A human resource information system (HRIS) is a software used for managing employee information while aiming to increase their engagement and productivity. Overall, an HRIS system is made up of the following components: a database, financials, time & attendance, recruitment, and training/development. The tools available in these allow for automated processes, data storage, handling of payroll, benefits, employee recognition programs, track work absences and tardiness, manage job applications, referrals, and interview requests, assist scheduling, employee communication, performance tracking, and goal setting. The costs involved when adopting a HRIS include software, setup, consulting, and support fees.

The article discusses how facility managers can reduce operational costs by outsourcing help, promoting sustainability, and using facility management technology. When outsourcing work and emergencies of HVAC, electrical, plumbing, or waste, a hotel can reduce overhead costs and free time for on-staff technicians to keep up with their scheduled up-keep activities. Investing in green products like occupancy sensors and LED lights and policies like linen reuse, helps hotels save money by including guests in their commitment of protecting the earth while reducing costs. Computerized maintenance management systems can greatly help with streamlining the scheduling, purchasing, inventory, and order management, which helps protect the hotel's assets and image.

The article discusses the use of influencers as part of retailer's e-marketing strategies. Influencer marketing is predominately used for retail, such as, fashion, beauty, and entertainment. As it is easier to find the right influencer to consistently target the same demographic, but this strategy might not be as efficient for stores with a wide variety of products. A purchase based on an influencer recommendation is the most prevalent among millennials and Gen Z, however, to ensure the best results, marketers have to the determine which social platform (Instagram, YouTube, twitter, Facebook) and influencer is better suited for their brand's marketing goals.

The article discuses how as many cities have banned large gatherings to slow down the spread of Covid-19, many couples that were set to marry in the months of March, April, and May, have now been forced to either cancel or postpone their weddings. Many couples may lose their deposits and may have to settle for weekday wedding when rescheduling, as it will prove challenging to find dates that will work for all vendors (venue, florists, caterers, entertainment, insurance), specially for summer and winter dates of 2020 as the more weddings become rescheduled. However, for planners and vendors business revenue will be greatly reduced for the coming months, putting business-owners under pressure to come up with money to pay their staff and keep their business alive until the crisis passes.

The article discusses what practices should hotels adopt to protect their guests, in a world where lodging accommodations are a primary target for criminals and where customers see security as an important factor in decision making. Data breaches can happen online and in the physical world, hospitality companies have to look beyond security software and put into place policies for data storage and disposal of sensitive information, as well as, properly training for employees in information security practices, like proper information handling, and the ability to phishing scams or suspicious emails. In order to ensure that physical or digital sensitive information won't fall on the wrong hands.

The article discusses the development of an app called Spacer that works as a POS and could change the whole dining experience. You would be able to use the app once inside the restaurant to communicate the restaurant's computer, which would allow you to reserve a table, view the menu items with augmented reality images, order, play games, and pay the check all from your phone. The technology would give a better idea to guests of what they are ordering and would take some duties from the server, allowing them to better engage with costumers. The creators are currently in talks to start using this POS technology at some restaurants as early as June 2020.

The article discusses how accounting systems specially designed for restaurants can better perform activities like monitor inventory, pay vendors, record transactions, do forecasting, and generate statements by integrating all this data in real time for management to use in their decision making. Using generic software that does not fully integrate all the information available can result in a less efficient operation, where employees spend more time performing their tasks, irregularities are missed, and important information is not analyzed. For example, when compiling information for decision making, most systems focus on a monthly or yearly basis for their data breakdown, while accounting software for restaurants should be able to do it on a weekly basis to adapt to thigh margins and nature of the business.

The article discusses the new partnership between Poynt POS devices and BitPay a global blockchain payment provider. Allowing the businesses to accept payments with crypto currencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum in a simple, secure, and fast manner by just scanning a QR code. Poynt was built to be open sourced, meaning developers have the ability to make new applications for the platform, constantly innovate, and add newer offerings; integrating cryptocurrencies is only one of the many ways modern POS like Poynt's can help businesses stay up to date with newer technologies and trends.

The article discusses how the inclusion of mobile platforms into hotels PMS and Master digital wallets have streamlined back of the house operations and the guest experience. Mobile PMS allows guests to check in/out, unluck doors, make requests, check information, and make payments all from their mobile devices, which enables employees more time to provide a more personalized service to each guest. Mobile Payment is an important part of a complete mobile guest experience and Master digital wallets can integrate various payment methods to a hotel's booking engine, POS and PMS that adds to the convenience and personalization of the guest stay.

The article discusses how a soon to be opened 164 rooms property the Sinclair Hotel in Fort Worth Texas, will become one of the world most green-friendly property thanks to being the first one to implement power over Ethernet (POE) technology. Ethernet cables are traditionally used for landline phones and routers connections, but POE lets network cables carry electrical power, allowing the hotel to control and power its lights, window shades, smart mirrors, minibars, and back-up battery generator from a computer network; which reduces energy consumption and labor costs. This technology is universal and in theory could be applied anywhere, reshaping the way we design electrical systems.

The article goes over how the eCommerce factor of food delivery services is affecting the brick-and-mortar experience and how restaurants are balancing serving both types of customers. On one side, it is helping some brick-and-mortar restaurant's bottom line by tapping into a wider audience, but it could be at the cost of diminishing the in-store experience. With increased competition and rent prices, restaurants will have to find the correct approach to maximize revenues from both in-store and online customers, in order to meet their desired sales goals.

The article discusses how hotels are one of the E-Commerce industries where payment is predominately received after the service is provided and not at the time of booking/purchase like most e-commerce businesses. This practice has hindered revenue growth over the years due to fraudulent bookings, long lead times affecting cash flow, and high cancellation rate for reservations. Which is why hotels should aim to further encourage payment at the time of booking, which according to D-EDGE (a cloud-based e-commerce company & booking engine) can be done by increasing the number of payment options, exemplified by their partnership with PayPal, that enables hotels to accept payments fast and securely by integrating the widely used PayPal platform to the hotel's website.

The article discusses how music is becoming a bigger source of in-room entertainment in hotel rooms second only to video. The number of people listening to music daily is constantly growing and while most people listen with headphones, at a home setting people are used to using their TVs or speakers, these gadgets and habits have become expectations for their lodging accommodations. Companies have traditionally responded to this with Bluetooth speakers in the rooms, while companies like Hilton and SBE have decided to reduce the investment in hardware that would inevitably be outdated and replaced, as it happened with radios, VCR, and DVD players; and instead have recently opted to strike partnership with streaming services, such as, IHeartRadio and Tidal respectively to satisfy their guest desire for their music preferences. While a company like Hard Rock hotels has done the opposite and invested more in hardware and added soundbars to the rooms and the optional offering of turntables and guitars for guest use. Music streaming and casting isn't going anywhere any time soon, so hotels have to find the best balance between hardware and software to stand out and be competitive.