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Technology Trends in Hospitality Industry-Driving Innovation and Reshaping the Future |... - 0 views

  • Facing the challenges of labor shortage, the rising cost of operation, and the changes in consumer needs and behaviors, hospitality businesses need to pivot their services and products with the latest technology in order to keep their competitive edge.
  • In addition to mobile ordering, Point of Sale (POS) systems are also one of the top technologies to leverage in hospitality. POS systems turn mobile devices into cashiers. Whether it’s dining in, curbside pick-up, or online orders, POS enables seamless, fast, and safe transactions that customers seek nowadays.
  • Toast’s online ordering system and POS helped Melting Pot launch its takeout business model “The Melting Pot To-Go”.
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  • “Successful digital transformation is the process of using digital technology to create new or modify existing business processes, culture, and customer experiences to meet the changing business and market requirements”
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    This article gives an in-depth approach to the future of technology in the Hospitality Industry. In the article, you can explore the future of technology which will allow the industry to flourish.
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The Importance Of Proximity In Hospitality SEO - Wpromote - 0 views

  • Domain clustering can be a factor in why your hotel is not ranking in organic search results for “hotels near Times Square NY,” especially if there are multiple hotels in your area. Google wants to make sure users are receiving diverse and relevant search results for their queries. That means that sharing a domain name can sometimes work against you because Google is unlikely to serve a user several hotels that are on the same domain.
  • It’s important to put yourself in a customer or potential customer’s shoes and approach your keyword strategy from that point of view while also considering algorithms, domain crowding, competition, and user intent.
  • Closeness to area attractions and venues is important to SEO, and proximity of your address to a point of interest has become the top-ranking factor in Google. This makes it much harder for your hotel to rank for attractions and points of interest if they truly are not “near” your hotel.
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  • In 2016, the Google Possum algorithm update caused Proximity of the Address to the Point of Interest to become more important.
  • In 2017, the Google Hawk algorithm update eliminated some of the local search filters that were put in place by the Google Possum update and focused on showing search results in the immediate area or in close proximity of the search query.
  • f your hotel lies outside that area, it will be seen as irrelevant to the search query and most likely will not rank for that phrase organically.
  • Hotels that are in rural or suburban areas, however, typically have fewer large attractions or points of interest nearby, so they may rank for attractions that are further away due to less competition in the area.
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    Proximity marketing is and has become the new method of advertising on a device which virtually anyone has; the cell phone. However, due to its popularity it has turned into something more complex due to the amount of organizations using this feature and the somewhat tight geographic locations. A city like New York is a prime example to how many businesses fight for a glimpse of spotlight regarding proximity marketing. Although, Google plays a huge role in helping locate a business, it does not seem to be an equal opportunist for all hotels, for instance.
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    proximity accurately represent your location in relation to major points of interest in your area becomes even more important for the guest experience. Imagine that same hotel really tries to drive home the point that is it near Times Square on its website, only to have visitors disappointed that the attraction is really much further than expected and that other hotels are much closer.
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Reinventing Restaurant Experiences Through Facial Recognition - 0 views

  • Biometric technology
  • offers enhanced health and safety
  • personalizes the dining experience, offers a more efficient bill payment system, and increases patron loyalty
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  • 1. Contactless payments
  • facial recognition technology reduces physical contact
  • makes the experience more efficient by instantly scanning a guest
  • 's face for verification and payment.
  • safest technology in identity verification, dramatically reducing the risk of payment fraud.
  • 2. Social distancing and capacity requirements
  • Facial recognition technology helps with social distancing and capacity measures by identifying the proximity between individuals
  • keeps track of the number of people in the store
  • 3. Customer loyalty programs and personalized dining experiences
  • allows restaurants to create personalized experiences for loyal customers, and encourage first-time guests to return.
  • recognized as VIPs,
  • weekly regular who likes his burger rare with no lettuce or tomato, thus increasing customer satisfaction
  • 4. Fast-food restaurant transformations
  • with facial recognition
  • customers
  • don’t need to remember a password or log into an app
  • FaceMe Health
  • turns these kiosks into interactive experiences by recognizing loyalty program members and presenting pe
  • ased on
  • Facial recognition
  • past orders
  • also being employed in drive-through lines
  • saving time
  • 5. Employee systems: access control, time and attendance clocks, and ordering terminals
  • Advanced technologies like FaceMe® can be installed at staff entrances to check body temperature and mask-wearing while accurately identifying employees
  • simplifies clocking-in/out
  • accurate login capabilities without the need for keys or cards.
  • FaceMe SDK
  • FaceMe
  • facial recognition engine
  • to create personalized and efficient customer experiences
  • FaceMe Security
  • It can also display body temperature (when connected to a thermal camera), identify opted-in VIP customers, clock-in/out employees, flag block-listed individuals, and send real-time alerts to security personne
  • software solution that performs facial recognition even if users are wearing a mask.
  • Facial recognition t
  • installed on a PC connected to a camera with thermal imaging capabilities.
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    Biometric Technology is being implemented in restaurants offering better health and safety, personalised dining experiences and efficient payment methods. Restaurants are using facial recognition for the following: 1. Contactless payments - scanning customers' faces for safe payment verification. 2. Social distancing and capacity measures - helps identify proximity between individuals and tracks number of people inside a store. 3. Loyalty programs and personalized dining - opted-in diners are recognized as VIPs giving them personalized service and suggesting past preferences. 4. Fast-food restaurants - customers don't need to remember a password or long into an app. Facial recognition is being implemented in drive-through lines to save time. 5. Employee systems - technologies can check body temperature and accuracy of mask wearing, it also simplifies cocking in and out and gives them login access to the POS terminals.
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6 Technology Trends Redefining the Hospitality Industry - 2 views

  • Travelers now prefer self-service over waiting to be served
  • online planning and booking
  • ontactless check-in and
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  • Incorporating technology into day-to-day operations is essential to minimize human error, maximize service efficiency and improve the guest experience.
    • aquin206
       
      Companies must evolve in the world of technology in order to meet customer demands. In effect of the Covid-19 pandemic, travelers now prefer self-service such as contactless check in. The incorporation of this technology, minimizes huma error and maximizes efficiency.
  • Companies must move quickly to meet evolving demands or risk missing the boat.
  • 24/7 digital concierge.
  • Gamification of travel planning
    • aquin206
       
      By using game like templates in their websites, travel companies are able to capitalize on human motivation. When customers able to get rewards, brand awareness, customer loyalty, and revenue are improved
  • As people contemplate their next getaway, hospitality companies can leverage gamification — using game design elements in non-game contexts — to turn travel planning from a chore into a guilty pleasure.
  • companies can capitalize on human motivation.
  • Beyond novelty, using gamification for online advertising is proven to boost data driving, customer loyalty, brand awareness, user-generated content, online engagement and revenue.
  • Virtual reality tours
    • aquin206
       
      Virtual reality tours help travelers to enjoy their future destination before they arrive. They also help with brand experience as they create mental imagery and presence.
  • Through the use of VR (virtual reality), companies can now give first-person digital tours of their space to future guests.
  • VR increases the elaboration of mental imagery and presence, leading to better brand experience,
  • Going contactless
    • aquin206
       
      Contactless check in, mobile keys, and digital payments all increased by 66 percent due to the pandemic. This however, is here to stay as this decreases staff dependency.
  • The adoption of contactless technology like self-check-in, in-room technology, mobile keys and digital payments, increased by 66 percent during the pandemic
  • many hospitality companies transitioned to contactless check-in/out to reduce staff dependency.
  • Chatbot as a digital concierge
    • aquin206
       
      Chatbot is a simple way to meet guest demands 24/7. With FAQ, guests can get an answer to their question in a matter of seconds at any time of the day without needing to leave their room.
  • Hoteliers are scrambling to meet 24/7 guest demands. With fewer staff, chatbots are shifting from luxury to necessity.
  • This means a 24/7 ability to engage users, answer their questions and fulfill their requests.
  • IoT for room control and customization
    • aquin206
       
      IoT allows guests to have a home away from home by personalizing their rooms by changing the color of the lights, temperature, etc.
  • Location-based services
    • aquin206
       
      With location based services, travelers are able to find activities and amenities wherever they are staying. This can offer more intuitive local recommendations without needing staff assistance.
  • IoT technology allows guests to personalize room settings like room temperature and lighting.
  • By seeing a guest's location via their smartphone, hospitality companies can offer more intuitive local recommendations. Without needing staff assistance, guests can instantly access local information, such as the nearest grocery store or the best pub in town.
  • Hospitality tech revolution predictions
  • he hospitality industry cannot expect a return to normal.
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    This article focuses on six trends that are redefining the hospitality industry. These trends are; gamification of travel planning, virtual reality tours, going contactless, chatbot as digital concierge, IoT for room control, and location-based services. Companies must evolve in the world of technology in order to meet customer demands. In effect of the Covid-19 pandemic, travelers now prefer self-service such as contactless check in. The incorporation of this technology, minimizes huma error and maximizes efficiency. Gamification of travel planning: By using game like templates in their websites, travel companies are able to capitalize on human motivation. When customers able to get rewards, brand awareness, customer loyalty, and revenue are improved. Virtual Reality Tours: Virtual reality tours help travelers to enjoy their future destination before they arrive. They also help with brand experience as they create mental imagery and presence. Going Contactless: Contactless check in, mobile keys, and digital payments all increased by 66 percent due to the pandemic. This however, is here to stay as this decreases staff dependency. Chatbot as a Digital Concierge: Chatbot is a simple way to meet guest demands 24/7. With FAQ, guests can get an answer to their question in a matter of seconds at any time of the day without needing to leave their room. IoT for Room Control and Customization: IoT allows guests to have a home away from home by personalizing their rooms by changing the color of the lights, temperature, etc. Location-Based Services: With location based services, travelers are able to find activities and amenities wherever they are staying. This can offer more intuitive local recommendations without needing staff assistance.
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    Hello Alejandra. I really enjoyed reading this article, thank you for sharing! Although I am a germaphobe, and number three (Going contactless) appealed to me on a certain level, the points that stood out to me the most were; number two (Virtual reality tours) and number four (Chatbot as a digital concierge). I am one of the individuals who check reviews of places before I make a reservation but taking the virtual reality tour would give me more assurance of the property because individuals have different expectations and standards so what may be appropriate for them, may not be for me. The Chatbot as a digital concierge is quite convenient for both guests and hotels, hence it will ensure a more comfortable and relaxing stay.
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Disruptors in the hotel industry | Colliers - 2 views

  • Underpinning this is an intermeshing of technology development, shifts in demographics, and globalisation which has also brought about rapid urbanisation
  • This in turn has led to a change consumers’ expectations and needs
  • Although disruptions are commonly perceived by incumbent players as threats to their businesses, disruptors could also be sources of significant opportunities for incumbent players to create newer and better services as well as experiences for their guests, hence entrenching themselves even more within the industry. 
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  • In addition, whilst this may well serve high volume and ‘business’ hotels,
  • consumers’ increasing desire for personalised experiences is expected to continue for years to come.
  • use of biometric technology such as the facial recognition technology to speed up guests’ check‐in time and thereby improve the customer experience, make processes more efficient and enhance security.
  • By eliminating the process of performing manual checks on travel documents, the amount of check‐in time is expected to be reduced by up to 70%.
  • its use in luxury hotels, where the personal touch matters, may well have to be adapted to ensure it is seamless and less impersonal.
  • use of hotel robots may yield operational and cost efficiencies to hotels, it is however critical that a balanced approach is adopted by hoteliers to ensure that automation does not supplant quality service hence alienating hotel guests as a consequence
  • Voice assistants ‐ such as Amazon Alexa, Siri and Google Assistant – are one of the fastest growing technological fields today, becoming commonplace as a feature of the internet of things
  • According to Hospitality Technology’s 2019 Lodging Technology Study, nearly eight in 10 respondents named voice‐enabled technology as the top choice when asked to identify technology that has the most potential in the near‐future, and 62% of the respondents listed voice technology as a transformative technology that makes an impact.
  • voice assistants could potentially be used by hotels to gather actionable insights and feedback
  • the data gathered can be analysed and utilised to enhance the hotel offerings
  • Separately, hotels could potentially streamline operations processes and thereby improve operational efficiency and achieve cost‐savings through automating some of the daily hotel operations via the voice assistant.
  • The use of robots within the hotel industry is a form of automation that is becoming more prevalent as hotel chains and individual hotels have become increasingly cognizant that the concept of automation and self‐service is playing an increasingly vital role in the customer experience
  • pop‐up hotels have the agility of providing on‐demand accommodation in locations that traditional hotels could not and/or travelers would not necessarily have access or ease of access to alongside customisable accommodation settings, thereby delivering an entire bespoke guest experience.
  • New technologies, online platforms and markets are seen manifesting in new initiatives of all sorts ranging from metasearch engines evolving into one‐stop reservation options, chatbots, and robots providing butler services to alternative accommodation options. 
  • In Asia, Singapore had its first shipping container hotel in operation in January 2020. Targeting millennials as its primary consumers who are more adventurous and looking for an experience
  • Key players of the pop‐up space are predominantly boutique groups although major brands such as Marriot and Accor have started to experiment with pop‐ups
  • applicable
  • it is imperative that hotels recognise and make it a top priority to address these privacy concerns and adhere to the applicable regulations concurrent to ensuring the quality of the stored data and system
  • Check‐in and check‐out services; provision of tourist information; butler service to deliver amenities such as towels; transport luggage; and meal deliveries.  
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    This article discusses some of the technological disruptors in the hospitality industry and provides a couple examples specific to hotels. Some of these examples include pop-up hotels, facial recognition, and robots. The article provides a couple reasons why each of these innovative technologies could be beneficial or negative for hotels. Overall, the article provides some good insight into the future of technology in hotels.
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    This article covered various disruptors in the hotel industry from the check in process down to automation & self service for guests. Implementing facial recognition to speed up check ins for guest, using voice assistants to substitute daily hotel operations, & using robots for automation are all things that can become more prevalant amongst the hotel industry as it may seem more cost efficient.
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    Every year, technological advances are made in each industry, including the hospitality industry. These advances are often seen as threats according to this article, however, they might also pose as great opportunities for the industry and its stakeholders. The article highlights some of the major disruptors in the hospitality industry. Trends such as facial recognition and robots were among those mentioned. I found that both of these trends have negative and positive aspects to them. Facial recognition would reduce the time spent checking in significantly, however guests would still be concerned with the storage of their personal data. Additionally in regards to robots, they aid in operational efficiency in check in and check out services also but they could possibly omit the human touch factor of certain roles that guests appreciate.
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Disruptive Innovation in the Hospitality Industry | SevenRooms - 8 views

  • DI refers to a significant change that fundamentally alters an industry.
  • DI can take many forms, including product and service innovations, as well as changes to operating processes and business models. What they all have in common is a commitment to continuous improvement and growth. The goal is to always be on the lookout for new and better ways to serve the customer and lead the market.
  • Leveraging contactless ordering and payments, operators can collect more data on their guests. These details seamlessly flow into your point of sales system, as well as your guest database to track spent and historical data.
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  • Streamlined SMS messaging directly to guests, for example, can be used to automate communications
  • Marketing automation
  • for example, can retarget guests with targeted marketing campaigns, triggered by certain thresholds dependent on preference, spending habits and other guest traits.
  • DI, however, can help you reconnect with your customers and revive your business. You’ll just be doing it in a new way
  • DI is an ideal way to reach your guests even after their dining experience at your venue has concluded.
  • The hospitality industry is truly a people-focused field.
  • COVID-19 pandemic has taken a toll on the global economy
  • Your customers will have peace of mind in knowing they won’t have to expose themselves to unnecessary risks when visiting your property
  • Every day, new technologies and systems are being developed to help businesses adjust to the new normal.
  • That makes hospitality much more of an essential service than many people may realize.
  • Yet of all the industries impacted by the coronavirus outbreak, the hospitality industry has been among the most affected.
  • quicker and more convenient
  • open the door of contactless communication, decrease likelihood of table abandonment and prevent overcrowding
  • This helps tailor the guest experience and personalize your communications with guests, resulting in increased loyalty and retention!
  • Disruptive innovation, however, is a powerful weapon in the industry’s arsenal, not only allowing professionals to survive in ordinary conditions, but also to thrive in extraordinary ones.
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    The article I chose was based on disruptive innovations (DI) in a post pandemic world. In this article DI is represented as a necessary change through the additions of increased safety measures by implementing contactless ordering and payments to keep not only the guests safe but staff as well. This article describes how DI will not only give customers a stronger sense of safety but also give staff the opportunity to collect more data on customers in turn enhancing the guest's possible future experiences. This is just one example of how DI is helping to make customers experiences better during the COVID pandemic.
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    The article speaks on the effects COVID has had on the hospitality industry and how disruptive innovation will help businesses adjust to the new normal. As a business owner, you must always be aware of the new and upcoming trends to keep up with the market and servicing the consumer. Disruptive innovations will expedite your long wait times at restaurants or bars with SMS messaging, it will allow for an easy self check in/check out process. Any process that will make the consumers way of living easier, will have a significant effect.
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    The article discusses how the pandemic and COVID-19 has hurt global economic growth. Despite the pandemic closing many restaurants, new technologies systems are being installed to help those businesses adjust to the new normal. In the world of business, disruptive innovation refers to a significant change in the way a business operates. In addition to product and service innovations, business processes and business models can also be affected. Even if the virus is having an effect, people still need to eat, travel, and have a way to sleep and shower when they do so. Payments and ordering via contactless technology can help business owners reconnect with their customers. This industry is inherently people-oriented. The application of disruptive innovation to this field allows professional to flourish in unusual circumstances.
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    this article talks about how COVID 19 helped speed up the process of many innovations taking over antiquated systems with a modern approach. and now that we have we will never go back. "DI can take many forms, including product and service innovations, as well as changes to operating processes and business models." basically it just disrupts the systems that was already put in place with systems that work better for today. "Leveraging contactless ordering and payments, operators can collect more data on their guests. These details seamlessly flow into your point of sales system, as well as your guest database to track spent and historical data." the restaurant i work for never use to do delivery services but COVID made them disrupt their system and innovate in order to make money and stay afloat. by using delivery dudes and easy packaging and simplifying the menu we have been able to increase our revenue and stay ahead of the curve which happens to be ghost kitchens.
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    New advancements in technology and the hospitality and tourism industry have led to the collaboration of both sides to create better guest experiences. By using new technological products in the hospitality industry, guests can have contactless interactions to reduce their health concerns, brought on by the pandemic, as well as increase a business's productivity at the same time. The new innovations can also give more data on guest interests and help businesses learn more about their audience to make better decisions later on.
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    "Disruptive innovation is nearly as old as the hospitality business itself." A post pandemic world has taken a new direction towards contactless service, and DI technology has played a huge role in how we now operate going forward. Sevenrooms is a online reservation software similar to open table that allows for a seamless reservation process. It tracks data such as how much a guest has spent, how frequent they visit and even table preference. "This helps tailor the guest experience and personalize your communications with guests, resulting in increased loyalty and retention." Sevenrooms also uses an SMS messaging feature to notify guests about any updates to their table, which allows them to enjoy themselves freely while waiting instead of being crammed up in the front of the restaurant.
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How Hotels are Using Robots to Reduce Costs, Improve Operations and Enhance the Guest E... - 0 views

  • How Hotels are Using Robots to Reduce Costs, Improve Operations and Enhance the Guest Experience
  • The history of robots in the hospitality industry dates back to the early 2000s when the world’s first robotic concierge was introduced at the Aloft Hotel in Cupertino, California.
  • More recently, the hotel deployed a robot named ALO butler. ALO delivers items to guests’ rooms 24 hours a day, including towels, toiletries, and complimentary snacks. The results have been impressive. Guests have responded positively to the convenience of having access to room service around the clock, and the hotel has reported significant reductions in labor costs. In addition, the robots have helped to improve guest satisfaction scores by providing a consistently high level of service.
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  • Today, robots are being used in a variety of hotel departments, including housekeeping, food and beverage, and even security. And the benefits of using robots in the hotel industry are many.
  • The challenges and obstacles related to robots in hotels are also many. One of the biggest challenges is the cost of implementing and maintaining a robotic infrastructure. Another challenge is the lack of standardization. There are no industry-wide standards for hotel robots, which makes it difficult for hoteliers to compare and select the right robot for their needs. Finally, there is the issue of public perception. Some people may view robots as a threat to jobs. Others may see them as a nuisance.
  • For guests, the benefits are mostly related to convenience.
  • Robots can help to improve operational efficiency by automating tasks that are typically done manually. They can also help to enhance the guest experience by providing a more personalized service. In addition, robots can help to reduce costs and save time. For example, robotic valets can park cars for guests and robotic concierges can provide information about the hotel and its amenities.
  • Despite the challenges, the future of hotel robotics is very bright. The global market for hotel robots is expected to grow from $79 million in 2020 to $338 million by 2025, at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 32.8%, according to a report by MarketsandMarkets. This growth is being driven by the increasing adoption of robots in the hospitality industry and the growing need for efficient and cost-effective solutions. Hotels are increasingly turning to robots to improve operations and enhance the guest experience. And the future of hotel robotics is very bright.
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    This article is about the history of the use of robots in the hospitality industry, back in the early 2000s. It then follows the deployment of ALO butler and the tasks it executed. Thereafter, a look into how robots are used today in various departments is presented. Also in this article are information about the pros and cons of using robotics both for the property and for the guests.
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Robots are disinfecting hotels during the pandemic. It's the tip of a hospitality revol... - 0 views

  • germ-zapping Roomba — becoming, in the process, one of the first ultraviolet bots to arrive in a United States hotel.
  • "Cleanliness is now the new luxury,"
  • Until recently, only health-care workers would frequently interact with disinfecting bots,
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  • cost upward of $125,000 each.
  • projects the market for UV disinfecting bots will grow to more than $5.5 billion by 2027
  • stands out from such predecessors, both because of the bots' wider adoption and the more practical jobs they fill.
  • And Japan's famous Henn na Hotel has claimed to be the first hotel staffed by robots, though in 2019, the hotel fired about half of its 243 bots for underperforming (and, alarmingly, potentially exposing guests to hackers and peepers).
  • "cobots," a portmanteau of "collaboration" and "robots," because they're intended to work alongside people rather than replace them.
  • more than 60 percent of jobs in hospitality-dominated cities like Las Vegas could be automatable by 2035 — job losses that would exacerbate income inequality and disproportionately harm women of color.
  • Elected officials continue to underestimate the economic threats of automation in sectors like hospitality and tourism
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    Robots became very relevant and significant with the rise of Covid-19. There was an increased demand outside of the hospital sector and in industries such as hospitality. While many are "germ-zapping Roombas" others offer things like concierge services. Covid-19 made "cleanliness a luxury". However, the cost has always been a factor and can be "upwards of $125,000" for one disinfecting robot. The market is looking to grow by more than "$5.5 billion by 2027 for UV disinfecting robots" alone. While some countries like Japan have used Robots for a while, it hasn't always been successful, but it is now becoming a norm in the industry to obtain them for service. Some makers say that robots are meant to "work beside people rather than replace them." Some researchers say that large cities like Vegas are at risk of jobs being automated at more than 60% in the Hospitality sector. This could wreak havoc on employment and harm those that are most vulnerable those living in poverty or just above and women of color. Those in official positions with the government do not take the threat of automation as seriously as they should when it comes to sectors that rely heavily on employing many people but are turning toward automation. I definitely viewed an uptick in the use of a variety of technologies to he;p clean and sanitize buildings. While I never came across a robot, I know that there was an emphasis on various low-tech devices to help clean. I think while there are certainly positive outcomes of using robots in service-oriented positions within the hospitality sector, I dare say we should be concerned if we start using them more than people. And while the Pandemic certainly helped push us towards accepting technology in day-to-day and in work, it shouldn't be the end all. I would like to further read as to why Henna Na Hotel in Japan had such a disappointing result from their all-robot hotel. I think it could shed some light on the do's and don'ts of robot usage.
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    I really enjoyed reading this article. It gave lots of insight for the future of AI. I actually came across a website called chai.ml which is an online chatbot. You can talk to literally any kind of chatbot. From ones that make itineraries for you for wherever you go, to ones who want to experience a breakup situation. Its pretty neat but also really weird. I can for-see jobs being lost after playing around with that website.
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Apple expands global recycling programs - Apple - 1 views

  • Apple will also be supporting the efforts of environmentally-focused non-profits Conservation International, SEE Foundation and The Recycling Partnership — expanding on its conservation and resource efficiency work from last year.
  • Today, Apple released its 2019 Environment report, which contains additional information on the company’s climate change solutions, including its recent announcement that 44 of its suppliers have committed to 100 percent renewable energy for their Apple production
    • jalipman
       
      Apple is working to cut down their carbon footprint in all facets further than just e waste.
  • Apple today also announced the opening of its Material Recovery Lab dedicated to discovering future recycling processes. The new 9,000-square-foot facility in Austin, Texas, will look for innovative solutions involving robotics and machine learning to improve on traditional methods like targeted disassembly, sorting and shredding. The Lab will work with Apple engineering teams as well as academia to address and propose solutions to today’s industry recycling challenges.
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  • Starting this year, aluminum recovered through the Apple Trade In program is being remelted into the enclosures for the MacBook Air.
    • jalipman
       
      The other question that comes from this information. While it is very good that they are doing this. Would they be doing it if they had the option to cheaply ship it off to china.
  • he company’s engineering of an aluminum alloy made from 100 percent recycled aluminum allows the new MacBook Air and Mac mini to have nearly half the carbon footprint of earlier models
  • Apple also uses 100 percent recycled tin in a key component of the main logic boards of 11 different products.
  • Apple’s vice president of Environment, Policy and Social Initiatives. “We work hard to design products that our customers can rely on for a long time. When it comes time to recycle them, we hope that the convenience and benefit of our programs will encourage everyone to bring in their old devices.”
    • jalipman
       
      This is very interesting considered apple has been known to create products that DO NOT last very long. Also it is surprising that this position within their company even exists.
  • Daisy is now able to disassemble 15 different iPhone models at the rate of 200 per hour, recovering even more important materials for re-use.
  • Once materials have been recovered from Daisy, they are recycled back into the manufacturing process. For cobalt, which is a key battery material, Apple sends iPhone batteries recovered by Daisy upstream in its supply chain. They are then combined with scrap from select manufacturing sites and, for the first time, cobalt recovered through this process is now being used to make brand-new Apple batteries — a true closed loop for this precious material.
    • jalipman
       
      Here they have closed the loop and allowed for them to not be taking away from our natural resources as was discussed in "the story of stuff" Shows apple is being environmentally conscious. Would be very interesting to see the ratio of how many phones they implement the old cobalt and how many are new.
  • In 2018, the company refurbished more than 7.8 million Apple devices and helped divert more than 48,000 metric tons of electronic waste from landfills. 
    • jalipman
       
      Apple clearly has been working to brand themselves as a green company. Since they are one of the main companies that quickly cycles through products and getting rid of your old one it is smart that they are now moving towards putting used products and materials back into the cycle for a second time.
  • Customers can also turn in their eligible devices to be recycled at any Apple Store or through apple.com as part of the Apple Trade In program.
  • pple today announced a major expansion of its recycling programs, quadrupling the number of locations US customers can send their iPhone to be disassembled by Daisy, its recycling robot.
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The Future of Technology in Hospitality is Green | Hospitality Technology - 2 views

  • the fact that millennials (those born roughly between 1982 and 1996), are going to be the largest generation in the country’s history (at 83.1 million).
  • Simple math tells us that the buying power at large is mainly in their hands.
  • For example, more LED lighting throughout their facilities with sensors can help keep costs down while reducing energy waste.
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  • he hospitality industry is also one known for producing exorbitant amounts of waste.
  • In order to make more green, here are some of the tactics within the headlines of late that are being used to keep up with the sustainable practices to woo this generation, and those others to come.
  • Thanks to technology, hotels have been making strides to becoming more environmentally friendly without breaking the bank.
    • Angelica Saez
       
      It is important to work with different companies to help you establish different ways technology to go green. There are different ways to help the technology to go green for your business.
  • According to Forbes, millennials consider social responsibility and environmental friendliness when making their purchases, so brands have to rise to these significant expectations millennials have when it comes to spending their money.
  • Through the use of an intelligent camera, smart scales and AI-based smart meter technology, Winnow Vision analyses ingredients during food preparation, as well as plates returned to the kitchen, to assess which food items are most wasted and in what quantities.
  • Cruises Also Taking a Stand with Tech
  • the cruise line is implementing technology to help reduce its ecological impact including clean LNG as fuel on its new ships, installing an Advanced Emission Purification system on most of its fleet, making progress with its program to eliminate single-use plastics, and is increasing its number of ships that are zero landfill capable
  • Hotels Continue to Innovate
  • According to the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) trend survey released earlier this year, supporting sustainable initiatives remains important to the lodging industry as a whole.
  • This tells us that hotels need to continue to innovate and the future of technology in hospitality has to be green, or those brands that do not adopt to these emerging standards face being left behind.
  • it’s hard to ignore the fact that the pace of technology is moving faster than ever before.
  • From the excess food that is thrown out each year, to the overuse of plastics, water and energy – there are many brands in hospitality that are taking the right steps to becoming more sustainable. After all, if they don’t get on the green bandwagon, they risk losing the largest generation of buyers in history.
    • Angelica Saez
       
      When your business goes green it is good for the environment and your business.
  • InterContinental Hotels Group® (IHG®) announced a partnership with technology company Winnow to help its hotels automatically track, measure and reduce food waste for more sustainable and efficient restaurant and bar operations.
  • The technology group Wärtsilä also announced that it will supply and install an Auto Gasification solution for the ‘Regal Princess’, a Princess Cruises vessel. This technology will enable the safe disposal of waste from the ship through a self-fueling thermal decomposition unit, thereby significantly reducing greenhouse gas emissions. It will also lessen the requirement to offload waste at shore facilities.
  • In the case of the Andaz London Liverpool Street hotel, a project with Quimera Energy Efficiency kicked off in 2016 and within a year 21% of electricity and 27.1% of gas consumption was saved. This translates in 500.000kg of CO2 emissions saved and was achieved using the methodology of Monitor & Save, including the Bopstem technology provided by Wisestate which is an IoT solution for HVAC control and automation, without suffering guest comfort.
  • Another big announcement made by MSC Cruises shows its commitment to becoming the first major neutral cruise company in 2020. Starting on January 1, 2020, MSC Cruises will buy enough credits from companies that absorb carbon dioxide to offset all of the carbon emissions from its 17 ships throughout the year. MSC said that it is committed to reduce emissions as technology progresses with an ultimate target of zero emissions. The company intends to invest and work with shipyards and research institutes to achieve this goal. 
  • St. Regis Atlanta integrated green tech into its 10th anniversary redesign (a trend that keeps popping up in headlines), leveraging services from Mode:Green to take advantage of the opportunity and make it a smart building system.
  • While Carnival Corporation, which holds the tag as the world’s largest leisure travel company, is partnering with leaders from the maritime and engineering industries to pilot the world's first fuel cell system designed to power large passenger vessels.
  • Linen and towel reuse programs are nearly universal among properties, and a majority of hotels across all segments have implemented a water savings program.
  • Consumers have way more transparency when making buying decisions and with the right information at their fingertips at all times, the hospitality industry is not immune to the imperative of creating a quality consumer experience.
  • This builds up a bank of data which in turn informs buying decisions, shapes menus and hones food preparation techniques.
  •  
    This article emphasizes how imperative it is for hospitality businesses to stay on the cutting edge of technology as a part of their business design and strategy if they want to survive in today's competitive market and remain in it, in the near future. The author expresses that today's hospitality market is being driven by Millennials' "the largest generation in the country's history" who patronize businesses that are socially and environmentally responsible. Armed with this information to capture their targeted market, more and more hotels are now incorporating from inception within their physical blueprint infrastructure that is environmentally sustainable and cost-effective. As well as obtaining Green certifications and implementing sustainable software to reduce waste and minimize leakages. This concept has also been adopted by cruise ship operators to reduce environmental impact through the use of technology.
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  •  
    The current innovation trends of hospitality prove that this industry is steadily developing with more sustainable tactics.Hotels are implementing more energy saving products to reducing energy waste. Cruise corporations are partnering with industries to find solutions in powering vessels with cell technology rather than emission cruising.
  •  
    -As technology advances consumers are being more transparent with their buying decisions. -Buying power lies on millennials who are roughly 83.1 million. -Millenials consider social responsibility and environmental friendliness when making their purchases. -Sustainable practices include censored lighting/temperature. -Cruise ships have installed a purification system to reduce its ecological impact, have decreased the use of single use plastics, and have increased the number of ships that are zero landfill capable. -Linen and towel reuse programs and water savings programs are nearly universal among properties.
  •  
    This article introduces the different initiatives that the hospitality industry is taking with regard to technology in order to align with their target market or a large segment of their market. As being perceived, millennials are sought to be the largest generation in the country's history which leads companies to infer that they have a massive amount of buying power in their hands. Hospitality companies are now making strides to become more environmentally conscious. Some of these initiatives is incorporating LED lights throughout the facilities to reduce energy waste and cut down on costs. Another initiative is incorporating new systems in the guest rooms that enhance the stay while keeping it green like systems that adjust temperatures in the rooms, remotely powered shades, etc. Other companies are even using systems as a tool to help track, measure, and reduce food waste for more sustainable and effective restaurant/bar operations. It is no secret that technology is ever-evolving, and it will continue to develop as new features are discovered.
  •  
    Article discusses millennials as the largest generation in U.S. history, and the speed at which technology progresses. In addition to paying attention to millennials' purchasing decisions, other industries must also meet their financial expectations. Many brands are taking steps to become more sustainable in the hospitality industry despite its reputation for producing massive amounts of waste.
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DoorDash is testing in-app reservations | Restaurant Dive - 0 views

  • DoorDash is piloting in-app reservations, the platform confirmed to Restaurant Dive in an email on Tuesday
  • DoorDash customers, in zones where the feature is live, can select “Reservations” from the menu at the top of the app. DoorDash then displays ne
  • arby restaurants offering reservations. Once a user selects a restaurant, the app lists available reservation times. After selecting a time, the app shares a “Reservation Confirmed” message with directions to the restaurant and a note that the message has been sent in partnership with SevenRooms.
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  • “To evolve alongside merchant needs, we’re constantly testing innovations to identify new opportunities for partners to grow, in turn enhancing how consumers interact with their business.
  • DoorDash has been adding features to improve the value proposition of its platform for small restaurants, including a product dashboard that debuted in August. Reservations — a key tool for managing traffic at full-service restaurants, small units and independents — may give DoorDash a competitive edge over other third-party restaurant delivery services, which generally do not offer in-app reservations. 
  •  
    DoorDash unveils that it is testing in-app reservations for local restaurants. It's emerging as a new restaurant technology in partnership with small local restaurants, DoorDash, and SevenRooms. This feature will give Doordash an edge over other food delivery services, while also supporting small restaurants.
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Cloud Computing Continues to Transform Hospitality - RTInsights - 1 views

  • Just like databases in the early 90s allowed hotels to manage large numbers of reservations and requests efficiently, cloud solutions offer the chance to remove common frustrations and frictions across the entire ecosystem.
  • Reduce cost: Cloud services allow hospitality industries to pay only for the services they need. Cloud computing also puts smart building management into reality, as well as facilitating projects and maintenance.
  • Improve experiences: Cloud services also provide flexibility in services by allowing staff to operate from anywhere, as an example. Guests also receive the same flexibility to manage their needs from anywhere.
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  • Build responsive infrastructure:
  • Cloud Security
  • Cloud reliability The hospitality industry wants to know that they aren’t adopting another solution that will prove obsolete in just a few years.
  • Even if it’s no fault of the establishment, customers will remember frustration reconciling a bill or having to wait a long time for check-in. The cloud adds a layer of protection against minor hiccups in their experience.
  • Personalize guest offers: Captured data offers a wealth of information. Cloud computing helps hoteliers and other hospitality organizations provide customized experiences and responsive, convenient services.
  • Cloud computing can offer a seamless experience to customers while reducing obstacles to service from the staff side.
  • The Airline was able to improve customer service by providing an instant response to various customer requests and reducing wait times.
  • Pre-arrival: Cloud services capture data from the moment guests first interact with the company or service. The hotel, for example, can make a note of what services or rooms the customer looked at and offer suggestions for upgrades.
  • Arrival: When guests arrive, their information is saved and ready for each member of staff. This offers personalization right from the beginning.
  • The stay: Knowledge of previous stays provides insight into customer preferences. A hotel may address mistakes right from the beginning or identify missed opportunities. Personalization continues with upsell offers that happen as the customer continues to interact with the business.
  • Departure: Not only does the cloud enable a frictionless checkout experience with no surprises, but it can also follow up afterward to continue to nurture relationships and reward loyalty.
  • Preparation: Following guest stays, businesses can enable targeted follow-up. Cloud computing can also handle things like predictive maintenance to reduce downtime, especially during peak seasons.
  • The Hilton made use of cloud computing to monitor all locks within its properties.
  • It’s only one instance of the Hilton’s shift to cloud computing. It has digitized rooms and created a type of mission control for everything from entertainment to ordering room service.
  • Cloud services can offer the full security expertise with automatic updates that the hospitality industry needs to keep information secure.
  • The cloud provides a real end-to-end solution for hospitality that brings back the excitement of travel. In an industry facing stiff competition, this type of solution could be a differentiator for success.
  • Companies can choose a provider familiar with the nuances required for hospitality excellence and reap the benefits of an end-to-end experience.
  • Cloud services allow hospitality industries to pay only for the services they need.
  • Cloud services also provide flexibility in services by allowing staff to operate from anywhere
  • Moving to cloud operations also allows the hospitality industry to scale.
  • In that case, cloud services allow a smooth transition with a central line of communication.
  • Cloud computing helps hoteliers and other hospitality organizations provide customized experiences and responsive, convenient services.
  • cloud solutions offer the chance to remove common frustrations and frictions across the entire ecosystem.
  • rigidity causes issues in connectivity and service. When the internet goes out, or a system goes down, operations cease.
  • Staff can work from anywhere, change devices if necessary, and mitigate the risk of lost or unsecured information.
  • The Hilton’s Room Lock Problem
  • The American Airlines Integration Challenge
  • The space continues to evolve, offering new ways to ingest, process, and protect customer data. And it’s this free flow of data that will allow the hospitality industry to move into the new era of the industry.
  • Use of cloud computing in hospitality continues to evolve, offering ne
  • w ways to ingest, process, and protect customer data.
  • cloud solutions offer the chance to remove common frustrations and frictions across the entire ecosystem.
  • Cloud services also provide flexibility
  • Cloud services allow hospitality industries to pay only for the services they need.
  • operate from anywhere,
  • cloud services allow a smooth transition with a central line of communication.
  • provide customized experiences
  • Staff can work from anywhere
  • he cloud adds a layer of protection against minor hiccups in their experience.
  • security is built-in.
  • Cloud computing can offer a seamless experience to customers while reducing obstacles to service from the staff side.
  • personalization right from the beginning.
  • address mistakes right from the beginning or identify missed opportunities. Personalization continues with upsell
  • handle things like predictive maintenance to reduce downtime
  • this type of solution could be a differentiator for success.
  • It has digitized rooms and created a type of mission control for everything from entertainment to ordering room service.
  • reducing wait times.
  •  
    Cloud computing has come a long way. The hospitality industry is quickly incorporating cloud computing services for guest satisfaction and productivity of employees. The article shares several real life examples where cloud computing were beneficial.
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  •  
    As we know, cloud computing is becoming the new norm and is the future for technology but is also transforming the hospitality and tourism industry. Cloud computing allows the hospitality industry to improve travel experiences, provide personalized offers, and also helps the industry reduce cost. With so many advantages, there are some cons of cloud computing that may pose as an issue such as the security and reliability that comes with using cloud computing. However, the pros outweigh the cons and if cloud services can overcome those barriers, the hospitality industry will reach new heights not seen in previous years. With the implementation of cloud computing in the hospitality industry, it will provide a travel experience like no other from start to finish, literally.
  •  
    This article discusses the impact that the integration of cloud computing has had on the operations and growth of the hospitality industry as a whole. Companies are optimizing their usage to help them carry out daily tasks while using data and sharing to provide the best guest experience possible. The article also goes into detail regarding the steps being taken by companies to prevent data theft and downtimes. One aspect of the post that I found to be extremely interesting was how it walked me through the integration of cloud computing in every step of guests' stay from pre-arrival to departure.
  •  
    Cloud computing is the future whether businesses want it to be or not. With the growth of technology, we need to embrace one tool that is become very developed, cloud computing. It gives more efficiency to businesses who need to know more about their clientele and also can provide information and data that humans could never do. It gives a more personalized experience to each guest while organizing data much faster than on a excel sheet that stuff have to manually update. It improves experience and reduced cost for business as well. It allows information to be reached anywhere and business can be taken home or traveled with. It brings a new level of security to businesses and customers and allows more flexibility in service in the hospitality industry.
  •  
    Cloud computing transforms hospitality by a offering seamless experience to customers while reducing obstacles to service from the staff side. It also offers individualized, quick solutions in an industry that is highly competitive.
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Hospitality security adjusts to COVID-19 constraints | 2021-02-08 | Security Magazine - 0 views

  • While COVID-19 has slowed the hospitality industry, security plays a more pivotal role than ever and the ongoing pandemic is challenging security professionals to adjust and adapt to new rules and procedures.
  • “The things people do in hotel rooms are things they would never do at home: prostitution, drug abuse. Suicide is huge, people kill themselves in hotel rooms because they don’t want to do it at home,”
  • The hotel industry came to a halt in the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic and things are only slowly starting to pick back up. Yet the burden on security is no less than it was before, and in many ways, the job has gotten harder.
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  • Occupancy levels dropped 90% for several months and have only recently returned to a consistent 40%, with many hotels still closed,
  • “Despite the low occupancy levels, we continue to have a significant number of incidents resulting in a much higher incident-to-occupied-room ratio than we have historically seen. We have seen a dramatic increase in heart attacks and suicides over the past few months, and continue to have increased numbers of fraud and guest-on-guest type incidents.”
  • Even as the need for security persists, many hospitality chains have pared back their security budgets.
  • Eventually COVID-19 will recede, but new risk categories will likely continue to unfold in hospitality. Security professionals can help to steer a course by reminding upper management that risk is more than just a monetary calculation.
  • In some cases, entire corporate departments are being eliminated, so there is no centralized security department. There is no one providing corporate guidance, no one providing policies and procedures.”
  • Even if there’s only one person working the front desk, “they still need to be making the rounds,” Perman says. “They need to be knocking on doors and making contact, making conversation. You need them to keep up that level of human intervention.”
  • “A passive infrared detector can also be used to detect temperature in human beings, so a video camera that is infrared capable can detect fever in a human, and that is being done in a lot of places,”
  • Through COVID-19, though, technology can be a double-edged sword. For example, some hotels have turned to mobile-phone-based check-in to provide a touchless experience. “From a security perspective there are unintended consequences there,” Danson says. “Now you never have to go to the front desk, you never have to encounter a person.”
  • Under these emerging policies, security is striving to put more active eyes on guest rooms — right at a time when COVID-related staff reductions are making it harder for security even to sustain normal operations.
  • With the onset of COVID-19, things have gotten even more challenging, as hotel security is increasingly tasked to do more with less. 
  • Even in this strained environment, other common risks persist in the hospitality world. Prostitution is a perennially complex issue for hotel security, for example, while human trafficking is an increasing area of concern.
  • When allocating resources in support of operational safety and security, “the chief of security needs to be informing corporate leadership of the potential risks, so that it becomes a risk-based decision and not just a budget decision,” Slotnick says. “Security has to make the case for risk, whether it’s a risk to brand reputation or other forms of risk.”
  •  
    This article goes into great detail about how Covid-19 is affecting hotel security. With budget cuts, security personnel are being limited, but the need for security is more important than ever. The article talks about how suicides in hotels are higher than ever as well, making it all the more important to have a solid security presence.
  •  
    In this article, it discusses the decline of the hotel industry following the COVID-19 pandemic, and how things have only slowly begun picking up again. However, the security burden is as great as it has ever been, and in many ways, it is even harder. Despite hotels closing their doors amid the pandemic, occupancy levels have only recently recovered to a consistently high 40%, with many still closed for months.
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What Hoteliers Need to Know About Cloud-Based Technology and PMS | By Warren Dehan - 0 views

  • stro
    • earagon22
       
      My property uses Maestro!!!
  • Hotels are turning to technology to improve efficiency at a time when they are short staffed, but technology alone can’t improve operations or help boost revenue without a clear plan and measured research into the technology solution that actually meets their needs.
  • increase mobility property wide and better manage operations,
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  • Truth #1: Integration is Complex
  • It is imperative to review on a granular level, the integrations supported within the PMS suite of modules that your property requires or plans to add, even when offered from a single vendor.
  • it may come as a surprise what is and is not available for cloud integration, and for seamless operations across all departments over the Internet. These could range from niche amenities, such as an on-property golf pro shop, to condo management, in-room devices, and guest facing applications.
    • earagon22
       
      My property moved to Maestro, a web-based PMS system, and learned quickly that not everything we needed was easily transferable if at all.
  • hotel operators should do a full analysis of what is and isn’t available for cloud integration with a given PMS provider in advance of investing in such a system.
  • Truth #2: Training is Necessary
  • Simply being attached to the cloud does not simplify the act of operating a hotel, but operating a hotel is easier in the long run if hotel employees are well trained.
    • earagon22
       
      I had a week of training for the new system prior to switching over.
  • Hotels adopting a cloud-based PMS will still need to monitor internal operating procedures to ensure the transition to new technology goes smoothly, and new employees are confidently guided through the onboarding process.
  • Truth #3: Data Does Not Take Care of Itself
  • Access to the cloud does not mean hotels can wash their hands when it comes to data security. Not only are hoteliers liable for maintaining the data they store in the cloud, even if it is physically off site, they must also take care to ensure they remain PCI compliant for any data residing locally.
  • While data in the cloud is typically backed up and secured automatically, it is a hotel’s responsibility to manage this within their local systems. The cloud remains separate, and none of these requirements go away if you adopt a cloud-based system for operations.
  • PCI compliance is simply the bar set for security standards regarding payment processing — a starting point for data security, not the solution.
  • Truth #4: Cloud-Based Technology Does NOT Solve Everything
  • Hoteliers understand when to offer the right amount of hospitality and when to step back and let guests enjoy their stay, and likewise it is important to understand when the technology is the right fit to address your needs and when it is not. Hotel operators should not assume they need a specific system without understanding its full feature set and the impact it will have on their guests, their staff, and their operations.
  •  
    This article prvoides four truths that any property considering switching to a web-based cloud PMS system should consider. The first truth, integration is complex, delves into ensuring that one checks if the things supported within the new PMS satisfy the needs the property has. Secondly, training is necessary. Any switch to a new system requires extensive training so that the staff does not flounder. The third truth, data does not take care of itself, is reminding hoteliers that it is still their responsibility to protect their consumers' data and remain PCI compliant. Lastly, cloud-based tech does not solve everything. Hoteliers should be sure they know what they are getting and if it is necessary for their property. The president and co-owner of Maestro PMS, a web-based cloud PMS system wrote this article which is fascinating.
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What is RFID Technology? (+Use Cases in the Hotel Industry) - 2 views

  • It’s no surprise that hospitality businesses want to take advantage of RFID technology too, especially when it offers speed, security, and a high-tech touch.
  • Seeing an opportunity to meet all of these objectives, Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival rolled out an RFID wristband solution that allows faster entry into the festival and eliminates the risk of counterfeiting.
    • jblan183
       
      Coachella took the RFID wristband one step further than smart cards by placing the chips on wristbands, issuing RFID chips with unique identifiers to festival-goers. Instead of security scrutinizing every paper ticket upon entry, attendees simply scan their wristbands at RFID readers at the festival entrances to gain access, allowing them to get to their favorite stages faster.
  • One of the most popular use cases for RFID technology is guestroom entry. Compared to a traditional keycard, RFID-equipped cards offer hoteliers more control over security. Front desk staff can activate and deactivate cards remotely and review logs to see where and when a card was used.
    • jblan183
       
      Con: Keeping them near phones, wallets, or purses will demagnetize the cards, especially inconvenient should a hotel not have a complimentary card holder.
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  • If guests have RFID-enabled keycard that contain payment information or room-charge information, guests can simply pay with their keycard
  • Besides granting entry to guestrooms, hoteliers can also use RFID technology to control access to amenities, parking, event spaces, and more
  • RFID tags on minibar items can alert hotel staff to low stock rather than tasking housekeeping staff with monitoring stock levels.
  • Most hoteliers have a line item in their budget to account for replacement of stolen items like pillows, hair dryers, and dishes. RFID chips on these frequent “souvenirs” can tell hotel staff when an item has left the building and give them the opportunity to recover the stolen item.
  • An RFID system is simply a cost- effective technology that uses radio waves to send a signal from a chip to a receiver.  RFID stands for radio-frequency identification, and this type of wireless technology involves two parts: a tag and a receiver.
  • Tags can be either passive (no battery, activated by the receiver) or active RFID tags (battery-power source, emits a signal that the receiver picks up).
  • RFID is a key component for IOT (internet of things) connectivity.
  • The tag contains a microchip with a unique code, and the receiver contains components to process the signal transmitted by the tag.
  • There are different types of RFID tags writes the RFID journal, "In general, low-frequency and high-frequency range tags are read from within three feet (1 meter) and UHF RFID tags (ultra-high frequency) are read from 10 to 20 feet. Readers with phased array antennas can increase the read range of semi-passive RFID tags to 60 feet or more."  Read range can also vary depending on environmental factors that effect the strength of radio signals.
  • its popularity has skyrocketed in recent years as the technology became cheaper and more applications were developed.
  • RFID wristbands at Coachella
  • Paper tickets for Disneyland are a thing of the past thanks to the RFID-powered “MagicBand” system that Disney rolled out in 2013.
  • Besides pure functionality, Disney also turned the MagicBand into a marketing vehicle; Disney fans can purchase MagicBands in their favorite color or emblazoned with their favorite animated character.
  •  Hotel and travel businesses usually begin by leveraging technologies like RFID for access control systems and asset tracking.  Due to the pandemic, contactless guest journeys have increased uptake of RFID, Bluetooth and NFC (nearfield communication) technology.
  • Festival-goers are issued wristbands embedded with RFID chips that each have a unique identifier, meaning that it’s essentially impossible to copy them. Instead of security staff scrutinizing every paper ticket upon entry, attendees simply scan their wristbands at RFID readers at the festival entrances to gain nearly instantaneous access.
  • Due to its relatively low cost, ease of use, and potential for operational efficiency, RFID technology can be an attractive solution for hoteliers looking to elevate their guest experience.
  • Door locks
  • RFID cards can also be more cost-effective in the long term as they don't get demagnetized.
    • earagon22
       
      My property uses RFID tech for room keys and it is so convenient as the wristbands don't get demagnetized when placed by phones or credit cards.
  • Controlled amenity access:
  • On-site payments
  • Outlets like restaurants, bars, and spas can use RFID technology to streamline the payment process.
  • Inventory management
  • Theft prevention
  •  
    Radio Frequency Identification or RFID continues to appeal to leaders in the hospitality industry as it allows for so many opportunities. RFID is a cost-effective technology. It utilizes radio waves to send signals from a chip to a receiver somewhere. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, RFID technology usage has increased because of the consumers' desire to have contactless options. This article provides quite a few great examples of RFID technology in the industry. It mentions Disney and Coachella as they have switched to using RFID wristbands. Hotels, as mentioned in this article, can use RFID technology for a multitude of things. Some examples include: for door locks, on-site payments, controlled amenity access, inventory management, and theft prevention.
  •  
    The RFID is a very interesting and powerful system. Many industries have been using such system for a long period of time. In the aviation industry, the RFID helps to track and sort checked baggage at the airport by reading several inlays at one. Airlines that use such system has a higher customer satisfaction rate.
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Beacons to supercharge bar & restaurant marketing strategy | Beaconstac - 2 views

  • Location-based marketing that promised to leverage online platforms to promote physical restaurants and bars, began with “check-ins”.
  • 2014 saw beacons taking baby steps into the hospitality industry.
  • But in 2017, with the explosion of supply of beacons, the price has significantly lowered and functionality has gone up to the point where they are within reach for even small restaurants.
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  • When a Bluetooth-enabled device such as a smartphone or tablet comes in the range of a beacon, the two devices can communicate.
  • Once in the proximity of a beacon, these smartphones receive push notifications about deals, offers and more.
  • people barely register the brands they’ve seen, much less engage with them. But that’s changing with beacons!
  • restaurants use this technology in a different way to engage guests and increase repeat visits
  • The obvious benefit to using this technology is its ability to push out coupons, deals and marketing messages.
  • This value addition is critical for you when you’re looking to rise above the competition in a highly crowded space.
  • 1. Marketing messaging
  • 2. Delivering tailored menu to loyal customers
  • Every restaurant owner including you loves a loyal customer and beacons make it easier to reward them.
  • 3. Let your customers know how crowded the restaurant is before they arrive
  • Keeping customers informed about how busy your restaurant is at a particular time is one way of cutting down on the time they need to wait.
  • 4. Custom pricing for different customers
  • When it comes to winning over a customer, it’s not a bad idea to play with dynamic pricing.
  • 5. Get a better insight into your restaurant and bar traffic
  • It’s always an advantage to optimize with data.
  • 6. Allow guests to make mobile payments
  • Beacons can allow them to pay their bill right from their phones by directing them to a secure restaurant-branded microsite that collects their payment method.
  • You could create a special menu or a secret dish for your loyal customer based on his previous orders and selections.
  • Deploying beacons around your restaurant will, in turn, provide real-time information on how many people are actually dining inside at a given point in time
  • With the footfall data from beacons, you can efficiently manage your staff and services. Maybe you do not really need 5 bar staff on the second floor on a Tuesday, or you need an extra attendee around the tables nearer to the entry gate.
  • If your restaurant has an app, you can use beacons to trigger a contactless ordering experience.
  • Three years back, only the big fishes in the industry like Starwood hotels, The Marriott and James Hotels were adopting beacons to deliver an engaging experience to their guests
  • Customers need a compatible app like NearBee or a brand app by the restaurant or bar.
  • Imagine a group of friends moving around on the streets trying to decide where to have lunch and all of a sudden, one of them is alerted to an offer of an unlimited cold drink
  • estimate of the restaurant traffic
  • incentive pricing
  • incentive pricing
  • m about
  •  
    Even though using beacon technology for proximity marketing is still in its infancy in the restaurant industry, this technology has already demonstrated some of its potential by virtue of increasing labor and overall operational efficiency while boosting customer satisfaction and loyalty. Beacons can help increase restaurant and bar sales, improve customer service, and provide more value for their customers, which should lead to customer loyalty. The possibility of applying beacon technology in the restaurants and bars opens a window of opportunity to engage diners and also enables restaurants to create more tailored experiences for them. Restaurants can use beacons to send alerts to people nearby about many table/seat availability and encourage them to make reservations or walk in. Or if the restaurant is very busy, restaurants can send the menu to their phones, so they can browse it while waiting for their tables. Restaurants and bars can build profiles of returning customers and provide offers based on past preferences. Thus, returning customers can benefit from improved and personalized customer service. During quiet hours or days, restaurants and bars can efficiently manage their staff and service, because of the data they have been collecting using beacons. Diners can even pay for their meal or drinks using their mobile device without having to wait for the waiter to come over and accept their method of payment.
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  •  
    This article discusses how restaurants use beacon-based proximity marketing to help create even more meaningful and engaging interactions with customers. Proximity marketing is most often used in retail stores to bring in customers to the store by offering promotions through push notifications. This article will highlight how restaurants use the same beacon technology as retail shops do, but to achieve different results. Restaurants can use beacons to save time for not only customers but managers and employees as well. Beacon technology provides management with data insights that allow them to deliver better experiences to their customers.
  •  
    This articles talks about what beacon-based proximity marketing is and its usefulness in restaurants.
  •  
    Beacon technology has been around for a long time - prior to 2013 - but cost kept it unpopular. Initially only real big hospitality players had this tech. Now cost is no longer a limiting factor, but companies are limited to customers/potential customers who have a compatible app or the companies own app already on their phone, so they can push the proximity messages.
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The benefits of moving from CapEx to OpEx for IT spending - 0 views

  • The delivery of cloud-based technology solutions ‘as a service’ has made it possible to turn IT operations into an operational expense (OpEx), as opposed to a capital expense (CapEx), removing the need for any hefty upfront investments and replacing them with predictable monthly fees.
  • IT managers are realising that these smaller ongoing costs versus cyclic infrastructure builds are the key to bringing more value to the business and changing perceptions of IT.
  • According to a Cloud Technology Partners article, many companies carry up to 5 times the required hardware, networking, and data centre space during steady state business cycles. Most enterprises have hardware utilisation rates significantly below 20% because of the excess capacity required to handle peak demand, as a result spending much more on compute and storage than is required.
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  • The cloud-based OpEx model can provide significant savings and nearly infinite agility, so it doesn’t make much sense to spend massive amounts of capital on building, maintaining, and operating data centres. This is best left to a managed service provider who does this exclusively.
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    Companies should forecast differently when it comes to paying for technology. Instead of using a big chunk of change (Capital expenditure) investing in equipment it only uses just about 20% of the time, it can consider consider alternative, cloud based technology for a monthly fee (Operational Expenditure) This frees up money, time, and resources necessary for creativity and innovation in the company.
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Peloton becomes the latest pandemic boomtime business to announce restructuring, as out... - 0 views

    • shawndab
       
      As a spa & fitness leader, I have had many hotel guests tell me they access the hotel finder on the Peloton site to make their accommodation decisions.
  • gyms being forced to close and people looking for alternative exercise options – a "pivot" with which Peloton became near-synonymous
  • Peloton is set to axe around 800 jobs, increase the price of its equipment and close some of its retail operations as part of efforts to turn around the decline in its business.
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  • share price plummet from a high of US$162 in December 2020 to the current US$13.
  • The company has struggled to capitalise on its pandemic successes
  • ess to announce restructuring, as out-of-home fitness bounces back
  • cease making its own products and, instead, expand its partnership with Taiwan-based manufacturer Rexon.
  • The move came just 14 months after Peloton acquired equipment creator Precor, in a deal worth US$420m, renaming it Peloton Commercial.
  • Peloton Bike+ will increase by US$500 to US$2,495. The price of the Peloton Tread will increase by US$800 to US$3,495
  • "Price is just one of the many levers we will continue to explore as part of our business transformation strategy."
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How AR, VR, and robotics can work together | Artificial Intelligence | - 0 views

  • How AR, VR, and robotics can work together
  • With the help of robots, businesses not only achieve higher efficiency but ensure the safety of their staff in hazardous areas
  • With the help of AR and VR, people can experience surreal atmospheres indoors as well as outdoors
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  • Yes! Together, augmented reality, robotics, and virtual reality can be the ‘Three Amigos.’ VR and AR can offer an immersive medium to operate robots
  • With the help of low-latency networks, people can utilize robots remotely using intuitive AR and VR controls
  • Robot training
  • Virtual reality and augmented reality can be utilized to train robots for different tasks
  • With the help of dual neural networks, robots can learn new tasks by observing and breaking down several actions
  • he first network, known as the visual network, captures an image using the robot’s camera to understand the current state of an object. The other network, imitation network, tries to understand a demonstration and analyze how an action is being performed.
  • Motion sensors in AR and VR gaming can be deployed to train robots. Developers can use a pressure-sensitive trigger on a joystick to teach robots how to control grasping and articulation speed for picking up objects
  • Object recognition
  • Using this approach, robots can learn how to group similar objects together, differentiate between various objects, and identify new items that look similar to those it has already seen
  • Generally, AI-powered robots are exposed to a wide range of data.
  • By using VR, a trainer only requires a 3D VR model of several objects. With this approach, trainers and developers can minimize costs and effort required for collecting data and real-world objects. Using 3D models, robots can also be trained to recognize biological structures in the human body in detail.
  • Operations
  • Virtual reality can be used to develop teleoperating robots that can function with the help of multiple sensor displays.
  • obots replicate a user’s hand movements by using hand controllers
  • In a direct model, a user will be directly coupled to a robots current state
  • With a cyber-physical model, a user is separated from the robot.
  • Using controllers, users can guide hand grippers to move, pick up, and retrieve objects.
  • How AR, VR, and robotics can work together Augmented reality, robotics, and virtual reality can team up to develop innovative applications for various organizations.
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    They can work together. Based on this article, this can be beneficial for all industries.
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    Robotics, virtual reality, and augmented reality can work together to create cutting-edge solutions for diverse businesses. Businesses use robots to increase efficiency while also ensuring employee safety in potentially dangerous situations. Virtual reality and augmented reality, two contemporary technologies, have provided an immersive platform for media and gaming. People can explore strange environments both indoors and outdoors with the aid of AR and VR. The "Three Amigos" can be augmented reality, robotics, and virtual reality when they work together. Robot control using immersive technologies like VR and AR is possible. Business executives need to be aware of the potential benefits of combining virtual reality, robots, and augmented reality. Robots can be programmed to do a variety of jobs using virtual reality and augmented reality. There are two different kinds of neural networks: imitation networks, which attempt to comprehend demonstrations and examine how actions are executed, and visual networks, which use images taken by the robot's camera to understand the current state of an object. Dual neural networks can be used by organizations to enable robots to learn new tasks by monitoring and dissecting several behaviors. Robots that use artificial intelligence (AI) are exposed to a wide variety of data, which helps them learn how to distinguish between distinct objects, group related objects together, and recognize new objects that resemble what they have already seen. The expense and effort needed to gather data and real-world items can be reduced by trainers and developers. Robots can also be taught to recognize certain biological structures in the human body using 3D models. Virtual reality can be utilized to construct teleoperating robots that can function with the help of many sensor displays by employing hand controllers. The homunculus concept of the human brain, which postulates that there is a miniature human inside the brain that controls movement
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6 Technology Trends Redefining the Hospitality Industry - 0 views

  • In a Stayntouch/NYU Tisch Center of Hospitality Report, 81.7 percent of hoteliers surveyed had implemented at least one new technology during the pandemic, and/or were planning to in 2022. Incorporating technology into day-to-day operations is essential to minimize human error, maximize service efficiency and improve the guest experience.
  • Gamification of travel planningWith cabin fever at an all-time high, the world couldn’t be hungrier for spontaneity. As people contemplate their next getaway, hospitality companies can leverage gamification — using game design elements in non-game contexts — to turn travel planning from a chore into a guilty pleasure.By interplaying gamification mechanics like challenges, chance and rewards, with elements like points, quests and sharing, companies can capitalize on human motivation. Imagine a travel planning website that challenges users to solve a travel puzzle where they will achieve a score, be ranked on a leaderboard and receive points for their next trip.Popular European airline Lufthansa introduced Lufthansa Surprise, which allows travelers to choose from nine categories, with themes like nature, cities or partying. Upon picking top choices from seven to twelve European cities, the destination is only revealed after booking. Beyond novelty, using gamification for online advertising is proven to boost data driving, customer loyalty, brand awareness, user-generated content, online engagement and revenue. 
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