Believe it or not, most hoteliers don’t fully understand what the cloud is
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The Pros and Cons of Cloud Computing for Hotels - 2 views
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There is the natural inability of the hotelier withstand outages or hacker attacks in the cloud
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The problem is most of these organizations aren’t sure of how much to rely upon the cloud and even in some cases what makes up cloud services.
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Redundancy
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There are many pros and cons associated with cloud computing and hosted solutions for the hotelier
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The Pros:There are much lower start-up costs and not much equipment to purchase. Less staff is needed to maintain the equipment. There should be no need for future hardware upgrades.
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Cloud computing is very fast to implement to a number of workstations.
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Then there is the fixed-cost advantage: Software provided online is upgraded and maintained by the provider
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The fixed cost allows business owners to plan rather than be caught off-guard when a costly software or hardware upgrade must be purchased.
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Making false promises
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Redundancy.
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Cloud hosting resides in a single data center.
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For starters, automatic scaling can make people extremely lazy. If you’re not paying attention to your usage, you just might get a huge surprise on your next bill.
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So if you’re using cloud hosting, make sure to pay daily attention to your usage.
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App performance could suffer. Your data might not be cloud-worthy
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Service level availability agreements. Since these agreements are very detailed, it’s essential to verify all the services being defined in the contract.
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Service level availability agreements.
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So, what is the “cloud”? Believe it or not, most hoteliers don’t fully understand what the cloud is . Yet the cloud is in the news daily. It touches all of our lives, but in its present form is the cloud and the security measures to protect users ready for prime time? The consensus is ”cloudy”.
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cloud computing service provider
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provide different levels of quality and services when it comes to actually installing them. Thus, finding a reliable service provider is a tiring and time-consuming job.
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The future looks great down the road, but in the meantime there will be a great shakeout and much angst getting there. If Amazon and Sony can’t get it right yet, what chance do you stand?
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This article pretty much outlines the advantages and disadvantages of cloud computers in general, but it speaks of how hoteliers don't fully understand what a cloud is, much less trust to use one. It goes on to explain how cost effective the start up for a cloud network is in terms of hardware, software and time. But, in long term, the monthly payments for web hosting, software hosting, storage, etc are never ending. Although at least these costs are such that you can plan ahead for. There is also a greater vulnerability to hacker attacks in the cloud. Redundancy is an issue as well, since clouds are hosted in a single data center. The article ends with a warning on service providers and the importance of finding the right one for you and your needs. -
This is a very informative article and a good source that gives me basic understanding of cloud computing. Some of the aspects of the cloud are same as I expected and some are not. As companies or people using cloud computing don't have to purchase software and equipment to store or manage data, and to upgrade servers frequently, the cloud is a cost effective and efficient alternative. However, it will increase companies operating expenses as it requires monthly bills which might be costly depending on usage.
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How to Run Business Software Between Macs and PCs | Entrepreneur.com - 0 views
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How to Run Business Software Between Macs and PCs
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The age-old debate has been Mac versus PC but, increasingly, small business owners must think Mac and PC
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That means business owners need to ensure that their software, documents and files can be used in-house and by clients -- no matter which operating system they are created on
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"Dual boot" your Mac
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dvanced tactics: Install a virtual desktop
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With Apple came a new era to the contemporary technological world in which some people and businesses can not operate with PC, because Mac interface and overall features seem to be more user-friendly, but however most of those people and businesses want to operate Mac, using PC features. So, this article suggests how to keep both systems working and what are the means, advantages and disadvantages to that
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What You Should Know About POS - Accounting Software Systems - 0 views
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This article informs us on the different levels of integration to accounting, ecommerce, rental, shop management and other software modules. There is a slight difference between integrated and interfaced. Interface is when the system is linked to another accounting system like quick books or Peachtree in order to transfer data between them in order to communicate with third party programs. Integrated modules use the same file and information, data is consistent in order to avoid double entry. Most accounting systems are built in and tightly integrated into the software so there is an instant update of inventory quantity, customer history, account receivables etc. There are some advantages of a separate accounting package which include saving money, no retraining, and better overall design with stand alone accounting systems. Some disadvantages of a separate accounting package will be out of date information, updates and maintenance can cause problems, difficult configuration. The built in (integrated) accounting includes updates, quick reference, and easy configuration. disadvantages are poor design. According to this article it seems that accounting systems which are integrated are far more efficient then interfaced accounting systems. Although it clearly states that both words are used interchangeably and both can give plenty of problems with the software. But with integrated individuals are just working with one program while with interface individuals have to learn two programs and user interfaces.
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shared by Ganna Gorbachuk on 05 Mar 12
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How To Choose An Accounting Software For Your Small Business - 0 views
www.cloudtweaks.com/...ftware-for-your-small-business
software technology hospitality business solution
shared by Ganna Gorbachuk on 05 Mar 12
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There are several ways for small business to track income and expences. At first checking with a business accountant is an important step of choosing right accounting software. Checking business forums also can be a good idea of finding best solutions for owners of small enterprises. If the business owner is into service business he needs accountung software which can track time and billing but if he is the owners skill level must also be considered. Some accounting applications in the internet offer trial runs, so trying them can be a good way of finding whats best for this particular business. Cloud applications can also be very helpful, avaliable and accessible anywhere, anytime and very mobile, because you can use them from phone, pc or a tablet. You don't need to buy servers to host the software hosted in icloud. For sure it has some disadvantages like privacy, security, and fees, if any problems in the system occur the owner will need to wait for vendor to resolve it. Choosing the best solution for accounting of small business enterprise owner will have to weigh all advantages and disadvantages in order to find what is the best solution for its business. -
i agree!! choosing the proper accounting system can make operation goes smoothly.
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Computers In Hospitality Management - 0 views
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Computers have, in effect, successfully removed much of the timeconsumingdrudgery present in a manual accounting system. The analysis andevaluation of labor productivity, cost control, inventory control, menu costing,budgeting, and so on can be obtained quickly and accurately from a computer,using software designed for a restaurant operation.
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(for Module #2 Hardware) This article tells us: How computer took the place of manual accounting system in hospitality industry step by step; Advantages of computer comparing to manual operation; Different types of computer used in hospitality industry; General introduction about microcomputer using in hospitality including both advantages and disadvantages.
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Aloha POS System Review for Restaurants - Gourmet Marketing - 1 views
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Aloha Point-Of-Sale software is one of the industry leaders in restaurant POS systems and most restaurant owners have some familiarity with the system.
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Critics of the software feel that the costs are too high, and customers must pay for every upgrade.
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Large operations and chain stores gain many benefits from Aloha software, but smaller restaurants might consider other options or buy limited versions of Aloha for their immediate needs.
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Most POS systems make it easy for staff to learn how to use them, but Aloha surpasses industry standards by offering more than 300 training modules to educate employees and management teams.
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Faster processing speeds empower real-time seating strategies, incorporate customer requests and give more accurate waiting-time estimates.
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Ordering strategies prove critical to restaurant success because perishable foods have limited shelf lives, and this software helps to develop restaurant specials to use highly perishable ingredients within acceptable time guidelines.
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System tools track frequent diners, store customer-feedback information and analyze in-store and online ordering statistics to help managers craft better advertising campaigns.
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Technology advances create increasingly affordable POS options such as wireless devices that might offer easier transitions for small restaurants. Many smaller operations find the cost of Aloha systems a significant obstacle.
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This article gives a good short look at the pros and cons of the Aloha POS system. The system is one of the most popular POS systems used in the industry. Aloha is currently used by small independent restaurants, local franchises, and national chains. The system is said to be a blend of many systems. NCR recently purchases Radiant Systems the developer of Aloha. The system includes both hardware and software. Some of the benefits of the system include the large number of training modules. Operationally the system has a "intelligent tracking system including on-screen dashboards that update in real-time to assist in management decisions in both FOH and BOH areas". In addition, the system can "personalized service by identifying repeat customers, remembering their preferences and keeping track of VIP guests". Back office features that are included with the system are labor assignments and work schedules. The systems also can keep track of maintenance, cleaning schedules, and daily duties. On the management side the system is said to provide "complete system control". Some critics of the system say the disadvantages are that the costs are too high and that restaurants pay for every upgrade. The quality of service depends on the quality of the local vender. Hardware may need to be changed with new upgrades is software adding to the high costs than expected by customers. After reading this article my feeling is that for an small independent restaurant the Aloha system might not seem like a good choice after considering the total cost of the system. Smaller, less complex systems seems like the way to go.
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The Property Management Puzzle | Top Stories | | Hospitality Magazine (HT) - 0 views
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The company is in prototype on a social media integration project that would, among other things, let guests book a room through Facebook and then send a confirmation text to their mobile device.
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The company is in prototype on a social media integration project that would, among other things, let guests book a room through Facebook and then send a confirmation text to their mobile device.
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“If I look at it from a city hotel perspective, absolutely; there’d be no downfall to cloud.”
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Over the long-term, the result is the same: a massive, impending re-architecting of how properties are managed.
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. “If I look at it from a city hotel perspective, absolutely; there’d be no downfall to cloud.”
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. “If I look at it from a city hotel perspective, absolutely; there’d be no downfall to cloud.”
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“If I look at it from a city hotel perspective, absolutely; there’d be no downfall to cloud.”
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“If I look at it from a city hotel perspective, absolutely; there’d be no downfall to cloud.”
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“If I look at it from a city hotel perspective, absolutely; there’d be no downfall to cloud.”
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“If I look at it from a city hotel perspective, absolutely; there’d be no downfall to cloud.”
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“If I look at it from a city hotel perspective, absolutely; there’d be no downfall to cloud.”
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The company is in prototype on a social media integration project that would, among other things, let guests book a room through Facebook and then send a confirmation text to their mobile device.
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Over the long-term, the result is the same: a massive, impending re-architecting of how properties are managed.
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“If I look at it from a city hotel perspective, absolutely; there’d be no downfall to cloud.”
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“If I look at it from a city hotel perspective, absolutely; there’d be no downfall to cloud.”
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“If I look at it from a city hotel perspective, absolutely; there’d be no downfall to cloud.”
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“If I look at it from a city hotel perspective, absolutely; there’d be no downfall to cloud.”
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“If I look at it from a city hotel perspective, absolutely; there’d be no downfall to cloud.”
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“If I look at it from a city hotel perspective, absolutely; there’d be no downfall to cloud.”
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Over the long-term, the result is the same: a massive, impending re-architecting of how properties are managed.
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“If I look at it from a city hotel perspective, absolutely; there’d be no downfall to cloud.”
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“If I look at it from a city hotel perspective, absolutely; there’d be no downfall to cloud.”
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“If I look at it from a city hotel perspective, absolutely; there’d be no downfall to cloud.”
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“If I look at it from a city hotel perspective, absolutely; there’d be no downfall to cloud.”
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The company is in prototype on a social media integration project that would, among other things, let guests book a room through Facebook and then send a confirmation text to their mobile device.
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The company is in prototype on a social media integration project that would, among other things, let guests book a room through Facebook and then send a confirmation text to their mobile device.
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The company is in prototype on a social media integration project that would, among other things, let guests book a room through Facebook and then send a confirmation text to their mobile device.
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What’s still not clear is the extent to which social media can and should be integrated into formal property systems, so that user-generated content can be stored, mined, analyzed and tracked.
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What’s still not clear is the extent to which social media can and should be integrated into formal property systems, so that user-generated content can be stored, mined, analyzed and tracked.
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“One of the promises of the cloud is that it becomes easier to integrate, so you can go more best-of-breed in your solution choice, but you still have issues with data structure and architecture.”
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What’s still not clear is the extent to which social media can and should be integrated into formal property systems, so that user-generated content can be stored, mined, analyzed and tracked.
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What’s still not clear is the extent to which social media can and should be integrated into formal property systems, so that user-generated content can be stored, mined, analyzed and tracked.
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“One of the promises of the cloud is that it becomes easier to integrate, so you can go more best-of-breed in your solution choice, but you still have issues with data structure and architecture.”
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“One of the promises of the cloud is that it becomes easier to integrate, so you can go more best-of-breed in your solution choice, but you still have issues with data structure and architecture.”
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If I look at it from a city hotel perspective, absolutely; there’d be no downfall to cloud.”
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cloud.”
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“We’re an hour and a half from a major metropolitan area. There are enough providers selling the bandwidth we’d need for redundancy in a true web-based cloud environment,” says Nickelson, whose 2,000 acre property is located in North Carolina’s rural heartland. “If I look at it from a city hotel perspective, absolutely; there’d be no downfall to cloud.”
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“We’re an hour and a half from a major metropolitan area. There are enough providers selling the bandwidth we’d need for redundancy in a true web-based cloud environment,” says Nickelson, whose 2,000 acre property is located in North Carolina’s rural heartland. “If I look at it from a city hotel perspective, absolutely; there’d be no downfall to cloud.”
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“We’re an hour and a half from a major metropolitan area. There are enough providers selling the bandwidth we’d need for redundancy in a true web-based cloud environment,” says Nickelson, whose 2,000 acre property is located in North Carolina’s rural heartland. “If I look at it from a city hotel perspective, absolutely; there’d be no downfall to cloud.”
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“We’re an hour and a half from a major metropolitan area. There are enough providers selling the bandwidth we’d need for redundancy in a true web-based cloud environment,” says Nickelson, whose 2,000 acre property is located in North Carolina’s rural heartland. “If I look at it from a city hotel perspective, absolutely; there’d be no downfall to cloud.”
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“We’re an hour and a half from a major metropolitan area. There are enough providers selling the bandwidth we’d need for redundancy in a true web-based cloud environment,” says Nickelson, whose 2,000 acre property is located in North Carolina’s rural heartland. “If I look at it from a city hotel perspective, absolutely; there’d be no downfall to cloud.”
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“We’re an hour and a half from a major metropolitan area. There are enough providers selling the bandwidth we’d need for redundancy in a true web-based cloud environment,” says Nickelson, whose 2,000 acre property is located in North Carolina’s rural heartland. “If I look at it from a city hotel perspective, absolutely; there’d be no downfall to cloud.”
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“We’re an hour and a half from a major metropolitan area. There are enough providers selling the bandwidth we’d need for redundancy in a true web-based cloud environment,” says Nickelson, whose 2,000 acre property is located in North Carolina’s rural heartland. “If I look at it from a city hotel perspective, absolutely; there’d be no downfall to cloud.”
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“We’re an hour and a half from a major metropolitan area. There are enough providers selling the bandwidth we’d need for redundancy in a true web-based cloud environment,” says Nickelson, whose 2,000 acre property is located in North Carolina’s rural heartland. “If I look at it from a city hotel perspective, absolutely; there’d be no downfall to cloud.”
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“We’re an hour and a half from a major metropolitan area. There are enough providers selling the bandwidth we’d need for redundancy in a true web-based cloud environment,” says Nickelson, whose 2,000 acre property is located in North Carolina’s rural heartland. “If I look at it from a city hotel perspective, absolutely; there’d be no downfall to cloud.”
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“We’re an hour and a half from a major metropolitan area. There are enough providers selling the bandwidth we’d need for redundancy in a true web-based cloud environment,” says Nickelson, whose 2,000 acre property is located in North Carolina’s rural heartland. “If I look at it from a city hotel perspective, absolutely; there’d be no downfall to cloud.”
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“We’re an hour and a half from a major metropolitan area. There are enough providers selling the bandwidth we’d need for redundancy in a true web-based cloud environment,” says Nickelson, whose 2,000 acre property is located in North Carolina’s rural heartland. “If I look at it from a city hotel perspective, absolutely; there’d be no downfall to cloud.”
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“We’re an hour and a half from a major metropolitan area. There are enough providers selling the bandwidth we’d need for redundancy in a true web-based cloud environment,” says Nickelson, whose 2,000 acre property is located in North Carolina’s rural heartland. “If I look at it from a city hotel perspective, absolutely; there’d be no downfall to cloud.”
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The industry is also mid-stream in a massive replacement cycle, with 40% planning to upgrade their PMS by the end of next year.
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Over the long-term, the result is the same: a massive, impending re-architecting of how properties are managed.
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Over the long-term, the result is the same: a massive, impending re-architecting of how properties are managed.
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Over the long-term, the result is the same: a massive, impending re-architecting of how properties are managed.
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next year.
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next year.
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“We’re an hour and a half from a major metropolitan area. There are enough providers selling the bandwidth we’d need for redundancy in a true web-based cloud environment,” says Nickelson, whose 2,000 acre property is located in North Carolina’s rural heartland. “If I look at it from a city hotel perspective, absolutely; there’d be no downfall to cloud.”
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The industry is also mid-stream in a massive replacement cycle, with 40% planning to upgrade their PMS by the end of next year.
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The industry is also mid-stream in a massive replacement cycle, with 40% planning to upgrade their PMS by the end of next year.
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The industry is also mid-stream in a massive replacement cycle, with 40% planning to upgrade their PMS by the end of next year.
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Over the long-term, the result is the same: a massive, impending re-architecting of how properties are managed.
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The industry is also mid-stream in a massive replacement cycle, with 40% planning to upgrade their PMS by the end of next year.
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The industry is also mid-stream in a massive replacement cycle, with 40% planning to upgrade their PMS by the end of next year.
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The industry is also mid-stream in a massive replacement cycle, with 40% planning to upgrade their PMS by the end of next year.
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The industry is also mid-stream in a massive replacement cycle, with 40% planning to upgrade their PMS by the end of next year.
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The industry is also mid-stream in a massive replacement cycle, with 40% planning to upgrade their PMS by the end of next year.
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Hotel management systems are shifting from on-property to cloud-based, from tethered to mobile, from data-heavy to insight-rich.
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A significant chunk of hotel IT budgets -- 19% -- is spent on property management systems (PMS)
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Some are ready to embrace cloud-based solutions; others want to expand their mobile capabilities; and others are excited about the possibilities rich data can provide in personalizing the guest experience
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I think it’s really about the ability of the PMS to grow with the changing need. What we need today isn’t what we needed just two years ago
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Both Nickelson and Yelley are experiencing different symptoms stemming from the same challenge: better integration between systems.
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Every vendor and most of the hoteliers HT spoke to predicted that property management systems would eventually migrate to the cloud.
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“We’re an hour and a half from a major metropolitan area. There are enough providers selling the bandwidth we’d need for redundancy in a true web-based cloud environment,”
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“Just because they’re in the cloud doesn’t make it easier to integrate,
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I agree, from a PMS standpoint, that I want to know everything about a guest when they show up at the front desk. I should be able to see that you’ve stayed with me, and if you posted about our hotel in our social space, and if it was a complaint.
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Hoteliers are expecting a lot more out of their PMS's such as data acquisition, integration with other systems, mobile capabilities, and social media. This article describes some of the different directions hoteliers are taking based on their specific focus and desired results. Some of the advantages and disadvantages of cloud based PMS's are discussed such as mobility, internet connection redundancy for rural vs. urban areas, and multiple system integration. The increasing role of social media is also explored and the degree to which it should be utilized by the hospitality industry. There are many possibilities including using social media posts to mine guest reviews, as well as the ability to book your hotel on Facebook and receive a confirmation via text. I apologize for the diminishing hi-lighting towards the end, my tool bar is having some issues!
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shared by Jessica Schwec on 17 Feb 15
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Consultant Calls For Local Security In Tourism, Hospitality Business | :::…Th... - 0 views
www.thetidenewsonline.com/...n-tourism-hospitality-business
security hospitality technology IT International Travel
shared by Jessica Schwec on 17 Feb 15
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around
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indigenous
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He recommended the recruitment of indigenous youths to keep surveillance, provide protection and report suspicious movements in and around tourist sites.
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“The success or failure of a tourism destination or hospitality industry depends on how safe and secure the environment is for the guests and tourists.
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“There must be locals involved in the policing of our parks, hotels and tourist centres. These locals know the terrain very well, they know the criminals amongst them and they are in position to fish them out,” he said.
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Security has different meanings in different countries and is extremely important in creating and maintaining international leisure travel. In the United States this means technology: security cameras and monitoring, rapid communication and response technology. In developing countries such as Nigeria, the security conversation centers around much more primitive ideas. "A hospitality and tourism consultant, Emeka Attamah, has made a case for the establishment of 'Local Tourist Security'…in Nigeria." This idea centers on the belief that locals should be involved in the policing of public places because they are well versed in the terrain and the criminals that operate in these areas and are therefore in the best position to fish them out. After all, the success or failure of a tourism destination depends largely in part on how safe tourists perceive the destination to be. The idea of a Local Tourist Security in countries such as Nigeria means recruiting indigenous youth to provide surveillance and security near tourist sites. There are benefits and disadvantages to this proposal. These individuals will be well versed in the region and the people who live there. Many of them will have lived in the area for generations and have insider knowledge on who's who and where's where of the town in which they are operating. However, these youth would be more malleable and perceptive to outside influence. More than likely they would be easier to pressure into certain ways of thinking or actions than their adult counterparts. In addition, initiatives such as Local Tourist Security seem to potentially promote child labor (although potentially milder than the stigma would have us believe), which is looked down upon internationally. In conclusion, Local Tourist Security groups may be the best answer for areas such as Nigeria at the current time, but security in these countries is still miles behind the developed world. As a result these measure may attra
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Effective Marketing Strategies for the Hospitality Industry | b2bmarketing.net - 0 views
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In the digital age, social media MUST be a part of hospitality marketing and it goes without saying that every hotel or restaurant needs to have a high quality website – preferably with an online booking system.
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With hotel review sites such as Trip Advisor becoming more and more popular it’s important to have a digital presence and be involved
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you should also have a Facebook page and Twitter page where you can interact with your customer – plus you can highlight special offers and events at your business and throughout the local area. Think about it, the more followers you have digitally, the more people you can connect with and attract to your establishment
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Emailing marketing campaigns are a fantastic way to remind customers of your existence, especially during low-season. Here you can highlight special offers, special events or awards that you’ve won.
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In the article "Effective Marketing Strategies for the Hospitality Industry," author Grace Owen highlights the importance an online presence to gain market share. She showed how popular online sites that are frequented by the general public can assist in bringing patrons to hospitality establishments and increase market share. According to Ms Owens, "in the digital age social media must be a part o hospitality marketing and it goes without saying that every hotel or restaurant must have a high quality website." Regardless of how one may feel about technology it is important that it is incorporated in the marketing campaign as this is the way to reach persons and engage with them and a company that chooses not to embrace digital marketing will be at a disadvantage.
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The Mobile Proximity Marketing Advantages and Disadvantages Retailers Must Know - Shopk... - 2 views
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This article was a huge help during my additional research on proximity marketing. The article sums up some pros and cons of the software. I think it did a thorough job on explaining some of the points and definitely peaked my interest to do more research. Proximity Marketing seems cool but at the same time it makes me nervous. As consumers we literally don't get a break to simply just function and be normal. This is our new normal, technology overkill that is supposed to help us and make things easier but at times can seem intrusive. -
While reading this article, I found that the statistic pertaining to the notion that 82% mobile market penetration will be anticipated by 2020 in the United States is quite significant. Considering that there is an estimated 40 million messages per year, proximity marketing does indeed sound captivating. Thanks to geolocation tags, they can properly attract consumers such as in the article's example of Macy's with Black Friday. Do you think this type of proximity marketing is attractive to all types of consumers? In my personal opinion, there are certain locations which do not specifically mean that the user wants to be bombarded by messages. For instance, an individual may go to a business meeting in Madison Avenue in New York, and due to the geolocations she may receive messages pertaining to nearby sales. However, these may become a bit too intrusive at times.
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Trade in Sentimentality for a Future Proof PMS | By Kevin McCarthy - Hospitality Net - 0 views
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Not unlike todays PMS systems, why on earth would you need to upgrade to a more expensive system that has a pile of bells and whistles and a technology roadmap for something that has no concern to you today. The answer is simple, you need to get ready…
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The Cloud PMS developers today are daydreaming in hyper speed to anticpate what will come next.
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you need your core functionality of check in and check out, but for how long will check in be done from behind a desk, or even in the actual hotel building itself? Hospitality is re-inviting itself at a fast pace and technology needs to not only keep up it needs to be ahead.
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The race for future proof technology is here, let's be honest, how comforting is it to know that when the latest and greatest technology is released you will have it automatically.
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Sustainability, a trendy word in hospitality. What are the carbon emissions on your current PMS system?
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We only calculate like for like on costs of the servers, the cooling systems in the server room, the electricity to power it but what's the cost to the environment for building it and sustaining it? Why can't your IT systems be green too?
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This fellow has an interesting argument for switching the hotel's PMS to a cloud-based version. He is specifically referring to Opera Cloud PMS. He believes that if you don't switch from a license to a subscription model, your hotel will be left behind and unable to take advantage of new features that are likely to become the norm in hospitality. And without those capabilities, the hotel becomes disadvantaged competitively which leads to waning revenues, which leads to cost cutting measures, which leads to more lost revenue and so on; the death spiral. Is my hotel PMS ready for the future? Is it easily adaptable to meet the unexpected wishes of the traveler? The author is calling it "future proof technology". It's a gamble if your business isn't ready for it and I suspect when owners review their P&L's, they are willing to take the risk of waiting to see what happens. The author also makes reference to the sustainability benefits of transitioning to a cloud-based PMS. However, if moving to a cloud-based PMS is more expensive than the hotels current PMS solution, spending more money to be environmentally responsible, while noble, is a tough sell to most owners.
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The Role of Global Competer Reservation Systems in the Travel Industry Today and in the... - 0 views
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the best known global CRSs are AMADEUS, GALILEO, SABRE, and WORLDSPAN with AMADEUS being the only one which is largely owned by European airlines. Together with GALILEO, it is the leading system in the European market. GALILEO, however, also has a strong position in the US market after it merged with an American system. SABRE and WORLDSPAN have been developed in the US. So far, SABRE is the only CRS which is wholly owned by one single airline.
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CRSs are systems for purely (information transfer) logistical functions
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he network of the global CRS AMADEUS has additional 14 network nodes distribers who thus have the latest information about availability at any point in time and can use it as a basis for a new offer. In addition, the system can also store customer related information such as e.g. all services provided to a certain customer, type of payment, service information etc. ♦ Fare Quote & Ticketing: Just like the product presentation, the fare quote, ticketing and voucher generating process depend on the type and the complexity of the services offered. For flights, multiple fares are being offered which differ according to the reservation category, the date of the journey, the day when the reservation was made, the route and the length of the stay. That means that practically each fare needs to be calculated individually. In addition, fare quotes can change daily. The prices of other service providers, however, are relatively fixed so that in most cases, they stay an unchanged part of the offer. For the ticketing, travel agencies receive a fixed number of ticket forms which may only be used after confirmation has been availability of particular reservation categories and possibly the fare. It may, however, be difficult to describe the products of other service providers appropriately with only a limited amount of information. Hotels, for example, have so far only been able to provide information about the price, the size of the bed and its approximate location which alone is not a meaningful description for potential customers. For this reason, it is intended to link the particular offers to visual multimedia technology to be able to provide more detailed information to the customer. ♦ Reservation: The core function of reservation systems and the main reason for developing them is the reservation of offered services in the travel industry. To this end, a so called Passenger Name Record (PNR) or Guest Name Record (GNR) is created for each passenger or each group of passengers. These records contain all services-related customer information. At the same time, this information is transferred to the internal inventory system of all service providFigure 2 Principel structure of CRSs N N P pr S Fare Quote and T Hotel- or Car-Systems Travel Agencies Tourism Tourism Tourism Tourism Stickynote
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The development of such systems was already started at the beginning of the sixties, the objective being at the time to automate seat reservations procedures of airlines. Today, the largest civil data centers and the most powerful communications networks are being used exclusively for this purpose.
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Today, the user has direct access to essential travel information and can find further information in all CRSs about trade shows, visa regulations, particular events etc. Furthermore, programs and interfaces have been developed which facilitate the internal administration for each travel agent. Also invoicing, accounting, customer and quota management increasingly depend on the respective CRS. User prompting has significantly improved so that even inexperienced users can easily learn how to work with the reservation procedure. Since more and more PCs are being used in this area modern user interfaces have been introduced.
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Another weak point in the CRSs have always been additional functions since such functions would not increase the number of sold flight tickets. O
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There are two approaches which can help to reduce distribution costs. On the one hand, the on-line services provide additional possibilities of cost-effective direct distribution to the end customer. Many airlines now offer access to their internal service provider systems via on-line services and in particular via Internet. This also helps reducing costs incurred by travel agents and fees to the CRSs. O
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he so called “no frill carriers”, one of them being Southwest Airlines, have taken this one step further. In all areas, they avoid unnecessary costs (service, change of bookings, meals, etc.) and merely offer basic services, i.e. to transport a passenger from A to B at the best possible price.
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This article discusses the role of CRS and GDS in the travel industry. The author discusses the well known systems used. The authors further discuss the advantages and disadvantages of using these systems and ways to reduce the costs. These systems were believed to be entering extinction; however, there are still uses in the industry.
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Tablets replacing paper menus in restaurants - a long-term trend or too problematic? | ... - 0 views
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hospitality technology menu restaurants POS business
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This trend is in market from mid-2011 onwards (use-case discussions started as soon as the first iPad was released in 2010) and its gaining momentum now.
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Customers will be able to browse the food menu and place their order which eventually gets posted in the kitchen display console. That’s the core functionality.
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Customize:
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Visualize:
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Engage (and Earn):
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Ability for restaurants to do focused campaigns and cross-selling to customer by knowing the customer buying pattern, interests, wishlist.
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Ability for restaurant owners to do predictive analysis on the number of guests to expect and what food items (also quantity) they are likely to order.
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Credit card security.
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High capex.
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Breakage.
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Extensive use of technology everywhere.
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Risk of replacing human with techno-machine.
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Theft of the tablet.
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The transactions and customer data (from tablet) should be integrated to the existing restaurant systems like POS, CRM, Analytics software etc which attracts additional cost and time.
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tablet-based menus are a good change in the restaurant industry. But, replacing the entire waiter crew with only tablets is going to haunt the restaurant. We predict that a mix of both is going to work in the restaurant industry.
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Restaurants need to take a calculated (risky) call to adopt this trend by considering the ROI and all merits and demerits the technology attracts.
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For several years, tablets/eMenus have been rising in popularity within dining establishments as a way to increase efficiency and revenue for the establishment. Customers are able to view the menu in it's entirety along with pictures of each item, allowing the customer to view exactly what they are ordering. This could potentially decrease the amount of orders sent back to the kitchen and decrease food waste, thus minimizing loss of revenue. Although this developing technology has many advantages, there are a few disadvantages that management must consider before implementing these systems. Credit card security, risk of replacing wait staff/jobs, and potential theft of the system being a few.
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Understanding The Cloud: Pros and Cons of Cloud Computing for Hotels - 0 views
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Available on any device, anywhere
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Processing power
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Easier to connect with other systems
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No compatibility issues on hardware
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Hardware fails are easy to remedy
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Lightweight
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Cons of the Cloud But this isn't necessarily a sales pitch for why everyone in the hotel industry should go out and buy cloud-based technology for all their operations. These are some things to consider before making the switch, even incrementally.
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Security must be maintained
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Speed depends on your internet connection
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You'll need backup connectivity
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If fails centrally, all users are down
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Cloud technology is a double-edged sword. Security and networking are its main disadvantages. We should find ways to improve it.
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Channel Shock: The Future of Travel Distribution - Skift - 0 views
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global distribution systems aren’t going anywhere
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But online travel agencies and travel management companies still place bookings using GDS platforms, since they offer the most comprehensive collection of travel inventory across the globe.
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Likewise, most travel providers need to remain part of a global distribution system for consumers and business travelers to easily find and book their products.
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The company is working on a reservation system solution for InterContinental Hotels Group,
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Fees for an air booking are usually between 2 and 4 percent of a ticket, and about 20 percent for a hotel booking.
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The airline industry has been lurching forward towards adopting the International Air Transport Association’s New Distribution Capability paradigm for years, which essentially simplifies transactions between different members of the ecosystem by using XML coding language and allows for selling ancillary products like seat upgrades.
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A little-known element of American Airlines’ strategy could be the most consequential moving forward. Some 20 years ago, airlines stopped paying commissions to travel agencies on air tickets. This thoroughly disrupted the travel agency community, and it still has never really recovered; many agencies have moved to a service fee-based model instead of relying solely on commissions or overrides, but the damage helped essentially gut the industry in the U.S. Under American Airlines’ new distribution program, however, agencies placing a booking directly or through an intermediary using New Distribution Capability level three will receive a $2 payment per segment. This nominally represents the return of a commission model to agency air sales.
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Despite the preeminence of Amadeus, Sabre, and Travelport, there is room for new players in the travel distribution space to emerge.
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Berlin-based Flyiin represents a new way for airlines to sell flights. By connecting with airline APIs, the service will allow consumers to search flights from multiple airlines and add-ons using an intuitive interface. Users can specify up front what types of flights and what kinds of ancillaries they want, and have the full cost rolled up into their search results.
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The service is really a messaging platform at heart, instead of a search platform; it crunches airline fare information on the back-end and aggregates messages from airline APIs into easily digestible results for consumers.
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Ok so this article is lengthy but comprehensive. And the general consensus is the GDSs are never going away. They will likely change with new technologies, but they won't be replaced completely by something new. Heck, even though air travel is dominant among travel options, we still have trains, right? Overall this article takes the reader through the birth of the GDSs, their evolution to today and thoughts about what to expect in the future. One part of the article of particular interest is the talk about New Distribution Capability for airlines that uses XML coding language to allow airlines to sell ancillary products like seat upgrades. This layers directly into revenue increases through revenue management of seats on flights. There are already price differences between cabin classes. But instead of all seats being one price in the main cabin, seats closer to the front of the plane could be sold for a slight premium. There could be a different fare for window or aisle or exit row. There are 3 levels of this certification for an airline and although some airlines like American Airlines has been certified as level 3, full capability, most airlines have not gone beyond level 1. None of the GDS companies offer level 3 for New Distribution Capability which means you need to go a company's site directly to be able to purchase the specific desired attributes of your seat. By not having that capability, the GDSs disadvantage themselves as a distribution channel.
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Technology in the hospitality industry - exploring the very latest trends - 3 views
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Nowadays, hotel guests who travel with devices such as phones, tablets and computers no longer see Wi-Fi as a perk, but as a must-have when they check in at a hotel. Hotel guests expect to be able to connect to the internet seamlessly and without too many interruptions, leading hotels to invest in better, faster Wi-Fi infrastructure so that people can do business and use their technology devices with ease when they book their stay. Hotels are also starting to move away from user pay models. In the past, hotels could charge exorbitant rates and guests knew they would have to pay if they wanted to go online. Installing and maintaining a hotel-wide wireless network may be coupled with costs, but many leading hotel groups have started to install high density Wi-Fi and started to offer in-building mobile phone coverage as guests have come to expect these services during their stay (not only for themselves, but also for their guests if they are hosting a conference or function at the hotel). It might not yet be financially feasible for hotels to completely abandon the user pay model, but many of them are re-thinking their current infrastructure and pricing models.
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Technology is advancing at a faster pace than ever before, and this is changing both the expectations of patrons as well as the way in which the hospitality industry conducts its business. Some of the trends in industry are leading to great improvements and savings for hospitality industry companies; while some are changing how hotel developers plan their buildings, infrastructure, management structure and staffing requirements.
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This technology is also ideal for self check-ins by guests at hotels as well as the next trend in this article: smart room keys.
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Near field communication (NFC) technology is the next-generation short-range high frequency wireless communication technology that gives users the ability to exchange data between devices.
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Hotels will increasingly install smart room access systems that allow guests to unlock their doors by simply swiping their phones across a keyless pad on the door. Starwood (owner of the Sheraton, Weston and “W” hotel chains) has already upgraded 30,000 room locks across 150 hotels with this system and Hilton will be implementing a similar system at 10 of their US properties this year. In 2016, they will be deploying the smart room key technology globally. This technology will mean that guests don’t have to worry about picking up keys and front desk staff won’t have to issue new keys in the event that a guest loses their room key. Another innovative way to offer a keyless experience is through fingerprint-activated room entry systems and retina scanning devices. Retina scanning is even more accurate and secure than fingerprint scans and hotels like the Nine Zero Hotel in Boston have already installed an iris scan system in place of key cards to control access to the hotel’s presidential suite.
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Some hotels are already offering more futuristic experiences, with robots delivering any items ordered through room service to a guest’s door. A boutique hotel that is nestled between Apple’s headquarters and other tech companies, called Aloft Cupertino, has a robot butler called Botlr that is able to move between the various floors of the hotel in order to take items such as toothbrushes, chargers and snacks to guests. These types of digital systems not only make it easy for hotel staff to deliver items to guests, but it also offers a forward-facing digital experience to people who stay at the hotel. Infrared scanners are now also used to minimise disruptions relating to housekeeping (which is a common complaint from customers). Instead of hanging a ‘Do Not Disturb’ sign on doors or having cleaning staff wake up traveling guests with knocks and phone calls, hotel staff can take a more innovative approach by using infrared scanners that will detect body heat within a room and tell cleaning staff that they should rather come back later if the room is currently occupied.
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Digital conference facilities Besides being able to offer high density Wi-Fi for conferences and meetings, hotels also need to be able to offer access to audio-visual (AV) and digital facilities for conferences. While the amount of AV and digital equipment that goes into a typical conference room is fairly minimal, staging companies are often hired for various projects in order to equip the facility as required.
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Mobile communication and automation In many airports, it’s no longer necessary to stand in a queue to check in and people are expecting the same kind of easy, technology-driven check-ins at hotels. Guests want to be able to do everything from checking in at a venue’s automated kiosk to ordering room service with a digital device instead of standing in queues and moving around the hotel premises to order food.
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Cloud services Being able to provide entertainment on tap and mobile content has led to the trend of hotels investing in cloud services. While hotels want to be able to offer digital content, they don’t necessarily want to invest in IT infrastructure and IT staff, making cloud computing the ideal solution.
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Feedback on social media Technology has infiltrated almost every aspect of our lives and hotel developers need to realise that almost any person checking in at a hotel, resort, spa or lodge, will have a smartphone in their pockets.
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Converged LANs to support multiple services Converged local area networks (LANs) will also help hotels to create more intelligent buildings. A variety of computer-based building services can be automated in order to control lighting, refrigeration, air-conditioning and heating. Besides reducing energy consumption, converged LANs can also be set up to provide a smarter, more personal experience. If a guest is known to prefer his or her room temperature at 18°C with the lights dimmed to 65%, for example, this can be programmed before the guest checks in at the hotel.
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Integrated, seamless experiences Technology doesn’t mean that customer experience can only happen online and through devices, check-ins and online comments. All of these experiences need to be part of an integrated, dynamic system so that the guests’ experiences are at the forefront of the marketing and operational team’s mind.
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Marketing, management and hotel developers can no longer work in silos and these technology trends are giving them the opportunities, tools and solutions they need to create memorable experiences that can lead to positive change and growth in the industry.
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With technology evolving and changing at a fast pace it is changing both what consumers expect and how the Hospitality industry responds to these expectations as well as how they do business themselves. The article highlights the many trends in the Hospitality industry. These trends include the improving and overhauling of a Wi-Fi network, conference rooms that offer Audio visual equipment, Smart room keys and many other different trends. -
In today's world we are surrounded by technology; however, sometimes we do not realize the extreme of which we are surrounded by until we stop and look around. The Hospitality industry is quickly adapting to the technologically world we live it. I read an article written by Jeff Robinson, Technical Director for Aurecon titled "Technology in the hospitality industry - exploring the very latest trends". This article was beyond interesting because it touched on some on the way technology has already changed the hospitality industry and ways it will be changing it for the future. Robinson tells us in his article that "some of the trends in industry are leading to great improvements and savings for hospitality industry companies; while some are changing how hotel developers plan their buildings, infrastructure, management structure and staffing requirements". This means its not only about the bottom dollar, but the experience of each guest when they stay at the hotel. Robinson also states the obvious fact that travelers these days do not see Wi-Fi as a perk, but more of a must have. Full access to audio-visual is also on the must have list especially for business meetings and conferences. What I found most interesting from Robinson's article was the introduction of the Near Field Communication (NFC) technology. This technology give you the ability to share information from a short-range frequency wireless communication. This technology is also ideal for self check-ins by guests at hotels as well as smart room keys.(Robinson) Hotel room keys have come a long way. From an actual key, key card in which you insert, to a key card you simply pass close to the reader and now the birth of the smart key. "Smart room access system allow guests to unlock their doors by simply swiping their phones across a keyless pad on the door.". (Robinson) Now how awesome is that. Robinson also talks about other new technology just as the future of hotel in room entertainment, hotels offering -
It has been well described and defined that technology impacted the hospitality industry in which it has advantage and disadvantages. The update and development of software creates a change in the business. This justifies that better software leads to better customer service. For this development has given most business opportunity to grow as they give them better tools.
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The Hotel Industry and SaaS. Does It Differ from Other Industries? - By Jos Schaap - 1 views
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Software-as-a-service has gone mainstream
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Adoption of SaaS is growing exponentially in most every industry, with SaaS cloud hardware and infrastructure software spending projected to reach $55B in 2026.
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Hotel systems leading the pack when it comes to migrating to the cloud and being delivered in the SaaS structure include property management systems (PMS), point of sale systems (POS), sales and marketing systems and guest service platforms (guest engagement).
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This article describes the implementation of SaaS (software as a service) in the hospitality industry. It is forecasted that by 2020 the packaged software will decrease to 10 % of all new installations. Hospitality industry, a 24/7/365 fast paced business, is totally dependent on the functionality of its internal systems. On demand platforms in every category are needed in the hospitality industry to maintain continious performance. Essential property management systems (PMS), point of sales systems (POS), service and marketing systems as well as guest engagement platforms are often provided as SaaP nowadays. Cost savings, flexibility, scalability, employee productivity, and guest service are named among the benefits of SaaS. However, there are some disadvantages such as the issue of integration and interfacing. Sometimes there are more than 50 systems used to manage a single property, so the provider should be able to guarantee their complete integration. The author states, that SaaS will enable hotels gather information about the guests, their preferences and habbits not only from their own records, but also use other resources, including those from different industries. This gives the hotels an opportunity to provide excellent service to the guests. However, I suppose that using guests' profiles gathered by other institutions might be not legal in some states. Thus, hotels need to consider that while making a decision.
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What is Global Distribution System and how it works - PHPTRAVELS Blog - 0 views
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The global distribution system can be defined as a network that helps with the connectivity of different travel agencies to multiple different organizations such as hotels.
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Global distribution systems have not only made the lives of travel agencies easier, but it has also helped them to capture more business and reaching out even more to their potential clients.
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here is also some drawback that should be taken into consideration by the organizations employing these systems.
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There are three main types of global distributions systems
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it enjoys a good 40 percent of its market shares
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Amadues GDS
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Sabre GDS
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his type of system is the closest competitor of Amadues GDS.
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Travelport GDS
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This article mainly outlines the working principle of the global distribution system machine. First, briefly summarize the development history of GDS. Then the global distribution system is defined as a kind of network that helps different travel agencies and hotels and other organizations to connect. This is a system useful for hotels and travel agencies. Because it can not only help tap potential customers, but also help develop new markets. This system brings more profits to hotels and travel agencies, but it also has the disadvantage of high initial costs. There are three main types of global distribution systems: Amadues GDS, Sabre GDS and Travelport GDS. The effective operation of GDS also requires intermediaries. As reservations are made, it shows that the inventory has reduced across all channels along with the official website of the hotel itself.
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What is Network Redundancy and Why Does It Matter? - 0 views
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Network redundancy is the process of adding additional instances of network devices and lines of communication to help ensure network availability and decrease the risk of failure along the critical data path.
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Redundancy in networks helps to eliminate single points of failure to ensure better network stability and uptime in the face of events that would otherwise take th
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e network offline
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A fault-tolerant redundant system provides full hardware redundancy, mirroring applications across two or more identical systems that run in tandem
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fault-tolerance redundant systems are complex and often expensive to implement.
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If something goes wrong with one server, the backup servers take over and restart applications that were running on the failed server.
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How high availability works, the 2nd form of redundancy that data centers use.
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it does tolerate a certain amount of downtime in that there is a brief loss of service while the backup servers boot up applications.
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create a network strategy that reviews existing infrastructure.
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Well-maintained UPS systems can ensure that servers can switch over from electrical power to backup generator power without losing any data or applications.
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the best places to replicate and store data so it can be easily accessed in the event that other redundant systems fail and the main network goes down. By using more than one data center, companies can ensure that even if some disaster occurs, they will be able to carry on with minimal disruption.
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They can test different connections by physically disconnecting hardware to make sure failover occurs as anticipated. If things do not go as planned during testing, data center managers then create an after-action report that lists the items they need to fix as a result of the testing.
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creating incident response plans that can counter them is crucial for ensuring network resiliency in the face of modern cyber threats. Network redundancy can be a crucial aspect of many cyber incident response plans.
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attacks are a type of cyberattack where the goal of the attacker is to render a target network or service unusable
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By blending a variety of ISPs, data centers can leverage their connectivity to help reroute network services when a DDoS attack is underway. vXchnge’s vX\defend, for instance, uses diverse traffic routing options to identify and bypass volumetric attacks without compromising bandwidth or increasing network latency.
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prevent DDoS attacks by implementing redundant networks with flexible internet access.
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Network redundancy is the process of enhancing network devices and lines of communication to help safeguard network availability and decrease the risk of failure along the critical data path. Redundancy in networks purpose is to help eliminate specific areas of failure to guarantee better network stability and availability when the network would otherwise be offline. Optimize network redundancy by backing up data offsite and conductions frequent test to measure its durability and maintain it. Protect the network from malicious attacks is also important. By creating plans for when attacks occur by rerouting network services.