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Contents contributed and discussions participated by tredunbar

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What is HRIS? System, Model, and Application | HR Technologist - 3 views

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    The article delves into the aspects and benefits of deploying human resource information systems, also known as human resources management systems. The software assists with database management, time and labor management, payroll functions, benefits management, employee interface, talent acquisition and retention and input/output.
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Five Ways Smart Hotel Rooms Will Make Travelling Easier - 0 views

  • In-room entertainment
  • Smart-room controls
  • Based on client preferences an algorithm can allocate rooms in a quiet area
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  • a sensor can tell when guests get out of bed from bed and automatically activate little guiding lights
  • Streamlined user experience
  • bringing the controls to all aspects to one single touch point, smart rooms reduce the confusion and inconvenience guests experience
  • few simple swipes on the hotel app, the lights are off, the A/C is turned to silent mode and the curtains are shut
  • Sustainable rooms
  • Smart rooms can help cut energy waste in hotel rooms through sensors that detect if the room is occupied or vacant, if guests are sleeping or awake
  • This does not only protect the planet but also reduces utility expenses
  • Automated concierge
  • installed voice recognition software, guests have a personal assistant to get their information from around the clock
  • an industry where differentiation is key, fast movers will be rewarded with high customer satisfaction and increased customer loyalty
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    The article focuses on how technology improves the efficiency and sustainability of the physical plant of hotels. The article acknowledges that while hotels tend to be asset heavy, thus lagging behind in technological implementation, big industry players have made the push to implement new technology solutions, These technologies control in-room entertainment, provide smart room controls, streamlines the experience with all controls in a single location, promotes sustainable rooms by cutting energy waste and utilizing an automated concierge to retrieve local information.
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How Hotels can use Beacons to Improve Experiences | Beaconstac - 0 views

  • For an application, location is one of the most powerful triggers of action
  • technologies available have suffered from three significant limitations: accuracy, granularity and power consumption.This is where beacons come into picture
  • ibeacon, one of the most ‘disruptive’ technologies of 2014, is already making waves across various industry verticals for all the revenue opportunities and enhanced customer experience it offers businesses
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  • beacon’s micro-location capabilities to deliver specifically targeted personalized messages, alerts and more on mobile devices
  • iBeacons implements a Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) profile for micro-location, which opens up new possibilities for hotels and resorts using geo-fencing
  • Hotel apps in combination with beacons can take away many of the hotel formalities and make aspects such as room service, contact with staff, and in-room entertainment more interactive. The app is thus, more than just a tool, it is a personal concierge in itself
  • Check-in
  • Passbook integration, the reservation details would pop up on the phone screen when the guest crosses the geo-fence threshold of a defined iBeacon location
  • Finding the room and indoor navigation
  • Using beacons, you can define targeted ‘micro-locations’ to trigger an alert, an offer, or a special discount for a beverage to a guest who is already at the ba
  • These can also be used to build an interactive tour of a hotel or a resort, where users’ attention is directed to specific exhibits as they walk freely within the building. This feature enables indoor navigation similar to GPS
  • Using beacons you can provide guests with virtual maps and turn-by-turn directions to their favorite destinations inside the premises of your hotel
  • Keyless entry into rooms
  • iBeacon picks up the guest’s phone when in close proximity and unlocks the room door, giving the guest a keyless entry to his room
  • In-room controls
  • Room service
  • Offers, Loyalty programs
  • One can enable a mobile user to navigate and interact with specific regions geo-fenced using beacons. These devices can be used to determine the position of a guest in a large hotel, and direct him to his room
  • iBeacons, you will be able to customize promotions to specific locations in the hotel premises and send them right to a user’s smartphone
  • Check-out
  • Upgrade and upsell
  • Analytics
  • Gain customer insights
  • measure dwell times, measuring how much time visitors spend at different locations of the hotel, or which areas are most popular, when guests walk around the property
  • Staff Productivity
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    This article serves to showcase how beacons can serve as effective tools for hotels. The beacons deploy micro-location capabilities that allow for targeted personalized messaging. Utilizing Bluetooth Low Energy and a property's geo-fencing, beacons can transform the check-in and out processes, room and indoor navigation, keyless room entry and in-room controls, room service, loyalty offers, upgrades and analytics. The beacon technology can also used with staff to maximize productivity and evaluate where resources are able to be saved.
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Securing the Big Game: Emerging Technologies for Event Security - Police Chief Magazine - 0 views

  • Interconnectivity
  • there is still much work to be done to ensure seamless interconnectivity, communication, and data sharing among systems and technologies
  • high-tech solutions like advanced video surveillance with video from multiple sources—venues, traffic cameras, and more—that will be fed directly into first responder vehicles and a fully integrated security operations center to provide situational awareness
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  • Large security operations centers must also all be integrated and interconnected
  • Every new technology and device used to secure an event adds to the growing list of devices deployed to secure the event, which must be able to communicate with each other and with security operations centers
  • Communication
  • Both public-private partnership models can help deter crime
  • When law enforcement is able to tie systems in together and make sure officers can communicate with each other, this leads to faster response times, improved communication, and better overall safety and security
  • forging public-private technology partnerships for sharing video and other information is an excellent way to improve security for these events
  • There are a lot of different entities that must work together. As such, cost becomes a factor, as do installed legacy systems, as well as the argument that one size can’t possibly fit all
  • Mobile technology has in many ways alleviated some of these concerns
  • Video Surveillance
  • A primary technology that is used to deliver security for high-profile events is video surveillance
  • Despite the possible deterrence factor, the main goal of video systems is to provide situational awareness
  • A smart camera or sensor deployed in a particular location can provide early warning that something may be about to happen in that area
  • Identifying and Securing the Perimeter
  • Smart traffic technology with capabilities such as incident detection could alert law enforcement to further investigate a particular area of interest or to work with transportation teams to more quickly respond and clear the way faster to avoid increasing congestion and related incidents
  • Surveillance cameras are now equipped with technologies that allow them to be those eyes and ears for law enforcement
  • When it comes to actually planning out and selecting the technologies to be deployed, another positive trend is more cooperation because city-wide systems are coming into play
  • Having the technology for law enforcement to support big public venue events is challenging, but, in many ways, public and private entities are now working collectively to get the most out of the resources they each have available
  • Computer analytics solutions have evolved to a point where these technologies are readily available and relatively easy to deploy
  • The day is coming when smart city technology will be more reality than concept
  • deploying the right mix of advanced technology and best practices for cooperation and public-private partnerships between various stakeholders, law enforcement can help ensure that the trend of safety and security at high-profile sporting events
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    This article focus on using smart city technology to assist law enforcement with securing big city sporting events. The article highlights the need for seamless interconnectivity with local law enforcement technologies in order to streamline response time. Communication and video surveillance are all enhanced by the use of emergent security technology that allows for officers to work with other agencies and the community to keep large events safe.
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Cybersecurity Best Practices for Restaurants | QSR magazine - 0 views

  • In the case of a restaurant, a cyber attack would likely be seeking;Employee details stored by the restaurantCustomer bank details obtained by the restaurantThe restaurant’s business bank account details
  • A restaurant’s POS system could see hundreds of different bank account details every day
  • Internal software used by restaurant staff is likely to contain sensitive information such as employee details (on an HR system), as well as accounting information for the restaurant
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  • Restaurant owners and/or accountants who use online banking facilities must be aware of the possibility of this being targeted
  • Shoulder-surfing is a very real security concern, and hackers have been known to place recording devices in computer rooms, enabling them to physically see passwords being entered
  • Restaurants that use a website on which customers can order food need to consider its security. If cybercriminals manage to hack into the site, they will be able to obtain customers’ personal information such as addresses and bank details
  • Create a human firewall by educating your staff
  • Use reputable, recommended providers and suppliers
  • Keep computers away from the front of house
  • Carry out background checks on employees
  • Introduce unique identification numbers for staff
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    The focus of this article is to point out why restaurants are targets for cyber attacks, what information hackers are looking to obtain and to identify what steps can be taken to protect consumer information. Hackers target a restaurant's POS system for the large amount of bank data it may record as well as any online banking occuring in the restaurant. The personal information from employees as well as any app or website utilized by guests, is prone to cyber attacks. The most important solutions rely on conducting background checks on employees and making sure that they are trained on what to look for. Restaurants can also put practices in place that involve using unique employee numbers, keeping computers out of guests' view, and using vendors with a stellar reputation.
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Restaurant Tech Investment And What it Means For the Industry - 0 views

  • Investment in restaurant tech has the potential to transform how chains operate, manage staff, create value, and increase sales
  • half of restaurant operators describe their use of tech as “lagging
  • The sheer scale of options, from upgraded POS systems to automated kiosks, makes it tempting for CEOs and other chain executives to leave tech to the experts.
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  • cost and the time it takes to implement new systems
  • an integrated guest experience enabled by the technology and ultimately powered by something else: operational execution and capability
  • one in four guests factors in technology when deciding where to eat
  • startups will continue to unveil the capability to solve problems unique to the restaurant industry
  • chains that best harness those capabilities will create significant value and differentiate themselves, while others will increasingly find themselves at a disadvantage
  • the best indicator of success is the commitment of company leadership
  • The challenge will be tying two very disparate industries — tech and food service — together
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    This article details the importance that investing in new technology has on the restaurant industry. Many restaurant concepts like Panera Bread have made it their focus to drive new technology in their restaurants and have seen an incredible and continuous ROI. The article cedes that those who take a "wait-and-see" approach will find themselves playing catch up. Attributing to this is the fact that technology is generally considered old by the time it has worked out any potential issues.
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Employee Theft at the POS: What Are You Missing? - 0 views

  • According to the National Restaurant Association, the employee turnover rate in the restaurant sector was 72.9% in 2016, significantly higher than the average turnover rate for private sector workers of just over 46%
  • as much as 75% of all shrink in the restaurant sector is attributed to employee theft
  • many different kinds of employee theft – stealing food, abusing discounts, or giving extras to friends and family
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  • these cases can be traced back to the point-of-sale (POS).
  • integrating your video surveillance with your POS data, and using the right kind of intelligent software application
  • the highest losses occur when employees steal small amounts over a long period of time
  • (29%) of internal theft cases in the U.S went undetected for almost five years
  • when it comes to employee theft, rapid detection is a business’s best defense against damaging losses
  • Manipulating voids and refunds
  • intelligent software solution with integrated video/POS data can alert you to suspicious transactions on the day they occur
  • Intelligent software can also be configured to look at the total number of voids and refunds each day, and each week, at each location
  • Sweet-hearting and discount abuse
  • Integrated video/POS data can alert you to this type of activity because it records every discount, including which employee was at the POS, and what type of discount they entered.
  • Food theft
  • intelligent video solution can help you more easily pinpoint inventory losses
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    This article addresses a very sensible accounting tool that can be used to eliminate theft of all types. Integrating video with POS systems is an effective way to see if discounts are being abused, if voids re unnecessarily being done and also to serve as a check and balance on food inventory levels.
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7 POS Trends for 2020/2021: Latest Predictions You Should Be Thinking About - Financeso... - 2 views

  • global point of the sale terminals market is expected to reach USD 108.46[1] billion by 202
  • One of the biggest POS industry trends right now is mobile payment transactions which saw a 40.2% year on year growth[2]
  • it’s also important to have a reliable billing and invoicing program together with your POS sale
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  • 54% of consumers[4] in the US preferred to use their debit cards to make payments
  • 46% of US consumers rarely use money[4] anymore
  • 45% have security as their top priority. Offering a secure payment method improves the trust your customers have with your business.
  • using mobile devices like tablets and mobile devices to make transactions faster
  • 53% of retailers and business owners are upgrading their POS[3] systems
  • Asia Pacific countries have fully embraced the use of mobile payment methods. eMarketer found that more than 45.2% of China’s population use mobile payment[8] for their everyday use. 
  • 61% of quick-service restaurants in the US have embraced cloud-based POS[5]. In fact, 60% of new merchants are asking for cloud POS[6] rather than legacy POS.
  • 61% of merchants[7] are looking into getting cloud-based POS
  • Cloud-based POS replaces all of that with a single app. Any update will come from the cloud to whatever device you are using.
  • you can make the transition to the cloud-based system slowly
  • Most cloud-based POS can integrate with the programs that your business is already using
  • Accepting mobile payments for your business is easy. It mostly consists of scanning codes or tapping the smartphone on the terminal and authenticating the transaction
  • Mobile POS offers convenience as it takes the point of sale system to the customer, rather than the other way around
  • Accepting mobile payment methods allows lines to move faster and gives your customers a sense of satisfaction
  • Mobile payments are safe to use. A lot of these systems are EMV compatible and use the latest secure credit card processing technology to protect you and your customers
  • 15% of businesses in the US are already using AI-enabled POS
  • Prevent fraud and ensure customer information is secure through an AI
  • AI can personalize a customer’s behavior and offer relevant product displays based on their past purchases
  • AI lets you know your customer’s buying habits. That way, you can order more of what’s being bought, increasing profits
  • 83% of shoppers are willing to provide their information[11] in exchange for a personalized experience
  • Get insights on what your customers are purchasing more of. This gives you an idea of what they are going to buy next based on their most recent purchase from your store
  • create a comprehensive marketing strategy that can help promote your brand and products
  • present real-time data in an easy to understand format like a graph
  • payment options include smartphone payment options that support RFID like Apple Pay, Samsung Pay, and Google Pay
  • instead of waving the device over the POS terminal, customers will need cellular data to complete the transaction
  • A mobile POS system often consists of a tablet that accepts card, cash, and mobile payment options. Additionally, these systems can also be used as a standalone register for a self-checkout kiosk
  • a reliable POS system, you can easily keep track of everything in your store
  • It can also serve as a digital menu, where customers can input their orders. The orders will be sent directly to the kitchen, encouraging customers to order more
  • Rather than giving the card to a server and letting them run the transaction at the counter, customers can pay from the table
  • retail shops that offer self-checkouts, you can make your mobile POS into a static till
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    The article focuses on trends that companies utilizing a POS system should look at deploying. Bolstered by figures supporting the success of the emergent trends, the article seeks to encourage operators to make the move sooner rather than later. The most prominent trends revolve around more efficient payment access. Customers appreciate the speed and available payment options. Companies are also able to manage customer data effectively and securely while also managing inventory and marketing. AI integration is also a forward trend that is allowing businesses to tailor their tactics to each customer individually. Perhaps the most important trend that is affecting other transaction systems as well is cloud based POS.
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Global Distribution Systems Support Travel Agent Community | Travel Technology - 0 views

  • highly essential technology backbone of the travel industry, GDS companies such as Sabre, Amadeus and Travelport play a central role in facilitating the technology used by travel advisors and agents
  • GDS members collectively help board almost 2.5 billion passengers every year and partner with almost 1.5 million hotel properties
  • this maximizes the value proposition for travel agents through better customer service, more competitive pricing and greater efficiencies to better manage travel and serve their customers
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    This article serves to highlight the usefulness of Global Distribution Systems and their importance to the industry. GDS have evolved over the years to become a technological powerhouse that facilitates flights for nearly 2.5 billion people a day and collaborates with close to 1.5 million hotels locations. The central role of GDSs in today's environment is to assist not just OTAs but also traditional travel agents by being more efficient while simultaneously providing competitive pricing and better traveler interactions.
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New Waste Management Technologies for Cruise Ship Industry Promoting Sustainability - 0 views

  • he industry's $22 billion investment in the development of new energy efficient technologies, partnerships with local governments in key destinations, and a commitment to reducing its rate of carbon emissions by 40% by 2030
  • Revolution Series Digesters as well as ongoing cloud-based data analytics and supplies
  • will help reduce the environmental impact of Carnival's operations by safely disposing of food waste on-site, limiting the amount of greenhouse gases emitted from conventional processing systems
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    The initial focus of this article is on the cruise line industry's multi-billion undertaking in developing new energy efficient technology. The technology that will be deployed will be integrated with the cruise system in order to assist in reducing carbon emissions by 40% by 2030. BioHiTech Global, Inc has taken a leading role with the development of their new system - Revolution Series Digesters. This system provides both supplies and continuous cloud-based analytics that will help its inaugural client, Carnival Corporation, to reduce their environmental footprint.
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The Evolution (Past, Present and Future) of Hotel Property Management Systems | - 1 views

  • considerable changes to the PMS landscape are on the horizon, indicating an influx of cloud computing, open API marketplaces, middleware layers, enhanced connectivity
  • PMS technology has evolved slowly, limited by one-off integration costs and legacy infrastructure
  • Legacy PMS vendors have contributed to the problem by leveraging integrations as a revenue stream
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  • Legacy PMS systems are playing catch-up, and disruption is integral to continued innovation
  • Traditionally, and still today, the PMS represents an integral piece of technology for hoteliers, central to the core functioning of a hotel’s operations
  • modern systems will adopt a more focused model, integrating tightly with customer relationship management (CRM) systems and central reservation systems (CRS)
  • seamless integration across applications, enabled by an open API
  • new-age functionalities empower hotels to increase operational efficiencies and staff productivity, manage and amplify group business, effectively manage revenue, and collect and action guest data in a highly personalized manner
  • the latest in management software rely on cloud computing, effectively decreasing costs while empowering a more agile infrastructure
  • three types of integrations to consider
  • Core modules of the PMS Integrations that need close data communication but aren’t integral to the system Integrations to on-property devices such as phone systems, TVs, and more
  • Marketplaces can also create platforms where integration partners can showcase their products to a wider audience of buyers
  • Middleware layers, on the other hand, help to buffer the limitations of one-off integrations
  • middleware layers help to mimic the experience and benefits of an open integration model, even where it does not exist
  • A robust PMS comes with a range of functions, including guest information and folios, room distribution, pricing and revenue management, reservation details, advanced group functionalities, guest check-in/out, housekeeping
  • A modern, cloud-based PMS model can and should offer hoteliers the core functions they need to run their business and operations effectively, while also providing seamless integrations
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    The article seeks to explore the advances in PMSs by reviewing past features and performance and looking towards the future advancements. The industry is facing a gradual but eventual change in integration. The article reflects on how legacy vendors have been slow to evolve due to infrastructure and using integrations to develop revenue. This puts traditional systems in a precarious situation that will leave them behind if they don't evolve. The new systems focus on using Application Programming Interfaces (APIs), cloud based systems, stacked levels of integration, marketplaces and middleware to work seamlessly with CRMs and CRSs.
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10 Best E-commerce Practices for Hotels - SmartGuests.com Blog - 0 views

  • Make sure your photos accurately represent your property
  • Invest in a good professional photographer
  • Regularly update your photos
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  • Link your website to your social media networks
  • Display guest testimonials
  • in ecommerce, the goal is to minimize friction in the buying process, or in the case of hotels, in the booking process
  • Avoid long checkout forms and asking for too much information
  • Having an easy to understand URL structure
  • you should always be reachable to answer questions
  • hotel’s customer service hotline or 1-800 number
  • customer support email
  • Live chat tab
  • Use autofill for your forms
  • Scarcity.
  • A lot of hotel bookings are now taking place via mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets. Majority of these bookings are last minute bookings, which means those who book via mobile devices are those who are in need of a hotel accommodation on the same day.
  • it is important for you to demonstrate that your website can handle financial transactions safely.
  • Prominently display your SSL certificate and display security icons on your checkout page
  • Provide a guarantee statement that you won’t save any of the financial information
  • Only use payment gateways or ecommerce systems that are proven secure
  • email still produces the highest return on investment (ROI) compared to other marketing platforms.
  • marketing experts say that the money is in the list
  • Whatever technique you use, make sure that you offer a guarantee that you will respect their privacy
  • Persuasion elements are basically marketing techniques that you can use to compel travelers to book with your hotel and not with your competitors
  • Urgency
  • Base your call to action on the content of the page
  • Extraordinary proof points
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    This article focuses on the important drivers that hotels can employ to seal the deal with online booking. Hotels should consistently update their websites with links to their social media, guest testimonials and high quality photos while also making it easy to book a room. It is also suggested that websites be mobile friendly, easy to navigate and secure in processing financial transactions. Prominently featuring contact information along with a way to collect email information, ensures that the property can reach out to the guest and vice versa. A hotel can seal a booking transaction with a call to action by using techniques such as urgency and scarcity as persuasion points.
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Hotel Kiosks | Five Key Benefits of Self-Service Check-In/Out - 2 views

  • Mobile hotel kiosks are digital touchscreens or smartphone applications where guests complete tasks themselves instead of relying on hotel front desk staff.
  • Almost 78 percent of their respondents admitted they wanted to see self-serving mobile kiosks to complete the check-in process at more hotels.
  • provide guests with a convenient, hassle-free way to check in
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  • Mobile hotel kiosks
  • enables individuals to bypass the line at the front desk, so they can go directly to their rooms
  • Each hotel kiosk check-in app has an intuitive interface and simple commands to walk the guest through a secure, fast, check-in process
  • Guests can also use these kiosks to order room service, extra towels, set reminders, or complete other essential tasks
  • Mobile hotel kiosks can provide a more personalized experience for your customers. They connect to your hotel’s property management system (PMS).
  • These kiosk software solutions collect valuable data on your guests, including which rooms they prefer to book
  • Mobile hotel kiosks increase the opportunity to upsell packages and services to people
  • Mobile hotel kiosks increase accuracy because customers enter this information themselves during the check-in process. So the possibility of errors is minimal.
  • Mobile kiosks also offer an uncomplicated way to speak with your hotel’s brand throughout the customer journey from the pre-stay registration, hotel kiosk check-in/check-out process, reviews, and re-discovery
  • Increase revenues: Our application helps your hotel brand upsell services to customers.Improve Staff Coordination: Our hotel kiosk software allows your housekeeping and maintenance staff to communicate and collaborate better.Self-Check-In – Your customers can check-in using their mobile phones instead of relying on the front desk.
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    This article was provided by Protel - a developer of hotel check-in software. The focus of the article is to convince hotels of the benefits of the check-in software. The article acknowledges that the technology allows guests to complete the check-in/out process without having to endure log lines and also by customizing the guests' stay. The software also allows the hotel integrate with their PMS. This allows for the teams on property to communicate more effectively about the guest experience, provide much needed marketing data and helping to eliminate many human-related errors.
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