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Hyeyoung Jang

Advantages and Benefits of Point of Sale Systems Over the Older Cash Register Systems - 0 views

  • Whether it's a Brisbane point of sale, Sydney point of sale, Melbourne point of sale, or a hospitality point of sale in Adelaide a point of sale helps to speed up the service and delivery of good to customers. While a cash register only stores money and is often attached to a computer or bar code scanner a point of sale or POS does this all in one interface. Cash registers are often slower, and more limited in their options and methods of payment then a POS. For these reasons, many cash registers systems are being dropped for the more modern POS systems.
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    Point of sale systems are revolutionizing the retail and hospitality industry. They have gained much attention and are now much more common then the older cash register terminal systems that once used to be at every retail store in Australia. The reason for their increasing popularity in retail stores, hotels, and restaurants is that they are more efficient and make processing and tracking orders easier. In the hospitality industry a POS system is much better because of the different needs, requests, and reservations of customers. Data must also be stored, and processed by the staff of the hotel to ensure smooth operation of the hotel. Because POS systems can record date such as payroll. labor, volume of good sold etc, they are more feasible then a cash register system. POS systems are now found in high volume restaurants. Restaurants that bustling with clients have installed this new software to be able to track and complete orders in real time, similar to a rail or airport flight schedule. Customers appreciate when their food is delivered on time, and when their orders are not mixed up. For high volume or busy restaurants the POS system offers incredible advantages and the possibility of increasing profits.
Linfan Cai

Green Lodging News | Short description of the blog - 0 views

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    This article is written by a publisher and editor. It is based on what he saw and heard. The main contents are around the LEED Volume Program. The leadership in energy and environmental design consists of a suite of rating systems for the design, construction and operation of high performance green buildings, homes and neighborhoods. Marriott group opened their first hotel as part of Marriott's LEED Volume Program. The senior design manager indicates the program saves owners about $100,000 in upfront costs and six months of construction time. And it provides a competitive advantage for Marriott. Depending on his article, it is easy to know what is unique about the hotel from a green design and operations perspective. For example, the pool uses salt water to reduce the need for chlorine. Or the windows are high performance and reflect heat. Especially, the shower facility is for employees who ride their bicycles to work. Hoteliers pay much attention to the green development will help them to reduce the cost and pollution. Moreover, the staff prefer working in a green hotel because it helps motivate them daily. The following link is about the detailed of Marriott's LEED Volume Program. http://www.usgbc.org/ShowFile.aspx?DocumentID=8146
Jessica Schwec

2014 Business Travel Survey: GDS Booking Volumes Still Rising - Business Travel News - 1 views

  • For all the talk of their ultimate demise, global distribution systems process growing volumes of travel transactions
  • Each of the three primary players continues to provide an array of services to travel management companies, corporate buyers and travelers, and their parent companies are pushing IT services to airlines, hotel companies and others.
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    All of the big three global distribution systems were still expanding as well as increasing productivity and revenue as of June 2014. Amadeus, Sabre and Travelport have each made significant moves in the hospitality industry, although primarily for airlines. Amadeus is by far the largest and currently most successful GDS with the highest profit, booking volume, and market share (air travel). As of 2014 Southwest Airlines was their biggest client, but they provide GDS services and access to over 100 other airlines as well. Sabre is second best to Amadeus. The company elected to go public in 2014 and since then their billable bookings, booking share and growth have all increased modestly. During the same year they gained American Airlines, newly reformed at the time, as a client. Presently, the company expects continued improvement in revenue. Travelport has made the decision not to compete directly with Amadeus or Sabre in that they have chosen not to provide "full passenger services systems to airline on a multi-host basis." However the company is still working closely with Delta Airlines and researching "add-on" features with their main focus being the continued growth of "beyond air" activities. Honestly, I was shocked that Amadeus is the largest and most successful GDS. I truly expected it to be Sabre. This belief was based on what I have personally experienced: every OTA I have used required a link to the Sabre GDS, but I can only recall one that required one to the Amadeus GDS. After reading the chapter 8 of D.V. Tesone's "Hospitality Information Systems and E-Commerce, along with the research report from our discussion forum I have changed my paradigm. Regardless, GDSs are still used widely in the hospitality industry. Different segments of the market prefer to book in different ways: via offline Travel Agents, OTAs, hotel websites or on the phone. Those that use either form of TA are using a GDS.
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    Leisure guests tend to book for themselves with rare exceptions including some forms of international travel and cruise travel. These guests use OTAs or intermediaries such as Travelocity (Owned by a GDS company) or TravelZoo. In the case of TravelZoo, a guest uses the TravelZoo website to access information such as availability and pricing that TravelZoo pulls from a GDS before making a selection and processing a transaction. On the other hand, business and corporate travelers are more likely to use an offline TA. An offline TA is better equipped to meet the needs of a customer whom is travelling for business. Offline TAs require less information when booking a hotel room then an OTA does, making it simple for a secretary to book the travel arrangements for the guest. In addition, offline TAs can work easily with a hotel to make special accommodations. The hotel receives contact information for the travel agency that booked the stay in case clarifications on requests are needed. In conclusion, as long as either form of TA is in the market, a GDS will be necessary to streamline bookings and ensure that each TA has the correct pertinent information when making a booking or completing a transaction. As a result, as new OTA options or hospitality enterprises enter the market GDSs are continuing to morph, merge and grow.
Catherine Gibson

GDS Will Evolve Into 'Value Creation Hubs,' Harteveldt Says - 0 views

  • Airline distribution will migrate from global distribution systems to “value creation hubs” over the next five years, according to airline and travel industry analyst Henry Harteveldt.
  • Value creation hubs, or VCHs, will be aggregators that enable extensive airfare and product transparency, dynamic pricing, and rich merchandising and retailing,
  • “The GDSs have served airlines well for many decades,” Harteveldt wrote. “GDSs’ security, reliability, speed and accuracy are among the best in any transactionally based industry. “
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  • Airlines want more flexible, robust commerce platforms built on contemporary software and architecture,” Harteveldt wrote.
  • “Airlines want commerce platforms that can support extensive fare and product transparency, dynamic pricing, rich basic and ancillary product merchandising and retailing and the ability to reliably and securely process the massive volume of shopping sessions.”
  • The airlines also believe that new providers who enter the airline distribution and commerce space will generate more competition and better selling solutions,
  • They will use the new-generation commerce technology infrastructure that powers airline CRS/PSS host systems and e-commerce solutions, thus reducing the need for lengthy, costly disruption in a conversion to a new passenger services system.
  • Like GDSs, value creation hubs will be designed to support high-frequency, high-volume shopping.
  • value creation hubs will be developed with the database-commerce operating and business environment in mind and will be designed to provide extensive fare and product transparency, support dynamic pricing and enable rich merchandising and retailing.
  • A key difference between GDSs and VCHs will be the business level at which they operate. Unlike GDSs, which work with individual airlines, VCHs will be developed for each major alliance – Oneworld, SkyTeam and Star Alliance.
  • Because the VCHs will operate at a “group” level, rather than at a single-airline level, the VCHs will house a “community link,” similar to the common platform operated by Amadeus, which will function as the “hub of the hub,” he said.
  • An important distinction between the GDS and VCH models will be the commercial relationship with subscribers, including agencies and other intermediaries.
  • Does this mean GDS companies will disappear? No, Harteveldt said.
  • Value creation hubs, or VCHs, will be aggregators that enable extensive airfare and product transparency, dynamic pricing, and rich merchandising and retailing, Harteveldt predicted in a white paper on “The Future of Airline Distribution.” The paper was underwritten by IATA
  • They will use the new-generation commerce technology infrastructure that powers airline CRS/PSS host systems and e-commerce solutions , thus reducing the need for lengthy, costly disruption in a conversion to a new passenger services system.
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    This article is explaining how Henry Harteveldt, an airline and travel industry analyst, believes that GDSs will evolve into value creation hubs, or VCHs, over the next five years. He believes GDSs have served airlines the best among many transactionally based industried; however, many areas of airline marketing, sales, distribution and e-commerce are looking for more. He specifically states that airlines are looking for "more flexible, robust commerce platforms built on contemporary software and architecture", as well as "commerce platforms that can support extensive fare and product transparency, dynamic pricing, rich basic and ancillary product merchandising and retailing and the ability to reliably and securely process the massive volume of shopping sessions." VCHs will be used to support the high-volume, high frequency shopping, similar to GDSs, and the system will the new technology that powers airline CRS/PSS host systems, reducing the need for costly conversion disruption.
frank rodriguez

On Orbitz, Mac Users Steered to Pricier Hotels - WSJ.com - 0 views

  • Orbitz Worldwide Inc. OWW 0.00% has found that people who use Apple Inc.'s AAPL +1.91% Mac computers spend as much as 30% more a night on hotels, so the online travel agency is starting to show them different, and sometimes costlier, travel options than Windows visitors see.
  • in this case, the fact that customers are visiting Orbitz.com from a Mac—to start predicting their tastes and spending habits.
  • Orbitz found Mac users on average spend $20 to $30 more a night on hotels than their PC counterparts
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  • Rival travel sites Expedia Inc., EXPE +0.66% Priceline.com Inc. PCLN +2.24% and Travelocity, which is a unit of Sabre Holdings Corp., don't use a person's computer operating system when suggesting hotels, spokesmen said. Apple declined to comment.
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    Here is something interesting for you Mac users. Did you knew that you are actually being charged more to use websites like Orbitz or Priceline? Don't believe me, well check it out. Over the last year or two Orbitz has been working on what they call "predictive analytics". Meaning they are able to predict where consumers will likely book their reservations based on what computer they are using. The article states that, Mac users are 40% more likely to book a four to five star hotel than PC users. Since companies like Orbitz (who took a 37 million dollar loss in 2011) are taking big hits from the lack of travelling thanks to the economy, they are trying to create any advantage they can in order to turn the market around. One thing to point out, is that Orbitz's competitors like Priceline and Expedia said that they do not base their sales on what computers the consumers are using, Apple had no comment. Orbitz said the effort to incorporate Mac vs. PC distinctions is still in its formative stages and isn't evident across the site. Other factors have more influence over results, Mr. Liew said, including a user's location and history on the site, as well as a hotel's overall popularity and promotions. Still, he said, use of a Mac can influence results.
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    CHECK THIS OUT MAC USERS
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    The best part of the article is how it states a good POS system is one that doesn't let you waste time with the POS. Instead your attention can be turned to your customers and staff. The system will do everything for you just by a touch of buttons from the screen. All you would have to do is print out the information and it will tell you everything you need to run a sucessfull establishment.
Qianlin Wang

Data Security Basics: Five Security Issues All Hotel Operators Need to Know | hospitali... - 0 views

  • This article looks at the top five issues facing hotel operators and what actionable steps can be taken to decrease the likelihood that your business will be stung by data thieves.
  • Franchise operators need to be aware, however, that an improperly configured RMA is vulnerable to data compromise attack by hackers. 
  • Transaction volume, brand recognition and the potential for sensitive data retention are all factors that make hotels (particularly franchise networks) juicy targets for hackers seeking to exploit insecure networks via the Internet. 
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  • Hotel operators need to know that passwords, designed to keep criminals out, can also be a vulnerability in the absence of proper controls
  • Thanks to wireless networks, guests can speed though the check-in process, expedite valet parking and send room service orders directly to the kitchen.  At the same time, hotel operators should recognize that criminals can leverage improperly secured wireless networks to steal cardholder data and should implement strategies to thwart these efforts. 
  • Despite all best efforts, data compromise events can occur and every hotel operator should have a plan in place. Prompt action must be taken by hotels or restaurants that have experienced a suspected or confirmed security breach to help prevent additional exposure of cardholder data and ensure compliance with the data security requirements. 
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    The article discusses five issues that hotel operations are facing, and how to decrease these issues in regards to data thieves. The first security issue discussed is "Remote Access", the article states "Many hotel operators and franchisors use remote management applications (RMAs)". This enable easy access to manage multiple locations downloads; conduct sales polls, and other systems within multiple companies. A advices to remote control issues are to change vendor default settings, in which you can create unique user IDs and complex passwords. Another advice is to "Configure the RMA", in which users are only allowed to connect to known MAC/IP. I personally don't think that creating a unique ID or account password may solve this issue, but allowing connection capability to a set IP/MAC is a wise intake. Although being able to just connect to a set MAC, will cause a limit on where and when you connect. The second security issue is "Network Security", many transaction volumes are being exposed, brand recognition as well; and that attract hackers. In order to reduce this problem, it is suggested that companies need to install and maintain a fire wall at all time. I agree with this other suggestion which is to Use outside resources to help identify new security vulnerabilities. This is great, because a company will be able to receive an outside outlook in regards to security. The last three issues that are on this list are: Password Management, Wireless Security, and Incident Response Plan. Overall it's evident that any system that has a password requirement is causing a major attraction towards security thieves. The suggestions within this article are great, but from my observation; many companies will have to put in time to track and monitor their systems. Systems can't allow to be left open without monitoring, and the internet is a lead way to all this, so any system that requires the internet must be monitored, and protected.
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    Technology enables service. That's the idea, anyway. In the hotel industry, thousands of companies worldwide provide hundreds of software applications to help hotels and hotel companies manage operations to provide better guest service. However, the hospitality industry continues to find itself targeted for damaging data compromise events by hackers. There are some good ways to decrease the attack of hackers. For example, Remote Access, many hotel operators and franchisors use remote management applications (RMAs).  Their ease of use in managing multiple locations makes them ideally suited to disseminate business downloads, conduct sales polls or survey inventory. RMAs are often packaged from vendors with default or blank passwords. Creating unique user IDs and complex passwords can reduce the risk of data compromise and help facilitate compliance with the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards (PCI DSS). Another example is about Network Security, transaction volume, brand recognition and the potential for sensitive data retention are all factors that make hotels (particularly franchise networks) juicy targets for hackers seeking to exploit insecure networks via the Internet. The hotel can install and maintain a firewall at all times.  Disabling a firewall can put a business at heightened risk of Internet attacks and potential system compromise.
adel168

Workforce Dimensions by Kronos Powers the Future of Retail, Hospitality, and Food Servi... - 2 views

  • help empower the entire workforce with a fully comprehensive workforce management and human capital management (HCM) experience combining advanced labor volume forecasting, predictive scheduling, and task management.
  • delivers personalized, best-fit schedules that ensure associate skills are aligned with customer volume and seasonal demand
  • tens of millions of dollars in staffing costs for retail, hospitality, and food service organizations
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  • Scheduling accuracy is improved by a median of 20 percent, which could save
  • transform managers into strategic problem solvers,
  • simplify store execution and engage associates with task management.
  • quickly and easily helping associates prioritize actionable tasks, daily to-dos, and customer needs from any device.
  • field leaders and managers can document growth and successes, building confidence throughout the organization.
  • A complete HCM experience to attract, retain, and develop a highly engage workforce.
  • A responsive user experience lets associates and managers complete any action on any device, such as allowing associates to review personal information from anywhere and managers to spend less time behind a desk and more time walking the floor, working with customers, and training teams.
  • The end result is an employee-first environment where associates are engaged, untethered, and empowered to work their own way.
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    Kronos Inc. announced new enhancements to Workforce Dimensions which will combine advanced labor volume forecasting, predictive scheduling, and task management for a complete enhancement to the workforce. The end goal of these enhancements is to attract, retain, and develop a highly engaged workforce with an employee-first environment.
Gabriela Moreno

Pumping DOWN the Volume - 0 views

  • Meeting planners spend a fair amount of time and energy thinking about how an event space will look. But how many meeting or event planners think about how an event space will sound?
  • Unfortunately, many times an event space is overly loud, and a great deal of the audio communication “bandwidth” is no longer available. If the general “ambient noise” of a room is too loud, either because of an overzealous DJ or because there are 200 people in a very echoey small room, that means people have to shout instead of talk — and even then, it's difficult to hear or be heard. This of course hampers communication.
  • You certainly would not create an event space that had glaring bright lights in everyone’s eyes, nor would you ever have an all Day-Glo orange theme. That sort of “visual overload” would certainly be seen as unappealing, not to mention exhausting, and potentially even harmful. You would never think of doing such things to your attendees’ eyes. You should take care to not to overload their ears, either.
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    This article describes the importance of managing sound during an event. It is much easier for a speaker to connect with their audience when they are able to comfortably and clearly speak their message. One of the mains draws for the event industry is it provides the opportunity for business leaders to network and commutate. The acoustic property of a venue space should be taken into account when planning an event but is unfortunately something that a number of managers overlook.  A space that is too loud or too echoed could significantly decrease guest's perception of an event.  Optimally performing sound systems and technicians are essential to creating a pleasurable experience for both guests and managers alike. 
Akshay Ramanathan

Metro Hotels Sees Results After Switch to Sabre Hospitality Solutions - 1 views

  • a more than 70 percent increase in bookings
  • connect seamlessly to all channels including distributing rooms and rates through all four major Global Distribution Systems (GDSs), as well as hundreds of online travel agents
  • huge improvements across the board since our switch to Sabre
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  • functionality and efficiencies of the system
  • Metro Hotel’s turnaround time for rate loading from over a week to just one day
  • functionality also allows for a higher volume of information and images that Metro Hotels can load for each property
  • over the past two years have increased bookings into the region across the SynXis platform by 50 percent.
  • provides technology to the global hospitality industry
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    This article is about an Australian Hotel company, Metro Hotel, that recently adopted Sabre Hospitality Solutions Central Reservation System which has caused an almost 70% increase in bookings. Using Sabre's technology has done a number of major things such as enable their rooms and rates to be easily distributed through all four major GDSs and as well as many online travel agents. Additionally the time Metro Hotel takes to reload rates has decreased from a week to one day. The more advanced and improved Sabre system also allows for a greater volume of information and images to be displayed for each property, targeting a wider audience. Overall the article is a testament to how technology in the hospitality industry like CRS and GDS can greatly impact the business.
Akshay Ramanathan

Marriott Turns up the Volume on Green Hotels - 0 views

  • open as part of its LEED® (Leadership in En
  • LEED Volume hotels, the Courtyard Scottsdale Salt River features a number of elements that focus on energy and water efficiency and recyclin
  • roofing that reflects heat and saves energy;
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  • ENERGY STAR® certified appliances
  • Water-efficient toilets
  • building materials used contain recycled conten
  • controls that turn off the lights
  • sensors to reduce electrical lighting with natural sun
  • owners can expect to save 25 percent in energy and water consumption and should recover their additional investment in five to six years
  • concerns about the environment and about sustainable development are a growing consideration
  • allows our owners and franchisees to build sustainable hotels economically
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    This article discusses Marriott's first LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environment) Certified hotel which is opening up in Scottsdale Arizona. In an effort to reduce energy and utility costs this new property boasts a variety of features such as Energy Star certified appliances, water- efficient toilets, and specialize lighting controls and sensors that reduce the consumption of electrical lighting in the presence of natural sun light. In addition changes made to the roofing, such as the installation of light colored panels that reflect heat and the use of recycled building materials will help keep costs down and use less energy. Marriott's effort to take measures in being more environmentally conscious should serve as an example to other hotel chains and properties to be socially responsible as well.
jazminesnyder

Guest Column: How Distribution Systems Are Like Seat Belts - Business Travel News - 0 views

  • global distribution systems use old technology
  • their interfaces aren’t quite as attractive as airline websites
  • they still do what they’re designed to do efficiently and affordably.
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  • agency portals
  • Are not designed to manage high transaction volumes generated by large TMCs.Do not offer comparison shopping on competing airlines.
  • Its strategy seems to rest in shifting distribution costs to corporate buyers.
  • Building out airline websites, keeping website content updated, investing in agent portals and investing in direct connect technology all come with significant capital expenditures or resource costs.
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    My article this week is about how GDS (Global Distribution Systems) can be compared to a seatbelt. The author opens the article discussing the main reasons we still continue to use seatbelts; even though they aren't the most comfortable or fashionable items to use, they still do their jobs in saving our lives when it comes to a collision of some sort. The author is in favor of GDS and makes the claim that like seatbelts, the GDS may not be the most up-to-date or may not appear to be as nice as other local systems to each individual airline, but they get the job done and there are no other systems out there like it that we know of (no other systems that do everything he GDS system does that is). The main topic of discussion that the article is concerned with is the recent decision made by the company Lufthansa to start charging its customers an additional surcharge for using GDS systems instead of going through its own system. The author clearly makes it know that she doesn't believe Lufthansa when they say they are charging this additional surcharge because GDS is the most expensive channel to go through. "Because there's no reason to think that an airline should expect to distribute its products without any cost, Lufthansa's recent gambit seems more of a tactic for increasing lagging direct distribution... Its strategy seems to rest in shifting distribution costs to corporate buyers" claims Rose, the author of the article. The author also points out some of the draw backs of using agency portals, the main reason being that a customer cannot compare rates of other competitors and that agency portals cannot handle high volume transactions like the GDS can. It is also made known that there are costs that come with other channels as well, like the prices you pay for building airline websites and keeping them updated. The author concludes that "Given the history of negotiations between airlines and GDSs, it's impossible to know whether Lufthansa is using DCC as
mellakygg

Cloud Computing Is Crucial To The Future Of Our Societies -- Here's Why - 0 views

  • Cloud will provide the digital infrastructure of tomorrow’s cities, where an estimated 6 billion of the world’s population will live by 2045. Smart elevators and parking lots, driverless cars and drone taxis, trains and subways, farms and power plants -- all will be safer and better managed, thanks to the cloud’s ability to store and analyze data.
  • The cloud will also be transformative for companies, especially small and mid-sized businesses, as data analytics, artificial intelligence and other capabilities become available as services.
  • A utilities cloud will automatically repair faults in the power grid to ensure that homes and businesses get the electricity they need.
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  • A commercial aviation cloud will help airlines manage ground operations such as maintenance, fueling, baggage handling, and cabin cleaning, thereby increasing efficiency and helping flights take off on time.
  • A banking cloud will let financial institutions scan thousands of transactions per second to prevent fraud.
  • The cloud will also help society cope with growing volumes of data. This includes applications like high-definition video, which Huawei estimates will account for 89% of individual user traffic by 2025.
  • The cloud will support emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence and help them to adapt to new platforms such as mobile. When smartphone sales overtook sales of PCs in 2011, mobile became the world’s largest computing platform. Naturally, AI has made its way into phones.
  • Because inference needs to process data in real time, all the time, even tomorrow’s super-advanced smartphones won’t be able to meet the computing demands imposed by AI. They’ll have to rely on the processing power of the cloud.
  • In particular, video will feature prominently in tomorrow’s vehicles, providing in-car entertainment, enhancing road safety by allowing drivers to “see through” other vehicles, and making cars more secure. To thwart burglars, vandals and car thieves, many cars now have multiple security cameras. Video footage can be stored on a secure digital card inside the car or beamed up to the cloud.
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    The cloud will provide the digital infrastructure for the cities of tomorrow, where an estimated 6 billion of the world's population will live by 2045. A commercial aviation cloud will help airlines. A utilities cloud will automatically repair faults in the power grid to ensure a smooth supply of power to homes and businesses. A banking cloud will scan thousands of transactions per second to prevent fraud. The cloud will help society cope with growing volumes of data. High definition video will account for 89% of individual user traffic by 2025, of which image and video content will be for non-entertainment purposes. The cloud will support the emerging artificial intelligence technologies which will be adapted to mobile use, notably the cell phones which overlook PC sales in 2011. Although driverless cars are still a ways off, it will be realized soon, thanks to the power of the cloud.
anonymous

What's Driving IT Investment in 2011? | News | Hospitality Magazine (HT) - 2 views

  • “Advances in wireless and mobile technologies, products and services are changing the landscape of the hospitality industry and how it operates,” says Craig Mathias, principal, Farpoint Group. “With a demanding client base equipped with increasing numbers of smartphones, tablet computers, notebook PCs and even rugged devices, successful hospitality IT organizations recognize the need to upgrade their existing WLANs to improve network reliability, capacity and coverage to support customer-facing applications, as well as internal services that enable their own mobile workforce and improve the guest experience.”
  • Elevating the guest experience
  • The Motorola Solutions 2011 Hospitality Market Barometer reveals that 91 percent of hospitality decision makers realize the increasing importance of mobile and wireless technology, while 78 percent recognize the role mobility plays in ensuring a competitive advantage for their business.
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  • Enabling operational efficiency
  • Empowering the mobile worker
  • Fifty-six percent of hospitality organizations plan to raise mobile investments to better equip their workforces, improve operational efficiencies and enhance the customer experience.
  • Advances in wireless and mobile technologies, products and services are changing the landscape of the hospitality industry and how it operates,” says Craig Mathias, principal, Farpoint Group . “With a demanding client base equipped with increasing numbers of smartphones, tablet computers, notebook PCs and even rugged devices, successful hospitality IT organizations recognize the need to upgrade their existing WLANs to improve network reliability, capacity and coverage to support customer-facing applications, as well as internal services that enable their own mobile workforce and improve the guest experience.”
  • Improved guest experience is the top driver for mobility investments, cited by 76 percent of hospitality venues surveyed. Hospitality decision makers are investing in mobile technologies to support customer-facing applications that improve guest services by handling wireless email, guest/attendee check-in, table-side order/payment or event ticketing, among others. Sixty-one percent of respondents plan to deploy some form of video capabilities, including video surveillance, video conferencing and streaming video, in public access areas such as lobbies. Fifty-eight percent of surveyed hospitality organizations deploying mobile technology today see improved customer satisfaction. 
  • Key facts from the survey
  • A recent Motorola Solutions, Inc. study uncovered that information technology (IT) spending in the hospitality industry is expected to increase in 2011, with guest experience cited as the top driver for investment.
  • The Motorola Solutions 2011 Hospitality Market Barometer reveals that 91 percent of hospitality decision makers realize the increasing importance of mobile and wireless technology, while 78 percent recognize the role mobility plays in ensuring a competitive advantage for their business.
  • Elevating the guest experience
  • Improved guest experience is the top driver for mobility investments, cited by 76 percent of hospitality venues surveyed.
  • Hospitality decision makers are investing in mobile technologies to support customer-facing applications that improve guest services by handling wireless email, guest/attendee check-in, table-side order/payment or event ticketing, among others. Sixty-one percent of respondents plan to deploy some form of video capabilities, including video surveillance, video conferencing and streaming video, in public access areas such as lobbies.
  • Fifty-eight percent of surveyed hospitality organizations deploying mobile technology today see improved customer satisfaction. 
  • Empowering the mobile worker
  • Fifty-nine percent of respondents currently deploying mobile and wireless technology witnessed an increase in employee productivity and efficiency, while 55 percent saw improved sales results.
  • Currently, the most popular applications on two-way radios are project management (51 percent) and collaboration (41 percent). Unified messaging and remote management/monitoring have the highest rate of planned deployments into 2012.
  • Among survey respondents, tablets and VoIP handsets are the top two mobile devices planned for new deployments by 2012.
  • Enabling operational efficiency
  • Seventy-five percent of hospitality organizations surveyed already have wireless LAN (WLAN) installed in their facilities.
  • “Advances in wireless and mobile technologies, products and services are changing the landscape of the hospitality industry and how it operates,” says Craig Mathias, principal, Farpoint Group. “With a demanding client base equipped with increasing numbers of smartphones, tablet computers, notebook PCs and even rugged devices, successful hospitality IT organizations recognize the need to upgrade their existing WLANs to improve network reliability, capacity and coverage to support customer-facing applications, as well as internal services that enable their own mobile workforce and improve the guest experience.”
  •   More than one third of survey respondents represent companies exceeding $1 billion in revenues. Responses came from the executive suite, IT functions and managers closest to the day-to-day implementation of mobile solutions.
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    "The Motorola Solutions 2011 Hospitality Market Barometer reveals that 91 percent of hospitality decision makers realize the increasing importance of mobile and wireless technology, while 78 percent recognize the role mobility plays in ensuring a competitive advantage for their business. As a result, hospitality venues are investing in new technology, as well as powerful wireless networks to handle greater data volumes and increasing demands for high-speed access from the customer and mobile workforce. "
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    This is a survey from The Motorola Solutions , it reveals how IT investment is gaining pace in hospitality industry. The resuults reveals that 91 percent of hospitality decision makers realize the increasing importance of mobile and wireless technology, while 78 percent recognize the role mobility plays in ensuring a competitive advantage for their business. As a result, hospitality venues are investing in new technology, as well as powerful wireless networks to handle greater data volumes and increasing demands for high-speed access from the customer and mobile workforce.
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    Widely utilization and application of IT technology especially wireless and mobile technology are expected to increase in recent years.More and more hospitality organizations are realize the important role the mobile investment played in improving operational efficiency and enhance the customer experience. With wireless devices, hospitality organizations can save time of doing guest/attendee check-in, table-side order/payment or event ticketing which will improve operation efficiency and customers' satisfaction. According to survey results, tablets and VoIP handsets are the top two mobile devices planned for new deployments. Furthermore, right IT investment will increase revenues and have a good sales.
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    Motorola Solutions, Inc (MS) conducted a study and discovered that IT (information technology) spending is expected to rise in the hospitality filed in the years to come, practically in 2011. The main reason for the increase in spending on IT is because of the guest experience. According to MS, fifty- six percent of hospitality establishments plan to increase mobile investment to better outfit their workforces, advance operational efficiencies and boost the customer experience. The survey main facts included three areas; One, to elevate the guest experience Hospitality decision makers are investing in mobile technologies to support customer-facing applications that improve guest services by handling wireless email, guest/attendee check-in, table-side order/payment or event ticketing, among others. Two, to empower the employees by giving them the correct tools, fifty-nine percent of respondents currently deploying mobile and wireless technology witnessed an increase in employee productivity and efficiency, while 55 percent saw improved sales results. Finally, to enable operational efficiency, improvement, reliability, and extending range of current wireless data networks are the top three drivers behind 802.11n WLAN adoption - all critical network features to meet greater data volumes and increasing demands for access from the customer and mobile workforce. Seventy-five percent of hospitality organizations surveyed already have wireless LAN (WLAN) installed in their facilities. In North America, approximately one third of these venues have 802.11n, while European venues predominately have 802.11b/g.
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    This article is introducing a survey about information technology in the hospitality industry. It shows that there was a speedy increasing in IT investing which is aiming to improve customers' satisfaction and experience. Almost fifty-six percent of hospitality organizations plan to equip IT devices inside their organizations. Also, ninety-one percent of the hospitality decision makers have realized the importance of the mobile and wireless technology. There are three key facts that show the outcome of the survey. The first is to elevate the guest experience. The hotels are investing mobile and wireless technologies, also the video capabilities to improve customer satisfaction. The second one is to empower the mobile worker. The managers, security personnel and customer services all needs some applications to ensure the work efficiency and keep the management productive. The third one is to enable operational efficiency. It shows that the hotel wants to expand the ability of wireless and data transportation.
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    IT investment becomes a big part of the investment in the hospitality industry. A research had been done in 2011 to find what factors drive IT investment in the hospitality industry. There are three main factors, which are elevating the guest experience, empowering the mobile worker, and enabling operational efficiency. Management finds that improved guest experience is the top driver for mobility investment, and over half percentage of the respondents witnessed an increase in employee productivity. IT investment also enables operational efficiency and it is said that 3/4 of the hospitality organization have WLAN installed in their facilities. In my opinion, I believe it is the trend to invest in IT, because people cannot live without modern technology nowadays, and even if you do not want to change, your competitors will do so, which will ultimately makes you out of the market. So IT investment is very important, and businesses in the hospitality industry need to take more concern on IT investment.
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    The Motorola Solutions, Inc. study exposed that information technology spending in the hospitality industry is expected to increase in 2011, with guest experience cited as the top driver for investment. Mobility investments can elevate the guest experience by handling wireless email, guest check-in, tableside order/payment or event ticketing. Managers can empower the mobile worker by using smartphone. Installing the wireless LAN (WLAN) can enhance operational efficiency. Motorola Solutions conducts market research and provides indicators of the opportunities and challenges that mobility poses to hospitality enterprises.
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    This article shared information from a Motorola Solutions, Inc. study predicting that information technology (IT) spending in the hospitality industry would increase in 2011, with guest experience cited as the top driver for investment. The study revealed that 91% of hotel decision makers recognized the importance of mobile and wireless technology and that they would be focused on enhancing guest experience, empowering the mobile worker, and enabling operational efficiency. Motorola Solutions conducts independent market research and collected surveys from 161 qualified participants. I found this article relevant because guests are now expected the hotels they stay at to be able to meet their technological needs. I attended a conference just this week and heard multiple attendees ask if the hotel had wifi and how/where to access it. Nowadays, it's more of a necessity than an option for hoteliers to make the decision to invest in technology. Not only does this investment meet guests' needs and increase satisfaction, but it also benefits employees. According to the article, over half of the survey respondents who use wireless and mobile technology in their workforce saw increases in employee productivity and efficiency. Often times, if employees are able to be more productive and efficient on the job, there is a positive correlation with guest service and satisfaction. Thus, IT investments are crucial for hoteliers to make.
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    This article is talked about the IT trend in hospitality industry. From a recent Motorola Solutions, Inc. study, it showed that information technology(IT) spending in the hospitality industry is expected to increase in 2011. What is more, 91% of hospitality decision makers realize the increasing important of mobile and wireless technology. Then it introduced some key facts from the survey. They are elevating the guest experience, empowering the mobile worker and enabling operational efficiency. Advances in wireless and mobile technologies, products and services are changing the landscape of the hospitality industry and how it operates. Successful hospitality IT organizations recognize the need to upgrade their existing WLANs to improve network reliability, capacity and coverage to support customer-facing applications, as well as internal services that enable their own mobile workforce and improve the guest experience. This is the information technology trend for hospitality industry. And IT will become an indispensable part in hospitality industry.
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    Just like the saying in the article, in 2011, the investment is mostly focus on the mobile investments. As we know that with the development of the internet, more and more people can not live without the internet. So, it is very important for hotel or hospitality industry to put investments on this section. It is become the necessary part of the hospitality industry. So, increase the investments of mobile and internet will bring a strong advantages for your business and make you stand on the market.
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    The hospitality industry is investing in new technology to satisfy guests demands, it is important for hotels to provide wireless connections that are fast and reliable, this now also considered part of the guest experience.
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    A recent study uncovered that information technology (IT) spending in the hospitality industry is expected to increase in 2011, with guest experience cited as the top driver for investment. 56% of hospitality organizations plan to raise mobile investments to better equip their workforces, improve operational efficiencies and enhance the customer experience. 91% of hospitality decision makers realize the increasing importance of mobile and wireless technology, while 78 percent recognize the role mobility plays in ensuring a competitive advantage for their business. Based on elevating the guest experience, empowering the mobile worker and enabling operational efficiency, a survey about this was set up. With a demanding client base equipped with increasing numbers of smartphones, tablet computers, notebook PCs and even rugged devices, successful hospitality IT organizations recognize the need to upgrade their existing WLANs to improve network reliability, capacity and coverage to support customer-facing applications, as well as internal services that enable their own mobile workforce and improve the guest experience.
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    Nowadays more than ever does technology make a difference in how we run our operations, how effective our operations are which results in how satisfied our customers are. The article What's Driving IT investment in 2011 talks about the advances in the hospitality industry providing us with some important statistics in IT investments. According to the article, technology spending is expected to increase with the focus on customer experience. Fortunately, the statistics shows that 91 percent of hospitality decision makers realize the importance of mobile and wireless technology. As stated in the article, hospitality venues invest in new technologies to improve operational efficiencies and to enhance customer experience. As the survey shows, customer experience is the number on priority and driving force for implementing new technology. Hospitality properties also invest in technologies that enhance the check in procedures, wireless e-mail or table side orders and payments. After implementing new technologies, 59% of respondents to the survey taken could see improve employee efficiency and 55% saw improved sales results. According to the survey that was filled out by 161 respondents representing variety of hospitality enterprises, 58% saw improved customer satisfaction. Even though this article does not state which technologies in particular yielded these results, it is still important to see that investing in IT technologies does make a difference in customer satisfaction, employee efficiency and sales improvement. Many properties are afraid to invest new technologies, as they are unsure of the final results of the investment. I am strongly convinced that in order to keep up with the competition and the supply in the market, business had to take the technology route and use it to their fullest advantage.
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    The article analyzed why hotels do investment to It in 2011. It concluded three main reasons, which are elevating the guest experience, empowering the mobile worker, and enabling operational efficiency. It's already 2013 now and things can become different. Hotels should invent carefully according to its specific necessary and customers' necessary.
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    Dear team! I found an article, very old but to me, very actual and interesting about how the Internet Technology is improving and progressing, and the investment bring benefits only. In 2011 , only 4 years ago, we can see that the companies were having a clear plan to improve the communication system. By introducing wireless, tablets, WLANs , to improve network reliability... Today we have it all on hands. We are using all the devices online , wireless and with no problem to access. No cords on the floor, no telegrams ... Internet technologies is a big progress in our century and is developing and growing, by leaving some of us behind. :)
anonymous

11 Tips to Improve Your Restaurant's Cyber Security in the COVID-19 Era | FSR magazine - 0 views

  • wealth of client data on tap from places with lax security
  • unknowingly serve credit card data to hackers. Due to the volume of credit card transactions and CRM data available, restaurants need to take cybersecurity seriously before a criminal gets wind of the vulnerability
  • A hacker only needs to gain access to a restaurant's POS system and install malware to steal customer credit card details.
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  • Take Chipotle, for example. The company got devalued by about $400 million after they suffered a data breach.
    • anonymous
       
      Major consequences for restaurants if discovered as the link
  • because most go belly up six months after an attack.
  • Unprotected WiFi
  • Criminals pretend to be from the U.S. government and inform targets their COVID-19 stimulus check is ready, but they would need to verify the details of the recipient first before they can send it.
    • anonymous
       
      Low level scammer
  • CRM software data, which may include names, addresses, and even birthdays. One of the most common ways to achieve this sort of attack is via malware (malicious software). Hackers find a vulnerable backdoor to a restaurant's network to install malware on the POS system. Malicious code then records every transaction and every detail, sending it back to the criminal's server over the internet.
  • GrubHub drivers scam both the restaurants and the customers by marking the deliveries as complete and pocketing the tip money, without bothering even to pick up the order from the establishment.
    • anonymous
       
      AHHHH
  • Businesses are scrambling to find suppliers amidst the chaos, and criminals have been taking advantage of the confusion
  • Scammers are posing as representatives from the World Health Organization (WHO), the Center for Disease Control (CDC), and other public health agencies
  • social engineering on the restaurant staff to pull off phishing attacks.
  • PCI compliant.
  • conduct a risk analysis
  • hiring a security expert either full time or as a consultan
  • Secure your network and always change the free WiFi access point's password with a strong one every day.
  • latest operating system updates
  • Force multi-factor authentication
  • strong passwords
  • Ensure sensitive data encryption
  • web-filter to secure your WiFi network
  • Install a robust security software program on all computers and devices to block, detect, and clean malware.
  • Conduct regular cybersecurity training
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    Restaurants have always been an easy target for cyber security hackers, in particular, hackers who are looking for credit card and ID information. Restaurants provide hackers with a "wealth of client data" due to the high "volume of credit card transactions and CRM data available." Once given access, a hacker could simple install malware and duplicate all customer information. Already facing critical financial issues during Covid 19, restaurants large and small need to take a stronger presence in the protection of their data. If discovered to be the start of a breach, customers will tend to avoid that business. "Chipotle, for example...got devalued by about $400 million after they suffered a breach," and many small restaurants "go belly up six months after an attack." Below is a summary of the types of attachs restaurants face: 1. Unprotected Wifi 2. Social engineering and phishing attacks. This is actually the one that stood out to me the most because of how sophisticated these attacks can be. It is a reminder that we are all at risk, both the technologically challenged and gifted. 3. Malware 4. Covid 19 Scams 5. Grub hub scams 6. Supply chain scams *A particular issue for restaurants and commercial businesses right now as companies scramble to find new vendors who can supply them with the products they require. 7. Public Health scams 8. Government Stimulus scams 9. Technical support scams How can we fight against these? Here are the recommendations: 1. PCI compliance 2. Hire and IT security professional to conduct a risk analysis and if possible, keep on as a consultant or full time 3. Keep a secure network and change free passwords daily 4. Use the latest operating systems, force multi-factor authentication, strong passwords, and use encryption services for data storage and transfers 5. Install and use robust web-filters and security software programs 6. Maybe most important!!! Train your employees. 5.
Minghui Zheng

Five critical trends hotel marketers need to know - 0 views

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    Customers' comments and reviews on the website have a huge influence on business in hospitality industry. This article outlines five key trends that hotel marketers should be aware of as they approach online reputation management. First, customers would like to trust other customers' comments rather than companies' advertisements. Remarkable experiences and consistently extraordinary service can make customers satisfied, which encourage guests to share experience. Second, overwhelming volume of data and information can make customers paralyzed and confused. Hotel marketers should create position-specific reporting and make insights simple. Third, consumers may change their decisions in the last-minute because of online reviews. Listening to guest feedback, making changes, and improving service can keep customers' reviews positive. Forth, companies' revenue can be influenced directly by negative reviews. Firth, real-time web may have a ineffective result du to delayed responses.
Yawen Zheng

What eCommerce Website Owners Need to Succeed in 2013The Online Shopping Experience Sho... - 0 views

  • The eCommerce world is undergoing significant changes and consumers have higher expectations. Because of this if eCommerce websites are going to be successful they need to adapt to the new realities of the market. Izzonet CEO, Tallya Rabinovich, offers guidance for both existing and aspiring online sellers.
  • However, as those numbers continue to increase, overall customer satisfaction with online shopping experiences seem to be on the decline. Recent surveys have shown a general downward trend in satisfaction over the past few years, something that appears to be the result of increased customer expectations. “In the past retailers thought it was enough to simply have an online store, but times have changed,” says Tallya Rabinovich.
  • When asked what eCommerce websites need to succeed in 2013 and beyond, Tallya offered a few useful tips. “First, it is important that eCommerce store owners are not only looking at next year, but also looking 5-10 years down the line. Keep abreast of events and developments in both the technology and business sectors so that your site can continually grow and adapt. Second, my observations show that the one thing that customers want more than anything else is personalization. As much as customers appreciate the convenience and lower prices of online shopping, they sometimes miss the personal experience of a brick and mortar store. To overcome this, make sure your online store is as personal and interactive as possible. This means have a good “contact us” page that makes you seem accessible, and, even better, have a live chat option to show your customers that there is a real person who is there for them.
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    The ecommerce will face a big chenge in the future, compony want do ecommerce business and some existing ecommerce business need to fit the markting chenge. In the past, the ecommrce can help company extending volume growth and buring a lot of new cuntomer, that is the traditional cannot mach,but now the market is changing step by step. More and more companies using ecomerce and people can compare them easily. The customer requirement is chenged from the needs of the product to looking for a good experience. For the future, company need to build impeccable ecommerce and focus on service sucj as after sales support.
xwang023

Why trust the Cloud to manage your hospitality business? - 0 views

  • revenue-maximization
  • Hotel management solutions offered on the Cloud are often referred to as PMS (property management system) or HMS (hotel management system). Whatever might be the nomenclature, the benefits of using a web-enabled solution on the Cloud remain largely the same. This includes the ease-of-use, scope for customization and assurance of any-time, anywhere availability.
  • When the Cloud first arrived, data security-related concerns were prominent. What many people don’t realize is that these apprehensions were quickly dissolved.
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  • survival or safety of a Cloud-based data management system can be eliminated if you understand the dynamics of Cloud computing.From handling data management in Fortune 500 companies to driving millions of transactions across business process outsourcing companies, the Cloud is literally, everywhere.
  • This is just a form of temporary glitch that is as common as struggling with a slower broadband connection or power outage for a few minutes. This doesn’t compromise the security of your data in any way!
  • Hotel owners have realized that investing in new IT infrastructure or manpower just isn’t practical. A better solution lies in using an on-demand, flexible solution, i.e. a web-based hotel management system.
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    In this article we could check lots pros of the cloud PMS.This includes the ease-of-use, scope for customization and assurance of any-time, anywhere availability.When the Cloud first arrived, data security-related concerns were prominent. This is why computing solutions offered on the Cloud have risen as a dynamic solution for businesses handling the most sensitive kind of data, including financial/banking institutions and workplaces handling large volumes of personal information.Hotel owners have realized that investing in new IT infrastructure or manpower just isn't practical. This helps to raise the recall value of hotels and provides them with the most influential form of marketing recommendations from happier, more contented customers
Yookyung Kim

Online Tool Streamlines Event Management | Case Studies | | Hospitality Magazine (HT) - 0 views

  • For venues, there’s no charge for listing space; a 10 to 13 percent commission is charged when the venue receives a successful booking. Sign-up and creating a listing was a simple process; after adding a description, pricing, photos, space sizes and availability, Heartland’s information was approved and is now readily viewable to potential customers 24/7. The tool has resulted in an immediate savings in labor for Heartland Brewery, and noticeable increases in bookings.
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    In the event booking business, timing is crucial. The problem the today's event teams face is in managing the volume of inquiries, and responding promptly so that the planner doesn't choose another venue. According to the article, to safeguard against losing business, a solution for the Heartland Brewery company was implementing New York-based Imbookn.com which is an online database to give their potential customers immediate result. Party planners can use the online tool to search and book event venues at no cost. Heartland now has not only more dynamic data, showing a venue's most accurate availability, prices and package offers but also increased revenue and higher guest satisfaction
Claire Conway

CohnReznick LLP Teams Up with BlackLine Systems to Help... -- LOS ANGELES and NEW YORK,... - 0 views

  • financial close software leader BlackLine Systems to bring industry-leading software and professional services to Fortune 1000 companies to help automate and optimize traditionally manual, spreadsheet-driven financial close processes.
  • BlackLine provides quick-to-implement, scalable and easy-to-use applications that automate the entire financial close process to help improve financial controls for companies of all sizes.
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    Blackline has created Financial Close Suite , which is accounting software specialized for the hospitality industry. The software standardizes processes and templates throughout the organization, which takes away from the manual tasks. It makes it easier to process the large volume of transaction on a daily basis faster by streamlining the data.
elena_martynova

Airline global distribution system Amadeus offers cloud scalability - 1 views

  • Amadeus has begun offering a cloud service on the Google Compute infrastructure as a service (IaaS) platform to prevent the back-end flight-booking systems of the airlines from being overloaded by internet requests.
  • Traditionally, checking for seat availability – known as airline inventory – was mainly used by travel agents, but the growth of automated internet searches is putting airline IT systems under excessive strain.
  • Christophe Defayet, director of R&D, airline IT at Amadeus, said: “The problem we faced in the past year is the look-to-book ratio has increased. For the travel industry, we are trying to bring the best availability across all channels.”
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  • Caching flight inventory data to buffer internet-based queries is not effective
  • Cache-based systems within major shopping engines have certain limitations, and they do not accurately reflect our sophisticated revenue management policies
  • To overcome the limitations of caching, Amadeus has developed the Airline Cloud Availability service, which uses the Couchbase NoSQL database. According to Amadeus, the cloud-based system can help airlines cope with the huge increase in search and shopping volumes. 
  • By synchronising the airline’s central systems and the distributed instances of the airline’s availability calculation in real-time, Lufthansa said consumers can search and shop for offers more efficiently and receive 100% accurate results of the airline’s availability. At the same time, the airline is able to respond to the exponential growth in online flight queries.
  • The service can be scaled up on demand to meet airline and channel needs, offering flexibility and efficiency
  • Combined with highly automated cloud infrastructure, it copes with any search peak, which means airlines do not need to anticipate such peaks several months in advance.
  • Airline Cloud Availability was successfully piloted by Lufthansa in the second quarter of 2015, easily absorbing a 20-fold increase in transaction volumes.
  • This solution combines our airline industry expertise, along with Amadeus technology leadership to deploy a fully scalable remote instance of our content within the proven Google Cloud Platform. With the continuous proliferation of digital channels, this future-proof innovation has opened a new era in real-time merchandising.
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    One of the 4 major GDS systems-Amadeus has begun offering a cloud service on the Google Compute infrastructure as a service platform to prevent overloading by internet requests. It helps to scale Amadeus service to support internet flight searches. The cloud-based system can help airlines to cope with the huge increase in search and consumer can receive 100% accurate results of the airline's availability.
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