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Yi Sun

Conventional wisdom that fails for IT - 0 views

www.peterkretzman.com/...ional-wisdom-that-fails-for-it

hospitality technology marketing convention

shared by Yi Sun on 14 Apr 12 - No Cached
  • Conventional wisdom that fails for IT
  • I’ve done several posts featuring what I call “Peterisms”, which are basically aphorisms I’ve adopted that encapsulate hard-earned IT lessons. Let’s turn it around this time, and talk about two sayings that sound equally folksy-sensible, and that I hear again and again, but which I feel are actually dangerous to apply to information technology work. And, of course, I’ll discuss why that’s so.
  • As with so many things, that situation represented a management failure too. It reflected a willingness, whether explicit or implicit, to live on borrowed time, hoping to stave off as long as possible the certain-to-come outage that would then take much longer to resolve.  It showed a willingness to tolerate unnecessary inefficiency and risk. It embodied an ongoing refusal to insist on (and prioritize) the necessary hard work to keep the clutter out of the equation.
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  • For information technology, the usefulness of insisting on the primacy of the individual, as an approach to making key decisions on systems-in-the-large, actually runs counter to my practical experience of what works.  An individual operating in a vacuum, even if extremely brilliant, informed, and motivated, tends to have occasional or frequent biases, tunnel vision, and pride of ownership. He misses errors and issues that the scrutiny of multiple eyeballs, not to mention the careful discussion of pros and cons, can easily catch.
  • The people who toss off this old chestnut also often smile triumphantly as if it were both unanswerable and as if they themselves had just invented the clever saying. The aphorism embodies a belief that only a single individual, making all the decisions, can do an effective design.  Note that aside from its humor, the saying doesn’t even make logical sense: a thoroughbred wouldn’t last long in the desert, while a camel is of course a highly optimized creature for its environment.  In addition, people generally apply the aphorism widely, refusing to acknowledge the usefulness of group involvement altogether, in anything. They trot out extreme examples where consensus-gathering has paralyzed action.
  • An example of the usefulness of committees is the Project Portfolio Management (PPM) process I’ve described frequently here on this blog.  Having a sole individual, even the CEO, decide on project inclusion simply isn’t viable over the long run in many corporate cultures–it creates classic problems of lack of buy-in and participation, for example. On the other hand, instituting a suitably chartered and well-facilitated steering committee, composed of senior individuals from the major business areas of the company, forces everyone to put on their “big company hat” as they consider priorities, rather than doggedly insisting on their own department’s parochial perspective. When that’s done well, everyone moves forward with a common understanding and solid commitment, one that’s much less likely when there’s an on-high fiat from a single person.
  • Yi Sun on 14 Apr 12
     
    I know of very few aphorisms that tend to be repeated as smugly as this one, particularly by scared people. The implication is that action is generally to be avoided, that the status quo is probably just fine, and that one should wait for a true crisis before intervening. And, of course, that it's your fault if you've ignored this sage advice and intervened anyway. It's ironic, then, how IT departments themselves end up complaining endlessly about how they're always in fire-fighting mode. This prevailing attitude evolves among (and is a telling symptom of) burned-out sysadmins and developers, especially those who are stuck maintaining systems they didn't themselves write or engineer. It can be equally summed up as a "don't touch it, don't breathe on it" kind of superstition. Or, perhaps, it's akin to the proud but defensive statement that "we've always done it that way."
Yi Sun

5 Future Internet trends that will change Hotel Internet Marketing « The Hote... - 0 views

hotelemarketer.com/...hange-hotel-internet-marketing

hospitality marketing technology

shared by Yi Sun on 07 Apr 12 - No Cached
  • 5 Future Developments that will revolutionize Online Hotel Marketing: “For tomorrow belongs to the people who prepare for it today”, says a famous proverb…and what better fit to apply this than in the world of technology and marketing?
  • The breakneck speed of tech evolution is inspiring (and often scary) but the two keywords that will set winning developments apart from the ‘also ran’ are ‘love’ and ‘simplicity’. It doesn’t take a degree to understand that people adopt technologies that fuel their imagination & passions…and the rate of adoption is in close sync to the simplicity of its interface and operation. Great technology needs to adapt to the needs of the user and future breakthroughs will bear testament to this.
  • 1. Choice is king.The clear winners of the online distribution race will be suppliers and 3rd parties that provide the most choice to the customer. “Experience building” will become key to the looking and booking process online.
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  • 2. Search rankings become irrelevant.Currently, with the heavy emphasis on search rankings and generic paid search, this statement may come as a bit of a shock…but surely, this is the natural evolution of search. The days of pure search are already on the way out. Try a search on Google today and the evidence is there…a mashup of text, images and video results.
  • 3. The evolution of online form.Just as the separation of form and content on the Web allowed normal people like us to publish and create websites easily without having to learn web design, the next step will be the evolution of online “form” itself. The end purpose? To allow ‘web-sites’ to become “omni-sites” that can adapt and display content automatically in any shape or form, be it on web browsers, mobile devices, televisions, holographic displays or billboards.
  • 4. From content to meaning. From interaction to relationship. The lines between supplier and user generated content are increasingly going to blur.With ever increasing amounts of information and users on the Internet, our online social circles will become more specific and exclusive. Users will rely on a personalized, time-bound ‘zeitgeist’ of the Web and their social networks to read the news, express opinions and aid their buying decisions. The ability to interact with hotel content and staff online will become the rule, not the exception.
  • 5. The real world and the virtual world collide…visually. Increasing customer discontent with hotel photography due to outdated shots, limited views and image doctoring, combined with emerging technology will make reliance on supplier visuals a thing of the past. As the ability to go beyond linking text to hyperlinking images and video on the Web becomes easier, users will be able to experience augmented reality through their computers.
  • Yi Sun on 07 Apr 12
     
    The 5 future internet marketing is true. It perfectly explain the 5 trends for the future marketing strategies.
Yi Sun

Houston Hilton hotel installs facial recognition; system can ID suitcases, employees an... - 0 views

travel.usatoday.com/...1

shared by Yi Sun on 30 Mar 12 - No Cached
  • Yi Sun on 30 Mar 12
     
    Now as the world developed, security of every area becomes more and more important especially in hospitality industry. More and more new technology is used in hotel. From this article, we know that the Hilton Americas-Houston has installed a cutting edge digital video system that relies on facial recognition technology.The hotel isn't just monitoring for potential outsider threat; it's also keeping an eye out for rogue insiders, too. The hotel is using facial recognition to monitor employee behavior, paying particular attention to any former employees who leave on less-than-pleasant terms. All employees are informed that video monitoring of them takes place. The video system monitors the areas where employees come to punch into time clocks in order to verify the person's identity. But perhaps more significantly, the facial recognition system is used to watch for any suspicious activities of employees or former employees. For security problems that happened already, the system can find relevant surveillance footage in seconds rather than hours, which can aid in solving crimes and possibly prosecuting criminals. Hotel security could also derail potential dangers before they happen by, for instance, uploading a digital image of someone who is banned from the hotel and letting the system send an alert when the person shows up. Using facial recognition, the system would issue an alert if the person walked into a hotel so security so then hotel security could then escort the people out of the hotel. In serious cases, footage can be stored and e-mailed to an insurance company or local district attorney.
Yi Sun

New Hotel Technology Likely to Bring Sticker Shock - 0 views

nreionline.com/...hotel_technology_shock_0516

hospitality Investment hotel Software

shared by Yi Sun on 23 Mar 12 - No Cached
  • The average [technology] cost for a 400-room hotel has been about $50,000 a year. That cost is going to go up as the brands start implementing new technology to take the place of systems that have been in place for quite some time
  • That cost could be significant. It could be several hundred thousand dollars in additional costs over the next three, four or five years.
  • Hackers are more aggressive than ever, and the cost of protecting hotel systems has risen accordingly,
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  • Not only does a company have to replace computers, it also has to ensure that the latest encryption software is in place. But protective measures involve not just encryption, but also thwarting any compromise to corporate systems and executive communication.
  • Traditionally, too many hotel managers focus on the condition of the carpets and walls  — whether they need painting or new pictures, or fresh plants in the lobby, rather than scrutinizing their technological infrastructure.
  • Examining how people buy and use media shows that bandwidths are growing more sophisticated, and the trend in a hotel experience is to become more connected, says Shah.  Whether it’s checking in through an iPhone or ordering goods and services, guests want to activate requests through their personal devices. And too many hotels are unable to provide that level of technical response.
  • Costly upgrades don’t always translate into higher rates, however. “The question really is, can you charge more for it? Or is it part of the experience?” asks Shah. “Hotels spent a lot of money putting in flat-screen TVs with all the different capabilities to connect through them. But you haven’t seen hotels be able to charge for those things on a continued basis.” When it comes to high-speed Internet, for instance, it’s an amenity that customers demand, but they’re not necessarily willing to pay extra for it.
  • Another expense involves business intelligence technology — the detailed analysis and tracking of a hotel’s daily, weekly, monthly, and quarterly performance. Noble Investment Group’s system pulls nightly data that tracks not only occupancy and average daily rate, but also measures the performance of group or individual travelers against the market. Noble also charts daily labor statistics through property management systems. Operating teams then analyze the results and plan their financial strategy on a day-to-day basis, says Shah.
  • When it comes to creature comforts, travelers don’t want to compromise, says Shah. They want the same comforts on the road that are available at home. “If you’re an Atlanta Hawks fan, can you watch that game when you get to your hotel?” If a traveler arrives too late to watch a live program, they want to be able to call it up on the room’s flat-screen TV, just as they do at home. “Where they live, they TiVo everything or DVR it.  They’re able to watch it when they want to watch it,” says Shah
  • That’s driving costs are going up, as the hotel network becomes more and more sophisticated, adds Shah. “People want to stay like they live.”
  • Yi Sun on 23 Mar 12
     
    Technology investment seems a necessity for the upper level hotels. Nowadyas, people are not only want to stay confort, but also want to feel the high technology which can bring them comfort. The expense on the intelligence technology has become one of the most main expence among the expences. The more data can be collected from customer can gain more loyal customers and has a big impact on the revenue.
Yi Sun

ETC Hospitality - Cloud Accounting for the Hospitality Sector - 0 views

etchospitality.com/what.php

hospitality cloud accounting

shared by Yi Sun on 02 Mar 12 - No Cached
  • etc hospitality aims to revolutionise accounting processes by understanding the way financial information flows within a business - and how it interacts with people, the systems and processes along that journey.
  • We constantly adapt and update our processes to ensure the needs of your business are always met, meaning you can relax knowing your finances are in safe hands. We deliver 3 main streams of business in the accounting space: PROCESSING99.5% Accuracy: We are continually evolving our UK based delivery model to process the thousands of invoices and credit notes we deal with each week in the most efficient way possible. Our mantra is that data should only be entered once. This combined with a focus on cloud-based systems has meant lower cost delivery, increased accuracy (99.5%) and improved scalability over traditional accountancy providers. SYSTEMS100% Real Time: We have invested in the latest 'Software as a Service' technologies to deliver real time data, accessible anywhere. We provide independent advice to our customers on the latest technologies as a stand-alone service, as well as having partnerships with a number of the key players. Our processing arm means we employ many of these technologies ourselves from Salesforce.com through to cloud accounting packages. STRATEGIC100% Useful Data: Real time, highly accurate data means better business decisions. Our strategic accounting and consultancy services can help you interpret data and take decisions which have real impact on your business. Our customers are then able to use use up-to-date information for strategic decision making, helping them deal proactively with changes in the business environment and stay ahead of the competition.
  • Yi Sun on 02 Mar 12
     
    Cloud based accounting for the hospitality induatry can save more money and spaces. The financial data can be stored in a sfae place.It can reduce the deliver cost. Also it's more accurate. Some night auditor may don't have stay all night to figure the data and figures.
Yi Sun

Are tablets the future of Point of Sale? Retail & Hospitality | Retail Tech Inc. - 0 views

www.retailtechinc.com/...e-future-point-of-sale-2-16-11

hotel tech POS future tablets point retail hospitality

shared by Yi Sun on 24 Feb 12 - No Cached
  • According to a New York Times article, Smartphones and Tablets to Take Over in 2011, the message could not be more clear. The article states, “mobile devices that are full-fledged computers” are the next logical progression after personal computers have run their course. Researchers say it was only a matter of time before these mobile devices moved in and overtook their predecessor (the PC), in the now overly-saturated technology market.
  • Without prior knowledge on POS hardware, an iPad tablet platform sounds like a great idea! However, before jumping on the bandwagon, there are a number of things that must be taken into consideration.
  • Tablets are not a cheap purchase, and while I like to trust people, it is important to plan ahead and think smart.
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  • Thirdly, companies who are releasing tablets have not traditionally manufactured point of sale solutions. As an IT manager, this should throw up a red flag. Clearly, IBM, NCR, Panasonic, and other manufacturers would have created a similar solution if they found the tablet platform as an essential technological progression for the Point of Sale industry. Rather, IBM offers a similar solution, AnyPlace kiosks. This system has been around pre-tablets, and is known for a lightweight, durable, and easily customizable design.
  • Consumer tablets may be the future, but I do not believe this is synonymous with the future of point of sale. The Wright brothers showed us the future of air transportation, but we don’t all drive flying cars. Most technology simply cannot span all industries! If you are an early adaptor who feels so inclined to try using an iPad tablet system, I would love to hear about your experience! For the rest of you, if tablets are indeed where POS technology is trending, wait for the experts to create one and follow in their able footsteps. Subscribe to the TechTOPICKS blog to receive more industry insight!
  • Yi Sun on 24 Feb 12
     
    I-pad POS system may become a future trend of the hospitality industry.
Yi Sun

PMS in the Cloud | Top Stories | | Hospitality Magazine (HT) - 2 views

hospitalitytechnology.edgl.com/...PMS-in-the-Cloud74663

pms cloud hospitality

shared by Yi Sun on 17 Feb 12 - No Cached
  • Yi Sun on 17 Feb 12
     
    Running a hotel in the cloud is a very new technology and most of the hotels are still in the trying process. There are pros and cons of running a hotel in the cloud, the atticle has solved most of our concerns about the problems that be occured when running a hotel in the cloud. However the temptation of the cost will be the most competive advantages of the cloud based PMS system.
Yi Sun

Hotel Tech Goes Green - 0 views

www.hotelinteractive.com/article.aspx

shared by Yi Sun on 10 Feb 12 - No Cached
  • Going green is going Hi Tech. As hoteliers continue to embrace the necessary tools to be good environmental stewards, and of course reduce operating costs, leading hoteliers are forging new ground in how to utilize technology to significantly reduce energy consumption while also weaning themselves off fossil fuels. It’s a one-two punch that is just starting to catch on. And though these pioneers have some major challenges they’re forging the way for industry wide success.
  • “It is a tremendous opportunity not only because of where customers want us to be, but because there will be a cost now or later. We need to think about borrowing from the future,” said Daniel Connolly, an associate professor at the University of Denver, who noted that he expects energy costs to continue to rise so it’s best to invent in energy saving technologies presently.
  • At Hotel 1000 they went for a lighter shade of green approach by cutting energy costs by tying the energy management system through the PMS. That way, when a guest checks in a signal is sent to the room to start cooling or warming the guest room. However, they still have to preset the room by leaving lights and the television on (at least its Energy Star compliant, Incao said) to create the appropriate guest arrival experience. When the guest leaves sensors alert the system to allow the energy to go off to a predetermined set back level.
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  • Bardessono has a darker green approach to sustainability. Guestrooms here have auto controls triggered when a guest enters the room. Lights come on, sunshades rise, the television turns on to a welcome screen, and depending on the time of year the fireplace will light up.
  • “When you walk in room you can see it happen. It’s a cool experience. And the system will remember how lights are set and if the fireplace is on and will shut down 20 minutes after the guest leaves and come back to the same setting when guest returns.
  • Solar shades keep the room warm in winter and cool in summer. Incao said these measures and others such as 940 photovoltaic panels on the roof and geothermal heating and cooling were all implemented with the goal of reducing external demand of energy supply to at least half typical use.
  • When all said and done it’ll take five years or less payback to the property. Over the expected 25 year life of project we will offset emissions of more than 24,000 tons of dangerous pollutants by producing our own power. Great things are possible when you put your mind to it. Ask what the government can do and most definitely what power companies can do. Without their assistance these projects wouldn’t be possible or have the payback they have
  • Yi Sun on 10 Feb 12
     
    Green technology will bring benefits to the hospitality industry. It will become a future trend for the hotels to go green. From my point of view, going green is another saving cost and long-term benefits. We can reduce the the harm for what we produce and keep the guest's travel experience more green. Also hospitality plays an important role in telling others about the green concept. People will remember more when they are in realx.
Yi Sun

More travel agents booking hotel rooms via GDS, says report - 0 views

www.asianhospitality.com/s-via-gds-says-report-615.aspx

travel hotel booking GDS

shared by Yi Sun on 03 Feb 12 - No Cached
  • • 84 percent of respondents indicated that they were using their GDS platform the same amount or more often than in the past, with 35 percent stating that they are using GDS more
  • 75 percent of respondents indicated that they were using GDS Shopping Displays the same amount or more often than in the past, with 27 percent stating that they are using GDS Shopping Displays more.
  • This represents a significant change since the study was last conducted in 2009, where 26 percent of travel agents stated that they used their GDS platform more often than in the past and 19 percent said they used the GDS Shopping Displays more often than before. The study also reaffirms TravelClick’s projection that annual GDS hotel bookings will surpass $50 million in 2011, an increase of more than 1 million incremental bookings from 2010.
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  • ‘Travel agents are increasing GDS hotel use, and have once again confirmed their confidence in GDS Shopping and Booking Displays,’ said John Hach, senior vice president, global product management at TravelClick. ‘As the GDS channel produces one of the highest average daily rates of any booking channel, there is a huge opportunity for hoteliers to influence travel agents through the GDS at the point-of-sale.’
  • Yi Sun on 03 Feb 12
     
    A significant change since the study in 2009, it says that there is a significant change that more than 26 percent of travel agents stated that they used their GDS more often. It means that GDS has become more and more important in the hospitality industry, since the generation has changed to 80's. Travel agent has once again confirmed their confidence in GDS shopping.
Yi Sun

Back-of-house communication is key | Hotel Management - 0 views

www.hotelmanagement.net/-of-house-communication-is-key

hotel telecommunication communication management

shared by Yi Sun on 27 Jan 12 - No Cached
  • MTech tracks service orders and guest profiles for hoteliers via the Internet with its HotSOS software platform. HotSOS interfaces with the property-management system and keeps important guest information, such as any issues experienced during a previous stay, at the push of a button. If a staff member is walking the property and sees an issue, he can relay a message from a handheld device to a back-of-the-house employee who can alert the appropriate department and immediately get a resolution in the works.
  • “Guest requests are reported and the system figures out who should cover it,” said Luis Segredo, president and CEO of MTech.
  • MTech recently introduced REX (Room Expeditor), specifically designed for the housekeeping department. REX allows room attendants to track room status and assign cleaning duties via an iPod Touch handheld device. REX uses information in the PMS to notify room attendants when rooms need cleaning and helps them track issues.
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  • Because a wireless network can support many applications, hoteliers are finding that adding services can be fairly inexpensive
  • Cameras can communicate wirelessly and video can be cached off site.
  • VoWiFi: Voiceover Wi-Fi is one way a mobile handset can be integrated into a voice-over-Internet-protocol network.Development kit: A software development kit typically is a set of development tools that allows a software engineer to create applications for a certain software package, hardware platform, computer system, video game console, operating system or similar platform.Browser-based: An application that is accessed via Web browser over a network such as the Internet or an intranet. Also a software application that is coded in a browser-supported language.Two-way: A radio that can both transmit and receive, unlike a broadcast receiver, which only receives content.RF: Radio frequency is a frequency or rate of oscillation, which corresponds to the frequency of alternating current electrical signals used to produce and detect radio waves.LAN: A local-area network is a computer network covering a small geographic area, such as a home, office or group of buildings, that consists of high data-transfer rates, a small geographic range and lack of a need for telecommunication lines.Mesh: Mesh networking is a way to route data, voice and instructions between nodes. It allows for continuous connections and reconfiguration around broken or blocked paths by “hopping” from node to node until the destination is reached.
  • Yi Sun on 27 Jan 12
     
    It says the sooner the service is provided to the guests, the guests will more satisfied with the hotel. The telecommunication can help to reach the goal, for example, the system will determine which room need to be cleaned or not, the security camera also is a telecommunication system.
  • Yi Sun on 27 Jan 12
     
    From my point of view, Mtech tracked service can really help the managers to save the cost on the management fees.
Yi Sun

ILCO Electronic Hotel Locks - ATLAS - 0 views

www.kaba-ilco.com/...atlas_learn_more.aspx

hotel locks atlas tech

shared by Yi Sun on 20 Jan 12 - No Cached
  • Encoders can be connected at any workstation, whether at the front desk, the concierge desk or VIP check-in station. The system is OS-independent for the ultimate in compatibility, and it can be integrated with most point-of-sale (POS) and property management system workstations.
  • ATLAS targets small boutique style hotels to large-scale, full service resorts, including spa, ski and golf resorts, all inclusive, as well as gaming and casino hotels. Military market is another segment that would greatly benefit from the ATLAS system.
  • With its intuitive Web-based interface, ATLAS is also simple to learn and use. The menu-driven software provides on-screen help so that operators can resolve issues quickly and easily. Plus ATLAS will support a variety of languages, allowing operators to work in the language of their choice.
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  • ATLAS is a web based system that can be installed on existing IT infrastructure. It easily interfaces with other systems, uses standard encoding and device support.
  • Yi Sun on 20 Jan 12
     
    ATLAS sands for Advanced Technology Lodging Access System is designed for hotels that need to have a better control over their back office operations and that can rely on a system to provide secure access to their premises and accurate.
  • Yi Sun on 20 Jan 12
     
    I used to use this systme to make key cards for the customers in the hotel. It's really easy to make a key card and safe for both of the customers and hotels. For example, if a customer lost his/her key card, we can remake a new one that the old one is not able to open the door in case of a theive pick up the room card to access to the guest's room. I think in the future the access system will be more advanced like you can use a cellphone to access to your room or you just use your finger print or pupil to access your room. It also works for the access for the employees. Employees may access to the working area by using their figer print or pupil to in case of some of the stranger to access to the working area. This locking system may be still have a large space to develop. This will make the hotel more fashionable and more intersting for the customers. We used to have the oringinal keys but now most of the hotels use key cards. Today also some of the hotel use mobile phones to access to the room, here still some security issues to be pay attetion like if someone lost their mobile phones. So from my opinion the future room key fotr the hotels will be better to use the unique identity of the human to access to the room.
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