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As I was reading this post, I noticed that the writer used an interesting phrase. "New technology in hotels is moving at a such a rapid pace, it's no longer a question of if technology will impact the guest experiences, but a question of how. " Technology is affecting everyone's daily life nowadays. From the smart appliance in the kitchen to the digital controllable house, such as the technology you can find in the HGTV smart home, and to the every little thing that begin with an 'i'- iphone, ipad, irobot... When we are on the road, or out enjoying a meal, we also wish we can stay at somewhere that can connect us to the world by technology. Can you imagining staying at a hotel with no internet? Nope, not only we are demanding internet, we are also looking for free internet. These little things might not change the hospitality sharply, but when everyone in the industry has it and you don't, it's like losing at the very beginning of the competition.

Ever wonder what happens to the little soaps you use at the hotel you recently stayed at? Hyatt Hotels Corp. has become one of the major hotels to start recycling toiletries through the organization called Clean the World. When guests are done using their shampoos or soaps at a hotel, the housekeeping staff collects all of the used and unused products and recycles them or donates them to other countries. The organization has only been around for a few years, however other hotel chains are joining the cause to helping the environment and also humanity. It is not just in the United States that hotels are getting involved but it is expanding globally. Hotels are sending used soaps that has been re-sanitized to battered women's center and also to countries like Africa to local clinics and orphanages.

It looks like the industry is taking notice of what they can do and stepping up to the plate. It all comes down to the front line workers though, in this case housekeeping staff. Turning a room correctly is labor intensive and time consuming. Adding the step of separating the used soap and shampoo does take time. 1 minute per room per day in a 200-room hotel at 90% capacity comes out to 21 man hours per week. At $10/hr that's nearly $11,000 per year. I'm not saying it shouldn't be done. I think it's a great idea. It does many people (including the hoteliers) a lot of good. If we consider this as "goodwill" in our operating costs, it probably works out for everyone.

I have never pay attention to where the leftover of the toiletries would go, and it's nice to know that they are going to the charity. This is a great way to recycle, help reduce waste, and help support the people in struggle. Knowing such information doesn't help making the booking decision, but it sure does increase the hotel's reputation.

Recently Hilton launched their biggest marketing campaign in 97 years called "stop clicking around". The goal of this campaign to offer members of their loyalty program known as Hilton Honors special discounts just for booking directly with the company's call center, direct website or preferred travel agents. Not only would this increase revenue but it is also a great way of collecting information on their customers. This is easily done by giving the customers an exclusive incentive just for joining in. Hilton Honors is a free customer loyalty program whose members earn points during each stay that can be used for different amenities like breakfast when staying at a property.

This article goes into details about the new technology emerging in the hospitality industry and how it is that hotels are able to stay ahead of the cutting edge trends of today.

I found this article interesting as it is closely related to the discussion board topic for this week. It touches on the point that guests expect the same level of convenience that they can experience at home when they are travelling. Voice recognition devises are on the rise and this new technology is affordable enough to be a regular house-hold item. It's difficult for hotels to have a competitive edge while trying to stay one step ahead of the game. Maintaining excellent customer experiences while avoiding unnecessary touch points for the guests is the goal for many businesses. The article mentions that Hilton as a technology "test" property, where all new technology is transparently tested on staff and guests and valuable feedback in derived. I think this is an excellent idea that more hotel brands should incorporate.

In today's fiercely competitive market adopting technology to grow your hotel business is essential, to avoid facing operational bottlenecks like Hotel A, unlike Hotel B who uses the latest technology to do smart hoteliering. This means getting a cloud based Hotel PMS which can easily integrate with a POS system that is also on the cloud. This translates into having all your hotel-related data under one umbrella in one single system, on one dashboard, giving you automation, accuracy, time and most importantly convenience. So during the stay, guests can order food from the restaurant, use the spa, the gym, the travel desk or the gift shop and pay for everything during checkout without being over or undercharged so both the hotel and guests remain happy and guests have a pleasant guest experience. In my opinion Hotel A needs to upgrade their technology to integrate the cloud PMS with the POS system also on the cloud and add other facilities to supplement revenue for the hotel when room occupancy might be down.

way to make sure hotels are staying ahead of the curve

The article describes about the importance of telecommunication in the hotel industry. It also mentions the importance of choosing the right equipment, so the guest is connected to their friends and family. It also provide us an information that it is necessary to have an appropriate vendor so there is no problem once the equipment is installed in the properties. The equipment should also provide a wide range of network which would support all of its guest staying in the hotel.

Telecommunication has become the forefront in the hospitality industry, and it is a increasingly a vital priority for customers. Whether guests travel for business or pleasure, they always want to stay connected to their family and friends. In order for the hotel industry to choose the right telecom equipment that will fit the customers needs but also the hotels needs, they need to the following; effective and user-friendly telecom equipment, reliable and secure messaging software, and ample but dependable internet access. Hotel guests want the ability to feel right at home or right and their workplace when they are staying on hotel property, so having the best equipment available to a guest not only in their hotel room but also in other areas, such as library, conference room, pool area, restaurant, or even a bar. The guest wants to feel like they are handling their work business with no software or network interruptions, no matter what area in the hotel they decide to work from. With technology being such a top priority in the hospitality industry or any industry for that matter, ensuring customer satisfaction and repeated business, will anticipate a clients needs.Most importantly, before purchasing your in-room telecommunications equipment, it's best to have a good idea of your current and future telecommunication needs. Telecom equipment for the hospitality industry includes a variety of options. The most cost-effective approach is to acquire equipment with only the options you need or foresee a forthcoming need for.

Telecommunication is becoming more important in hotels in general. Choosing all the right equipment and stuff is great but if you dont have a great network to run all this equipment to allow your guess to telecommute. This will allow meeting planner to coordinate events for those not able to travel to meeting and still get the necessary information from the conference there colleagues are attending. It be very interesting to see where this will go.

This article provides 8 tips on how to email marketing. Email marketing which is a part of e-marketing is a great way to reach customers, the service is also cost effective and time efficient. The main ways to optimize emails are to get a an organic list of contacts to make sure they do not end up in the junk bin. Next the emails should be functional they should be mobile friendly and the links should work. In regards to the content it should contain more than just rate specials they can contain events or insider city tips and they should be targeted at the correct audience. Finally the sender should test it out by receiving one first.

Medallia allows hotels to know about guest experiences and suggestions that might improve the stay of future guest. With this software guest are able to give feedback on their stay and management is able to respond to them in a timely manner. TripAdvisor has partnered with Medallia so that when guest fill out a review they can also submit a survey on the same form. This is a helpful update because it saves the guest time and makes the process of leaving a review easier. This is important because it makes the guest experience better and it encourages more guest to leave feedback.

From what I read, Medallia seems like a great tool to use because it better gathers feedback from their own customers. As we already know, the customer is always first. It does make me wonder how Medallia recognizes reviews? How does Medallia come to the specific stats of a company? With more partnerships, Medallia can gather more reviews across the entire web. I'm sure companies have made a real impact on the business with the use of Medallia. I do believe it's something companies should experiment with before diving in completely.

Not everyone may not familiar with the accounting journal entries that happened in restaurants and hotels since food sales and staying at a hotel are not quite the same as normal goods being sold in a retail sore. In this article, the author has introduced the accounting records and record journal entries which restaurants and hotels set to keep track of business transactions. The whole process includes four main parts: recording revenue, costs of sales, operating expenses, and capital purchases.

In this article, Hess describes the advanced technology and software Hilton is using and/or testing that was unveiled at their Innovation Gallery recently. From guest interaction, both on property and off, to recruitment and training tools, Hilton is investing in a more technologically integrated future following the success of its key app. 

Hotels need to find innovative ways to offer value-added tools and technologies for their guests. I think Hilton is doing a great job connecting with their guests and offering in-room technology. Other hotels, such as the Peninsula, offer guests a smart phone during their stay, which helps them use GPS, make dinner reservations, among other tools. This is especially useful for guests who come from different countries and do not have local mobile network accessibility. Hilton is at the forefront of technology and this is one of their competitive advantages.

With Disney hotels already having incorporated the use of smart technology in wristbands to make purchases and enter hotel rooms without a key card, it was only a matter of time before technology in other forms started to trickle in to make guests' stays easier and more accommodating. In this article, the introduction of Ivy, a 24-hour virtual concierge service, is discussed. Caesar's Entertainment Las Vegas Resorts are the first, according to the article, to debut this technology. It is also the first text message service that has artificial intelligence built-in. So, in other words, during their stay, guests have (assuming they have an iPhone) two Siri's. According to the information provided in the article, it's as simple as guests having the ability to send text messages if and when they need something. In over 6,000 rooms of the Caesar's Entertainment Resorts, Ivy is currently live. Already this February, it is expected to expand to Planet Hollywood Las Vegas. The SVP, Michael Marino, asserted that the new technology allows for the hotel to increase the quality of the guests' experience and improve efficiency. It is automatic, so as soon as guests provide their phone numbers, they are greeted with a text message from Ivy prompting them to text her with any questions or concerns they may have during their stay at the hotel. Surveys are also held during the stay so that if anything is going wrong or a guest is unhappy, the circumstances can be improved in the moment. Overall, the use and implementation of this new technology is an example of technology boosting productivity, speed and efficiency in the customer service aspect of the hospitality industry.

Module 2: Hardware/Software (Berkley Alessandrini) The following article compares the current top/trendy management software programs within the hospitality industry - specifically within lodging operations. Obviously manually updating your hotel's information is no longer an effective way to do things. The following article breaks down certain software programs like; My Cloud PMS, Oracle, roomMaster, etc, and gives information on each that differentiates them. I can relate to the article because I have experience working with a few different types of software programs and I know first-hand how important it is to have a software that is convenient, organized, and user friendly. Depending on the program, they have the ability to be customised based on needs of the hotel and can even add certain features if necessary. After analysing the article, I believe that it is vital to compare the different programs available to find a PMS that fits best for your specific hotel. In some cases, maybe your property will not benefit from the "top" management software system; therefore you must compare and find one that will work best with your needs, requirements, budget, etc. It is important for the Lodging Industry to take full advantage of the technology that is provided to them and as technology is constantly evolving - you must (as a business) evolve with the changes and update your current technology to lead and stay ahead of the trends. Having a software that provides your hotel with the best features, availability, etc. is a must!

This article highlighted how I.T has impacted the guests' experience in a positive way by providing modern technology to gain a competitive advantage among its competitors. This article indicated how they are staying ahead of the curve with modern technology to stay competitive with other hotels

POS is becoming a part of everyday life. Most businesses whether small or large are relying on those systems to operate and keep tabs on their business. Those systems allow companies to record daily transactions with easily accessible information like tracking inventory and keeping tabs on what sells most.

POS systems have developed to be the heart of a business. They can take from HR, to analytics, to A.I. all in one place. The main objectives of these developing are to provide more information to the owners or managers to make better decisions for their business. They can control better the labor, the displaying of products, the hours of operations and others. More and more business are benefiting from the upgrades provided by the companies that handle the POS'. Next, you will find the 5 most trending POS benefits: -Increase in mobile payments and tablets POS. -Adoptions of cloud technology. -A seamless personalized customer experience. -The impact of Artificial Intelligence. -Use of data and analytics Hector Pachon.

I believe it is important for hotel brands to evolve with the people who are staying there. Nothing beats being at home; however, it is pretty awesome when you are staying away from home and do not feel as if you are missing out. This article covers just that, making a bold statement with their title; "High Tech and High Class: How Luxury Hotels are Embracing Technology". Modern hotels are on " a deeper level of connectivity than a simple iPod doc, or a reliable Internet connect". Many are using state of the art devices and software which allows their guests to control from the lighting in the room to even housekeeping. The article also talks about Shane Krige, General Manager of the Plaza in New York City. He purchased a few iPads for the hotel lobby for his guests to play with. The feedback led to the hotel putting an iPad in every room at the Plaza. The Star Hotel & Casino in Sydney Harbour now offers a Control4 systems which gives guests a touch screen control for the TV, lighting and temperature and even music. Even better than the touch screen control the suites all feature "a button labeled "Leaving Room" by the entry door that automatically places the suite in an energy-saving mode: With a single touch, it closes blinds, turns off lights and dials back air conditioners for energy savings. Should you forget to press this on your way out, after 30 minutes the system will sense there is no one and trigger the button automatically. Upon return your room will greet you by opening curtains, turning on the lights and displaying a welcome message". Greener might be more expensive; however, it pays for itself and saves the hotel money in the long run.

Week 6 Diigo - This article was all about how the use of mobile devices can grow a restaurant's business. The four tactics that were discussed were engaging with customers on their level, offer mobile ordering,stay connected with customers, and offer loyalty programs. Engaging with customers includes posting and responding to customers on social media websites, creating a personal connection with customers. Offering mobile ordering allows for customers to have quick and convenient access to your food. This gives them the ability to still choose your restaurant even if they are on a time crunch. staying connected with customers involves sending out reminders to customers about specials, coupons, etc to encourage them to remember your restaurant and choose to go to it. Lastly, offering loyalty programs will encourage customers to visit your restaurant more than usual just to receive the free perks that come with the loyalty program.

With technology evolving and changing at a fast pace it is changing both what consumers expect and how the Hospitality industry responds to these expectations as well as how they do business themselves. The article highlights the many trends in the Hospitality industry. These trends include the improving and overhauling of a Wi-Fi network, conference rooms that offer Audio visual equipment, Smart room keys and many other different trends.

In today's world we are surrounded by technology; however, sometimes we do not realize the extreme of which we are surrounded by until we stop and look around. The Hospitality industry is quickly adapting to the technologically world we live it. I read an article written by Jeff Robinson, Technical Director for Aurecon titled "Technology in the hospitality industry - exploring the very latest trends". This article was beyond interesting because it touched on some on the way technology has already changed the hospitality industry and ways it will be changing it for the future. Robinson tells us in his article that "some of the trends in industry are leading to great improvements and savings for hospitality industry companies; while some are changing how hotel developers plan their buildings, infrastructure, management structure and staffing requirements". This means its not only about the bottom dollar, but the experience of each guest when they stay at the hotel. Robinson also states the obvious fact that travelers these days do not see Wi-Fi as a perk, but more of a must have. Full access to audio-visual is also on the must have list especially for business meetings and conferences. What I found most interesting from Robinson's article was the introduction of the Near Field Communication (NFC) technology. This technology give you the ability to share information from a short-range frequency wireless communication. This technology is also ideal for self check-ins by guests at hotels as well as smart room keys.(Robinson) Hotel room keys have come a long way. From an actual key, key card in which you insert, to a key card you simply pass close to the reader and now the birth of the smart key. "Smart room access system allow guests to unlock their doors by simply swiping their phones across a keyless pad on the door.". (Robinson) Now how awesome is that. Robinson also talks about other new technology just as the future of hotel in room entertainment, hotels offering

It has been well described and defined that technology impacted the hospitality industry in which it has advantage and disadvantages. The update and development of software creates a change in the business. This justifies that better software leads to better customer service. For this development has given most business opportunity to grow as they give them better tools.

This article describes how many restaurants are now adding tablets to their POS systems. Major chains, such as Applebee's, TGI Friday's, and Outback Steakhouse, are now using these tablets at many of their tables. The article suggests that the servers' tips are either staying the same or increasing due to the ability of the customer to merely tap a 20% tip. Also, the article suggests that sales for the restaurant have increased and labor costs have decreased. It appears that this trend will continue to increase in restaurants.

Sabre Corporation has teamed up with BYHOURS, the leading international platform for hotel microstays, in order to provide Sabre's agency community the ability to sell rooms by the hour through BYHOURS' Sabre Red App. Travel agents using Sabre's GDS will now have access to BYHOURS' content in order to meet the new demand for microstays from buyers who want more options with regards to their stays. This agreement comes as the hospitality and hotel needs have shifted due to COVID-19 conditions that include needing to work and meet remotely and has increased interest in leisure staycations and stopover travel. Customers have the ability to select check-in time, length of stay and pay the time they use the rooms. BYHOURS is headquartered in Barcelona and has a second office in Mexico City which serves as the hub for Latin America and the U.S. The agreement with Sabre reinforces their objective to open up the North American market.