Skip to main content

Home/ Hospitality Technology/ Group items matching "money" in title, tags, annotations or url

Group items matching
in title, tags, annotations or url

Sort By: Relevance | Date Filter: All | Bookmarks | Topics Simple Middle
ovila009

Global distribution system (GDS): Complete guide for hotels - SiteMinder - 1 views

  • More than 600,000 travel agents plug into the GDS every day on behalf of companies to book flights, hotels, car rentals and destination activities.
  • Despite the growth of third party online travel agencies (OTAs) like Booking.com and Expedia, the GDS remains the number one way to promote your hotel to the corporate travel market globally.
  • A GDS is a worldwide conduit between travel bookers and suppliers, such as hotels and other accommodation providers.
  • ...62 more annotations...
  • The history of global distribution systems dates back to the 1960s when a more sophisticated method was needed to keep track of flight schedules, availability, and prices
    • anonymous
       
      This is how GDS started back in the day in order to keep track of things however nowadays it is used for so much more.
  • Hoteliers are always looking at ways to increase their reach to attract more customers, increase revenue, and make a profit
    • anonymous
       
      Hence why GDS is so beneficial for hotel companies and other industries.
  • As soon as a reservation is made on the GDS or an online booking website, the channel manager instantly reduces inventory across all channels, including the hotel’s own website, and automatically delivers the reservation details back into the PMS or central reservation system (CRS).
    • anonymous
       
      Reservations are now made quick and easy with this system. It gives customers a pleasant experience.
  • There are several major global distribution systems that house and process the majority of data from hotels, airlines, and other distributors. These include Amadeus, Sabre, Galileo, Worldspan, Apollo, and Pegasus.
    • anonymous
       
      Here we can see some examples of GDSs.
  • The Apollo reservation system was used by United Airlines until 2012, when it switched to SHARES, a system used by its former Continental Airlines subsidiary.
  • Sabre is seen as a pioneer for online travel agencies, corporate booking tools, revenue management, and web and mobile itinerary tools, to name a few.
  • Galileo traces its roots back to 1971 when United Airlines created its first computerised central reservation system
  • created by other airline groups in an attempt to gain market share in the computer reservation system market.
  • Worldspan is a Travelport platform, and is the technology leader in web-based travel eCommerce, offering solutions for all facets of travel business online. As a leading GDS, Worldspan provides travel distribution, technologies and services for thousands of travel companies worldwide, including travel agencies, corporations, travel suppliers and travel websites.
  • Amadeus has the biggest global footprint of any of the GDSs, with a potential reach to millions of guests.
  • Abacus was founded in 1988 and became a leading provider of travel solutions and services in the Asia Pacific region.
  • Pegasus Solutions pioneered the hospitality reservations industry.
  • The best systems will connect your hotel directly to the world’s most prominent GDSs
  • Using a software provider to tap into the GDS saves a lot of money and time.
  • Essentially, the GDS can increase hotel bookings and revenue by placing hotels on more ‘supermarket shelves’ globally.
    • anonymous
       
      It gives hotels the ability to expand and increase the number of customers they get by exposing them more internationally.
  • there are still more bookings being generated through the GDS than through hotel websites.
  • The GDS is indeed a unique and direct marketing tool for your hotel.
  • booked quickly and efficiently.
  • The GDS can help hotel managers uncover new market segments to promote their products to
  • More travel agents are relying on the GDS to find the best places for their clients to stay.
  • the GDS improves search positioning and displays your brand messaging during the search and booking process
  • Hotels generate more revenue through a GDS because it places the hotel’s information, availability and rates in prominent locations where it is easy for travel agents to find.
  • you can market all of your rooms to all of your distribution channels at one time.
  • Your GDS should help you maximise your bookings and increase your revenue
  • the capability for the GDS to integrate completely with your existing PMS, online booking engine and channel manager.
  • help you make the best decisions regarding your marketing strategy and distribution plan.
  • discover and tap into the most powerful and motivated market segments.
  • trial the GDS for a short time and measure results before continuing your subscription.
  • Because cruise travellers rely heavily on travel agents for their trip arrangements, it’s highly likely any hotel bookings will also be made through this channel.
  • A GDS is a worldwide conduit between travel bookers and suppliers, such as hotels and other accommodation providers
  • Cruises tend to rely on more conventional channels like travel agents to reach and convert guests.
  • With the cruise industry currently in a state of growth, it represents a chance for hotels to get a slice of the revenue.
  • It appears travel agents are driving most of this success, with 70% of cruise bookings made via this channel.
  • Cruises do all the hard work to book their guests but often they will arrive a day or two early or depart a day or two after their cruise, booking at hotels for the extra time.
  • Most prominent is your hotel description
  • you eliminate the frustration of signing up with each individual platform, and you can connect to all of the top providers without paying the individual fees.
  • The GDS is often used to tap into the corporate travel market because it has the ability to present hotels, flights, and car rentals in one simple interface which is convenient.
  • Live rates and availability are sent from a hotel’s property management system (PMS) directly to the GDS and online booking websites via a channel manager.
  • What are the major GDS systems?
  • here are several major global distribution systems that house and process the majority of data from hotels, airlines, and other distributors. These include Amadeus, Sabre, Galileo, Worldspan, Apollo, and Pegasus.
  • There are several major global distribution systems that house and process the majority of data from hotels, airlines, and other distributors. These include Amadeus, Sabre, Galileo, Worldspan, Apollo, and Pegasus.
  • Amadeus GDS
  • Sabre GDS
  • Galileo GDS
  • Worldspan GDS
  • Apollo GDS
  • Abacus GDS
  • Pegasus GDS
  • – like the ones mentioned above – so you don’t have to worry about signing up to each one
  • individually.
  • In one fell swoop you can access all the retail and traditional travel agents you want:
  • There are a few specifications which will greatly aid successful GDS connectivity: Being centrally located Being located close to an airport Room capacity of more than 20 rooms Lodgings that are set up for corporate markets and not affected by seasons
  • Here’s a checklist to ensure you’re using the GDS to its full potential:
  • 1. Pooled inventory
  • 2. Commission-free structure
  • 3. Integration capabilities
  • 4. Comprehensive reporting
  • 5. Ability to target specific markets
  • 6. No lengthy contracts
  • 7. Simple and affordable connection
  • Essentially, the GDS can increase hotel bookings and revenue by placing hotels on more ‘supermarket shelves’ globally. This approach is particularly effective at capturing international corporate travellers. You can gain lucrative international corporate business, particularly if you’re near a major airport gateway or close to government or commercial enterprises.
    • yoevelyn
       
      This article goes into how to optimize the use of GDS for a hotel operation and the author touched on a point we have discussed in the class before: how to market your local hotel to an international audience. The author suggests that adding your property to a GDS can be a cost-effective way to bring those international business travelers, specially if your hotel is near an airport.
  • The number of bookings generated through a GDS generally outpaces that of direct bookings
  •  
    This article goes in depth into GDS. It explains the concept of the GDS is and how eaxctly it works. It also gives examples of some major GDSs. It talks about the benefits of using GDS in hotels.
  •  
    The global distribution system in the hospitality industry is beyond vital in the act of keeping the ball rolling. GDS provides live products and offers to travelers across the globe. Whats really amazing about GDS is that live availability and rates are transferred through a channel manager directly to online booking sites. This allows guests to acquire the best rates the soonest as opposed to waiting to call a hotel or resort to see what they have and at what price.
  •  
    This article shows us everything we need to know about Hotel GDS. It includes GDS in the hotel industry, GDS work way in travel, seven major GDS systems, the way to access leading GDSs with GDS software, GDS conditions of use, benefits of connecting hotel to the GDS, and how to use the GDS to capture cruise travel bookings at hotel.
fdiaz75

Beaconstac's Beacon Tech Helps Hotels With New Marketing Opportunities - 0 views

  • Millennials are more likely to gravitate towards technologically-savvy hospitality providers who can offer them unique experiences - especially those that use their smartphones and other tech to connect with them.
  • In fact, approximately 90% of a guest's vacation time is spent outside the hotel environment. While not surprising, this leaves hotels with only a very small window to earn extra revenue from their guests.
  • Beacon technology can help by delivering relevant information directly to guests' smartphones, alerting them to events occurring within the hotel grounds, and thereby increasing the chance of keeping them on site where they are more likely to spend money with you rather than others.
  • ...1 more annotation...
  • Once in the room, the beacon technology can then turn on the lights and activate in-app controls to help the guest navigate their in-room technology. The app can also promote the room service food and drink menu, as well as the entertainment and facilities information most pertinent to the customer based on their profile.
  •  
    Interesting information about beaconstac and the abilities it allows hotels to use Bluetooth beacons to further increasing revenue. Beacon technology can determine your in your room then suggest room service or other evens in the hotel to increase the chance of guests staying on property. The fact that 90% of the time the guest will expect to be offsite, this beacon technology can try to market to keep the guest in house longer.
hankunli

The Top 5 Restaurant Theft Tactics & How to Counter Them | NetSuite - 0 views

  • It’s one thing to report lackluster restaurant sales because of a slow economy or missed marketing opportunities. It’s another entirely to realize the people you’ve hired to work for you have been skimming off the top and stealing from the register.
  • Every year in the restaurant industry, employee theft accounts for $3 to $6 billion of missing income for high-volume restaurants across the country.
  • the first step in reducing or limiting employee theft is identifying what kind of theft is taking place in your restaurant.
  • ...4 more annotations...
  • The most effective place to start is with your employee onboarding and training practices.
  • When employees first join your company, you have an excellent opportunity to set your expectations around employee theft and make clear that it’s not acceptable behavior.
  • Unfortunately, preventative strategies will only lower employee theft; they won’t eliminate it. That’s where your third and final strategy comes into play: regular reporting and monitoring of your point-of-sale (POS) system and any integratedthird-party systems, like guest loyalty and engagement software.
  • At one point or another, any staff member could give in to the desire to make more money by committing employee theft. That’s why your restaurant leadership team needs to look out for these behaviors and put policies and practices in place that make it as difficult as possible to steal from the restaurant, thereby removing the opportunity from staff members who are tempted.
  •  
    Employee theft is a frequent issue in restaurants nowadays. Ways to deal with this kind of issue include identifying the kinds of theft, identify employee theft prevention strategies, and invest in modern reporting technologies. The first step was to identify the kinds of theft and to know what has actually happened, including voiding cash checks, excessive loyalty card use, bogus dine-and-dash, etc. Next is to identify prevention strategies like telling employees in advance that theft is not acceptable. Finally, business owners need an advanced reporting system that can generate reports routinely and identify the possible employee thefts.
anonymous

The high risk of "wait and see" by Daniel Burrus - 1 views

  • The high risk of “wait and see”
  • On the surface, it makes so much sense, doesn’t it? After all, we’re dealing with a national and global economy filled with uncertainties … right?
  • Wait and see certainly seems less risky than sticking our necks out. Right? Wrong.
  • ...10 more annotations...
  • To wait is too late
  • These days, a wait-and-see strategy carries more risk than the action it postpones. Sometimes, a lot more risk.
  • Motorola, Kodak, and Polaroid all played wait and see with the shift from analog to digital. Blockbuster played wait and see with the move to online video.
  • In the past, you could afford to wait and see. It was harder for competitors to develop and deploy new offerings fast. There was time to watch new developments and then react. It was harder for newcomers, let alone established players, to completely change the game overnight.
  • Today we’re in a time of light-speed transformation. Today, new competitors can emerge rapidly, even from completely different parts of the globe. The barriers to entry are absurdly low.
  • Understand:  transformation is vastly different from mere change.
  • “Wait and see” is often rooted in budget concerns. Let’s say someone suggests your company redesign its website. You shoot down the suggestion:  “No, we already have a website that works just fine.” Designing a new site would costs money, while playing wait and see avoid that new expense … right? Not necessarily.
  • Stop waiting, start doing
  • How can we reinvent retail?” They embraced a transformational mindset to redefine retail and extend their brand.
  • In a world filled with uncertainty, it’s easy to fall into a wait and see mindset. But saying “Not now” bears a cost just as high as saying “Let’s do it!” – if not higher. Remember this:  If you don’t do it, someone else will. They’re doing it right now!
zihanwang

Hotel Accounting: Three Trends on the Horizon | Hospitality Technology - 0 views

  • the behind-the-scenes services and solutions that power the guest experience are evolving just as quickly
  • M3, a cloud-based financial platform for the hospitality industry, recently hosted hundreds of hospitality accounting professionals from across the globe at its biannual Partners’ Meeting. The event allowed hoteliers to see first-hand how quickly the industry is evolving to help solve real-world issues facing today’s hoteliers.
  • Customized technology that allows properties to work more efficiently in a way that makes sense for them will continue to gain traction in the hospitality accounting industry.
    • anonymous
       
      1. Smarter, personalized solutions are putting time back into the hands of hoteliers In order words saving time by cutting back on things that used to take up a lot of time but now would be much faster and quicker to do with the help of technological advancements. This will give hotel managers the chance to spend less time on their computers and instead more time helping guests.
  • ...16 more annotations...
  • Insight enables users to create custom reports with data from the industry’s most recognized data providers, along with operating statistics, brand data and proprietary M3 financial and labor data into a personalized, actionable dashboard allowing hoteliers to make real decisions in real time
  • can save hours of time previously spent manually exporting data to create various types of reports
  • M3 recently debuted a new electronic imaging solution that relies on Optical Character Recognition (OCR) to extract key data from imported documents and eliminate the need for manual input.
    • anonymous
       
      2. Automated Imaging (AI) is changing the way accountants do business. AI would be very beneficial as it is very accurate and it has a memory which saves important information and the more one uses it the faster it works.
  • The more a hotelier utilizes this system, the easier it becomes, as the solution learns and stores critical information, significantly speeding up A/P workflow with each use.
  • millennial employees play a critical role in helping to identify valuable trends as well as negative trends in need of adjustment.
    • anonymous
       
      3. Millennial employee is just as important as the millennial guest. Given that the millennial generation are the more tech savvy generation it is equally important to have them as guests as it is to have them as employees. Not only are they up to date with all the technological equipment but they also know what trend are happening now.
  • harness the potential of employees in this age range or risk getting left behind or over investing in archaic solutions.
  • It used to take days to add a new hotel to our system, but we’re now able to get up and running in an hour or two through cloud-based tech solutions.
  • employers can maximize productivity and buy-in from the millennials on their payroll.
  • the behind-the-scenes services and solutions that power the guest experience are evolving just as quickly
  • Day-to-day processes are becoming smarter, more efficient and more streamlined, saving hotels and property management firms both time and money in the process.
  • #1. Smarter, personalized solutions are putting time back into the hands of hoteliers.
  • Successfully managing these assets demands cutting-edge adaptable solutions tailored to our industry.
  • allowing managers to spend less time behind a computer and more time in a hotel’s lobby interacting with guests.
  • #2. Automated Imaging is changing the way accountants do business.
  • #3. The Millennial employee is just as important as the millennial guest.
  • . In hotel accounting, the bells and whistles of excessive new technologies take a back seat to real solutions proven to boost bottom lines, which allows hotels to run leaner and more efficient than ever before.
  •  
    The article talks about three trends that are happening now within the hospitality industry relating the accounting topic.
  •  
    The paradigm shift of technology is shaping the hotel business and powering up the operational and financial performance. we witness increased automation and intelligence in Hotel Accounting Services out there. The robust Hotel Accounting Software even leverage the Business Intelligence, in delivering the insights on key performance indicators . Accounting Software can not only help hotel saving cost but also can help hotel increase productivity
hankunli

Software Helping to Set Hotel Room Rates Put to the Test During the Pandemic – Skift - 0 views

  •  
    The special situation has put revenue management to a test. Some of the users did not feel significant help, but others have insisted that the software was helpful. Related to the changes to hotels in the pandemic, their competitive set may also change and they should reconsider the prices. To adjust the prices, better use of the software in hand is recommended. It also requires human and software to analyze the signals together. On the vendors' side, they also need to tune up their software. Some of them made their software to concern more on recent data, and some of them made it able to turn down the autopilot of the software to suit different needs. Some hotels keep investing in technology innovation despite the tight budget, even pressed ahead during the worst time. Staffing adjustments and layoffs also made them more preferring to use software and external consultants. But during this special time, smaller properties may succeed more by using new technologies. In sum, despite the huge decrease in revenue, hotels are trying to grab the maximum money they can gain.
blevi022

Biden, Gates, Musk and Other V.I.P. Twitter Users Are Hacked in Bitcoin Scam - The New York Times - 0 views

  • A Brazen Online Attack Targets V.I.P. Twitter Users in a Bitcoin Scam
  • In a major show of force, hackers breached some of the site’s most prominent accounts, a Who’s Who of Americans in politics, entertainment and tech.
  • Dozens of the biggest names in America — including Joseph R. Biden Jr., Barack Obama, Kanye West, Bill Gates and Elon Musk — posted similar messages on Twitter: Send Bitcoin and the famous people would send back double your money
  • ...6 more annotations...
  • It was all a scam, of course, the result of one of the most brazen online attacks in memory.
  • But soon after, the list of victims broadened to include a Who’s Who of Americans in politics, entertainment and tech, in a major show of force by the hackers.
  • Twitter’s investigation into the breach revealed that several employees who had access to internal systems had their accounts compromised in a “coordinated social engineering attack,” a spokesman said, referring to attacks that trick people into giving up their credentials
  • the attack was concerning to security experts because it suggested that the hackers could have easily caused much more havoc
  • Security experts said that the wide-ranging attacks hinted that the problem was caused by a security flaw in Twitter’s service
  • Cybersecurity experts said the attack showed how vulnerable social media remains to attacks
  •  
    While this story isn't directly about hospitality it shows that poor security by technology companies like Twitter can lead to compromised access social media accounts of prominent figures. The Social Media Hospitality could be and used scam their customers.
jackyreis

Price Comparison: 7 Best Event Registration Software - 1 views

  • Price Comparison: 7 Best Event Registration Software
  • How to Choose Event Registration Software
  • Key Features
  • ...25 more annotations...
  • Reputation
  • Attendee Engagement
  • Extra tools 
  • Pricing
  • 1. Eventbrite
  • Pros: Eventbrite is a software that is commonly used across industries. It’s a good choice for a small social event or party as well.
  • Cons: This software may be good for event registration but lacks attendee engagement functionalities. The fee has also been steadily increasing. 
  • 2. Whova
  • Pros: This event registration tool may be a good option especially for European events. It is a robust software for large enterprise-level conferences and trade fairs.
  • Cons: If you expect fewer than 50 attendees, or if your event is a wedding or party, Whova may not be a good fit.
  • 3. Xing Events
  • Pros: Whova has almost the lowest per-ticket price in the industry, capped at $5, so it is a great option for higher ticket prices. It also offers a suite of features that significantly boost attendee participation and interactions through the event app. Two birds, one stone (read more: save money on event registration tool & double audience participation).
  • Cons: It offers an app for event check-in, but similar to other traditional brands, its strength may not be in offering modern mobile technology for audience engagement and attendee networking.
  • 4. Brown Paper Tickets
  • Pros: They work well with charity events, performances, and various non-profit / school events.
  • Cons: This software may not be a great choice for mid- or large-scale conferences, and some customers have complained that the reporting is not very robust.
  • 5. Wild Apricot
  • Pros:  It may be affordable for a small community’s regular gatherings. It has various pricing options for different types and sizes of organizations. It is integrated with Whova all-in-one attendee engagement and logistic management system, so you can easily sync your registrant information with Whova.
  • Cons: If you only have an annual event and do not need to manage membership, it may not be a good fit for you.
  • 6. Ticketleap
  • Pros: This event registration software is simple to use and works well with relatively small events and performances.
  • Cons: It doesn’t offer the complex organizational tools of conference registration software, so it might not be a good fit for large, multi-day, multi-track conferences.
  • 7. Constant Contact
  • Pros: Constant Contact easily integrates with other systems (e.g. Whova, Eventbrite) so you can build invitations and registration into your email marketing campaigns.
  • Cons: This is an unnecessary solution if you don’t intend to send many emails to your contacts, as you will still need to be an Eventbrite customer to use the registration feature.
  •  
    This article was able to summarize all the different event registration softwares that are available currently and their pros and cons. It gives you a good idea on what software you would prefer for your company depending on what they have to offer.
laurenperdomo

What Is Cybersecurity? - Cisco - 1 views

  • A successful cybersecurity approach has multiple layers of protection spread across the computers, networks, programs, or data that one intends to keep safe.
  • a cybersecurity attack can result in everything from identity theft, to extortion attempts, to the loss of important data like family photos.
  •  
    This article talks about what cybersecurity is and shows you how a cyberattack can unfold. Cybersecurity is the practice of protecting systems, networks, and programs from digital attacks. These cyberattacks are usually aimed at accessing, changing, or destroying sensitive information, extorting money from users, or interrupting normal business processes. Technology is essential to giving organizations and individuals the computer security tools needed to protect themselves from cyber-attacks. Three main entities must be protected: endpoint devices like computers, smart devices, and routers; networks; and the cloud. In today's connected world, everyone benefits from advanced cyber defense programs. At an individual level, a cybersecurity attack can result in everything from identity theft, to extortion attempts, to the loss of essential data like family photos. Everyone relies on critical infrastructures like power plants, hospitals, and financial service companies. Securing these and other organizations is vital to keeping our society functioning
  •  
    This article explains what is cyber security and why it is essential. Not securing our important data can have negative outcomes such as loss of identity, financial damage, and potential lawsuits.
sharlabrunsvold

At Disney Parks, a Bracelet Meant to Build Loyalty (and Sales) - The New York Times - 3 views

  • The initiative is part of a broader effort, estimated by analysts to cost between $800 million and $1 billion, to make visiting Disney parks less daunting and more amenable to modern consumer behavior. Disney is betting that happier guests will spend more money.
  • Disney is not the first vacation company to use wristbands equipped with radio frequency identification, or RFID, chips. Great Wolf Resorts, an operator of 11 water parks in North America, has been using them since 2006.
  • The logistical challenges involved in pulling this off are extensive. Disney has 60,000 employees here and many must be retrained to use new technology.
  • ...1 more annotation...
  • At Disney
  •  
    Since most of us no longer give Magic Bands at Walt Disney World a second thought, I thought it would be interesting to look into the past to see how they were interrupted before they were launched. This article discusses the risks, challenges, costs, and competitors at the time. It dives into the discussion many Disney fans had about their privacy and well-being, and it directly aligns with our material this week. We can now see the pay off of this specific management information system, showing their importance in a business's success.
sharline86

The Line Between Social Media and E-Commerce Is Beginning to Disappear - Fashionista - 0 views

  • With mobile shopping, peer-to-peer e-commerce and influencer marketing continually on the rise, social commerce is finally becoming the next wave of retail.
  • a new shopping feature that would allow users to shop and purchase items on the platform without leaving the app.
  • "Shopping will continue to be an investment for us, and we're excited to continue to listen to feedback from our community on how they want to better shop on Instagram,"
  • ...9 more annotations...
  • One example that Napoli finds interesting is how retailers are teaming with influencers to co-create exclusive collections. (Think Something Navy's success with Nordstrom). "Those kinds of partnerships allow the influencer the ability to reach out to their following," says Napoli. "Not only is the influencer co-creating with the brand or retailer, but also really leveraging Instagram tools, which are polls and submitting feedback, to determine what to create next."
  • new apps are starting to pop up with social commerce at the core of their business.
  • Each brand or store on Countr, including Bloomingdale's, Outdoor Voices, Aritizia and hundreds more, is personalized with product recommendations based on the user's social activity.
  • "Starting Countr came from the realization that online shopping is still really inefficient and, more importantly, shopping is fundamentally a social experience,"
  • In January, Eric Senn launched Storr, another app in this space that essentially turns people into retailers. "We're really excited about the potential that Storr has to revolutionize traditional retail and capitalize on the social commerce movement in a way that empowers people to make money that would normally go to traditional retailers," says Senn.
  • "We're moving away from channel-first commerce to people-first commerce."
  • "Along the way, we lost the social experience that shopping can be, which so many people have enjoyed throughout the history of commerce."
  • "What Twitch did was it created not only a livestream experience, but a meaningful interaction through that livestream over a shared experience."
  • Creating a space that's a one-stop shop where people can have a community and share images of items they may be able to purchase back and forth with friends — there's a real ROI to that. That's the revolution here."
  •  
    A look at what we can expect as social media begins to play a big factor in the growing future of e-commerce. By leveraging social media tools and focusing on a people-first commerce approach.
  •  
    Facebook marketplace, instagram links, pinterest links, poshmark, etc..
anonymous

The Hidden Benefits of Restaurant POS Software | QSR magazine - 0 views

  • The retail and restaurant industries run on many systems, but the one thing that ensures a smooth and efficient operation for them will always be the POS system they have in place.
  • modern POS systems impact a business positively in so many ways
  • the point-of-sale system makes critical aspects of the business such as sales, payments, and inventory more streamlined
  • ...13 more annotations...
  • More detailed and accurate reportsThe importance of reports to any business—or organization for that matter—can never be stressed enough. Ideally, all business decisions are based on the information contained in reports, and that’s why it’s absolutely essential that they contain nothing but detailed and accurate data.
  • Today’s POS systems make use of a Cloud-based system to store and integrate information, which can be easily accessed by businesses for data that will allow the generation of incredibly detailed sales and inventory reports, among other things
  • Enhanced labor and human resource functions
  • Even if the POS system you’re running is the most basic available, it’s likely capable of performing timekeeping tasks as well hooking up with the payroll system of the company.
  • With one or two fewer tasks to perform, your employees will have more time attending to other urgent duties, like providing top-notch customer service.
  • Personalized customer experienceWhen you’re running a POS system for your business, keep in mind that it has a customer database that contains information that can help you make the customer experience more personalized.
  • With just a few clicks, you can get your hands on a treasure trove of information that will allow you to track customer behavior, their order history, and personal details, among other things.
  • You can also have it create reward programs, which not only influence people to make buying decisions but also foster loyalty to your brand. Such programs make your customers feel that they’re important to you,
  • More secure and convenient card and mobile transactions
  • With a POS system, there is no more need for businesses to spend money on separate peripherals that will help with the processing of purchase.
  • Most important of all, credit and debit card payments processed via POS are proving to be faster, safer, and more secure.
  • There seems to be no end to the benefits that your retail store or restaurant can get from POS software. As POS systems stand today, they are practically capable of doing just about anything for your business, and automatically at that.
  • With a more modern, more dependable POS system in place, reaching your business goals will immediately become easier.
  •  
    Point of sale systems have helped restaurants, hotels, etc in a major way. There are several benefits to the modernized POS software. POS systems offer more detailed and accurate reports for businesses. Businesses are able to use Cloud-bases systems to store information. This information can then be used to generate detailed sales and inventory reports. They also offer a benefit when it comes to labor and human resources. POS systems help takeaway a few tasks that employees used to have to do. THis helps improve customer service. POS systems also offer a more personalized customer experience and more secure and convenient card and mobile transactions.
cleon087

Travel Agents Are Increasingly Using Global Distribution Systems to Book Hotels - Skift - 0 views

  • shifting in a dynamic marketplace, they remain useful for travel agents around the world.
    • cleon087
       
      I really like how this line pertains to the discussion that we had this week. It proves that GDS still has a role only that its role is shifting.
  • using a global distribution system more than they did two years ago, le
  • Hotels pay a fee of about 20 percent on a booking when they sell a room on a global distribution platform, leading many to look for other distribution solutions like encouraging travelers to book direct online or using online booking sites
    • cleon087
       
      The hotel prefers getting all the profit thats whys they encourage the use of their websites and offer rewards to guest that do. My mom is a member of Marriott rewards program and most of the time can get a better deal from direct booking and save hours of searching.
  • ...6 more annotations...
  • it helps hotels manage their presence on a variety of distribution platforms.
  • ely on the GDS as an essential operating system for conducting hotel research and booking reservations,
  • o generate incremental revenue and maximize revenue per available room through the power of the GDS.”
  • 63 percent of those polled indicated they tend to book away from hotels that don’t offer the best rate on global distribution system
  • said they will book the best deal they find regardless of the advertising content the systems push them.
    • cleon087
       
      This shows peoples motives and how they will spend their time looking just to save money even if it is just a few bucks.
  • It could also be that agents don’t make any commission on sites like Airbnb and Homeaway, so don’t have the incentive to book them for clients.
  •  
    This article discusses how travel agents are starting to increasingly use GDS to book for their clients. The article also talks about how people are looking for the best price and care more about that than the advertisement. Hotels want their guest to direct book through their website in order to not have to share profits with others. Hotels pay fees to be on these websites and travel agents are starting to use it more. The article emphasizes the role that GDS has come to evolve to.
mmilian

What Have Hotels Done on Cybersecurity Since the Marriott Hack? - Skift - 0 views

  • Faced with the possibility of such intrusions, hotels are now turning to outside companies to protect their customers’ data
  • Hilton in 2017 had to pay $700,000 to New York and Vermont to resolve two data breaches that resulted in more than 363,000 credit card numbers being compromised.
  • California law that is intended to protect consumers from having their data sold without their consent or knowledge. The law was passed in 2018 after Cambridge Analytica got access to private information from Facebook. The California Consumer Privacy Act goes into effect Jan. 1.
  • ...3 more annotations...
  • “Companies are still struggling somewhat in finding a budget for this effort,” she said. “It’s not something that many businesses want to spend money on. Compliance is pretty thankless.”
  • Hyatt Hotels earlier this year launched a “public bug bounty” program with cybersecurity company HackerOne that allows ethical hackers to test its websites and mobile apps for vulnerabilities.
  • Joe Saracino, CEO of Cino, said that the hotel industry is starting to be more proactive to prevent more breaches.
  •  
    This article talks about Marriott's data breach. It talks about what other companies that have also been affected are doing. California has passed an act that protects guest information. The new law is a bit challenging for smaller businesses that dont typically have any IT onsite.
Karyn

Green Chemistry – Electronics TakeBack Coalition - 0 views

  •  
    This article discusses a solution to the toxic chemicals that are used in technological products and its effect on the environment due to lack of recycling and toxicity hazards. The current solution to the hazardous chemicals leaking into the environment and its human rights issues has been a management solution only. Products are made with these chemicals without, possibly for decades, knowing the true harm that coming into contact with them can cause to humans and the environment, so scientists simply try to decipher this and contain the problem. This has led to huge amounts of money trying to clean the damage already done by this tech trash. We are now learning (especially with the rejection of trash from poorer nations), that there needs to be a better solution to this problem. The article points out a plan with a few strategies, but which center more around prevention, than cleaning up after a mess. This is where "green chemistry," comes in. Technological products of all kinds can be redesigned with prevention of toxicity in mind. This has to do with not only using less toxic chemicals, but using chemicals that break down in certain ways, testing new methods to see how they break down before using them, designing safer chemicals, using renewable raw material, design for better energy efficiency, and more. The article states that it is important for the electronics industry to take responsibility and to design with green chemistry. Green chemistry is a very new science, brought about by the realization of the overwhelming issue of toxic tech trash. A smattering of universities are now developing these green chemistry programs, or in the least, requiring chemistry students to take courses on toxicity which were not requirements previously.
  •  
    The hospitality industry can contribute to this movement by recycling hardware, reducing hardware usage, and purchasing technology that becomes developed that is considered to be "green." This way, the industry can produce less waste that is driving this huge international problem.
laurenperdomo

https://www.restaurant-hospitality.com/finance/recognizing-signs-embezzlement - 1 views

  • “Things to look out for are uneven income flows, changes in patterns of income or net profits, and odd tipping patterns on credit cards,”
  • “Other unusual activity can include people who are adamant about working together or picking certain shifts, shipments paid for that aren’t delivered, and straight-out theft of product, cash, or drinks.”
  • Looking for things such as stacks of quarters by a bar till and unmarked bottles in a bar break can signal that an employee is keeping track of money in the register.”
  • ...8 more annotations...
  • “There’s often skimming of the register, voiding of tickets, and wasting of food,” he said. “As you move to the back office, there’s a lot more opportunity to handle cash and receipts, create phony vendor companies, and use company cards for personal purchases.”
  • At the end of the day, the only way you’ll ever know if there’s a thief among the ranks is by performing regular checks and audits.
  • The owner should have a firm hand on all activities, change shifts and responsibilities, and a firm hand on the cash and checkbook,”
  • “Other recommended tactics include paid professional spotters, and, of course, security cameras, especially at the bar.”
  • “It’s important to have a bookkeeper in charge of the everyday numbers and an accountant, preferable a CPA, to review the books. This provides a nice check and balance if the owner is not overly hands-on or proficient with numbers.”
  • “Simply monitoring employees and ensuring a system of oversight will lessen the likelihood that a normally compliant employee will be tempted into a crime of opportunity,”
  • “Run a transparent inventory to ensure employees know you are tracking usage. Beware of employees wearing large coats or clothing out of season and suspicious behavior.”
  • “It’s easy to look at the bookkeeper, but it can come from anywhere. Start by looking through the profit-and-loss statement every few weeks; it will show symptoms. And don’t have a set routine; show up to work randomly.”
  •  
    This article mentions ways in which an owner can detect if theft is taking place at his restaurant, ways in which this could be prevented and also what do in the case of an actual theft.
  •  
    This article have mentioned the reality that restaurant theft and embezzlement are pretty common and are causing problems, yet the most owners and managers are not willing to deal with the issues with law enforcement. The reasons include unwilling to ruin the employees' lives and the threshold of establishing a theft case. However, the article suggested that seeking advice from accountants (preferably CPAs) and lawyers is a brilliant way of dealing with these issues. It can give the owner better understandings of the situation, and deal with the wrongdoers in a cleverer way.
jackyreis

Can You Use Your POS To Help Eliminate Restaurant Fraud? - Total Food Service - 0 views

  • Can You Use Your POS To Help Eliminate Restaurant Fraud?
  • Fraud comes up a lot in the restaurant industry. It’s with good reason. In a business where margins are always tight, customers literally walk in and out, fraud continues to be a constant concern.
  • But did you know your POS has other features to help in your efforts to keep transactions safe and your business secure? Scammers are a crafty lot.
  • ...14 more annotations...
  • Auto-grat scams
  • Automatic tip calculation is a genuine convenience for large parties and those who have difficulty determining appropriate gratuities.
  • Your POS has the ability to determine which tables qualify for an automatic gratuity, so management can easily see which large parties in your dining room will be targeted. If you see cash left after a table has already paid a bill, you may want to intervene and remind the guest that gratuity was already covered, and additional cash should only be left if they intended to do so.
  • Coupon scams
  • Discounts are a fantastic marketing tool. But they’re only good if the customer is aware of the deal.
  • Thankfully, your POS system can ensure all active coupons loaded into the system, and that they’re applied directly to an order, rather than after a cash transaction is complete.
  • Voided transactions
  • Except there are no guests behind those transactions – just wads of unaccounted cash. In a slow restaurant bar, this would never fly. But in a thumping nightclub with high ticket table service bills throughout the facility, a “mere” $500 discrepancy is a drop in the bucket for management, and an easy target for scammers looking to pad their own pockets. Even worse? Serving up complimentary drinks for cash transactions and pocketing the money but adding a tip to the jar as a cover-up.
  • The “Wagon Wheel”
  • In this scenario, a waiter transfers an item like a soda from one check to another prior to closing the tab when a guest pays in cash
  • Then, the next time a guest orders that soda, the server starts the ticket on that tab and continue to transfer the soda while they pockets the cash. Sometimes known as the “revolving soda,” this frequently happens with items like beverages where the server or bartender is preparing their own.
  • To avoid this, restaurant owner’s can monitor activity and behaviors such as low sales of server-controlled items like drinks, compare bartender performance over the same shift, or set restrictions requiring a manager to authorize any transfers.
  • The list goes on. But, thanks to loss prevention features built into modern POS systems, hospitality managers now have the ability to get ahead of scams being run.
  • By leveraging algorithms to identify patterns and suspicious transactions, such as increases in coupon redemption or notably low cash totals, and help you bore down to the source of the problems, before they get out of hand.
irinadolgopolova

Why It's Crucial to Use Accounting Software Built for Restaurants | QSR magazine - 0 views

  • “Every business uses an accounting system of some sort, and every dollar should end up there,” says Tony Smith, CEO of Restaurant365.
  • it can be difficult for multi-unit operators using a generic accounting system to see if a certain vendor is billing above the contracted price or pinpoint specific ingredients that might be leaking money due to someone over-portioning a recipe
  • a true all-in-one accounting system is more useful for restaurants because it monitors inventory, pays vendors, reconciles bank statements, tracks fixed assets, forecasts scheduling, and produces financial statements.
  • ...2 more annotations...
  • According to Smith, most financial accounting systems focus on monthly or fiscal periods which provide a comprehensive breakdown only at the end of a particular cycle. But in restaurants, where the week is so important and sales for a month which has five Saturdays can be drastically different from a month that only has four Saturdays, it’s much more important to compare data on a weekly basis by using an integrated, restaurant-specific software.
  • By adding technology that provides better visibility and guidance, operators can greatly increase efficiency and tracking in their restaurants
  •  
    The article discusses how accounting systems specially designed for restaurants can better perform activities like monitor inventory, pay vendors, record transactions, do forecasting, and generate statements by integrating all this data in real time for management to use in their decision making. Using generic software that does not fully integrate all the information available can result in a less efficient operation, where employees spend more time performing their tasks, irregularities are missed, and important information is not analyzed. For example, when compiling information for decision making, most systems focus on a monthly or yearly basis for their data breakdown, while accounting software for restaurants should be able to do it on a weekly basis to adapt to thigh margins and nature of the business.
  •  
    The author talks about the importance of having a specific to restaurants accounting system. They also point out the importance of having a system that can send alerts in cases of suspicious activity or expenses not lining up with the inventory. They also say that it is important to have the ability to review reports on a day-to-day or weekly basis.
tcale003

Party, event planners lose business over coronavirus pandemic - 0 views

  • Natasha Miller expected her San Francisco event planning company to organize more than 600 events this year, basking in the glory of previous corporate parties planned for corporations such as Google and Yelp.
  • As more cases of coronavirus are confirmed globally, Entire Productions feels the crimp caused by the outbreak as her clients are “pulling the plug” on contracts.
  • which has 10 full-time employees, suffered a loss of more than $15,000 in the past month alone.
  • ...11 more annotations...
  • organizers are canceling or postponing events throughout the country because of the outbreak of COVID-19.
  • four to six more weeks of cancellations.
  • Smaller-scale event planners also feel a high level of uncertainty.
  • “None of this is going to allow us to make up for the lost revenue and growth,” she said. 
  • The event planning business generates $325 billion of direct spending in the USA and helps support more than 5.9 million jobs with $249 billion of labor income, according to an Oxford Economics and Events Industry Council study in 2018. 
  • 'No Income at all for this month'
  • “My prediction is that my business will make 50% less of what it expected to do, if not less.”
    • tcale003
       
      An event company in San Francisco was planning over 600 events this year. As the Covid-19 pandemic has spread globally, many clients have canceled or postponed their events. Organizers are predicting that their businesses will make 50% less than what is expected if not less.
  • “My prediction is that my business will make 50% less of what it expected to do, if not less.”
  • organizers are canceling or postponing events throughout the country because of the outbreak of COVID-19.
  • which has 10 full-time employees, suffered a loss of more than $15,000 in the past month alone.
  •  
    With Covid-19 crippling businesses everywhere, event planning companies are no exception. With gatherings more than 10 people, being postponed or cancelled, most events and concerts have been cancelled. With contracts, deposits paid for, and purchased tickets, event planners are struggling to stay afloat.
Angelica Saez

Accounting for Hotels | Small Business - Chron.com - 0 views

  • The amount of money a hotel makes from its rooms depends on the average daily rate and the occupancy. Not only does a hotel's occupancy vary by time of year, but the daily rate also fluctuates.
  • Primary features of this software include recording all financial transactions, accounts payable for vendors and specialized forecasting. The hospitality accounting software is also designed to share information between franchises and their partners.
  • The Securities and Exchange Commission and Public Company Accounting Oversight Board regulations require that hotels — both independent and franchise — establish set processes to record revenue and expenses.
  • ...2 more annotations...
  • Aside from the basic revenue and expenses, staff must take into consideration the varying room rates, late charges, vendor contracts and charges made to a room.
  • Different-size companies typically require different specs from the software, with larger companies typically requiring more complex features due to the broader nature of their business. QuickBooks and FreshBooks are popular options for smaller companies because of their intuitive interfaces and relative ease of use. For larger companies that may need more elaborate features, NetSuite and Sage Intaact are attractive options because of their capabilities.
  •  
    Hospitality Accounting Software is the primary function of the hotels daily functions. This department helps to predict the revenue and expenses of the hotel while maintaining company standards. Many developments over the years has allows many features to be added in software that specialize in accounting. Features such as financial transactions, accounts payable for vendors and labor tracking. With the due and growing stress of accounting daily challenges many properties have now upgraded their systems where many departments can help take the workload off the accounting department.
  •  
    This article explains the accounting process in the hotels. The article goes in great detail of how the training goes for the employee in charge of the accounting of the hotel and the different softwares and technology they use to help them. With these different types of softwares it helps them record the accounting of the hotel.
« First ‹ Previous 601 - 620 of 680 Next › Last »
Showing 20 items per page