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priscillamuniz

Out of Line: How Restaurant Operators Can Utilize The Cloud To Maximize Performance | Hospitality Technology - 0 views

  • 71% say the ability to integrate with other systems is driving their POS purchase decisions, according to HT’s2 2023 POS Software Trends Report.So, when restaurant operators go looking for ways to innovate, they’re inevitably met with a need to throw out all the current capital investments to get to the needed improvements - a proposition that results in difficult ROIs.  On top of these impossible economics, the upgrade process is incredibly time-consuming and massively expensive. Updating such a massive and integral part of the business can take years, multiple decision makers and tens of thousands of dollars per store. 
  • Switching to cloud-based technology used on legacy hardware can be an incredibly smart option for restaurant owners who want to improve business operations without long delays and costly hardware overhauls. The restaurant point-of-sale (POS) system, using access to cloud-based data and seamless software updating, can bring important innovations to operators without the wait and expense.
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    This article discusses the aging restaurant (POS) systems which are quickly becoming a blocker to new initiatives. However this is where cloud based software comes into play by maximizing performance. It brings innovations to restaurant operators without the wait and expense. The older (POS) system are not so innovative. The upgrade process is very expensive and time consuming. The cloud based system integration can enhance overall efficiency leading to improved guest service and higher profitability.
olindacatillon

How Hotel Connectivity Leads to Exceptional Guest Experiences - 0 views

  • According to a recent study by Hotel Technology, 73 percent of guests surveyed are likely to return to a hotel that meets their technology needs.
  • “Today’s guests want an almost at-home-like experience when it comes to connectivity. As they juggle between smartphones, laptops, tablets, and wearables, there’s an expectation of seamless network coverage that caters to their tech-driven habits.
  • According to Skift Research’s 2022 Digital Transformation Report, almost 87 percent of surveyed travel executives said they were using cloud computing to help improve the customer experience and optimize operations
  •  
    This article speaks about the cloud-based solutions used to meet the needs of our guests during their stay. Connectivity is ranked number on their list of amenities and their reason for returning as loyal guests. Cloud technology allows the hospitality industry to provide scalable and efficient services.
jsmiranda22

How COVID-19 has accelerated tech adoption in the hotel industry | Hotel Management - 0 views

  • exponential technology.
  • refers to both the rapid improvements in cost and performance
  • Smart capacities and services that were previously considered add-ons to the guest experience will quickly become requirements in the post-pandemic hospitality space.
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  • Investing in integrated online booking platforms that help to supplement staff efforts and create a seamless, personalized experience is the best way to ensure the guest has a positive brand experience
  • Hoteliers are using app platforms to track spaces used by guests and ensure a thorough sanitation before their next use
  • Integrated app platforms can help guests order room service or a morning coffee, reserve a spot out on the pool deck or communicate virtually with a staff member for instant assistance
  • Reward programs are meant to incentivize returning business without alienating first-time customers, or overemphasizing the different levels of guest perks.
  • A personalized guest app can offer different levels of accommodation.
  • Their choices and preferences could be logged as data and shared with the staff to help personalize their next stay.
  • Wearable technology has gained in popularity as a way to monitor guest activity, manage contact tracing, and help control the spread of the virus
  • also offers valuable feedback for consumer analysis
  • The more that guests are able to be tracked and recognized, the more they deserve to know their data is safe.
  • App platforms should have a section detailing which guest operations remain completely private, the rules and regulations regarding the use or sale of customer data, and the consequences that apply if any rules are breached.
  • Accelerated adoption of technology will transform the hotel sector at a rate even more extreme than once predicted
  • Smart tech will offer benefits to customers and staff alike, elevating the guest experience and making new levels of personalized hospitality possible.
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    *The hotel industry has incorporated exponential technology for its improvements in cost and performance -an implementation that evolved rapidly during the pandemic that hasn't been seen before. *Smart technology has offered benefits to customers and staff while elevating the guest experience on a personalized hospitality way.
krikooo94

What is a Hotel PMS (Property Management System)? | Oracle - 2 views

  • A hotel PMS replaced time consuming, paper-intensive processes.
  • A hotel PMS is now a critical business operations system that enables hoteliers to deliver amazing guest experiences.
  • Today's hotel PMS solutions help hoteliers deliver the experience guests want, while efficiently managing their business.
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  • Increase housekeeping efficiency with instant updates on housekeeping mobile devices when customers check out, freeing up rooms for cleaning.
  • improve response time
  • Ensure accurate guest folios for faster, more accurate billing.
  • Increase room occupancy and ADR
  • Boost sales
  • Guests rate their hotel experience in a collective, not piecemeal, fashion. Which means they desire to receive the same level of personalized, exceptional service across the property, whether they’re in the lobby or a restaurant.
  • Understand customer buying patterns so you can define more targeted packages and services.
  • Each new release brings new capabilities to help deliver great guest experiences, improve operating efficiency, and increase employee productivity.
  • hotels can lower upfront capital expenditure on software and hardware.
  • hotels can effectively manage rates and allocation of rooms to various distribution channels, helping to maximize occupancy, rates, and revenue.
  • Hotel PMS delivered a software platform that replaced time-intensive, paper and spreadsheet-heavy processes.
  • Hotel PMS is now a critical business-operations system that enables hoteliers to deliver a seamless and contactless guest experience.
  • Cloud-based, mobile-enabled hotel PMS platforms offer hotels an innovative way to engage with guests while enabling hotels to reduce IT costs and simplify their infrastructure.
  • Such integration also permits restaurant transactions to be posted directly to the folio for better accounting and dispute resolution.
  • Hoteliers' demands for a property management system are many: orchestrate hotel operations, manage guest preferences, manage room inventory and rates, and evolve constantly all while keeping data secure.
  •  
    Hotel property management systems or PMS manage all aspects of hotel business operations, including the delivery of superior guest experiences. PMS started in hotels to replace the paperwork aspect with is time consuming. Since PMS has evolved beyond that. You can now use it to check in and check out, request housekeeping services, storing guest data, a more effective hotel distribution method, etc.
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    Thank you very much for sharing this insightful article on Hotel Property Management Systems (PMS's). It is indeed a very good thing that today's hotel PMS technology has evolved well beyond the front desk as the hotel's PMS is a critical business operations system that is needed to enable hoteliers to deliver amazing guest experiences. The advantage/feature that stood out to me the most about the modernized PMS's is its effective hotel distribution since these systems increase room occupancy and ADR through real-time rate and availability management across distribution channels, thus boosting sales through direct booking channels on brand website.
bbalthaser

Tech boost to hospitality sector by integrating backend deliveries in real time - BW Hotelier - 1 views

  • . The non-intrusive integrated technology used by most of upscale top and medium hotels, help the customers just to scan their details and complete the procedures, mini robots welcome them, food orders are accepted over virtual calls voice-activated and many more glitz that has added to the welcome bouquet.
  • As the entire challenge has been created by multiple channels of payment technology, it is imperative that it will need superior tech solutions to unlock the back-end processes and prioritise them.
  • Truthfully, the hotel entertains the guests entirely free-- without any payment against them, as they are not settled.
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  • Using AI over API, a Smart product will map every detail and show a clean dashboard to the account time while beeping off those entries which are overdue and needs to be followed up.
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    This article points out a flaw in current PMS systems that haven't been addressed by the tech world. The right or future PMS system will have an integration that continues to provide the "non-intrusive integrated technology" that still helps the BOH provide seamless real-time payment solutions. Currently, the challenge resides in the "multiple channels of payment technology" that saturate and complicate the settling of payments in BOH. Guests are "entertained for free" until that payment on the backend has actually been settled. Delays and dysfunction are at the crux of this issue. Utilizing a modern PMS with integrations that help solve complicated and often messy payment issues will help management and consumers alike. This is a topic I hadn't even thought of. But now thinking about it how does money actually get from point a to point b. It does have to be "released by one institution or another" electronically, human or ai or otherwise. I think the many ways we can now pay for things does muddy the waters when it comes to how a business can get paid. Not offering a variety of payment options is not an option and will deter people from using your services. So we have to get creative, but thankfully technology is catching up and emerging to provide for these complications that "tech" has created.
deranique

Technology Trends in Hospitality Industry-Driving Innovation and Reshaping the Future | School of Hospitality Administration - 0 views

  • Facing the challenges of labor shortage, the rising cost of operation, and the changes in consumer needs and behaviors, hospitality businesses need to pivot their services and products with the latest technology in order to keep their competitive edge.
  • In addition to mobile ordering, Point of Sale (POS) systems are also one of the top technologies to leverage in hospitality. POS systems turn mobile devices into cashiers. Whether it’s dining in, curbside pick-up, or online orders, POS enables seamless, fast, and safe transactions that customers seek nowadays.
  • Toast’s online ordering system and POS helped Melting Pot launch its takeout business model “The Melting Pot To-Go”.
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  • “Successful digital transformation is the process of using digital technology to create new or modify existing business processes, culture, and customer experiences to meet the changing business and market requirements”
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    This article gives an in-depth approach to the future of technology in the Hospitality Industry. In the article, you can explore the future of technology which will allow the industry to flourish.
shawndab

Cybersecurity revenues in tourism to exceed $2B - hotelbusiness.com - 0 views

  • cybersecurity will generate revenues of $2.1 billion in 2025 in the travel and tourism industry, up from $1.4 billion in 2021, forecasts GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.
  • highlights the growing demand for cybersecurity products and services by travel and tourism companies in order to protect their customers’ personal data.
  • Travelers now expect a seamless experience while traveling, resulting in companies using technologies such as Internet of Things (IoT) and cloud. However, this has made the sector vulnerable to cybercriminals as these technologies collect more personal and sensitive but valuable data.”
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  • not only are customers put at risk, but so is an entire company’s reputation.
  • A string of high-profile attacks in the industry has led to the scrutinization of cybersecurity strategies, with regulators now clamping down and fining companies that fail to protect their customers’ data.
  • Therefore, the risk of cyber-ignorance is escalating, and tourism companies need to start taking cybersecurity seriously.
  • “Effective cybersecurity strategies must involve contingency planning, as merely investigating an attack in its aftermath
  • “Hiring a CISO is a good start but if travel and tourism companies want to prove that they are committed to cybersecurity,
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    This article is about the demand for cybersecurity products and services. Using more technology has made our industry more vulnerable and a lack of protected data can leave a company's reputation at risk. It mentioned how cyber-ignorance can be more costly in the long run. Hotels need a contingency plan to be proactive and not reactive.
armanyleblanc767

Disruptors in the hotel industry | Colliers - 2 views

  • Underpinning this is an intermeshing of technology development, shifts in demographics, and globalisation which has also brought about rapid urbanisation
  • This in turn has led to a change consumers’ expectations and needs
  • Although disruptions are commonly perceived by incumbent players as threats to their businesses, disruptors could also be sources of significant opportunities for incumbent players to create newer and better services as well as experiences for their guests, hence entrenching themselves even more within the industry. 
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  • In addition, whilst this may well serve high volume and ‘business’ hotels,
  • consumers’ increasing desire for personalised experiences is expected to continue for years to come.
  • use of biometric technology such as the facial recognition technology to speed up guests’ check‐in time and thereby improve the customer experience, make processes more efficient and enhance security.
  • By eliminating the process of performing manual checks on travel documents, the amount of check‐in time is expected to be reduced by up to 70%.
  • its use in luxury hotels, where the personal touch matters, may well have to be adapted to ensure it is seamless and less impersonal.
  • use of hotel robots may yield operational and cost efficiencies to hotels, it is however critical that a balanced approach is adopted by hoteliers to ensure that automation does not supplant quality service hence alienating hotel guests as a consequence
  • Voice assistants ‐ such as Amazon Alexa, Siri and Google Assistant – are one of the fastest growing technological fields today, becoming commonplace as a feature of the internet of things
  • According to Hospitality Technology’s 2019 Lodging Technology Study, nearly eight in 10 respondents named voice‐enabled technology as the top choice when asked to identify technology that has the most potential in the near‐future, and 62% of the respondents listed voice technology as a transformative technology that makes an impact.
  • voice assistants could potentially be used by hotels to gather actionable insights and feedback
  • the data gathered can be analysed and utilised to enhance the hotel offerings
  • Separately, hotels could potentially streamline operations processes and thereby improve operational efficiency and achieve cost‐savings through automating some of the daily hotel operations via the voice assistant.
  • The use of robots within the hotel industry is a form of automation that is becoming more prevalent as hotel chains and individual hotels have become increasingly cognizant that the concept of automation and self‐service is playing an increasingly vital role in the customer experience
  • pop‐up hotels have the agility of providing on‐demand accommodation in locations that traditional hotels could not and/or travelers would not necessarily have access or ease of access to alongside customisable accommodation settings, thereby delivering an entire bespoke guest experience.
  • New technologies, online platforms and markets are seen manifesting in new initiatives of all sorts ranging from metasearch engines evolving into one‐stop reservation options, chatbots, and robots providing butler services to alternative accommodation options. 
  • In Asia, Singapore had its first shipping container hotel in operation in January 2020. Targeting millennials as its primary consumers who are more adventurous and looking for an experience
  • Key players of the pop‐up space are predominantly boutique groups although major brands such as Marriot and Accor have started to experiment with pop‐ups
  • applicable
  • it is imperative that hotels recognise and make it a top priority to address these privacy concerns and adhere to the applicable regulations concurrent to ensuring the quality of the stored data and system
  • Check‐in and check‐out services; provision of tourist information; butler service to deliver amenities such as towels; transport luggage; and meal deliveries.  
  •  
    This article discusses some of the technological disruptors in the hospitality industry and provides a couple examples specific to hotels. Some of these examples include pop-up hotels, facial recognition, and robots. The article provides a couple reasons why each of these innovative technologies could be beneficial or negative for hotels. Overall, the article provides some good insight into the future of technology in hotels.
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    This article covered various disruptors in the hotel industry from the check in process down to automation & self service for guests. Implementing facial recognition to speed up check ins for guest, using voice assistants to substitute daily hotel operations, & using robots for automation are all things that can become more prevalant amongst the hotel industry as it may seem more cost efficient.
  •  
    Every year, technological advances are made in each industry, including the hospitality industry. These advances are often seen as threats according to this article, however, they might also pose as great opportunities for the industry and its stakeholders. The article highlights some of the major disruptors in the hospitality industry. Trends such as facial recognition and robots were among those mentioned. I found that both of these trends have negative and positive aspects to them. Facial recognition would reduce the time spent checking in significantly, however guests would still be concerned with the storage of their personal data. Additionally in regards to robots, they aid in operational efficiency in check in and check out services also but they could possibly omit the human touch factor of certain roles that guests appreciate.
cnburke22

Disruptive Innovation in the Hospitality Industry | SevenRooms - 8 views

  • DI refers to a significant change that fundamentally alters an industry.
  • DI can take many forms, including product and service innovations, as well as changes to operating processes and business models. What they all have in common is a commitment to continuous improvement and growth. The goal is to always be on the lookout for new and better ways to serve the customer and lead the market.
  • Leveraging contactless ordering and payments, operators can collect more data on their guests. These details seamlessly flow into your point of sales system, as well as your guest database to track spent and historical data.
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  • Streamlined SMS messaging directly to guests, for example, can be used to automate communications
  • Marketing automation
  • for example, can retarget guests with targeted marketing campaigns, triggered by certain thresholds dependent on preference, spending habits and other guest traits.
  • DI, however, can help you reconnect with your customers and revive your business. You’ll just be doing it in a new way
  • DI is an ideal way to reach your guests even after their dining experience at your venue has concluded.
  • The hospitality industry is truly a people-focused field.
  • COVID-19 pandemic has taken a toll on the global economy
  • Your customers will have peace of mind in knowing they won’t have to expose themselves to unnecessary risks when visiting your property
  • Every day, new technologies and systems are being developed to help businesses adjust to the new normal.
  • That makes hospitality much more of an essential service than many people may realize.
  • Yet of all the industries impacted by the coronavirus outbreak, the hospitality industry has been among the most affected.
  • quicker and more convenient
  • open the door of contactless communication, decrease likelihood of table abandonment and prevent overcrowding
  • This helps tailor the guest experience and personalize your communications with guests, resulting in increased loyalty and retention!
  • Disruptive innovation, however, is a powerful weapon in the industry’s arsenal, not only allowing professionals to survive in ordinary conditions, but also to thrive in extraordinary ones.
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    The article I chose was based on disruptive innovations (DI) in a post pandemic world. In this article DI is represented as a necessary change through the additions of increased safety measures by implementing contactless ordering and payments to keep not only the guests safe but staff as well. This article describes how DI will not only give customers a stronger sense of safety but also give staff the opportunity to collect more data on customers in turn enhancing the guest's possible future experiences. This is just one example of how DI is helping to make customers experiences better during the COVID pandemic.
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    The article speaks on the effects COVID has had on the hospitality industry and how disruptive innovation will help businesses adjust to the new normal. As a business owner, you must always be aware of the new and upcoming trends to keep up with the market and servicing the consumer. Disruptive innovations will expedite your long wait times at restaurants or bars with SMS messaging, it will allow for an easy self check in/check out process. Any process that will make the consumers way of living easier, will have a significant effect.
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    The article discusses how the pandemic and COVID-19 has hurt global economic growth. Despite the pandemic closing many restaurants, new technologies systems are being installed to help those businesses adjust to the new normal. In the world of business, disruptive innovation refers to a significant change in the way a business operates. In addition to product and service innovations, business processes and business models can also be affected. Even if the virus is having an effect, people still need to eat, travel, and have a way to sleep and shower when they do so. Payments and ordering via contactless technology can help business owners reconnect with their customers. This industry is inherently people-oriented. The application of disruptive innovation to this field allows professional to flourish in unusual circumstances.
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    this article talks about how COVID 19 helped speed up the process of many innovations taking over antiquated systems with a modern approach. and now that we have we will never go back. "DI can take many forms, including product and service innovations, as well as changes to operating processes and business models." basically it just disrupts the systems that was already put in place with systems that work better for today. "Leveraging contactless ordering and payments, operators can collect more data on their guests. These details seamlessly flow into your point of sales system, as well as your guest database to track spent and historical data." the restaurant i work for never use to do delivery services but COVID made them disrupt their system and innovate in order to make money and stay afloat. by using delivery dudes and easy packaging and simplifying the menu we have been able to increase our revenue and stay ahead of the curve which happens to be ghost kitchens.
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    New advancements in technology and the hospitality and tourism industry have led to the collaboration of both sides to create better guest experiences. By using new technological products in the hospitality industry, guests can have contactless interactions to reduce their health concerns, brought on by the pandemic, as well as increase a business's productivity at the same time. The new innovations can also give more data on guest interests and help businesses learn more about their audience to make better decisions later on.
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    "Disruptive innovation is nearly as old as the hospitality business itself." A post pandemic world has taken a new direction towards contactless service, and DI technology has played a huge role in how we now operate going forward. Sevenrooms is a online reservation software similar to open table that allows for a seamless reservation process. It tracks data such as how much a guest has spent, how frequent they visit and even table preference. "This helps tailor the guest experience and personalize your communications with guests, resulting in increased loyalty and retention." Sevenrooms also uses an SMS messaging feature to notify guests about any updates to their table, which allows them to enjoy themselves freely while waiting instead of being crammed up in the front of the restaurant.
erinkieltyka

Global Distribution System (GDS): What Are the Benefits for Hotels? - 1 views

  • A global distribution system is a computer network, which empowers service providers in the travel industry to carry out seamless transactions.
  • using a global distribution system helps to reach a larger number of customers.
  • These fees can vary significantly, but it is not unusual for the fees to account for around 10 percent of the amount paid.
    • npate083
       
      Everything has a cost and so does GDS. It is normally a transaction or agent fee on every booking made through GDS.
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  • Amadeus GDS ranks as the market leader and it is estimated that somewhere in the region of 40 percent of all travel agency booking
    • npate083
       
      Amadeus is the leading the market share for GDS. They cover around 40% of all travelers.
  • All of this means that hotels have the ability to manage their hotel description, room listings, photos and other information across different GDS systems from a single place, while usage can also be automated.
    • npate083
       
      GDS allows hotels to update their rates, listings, descriptions, etc from one place.
  • Travelport is a company that owns the Worldspan, Galileo and Apollo systems.
  • The Sabre global distribution system is the closest competitor for Amadeus when it comes to total market share
  • GDS can be especially beneficial for a hotel aiming to attract business or corporate travellers
    • npate083
       
      Many corporate travellers still use GDS to book business travel as it is easy for an expense report later.
  • For hotel owners, it is important to balance room rates with this in mind. Ideally, to optimise revenue, a hotel should keep room rates low enough to maintain a good relationship with travel agents, but should
  • a GDS is often used by a travel agency, in order to see real-time information and data about the availability of hotel rooms, flights and other travel services.
  • global distribution system (GDS) is a network, which allows travel agents to access hotel inventories and sell rooms to their clients. F
  • the GDS provides a single point of access for thousands of travel agents across the globe, who can then book hotel rooms for their customers.
  • GDS provider will actually connect your hotel to all of the three major GDS systems at once, rather than focusing on a single one.
  • Amadeus GDS
  • Sabre GDS
  • it is estimated that more than 200,000 hotels use the network to connect with travel agencies.
  • Travelport GDS
  • t offers access to diverse markets, including those in the Americas, Asia and Europe.
  • Hotels can turn to a number of different GDS systems around the world, with each one having its own unique features and target markets. However, it is generally accepted that there is a ‘big three’ within this industry
  • using a global distribution system helps to reach a larger number of customers
  • using a global distribution system helps to reach a larger number of customers
  • This is because a large number of organisations still turn to a travel agent to book business travel, rather than attempting to book directly, as it can be easier for them to manage expenses this way
  • Standard practice is that a hotel will pay a small initialisation fee, followed by transaction and/or agent fees on every booking that is made
  • Amadeus can provide the hotel industry with e
  • xcellent access to the European market, in particular, as its database is hosted in Germany
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    Global Distribution systems ensure that the travel industry gets accurate information and keeps track of data and information. The GDS is a single system that reaches out to very large groups and gives them access to prices and availability of rooms. The GDS comes at a price, for every booking they take a certain percentage of that rate. The best known global distribution systems are Amadeus GDS, Sabre GDS, and Travelport GDS. All of these systems are different but most of the travel bookings are done through them. I believe the GDS is a great way to to attract potential travelers and it makes it easy because everything is on one system.
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    This article is a good introduction to the concept' of GDS. It is brief, informative and written in plain language, making it easy to understand. The definitions are clear, and the major points i.e. The "big three" GDS' are effectively covered.
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    This article discusses the pros of hotels utilizing GDS systems and describes the 3 most prominent global distribution systems. Some benefits include a larger consumer outreach, and helpful information access for travel agents. The "Big Three" global distribution systems are Amadeus, Sabre, and Travelport.
mmdmd99999

2020-01-31-Restaurant-Chain-Case-Study-EU-ONLINE.indd - 0 views

  • A large restaurant chain wanted to ensure that the IT systems that are critical to seamless operation of its business, including point-of-sale systems, fi nancial systems, employee management and payment transactions, would perform seamlessly across all its locations
  • GTT provides internet connectivity utilizing a mix of broadband and Dedicated Internet Access circuits, with 100Mbps download and 10Mbps upload speeds for each connection. GTT also managed the deployment of new circuits to ensure access redundancy and resilience. The service is monitored 24/7 by GTT’s Network Operations Center and backed with a response time SLA for any repairs.
  • by eliminating the need for returning to the point of sale to complete orders, the kitchen receives orders faster and servers have more time on the fl oor to attend to guests.
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  • service has enabled the restaurant chain to move cost-eff ectively from a low bandwidth network to a higher-speed, dual broadband solution across all its sites
  • in-restaurant and online experience for customers include deploying guest Wi-Fi networks, individual entertainment systems for diners and leveraging new networking technologies such as SD-WAN for optimizing bandwidth utilization. Better connectivity can directly infl uence the dining experience, for instance, by supporting servers in using handheld devices to take table orders.
  • the company is now able to reach and train many more staff through the use of video content shared and streamed across its new, high-speed network.
  • 60% of American adults agree that restaurant technology such as smartphone applications, tableside tablets and order kiosks increases con v enience
  • In the U.S., more than six in 10 millennial diners would like to see restaurants use technology to make ordering and payment easier.
  •  
    Network upgrade for POS, financial systems, employee management systems and payment transactions. SD-WAN
earagon22

What Hoteliers Need to Know About Cloud-Based Technology and PMS | By Warren Dehan - 0 views

  • stro
    • earagon22
       
      My property uses Maestro!!!
  • Hotels are turning to technology to improve efficiency at a time when they are short staffed, but technology alone can’t improve operations or help boost revenue without a clear plan and measured research into the technology solution that actually meets their needs.
  • increase mobility property wide and better manage operations,
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  • Truth #1: Integration is Complex
  • It is imperative to review on a granular level, the integrations supported within the PMS suite of modules that your property requires or plans to add, even when offered from a single vendor.
  • it may come as a surprise what is and is not available for cloud integration, and for seamless operations across all departments over the Internet. These could range from niche amenities, such as an on-property golf pro shop, to condo management, in-room devices, and guest facing applications.
    • earagon22
       
      My property moved to Maestro, a web-based PMS system, and learned quickly that not everything we needed was easily transferable if at all.
  • hotel operators should do a full analysis of what is and isn’t available for cloud integration with a given PMS provider in advance of investing in such a system.
  • Truth #2: Training is Necessary
  • Simply being attached to the cloud does not simplify the act of operating a hotel, but operating a hotel is easier in the long run if hotel employees are well trained.
    • earagon22
       
      I had a week of training for the new system prior to switching over.
  • Hotels adopting a cloud-based PMS will still need to monitor internal operating procedures to ensure the transition to new technology goes smoothly, and new employees are confidently guided through the onboarding process.
  • Truth #3: Data Does Not Take Care of Itself
  • Access to the cloud does not mean hotels can wash their hands when it comes to data security. Not only are hoteliers liable for maintaining the data they store in the cloud, even if it is physically off site, they must also take care to ensure they remain PCI compliant for any data residing locally.
  • While data in the cloud is typically backed up and secured automatically, it is a hotel’s responsibility to manage this within their local systems. The cloud remains separate, and none of these requirements go away if you adopt a cloud-based system for operations.
  • PCI compliance is simply the bar set for security standards regarding payment processing — a starting point for data security, not the solution.
  • Truth #4: Cloud-Based Technology Does NOT Solve Everything
  • Hoteliers understand when to offer the right amount of hospitality and when to step back and let guests enjoy their stay, and likewise it is important to understand when the technology is the right fit to address your needs and when it is not. Hotel operators should not assume they need a specific system without understanding its full feature set and the impact it will have on their guests, their staff, and their operations.
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    This article prvoides four truths that any property considering switching to a web-based cloud PMS system should consider. The first truth, integration is complex, delves into ensuring that one checks if the things supported within the new PMS satisfy the needs the property has. Secondly, training is necessary. Any switch to a new system requires extensive training so that the staff does not flounder. The third truth, data does not take care of itself, is reminding hoteliers that it is still their responsibility to protect their consumers' data and remain PCI compliant. Lastly, cloud-based tech does not solve everything. Hoteliers should be sure they know what they are getting and if it is necessary for their property. The president and co-owner of Maestro PMS, a web-based cloud PMS system wrote this article which is fascinating.
jbrit055

PMS and POS Integration for Smoother Sales & Happier Guests * WebRezPro - 0 views

  • Integration of core hotel systems is key to streamlining daily operations and enhancing the guest experience.
  • Thanks to cloud technology, system integration is easier, faster and more effective than ever, empowering hotels to automate processes for improved efficiency, better customer service, and a deeper understanding of guests.
  • a simple automated interface between the PMS and POS system saves hoteliers time and improves billing accuracy to enhance the guest experience and prevent lost revenue.
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  • Your PMS is the center of control for your property’s front-desk and back-office operations
  • Basically, your PMS takes care of everything to do with selling rooms.
  • The POS system helps manage sales outside of room sales
  • A PMS + POS integration streamlines the process of charging restaurant sales and other ancillary charges to a guest’s room via an automated interface, eliminating billing inaccuracies due to manual error, and giving staff more time to focus on guest service.
  • When PMS and POS systems are not integrated, restaurant charges and other add-on products and services charged to a guest’s room must be communicated to the front desk and added to the folio manually.
  • hoteliers can help to ensure a pleasant and quick check-out experience.
  • Automating the process of posting incidental charges to guest folios through PMS + POS integration ensures billing accuracy, saves hotel staff time, reduces customer complaints, and prevents lost revenue by ensuring charges are never missed.
  • Susceptible to human error due to shift changes, unclear communication, typos, or misplaced tickets, this manual process is prone to billing discrepancies that can result in dissatisfied guests and lost revenue.
  • In fact, a PMS + POS integration improves the guest experience throughout the stay.
  • seamless and personalized experience that guests expect from today’s hotels
  • supports the shift to contactless service, reducing physical touchpoints at POS stations during a guest’s stay
  • Make it effortless for your guests to spend, and they will probably spend more!
  • PMS + POS integration benefits both your business and your guests.
  •  
    Understanding what each hotel system works for and the departments they connect or overlap with can benefit from integrating such systems to make smoother operations. By integrating PMS and POS in a hotel, it can be easier for the guests to check in, etc., but it's also easier for staff to manage and track all guest information this way too.
  •  
    This type of integration is not new to the hospitality industry. Many hotels link their PMS system at the front desk to the POS system at the outlets. This integration is very efficient and convenient because guests can just simply charge their spending at the outlets to their folio, also known as "charge to the room."
kjeewan

Biometric Identification in Hotels and Casinos - 0 views

  • Biometric applications are particularly useful at the places where a lot of customers, members or visitors enters or exits a facility, or require identification or verification.
  • A hotel guard may not force guests to prove their identity, but what when there is a no guard and just a fingerprint scanner, where you need to put your finger to open the door?
  • Since hospitality employees are not expected to be too rigid, this part can be shouldered on biometric technology. Customer issues at hospitality outfits may sometimes be ego-driven, but showing ego to a machine is of no use and customers understand that.
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  • On the other hand, hotel room access based on guest biometrics provides an integrated solution that is connected with the hotel management systems. Since there is no need to card, keys or any other form of possession, there is no fear of losing them or getting them stolen. Biometrically logged entry exit presents strong proof that only guest entered the room and no one else.
  • They can also be provided with access to assigned hotel facility in the package like pool or casino, which are also secured with a biometric access method like fingerprint recognition. The underlying system also keeps record of guest’s whereabouts and generate reports when needs, e.g. at the time of billing, checkout or audit.
  • Managing preferences of returning guests beforehand give them an idyllic experience and more business to the hotel in long run. This can be efficiently achieved with a hotel management system equipped with biometric ability. Preferences of a guest can be associated with their biometric identifiers, which are instantly fetched when they scan their biometrics in future check-ins and hotel staff can surprise them every time they visit.
  • A biometric powered check-in can give guest the experience they want and deserve. Registering their biometrics (for example, fingerprints) and enabling access to the room in the hotel management software will give them frictionless access to their room and concentrate on the next thing they want to do.
  • Biometrically secured entry / exit to a service / facility area will require guests or members to scan their fingerprint or face to enter the facility and will log the time spent in the facility area.
  • It also prevents any outsiders from using hotel facilities such as pool or casino that are reserved only for guests.
  • At the time of billing, a guest may insist on not availing a service that has actually been availed and forgotten. Biometric based entry and exit records present authentic proof of services availed.
  • biometrics is not just about customer convenience or security, it can be deployed for in-house applications like employee attendance, time tracking and to improve payroll efficiency. Keeping track of employee in and out timings brings in payroll transparency and managers can make sure that employees are being paid for the hours worked and not for breaks. It also curbs time theft and timesheet manipulation within an organization. Time theft and timesheet manipulation is a disastrous activity, in which an employee misinterprets amount of time she has put to complete an assignment or a project. When done on purpose, the time is spent in personal or other activities unrelated to the work and logged in payroll system, putting burden on company funds. A biometric based clock-in and out system can eliminate the possibility of timesheet fraud as employees have to be present to clock in or out time, they ask someone else to do it for them.
  • The biometric guest ID and preference tracking system facilitates keyless entry for guest rooms, eliminating the need for cards or keys. It facilitates automated check in fingerprints kiosks, whereby guests can check in with a simple touch of their finger. Billing becomes dramatically easy and reliable and customers can be reliably charged with biometrically authenticated logs of their entry and exit to facility area.
  •  
    I decided to do further research on Biometrics software in hospitality because we use it at the Four Seasons where I work in the Residences department. Biometrics is a technology that scans your fingerprint and grants you access to areas designated by management. This is useful in residences and hotels because as an owner or guests, only you will have access to your apartment or room. The article mentioned how as technology evolves, there is a debate as to whether guests will want to give their fingerprint. Too much security could be seen as a nuisance but too little security puts guests at risk. Having a Biometrics system in place at a hotel ensures that only hotel guests are patrolling the property or floors with rooms. Another interesting aspect is using Biometrics to remember returning guest preferences such as floor height, food choices, allergies, etc. This system could be put into place at check-in so that right away the front desk knows the guest is returning and can be made aware of their past preferences. Benefits of Biometrics mentioned in the article is not having to deal with room key cards, added security on property, seamless check-ins as well as even paying for items on property. A guest might not even need to take their credit card around because they can just use their fingerprint to pay at the pool, gift shop, etc. Behind the scenes, Biometrics is important as well. A hotel can use Biometrics to track employee attendance, clocking out for meals and to ensure only employees are accessing closed off areas of the property.
  •  
    Biometrics can be used by companies for employees to clock in and clock out to ensure timesheet accuracy. It can be used by companies as a security measure so that guests are where they are permitted to be. It can be used for easy check in and billing and payment verification if there are issues. Biometrics can also be used as a way to collect guest information for example their preferences.
claudecole

Smart Hotel Technology & Proximity Marketing | Optimove - 0 views

  • Use automated check-in courtesy of geofencing. By utilizing geofencing – a virtual ‘fence’ around a specified location – hoteliers can provide guests with the option to check in as soon as they’ve landed (or when they’re nearing the hotel) by sending a push notification to their smartphone that takes them to the relevant check-in screen in the hotel’s app. 
  • So when a guest has checked in, and for the duration of their stay, beacon technology can detect when guests are near their room via their smartphone and unlock the door
  • Once in their room, that same technology can deliver all manner of wonderful a-ha moments – from switching on the lighting when guests enter, to turning on the air-con, to setting just the right room temperature
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  • An immersive guest experience creates loyal customers, expanding the reach of your brand as they share their experience, and helping increase revenues as a result.
  • t’s never been more critical to reach customers with hyper-personalized content – aka, the right offer, at the right time, and in the right place.  
  • Location-based marketing also provides opportunities to partner with local businesses and take advantage of geofencing so when guests are nearby, say, a local restaurant around dinner time,
  • Check-out courtesy of proximity marketing is the perfect opportunity to give your guests a frictionless send-off, and if you’re smart, an offer or two to help them remember you by
  • Using beacons, hotels can provide their guests with digital maps that track their location in real-time, and deliver them to their desired destination, minus the frustration.
  • Proximity marketing enables the savvy hotel brand not only to stand out in an ultra-competitive marketplace but to build valuable, meaningful connections with customers that foster loyalty over the long term.
  • 74% of guests value hotels/resorts that customize messaging and offers 88% of guests want a hotel app that delivers a personalized CX 
  • Immediate conversions by engaging customers when they’re most likely to respond. Better app engagement, enabling hoteliers to ship relevant, valuable messages that guests want to receive – when they want to receive them. Increased retention – by shipping hyper-personalized content, app users are more likely to hang around to see what’s coming next. 
  • 95% of guests believe their chosen hotel should be making efforts to introduce them to local culture (I-AM) 
  • the entire in-room experience can be elevated from mediocre to marvelous via the humble beacon, helping to make the guest experience memorable and elevating the chances that they’ll be back next year.  
  • But there’s another benefit to location-based check-in. As well as providing a hassle-free experience for guests, the use of location-based technology means hotel staff can be notified when guests are on their way, giving them the opportunity to prepare for their arrival (being there to ‘meet and greet’, having room keys available if required, or even having a welcome drink at the ready for that ultra-personal touch!). 
  • Beacons inside hotel rooms can identify when guests are back at base, and, coupled with additional insights courtesy of your analytics platform, provide the perfect offer for in-room services.
  • More and more hotels are using geofencing and beacon technology to help guests find what they’re looking for via their smartphones
  • The optimum guest journey is made up of many delightful aha-moments, which when woven together create the ultimate travel experience.
  • Responsive, personalized, valuable interactions that meet individual needs, and introduce them to new experiences. Location-based targeting can help deliver these critical micro-moments.  
  • he important thing to remember? Yep – personalization. If your analytics tell you that a guest was a frequent spa-user during their vacation, you could send them a voucher for spa products to take home with them. Just a thought.
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    Proximity marketing is a hotel's current powerful tool for elevating guests' experiences. It is imperative for a hotel to have a fun, interactive, and easy-to-use app that creates a better stay for its guests. Some benefits include geofencing, room entry and room controls, and hotel navigation. These factors all go hand in hand in creating a seamless and memorable hotel stay.
  •  
    This article goes into detail about the utility of proximity marketing in terms of adding guest experience within the hospitality industry. It also details how guest retention can be increased by the ability to use analytical data in order to gain insights on guest trends allowing for a memorable personal touch. Another major point made within the article details the importance of hospitality companies promoting local experiences outside of the venue itself and proximity marketing allows for local businesses and attractions to be highlighted.
mmoutsatsos

Nail The Basics Of Cybersecurity With Multifactor Authentication (MFA) - 0 views

  • When it comes to the basics of cybersecurity, nothing is so elemental as the password.
  • the simple password has endured as the first and last guardian of consumer and business data. 
  • But with the rise of sophisticated hacking techniques, passwords alone can no longer protect against unauthorized access and security attacks.
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  • Enter multifactor authentication (MFA). By adding extra layers of security to a user's login process and requiring they enter two or more pieces of evidence (e.g., factors) to prove they are who they say they are,
  • MFA is a great method for boosting protection against everyday threats like credential stuffing, phishing attacks and account takeovers.
  • 1. Passwords alone are no longer enough to protect against security attacks.
  • it's critical every company apply effective security measures to protect their data.
  • to protect business and customer data, it begins and ends with preventing unauthorized account access.
  • MFA is the most direct and effective way to do that.
  • A familiar example of MFA at work is the two factors needed to withdraw money from an ATM.
  • Your ATM card is the something that you have, and your PIN is the something you know.
  • companies can require all employees to verify their identities with two or more pieces of evidence to prove they are who they say they are.
  • 2. Companies around the world (from Fortune 500s to small businesses) are feeling the urgency to adopt MFA — but a knowledge gap persists.
  • It's imperative companies invest in training employees on how using MFA is essential to securing access to both work and personal accounts.
  • industries in our everyday lives — led by social media platforms and financial services — requiring consumers use MFA to secure their personal accounts, both businesses and employees are normalizing the everyday routine of MFA. 
  • make the connection between security at work and in their personal lives and understanding they're two sides of the same coin.
  • 3. MFA adoption can seem overwhelming, but it doesn't have to be.
  • By recognizing any technical, change management and financial challenges to user adoption, committing to open communication, and providing the resources and training your employees need, any business can conquer that fear of the unknown. 
  • When adopting MFA, prioritize identifying the strongest and most user-friendly authentication method possible for your organization.
  • that means using an authenticator generator app, a hardware security key or a combination.
  • the reality is a large percentage of U.S.-based employees are also consumers with a smartphone in their pocket.
  • on that phone, the employee is already using multiple apps that require MFA.
  • 4. Balance security with ease of use when identifying a preferred authentication method for your organization
  • With options like hardware keys, you often see employees run into issues losing, replacing or breaking them. But a (TOTP) mobile app can be continuously updated in ways that make the MFA process more seamless (e.g, an app that verifies automatically from trusted locations like an employee's home office).
  • authenticator apps on devices like iPhones have the added benefit of extra layers of security at the phone level like PINs and biometrics like Face ID.
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    This article talks about companies transitioning to multifactor authentication as an added layer of protection of cybersecurity.
pjohn091

The Property Management System (PMS) of the future is already here | By Max Starkov - 0 views

  • The traditional, legacy PMS is an on-premises software platform with features and functionality ranging from barebones to rich and very complex. These legacy platforms have a number of serious disadvantages: a) too expensive to install, train staff and maintain, b) their "all-in-one solution approach" stifles innovation and prevent quick adoption of new functionality needed to meet new guest requirements or sudden changes in the market conditions, like the contactless experience from last year, and c) as closed systems they are reluctant to open up to third-party integrations, applications and solutions, depriving the property and its guests from some very innovative and much-needed applications and services.
  • Some of the benefits of the cloud PMS are significant and timely: No upfront costs - its pay-per-use model makes it an operating expense (OpEx), which helps the constricted cash flow Easy to install, train staff and use which increases staff productivity Automation of many administrative tasks, saving the property team time and effort AI driven workflows and database management and intelligence Automatic software upgrades with minimum downtime and no extra cost No need for on-property IT support, which is getting quite unattainable in the post-crisis era Complete automation of redundant processes and tasks, allowing the property to operate with leaner staff The ever-changing data security requirements are handled by professional data security engineers at the cloud PMS vendor Provides guests with contactless guest experience and mobility. Upgrade and up-sell capabilities or easy integration with an upsells vendor, important in this depressed revenue environment Easy access to reporting and performance analytics from any device anywhere. Most importantly, an Open API for seamless, fast and free or low-cost connectivity with the myriad innovative third-party vendors out there. Ex. Oracle's legacy OPERA PMS has 400 API capabilities vs the OPERA Cloud PMS with 3,000 API capabilities.
  • he three main advantages of the OPERTA Cloud PMS over the legacy PMS:
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  • Ability to achieve more with fewer resources,
  • Security of data
  • Ability to be agile, adapt and evolve
  • the three key advantages of the cloud PMS over the legacy PMS:
  • Flexibility:
  • According to Laura Calin from Oracle Hospitality, switching from a legacy to a cloud PMS has occurred traditionally when a) on-premises hardware reaches end-of-life and warranties are expiring, or b) when a brand affiliation comes to an end and a replacement system is required.
  • Connectivity:
  • I believe over the next 5 years the adoption of cloud PMS solutions will explode and this will be the highest growth component of the hotel tech stack
  • Why? Low costs, efficiencies, higher productivity and data security aside, in the near and mid-term a full-service 3-4-5-star hotel will need over 100 plus APIs with third-party tech applications and solutions to be able to function and meet the basic needs and wants of today's digitally-savvy travelers.
  • Ease and efficiency:
  • (PMS) is the hotel 's command center for rooms and F&B management, sales and catering, distribution, availability, pricing, reservations, guest interactions, issue resolution, housekeeping, reporting, billing, guest communications, etc. and is often described as "the central nervous system of the hotel operations."
  • Luckily for our industry, the future is already here in the form of a cloud PMS with Open API (application programming interface) integration platform, just on time in this most challenging era in our industry.
  • the three key advantages of the cloud PMS over the legacy PMS:
  • Ever since the emergence of the cloud-first PMS platforms like Cloudbeds and Mews, there has been a monumental shift in the PMS vendor community's mindset: from closed system mentality to cloud PMS with Open API mentality. At Oracle Hospitality, with the adoption of the Oracle's self-service cloud technology tools, the OPERA Cloud PMS with Open API has become the most important innovation strategy
  •  
    This article deals with cloud PMS and its advantages. Some of the advantages stated by the article are efficiency, low cost, and provides guest with more contactless experience. This is a new trend we are starting to see emerge into the industry especially now more than ever after the events that have occurred due to the pandemic.
  •  
    Seems to me this took a lot longer for companies to start getting onboard then I would have anticipated. The cost perspective and ease of use should have attracted people right away. Not having to house or protect on site servers from damage and theft is also a critical point. Not to mention the ability to grow the system when necessary.
  •  
    The article discusses traditional PMS, an on-premises software platform that can range from very basic to extremely powerful and complex. Installation, training and maintenance are expensive for such platforms, and they stifle innovation by not allowing third-party integrations, applications, and solutions. Cloud-based hotel management systems with Open API integration platforms are the future of hotel management software. They are cost-effective and offer many operational benefits. Operating expenses such as the OPERA Cloud PMS improve cash flow, are easy to install, train personnel, and automate many administrative processes. Also, it provides easy access to reporting and performance analytics, as well as contactless guest experiences and mobility.
bruss031

How Hotels Are Becoming Smarter to Adapt to Changing Times - 1 views

  • As one of the largest and oldest industries globally, hospitality has been adapting to a changing world for thousands of years.
  • the social distancing measures imposed by the Covid-19 outbreak have resulted in greater demands for cleanliness and contactless transactions. In contrast, concern over sustainability has made green initiatives a wise financial decision and a marketing necessity.
  • a 2019 PWC survey found that 70 percent of hospitality executives report being actively involved in IoT projects at their properties, compared to just 48 percent of executives from other industries.
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  • an IoT platform could save guest settings so that each time they book a stay at a particular property or brand, they will find the room tailored precisely to their preferences.
  • hotels are beginning to experiment with occupancy sensors in rooms, too (among other things) inform staff of the best times to clean a room to avoid guest disruption.
  • Hotels such as the YOTEL Boston, Aloft Cupertino, Renaissance Las Vegas, and Hard Rock Hotel Biloxi have begun experimenting with robot helpers to clean or provide contactless guest service.
  • For some hotels in Asia, robots proved to be the safest way to deliver food or vacuum the rooms of guests who were completing mandatory 2-week quarantine periods upon arriving in the country.
  • Starwood Hotels & Resorts has begun automatically adjusting indoor lighting in their public areas based on the amount of natural light entering the space.
  • the Wynn Las Vegas scans the temperatures of all people entering the hotel and pulls aside for additional screening of anyone whose temperature registers greater than 100 degrees.
  • In the future, facial recognition technologies could be used to allow staff to identify guests by name.
  •  
    While Covid-19 has caused some major challenges to the hospitality industry, the industry is particulairy known for changing and adapting to an ever evolving world around it. Covid created a big push for hotels and large properties to begin to assess their technology stratagies moving forward and the industry is expected to continue to see a large push for new advances in technology that not only will help to create more sustainable properties but an overall better and more enjoyable guest experience. While this does potentially create an overall more enjoyable guest experience, the upfront capital expenditures for properties could cause potential impacts to the bottom line as well as disrupt the guest experience during renovation times.
mandalysha

How Hotels Can Drive Increased Revenue and Loyalty By Offering a Reciprocal Value Exchange with Guests | - 1 views

  • As privacy concerns related to data capture reach a fever pitch, consumer data – perhaps better described as the critical currency which powers personalization – is becoming a protected commodity.
  • Over time, privacy and personal data protection concerns began competing with consumer desire for a data-driven, personalized experience.
  • Industries like hospitality, which rely on retrieving traveler information to curate more relevant messaging, offers, experiences, and loyalty rewards, must adjust their approach.
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  • Data is valuable, and it’s due time for hotel operators to establish a two-way value exchange that incentives guests to readily share their information to unlock a heightened experience.
  • hotels cannot offer a great guest experience without prioritizing data protection and transparency; one tier of service (personalization) cannot come at the expense of another (privacy and consent)
  • If hotels elevate their efforts to meet guests’ expectations for customized offers and experiences, and treat personalization as a strategic priority, they will see immediate benefits that deliver long-term results.
  • 80% of consumers are willing to share personal data to earn loyalty program benefits. 70% of consumers are willing to share their data to receive special discounts and offers. 71% of consumers will shop more often with brands or retailers that personalize their communications.
  • Next-generation technology sets the stage for this dynamic by allowing hospitality brands to offer their guests data control and value in a seamless, scalable fashion.
  •  
    With privacy being a concern in the hospitality industry, hotels are incentivizing a customer sharing information with a heightened personalized experience. Customers are willing to share personal data to earn loyalty program benefits, receive special discounts and offers, and will shop more often with those brands that personalize their communications.
  •  
    Even though we are aware that generally, individuals are more inclined to do things when there are benefits to them, this new exchange of data for access to certain benefits has now placed that transaction at the forefront of my mind. This is because schemes are not being applied to secretly obtain customers' personal data, but rather the customers are willing to share them. This exchange is beneficial to guests since they earn travelers' consent, unlock richer experiences, better service, and high long-term loyalty. In my opinion, this is a fair trade. Thanks for sharing this article on "How Hotels Can Drive Increased Revenue and Loyalty By Offering a Reciprocal Value Exchange with Guests."
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