This article picked five technologies that event planners must have, and they are smartphones, SaaS Cloud Apps, virtual events, social media and viral marketing, and iPads and tablets. In detail, the arthor mentioned event planners should link up the event management system with a customer relationship management system such as Salesforce. Also, when talked about the virtual event, the author mentioned it can help to save time, money and resources, and it is a high recommonded tool for improving future events.

This article introdeced that GrandStay Hotels selected ZDirect for its eMarketing. This toolwill enable each property to send eletronic guest comfirmations, pre-arrival email promotions, psot-stay satisfaction surveys. It also can help to establish twp-way communication between the hotel and guests. GrandStay will use ZDirect to manage custom databases, optimize dilivery rates, create w-questionaires, analyze ststistical reports, and use purchasing habits and shopping preferences to attract the best customers, and so on.

This article introduced two common points for hospitlity security concerns, public-use computers and HSIA. ElevenBC was mentioned to removes and encrypts user data in order to ensure safety. It also talked about ElevenOS, which can provide centralized reporting, zoned access, and portal pages that require users agree to terms of use before continuing, in order to keep network secure. In my opinion, it is very important to pay more attention to the Internet security to create a safer envionment for both guests and the hotel.

This article talked about some features need to be considered when choosing a restaurant POS system. It suggested that restaurant should pay attention to the ease of use, customer database, tableside ordering, online reservations, online odering, scalability, pringting, and data recovery. It emphsized that live system changes, terminal flexibility, menu, menu firing, and discounts should be considered. It also talked about the important features for bars to choose a POS system. They are fast pay, tabs, repeat, job types, and credit card hold.

This article introduces the accouting systems developed by Benchmark Hospitality International. Benchmark invested in the hospitality industry's first "private" cloud platform to host its property's systems and data. Profitvue back office accounting system was mentioned, which has the advantages of more flexible, simple and faster to use, and save money. Also, it is safer to use this private cloud-based to save data, which can bring lots of benifits to shareholders and management teams. In my opinion, all hospitality organizations should enhance their accouting and financial systems to create a safer financial environment, and to get clear information of the financial operations and make further plans to control costs.

This article introduced some property management systems, such as FOSSE, Choice Advantage, Micros/Operas, and so on. The author mentioned two in detail. One is Visual Matrix, used by most Best Westerns. It is easy to use and can save a lot of time on training. The other one is Check-Inn. It is a good choice for small business, which isn't very sales and marketing intensive. I think each hotel group should choose their property management system based on its size and strategies.

This article introduces aeroseal technology, which could bring a lot of benifits to hotels. By using this technology, hotels can save money and time, as well as improve indoor comfort and air quality. I think all hotels should pay more attention to save energy and be more envionmental friendly. This kind of technology should be heavily promoted and implement in order to build a green hospitality industry.

This article introduces some strategies that hotels can use to enhance e-business. Evolving from selling to engaging the customers and engaging customers through social computing is recommended. Also, hotels should pay more attention to the mobile technology. I think it is really necessary for hotels to focus on e-buiness today, because it may help to identify problems and get more information, then get more profit. Besides, it is a must-do thing under this competitive and globalized environment.

This article introduced how hotels improve their network to enhance security. To reduce the potential for stealing by theft and hacker, the W Dallas Hotel set up virtual local area networks. Compared with relatively rundimentary hub technology and encryption for Wi-Fi, the biggest advantage of this VLANs is to inhibit attackers from using computer to imitate the hotel'smain server. I think increaing a hotel network's security is very necessary, still, people should pay more attention to this and improve the techonology to make sure the security of all aspects.

This article introduced an app called Retrieve, which can turn exhibitors' smartphones to scanners and they can use it to scan business cards. It will help to save businesses time, money, and it is helpful for event participants to exchange information. Participants can use this app to know new people and get good recommendations. I think this app is very useful for events because people may communicate more effectively and many activities, such as collecting informattion and scanning business cards, may be more convinient by the help of it.