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With the talk about POS systems, mobile POS systems are also taking up center stage with recent developments utilizing Ipads or cloud based systems. All you need is a reader type device and an interface program than can process the transaction. This article mentions safety, convenience, lower POS costs and increased sales. I think this is all true, with the one exception that users may still be wary of a skimming device that can read and steal credit card data.

SUMMARY: This article by Bernard Ellis talks about the benefits of cloud computing and how it is being used in the hospitality industry. Hotels were previously wary about using cloud computing, but are slowly realizing that this technology has the ability to improve not only their operations, but also customer service and revenue. Ellis believes that limited-service brands, like a Courtyard by Marriott are part of the reason why hotels started looking into cloud computing. Brands like Courtyards do not have the means to spend significant amounts of money on technology, unlike their full-service counterparts. This sometimes means these hotels are at risk for not receiving necessary updates. Cloud computing enables hotel chains to offer access to systems, not previously made available to limited-service brands and also franchisees, both of which are crucial to the hotel chain's success. Hotels were previously concerned about their ability to maintain security and safety of systems within cloud computing. Now the concern has turned to change management. Changes and updates happen faster through the cloud platform and hotels have to figure out the best way to ensure staff is on top of all changes that take place. According to Ellis, the answer to this problem is learning management platforms, which are technology-based and more cost-efficient. Having technology-based learning platforms makes training easier and gives hotels the ability to update the training regularly based on any changes that take place. By utilizing cloud computing and learning management platforms, hotels will be able to improve operations, improve customer service, and streamline revenue.

Cruise industry must work together to address safety & sanitation measures re:Covid-19. Travel advisors will be key to selling cruises to passengers. Industry is creating an education program for travel agents/advisors hoping that they will be able to effectively instill confidence in wary travelers.

It is knowledgeable why retailers would be skeptical over self-services in grocery stores, which include lack of floor space, the ability to lower labor cost, and the concerns of consumer acceptance and usage, but this has changed with the future of technology. The permutation of self-checkout technology now gives the retailer opportunities to reduce labor intendment, and it also orchestrates the front-end operations to offer state of the art customer service to the consumer Self- checkout allows retailers to save space and it easily fits into the store's existing layout. Five self-serve lanes can accommodate the floor space of only two conventional lanes. Cash balancing and reporting for each station remains the same as it was before the device was installed.

I cannot imagine the human factor completely disappearing in stores. I have three young children and I cannot go through teh self check-out if I have more than a couple of items. There will always be those people who need the extra help. I do enjoy self check-out lines, so hopefully there will be a balance of machine and man in the stores.

after the invention of the first POS system of 1974 and the self- check out counters of 1992 researchers projecting 430,000 of self check out counters to be opened by 2014.  The benefit of the Self Check out counters is very tempting for the owners.  Article mentions that some customers are still not too happy with the self check out counters, because of possible bad experience in the past.  Managers are delaying the installation of the automated check outs, because of the scare of the theft, but it's proven that theft is not as issue because usually losses occur from the cashier's negligence.  Article provides some of the proves that self check out counter , can help customers to lose weight, and check out faster, and provides extra privacy. 

Not only does the Better Business Bureau verify legitimate businesses, but this link provides travel tips which are highlighting possible scams and ripoffs that are occurring related to tourism. It is important for travelers to be hyper-vigilant when making purchases not part of everyday lifestyle, such as taking vacations to foreign & unfamiliar places, which makes opportunities for fraud. Local scams are also discussed such as the risk for ripoffs when buying sports or concert tickets as well as counterfeit team items. Fake lodging and cruise scams are also highlighted, all issues which serve to bring awareness that validation prior to purchases of travel arrangements or leisure offers is a critical step to take before making any commitments, or confirming payment. The BBB recommends: 1) Always check the business first through validation with BBB. 2) Pay with a credit card which can be stopped or possibly recovered according to your provider. 3) Ensure you purchase is actually being used for what you intended by ensuring payment is received by cruise line, hotel, or airline being promoted. 4) Get proper confirmation of your booking. (Nuff said), 5) Don't be afraid to ask lots of questions BEFORE MAKING A PURCHASE! If questions are not welcomed, then don't give them your money! 6) Consider investing in travel insurance - a few dollars goes a long way when problems occur. Plan travel insurance into your vacation budget as a necessary purchase. "For more consumer tips you can trust, visit www.bbb.org/us/bbb-news. "

This brief article highlights 5 major points of the advantages of taking event registration online since there is still a lot of conern with doing so. First and foremost, peoeple love things being easy and hassle free, and with the inevdible techonolgy that is always around, it is jsut that easy. On top of that, confimation emails will be sent out within 24 hours, usually right after booking, to ease peoples minds that they are in. They get to plan out their event and get orginized in their minds and in real life. A big worry is how secure is this? It is benificial to do your reseach on where you are booking to ensure they are legit and have precautions to make information is safe. Additonally, real time reports allows for the event to understand who is going, deomgrphics, and the amount of people going. Lastly, a growing trend is going green, by doing this they can say they are a green event, if they take other measures, for eliminating paper applications.

In this article we discuss the issues that airlines are having with the GDS system. They give an example of someone attempting to purchase a ticket through an airline website, and then through a travel agency. The direct airline method was only cheaper, if the guest provided information to a direct bank account. The cost for airlines to sell is a bit less than 10%, and they are sold mostly through indirect channels, like travel agencies. The main reason this can happen, is the integrated GDS system. A GDS system is a data facility that shares inventory information for various airlines to different 3rd party channels. The issue with this, is that the total in fees for the use of the GDS system was around $7billion, which is twice the amount of net profit they are receiving. People state that the airline system cannot survive without the GDS, but is that statement really true? Airlines like Air Asia or Ryanair have really attempted to focus on selling tickets directly, and really expand on their profit. How can this be achieved? Well, airlines are making the booking process easier for guests to manage, which gives them more of a reason to book through there. Also, they are offering greater loyalty rewards for directly booking through the site. Different incentives need to be created to attract guests to book directly. Lastly, they would like to create another distribution system, to put GDS out of business. This new system will work to allow guests to handle meal and baggage fees. Concepts that the GDS cannot handle. With that said, will this new system reduce costs for airlines? I guess they will have to wait and see.

With the majority of bookings done through the internet, hotels need to find the best ways to make their websites attractive and engaging for a guest. Here are the ten e-commerce ideas that a hotel should strongly focus on. Number one, high quality images. A guest wants to see your property, and see the amenities that are offered. Provide a clear image of these items to them, so that they are aware of what makes the location great. Two, focus on the location's credibility. and build a reputation of trust for your location. Guests do not like to be fooled, so you must prove that you have integrity to gain business. Three, simplify the booking process. For many people it might not be an issue to navigate through the internet and book a room, but for some people it is. Make sure that the process of booking a room at your sight is very easy, and is comfortable for any guest. Four, integrate customer service channels. If your guests have questions before booking, then try to answer them as fast as possible. This works with the second step of improving credibility. Five, not only should you make the booking process simple, but the navigation process as well. Your layout should be clear, and guests should easily be able to figure out where it is that specific information is found. Six, have only one call to action per page. A call to action is a phrase that when clicked on, creates a certain thing to happen. Like clicking on a button that says "Reserve now", and then being led to a reservation page. It is important to only put one on a page, because several can seem cluttered and confusing. Seven, make the site friendly to cellular devices. Many of the reservations are done last minute, and on a cellular device. Make sure this is easy for your guests to do. Eight, the importance of PCI. There are many threats out there to our finances, and as a place of business it is up to you to secure the financial information of the guests, to avoid any fraud or theft. Nine, optimize o

In today's society it is extremely important for the hotel industry to make use of the e-commerce technology. This article focuses on the ten best e-commerce practices. Best practice number one is to use high resolution photos that are a true representation of your hotel. These photos should be frequently changed and of good quality. Secondly, show your guests that they can trust you and your website, by building credibility. E-commerce is designed to make the process better, thus, thirdly, ensure that it is easy to book a room through your website. The fourth best practice is to ensure that you are clear about ways that your customer can reach out to you for information. show that you are accessible. Next, the author mentioned the importance of making your website user friendly and easy to navigate. Additionally, have one call to action button so that customers are not confused as to where to make their selection or booking. Consumers are now using cellphones more to book hotel accommodations, thus, another best practice is to ensure that your website is mobile friendly. Internet security is a concern for consumers. Best practice number eight is to ensure that your website is secure for financial transactions. The ninth best practice is ensure that you make use of email marketing. Your website should have the ability to collect emails from each user. The final best practiced listed in the article is to use marketing techniques like persuasion elements that go the extra mile to convince guests to book their hotel. The ten best practices outlined were listed for hotel operates to analyze their website and identify ways to improve if necessary.

My company works specifically in the short term rental space, and I wanted to comment on number 9 and offer some insight and results from properly managing your email list. First and foremost, having an email list increases return customers to your platform or rental site by over 300%. Most companies in this space have spent countless hours creating and defining specific messages to potential guests, which begin from the first time they visit the site, all the way until they checkout. Each time these touch points, through email or other communications, increase the likelihood of the guest to use the rental company, condo association, or hotel year in and year out. A new method of communication that is being used industry wide is through text messaging. I believe that this form of e-commerce will enable faster delivery of information to customers and allow managers to personalize experiences at the hotel or property. This follows along the lines of remote locks and other services that are technology based rather than requiring personnel to execute, greatly reducing overhead costs.

Instead of the days of printed coupons and coupon filled booklets, we are now bombarded with every type of coupon for every product or service. Some Apps utilize your location device to electronically send the user updates about coupons from stores that are within 25+ miles from their location. While some users opt into receive coupons from select stores. Regardless, e-coupons are on the rise and be wary about what permissions you give them if you download their app.

Good Afternoon, Cool Article since i like to coupon to save money. Digital coupons does help limit the number of coupons a person can use at one time. With print coupons I can buy bundles of newspapers and stack coupons at certain stores. Digital coupons does limit that freedom. Electronic coupons are becoming more popular. With data you are correct watch how much information you are giving them.

This article talks about the 5 technologies hotels should be investing into for 2020 in order to stay competitive. The technologies are website simplicity, upselling tech to boost profitability, secure payment systems to increase consumer confidence & credibility, self service and automated check-in, and an omni platform which centralises operations.

Hotels are taking new major steps into tech integration as more and more developments are constantly being requested by guest and made by property owners. These I.T investments can help these properties majorly and help increase guest satisfaction. One advantage that many companies can use is it up selling aspect to help push sales. Investing in secure payment options helps with data security and gives the hotel credibility.

-Website simplicity -Upselling technology to boost profitability -Secure payment systems to increase consumer confidence and credibility -Self service and automated check in -An omni platform which centralizes operations -In a 2,000 people study, a quarter of people take into high consideration the quality and detail of a hotel's website before making a direct booking online. -Website simplicity acquires traffic, increases conversion rates and drives more people to book direct. -Upselling can happen subsequently through nudge marketing via emails, push notifications of even on arrival at the hotel. -Investment in secure payment gateways protects the data of hotel guests and the hotels credibility. -Also checks in advance whether the credit card exists and is covered which could reduce chargebacks. -In a survey of 2,654 consumers, 78% of respondents said they would like to see self-service kiosks more widely available for check in. -Self check in is faster service, more privacy, and waiting time/lines are much shorter. -Omni channel platforms enable you to centralize operational systems, take back control of your revenue flow and transparency of guest data, so hotel management can focus on creating the best experience for customers.

The focus on sustainability or "going green" is quickly becoming a major trend. This article introduce 25 ways that hotels can use to develop sustainable economic. Supporting sustainable initiatives is important to the lodging industry as a whole. 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.

The hospitality industry struggled to survive during covid, and they are still fighting by incorporating technology to improve traveler's confidence during this pandemic and still managing to make a profit for the company. They are using technologies to keep both guests and employees safe during this time. Technology features that used to be a bonus are now becoming a necessity in the hotel industry. As the hotel industry adopts to these changes, this is likely to be the new norm instead of eventually reverting to the old normal. This goes past digital check-in and check-out. New technologies are being used like e-newspapers or magazines for guests to use instead of picking one up in the lobby. This includes contactless payments, scannable QR codes for the restaurant menus and chatbots or live-chats with the on-property staff. These new technological advancements can allow a guest to completely skip the front desk and most human interactions all together if they chose to.

Why you should move from a Tech-Enabled Service to a SaaS Platform and some things to keep in mind if you do decided to make the transition.