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Hoteliers don't give security a high enough priority Security is not as high on the hotel agenda as it should be according to Michael Hartmann, Senior Vice President for Hospitality Solutions with Siemens Building Technologies . Here he looks at the reluctance to invest in the latest security systems, the different levels of security typically employed and the benefits of an integrated approach.

The many aspects of security at hotels boil down to policy and technology. The policy element includes emergency planning and the individual procedures implemented by a hotel. Technology now plays an integral role in the security mix, from badging and staffing communications to electronic keys and surveillance cameras. Hotels are attractive places for criminals to target travelers, who are inherently more vulnerable. Best bet: Always assess a hotel neighborhood and facilities with the same vigilance as at home or in other public spaces. Help your meeting attendees understand the policies and potential risks before they arrive. Security Questions for Hotels: Will trade-show exhibitors require secure storage for any display items? Are there areas near a hotel that attendees should be warned to avoid? Are hotel employees CPR certified? Is defibrillator equipment available onsite? Are there any policies and procedures organizers should be aware of in the event of an emergency?

The Kana Hotel Group operates over 30 properties from Hilton, IHG, and Marriott. The Kana group is updating security at its 30 properties to ILCO 790 RFID locks. The 790 RFID locks are going to be more reliable for guests to use because the new system eliminates the problem of guests having to return to the front desk to have their keys recoded, due to deactivating the back of the strip. This new system will eliminate the key card from losing its information from other magnetic objects and cell phones. I think upgrading their locks to the ILCO 790 RFID units is a great move. Not only will this bring better security to properties but also this makes a guests experience so much better. More often lately I've had keys deactivate themselves for no reason at all or they were next to something magnetic. It is a hassle sometimes to go all the way back to the front desk after a long day to deal with a key that no longer works. This is a great move since ILCO locks are high quality and this brings additional security to a hotel property.

Nowadays, people are traveling with more valuables than they used to years ago. As a result, "hotel security measures are now paramount for hoteliers, and selecting the right type of locking system for the property can be a minefield for owners". Mechanical keys and poorly maintained electronic door locks do not offer guests a sense of security. Modern RFiD card systems are becoming the popular technological choice for hoteliers. Biometric locks, which read a fingerprint or face, are reliable and cost-effective, as well. However, they are more of an ideal security solution for offices, back-of-house, or wine stores. Not only are the RFID locks harder to hack, they are cost-effective as well. The lack of physical contact between the card and the lock makes open channels for card insertion unnecessary. The cards do not have a magnetic strip or contain microchips. The card itself only has encrypted non-personal information associated with it. In addition, since there is no contact between the card and lock, "there is no requirement for read head cleaning or replacement of read heads due to wear". As a result, the amount of faulty cards is minimized and guest satisfaction increases.

As this article mentioned, more and more people pay attention on the issue of hotel security because of the development of modern technology. People began to worry about their safety. For the locking system, we use RFID card systems to ensure the safety. Even though it is lost, we can deactivate it at soon. It also reduce the burden of employees in Front Desk. At the same time, we should observe surrounding environment and learn to protect ourselves. In my opinion, the updating of this locking system is a very good idea to save cost and more efficiently.

This article answers questions that summarize the change in hotel security. The article explains why hotels have taken a new route in locks for the guests, stating that the needs of a secure stay has grown with the changes in the value of goods that each customer brings.  The article concludes with a brief description of how hotel security will evolve over the next 5-10 years.  overall i think this is a good article that explains some of the questions that many people have.

"E-proDirect takes an important step in uniting the company by launching a new common brand identity. It reflects a combination of the company's innovative product line, as well as their success as one of the true pioneers in the hospitality industry."

This article, though a few years old, discusses the implications and overall market share the POS has in the marketplace. While these suppliers saw a downturn in the recent recession (as most businesses did), they are beginning to see their business turn the 'corner' as hospitality companies invest into their companies...primarily getting out of date systems current and adding mobile applications. Proving that they are embracing the technology surge in the hospitality industry.

This article touches on the progression of recycling, as well as wether or not the products we think we are recycling are actually being recycled. As it turns out, most of the stuff consumers send out for recycling does in fact get recycled. The reason the materials that are recylclable are labled as such is because the materials they are made of have some value. It was interesting to read however that when we recycle ink cartridges, for example, they are shipped to China where the cartriges are suked dry of the remaining ink, and then the plastic casing gets shipped to the electronic wasteland to be disposed of. The ink that remains in the cartriges is what is of value.

This artical is takling about future trends in hotel e-buinsee. In the artical one of the top strategies for hotel e-buiness is evolving from selling to engaging the customer, the way is hoteliers need to fulfill the experience expected by customers. What's more, they can engage the customer through social computing. Then this artical is talking about how to get succeed in hotel e-business, to truly engage digital travelers,hotel e-business must evovle from channel to gateway, from single purpose to all encompassing, and from functional to fulfilling. What's more, this artical show five important trends affecting hotel e-business. They are more demanding consumers; more comples distribution channels; changing business models; emphasis on technology and richer contemt; change in the structure of hotel e-business. Last this artical is talking about we need to think about both globalization and localization in any business.

Over the years, some businesses have controlled almost all factors of production and distribution (Ford in its early days) whereas others have outsourced almost everything (Dell). In the early days of industry, large enterprises controlled and owned most factors of production and businesses like Ford Motor Company in the USA had their own foundries, railroad, forestry and electricity generating plants, In the UK, Cadbury's and Lever Brothers went so far as to build villages and amenities for their workers. The motivation for this vertical integration was varied but included cost and quality control, worker loyalty and protection of proprietary processes. As well as control of production, resources and employees, businesses like Ford also controlled the retail sales and service network.

The virtual value chain, created by John Sviokla and Jeffrey Rayport, is a business model describing the dissemination of value-generating information services throughout an Extended Enterprise . This value chain begins with the content supplied by the provider, which is then distributed and supported by the information infrastructure; thereupon the context provider supplies actual customer interaction. It supports the physical value chain of procurement, manufacturing, distribution and sales of traditional companies. To illustrate the distinction between the two value chains consider the following: "when consumers use answering machines to leave a message, they are using an object that is both made and sold in the physical world, however when they buy electronic answering services from the phone company they are using the marketspace-a virtual realm where products and services are digital information and are delivered through information-based channels." (Rayport et al. 1996) Many businesses employ both value chains, including banks, which provide services to customers in the physical world at their branch offices and virtually online. The value chain is separated into two chains because the marketplace (physical) and the marketspace (virtual) need to be managed in different ways to be effective and efficient (Samuelson 1981). Nonetheless, the linkage between the two is critical for effective supply chain management.

From the fore going, the computers are valuable in the management of a business when applied with information communication technology. Correctly and controlled systems are indispensable to a well-run business that wishes to maximize effectiveness and keep one step ahead of the competitions.  Therefore the impact of information and communication technology to the hospitality establishment can not be over emphasized if effectively applied will out perform others in the face of competitions.

This article illustrates that the Network Exploitation Capacity (NEC) is an information technology resource approach to making business operations more proficient and incorporated. It explains how NEC can aid a company with three different learning strategies such as demand generation, multi-channel distribution management, and most importantly revenue optimization. This article discusses several stages that hotels go through in order to fully optimize the business, however most hotels have not fully reached the maximum benefits. The stages in this approach are as follows: basic, systematic, integrated, analytical, and finally optimizing. The first stage can provide a company results but would not give it overall efficiency. Hospitality businesses reaching stage 5 "Optimizing" would truly have the remarkable effects.

this article talks about the merger between Sabre and Passkey in creating a new system for improved group reservations. this new technology benefits directly meeting planners and hotels by creating an automated system that communicate reservations directly to the property management system. some of the benefits include real-time reports and tracking, ability to maximize attendance and therefore revenue, greater efficiency, and direct communication.

Almost everyone has recently heard of Cody Brocious and his gadget that was implemented and utilized to unlock guest room doors in Onity locking systems. This issue has been recently broadcasted all over the news and has gained the awareness of millions of people, making travelers panic when staying in hotels, and questioning their safety and security. The truth is, behind the issue at hand, travelers have been utilizing hotels and other establishments without being concerned or conscious of their safety, and with some negligence, and lack of attention, they put themselves at risk in numerous different ways. Although Brocious' invention gained the attention of the public, and although he went out of his way to be sure that other hackers out there knew how to replicate the system and how to utilize it to their advantage, enabling hackers to enter guest rooms and steal their personal belongings without their permission, or potentially cause physical harm to a traveler as well. Stated in this article, according to Forbes, the gadget that Brocious invented has proven inconsistent in its effectiveness. That is not to say that it could not eventually be improved, but with the changing in technology, and now the gained awareness, hotels are focusing more intently on ensuring guest security through their technological outlets. Technology affects many aspects of a hotel guest's security - from internet access to credit card information, along with guest room locks and personal identity. The article also suggests numerous ideas for how guests can avoid a lot of problems with their safety in mind, including using secondary security systems on their door, ensuring closure of the room door when leaving he room, as well as never keeping your room number written down with your key. The article also focuses on how utilizing your energy to ensure that your belongings are safe in your room as you would in your own home, is energy more well spent than being concerned about someone

ICT is an acronym that stands for Information Communications Tecnology. We can consider ICT to be all the uses of digital technology that already exist to help individuals, businesses and organisations to use information. It covers any product that will store, retrieve, manipulate, transmit or receive information electronically in a digital form.

With the blossoming of the telecommunications industry advancements in computer capabilities, and the development of sophisticated software to support delivery of services, technology has become a major factor in the operation of hospitality businesses. The convergence of technological applications places knowledge and information at the core of the competitive profile of tomorrow's hospitality enterprise.

Recently, the development of e-business application in the hospitality industry (e.g., travel industry, and recreational entities) and illustrate with two case studies, one is about a local hotel industry's effort to use the Internet to boost its local market; another describes the operations and its competitive strategy of an emerging online travel agency. One key issue for the e-business application in service operations is about the possibility of online delivery of the services customers ordered - as not all types of services (or products) can be delivered online, such as haircut (or hot cooked meals).The hospitality industry has followed the trend of Internet application in recent years, and sometimes even gaining its own name of Internet application - called "e-traveling" referring to all travel related business transactions now completing through Internet applications. The application of the Internet in the traveling booking industry has attracted a great amount of attention by both industrial practitioners and academic researchers. Because the information exchanging and sharing is a key part of those business operations, where the use of the Internet provides an advantage in the related information flow. One key issue for the e-business application in service operations is about the possibility of online delivery of the services customers ordered - as not all types of services (or products) can be delivered online. The travel booking industry is one of several services - which can be checked, inquired, and ordered online easily, and conveniently communicated and delivered electronically via the Internet.

Fujitsu today announced that it has worked together with the major Japanese drug store chain, Tsuruha Holdings, Inc., to develop a retail system for its first store outside Japan, which opened this July in Thailand. Tsuruha Holdings is currently strengthening the expansion of its business outside Japan, prompting the need for flexible support for additional retail locations. Fujitsu Systems Business (Thailand) Ltd., which boasts a rich track record in systems deployment is providing comprehensive support for the introduction of the new system, ranging from systems integration development of the POS systems, to deployment, maintenance and support.The new system comes equipped with a host of features that accommodate the business practices of Thailand, including sales promotion methods, storage of receipts in an electronic journal, and settings for days when the sale of alcoholic products is restricted for religious reasons.

This company Zdirect, has invented a mobile app that allows guests to use their phones as passpora during their stay. Guests can now communicate with the front desk via text message and order room service through the phone. Very interesting!

Destination Hotels & Resorts has implemented SpeedRFP. SpeedRFP represents the most robust version of the RFP tool currently available to hotels. The hotel RFP's are routed directly to Delphi sales and catering system. This system also allows for Global and National Sales Offices to be involved in the RFP process.