More and more mobile apps for meeting attendees are being created to help enhance the meeting experience.  This article discusses the growing demand for more reliable meeting apps, as well as tips and recommendations on what to consider as one goes about developing an app.  Meeting apps are unique in that they must be property-specific because of the many core features that align with property information.  Core features include, but are not limited to: session schedule and description, speaker photo and bio, attendee profile and schedule, and documents (i.e., PowerPoint presentations).  Mobile meeting apps are not without much effort from event coordinators/organizers plugging the information useful to attendees.  Apps are meeting-specific as they are property-specific. 

Enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems were once referred to as manufacturing requirement planning (MRP) and were mostly comprised of supply ordering functions, but now consist of companyy-wide functions, such as finance/accounting, and even human resources compenents.  (Source: http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/enterprise-resource-planning-ERP.html) This article discusses the leap ERP are taking to cloud-based software and the implications to consider.  This trend means that even small- to medium-sized business can have an ERP software to run their business, instead of (due to high cost associated with it) just large corporations.  Many are finding it beneficial, especially because it's customizable.  A business can choose which components they want or need the most instead of having to take on ones that wouldn't benefit them.  Although it's not as high a cost, it's still a cost, and the writer warns to consider business needs carefully before making the leap, giving extra considerations to the fact going fully Web-based is a security concern for any business. 

Starbucks has just announced plans to begin rolling out the installation of wireless charging stations in their stores, starting this year and beginning in California. The wireless charging stations will be called Powermats, and because not all mobile devices are equipped with wireless charging, patrons who want to utilize the station may be required to purchase an adapter ring. It is not stated how much these adapter rings will cost, but It is possible that this project is intended to create revenue from sales of these adapter rings.

Smokey John's Bar-B-Que is a family-owned and operated restaurant. Current owners Brent and Juan recently installed a POS system to aid in the processing of day-to-day operations and data-gathering, including but not limited to table assignments, sales, orders, and server flow and timekeeping. The result has been savings in overtime by being able to track it more accurately; ability to track revenue streams between catering and in-dining; calculation of taxes; implementation and tracking of a loyalty program; and wireless credit card processing that has improved the overall customer experience.

With the rapid growth and increased use of the Internet over the past 2 decades, industry professional Andrey Smirnov gives 7 tips to other industry leaders on maximizing their presence in e-commerce and in consumer minds: (1) make your website quick to download and easy to find; (2) organize content by prioritizing information; (3) when offering promotions, clearly reflect it with a call to action; (4) distribute 'fresh' content on different channels (i.e., photo galleries, press releases, etc.); (5) maximize on mobile marketing; (6) embrace social media; and (7) continually improve by testing new things.

The Presto device was developed not necessarily to render waiters obsolete by any means but rather to provide guests with a more productively enjoyable meal experience by trying to get their food to their table as quickly as possible.  The technology is designed to alleviate the check-in and check-out process for guests, so let's not forget that there's still the task of actually brining the food to the table, which the device is not equipped to do.  In areas where it is used, guests are finding it fairly user-friendly and restaurants are finding that menu items displayed on the Presto help to sell food.  Guests can also use the Presto to pay their tab, and split the check as they see fit.  Some of the issues restaurants may encounter with the technology are: guest temptation to steal the device, and/or technical difficulties, which are can be easily remedied with any number of staff who are tech-savvy enough resolve issues.

The JW Marriott Marquis Miami and Hotel Beaux Arts Miami are three Marriott hotel brands that have been combined as the setting to create a revolutionized guest experience experience with the use of technology throughout the property. Not just technology here and there, but rather technology as the primary provider of the experience. This is evidenced by the conference room amenities: Virtual Meetings by Marriott, mobile video concierge, world's largest video powered by Cisco, digital signage, and wireless IP phones for guest use (which allow guest to order room service, check the weather, special offers, etc.). The goal and vision of the property is to allow guests to experience the advantages of technology to interact with other guets, co-workers, and hotel employees, in hopes that they will enjoy new ways to communicate, as well as have more fun. The hotel has already experienced several benefits and other favourable results: a one-of-a-kind experience for guests, effective marketing of hotel services, operational efficiency from working with one vendor, and increased guest safety thanks to 70 surveillance cameras deployed throughout public areas of the property and monitored by Cisco, who will notify hotel personnel immediately of any emergencies.