and hotels to manage their food and beverage operations from stationary terminals as well as mobile tablets and handhelds like the iPad, iPhone, and iPod touch.
  • Customers get the same Squirrel Professional experience whether using a stationary terminal or Apple mobile device since the same software runs on both
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    This article introduces a new system by Squirrel Professionals, which is basically a POS system that can be used and accessed through an I Pad or tablet. The system was released on February 27th and is available through various APP Stores. The company explains that the user interface is very user friendly and therefore no training is necessary for implementation. Squirrel has been a leader in POS systems and was one of the first companies to introduce multi-touch screen POS systems. The company hopes to have another big hit in their new tablet program.
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    This is a great app for restaurant as it should improve communication and speed. The only challenge is how quickly servers will manage this. This will be great with a workforce that is younger and is not shy with technology. One again apple is on the cutting edge with partnering with this app for mobile access.
Ryan Jove

First look: US$58 million guestroom makeover at The Peninsula Hong Kong | CNNGo.com - 0 views

  • The Peninsula Hong Kong launches US$58 million guestroom makeover Grande dame of Asian hospitality moves up to the 21st century with in-room technology and modern aesthetics
  • (US$58 million) refurbishment of its 300 guest rooms with new digital enhancements. The first completed phase was unveiled y
  • . The first completed phase was unveiled y
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  • New rooms at The Peninsula Hong Kong will be smothered in digital touches, ranging from touch-screen tablets that control all functions of the room, to a DVD library of 3D movies to be watched on the in-room HD televisions.
  • A touch of a screen can change pre-set room modes, such as switching to a "spa mode," or change languages settings across all platforms in the room. 
  • Long-distance calls from the rooms become free-of-charge as complimentary Wi-Fi allow VOIP calls. 
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    The Peninsula Hong Kong has launched a $58 million dollar renovation to get up to date with their in-room technology.  They have chosen to add touch screen tablets to each room.  These tablets will control all functions of the room.   They have also added a dvd library of 3D movies that you can watch on their new in-room HDTVs.  You can switch room modes at the click of a button.  They have added VOIP calling from the rooms as well.  This is a huge upgrade and they have become relevant in the tech world.
dtrak002

The latest POS trends for restaurants - Restobiz - 0 views

  • The introduction of tablets has been truly disruptive, making it possible for restaurants of any size to afford a POS system.
  • The good news is that a tablet-based solution, in addition to being much less costly than a fixed hardware system, allows for either a stationary or mobile model. This offers much more flexibility to restaurant owners who may want to initially implement the POS with an iPad placed at reception or the counter and maybe another one at the server station.
  • “Dividing a bill used to take my wait staff up to 30 minutes,” says Tony Geer, co-owner of The Ledford House, a fine dining restaurant. “Now it takes them 30 seconds with TouchBistro, and they can pay a lot more attention to their customers.”
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  • “When my server crashed on my old POS system, it was going to cost $8,000 to replace and update the system,” says Joe Magoonaugh, owner of The Ogden, a full-service dining room and bar. That’s when he decided to go with a new tablet-based system. “You don’t have to put $10,000 – $20,000 up front for a POS, and it is easy to get up and running.”
  • Some customers can experience “line anxiety” when people are waiting behind them to order, so they may pass over upsell options to place their orders quicker, or because the menus on the wall are confusing and hard to read. With a well-designed kiosk, line anxiety is eliminated, and placing an order is easy.
  • “Our average guest check through the kiosk is nearly two times the average placed with a waiter. Since it is so easy to add items on the kiosk, guests add avocado or bacon, and may also see other options to add to the order that they may not have seen on a paper menu,”
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    The article discusses the numerous benefits of the self-order kiosk. Before, old iPads were used, but now, restaurants of any size can afford these kinds of devices. The article talks about a restaurant owner who were frustrated with an old POS system, who said that when his POS system crashed it costed him $8,000 to replace and update the system. But with the tablet-based system, you no longer need $10,000-20,000 up front for a POS system. The article also mentions the efficiencies boosted with the tablet-based system. For example dividing a bill used to take 30 minutes, now it takes 30 seconds. Also, some customers experience "line anxiety" when people are waiting in line for them to order, so they sometimes pass on the complex orders in favor of quick ones. But with the self-ordering system, customers are more likely to order complex options such as adding bacon or avocado. The article states that at one restaurant, the average guest check through the kiosk is nearly two times the average placed with a waiter. The restaurant can focus on service and the food, and less on the ordering and its accuracy.
hannahamorton

Restaurant Tablets Are Causing Headaches for Servers - 1 views

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    This article describes some of the issues that servers are experiencing when tablets are present at their tables - specifically the customer feedback feature on the tablets. Customers are using the platform to leave lude remarks, and don't take the feedback process seriously. Restaurant managers are reading these reviews and basing employee reviews and shift schedules on these comments, sometimes leading to decreased earnings. Other issues encountered with the tablets are orders that disappear and timing lapses.
davidclark33

Restaurant Customer Service And Technology: Chili's' Tableside (POS) And Mobile Approach - 0 views

  • It's a mistake to think that a waiter's job is primarily to deliver food. This is one of the primary lessons I get across in my customer service training sessions for restaurant waitstaff: that waiting tables is a multifaceted art form that includes providing guests with feelings of recognition, comfort, and anticipation, providing a bit of theater, and, sometimes, serving as couples counselor and family mediator. Getting food to the table is really the least of what’s involved.
  • And there lies perhaps the biggest danger when you’re considering a move toward installing tableside technology in a restaurant: losing these less obvious, but emotionally crucial, parts of the waiter role. Another danger is that the implementation will be off-brand and off-putting.  There is a 4-ish star steakhouse with locations in several U.S. cities (think: "Morton’s but regional") whose black-clad, iPad-based menu opens on Page One with cheesy Comic Sans electronic discount coupons and two-for-one offers.  Maybe this doesn’t put you off your feed, but it did me, and I doubt that I’m alone. Which means that all the effort the restaurant had put into properly costuming the waiters, gussying up the dining room, sending its sommelier on vineyard junkets, teaching the waiters how crumb down the white tablecloths (and buying all those silver table crumbers) went down the drain with that one, ridiculously off-brand, choice. Folks: Just because you can do it, doesn’t mean you should do it; before you deploy any tableside technology, make sure that every single part of the deployment fits your brand, or at least fits your brand as you want it to be perceived in the future.
  • Which brings me to Chili’s Grill and Bar, the ubiquitous casual dining chain. Chili’s, which pretty much defines the mainstream of chain restaurants (and is not a place that self-service couponing – free chips with your loyalty points! – will be off-brand), is quickly becoming a definitive mainstream example as well of tabletop point of sale (POS) technology and mobile self-service restaurant technology.
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  • Micah Solomon:  Can you bring me up to speed on how the Chili’s digital service came to be deployed, and how it’s going so far? Wade Allen, vice president of digital innovation and customer engagement, Chili’s Grill & Bar: We started our digital guest experience journey in Sept. 2013 as the first mover in the casual dining industry to bring tabletop technology to our restaurant tables. The goal was to remove common guest pain points around paying the bill and re-ordering drinks. We’ve seen rapid adoption with 75 percent of guests using the tablets to quickly pay their bill. Furthermore, we’ve been able to gather valuable insights through real-time feedback where 25 percent of guests use the tablets to complete the Chili’s survey at the end of their dining experience. This feedback allows us to make improvements on an individual restaurant level, as well as, provide proof points for national-scale decisions around our Fresh Tex and Fresh Mex menu favorites. Once we had the tablets in place, we took a different approach and launched a fully digital loyalty program, “My Chili’s Rewards,” in May 2015. The goal was easy access/participation for all guests. We also included unique elements around gamification to keep guests engaged. In six months, we went from no loyalty program to 4.2 million members. Furthermore, approximately 18 percent of transactions in restaurant are tied to loyalty members. We’re building on this for what we call “loyalty 2.0” with our latest partnership with the Plenti rewards program, as the newest partner to join representing the casual dining industry. This will allow guests to earn points at partner locations and redeem for their Chili’s favorites.
  • Solomon: Is the human element getting lost?  Allen: Absolutely not! A key differentiator of casual dining is the personalized service model. Our technology innovation is not only a win for our guests, but also a win for our team members. With technology, we’re able to remove some of the mundane tasks of the server and allow them to make our guests feel special with a memorable dining experience. Furthermore, technology is completely optional and guests can choose to opt out if they wish. These tablets do not eliminate the personal service our guests receive from servers. In fact, these tablets have served as a good tool for our team members to help eliminate some transactional pain points, such as paying the bill or ordering dessert, and have helped our team members do their job more efficiently. This allows our team members to focus on the duties that make a personal impact on the dining experience, such as getting to know the table, taking entrée orders and delivering meals, among other duties.
  • Solomon: What are the backup plans for when guests want human rather than kiosk service? Allen: Our model is based on personalized service to make guests feel special when dining with us. So, the personalized aspect will always be a part of what guests experience at Chili’s. The technology innovation is completely optional and guests can choose to opt out if they wish.
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    This article is about Chili's success with their EMenu technology. The article was written in 2016 and includes an interview with Chili's VP of Digital Innovation and Customer Engagement. The EMenu has been a huge success for the chain and the interview touches on everything we discussed in class.
rhoff019

Digitizing The Menu: 8 North Broadway Takes The First Step | Rockland County Business J... - 0 views

  • “We see more people ordering a second, and a third glass of wine,”
  • “We’re also seeing a 10% uptick in dessert orders.” Which makes sense – it’s hard to resist a dessert that’s staring back at you from a digital tablet.
  • eMenu International, which manages menus and wine lists in restaurants in 15 countries worldwide, says customers have seen increase in their average check from approximately 3% to 9% since implementing the digital menu to their operations.
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  • And a patron is more likely to be drawn into a fuller description of a wine or spirit rather than by a line or two on a menu.
  • Restaurants using the full capacity of e-menus, particularly fast-casual establishments that connect to the POS (point of service) system, enable customers to choose their food and drink, place an order and pay.
  • Restaurants can customize e-menus and updates with a click of a button. Another feature of e-menus are multiple language options. Restaurants with tourists are able to view the menu in their native language.
  • it’s time-effective to put wines and desserts on an e-menu because the selection is changed up less frequently than the food, for example, which can change daily.
  • A restaurant can use e-menus to feature and promote private rooms, catering packages, special events such as sports games, bands and more.
  • Or, the e-menu can be used to promote a sister, or a chain of restaurants.
  • we’ve reconsidered that because the human touch is so important in the dining experience
  • Issues of concern include credit card security. Until and unless the transactions (bill payments) are PCI-DSS complaint, a customer’s credit / debit card data is at stake. A customer drops the tablet on the floor by mistake and the screen breaks. Who fixes it? Or replaces it?  The 8 North Broadway chef says his tablets are guaranteed for wear and tear. And there’s theft.
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    eMenu systems can cause customers to order more when they see images and descriptions on a tablet. There has been an average of a 6% increase in checks in restaurants that utilize digital menus. It can also save the restaurant money to use this system instead of printing new menus. eMenu systems can be customized to promote whatever the restaurant wants to promote. These menus can also be translated so guests can read the menu in their native language, a feature which would be useful in a city such as Miami.
ldevaul

8 Disruptive Hotel Technology Trends to Watch in 2021 - 6 views

  • For those of us keeping an eye on technology in hotels, it can be difficult to discern what trends are here to stay and what trends are simply a marketing stunt.
  • Venture capitalists are finally starting to recognize the opportunity to invest in tools and platforms that allow hotels to capture new levels of hotel operations efficiency and revenue growth.
  • Cloudbeds offers an all-in-one suite of tools, including a property management system, channel manager, booking engine, and revenue manager, growing revenue and automating workflows at more than 20,000 properties.
    • ldevaul
       
      This is definitely something to look into. SaaS programs, nowadays, are super robust and offer so much data and opportunity for large and small businesses.
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  • Despite being one of the largest and most dynamic segments of the US and global economy, penetration of cloud-based technologies in the segment remains incredibly low, and the vendor landscape remains tremendously fragmented on a global basis,” says Matt Melymuka, co-founder and partner at PeakSpan Capital.
    • ldevaul
       
      This is very interesting...one of the largest industries and they are the slowest to invest in cloud-based technologies. A lot of companies clearly prefer to print everything and leave an actual paper trail!
  • Life House, a tech-first hotel experience, shows proof-of-concept: that hotels that invest in technology drive higher revenue, better guest reviews, and a higher star-rating.
  • Hotels use Zingle’s messaging tools to deliver five-star service at scale; Medallia’s investment in Zingle gives hotels the opportunity to provide frictionless guest service and streamline time-consuming interactions, such as check-in.
    • ldevaul
       
      I'm sure companies who invested in this program during the height of pandemic were very thankful!
  • Hotels are catching on, adding convenience through streaming, voice activation, guest-room tablets, and food ordering tech.
    • ldevaul
       
      The guest room tablets that can order room service and manage the operating system in the room is a game changer. Hotel Mousai in PV Mexico has this installed in all of their suites and it was super impressive!
  • White labeling is a practice in which a product – in this case, hotel software – is manufactured by a third party and uses branding by the purchaser, or marketer, so that the end product appears to have been produced by the purchaser.
  • An API, application programming interface, is simply a messenger of data between applications. APIs allow your various hotel technology tools and programs to work together, connecting your RMS to a PMS, or your PMS to your upsell software, or your business intelligence software to your PMS. An API makes your technology user-friendly and efficient; when your tools work together, you capture each platform’s full capabilities.
    • ldevaul
       
      This is super useful! When all of your software can speak to each other it improves productivity so much!
  • For instance, feeding data from your PMS into a business intelligence tool leads to real, operational data to analyze trends and provide recommendations for better marketing campaigns, smarter staffing decisions, seasonal trends, and market competition. Hotels that are comfortable using APIs can automate tasks that take up much of their employee’s time with manual data entry.
  • On-demand convenience dominates our lives, and guests expect this level of ease from their hotel experience as well.
  • Oaky, one of the industry’s leading upselling tools, raised a Series A funding round of $9.5 million led by PeakScan Capital. Oaky’s appeal to investors stems from the app’s data-driven approach to driving incremental revenue. Their deep understanding of customer behavior makes Oaky one of the top-rated upselling tools on the market today.
    • ldevaul
       
      This would be great for hotels who are struggling to increase their revenue.
  • Hilton is taking a different approach, partnering with Netflix to allow guests to control their streaming straight from the Hilton Honors mobile app.
    • ldevaul
       
      This is genius! Definitely will be trying this at my next Hilton stay.
  • As far as voice-activation, Volara is leading the way in providing a thoughtful, Alexa-esque guest-room solution. Volara integrates with the most popular work order management systems so that guests can make requests and get confirmation when the item or service they need will be delivered.
  • And for savvy marketing managers, tablets provide a new channel through which to send targeted, automated messages generating $5,000 per month in additional revenue.
    • ldevaul
       
      This is great for hotel marketers! Proving their value and having the company invest in tech that shows an huge ROI. Love this!
  • 2nd Kitchen is a godsend for hotels without a kitchen on-site: guests can order room service from restaurants near your hotel, taking care of care of orders, menus, payment, fulfillment, and customer support for your property.
  • Hotels are a prime target for hackers. “Only about 25% of all U.S. businesses, including hotel operators, are fully compliant with current data security best practices. That means that three out of four are not and are potential disasters waiting to happen,” reported one cybersecurity expert.
    • ldevaul
       
      This is definitely worth exploring more!
  • Numerous high-profile malware attacks on the hotel industry have led to hundreds of millions of guests’ data being compromised and millions of dollars in damage. Just this February, MGM Resorts revealed they were the target of a massive data breach that compromised personal information for more than 10.6 million guests. Files leaked in the MGM attack included information on celebrities, chief executives of technology companies, reporters and government officials, according to Skift.
  • Expedia and Booking have taken some pretty big hits in recent months.
  • Why the dive in stock price? There are two factors outside Coronavirus that are impacting OTAs. First, hotels are getting better at capturing direct bookings. Hotel tech like direct booking platforms, metasearch ad managers, and messaging integrations help properties draw more visitors to their site and convert more direct bookings, circumventing the high OTA commissions in the process.
  • Secondly, Google has entered the travel market in a big way. Google has expanded from traditional AdWords to include hotels everywhere via its Hotel Ads product.
  • 5G may be getting all the buzz, but for property owners, WiFi 6 is much more relevant. WiFi 6 is the term used to describe the next iteration of Wifi, a faster, more efficient connection enabled through new technologies. WiFi 6 is about 30% faster than our current WiFi.
  • With WiFi 6, your property can leverage in-room technology to provide better service, driving positive guest reviews and repeat business. Smart thermostats, smart speakers, and smart locks will all perform better with the adoption of WiFi 6 over the next five years.
  • Investors in Oaky already recognize this next insight: data has become the world’s most valuable resource. The sooner you start to mine guest data for better customer insights, the better positioned your property will be against your competition.
  • Data can fuel smarter marketing campaigns, inform your pricing, and help you capture a higher market share than your competitors by knowing your guests on a deeper level.
  • Earlier this year, Revinate launched the hotel industry's first Guest Data Platform to aggregate, clean and deliver rich guest profiles for hotels and property groups of all sizes. The platform combines data from multiple sources to provide a complete picture of a hotel’s guests, delivering the information needed to increase guest satisfaction scores, direct bookings, and ultimately, profit.
  • Brands in the alternative lodging sector include Stay Alfred, Sonder, The Guild Hotels and to some extent groups such as Selina and OYO. 
  • The biggest distraction or barrier these next-gen hotels face is that they’re taking the wrong approach to tech. The companies that win will be the ones who stop acting like tech companies – using buzzwords like AI and virtual concierge – and focus on being more innovative and agile real estate businesses than traditional market players today. Those that succeed will be tech-enabled businesses; not tech businesses.
  • Smart hotel rooms use technology to allow guests to personalize their stay experiences.
  • Technology is becoming more important to hotel operations because it can deliver increasingly high value for hoteliers and guests.
  • The most important software in the hotel industry is the property management system, which acts as “mission control” for hotel operations. Hoteliers use a PMS to manage reservations, check guests in and out, and handle billing.
  • While exciting technologies present new options for hoteliers to enhance their offerings, these new innovations also mean hoteliers must focus on data security and continued training when implementing the technology that guests expect.
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    This article takes a deep dive into the emerging tech trends in 2021. They briefly touched on how SaaS is slowly taking over the traditional PMS and how venture capitalist can't get enough of these programs. Another honorable mention in this article is the explosion of guest room tech such as streaming services, voice activation, and guest room tablets. OTAs that have traditionally been top dogs when it came to hotel bookings are slowly declining and big data is becoming super insightful to hoteliers. This article touches on so many avenues of tech and it's definitely a must read!
Grant Beck

Monscierge Launches New Hospitality Software Application Tool Monscierge | Connect - Pr... - 0 views

  • Monscierge | Connect provides hotels with the tools to stay in touch with guests through their smartphones, allowing guests access to the full array of a hotel or brand’s services in a way that suits the needs of today’s tech-savvy consumer.
  • Monscierge | Connect
  • wraps itself in the approved brand voice for each hotel, and makes that hotel and brand’s specific content available at their fingertips.
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  • After 3 years of researching over 1,000 hotels and resorts across several countries
  • Our joint research with these thousand hotels was conclusive – 73% of inquiries to the front desk, bell staff or concierge were related to hotel services and local information and recommendations.
  • Hotels and guests want an easier way to stay connected with one another, and local information from trusted sources via technology.
  • Freeing-up staff time, yet delivering the guest experience desired. Reception by guest-users and the hospitality industry has been overwhelmingly positive.”
  • Digital postcards are also available through the app, which carry the client hotel branding.
  • Trip-planning functionality is built into the app for travelers to plan their customized experience virtually anywhere they stay.
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    This article is about a new application: Monscierge that launched in December for the iOS (apple) and Connect for the Android in January. The software allows all of the amenities of a hotel to be available to guests via smartphones. The app is completely customizable for each of a brand's specific hotels. This is an excellent idea for both hotels and guests with the recent rise in smartphone and tablet technology. Guests who may not be as comfortable requesting things in person or over the phone would now have the option to do so digitally. Research of 1,000+ hotels and resorts worldwide was conducted over 3 years and found that the majority of questions to the front desk, bellmen, etc. were related to: services, local information, and recommendations. This app seeks to improve that by making those inquiries easily searchable on a smartphone or tablet, also allowing guests to input their own comments. With this finding it should be expected this kind of technology would be very well accepted, which it was. In respect to benefits for the hotel the app is completely customizable down to specific hotels to suit their image needs. With the use of this application it would also allow staff to be more effective, negating redundant questions. By allowing guests the ability to send digital postcards bearing the hotels brand it gives the company more exposure. These benefits are significant for a company looking for new technologies to give them an edge The benefits of this application are numerous for both the customer and hotel. Hotels may also see benefits moving into future years with easier training due to familiarity with this type of technology and customers with easy-to-use technology. For hotels and consumers attempting to plan completely customized experiences, trip-planning functionality is built into the app providing many possible uses. This app to me seemed to be very logical in the current progression of technology. The majority of people today
Yujia Xie

Galla POS develops platform for tablet-enabled menus | mydigitalfc.com - 0 views

  • With eye on serving the hotels and restaurants, Hyderabad-based start-up Galla Pos has developed a platform for tablet-enabled menus and billing. It is now in talks with an Indian mobile handset maker as well as a few Chinese players for the hardware (tablets) for embedding its software.
  • In the first phase, Reddy said the effort will be to reach out to hotels in Hyderabad and later to other cities in Andhra Pradesh and Bangalore. There is a lot business potential. The same concept can be used for small food joints and grocery stores, he said, adding the company will look to provide platform on a monthly rent or for a one time fee.
  • “As the business model matures, the basic platform could be given free, while we will charge for analytics, predictions and other tools that will be built into this,” he said. At present, it is processing orders from a handful of hotels but is seeing more queries coming. Typically, a small hotel is taking about four to five licences-only the first licence is priced higher and the subsequent ones at a fraction, he said.
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    As this article mentioned, for convenient menus and faster billing, Galla Pos run a platform. It introduces how to use this technology and this device will bring down the cost of the handset. In addition, visuals and various menus will assist customers to order faster and better, especially for the foreigners. As a Chinese, if the restaurant provide visuals or more description of the menu, it will help me to understand the food better. This concept will apply in more hotels later and small food joints or grocery stores. I like this idea and I believe more and more industries will apply for it because it provides better quality of service to assist the job of employees and make everything new and effective.
Donald Wojciechowski

Hotel Technology Trends Revolutionising the Industry | Hotel Industry Magazine - 6 views

  • These benefits are not reserved for just large international chains: the low capital expenditure investment for mobile hardware and much reduced software costs mean that mobile is a viable option for small independent properties, looking to develop customer service as a competitive edge
  • Cloud / Software as a Service (SaaS)
  • Software delivered as a service, rather than held on premise is already a mainstream technology topic and despite being a new concept in the hospitality sect
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  • As hotel technology trends continue to develop at a relentless pace
  • Mobility
  • Mobile is the new face of computing as devices such as tablets and smartphones revolutionise the way we interact with technology.
  • investment
  • 3. Social
  • For any hotel to not at least monitor social media is tantamount to willingly flying blind.
  • Personalised Systems
  • Customers expect their experience within a hotel to be totally personalised
  • Integration
  • Globalisation
  • This means that the technology systems in use – especially those in large chains – must account for the global perspective.
  • All of these trends have already brought about a profound change in the hospitality industry – and they will continue to disrupt and redefine operations.
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    The article highlights new advances in technology trends that has captured the attention of numerous businesses in the UK due to the significant reduction cost and savings that can be achieved. The trends include cloud computing which businesses view as a low initial cost or capital investment to undertake. Eliminating the need for hard drives storage, maintenance, and giving way to quick upgrades and updates of an It system. A company's main goal is to provide the best products and services at the lowest cost, and if cloud computing creates this ease of burden without compromising the quality of products and services offered to guests then transitioning to this new technology remains one of the best and newest innovation as the savings will undoubtedly add to the company's bottom line. Smart phones, tablets and other mobile devices has definitely revolutionize the way people communicate and hotels in the United States, China the UK and other parts of the world are capitalizing on this mobile trend as a way to improve customer service. Whether it may be making reservations, or checking in and out of hotels from any location without having to wait in long lines at the front desk. Mobile computing is definitely a way to save cost, and time. It's important to note that this trend does not only benefit huge companies but it's a viable option for small businesses who definitely wants to position itself as a company offering the best and most unique service. Social media is extremely paramount for business exposure and that's why hospitality companies continued to capitalize on this growing phenomena. From Trip Advisor which informs potential guests about the facilities, products, and services to Facebook or Twitter which not only help to market or promote the company's products and services but these are great resources and tools for companies to capture and address comments or concerns that can potentially put the business in a negative light.
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    This article discusses hardware and software trends in the hospitality industry. Article discusses six points that are having a major effect on the hospitality industry. The first area is the definite shift from software held in-house to software used in the cloud. The article estimates that around 85% of all inquiries are from companies that are looking to use the cloud for software needs. The second item article discusses his mobility. The use of devices such as tablets and smart phones are revolutionizing the way people interact with technology this is also revolutionizing the hospitality industry. The third area that the article discusses the social media and the profound impact it has had has had on the hospitality industry. Article points to trip advisor who has become one of the major sources of information for people researching holidays travel, hotels and leisure facilities. The fourth area in which hardware and software is changing hospitality industry is the feeling of a personalized experience. People are expecting that their experience within the hotel to be personalized and technology is helping the industry personalized their experience. The fifth area is the integration of the hardware and software from the many specialized facilities within a property. Traditionally golf spas have operated their own individual software system now that software system is integrated into the overall properties software system. The last area of hardware and software trends that is changing industry is an area of globalization. Properties will need to adapt their two different management approaches to survive in high levels of economic uncertainty. Consequently, brands with large chains must look at their business from a global perspective.
Camila Calcines

Hotel Denit introduces first virtual concierge in Barcelona - 0 views

  • exclusive, groundbreaking project in the hotel sector: Petit Denit, the new virtual concierge
  • hotel reception to create a small tourist guide tailored to each guest.
  • Each receipt printed generates its own URL, giving the guest online access to the information forever.
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  • Petit Denit virtual concierge service as many times as they want
  • The design of each receipt/guide is practical, original and can be adapted to mobile devices and tablets
  • has more than 200 references
  • adapting it to the hotel sector for the first time in our country.
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    This article spotlights this new virtual concierge system that is used in the hotel sector. The Petit Denit virtual concierge service is located in the hotel reception and was initially an application used for the home and now was adapted to the hotel sector for the first time in Barcelona. The Petit Denit "allows the hotel reception to create a small tourist guide tailored to each guest." This a fast system that allows the hotel to print instantly a customized guide for each guest on all the tourist attractions in the city. I think this saves time and money for the hotel because you have a small machine doing the work of an individual. When the staff is busy, this allows the Petit Denit to do all the work and satisfy guests staying at the hotel. In addition, it's practical because the design can be adapted to mobile devices and tablets since we live in a world that is very technologically advanced and everyone is always on their smart devices. Finally, it's important that the hotel sector stays on top of every technological advance because there is a lot of competition.
acarter001

INNCOM's In-Room Controls Now on Intelity's ICE Touch for iPad | Green Lodging News - 0 views

  • By adding INNCOM’s Integrated Room Automation Systems (IRAS) to Intelity ICE (Interactive Customer Experience) Touch on iPads, guests can now control room temperature, lighting, drapes and alarm clock directly from their iPad tablet computers—even when they are not in their rooms. INNCOM is an industry leader in advanced guestroom automation systems for hotels and resorts. IRAS is INNCOM’s customizable multi-purpose platform for in-room guest controls. Intelity is the hospitality software developer of ICE, the award-winning integrated, customizable, branded interface that enables hotel guests to request all services instantly via in-room tablet, TV, laptop or mobile device. “By placing the INNCOM IRAS on our ICE guest interface, Intelity is giving travelers real-time fingertip control over their hotel experience,” said David Adelson, Intelity founder, president and CEO. “Once a guest has registered with the hotel, downloaded its app and received password authentication, they can begin interacting with the property via ICE from virtually anywhere.”
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    This is article speaks to room automation in guest rooms as a means to make hotels more green. Through the INNCOM system, hotels are able to customize the guest's stays by allowing them to adjust the lights and temperature. It also allows hotels to reduce cost as they are able to turn off HVAC units and turn on automatic lights. By allowing hotels to do this, they can save money on their utilities. With the INNCOM system, hotels also can upload their room collateral which reduces the cost of print for the hotels.
Dalton Draper

Tech Trends: In-Room Telephones | Hotel Management - 2 views

  • Although much in-room telephone development has focused on the move to VoIP technology, there are still ways to upgrade the telephone hardware to continue to satisfy guests and protect the bottom line.
  • Bittel Americas is the integration of the phone, alarm and dock with USB port.
  • “I’d rather leave my iPhone on the nightstand than on the desk. We recognized this as a universal issue for all hotels and figured there’s something we can do to provide an integrated device that includes a phone, alarm, mp3 iPhone dock and so on.
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  • adding a desktop device, but it takes up too much space
  • very little revenue comes from phones. The less money hoteliers spend maintaining phones, the better.”
  • That’s people’s content on there, they have almost all their info at their fingertips on that device. … An in-room device probably makes more sense if we were to design our product in such a way that works well with these smartphones instead of trying to compete against them.”
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    This article talks about how hotels are trying to upgrade the in room phones to better serve the guest they receive. They have started to think of ways to integrate the phones to have USB ports for charging smart phones or thinking of ways to actually have a tablet available on the night stand. Some companies have even decided to downgrade their phones to save on maintaince cost since most people have smart phones or tablets with all their information on it.
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    I think this is a great article that you found. It is true that people do not really use the in-room telephones anymore unless it is to call down to the front desk and then still the hotel is not making money on it. If they had an all-in-one phone, alarm, USB port, mp3 people would get a lot more use and be happier with it. These devices should start to come to major hotels and see how they work and then go from there to be everywhere
Charlie Barrett

Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts Unveils New Website and Inaugural Luxury Trend Report - 6 views

    • Charlie Barrett
       
      This article talks about the inceasing use of technology in all aspects of hotel marketing, interaction and booking. There is a trend moving all business towards social marketing and social media. The Four Seasons has created a new website that caters to the new tech savy travelor. This new site is fully compatible with all tablets and smartphones. It allows the travelor to create a profile giving the guest a more personalized experience by anticipating guest wants and needs. The article also identifies the emergence of "The Luxury Trend Report." This report, generated through online research has identified growing technological trends in the market. Two of these trends are the rise of E-commerce and the increased use of iPads. The article clearly shows that the movement toward better hospitality technology is essencial for a brand to compete in this new age.
  • The new fourseasons.com offers an immersive and user-friendly experience, combined with rich global content, impactful design and social media integration.
  • The new Four Seasons website was thoughtfully designed in the same vein, to deliver an immersive and effortless experience tailored to every user.
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  • On the go – Fully optimized for mobile devices and tablets.
  • Access to reviews – Each of the 80-plus property pages feature user generated content direct from Twitter, Facebook and TripAdvisor.
  • Personalization – After setting up a profile and indicating personal interests, related content and recommendations from Four Seasons will become available on a guest's next visit and over time, delivering a completely personalized experience.
  • Extensive research around digital consumption of luxury consumers, both in the travel sector and across other categories, was conducted for the development of the new website. In addition, Four Seasons held focus groups globally to better understand guest and travel partner needs
  • The inaugural Luxury Trend Report highlights what we have learned about guest expectations in terms of high-tech balanced with high-touch, how they use social media to engage with brands, and other valuable information."
  • Branding moves to the social sphere. Seventy-eight percent of the affluent participate in social networking sites, with more than half using social media to connect with a brand. Four Seasons brings digital media to the forefront of marketing efforts to suit the ways guests communicate.
  • E-commerce is king. The luxury consumer is increasingly going online to research and make purchases. Four Seasons online bookings rose 10 percent from 2010 to 2011. The rise of the iPad. One-third of wealthy consumers own a tablet or e-Reader. Four Seasons revenue generated from the iPad and other tablets has grown 200 percent from 2010 to 2011. This number is predicted to grow significantly in 2012.
gaby bestulich

Event Planning - Technology Solutions - 1 views

  •  
    The article highlighted the five top technologies that are quite effective and beneficial for events: 1. Smart phones: Smart phones have the ability to look up suppliers when on the move, for example the ability to respond to emails as well as monitor and respond to the social media. Another benefit is the ability for to do list and scheduled to be created. This is very critical in the time management of events. 2. Saas Cloud Application (software as a service): The advantage is to have access form any web enabled device. This will reduce printing cost and provide the ability to customize reports. Meeting Planners can use Saas to link event management system with customer relationship systems eg. Saleforce. This allows efficient data transfer to both speakers and attendees. 3. Virtual Events: Webiners like gotomeeting.com give participants the ability to attend meetings from multiple locations. This can be save time and money. The only drawback in the personal interaction however, for quick group meetings and presentations this can be quite convenient. 4. Social Media and Viral Marketing: One out of every three persons spend three or more hours on-line per day. The sharing of events though social media sites is highly beneficial for both planners and attendees. Smart planners get participants to market to people within their network. 5. Ipads and Tablets: No more big boxes of binders to ship home form a conference. This means huge saving for bit planners and attendees. Access for information can be controlled at registration point. Information is easily transferred to ones device
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    With more and more people adopting smartphones, ipads and tablets, event planners should look into purchasing a mobile event app for their attendees to use at their event. This not only reduces paper waste, it also reduces the high costs involved in printing event guides and brochures for the event. It is essentially a virtual event guide that's available in the palm of the attendee's hands.EventMobi actually offers an interactive mobile event app for conferences and tradeshows. They allow event planners to fully customize and manage their content at an affordable price
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    With this technology event planners can work more efficiently and provide great options for their clients. In addtion event palnners can cut expenses while taking advantage of technology and improve their communication within their suppliers and clients.
  •  
    I agree every event planner I met at SOBEWFF was on their Ipad 24/7- you sort of feel out of the loop without one. However while observing the benefits of new technology, increased response rates and efficiency, there were still issues that required a phone call rather than an e-mail. In the planning stage this technology is all very helpful but the day of personal interaction is required. Also as far as CRM event planners are still very hands on in terms of making their presence known through face-to-face interactions. The industry still relies heavily on personal relationships.
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    This article talks about the 5 most important tools that an event planner needs to use. 1.Smart phones- this one is an easy one. We all know how important our smart phones are to us. Smart phones allow us to have so many different applications at our fingertips. 2.SaaS cloud applications-"software as a service" these applications have opened up a new way to view things in the event planning industry. These applications allow the planners to use their ipads and tablets to allow them to connect with other applications like salesforce, to deal with customers in an easy manner. 3.Virtual events-these events like "webinars and live feed "have become popular it gives viewers the sense of being at the event. Webinars are also very popular because it allows planners to get more people to "be" at the event for a lower cost. 4.Social Media- because sites like Facebook and Twitter have become so popular it makes sense that this would be important to events because people are often commenting of places they have been to. 5.iPads and Tablets-because they add a sense of simplicity and organization to the madness that is party planning
tstur005

Hotel bandwidth issues grow with guest demand - 0 views

  •  
    "Hoteliers face many obstacles when attempting to offer guests blazing Internet speeds, not the least of which is the fact that guests tend to all want to use it at the same time, putting pressure on the bandwidth coming into the property along with the wireless networks that support laptops, tablets and smartphones. "
  •  
    I love this article because the hotel that I used to work at we upped our internet speed over 20 times while I worked there. It just goes to show that so many people are starting to use more streaming services such as netflix and more people are doing more work and also, if a family of 5 comes to stay in your hotel think of how many different devices that ONE family is using. I bet they each have their own cell phone, tablet, computer, etc. It also doesn't help if you have a conference where there are hundreds of people using laptops and tablets. What is the hotel industry going to do about this issue?
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