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Electronic commerce is a booming business during these years. For example, the United States attributed $300 billion in transactions in 2002. There are two types of E-commerce through Internet, one is Intranet and the other is Extranet. Also, according to the former data, E-commerce is becoming more and more importance. Among e-commerce transactions, individual transactions donate a lot. There are lots of benefits about the E-commerce. Through selling on the Internet, they often have lower transactions costs. Also, E-commerce is faster and more convenient so that shoppers are able to take a lot of time to buy. Although there are lots of benefits, there are still drawbacks like searching better prices. Organizations usually go through four phases, including Web Presence, Web Service, Web Transactions and Integrated Web. The purpose of the first one is marketing enhancing. The second one is setting for responding to product and services inquires. The third one make company get their Web Sites ready for transactions. The last one creates the value chain among the customers. In the future, there will be greater integration of Web Sites with backend customer databases and other business information systems. The organizations are developing micromarketing decisions at individual level. At the end, the article also listed a lot of questions about the issues about the e-commerce in the future.

Did you know that by the year 2016 e-Commerce buying and selling online would have made over 8.6 billion dollars! This article discusses the e-commerce currently and its future trends in the hospitality arena, which is one of the fastest growing industries to date.

While the article I have chosen does not directly speak about GDS, it does show the importance of a system like such in the hospitality industry. When you enter you hotel or establishment into the GDS, travel websites such as TripAdvisor, utilize this database to book trips for its customers. Therefore the contents of the booking site are just as important to the hotel/ establishment. This article goes on about the consumer-based commentary that is allowed on sites as such and how organizations need to know what is it that is being said about them on the electronic Internet stage. "TripAdvisor-branded sites make up the largest travel community in the world, with more than 50 million unique monthly visitors and over 60 million reviews and opinions," notes article author John Fareed. What does this tell us? That with a database so large and accessible by these booking sites, as a hospitality entity, one needs to ensure that they are shown in the best light with the best service. The hospitality industry requires attention to detail and a unique experience to stand out from the rest. When travel sites have other hotels readily available for viewing one cannot have most of its influence on the website being negative. I just took a different approach on this article concerning the relevant topic and saw how crucial it could be on the company for using GDS if everything else is not in order. Although the GDS may make your establishment easier to find, if there is no substance behind the product or service in this industry, the competition will leave you no choice but to fail.

This article shares how ARAMARK, introduces new techonolgy using the iPad. This is occurring at the home of the NBA Cleveland Cavaliers. It allows luxury suite owners to not only order food and drinks, but gives the guest the ability to buy team logo merchandise, see and buy tickets for upcoming events at the arena, while serving as an electronic concierge. Smarttouch will allow the arena operators to see first hand what their guests like and want more of. By providing this type of service to its guests, it will build a stronger bond between the fan/guest and the team/arena owner. If indeed this does increase loyalty, the increase in spending will surely follow. I believe this is a very strategic move on behalf of Aramark and the arena, because those who spend the type of money to have box/suites in the arena, will spend in other areas. Business owners would support the organization, by entertaining their clients, through advertisements and via word of mouth of the latest and greatest experience they had at the arena. Additionally, revenues generated from the other service offerings, will help justify costs needed to upgrade the facility to support the type of infrastructure needed to operate the Smarttouch.

This article is describing a new reservation system program which is going to support Sceptre Hospitality Resources' hotels.  This system allows users to make reservation using social media. it also allows managers to control hotel activities on their iPhones and iPads.  This program is going to maximize hotel's revenues, but upgrading users after the selection is made. 

With the advances of technology organizations can create a competitive advange by implementing them to their services and products. In the past companies were looking for remote desktop software solutions such as "VDI and Citrix to hardware solutions like Clear Cube and HP. Now with OnLive Virtual Desktop which is a full window and office desktop shows how technology has advanced very rapidly in the last couple of years making easier the use of systems "The service has been in use for the last year and while I've seen issues in hotels and areas with older or bottlenecked networks, in homes with high-bandwidth connections or businesses with well managed networks it has worked well - granted with few people on OnLive." Some companies would like to apply the advantage of Kinect which is a motion interface for Xbox designed to play without a controller. With Windows Kinect will make more comfortable to managers and directors giving presentations without the need of a keyboard or mice. Windows 8 will allow users to control a computer cursor with their eyes. "These technologies could, using different vectors, address usage models for PCs that have been unsafe or impossible before now and better allow existing hardware to use Microsoft's next operating system." With the implementation of water Block ( HzO) applied during manufacturing hardware would be more protected " Given that moisture is often what causes electronics to corrode and decay over time these solutions could be the equivalent of a Fountain of Youth, significantly extending the useful life of hardware that operates in moist or humid environments." This new advances in technology can bring to organizations more opportunities to expand their market, obtain a competitive advantage and protect their assets.

ATLAS sands for Advanced Technology Lodging Access System is designed for hotels that need to have a better control over their back office operations and that can rely on a system to provide secure access to their premises and accurate.

I used to use this systme to make key cards for the customers in the hotel. It's really easy to make a key card and safe for both of the customers and hotels. For example, if a customer lost his/her key card, we can remake a new one that the old one is not able to open the door in case of a theive pick up the room card to access to the guest's room. I think in the future the access system will be more advanced like you can use a cellphone to access to your room or you just use your finger print or pupil to access your room. It also works for the access for the employees. Employees may access to the working area by using their figer print or pupil to in case of some of the stranger to access to the working area. This locking system may be still have a large space to develop. This will make the hotel more fashionable and more intersting for the customers. We used to have the oringinal keys but now most of the hotels use key cards. Today also some of the hotel use mobile phones to access to the room, here still some security issues to be pay attetion like if someone lost their mobile phones. So from my opinion the future room key fotr the hotels will be better to use the unique identity of the human to access to the room.

Great article on the rise of mobile payment systems and how businesses who in the past may have been cash only or otherwise are seeing increased sales as the ability to take credit card payments with little hardware and software infrastructure costs. Down the street from me is probably my favorite Rib joint in town, Uncle Rodney's House of Ribs is the name. I love that place, but rarely go because they are a cash only business due in large part to the fact that the owner does not wish to pay for wireless or otherwise internet related services to make his business able to accept credit cards. What are everyone's thought to the increased use of mobile payment systems for restaurants and other businesses?

This is an interesting article, and it is quite amazing to see how the way of payment is drastically shifting with new technological devices such as smartphones, card readers. Just a couple of years ago, if I wanted to buy something online, I had to start my computer then go on whatever website I bought something from which took some time. Now, however, I don't even have to turn on my computer to purchase something on the web because I can buy many things through my smartphone whenever and wherever I want. It is a lot easier and faster than what it used to be.

Spasibo bolshoe za interesting article! Ona mne ochen pomozhet v moem research!

Ipads changing our life is absolute. In fact, if there is no ipad, something electronic products can also bring revolution in hotel Wi-Fi networks. To tell the truth, free hotel Wi-Fi is too slow.....last year, I had a internship in Holiday Inn Central Plaza Beijing. There had two kinds of Wi-Fi networks. Free network was cover the whole hotel but the speed was slow. The other that must be paid was faster. Some people had video session prefered the faster one. In addtion, hotels should upload their Wi-Fi networks. It can be an attraction of the hotels.

For a hotel the WiFi system is really important because guests prefer the hotel with WiFi system. The guests even willing to pay a small premium to stay at a WiFi equipped lodgings. As the rise of smart phones and ultra-lightweight laptops case the bandwidth problems. I think the hotel can deal with this problems by create various account levels for guests, stuff and visitors. The hotel can allow the visitors to use free WiFi and provide high level account to overnight guests.

I personally prefer to use WIFI in my own room when I visit a hotel because I have more privacy. Some hotels they may offer free/complimentary WIFI in the public area, for example, the lobby, the lounge, etc. At the same time, to limit the overuse of public WIFI, the WIFI in the guests' room are charged by different time period and the length of using the WIFI. It seems to be not fair to those business people who require internet all day long. However, it lowers the expense of the WIFI service and improves the guests' satisfaction of the internet service.

This article describes how a Hyatt hotel in New Orleans has increased hotel and guest security while making it easier for guests to get where they need to go. The increased security is vital for this hotel as it provides meeting and event space to guests. A lot of people make business deals in the hotel and it's important to them to know there are no unwanted attendees at their meetings and events. This is great for guests as they only need to know what their hotel/conference room number is. The hotel basically leads them directly where they need to go. This saves hotel personnel time they might have to spend giving people directions to their room. This hotel is very large so helping guests get where they need to go saves lots of time and frustration. This can also be a great cost saving move for the hotel. They may be able to eliminate some security personnel knowing the RFID cards and elevator security system will do some of the work for them. A surveillance staff is still needed but they should already have those positions on staff anyway. They could perhaps also see some energy savings as the Schindler system should be calling the most efficient elevator car. One thing I'm wondering about that is not addressed in the article is the security of the stairwells. They surely have to have stairwells for emergency situations. Can someone go into the stairwell from their floor and access other floors?

Microsoft is releasing in October 2012 the new version of the most popular computer operating system Windows 8. This new feature is not only for laptops or desktops, it is mainly focusing on touch screen devices. Lenovo also unveiled their Lenovo Yoga hybrid. This computer allows you to tuck the keyboard flat behind the screen and transform the device into a tablet shape, it can rotate 360 degrees. Windows 8 allows you to put your favorite app such as Facebook or Twitter into the start screen, you can add more apps, customize them and it refreshes constantly so the information stays current.

Smart companies are taking full advantage social media by interacting with customers in innovative ways.With the advent of the Internet, marketers have access to the technology to customize products and communicate directly with smaller target markets. The Internet is now firmly established as a marketing tool. It serves as an integral part of the marketing mix, serving as a digital distribution channel as well as an electronic storefront.

Nice article. E-procurement solves alot of small everyday problems of hospitality industry. Not only does the Internet facilitate the sharing of information, it simplifies the process for the end-user as well, and reduces infrastructure and transaction costs. The shared nature of the Internet distributes the infrastructure costs across large groups of potential customers,

Highlight of the article: Toronto, Canada & Glattbrugg, Switzerland -- January 21, 2010 -- VFM Leonardo, leader in online visual content distribution for hotels, today announced that Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts, an upscale hotel management company represented through over 90 hotels in operation or under construction in 26 countries, is using the Premium edition of VFM Leonardo's VBrochure Online Merchandising System to better merchandise its properties online with photos and rich media on thousands of electronic channels and websites in the VNetwork™. My description: VFM online merchandising system has been used more and more widely in hotel digital asset management and online visual content distribution network.It is a source helping potential customers to find the visual information of a certain hotel and increase booking of this hotel.The article mentioned a successful example of using VFM in Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts, an upscale hotel management company.VFM makes it possible that make advertisements for this hotel in 26 countries of four core markets, Europe , Asian, Mid West ,and Africa.Nowadays, VFM Leonardo is a technology leader in online visual content management and distribution for the hotel industry and there are 90,000 hotels worldwide currently in distribution across the VNetwork.

Radio frequency identification (RFID) is an advanced technology. It is the use of a wireless non-contact radio system to transfer data from a tag attached to an object, for the purposes of automatic identification and tracking. Tags do not need battery and they used radio waves to read them. The tag has electronically stored information, so it can use far distance. Unlike a bar code, the tag is not as same as bar code. Line of sight of the reader is not necessary. Radio frequency identification is used in different area. A lot of entertainment use tags as tickets. Some theme parks used tags for gaming, eating and lodging. I think in the future the hospitality industry really needs this technology. More and more new program join in hotel such as rock climbing, spa, casino and so on. These different programs need convenient tickets for guests. Because of this technology used in hotel, the ID card will not just for opening the door. It will include many functions. And the guests do not need any other card or cash in hotel.

This is an informative article on Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology. I found an article talks about RFID in cruise ship last week and got impressed with the advancement of technology in hospitality industry. Hopefully, we will see many hospitality properties equipped with RFID soon. This technology just reminds me of Korean style sauna called "Jjimjil bang" and many of the saunas in Korea are equipped with RFID. A wristband with a sensor inside is given to people when they chenk in and people just need to wear the wristband to pay in the sauna.

According to this article the Electronic commerce name as :e-commerce, has been allowing the information to fallow a course through the Internet on a worldwide web without any barriers. The fact that it has an enormous cost saving, It is also consider as an advantage for most companies around the world in the hospitality industry. This article also point how IT has become a trend in the Hospitality industry. Most people tend to look-up and travel information and destination online because it is a faster way, cost effective, time consuming most of the time more reliable than other ways. And with the evolution of the technology nowadays, software, hardware, information management, and telecommunications systems have facilitated the process between companies in the travel industry.

I agree with this article that e-commerce helps the airlines companies to save a lot of money and exceed the guest expectation with a fast and convenience service. Even though; at the beginning the companies has to spend a lot of money to implement the latest technology in order to reach markets around the world, but at the long term this investment will give back to these companies high profit.

I completely agree with the idea that e-commerce allows information to spread through out the internet, essentially, without barriers. This results in a vast potential for reaching a target market. The development of e-commerce will facilitate the growth of the hospitality industry.

This article gave us a highlight information of e-business strategy, E business has been added as the latest domain in business and has become a must-have in the highly competitive technology driven open market. E Business Strategy can be summarized as the strategies governing E Businesses through calculated information dissemination. E-business can help company reach to the international market and use minimal cost. There have some E-business models, such as MRP (Material Requirements Planning), EDI (Electronic Data Interchange) or ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning). And e-business strategy would general included : supply chain management, customer service and customer relationship management, inventory and service management integration and tactical operations alignment.

From this article, the-business plays an important role in today's world. By the e-business, the trade can be made on the internet. It is very convenience for the global businessman who can reduce the cost and make more profit. The supply chain management and email marketing are the essential features of the e-business. With the help of the e-business strategies, the wholesalers and retailers can handle with different products. They can discuss the price, quantity and other detail information on the internet. Else, the trade can be observed by the internet that will offer a good environment for the businessman. In addition, the effective e-business can make sure the customers will have a good service. And it also can avoid the unnecessary purchase steps and expenditures.

This article talks about IT software that can reduce costs and energy consumption if the technology is implemented. HVAC, heating, ventilation and air conditioning, is a hotel's 'biggest power consumption culprit,' especially with guests who are not mindful of their consumption because they are not in their own homes and in essence do not have to pay. HVAC and lighting control system can be utilized without active involvement from a guest. So his or her stay wouldnt be hindered by having to keep track of their energy use. Guests do not want to be bothered with the day to day running's of a business.  This system would be greatly beneficial for a hotel to implement because it is keeping up with the latest trend, it doesn't disrupt a guest's comfort and it reduces expenditure

The Hotel Electronic Distribution Network Association (HEDNA) have announced their board members for 2011 today. For those who are not familiar with this organisation, HEDNA are a not-for-profit trade association whose worldwide membership includes executives and managers from the most influential companies in the hotel distribution industry.

As the world develops, more and more restaurants use e-menu to order food. Ipad, the fashion of technology also attract restaurants eyes. Some owners invest into Ipad menu in order to attract more customers and make more gross profit. Also, many owners are worry about security risks, maintenance, education, and so on. Here are some advantages of ipad menu such as paperless, electronic receipts, tips, categorized menu, suggestions, reports, inventory, speedy orders and picking a plate. Because of eliminating print, there are no more receipts or written signatures. It is the reason of paperless. And customers can quickly calculate their waitress tips on the ipad. Also, the guests can use the ipad to design their own meal. If guests have some questions about the wine according to the food preference, Ipad menu will answer it. Another reason is the ipad menu should increase the speedy orders. The orders will transfer to kitchen in seconds and save the time for waiting the waitress to order the food. At the same time, if the restaurant is busy, guests will play some games on Ipad to wait for their food, which instead of complains. At last, because of saving time and labor cost, the restaurant should be save cost and easy to collect data of the restaurant. There are still some disadvantages. For example, every customer wants an individual iPad as their own menu, so restaurants must purchase numerous iPads with one per seat. Because of this reason, the restaurant should be care for the thefts. And the managers need to train every waitress to use the ipad menu. The expense should increase in training.Also, some guests do not know how to use ipad menu and the technology is not suit for them. At last, you need to pay more in maintenance.

The hotels of Hilton launched an electronic event planning tool: complimentary Personalized Group Web Pages. This was a new generation of evet planning online, and many other hotel chains followed with them. The features include: no cost for creating, event planner control it, display information in one place, even planner select their own choice, and directly links for more information. It gives more choice and control for hotels' to take control of their evetn booking at their convenience. And online efficiency eliminates the need to call the hotel or wait for the hotel to upload rooming lists manually.

The article talks about how a business owner was able to reduce the paper used at his restaurant in the back office. While doing this he finds out that it is much easier to control his business, the cloud and technology initiatives provide him with accountability and easier way to expand. This is a lesson in the how to achieve two objectives with one solution. 

I think going green is a must but its not enough. The system of producing-consuming needs to be comletely changed. Actually im happy companies start thinking about bringing less harm to nature.

Going green is such a win for every party. I would argue that there is a big difference between wading through piles of paper and having a clean organized electronic system. The more automated the back office of any company can be, the more efficient and therefore profitable it will be. The popularity of cyber communication, data storage, bookeeping, etc is only going to increase rapidly in the next few years.