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Contents contributed and discussions participated by peacejj22

peacejj22

Why sustainability is key for the future of the hospitality industry - 0 views

  • Why sustainability is key for the future of the hospitality industry
  • In addition, other business concerns, such as rising costs, increased government pressures and competitors’ actions have only motivated hoteliers to embrace sustainability and make it an integral part of the corporate agenda.
  • In simple words, sustainability means that natural ecosystems can continue to support life and provide resources to meet the needs of the present and future generations. Evidently, the hotel sector puts increased pressure on the environment and is demanding on the natural resources. However, the industry also relies on the same natural environment – unspoilt landscapes, sandy beaches, turquoise waters, glaciers, waterfalls, coral reefs and fresh air; all of which serve as great tourist attractions. Therefore, there is an inherent danger that the we might harm the very basis on which hospitality is built. 
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  • The hospitality industry has historically had a dramatic environmental impact on the environment through energy and water consumption, and use of consumable goods. With sustainability now being the issue on everyone’s mind, previous course leader of our course leader BA (Hons) Hotel and Hospitality Management, Gaurav Chawla, discusses how the industry is responding, and why it’s a key focus on the course.
  • Green House Hotel in Bournemouth
  • Social concerns such as inclusivity, promoting work-life balance, promoting employees’ health and wellbeing, sourcing supplies locally and stimulating entrepreneurship are all part of the sustainability agenda. 
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    this article is about why sustainability is key to our industry.
peacejj22

Gamification: The Hotel Effect - 0 views

  • Gamification: The hotel effect
  • Nowadays, the ways to attract guest attention and interest are countless, and being able to capitalize on today’s new technologies and digital transformation is just as important as presenting an unforgettable stay for your guests. With this in mind, we’ve taken interest in a new and innovative trend that hotels have begun adding into their marketing repertoires - gamification. 
  • use cases of this concept present a wide array of possibilities
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  • Why is gamification so effective in hospitality?
  • One of the important points of gamification is that it serves as a completely interactive digital experience. Being a new concept gives visitors the excitement of being able to engage with something fresh, and the interactive aspects of gamification is what keeps them interested in the program - and ultimately, of course, the property. Hotels around the world have begun introducing different variations of gamification, from simple point systems to full-fledged casino-like game ideas. Whether it be keeping up with guest loyalty or creating a sense of scarcity and urgency, gamification is a budding trend that’s set to take over the hospitality world. 
  • In addition to creating an engaging and interactive first impression for your potential guests, it’s equally important to be able to have something that keeps them constantly wanting more from you; and this is exactly what La Quinta Inns & Suites did.  The brand presented visitors with “Play & Stay”, a tremendously addictive game where users were able to potentially win collectibles or points of the brand with a digital slot machine and wheel of fortune. 
  • With “Play & Stay’s” digital slot machine, guests can use these tokens to access the game. The more times they play, the more chances they get to receive La Quinta-relevant rewards such as discounts or stays without blackout dates. The game’s addictiveness, in addition to the great potential rewards, adds to the guest's desire of returning back to the La Quinta website, and spinning the wheel again to see what more prizes they can potentially win. This in itself already helps to builds a large loyal base of La Quinta followers, and the gamification strategy’s success only amplifies its potential.
  • Accor Hotels
  • When creating a point-based gamification strategy, Accor Hotels has hit all the right spots with their Accor Live Limitless (ALL) program. The brand’s ALL program lies solely in a simple yet equally effective point system. Though it seems straightforward, the Accor point system possesses an in-depth array of different aspects in the overall strategy. Five different ALL program levels, depicted with different cards, range from classic to diamond and contain different perks each. Focusing on the actual stays of the guests, the program allows users to accumulate reward points every time they book or stay at one of the participating ALL program hotels, and members can earn additional reward and status points for every 10 Euros spent.
  • We at THN love exploring and learning about new hotel marketing initiatives, and look forward to creating more content and additional follow-ups to the growing and innovative gamification trend. We can’t wait to see what more exciting gamification strategies you have in store! 
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    this article talks about how gamification is impacting the Hospitality industry.
peacejj22

Hotel Recycling Programs Make a Major Contribution to our Environment - 0 views

  • Hotel waste management can be an issue, especially when it comes to recycling. How can hotels increase recycling to improve the environment? There are a lot of questions about how hotel recycling programs can help the environment; here are a few.
  • hotels are far more likely to be replacing their equipment and electronics than many other types of businesses.
  • Some hotels managers might assume it’s too difficult to successfully launch and operate an in-house recycling program. They have very large staffs, operate 24 hours a day, and have the challenge of providing immediate and reliable service to their guests.
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  • By recycling their used equipment in bulk, the managers and operators of hotels across the country will help keep those products out of landfills, where the toxins and chemicals inside electronics can pose significant environmental risks to our soil, water, wildlife and even our personal health. The risks are real and well-documented.
  • Waste Management in the Hotel Industry
  • If guests arrive expecting the highest standards, it can make a bad impression to have computers that don’t work or furniture that looks run down.
  • a number of hotels have already proven they can establish successful recycling programs.
  • Cost savings alone should be a top concern for the hotel industry. It’s been estimated that hotel guests generate up to two pounds of waste per night. Because of the prohibitive cost of waste disposal services in New York City, for example, a hotel can spend up to $100,000 annually to get rid of their waste. If recycling can cut that down significantly, that can amount to significant cost savings. And a growing number of hotels are recognizing that they can manage their waste in a sustainable manner, including by recycling.
  • A smart approach would be to offer incentives for workers who provide waste-saving ideas that can be implemented and to educate guests about the hotel’s recycling and environmental policies.
  • The creation of a successful hotel recycling project offers a lot of long-term rewards that include: • cost savings; • strong public relations to their guests; • an engaging program for employees and even guests to become part of.
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    this article goes through the importance of recycling within the Hospitality industry as well as the benefits associated with doing so.
peacejj22

POV: IHG's Recent Data Breach Wasn't Due to a Weak Password | Hospitality Technology - 0 views

  • come to light regarding the recent IHG data breach, one thing becomes clear: employee training to detect suspicious phishing emails must become a priority. Many news outlets have made it seem that a weak password was the cause for the company’s recent security breach, but if the hackers -- TeaPea -- who are claiming responsibility for the breach are to be believed, this really isn’t the case. TeaPea told the BBC that they were only able to gain access to the company’s internal IT network after an employee was tricked into downloading a malicious piece of software via a booby-trapped email attachment.
  • MPLOYEES ARE THE WEAKEST LINK
  • Unfortunately, in an industry where hospitality and customer service is the primary directive, employees are predisposed for being kind and willing to give to much information," says Andy Rogers, Senior Assessor of Schellman, a global cybersecurity assessor. 
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  • or hoteliers, recognizing this as a true weakness and doing what they can to remediate this problem is a necessity
  • MAKE CYBER SECURITY TRAINING A PRIORITYOnce employees are aware of the role they play in protecting the company, they must then receive regular and high-quality training on a variety of phishing attacks
  • remember, an hour long security training session once a year is likely to be highly ineffective. Instead, consider multiple short training sessions regularly.
  • GO BEYOND TRAINING
  • Email systems are too intimate with business applications and are typically installed on the same workstations for convenience," Sackowitz says. "Perhaps, as a safer alternative, it's time to look at sandboxing or bifurcating critical systems over one’s that converge with public delivery. Perimeters are still necessary. Additionally, there are technologies that can block or proxy any outbound URL from email that will minimize risk."
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    this article is about a recent data breach. in essence this article provides an outline for how to possibly prevent something this devastating from happening. the general consensus is that training employees is of the utmost importance because there the weak link.
peacejj22

Tipping your server makes sexism worse, whether you intend to or not | Mashable - 0 views

  • Tipping your server makes sexism worse, whether you intend to or not
  • Federal tip minimum wage has been frozen at $2.13 since 1991, even with raises made to non-tipped wages.
  • Though some states mandate a higher minimum wage for service employees, many servers are stuck living on this extremely low wage, often left with few paycheck dollars after taxes.
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  • While there are laws in place meant to ensure that servers get at least federal minimum wage by requiring employers to make up the difference if a server isn’t tipped enough during their shift, workers often report this isn’t the case.
  • And, even if it is, even federal minimum wage isn’t a livable wage in the majority of states.
  • “Any tipped employee, male or female, is on a stage,”
  • “[Servers] have to act in a certain way in order to receive those tips," Kitterlin says. "That being said, of course that opens an opportunity for women and men in our industry to feel that they have to accept certain levels of harassment -- be it sexual harassment or any form of rude behavior from guests.”
  • “We need to be careful of how we go about doing that because we have historically been a country where tipping culture serves as a huge motivating factor for employees. Our employees feel more driven to give good service in order to make a good tip.”
  • “It’s to get more tips, but it’s kind of opening the door -- especially in our industry and culture,”
  • I don’t want you to grab my ass. I want you to tip 20% or 25%
  • 90% of women in the restaurant industry report experiencing some form of sexual harassment while on the job.
  • “I’m spending all my day helping people who have $70 to spend on food, but I can’t barely afford my own,” Jessica says. “How messed up is that? I watch people go out, eat and they will spend $30 on an entree. I got paid $30 all day in wages -- and you just spent that on one entree.”
  • “People will be like, ‘I thought we just raised minimum wage? Don’t you get 10.50?’” she says. “No, not us. We got left out. We always get left out.”
  • For many women in the restaurant industry, the fastest way to prevent only barely making bills is to enhancing their “performance” through appearance. Jessica tells Mashable servers “wear what we can get away with wearing,” because a push up bra and tight shirt often means more tips. It’s service industry sexism at work -- and Jessica knows that.
  • “There is definitely value in considering the elimination of tipping,”
  • Without the "motivating factor," your server may not have nightmares about serving a too-cold-entree.
  • “I don’t think it’s right that people in America are getting paid $2 and change to do any job,” she says. “I don’t think it’s right. I didn’t have to live with it being in California -- I could just kind of forget that most of the nation is making nothing.”
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    This article is in essence about the broken tipping system within American culture today. The title in my opinion is a bit exaggerated but is truthful nonetheless. People within the service industry are being horribly mistreated by being underpaid and forced to rely upon tips for wages. The issue with this is that specifically women are being forced to dress skimpy and act a certain way (possibly flirtatiously) In order to possibly get better tips. With their salary being on average around $2 an hour, without tips they are being forced to live far below the poverty line. So, it's not tipping that makes you inadvertently sexist, it's that tips contribute to woman acting in a more appealing way to male customers in order to pull the standard tip percentage (20% to 25%).
peacejj22

What role cloud computing is playing in the evolution of the hotel industry? - 2 views

  • What role cloud computing is playing in the evolution of the hotel industry?
  • Preparation starts when guests interact
  • Cloud services collect data from the moment a customer interacts with a company or service. For example, the hotel can keep track of which services or rooms the customer viewed and make recommendations for upgrades.
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  • information provides insight into customer preferences
  • Personalization continues with upsell offers that appear as the customer interacts with the company.
  • The cloud not only enables a frictionless checkout experience with no surprises, but it can also follow up afterward to nurture relationships and reward loyalty.
  • Benefits of Cloud Computing
  • Cloud computing provides several advantages over traditional computing:
  • Avoids costly and painful installationsRequires minimal upfront investmentAllows software companies to focus resources on R&D/innovationEliminates negative depreciation (in fact, the software gets better with age, since updates can be made at any time) Offers the ability to cancel at any time. Apart from that, it has lower switching costs for buyers.Pushes software companies to consistently earn customer loyalty with innovation and great service.Eliminates the chances of tasks being derailed because operating the job is possible from anywhere at any time.Relive the risk of unsecured information.
  • Build responsive infrastructure
  • Disruption can have far-reaching consequences. Suppose organizations need to work remotely, shut down or open up certain operations, change supply lines or alter operations in any way. In that case, cloud services allow a smooth transition with a central line of communication.
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    This post helped me better understand cloud computing and the benefits associated with doing so through an industry-focused lens.
peacejj22

Technology in the hospitality industry - exploring the very latest trends - 1 views

  • Hotel guests expect to be able to connect to the internet seamlessly and without too many interruptions, leading hotels to invest in better, faster Wi-Fi infrastructure so that people can do business and use their technology devices with ease when they book their stay.
  • Hotels are also starting to move away from user pay models. In the past, hotels could charge exorbitant rates and guests knew they would have to pay if they wanted to go online. Installing and maintaining a hotel-wide wireless network may be coupled with costs, but many leading hotel groups have started to install high density Wi-Fi and started to offer in-building mobile phone coverage as guests have come to expect these services during their stay (not only for themselves, but also for their guests if they are hosting a conference or function at the hotel).
  • Digital conference facilities
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  • including a guest’s name being displayed on the welcome desk at a digital check-in station; their food preferences or past purchases being displayed in a digital room-service order system; and similar.
  • A boutique hotel that is nestled between Apple’s headquarters and other tech companies, called Aloft Cupertino, has a robot butler called Botlr that is able to move between the various floors of the hotel in order to take items such as toothbrushes, chargers and snacks to guests.
  • Near field communication (NFC) technology is the next-generation short-range high frequency wireless communication technology that gives users the ability to exchange data between devices.
  • NFC technology
  • Entertainment on tap
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    This article plainly puts on display new aspects of technology that are currently being adopted within the hospitality industry. Wi-Fi infrastructure overhauls, digital conference facilities, and the latest in NFC technology are all touched upon in this article. I liked this article because it puts on display aspects of the industry I had not originally put thought to as being constantly changing.
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