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Cyber thieves are crafty and persistent in finding ways to breach security to gain access to personal information. The hospitality industry, hoteliers, restaurants and other such businesses that rely on the use of personal information to provide service to their customers are particularly at risk.

Initial steps in the risk-management process Hospitality companies should first focus on developing a robust internal risk-management program, including the establishment of strong policies and procedures; training and insurance can reduce the chances of a data breach and mitigate the damages if a breach occurs.

In general, an organization should review the following areas to begin developing a well-rounded risk-management program: Corporate security policy Asset classification and control Personnel security Computer-network and management protocols for vulnerability System access controls Privacy and regulatory compliance

Software as a service (SaaS) is a software distribution model in which a cloud provider hosts applications and makes them available to end users over the internet. In this model, an independent software vendor (ISV) may contract a third-party cloud provider to host the application.

Products range from personal entertainment, such as Netflix, to advanced IT tools.

The application will be accessible to any device with a network connection. SaaS applications are typically accessed via web browsers.

Now hotels have the perfect solution for managing meeting room sales and catering operations — IQbanquet, available from Deerfield Beach, Fla.-based IQware. Designed specifically for the hospitality industry, IQbanquet provides your sales and management team a suite of powerful tools to efficiently handle every aspect of your operation, saving you significant time and headaches while increasing your profitability and service levels. 

The IQbanquet difference begins as the event is being created. Too often in the hospitality industry, initial inquiries are just written down on paper, and then later checked for availability and placed into the hotel’s database. With IQbanquet, the client’s information is directly entered into the system as it’s provided.

The simple fact is that cyber criminals today want information that they can use to make money

We found that nearly 90 percent of attacks were designed to steal customer information including cardholder data, e-mail addresses and account information.

many restaurants and franchise businesses, unsecure and public WiFi networks are conveniently (for the criminal) connected to point of sale systems.

ecognizing that operating hotels is a global industry, HFTP determined that there is not a globally accepted method that financial professionals, ownership structures, investors and benchmarking information services can use to support efficient operations. There is also not a globally accepted method to monitor investment performance from region to region without significant assumptions and data mining.

Currently, research is being conducted into current practices. This research will identify who is doing what in different parts of the world, with a view to establishing best practice and providing practical guidance for students, practitioners and professionals involved in the industry.

In order to create a global resource for the hospitality finance industry, Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals (HFTP®) began development on a global hospitality accounting system users guide this past March. Recognizing that operating hotels is a global industry, HFTP determined that there is not a globally accepted method that financial professionals, ownership structures, investors and benchmarking information services can use to support efficient operations. There is also not a globally accepted method to monitor investment performance from region to region without significant assumptions and data mining. HFTP’s Global Hospitality Accounting System Users Guide (GHASUG) will address this need. Where does the project stand right now? Currently, research is being conducted into current practices. This research will identify who is doing what in different parts of the world, with a view to establishing best practice and providing practical guidance for students, practitioners and professionals involved in the industry. The guidance will be formulated by industry experts, based on the research findings. To date HFTP has commitments from major information benchmarking companies, hotel corporations, hospitality associations and globally recognized hospitality schools around the world. Once completed, HFTP will make the outcome accessible online, together with analytical tools. It will be available at a minimal cost and users will have the capability to print versions if they desire. The hotel sector currently enjoys the benefits of an accounting structure developed in the USA specifically for the industry.  The Uniform System of Accounts for the Lodging Industry has been widely adopted, principally by US based operating companies, and linked to management contract terms.  HFTP has been involved in this project for many years and will continue to sponsor the 11th edition in support and via a monetary contribution.

Some believe the vendor RFP process allows a hotel company to pick the most qualified service/product provider through an unbiased decision process. Perhaps this is the case for commoditized supplies or services (housekeeping supplies, linens, laundry, etc.) where the RFP process allows for comparing the proverbial "apples to apples."

At a typical hotel, who is equipped with the latest best practices in digital technology and marketing to sufficiently and adequately prepare a vendor RFP? Very few hotel companies have the bandwidth and depth of knowledge to adequately identify the digital needs of the property. Nor can they convey the property's needs and wants in the digital space and where it needs to be in 6, 12, 24 and 36 months from now. Lastly, who at the property can afford to devote considerable time to research and prepare a vendor RFP that asks the right questions, conveys the right objectives and provides a solid framework for evaluating and comparing one digital technology and marketing firm to the next?

On the hotel side, the typical vendor RFP process easily takes 50+ hours from beginning to end. On the digital technology and marketing vendor side, time to review, respond, and present takes upwards of 25-40 hours. Typically, three vendors compete and with all parties combined the entire RFP process will cost upwards of $15,000-$20,000. Beyond the cost, this process consumes the time and energy of multiple people and departments on an average of every two years for the hotel company.

British merchants are not rushing to adopt the services, instead taking a cautious approach to introducing new payment technology and solutions into their businesses

if merchants fail to offer payment solutions that appeal to customers, they could risk frustrating and ultimately losing long-term visitors

[The merchant] can specifically pick out age, first time [at establishment] and gender and create a group around that … and then push out a special offer.

Wi-Fi in the walls at the Mandarin Oriental New York

there’s wireless Internet in the walls

The hotel group has contracted Ruckus Wireless to install its Wi-Fi wall switches for all 248 guest rooms in its flagship New York City hotel, citing “explosive demand” for wireless capacity.

Wishart said the most appealing aspect of the iPad is how it speeds up the ordering process in the restaurant. “The orders are in the kitchen or bar while the server is still at the table,” he said.

He said food and beverage notes can quickly be called up from the tablets’ built-in applications or third-party software by the wait staff to answer guest inquiries.

Wishart said he spent about $3,000 on the hardware — including around $500-plus for each of four iPads and another $900 or so for four wireless printers, two of which are in the kitchen, while the third and fourth are in the bar and dining room. That compares with the $12,000 to $20,000 upfront costs of some conventional POS systems, he said.

InvoTech’s system makes our property significantly safer and our security operation more effective and efficient,” said Ballester

can adapt to their specific security and budgetary needs to automate a variety of security department functions that include

Believe it or not, most hoteliers don’t fully understand what the cloud is

There is the natural inability of the hotelier withstand outages or hacker attacks in the cloud

The problem is most of these organizations aren’t sure of how much to rely upon the cloud and even in some cases what makes up cloud services.

Mobile systems are transforming the payment environment. According to investment bank Barclays Capital, U.S. mobile commerce sales--that is, purchases made on smartphones and tablets--hit $5.3 billion in 2011, up 83 percent from the year before. Generator Research, a consulting firm specializing in digital media, projects that by 2014, usage by consumers will grow 600 percent to 490 million worldwide.

The South Carolina Hospitality Association's interim director, Rick Erwin, also contracted a Columbia accounting firm to conduct an independent audit of the association's finances late last week."He has made sure that he has personal control over all the bank accounts and all the transactions and contributions," said association spokesman Bob McAlister. "Everything at the association is now 100 percent secure."