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Kristen Kaminski

Choice Hotels International Checks in to New Global Headquarters - 0 views

  •  
    Choice Hotels International has selected Foulger-Pratt Companies to be the "owner, developer, and general contractor of its new global headquarters." According to the article, the 135,000 square foot facility features cutting edge technology and connectivity that ensures associates and guests can work and relax throughout the building and outside on the patio. The check-in desks at reception, stylish lounge, and business center help maintain the" feel of a hospitality company" throughout the building. The new facility is designed to meet the guidelines under the U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED). Not only has water consumption been reduced by 40%, but the building materials have been locally sourced and lighting and thermostats are energy efficient. Energy consumption will be further offset through the use of wind power.
Danelkis Serra

Agents fear new GDS flight standard will lead to customer poaching - 0 views

  • fearful that a new industry standard
  • will expose commercially sensitive information
  • New Distribution Capability Standards
  • ...22 more annotations...
  • at least one pilot scheme for the NDC would be up and running later this year
  • NDC is a common standard to enable airlines to provide more detailed information about their flights and ancillary products on global distributions systems and to allow customers to search for flights using a range of criteria, not just price
  • enable third parties to compare fares from all carriers
  • airlines to sell all their ancillary products
  • rovide more information about their customers
  • "pro-competition and pro-consumer"
  • customers
  • more choice
  • lower fares
  • airlines to tailor offers to passengers
  • NDC is not a system but a standard, which will allow airlines to sell via GDS in the same way that they sell on their websites.
  • concerned
  • agents
  • uncomfortable with the idea of a centrally controlled system with information available to all users
  • rival
  • to compete
  • American Society of Travel Agents was opposed to NDC due to a lack of information
  • "Data is the new oil." she said. "You are rich with the data you have.
  • "Agents should not give data away for nothing."
  • representatives from Sabre, Travelport and Amadeus who attended the conference all said they had reservations
  • about NDC and none of them believed it was necessary to develop a common standard.
  • 'understanding the distribution model of the future', it had left him confused."I've got more questions than answers
  •  
    I must admit, I stand along with Alasdair Chalmers MD of DP&L Travel; I am left confused and have more questions than answers. I do not understand the goal and/or reason of the NDS standard.  The article states that it is not a system, but a standard for airlines to provide more detailed information about flights and products on the GDSs.  Benefitting customers with more search options, choices and lower fares.   It raises the controversy of agents being concerned with data availability and feeling uncomfortable with a centrally controlled information....  I think I am missing a big piece because I do not exactly understand what the concern is. I'll need to think about this and reassess....   please share your comments and clarity!   
Yunfan Wu

POS Software Trends 2013 | Top Stories | | Hospitality Magazine (HT) - 0 views

  • Any technology investment is a balancing act. Roll out a new technology and run the risk that something better (more affordable, durable, simplified, etc.) will soon be developed. Or wait for “something better” to come along at the risk of being a bit too far behind the competitive curve.
  • On the supplier side, many vendors have already rolled out or will release some form of mobile-ready solution in 2013. Mobile advancements cover both consumer-facing and employee facing. Vendors’ R&D in cloud-based POS should start to come to market in 2013.
  • Online ordering is the number-one choice for the second year running, and in fact slightly more than half (51.2%) of all restaurant operators in our survey named it the POS feature they’d most like to invest in for 2013. Interest in mobile phones for ordering and payment is spiking, too, with 48.4% of restaurant operators adding it to POS shopping lists. Cloud computing saw the biggest jump, and is desired by 36.2% of restaurants in our survey (a jump of 17 percentage points over 2012).
  •  
    With cloud computing such a big hit in all levels and industries, restaurants are also shifting their approach from more customer service, less techonology investment to vice versa. This article summarized the upcoming trends, features in demand and purchsing plans for POS in 2013.
  • ...1 more comment...
  •  
    This article discusses some of the POS trends that restaurants will be making in 2013. Restaurants have been more dedicated to customer service than technology investment, but that has started to change. Technology advancements over the years have motivated restaurants to into looking into changing their current models of operations. In the case of POS systems, suppliers have made many advancements to positively impact the customer experience. Mobile POS, social media, and tablet hardware are only a few of the advancements suppliers have made to create interest within the restaurant operator community. Restaurant operators were asked what they were looking for in innovations. Online ordering was the number one choice, and mobile phone features were on the list. Cloud computing continues to rise in the interest of restaurant operators as well. Out of all of the operators surveyed, only 19% said that they had no plans to make any changes to their POS systems. Some of the restaurants said that they would be moving on the a new POS vendor while other said that they plan to stay with their current vendor. No matter the choice investment in new POS technology is not going to slow down. More restaurants are taking risks and diving into new technology and "testing" the new product. There is a strong desire within the restaurant community to have new POS technologies.
  •  
    Hotel operators are looking to better POS system which can positively impact the customer experience, increasing hotels innovation and investment. There are two trends of 2013 POS: more platform innovations, and overall purchasing plans. For the suppliers, they will make some forms of mobile-ready solution of POS. The new technology of cloud-based POS is also being brought to market. What is more, tablet hardware, social media will be integrated into the POS. POS Features in Demand In HT's survey, we know that most restaurants desire for more advanced POS technology. And online ordering is the number-one to be upgraded in the next year for them. They also Interest in mobile phones for ordering and payment. Cloud computing has a biggest jump, which is desired by 36.2% of restaurants. For the POS Purchasing Plans, most operators need add new functionality, features or modules to current POS software. More restaurants are investing in POS technology. A third of all restaurants are in a "testing and research" phase for POS upgrades. There are many specific Predictions and Plans in different companies, for example, integrating mobile applications into POS, more interactive options, simpler points of contacts, online ordering for mobile devices, Apps accessible from any phone at any time, personalization, recognition, rewards and outstanding, etc.
  •  
    This article analyzed what POS can bring to nowadays' hospitality industry and forecast the future trend. Any technology investment should be a balancing act. All the hotels should make specific forecast and plans about their designing about their POS.
xwang023

Hotel Industry Adopts Solar to Save Energy · Environmental Management & Energy News · Environmental Leader - 0 views

  • As consumers demand more eco-friendly vacation choices, the tourism industry is responding with energy-efficient and carbon friendly resorts and hotels.
  • solar power system uses SunPower’s high-efficiency solar panels with its patented PowerGuard roof tile technology.
  • the system will help reduce New Jersey’s CO2 emissions by 10,000 tons over the next 30 years, and will help lessen oil dependence by at least 749 barrels annually,
  • ...3 more annotations...
  • The energy savings guidance for design of new hotels provides a first step toward achieving a net-zero-energy building, reports Green Lodging News.
  • more businesses moving to solar energy and this is just one of the opportunities to make hotels and other accommodation type operations more environmentally friendly.
  • Note: the Marriott Residence Inn in West Orange NJ was the first NJ hotel to install solar panels.
  •  
    More businesses moving to solar energy and this is just one of the opportunities to make hotels and other accommodation type operations more environmentally friendly. Technologies best use is when a totally new development is engineered for the lowest environment impact but excellent results are achieved by refurbishing existing hotels. As consumers demand more eco-friendly vacation choices, the tourism industry is responding with energy-efficient and carbon friendly resorts and hotels. The hotel says the output from the system will help reduce New Jersey's CO2 emissions by 10,000 tons over the next 30 years, and will help lessen oil dependence by at least 749 barrels annually.
Qianlin Wang

The Impact of IT Investments on Profits - 1 views

  • Investment in IT had a greater impact on a company’s profits than comparable spending on either advertising or R&D.
  • New research finds that investments companies make in information technology increase profitability more than investments in advertising or R&D do.
  • CEOs often struggle with some critical choices as they allocate their companies’ discretionary dollars among various categories of investments.
  • ...2 more annotations...
  • Information technology can be used to increase efficiency and reduce costs, or it can be used to support sales growth through, say, customer satisfaction and customer retention strategies.
  • All other things being equal, executives should accord higher priority to IT projects that have the potential for revenue growth over those that focus mainly on cost savings.
  •  
    This article talks about how IT investments related to the profits.The IT investments has a significant positive impact on profitability. Investment in IT had a greater impact on a company's profits than comparable spending on either advertising or R&D.  IT investments offer more room for creativity and innovation. IT investments were more effective in improving profitability by increasing revenue than by decreasing operating expenses.
  •  
    In recent years the combination of new types of IT investments and increasingly constrained sources of revenue have conspired to place information technology investments under a scrutiny they have historically avoided. New research finds that investments companies make in information technology increase profitability more than investments in advertising or R&D do. CEOS often struggle with some critical choices as they allocate their companies' discretionary dollars among various categories of investments. Investment in IT had a greater impact on a company's profits than comparable spending on either advertising or R&D. Information technology can be used to increase efficiency and reduce costs, or it can be used to support sales growth through, say, customer satisfaction and customer retention strategies. Industries become more competitive, the effect of IT on profitability increases.
acarter001

Green Technology for Hoteliers | Hotel Industry Magazine - 0 views

  • There is the argument that the demand to go ‘green’ is being pushed by environmentally sensitive guests who are growing in number and eco-friendly hotels are being favoured over ones that have not made moves to be more energy efficient.
  • . One survey by Devon County Council showed that many guests consider environmental issues when booking a hotel and that three quarters think a green business is likely to be more quality conscious
  • . A Travelocity report stated that 80 per cent of travellers are willing to pay extra to visit an eco-friendly destination or business. Exact figures vary survey to survey but together they do show a fundamental shift in peoples buying behaviour.”
  • ...2 more annotations...
  • Energy-efficient technology might be costly initially, but the hotel industry is acknowledging the long-term benefits that can be made through savings being made on rising energy costs.
  • With the hotel industry wrestling with tighter profit margins, more demanding guests and fiercer competition, hotels need to employ a lean management principle and make decisions based on long-term perspectives, which makes introducing green technology the foreseeable choice
  •  
    Consumers and hoteliers are focusing more on green technology since global warming, water shortage and other environmental problems are becoming serious. Some surveys revealed that more consumers would like to choose sustainable hotels even they have to pay more for that. Additionally, some hoteliers would budget more on green technologies, such as wireless controllers, new lightening and air conditioning system, etc. Although some eco-friendly technologies may cost more, hoteliers have to think about their social responsibility and long-term development. Considering the above factors, hoteliers should introduce green technology as a foreseeable choice.
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    More and more people are deciding their hotel accomodations based on how eco-friendly they are. This is forcing hoteliers to make changes to their hotels so they can be competitive with the other green hotels.
anonymous

The Best POS Systems of 2017 | Top Ten Reviews - 0 views

  • Credit card processing is usually the biggest ongoing expense for a small business owner, and because of this, we scrutinized and compared processing rates as well.
  •  
    Point of sales systems are a business main tool for processing transactions. There are so many different software that business are using around the world. In the top ten reviews of 2017 some of the best POS systems will include new software updates. These system updates will be easy to set up and wont cost the business a fortune. The POS system in this years line up will be all formatted to suit a general retail business. With the exception that some businesses have specialized POS solutions for example restaurants POS systems have options to manage tables and deliver complicated orders to the back of house. Then you have retail systems that are equipped with the tools to help owners keep up with inventory. It's not easy ranking the best POS systems they are all compared by their choice of credit card processors since finding credit processors is the most difficult thing a business owner will make.
  •  
    POS systems are very individualized and the businesses need to be careful to select the best one for their needs. It is such a large investment that making the wrong choice could have big consequences. It is best to choose the one with the most features for reporting, user support, and ease of use/programming.
Long Jin

Time to Invest: Predicting What's Next for Technology in Hospitality | hospitalityupgrade.com - 0 views

  •   If you make the right choice, today’s investments may last for 10 or even 20 years.
  • We see three major trends that we think will shape our world between now and 2020.
  • Despite that no one really even agrees on the meaning of the word, there is no question that the cloud is by far the biggest area of investment.
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  • Mobility gives us the ability to communicate with our guests and staff in real time. 
  • Many hotels have shortchanged the investment in upgrading bandwidth and supporting Wi-Fi infrastructure, believing that the migration of mobile devices to 4G/LTE cellular technologies will solve the problem by ultimately reducing or eliminating Wi-Fi.  But a look at where the megacarriers are investing proves this assumption completely false. 
  •  
    This article indicates that there are three majors shaping our world between now and 2020. Those are the cloud, mobility, and Cellular Offload. We should determine the major trends, and then invest in solutions that align with those trends. Interestingly, it is mentioned some insights provide clues as which investments will be future proof to and witch will be risks. From hospitality perspective, equipment and maintenance performed by on-site or locally based staff, which is great for all owners. Also, It can be seen that the cloud allows investors to make big investments in its service.
  •  
    This article introduced three major trends that we think will shape our world between now and 2020. The author thought one of the biggest challenges for any technology executive is predicting the landscape of toolsets and IT infrastructure that will be available in the future. The correct choice can last at least 10 years and there are three major trends, cloud, mobility and cellular offload. For cloud, the author thought it is good for hospitality. It holds the promise of relieving the hotel owner of responsibility for managing the operation and integration of premise-based systems, with associated costs for deployment, equipment and maintenance performed by on-site or locally based staff. Also, the author thought the mobility creates both opportunity and challenge. It can be used to both define new service models and revenue streams, and to improve existing ones. Today's challenge is that mobility requires massive investment in wireless infrastructure and bandwidth .Finally, the author thought as it is far cheaper for a cellular carrier to build or fund a Wi-Fi network, than to install an additional cell tower and/or buy additional spectrum, it is good news for hotels. It means that cellular companies have an economic reason to help fund hotel Wi-Fi networks.
Jia Zhu

Gipsee introduces Interactive Allergy Menus for sit-down restaurants, eliminating need for allergy-specific menus | RestaurantNews.com - 4 views

  • Gipsee’s newest offering eliminates the need for restaurants to produce multiple allergy-specific menus and, replaces them with an ‘on-demand’ capability based on dynamic user requests.
  • allows restaurant staff to select and enter food allergies or ingredient restrictions that a customer may have into the Gipsee software, in order to instantly produce customized menu choices for the customer.
  • Ingredient identification is a large part of the process
  • ...2 more annotations...
  • the other part is avoidance of cross-contamination, which is a human diligence issue. This technology addresses the complicated part of ingredient identification based on a customer’s unique combinations of restrictions.”
  • restaurants such as iPad and other touch-screen display devices.
  •  
    Gipsee announced the new Interactive Allergy Software designed for the restaurant industry especially for non sit-down dining sector in the industry. Most sit-down dining places often maintain eight or more allergy-specific menus.Customers with restrictions have to manually search for items which will be safe for them to eat. This newest offering eliminates the need for restaurants to produce multiple allergy-specific menus and replaces them with an "on-demand" capability based on dynamic user requests. The basic working process is the restaurant staff select and enter food allergies or ingredient restrictions that a customer may have into the software and then instantly produce customized menu choices for the customer. Customer have the flexibility of selecting from hundreds of ingredients and thousands of combinations of restrictions representing a more pragmatic approach to food allergy occurrences. This new software offers advantages including cost-savings and reduces communication errors occurs particularly during busy time slots. Also this new software is available and increasingly used by restaurant such as iPad and other touch-screen display devices
Donald Wojciechowski

Meeting Planners Use Hilton's e-Events to Create Custom Web Pages | News | Hospitality Magazine (HT) - 0 views

    • Donald Wojciechowski
       
      The Hilton Family of hotels has launched a new feature for event planners to create their own custom web pages for groups of 25 or more. The feature will be called e-Events and will be available at the following brands: Hilton, Conrad, Doubletree, Embassy suites, Hampton Hotels, Hilton Garden Inn, Hilton Grand Vacations, Homewood suites by Hilton, and the Waldorf Astoria Collection. The service is customizable for business groups, special events and sports trips at hotels in North America. Bob Brooks, vice president of eSales feels the service will give more choice and better control to a meeting planner because the service will be available 24/7. One of the features for planners is the Guest List Manager. This feature will give planners real time access to their group's reservation details.
  • Following the launch of its online group bookings for small functions of up to 25 guest rooms, called e-Events, the Hilton Family of Hotels has launched the next phase of its electronic event planning tool: complimentary Personalized Group Web Pages.
  • Features of the Personalized Group Web Pages include:
  • ...4 more annotations...
  • ability for event planners to create their own Personalized Group Web Page
  • Complete control placed in the hands of the event planner without depending on hotel
  • A means for event planners to promote their events and display important event details for attendees/guests
  • A booking mechanism that directly links to the group block
  •  
    The Hilton Family of hotels has launched a new feature for event planners to create their own custom web pages for groups of 25 or more. The feature will be called e-Events and will be available at the following brands: Hilton, Conrad, Doubletree, Embassy suites, Hampton Hotels, Hilton Garden Inn, Hilton Grand Vacations, Homewood suites by Hilton, and the Waldorf Astoria Collection. The service is customizable for business groups, special events and sports trips at hotels in North America. Bob Brooks, vice president of eSales feels the service will give more choice and better control to a meeting planner because the service will be available 24/7. One of the features for planners is the Guest List Manager. This feature will give planners real time access to their group's reservation details.
Yunfan Wu

The hospitality industry and call accounting - Business Intelligence Middle East - bi-me.com - News, analysis, reports - 0 views

  • Call accounting, the ability to track and analyze phone calls, was originally invented in the 1970s as a way for businesses to manage phone usage within their organizations. By the early 1980s it had been adapted to the hospitality industry, allowing hotels and resorts to more easily track guest phone usage, recover telephone costs, and generate extra revenue through the resale of phone calls.
  • During the 1980s and 1990s call accounting systems were in high demand due to the fact that hotels could often generate thousands of dollars each month by marking up long distance calls.
  • In today’s world, major business and hospitality organisations strongly suggest that their properties use call accounting systems, and many require that their systems are up-to-date and accurate. They do this for four main reasons: (1) to recover the cost of long-distance calls, (2) to properly allocate, account for, and charge customers for phone usage, (3) to generate revenue through the resale of phone calls, and (4) to track phone calls made to and from their property for marketing, planning, and other purposes, and especially for handling and tracking emergency calls.
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  • When buying a call accounting system, hotel managers have three system choices: software, hardware, or web-based products. Web-based products tend to get quite expensive due to the monthly subscription fees which are based on the number of extensions and users. Software products are more flexible than hardware-based systems due to the added capabilities of the PC, but often require large amounts of memory to store and retrieve call data efficiently. Hardware or stand-alone systems appear to be the most popular form of call accounting systems in the hospitality industry due to the fact that the systems are quite small and can be stored in a closet or drawer. Stand-alone systems, like software and web-based products, will automatically post call records directly to the Property Management System for future retrieval.
  •  
    This article introduced what the call accounting system is and the development of this system in hospitality industry. It can help the hotels track the calls and generate revenue. There are three kinds of call accounting systems, which are software, hardware and web-based products. Each one has its own advantages. Hotels should make choice according to its necessary and budget.
noreen1

The Property Management Puzzle | Top Stories | | Hospitality Magazine (HT) - 0 views

  • The company is in prototype on a social media integration project that would, among other things, let guests book a room through Facebook and then send a confirmation text to their mobile device.
  • The company is in prototype on a social media integration project that would, among other things, let guests book a room through Facebook and then send a confirmation text to their mobile device.
  • “If I look at it from a city hotel perspective, absolutely; there’d be no downfall to cloud.”
  • ...70 more annotations...
  • Over the long-term, the result is the same: a massive, impending re-architecting of how properties are managed.
  • . “If I look at it from a city hotel perspective, absolutely; there’d be no downfall to cloud.”
  • . “If I look at it from a city hotel perspective, absolutely; there’d be no downfall to cloud.”
  • “If I look at it from a city hotel perspective, absolutely; there’d be no downfall to cloud.”
  • “If I look at it from a city hotel perspective, absolutely; there’d be no downfall to cloud.”
  • “If I look at it from a city hotel perspective, absolutely; there’d be no downfall to cloud.”
  • “If I look at it from a city hotel perspective, absolutely; there’d be no downfall to cloud.”
  • “If I look at it from a city hotel perspective, absolutely; there’d be no downfall to cloud.”
  • The company is in prototype on a social media integration project that would, among other things, let guests book a room through Facebook and then send a confirmation text to their mobile device.
  • Over the long-term, the result is the same: a massive, impending re-architecting of how properties are managed.
  • “If I look at it from a city hotel perspective, absolutely; there’d be no downfall to cloud.”
  • “If I look at it from a city hotel perspective, absolutely; there’d be no downfall to cloud.”
  • “If I look at it from a city hotel perspective, absolutely; there’d be no downfall to cloud.”
  • “If I look at it from a city hotel perspective, absolutely; there’d be no downfall to cloud.”
  • “If I look at it from a city hotel perspective, absolutely; there’d be no downfall to cloud.”
  • “If I look at it from a city hotel perspective, absolutely; there’d be no downfall to cloud.”
  • Over the long-term, the result is the same: a massive, impending re-architecting of how properties are managed.
  • “If I look at it from a city hotel perspective, absolutely; there’d be no downfall to cloud.”
  • “If I look at it from a city hotel perspective, absolutely; there’d be no downfall to cloud.”
  • “If I look at it from a city hotel perspective, absolutely; there’d be no downfall to cloud.”
  • “If I look at it from a city hotel perspective, absolutely; there’d be no downfall to cloud.”
  • The company is in prototype on a social media integration project that would, among other things, let guests book a room through Facebook and then send a confirmation text to their mobile device.
  • The company is in prototype on a social media integration project that would, among other things, let guests book a room through Facebook and then send a confirmation text to their mobile device.
  • The company is in prototype on a social media integration project that would, among other things, let guests book a room through Facebook and then send a confirmation text to their mobile device.
  • What’s still not clear is the extent to which social media can and should be integrated into formal property systems, so that user-generated content can be stored, mined, analyzed and tracked.
  • What’s still not clear is the extent to which social media can and should be integrated into formal property systems, so that user-generated content can be stored, mined, analyzed and tracked.
  • “One of the promises of the cloud is that it becomes easier to integrate, so you can go more best-of-breed in your solution choice, but you still have issues with data structure and architecture.”
  • What’s still not clear is the extent to which social media can and should be integrated into formal property systems, so that user-generated content can be stored, mined, analyzed and tracked.
  • What’s still not clear is the extent to which social media can and should be integrated into formal property systems, so that user-generated content can be stored, mined, analyzed and tracked.
  • “One of the promises of the cloud is that it becomes easier to integrate, so you can go more best-of-breed in your solution choice, but you still have issues with data structure and architecture.”
  • “One of the promises of the cloud is that it becomes easier to integrate, so you can go more best-of-breed in your solution choice, but you still have issues with data structure and architecture.”
  • If I look at it from a city hotel perspective, absolutely; there’d be no downfall to cloud.”
  • cloud.”
  • “We’re an hour and a half from a major metropolitan area. There are enough providers selling the bandwidth we’d need for redundancy in a true web-based cloud environment,” says Nickelson, whose 2,000 acre property is located in North Carolina’s rural heartland. “If I look at it from a city hotel perspective, absolutely; there’d be no downfall to cloud.”
  • “We’re an hour and a half from a major metropolitan area. There are enough providers selling the bandwidth we’d need for redundancy in a true web-based cloud environment,” says Nickelson, whose 2,000 acre property is located in North Carolina’s rural heartland. “If I look at it from a city hotel perspective, absolutely; there’d be no downfall to cloud.”
  • “We’re an hour and a half from a major metropolitan area. There are enough providers selling the bandwidth we’d need for redundancy in a true web-based cloud environment,” says Nickelson, whose 2,000 acre property is located in North Carolina’s rural heartland. “If I look at it from a city hotel perspective, absolutely; there’d be no downfall to cloud.”
  • “We’re an hour and a half from a major metropolitan area. There are enough providers selling the bandwidth we’d need for redundancy in a true web-based cloud environment,” says Nickelson, whose 2,000 acre property is located in North Carolina’s rural heartland. “If I look at it from a city hotel perspective, absolutely; there’d be no downfall to cloud.”
  • “We’re an hour and a half from a major metropolitan area. There are enough providers selling the bandwidth we’d need for redundancy in a true web-based cloud environment,” says Nickelson, whose 2,000 acre property is located in North Carolina’s rural heartland. “If I look at it from a city hotel perspective, absolutely; there’d be no downfall to cloud.”
  • “We’re an hour and a half from a major metropolitan area. There are enough providers selling the bandwidth we’d need for redundancy in a true web-based cloud environment,” says Nickelson, whose 2,000 acre property is located in North Carolina’s rural heartland. “If I look at it from a city hotel perspective, absolutely; there’d be no downfall to cloud.”
  • “We’re an hour and a half from a major metropolitan area. There are enough providers selling the bandwidth we’d need for redundancy in a true web-based cloud environment,” says Nickelson, whose 2,000 acre property is located in North Carolina’s rural heartland. “If I look at it from a city hotel perspective, absolutely; there’d be no downfall to cloud.”
  • “We’re an hour and a half from a major metropolitan area. There are enough providers selling the bandwidth we’d need for redundancy in a true web-based cloud environment,” says Nickelson, whose 2,000 acre property is located in North Carolina’s rural heartland. “If I look at it from a city hotel perspective, absolutely; there’d be no downfall to cloud.”
  • “We’re an hour and a half from a major metropolitan area. There are enough providers selling the bandwidth we’d need for redundancy in a true web-based cloud environment,” says Nickelson, whose 2,000 acre property is located in North Carolina’s rural heartland. “If I look at it from a city hotel perspective, absolutely; there’d be no downfall to cloud.”
  • “We’re an hour and a half from a major metropolitan area. There are enough providers selling the bandwidth we’d need for redundancy in a true web-based cloud environment,” says Nickelson, whose 2,000 acre property is located in North Carolina’s rural heartland. “If I look at it from a city hotel perspective, absolutely; there’d be no downfall to cloud.”
  • “We’re an hour and a half from a major metropolitan area. There are enough providers selling the bandwidth we’d need for redundancy in a true web-based cloud environment,” says Nickelson, whose 2,000 acre property is located in North Carolina’s rural heartland. “If I look at it from a city hotel perspective, absolutely; there’d be no downfall to cloud.”
  • “We’re an hour and a half from a major metropolitan area. There are enough providers selling the bandwidth we’d need for redundancy in a true web-based cloud environment,” says Nickelson, whose 2,000 acre property is located in North Carolina’s rural heartland. “If I look at it from a city hotel perspective, absolutely; there’d be no downfall to cloud.”
  • The industry is also mid-stream in a massive replacement cycle, with 40% planning to upgrade their PMS by the end of next year.
  • Over the long-term, the result is the same: a massive, impending re-architecting of how properties are managed.
  • Over the long-term, the result is the same: a massive, impending re-architecting of how properties are managed.
  • Over the long-term, the result is the same: a massive, impending re-architecting of how properties are managed.
  • next year.
  • next year.
  • “We’re an hour and a half from a major metropolitan area. There are enough providers selling the bandwidth we’d need for redundancy in a true web-based cloud environment,” says Nickelson, whose 2,000 acre property is located in North Carolina’s rural heartland. “If I look at it from a city hotel perspective, absolutely; there’d be no downfall to cloud.”
  • The industry is also mid-stream in a massive replacement cycle, with 40% planning to upgrade their PMS by the end of next year.
  • The industry is also mid-stream in a massive replacement cycle, with 40% planning to upgrade their PMS by the end of next year.
  • The industry is also mid-stream in a massive replacement cycle, with 40% planning to upgrade their PMS by the end of next year.
  • Over the long-term, the result is the same: a massive, impending re-architecting of how properties are managed.
  • The industry is also mid-stream in a massive replacement cycle, with 40% planning to upgrade their PMS by the end of next year.
  • The industry is also mid-stream in a massive replacement cycle, with 40% planning to upgrade their PMS by the end of next year.
  • The industry is also mid-stream in a massive replacement cycle, with 40% planning to upgrade their PMS by the end of next year.
  • The industry is also mid-stream in a massive replacement cycle, with 40% planning to upgrade their PMS by the end of next year.
  • The industry is also mid-stream in a massive replacement cycle, with 40% planning to upgrade their PMS by the end of next year.
  • Hotel management systems are shifting from on-property to cloud-based, from tethered to mobile, from data-heavy to insight-rich.
  • A significant chunk of hotel IT budgets -- 19% -- is spent on property management systems (PMS)
  • Some are ready to embrace cloud-based solutions; others want to expand their mobile capabilities; and others are excited about the possibilities rich data can provide in personalizing the guest experience
  • I think it’s really about the ability of the PMS to grow with the changing need. What we need today isn’t what we needed just two years ago
  • Both Nickelson and Yelley are experiencing different symptoms stemming from the same challenge: better integration between systems.
  • Every vendor and most of the hoteliers HT spoke to predicted that property management systems would eventually migrate to the cloud.
  • “We’re an hour and a half from a major metropolitan area. There are enough providers selling the bandwidth we’d need for redundancy in a true web-based cloud environment,”
  • “Just because they’re in the cloud doesn’t make it easier to integrate,
  • I agree, from a PMS standpoint, that I want to know everything about a guest when they show up at the front desk. I should be able to see that you’ve stayed with me, and if you posted about our hotel in our social space, and if it was a complaint.
  •  
    Hoteliers are expecting a lot more out of their PMS's such as data acquisition, integration with other systems, mobile capabilities, and social media. This article describes some of the different directions hoteliers are taking based on their specific focus and desired results. Some of the advantages and disadvantages of cloud based PMS's are discussed such as mobility, internet connection redundancy for rural vs. urban areas, and multiple system integration. The increasing role of social media is also explored and the degree to which it should be utilized by the hospitality industry. There are many possibilities including using social media posts to mine guest reviews, as well as the ability to book your hotel on Facebook and receive a confirmation via text. I apologize for the diminishing hi-lighting towards the end, my tool bar is having some issues!
asant318

Can Technology Make or Break a Restaurant's Success? | Hospitality Technology - 0 views

  • restaurateurs are struggling to find streamlined solutions that can keep them engaged, and keep profits on the rise
  • use technology to create and maintain a loyal customer base.
  • compatible technology
  • ...11 more annotations...
  • Restaurants are taking technology to the next level by integrating the systems that track inventory, take reservations, sell menu items, and manage employees.
  • easy to cross-reference
  • consider starting with a cloud-based point of sale. These solutions can deliver 2.1 times the ROI of traditional on-site systems,
  • Online ordering (OLO) is more
  • Nearly 2/3 of fast casual customers plan to order online in 2018.
  • increases the average ticket size 26% over traditional
  • This method of connecting with customers also has the potential to reduce overhead
  • Best of all, restaurants can easily collect email addresses for a mailing list, to re-connect with customers in the future.
  • consumer use of technology will continue to increase
  • A restaurant owner’s choice to embrace technology can make or break their business
  • keeps your customers happy and your ROI on the rise.
  •  
    This article touches on how it is critical for restaurants to embrace technology in order to maintain a loyal customer base. What I found to be the most important point was the importance of compatible technology. The article recommends having technology that can track inventory, reservations, sell, manage employees. The value of this is measured and 2.1 times the ROI of a traditional onsite POS. The article recommends online ordering, points out that 2/3 of fast casual customers plan to order online this year, and that the average ticket size is 26% over the regular order. I agree with the author that a restaurant owner's choice to embrace technology can make or break their business.
anonymous

Why Technology And Hospitality Need To Be A Balancing Act | By Alex Shashou - Hospitality Net - 2 views

  • While these partnerships will flourish because they deliver choice and personalization in the name of hospitality, we'll continue to see examples of hotels scaling back on overly flashy tech as they learn to better adapt to guest needs.
  • To ensure effective communication, hotels should offer guests each of these choices.
  • Technology is changing the hospitality industry but not in the same way the headlines may suggest. The key to technology for today's hotels is implementing it in a way that empowers hospitality without overwhelming guests.
  • ...2 more annotations...
  • Nearly a quarter of U.S. households own a smart speaker, so it's no surprise a study found nearly seven in 10 consumers want hotel-provided smart devices in their rooms.
  • Marriott International is a leading example of implementing tech in the right way. Its partnership with Alexa for hospitality offers connected rooms for guests to order roomservice and control lighting, temperature and TV content from the devices they are used to.
  •  
    I choose this article because it highlighted how technology is being integrated to help hotels earn guest loyalty and repeat business. However, hoteliers will need to "find the right balance of technology and hospitality to cater to what their guests want" if they want to successfully capitalize on technological advances. Evidence suggests that when hotels partner with technology in a way that allows guests to experience choice and personalization balance is achieved. The goal for hotels should be to find a balance between incorporating technologies so that it solves actual problems, instead of creating new ones.
lderi004

Sabre to Add GDS, Aggregator Content Into New Hotel Booking Tool | Travel Agent Central - 0 views

  • Travel agents using the new lodging solution will be able to access content from the three companies under the new agreement.
  • Having aggregator content integrated with traditional GDS hotel content makes travel agents and corporate booking tool providers more efficient, effective and confident in the increased depth and breadth of lodging offerings they are able to bring to their travelers,"
  • The new lodging solution will allow a more seamless shopping experience that will display the new content at the room and rate level, side-by-side, for more efficient comparison
  • ...2 more annotations...
  • The solution will not only drive more efficiency and revenue with increased lodging choice, but will also extend tools and enable improved optimization capabilities to better manage chain, property, and rate-level preferred content, Sabre said.
  • We're dedicated to driving business for travel agencies by offering them the widest range of the best hotels under exclusive terms and conditions, and partnering with Sabre furthers that commitment
  •  
    I found this article interesting, as technology is constantly advancing, and this supports just that. Sabre has announced it is introducing a new lodging solution that will allow travel agents to access content from three different companies in one, thanks to a new agreement with Sabre. This solution will allow for an easier shopping experience, with a wider range of the best hotels and rates side by side. Overall, as Christian Gerron says in the article, "it is to provide their customers with the best choice and flexibility." At the end of the day, that is just what any hotel, travel agent, and any other sectors of our industry want, what is best for our customers. 
sbarr011

Another Airline Follows Lufthansa And Adds GDS Fees - 0 views

  • “the overall business case is more positive than we thought,” he pointed to an uptick in ancillary sales through the direct channel.  “From what we hear in the industry and with the visible success of Lufthansa, I would be very surprised if others would not follow.”The global GDSs, including Amadeus, Sabre and Travelport, continue to strongly oppose Lufthansa’s strategy, saying that their platforms offer agencies and their clients the most choice of services.
  • Meanwhile, Lufthansa says it won’t change course on the booking-fee strategy, which is aimed both at reducing GDS costs, and encouraging agencies to use the airline’s direct-connect platform to buy tickets. 
  • But the Ukrainian flag carrier is also slapping a slew of new fees on all bookings made through a variety of channels, including third-party booking sites as well its own ticket offices – which will also be subject to the $9-per-segment fee.  Thus, the action appears to be designed to steer consumers to book directly on the airlines’ own website, rather than specifically targeting agencies.
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  • Like Lufthansa, which introduced a 16-euro fee on GDS bookings in the fall of 2015, Ukrainian argues that the fee is in response to what it calls the “growing fees of GDSs.”  
  • Any new fee can generate a backlash, and particularly for price-sensitive leisure travelers, could lead to booking away from a particular carrier. 
  • Lufthansa German Airlines’ CEO recently raised eyebrows in the industry by predicting other airlines would match its controversial fee on all bookings made through Global Distribution Systems. But since then, the only news on this front has been from a relatively small carrier, Ukraine International Airlines, which said it will impose a new $9 surcharge on GDS bookings at the end of April.  
  •  
    This article discusses Lufthansa airlines and Ukraine International Airlines who both now impose a surcharge on GDS bookings. The GDSs Amadeus, Sabre and Travelport disagree with this strategy and say that they offer the most choice of services and think that steering clients away from using GDSs to book travel is not a smart idea. In 2015, Lufthansa and its other airlines (which also includes Austrian, Brussels, Eurowings and Swiss airlines) implemented a 16-euro fee on all GDS bookings. Ukraine International Airlines (UIA) is a much smaller airline than Lufthansa, however, some analysts believe that this decision could prompt other airlines to do so as well. About one month ago, UIA imposed a $9 surcharge on GDS bookings. Some analysts believe that the new imposed fee will drive some customers, especially the price-sensitive leisure travelers, towards other airline carriers. In addition to implementing a surcharge on GDS bookings, UIA is also adding fees to any bookings made on third-party booking sites. The airline is trying to incentivize its travelers to book directly through their website and not go through any other channel. Lufthansa has had success with their strategy. The CEO stated the fee had a net-zero impact on their business, but there was a rise increase in sales through their direct channel.
wanqian

Information technology and the independent hotel - failing to make the connection? | International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management | Vol 7, No 6 - 1 views

  •  
    IT in hospitality is most depends on the multiple factors:1. we are using methodology to analyze which are the most factors to be easier effected the people who in hospitality. 2. Findings. Only half of independent hotels use any form of information technology.Smaller hotels are less likely to use IT with only 26 per cent of those hotels with less than 20 rooms being users.Factors such as location, i.e. whether a hotel is situated in a rural or urban environment, seem not to affect use. 3. user and non-user. The profile of the hotel manager himself/herself was a significant determinant in the adoption of IT and those managers who do not use IT are generally older and have poor academic qualifications. This indicated that the more young manager or stuff in independent hotel, the most often IT system or hardware and software being used. Those who did not use IT in their hotels gave the main reason for this lack of use as the cost of the systems involved although 58 per cent could perceive a positive benefit provided by a computer system which would indicate an undeveloped market for hardware and software suppliers. Concerns were expressed at the plethora of software and hardware (which made it difficult for non‐users to make a choice), the lack of independent advice, and the difficulty of keeping abreast of technology with the volume of hardware and software emerging daily. This seems to indicate that the fear of making a poor choice prevents some non‐users from making any choice. So it is seems like concerns with the unfamiliar especially in the non touchable IT area, being a barrier for the older manager from independent hotel keep in touch with IT. IT has much to offer in terms of competitive advantage. This survey recommend those non-IT hotel being changed, even with many of the barriers on their face, let the IT come to your life and make your business more easier and profitable. If we intend to get the survey as more specific as we can, which means we
vmorr026

SPG Hotels Sustainability Programs | Marriott Corporate Responsibility - 0 views

  • Make a Green Choice (MAGC) Make a Green Choice (MAGC) is our guest-facing sustainability and loyalty program in which our guests can choose to help reduce our environmental footprint. Any guest at a participating SPG hotel can Make a Green Choice by forgoing full housekeeping for up to three days in a row (excluding their check-out day). For each night a guest opts into MAGC, they receive 250-500 Starpoints or a $5/5€ Food & Beverage voucher, while helping to reduce the use of water, energy and chemicals. Sustainable Food & Beverage We aim to integrate leading sustainable and social practices and principles into our core Food & Beverage strategy and operations. We are working to reduce the negative impacts of our business while supporting locally sourced ingredients and their suppliers. View Sustainable Food & Beverage Policy (PDF) Sustainable Meeting Practices (SMP) Sustainable Meeting Practices (SMP) includes a globally aligned collection of initiatives that integrate environmental and social concerns into the meeting process. This includes a Meeting Impact Report that calculates the carbon footprint of a customer’s meeting, tracks the sustainable practices incorporated during the event, and provides the ability to offset the meeting’s carbon footprint.
  •  
    Sustainability strategies are being imposed in hotel chains and one program that I am familiar with is the MAGC in which starwood properties participated in. They have the guidelins to be on brand with these sustainability programs which is both beneficial to our guests loyalty and help sustain on what is left in nature. It has been shown in this topic the different programs that involves every department. The MAGC being introduced or offered to guests upon check-in is a good way to let our guests know that we truly cares and value our environment. And email receipt is also recommended. The SMP is for company or meeting planners with the recommendation of going paperless and go digital and still be efficient and effective. This is also to prevent the property and participants in making unnecessary wastes.
anonymous

Restaurants in 2021: Technology and Hospitality Search for Balance | QSR magazine - 0 views

  • And the end result is going to benefit guests, which opens opportunity for restaurants
  • At the intersection of much of this conversation is technology. Roughly half of full-service, fast casual, and coffee and snack operators, said they devoted more resources to tech during COVID, including online or in-app ordering, mobile payment, and delivery management, according to the National Restaurant Association’s 2021 State of the Restaurant Industry Report.
  • Percentage of restaurant operators who say they devoted more resources to customer-facing technology since the beginning of the outbreak in March
  • ...7 more annotations...
  • Despite tech’s position in convenient, contactless ordering, so key in today’s environment, the Association pointed out, customers miss personal service. Given the choice of ordering from a server or ordering from their phone or a tablet at the table, most want the server.
  • Up next is the server versus tablet dilemma. Given a choice, most consumers prefer table service when they’re dining in a restaurant, the Association said.
  • Only one in five said the option of ordering and paying through a tablet or smartphone at the table would influence their restaurant choice
  • For example, the burger brand is deploying a “server partner” in tandem with waitstaff. Now, with handheld technology in tow, servers can spend more time roaming dining rooms and less on side tasks, like ringing up orders and delivering food. The server inputs orders at the table as they come in.
  • Among guests who plan to dine-in in a restaurant or fast-food venue in the next few months, 64 percent said they’d choose to sit in a section with traditional table service. This preference was strongest with older diners, with nearly 69 percent of Baby Boomers and 67 percent of Gen Xers saying they’d go for the section with traditional service.
  • Tech was more of a draw with Gen Z—55 percent said they would choose to order and pay electronically from their table.
  • COVID, however, forced restaurants to start listening again
teresaricks

How the cloud is disrupting the hospitality industry | Lightspeed HQ - 2 views

  • back in the 40
  • first hotel management system Hoteltype
  • n the 90s
  • ...25 more annotations...
  • first database management systems
  • The hospitality industry is at “a tipping point in terms of cloud adoption”, with hoteliers expected to invest 7 – 8% more in cloud technology over the next 2 to 3 years.
  • Cloud-based hotel management systems
  • hosted by the vendor’s server rather than the hotel’s
  • On-site hotel management software, managed by the hotel’s IT team, comes with considerable upfront, maintenance and running costs.
  • business can save 50% with cloud computing solutions
  • limitless flexibility to work with the vendors of their choice
  • cost of general operational and maintenance fees,
  • are part of the package and covered by the vendor
  • personalized experiences with the help of captured customer information
    • npate083
       
      Cloud based services will also allow the hotel to enhance the guest experience. The customer information can be captured and be shared through multiple outlets in a building to ensure the guest is receiving the best service possible.
  • With traditional software, hoteliers are limited to standalone software packages
  • Cloud-based applications are offered as software as a service (SaaS)
    • npate083
       
      Using cloud services will allow businesses to save on hardware installation cost as well as maintenance and running costs. According to this article, businesses can save 50% of their IT costs by switching to cloud services.
  • cloud-based hotel management systems are entirely scalable – they have an unlimited capacity to expand
  • One of the biggest strengths of a cloud-based hotel management system is that it can be easily connected to other software applications, even if these applications don’t share the same provider.
    • npate083
       
      Cloud services allows the flexibility of using multiple vendors of your choice, as opposed to traditional software that did not offer that type of flexibility.
  • The reality is that with traditional hotel management software, adding and removing resources is difficult and hoteliers are essentially stuck with one system until the license expiry date
  • The hospitality industry is at “a tipping point in terms of cloud adoption”, with hoteliers expected to invest 7 – 8% more in cloud technology over the next 2 to 3 years.
  • Cloud-based hotel management systems – or, simply put, systems hosted by the vendor’s server rather than the hotel’s – give hoteliers a single, scalable system from which to manage every aspect of their hotel business.
  • A Frost & Sullivan study showed that business can save 50% with cloud computing solutions. The apparition of the cloud and its flexible pricing has slashed businesses’ hardware costs, making it possible for even hotels with small budgets to run an advanced management system.
  • SaaS hotel management systems are pay-as-you-go. Therefore, rather than having to pay a large sum for a long-term commitment, hoteliers can pay smaller amounts on a regular basis.
  • The cloud lets hoteliers record this data – their preferences, transactions and behavior – every time the customer interacts in some way with their hotel, such as ordering room service, eating in the hotel restaurant or even booking a day trip or spa session.They can then use this data to make suggestions based on the customer’s preferences and behavior.
  • Secondly, they enable you to provide guests with the convenience and seamless experience they expect, even before they step into the hotel reception. Armed with a cloud-based system, you can give your guests the convenience they now expect from a hotel stay, such as booking rooms on their mobile phones or accessing their room from an app, to name a few examples.
  • with traditional hotel management software, adding and removing resources is difficult and hoteliers are essentially stuck with one system until the license expiry date. You’re in a contract, with very little wiggle room.
  • Cloud-based software gives hoteliers a hotel management system that facilitates rather than restricts business operations. Unlike their on-site predecessors, cloud-based hotel management systems are entirely scalable – they have an unlimited capacity to expand. They give hoteliers the agility and freedom to add or remove resources in line with their growth and scale their hotel management systems to the services they offer.
  • One of the biggest strengths of a cloud-based hotel management system is that it can be easily connected to other software applications, even if these applications don’t share the same provider.For hoteliers, this capacity and the possibilities that it brings are revolutionary. They now have limitless flexibility to work with the vendors of their choice and can bundle applications together thereby creating a truly customized management suite that meets their needs.
  • Cloud-based technology gives hoteliers the key to run smart businesses that are in tune with modern-day travelers, and more profitable.
  •  
    This article speaks on how cloud systems are changing the hospitality system in a BIG way. Listed below, are how it is doing so successfully: Due to Cloud-based applications being offered by a vendor, there is no expensive hardware to install which makes it a reoccurring system for smaller hotels to be able to use such an advanced system. They allow guests to maneuver through their stay stress-free and giving them the convenience of not having to go down to the front desk to ask questions or make any food orders and these cloud systems record their behavior which allows the hotels to give them suggestions on where to go, what spa treatments to get and of course, what food to order. It also allows hotels to integrate software with various vendors unlike the traditional ones being used. With this, hoteliers can now have a customized management suite to meet all of their needs.
  • ...1 more comment...
  •  
    Cloud computing software basically allows hotels to build their own IT infrastructure. Cloud computing is expanding in the trends of hospitality software allowing hotelier to operate their hotel management system with just a computer and a web browser wherever they are on real time. In addition one of the main advantage is the ability to integrate other vendor's software into their own opening a seeming less opportunity to work with whoever they desire. Cloud computing allows a cost reduction on the IT department as well as a better connectivity with guest demands and expectations.
  •  
    This article summarizes the benefits of switching from a traditional software system to a cloud based system. Some of the benefits the article mentions are low costs, better guest experience, and more flexibility. The article highly suggests that in the next few years most hoteliers will be switching to a cloud based software system.
  •  
    This article gives an in depth look at how cloud computing is enhancing the hospitality industry. It gives a variety of pros to cloud computing and compares cloud computing to traditional or older ways of using servers.
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