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In this weeks reading, the article, "Why Investing in Hospitality Technology is Investing in Good Business", mentions how due to the economic downturn hotels have turn to cutting technology and staff levels as a method to minimize costs, yet this is a recipe for disaster, if not conducted adequately. Technology is continuously evolving, it is important to make decisions regards IT investment that will be useful in the coming 3-5 years. Technological infrastructures should operate to facilitate a process or procedure for the overall benefit of the hotel, rather than take a day-by-day approach. In an ever-demanding industry, it is critical for hoteliers to be adequately prepared with automated systems, reducing if not eliminating important manually conducted tasks which are damaging the operations of the hotel due to the lack of real time information which will help revenue maximization. In moments of recessions, companies minimize their cost reducing what is foreseen as unnecessary such as IT investment, yet is important to maintain a level of preparation and not losing the opportunities presented by the market.

Hotel owners and managers are putting eyes on technology in the hospitality industry slow recovery period. All pundits agree this method can bring some recovery. The international hotel organizations have made many plans of improving investment in technology and staff. Progressive hospitality organizations have updated and invested in new technology and training, change the industry requirements and market. Before investment, the most important is to look at what operational efficiencies the technology can bring and how the technology will benefit the hotels. There are many technologies are good choices for investment, such as Revenue Management Systems. This technology is efficient and can help hotels track historic data, forecast future demand and so on. We also need to technology is changing all the time. So this is a big challenge of managers to make decisions for a long development. We also need to realize that the hospitality industry is changing, strategies will not always be applicable to new, unique situations. It is important for hotels to increase advantages in the competition.

Those hotel groups that fail to recognize the speed of change in technology and what this can bring to the business will find themselves significantly under prepared when the market starts to strengthen. While "its never too late" to act - there is a significant opportunity cost in doing nothing or worse still, cutting technology out of the day to day operations. For a hotel to effectively operate and ensure it is maximizing its incoming revenue, the right technologies needs to be in place. Through investing in the right technology at the right time, savvy hoteliers will be ensuring that their facility(s) are able to effectively maximize their ongoing revenue capability now and into the future.

Most of people believe that it is a trendwhich e-menu will replace traditional menus. E-menu has lots of advancedfeatures to provide a great dining experience such as the system is a simple,easy to use, modern digital touch screen computer or iPad with the restaurant'smenu on it. Also, with this modernized restaurant menu system, a customer'swaiting time will be minimized and waiter efficiency will increase. What'smore, e-menu is a full entertainment system which offers a wide range of games,chat and Facebook. Specially, the restaurant revenue willbe increase at least 10 % by using e-menu according to the latest studies. This digital restaurant menuwill completely replace the traditional paper menus soon based on its advancedfeatures. Restaurants using the e-menusystem have experienced an increase in customer satisfaction and loyalty,customer spending which is extremely important for a restaurant's operation ina long run.

The article, "How can a Hotel Property Management System help to control performance?" discusses the usefulness and heighten performance a hotel will undergo by utilizing a proper property management system, no matter the size of the hotel. A property management system (PMS) allows the hotel to reduce their cost due to the additional control over daily operating activities, such as inventory and reservations. As well, PMS provides an understanding to managers with statistical performance data to determine ways to ameliorate customers' wants, increase satisfaction and returning business. The front desk is the core user of a PMS, which allows for easier and effective reporting of any issues. The article mentions the additional necessary components of PMS involving: hotel management, reservations, billing, and accounting software. All these softwares will allow for minimization of errors, increase efficiency and help analyze the hotel's operations. The combination of a PMS and hotel management software enables a hotel to take control of their performance resulting into a smoother running business.

The fashion merchandise retailer store, Nordstrom, has joined the venture of equipping employees with mobile POS devices in order to increase customer satisfaction, in a focus toward convenient efficient checkout. The fundamental incentive is to minimize the customer's inclination to over analyze their potential purchase by waiting in the line for a lengthy period, thus, maintaining the impose of the customers to purchase the item. The mobile POS devices are equipped with a scanner and credit card slider in order to complete the transaction for the customer, the same type of technology is visible in Apple and Home Depot stores. According to the company's sale report, a visible increase in sales has occurred for the Nordstrom Company, an estimated 15.3 percent from $1.5 Billion to $1.73 Billion in the same fiscal year of 2011. As well, the creation of a Nordstrom app allows salespersons to check inventory and availability, in a further aim to increase customer satisfaction and their business. Without a doubt POS system are branching into different spectrum of business in order to increase efficiency and customer satisfaction.

Energy management is a important part of physical plant of hospitality management. The most significant meaning of energy management is to reduce costs and drive up profits. Energex system is a kind of energy management software introduced in this article. It can adjust the using of the HVAC system automatically and save energy costs. It also can ensure the guests' comforts. The system can be used in both old and upcoming hotels. What the hotel need to do is to install a sensor along side the thermostat. I believe this is a good technology for this industry because it can not only benefit the hotels but also be environment-friendly.

While is may seem like the future promised to us on shows like "The Jetsons" may have never really arrived, we might be one step closer to seeing the gadgets and gizmos of the cartoon world become a reality in the hospitality industry. Starwood's Aloft Hotels, an upscale, modern hotel line that appeals to Millennials, recently introduced Boltr - a check-in and delivery robot. This machine was created by Savioke - a Silicon-Valley design firm. Like other startups, Savioke aims to minimize unnecessary work and increase efficiency. There is no reason an employee needs to be paid to walk back and forth to deliver items when a robot can do the job. Royal Caribbean has also introduced its own robot, specifically for bartending, in its new luxury cruise ship, Quantum of the Seas.  Hotel staff unions see robots as a potential threat to their member-employees. Nonetheless, robots replacing employees is not just unique to the hospitality industry. 

Very much like the computerized bartender we've already studied, when does automation become too much? We are a "high touch" industry that relies heavily on our guest relationships. The human wait staff can make the guest feel welcome and spoiled (isn't that why we go on cruises in the first place?), the robot cannot. Let the machine prepare the perfect drink, then let the bartender add a smile and place it in the hands of the guest. It'll keep them coming back for more.

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

There are many difficulties with technology implementation in the hospitality industry. Often, as a result of these difficulties hotels, in particular, are left behind the curve. According to the article, "many companies have made it a philosophy not to be the leader on the tech side" and "large hotel chains tend to conduct major [technology overhauls] just once every seven years." The hope is that by adopting technology later, companies will avoid having to deal with the bugs and flaws that come along with brand new technology. However, as it turns out, due to the constant evolving state of technology bumps and flaws in design become apparent at all stages of the life of various technologies. For example, when the room keycard was introduced, it quickly replaced the traditional key-and-lock set of traditional homes. However, after some time hotels figured out that these keycards can become demagnetized-something the industry still faces today. The quick evolution of the television is another example. Consumers typically have a better TV at home than they experience within a hotel room. This is due to the fact that hotel televisions are still largely the same as the ones implemented in 2007. In conclusion, technology can be part of the getaway experience guests have at hotels, but due to the widely accepted "wait and see" approach the industry is currently pursuing, consumers are often left feeling as if they have to bring their own technology and put up with the minimal technology provided in hotel rooms and suites.

This article relates back to our discussion post for the week; employee theft and fraud. It explains how hotels create quite the opportunity for employees to steal and however you try to filter potential employees you never hire someone expecting they will do such a thing to your business. Because you can not be 100% sure your employee is a trustworthy person who would never steal you have to set the proper rules and precautions. Prevention is the first and likely most important step in keeping your company safe from internal theft because once it has already happened there are several contingencies. The article explains the many laws and crimes that an be committed when accusing an employee of theft and from terminating them because of it.

Organizing an event can be challenging and time consuming especially when there's no system that provides a lot of resources. In this article, there's an emphasis on the significance of event management system. Having this type of system can lessen the pressure and minimize human error. There are multiple various of event management system that a company can choose from. This topic briefly pointed out the necessary and basic things to consider when it comes to online event management system for an effective and efficient outcome.

As an event professional I know very well how significant is to have a great event management software to back you up. The daily tasks become easily accomplished so that the main focus can be the event and not the tools on how to make it easier. This article stressed the importance to update from traditional way of working to allowing the use of technology to facilitate the event planner job. Thanks for sharing.

This particular article on hospitality and tourism accounting states that the global travel industry is expanding at an accelerated rate. Although there are high demands in corporate travel and high level of satisfaction in the economy, the ever growing industry is vulnerable to many risks given by its consumers. Just as much as the guests utilizing these hospitality services are becoming more pressing towards great prices and expressing concern in the quality of service they receive, hotel businesses are adamant about increasing awareness in cost and profit. To balance all these exclusive challenges, hotels are insisting on being educated and equipped with the most up-to-date technological advances to keep up with the ever demanding industry. With this in mind, the article states three methods to conquer the challenges faced today. The first method is to utilize a cloud based system to keep track of all the innumerous activities present to keep the business running. Due to the fact that a hotel is run by an overflowing amount of employees, all with different jobs and tasks, all using different systems respective to their departments, and require several types of pay (part-time, full-time, tipped employees) methods, it is a challenge to keep things efficient without a proper system. This is the reason why the article recommends using a cloud based system to keep track of the daily labor costs, overtime management, daily payroll transactions, and incorporate easy accessibility to reporting functions. The cloud based system will be beneficial in keeping everything in record beginning from the moment an employees clocks in to the end where they receive their paycheck, as well as, the ability to manage transactions. The second method is to centralize all the various sources of data. Hotels have a countless amount of data being stored. That can range from guest satisfaction satisfaction survey and comment reports, PMS data, to financial reports. With all these busy ac

The article discusses how hotels can overcome accounting obstacles. Firstly managing payroll is cumbersome, so a cloud-based reporting system can provide an easy way to monitor labour and manage overtime, and daily payroll transactions. Secondly, hotels have a difficult time to read data as data can come from a huge variety of sources: STR reports, PMS data, satisfaction surveys, comments. Hotels need a centralized dashboard which combines all critical accounting and performance data to assist hotels in making better decisions. Lastly, the article talks about hotels needing a back-up accounting team in case of disasters. In-house accounting teams may not be able to tackle on one-time event disasters and there must be a back-up team in place in times of urgency. The author, Scott Watson, executive vice president of sales and marketing at a cloud-based financial platform, sees that hotels are becoming more "cost and profit conscious" and I agree with him. Technology solutions are what hotels are craving right now to increase revenue, minimize costs, and maximize profits without sacrificing service quality.

This article helps guides hotels in how to overcome challenges when it comes to the accounting department in any situation that deals with staff tracking, how to decipher intricate data, and what to do in emergencies. The article details the usefulness of the Cloud and keeping track of staff members that are FOH and BOH that are both hourly and salary. That the accounting department could simply look them up in the cloud rather than searching through paperwork to understand exactly what their role is in the hotel and pay them accordingly. The article also goes over how having multiple centralized data sources can help accountants understand information from reports, guest satisfaction questionnaires, and other forms of reporting to pinpoint exactly what needs to be changed to become more efficient in the company. Lastly, the article covers how having back up accounting teams could be a definite positive just in case of emergencies (i.e. weather) so accounting can still be in progress no matter what situation occurs and the hotel can run smoothly.

The reason for organizations invest in human resources management systems are abundant. As HRMS has numerous and also essential functions include job analysis, staffing, performance appraisal, managing reward programs and employee training & development. Among them, it could say that each job function need huge human effect. Now, with management system provide the company with sufficient background support, improve the human resources productivity, minimization of errors, maintain compliance and performance analysis.

The following article reviews a few eco-friendly trends that are helping transform the foodservice industry. As green technology becomes mainstream it is important for companies in the hospitality industry to understand the potential impacts they could have on the environment by adopting some of these trends. Streamline reporting is one way that green technology shows to be beneficial. By streamlining and consolidating reporting vs. hard-coding, etc. offers users greater visibility over workload performance. Another popular green technology is virtual cloud systems. These cloud systems can help eliminate resource waste and reduce operational costs. The article mentions how Subway and BurgerFi are taking major steps in leveraging the latest technology to minimize their carbon footprint. A few things they focus on is cutting down their paper waste, conserve power, and improve overall efficiencies so the restaurants are environmentally "sound".

Current hospitality trends within the hospitality industry. These current trends are bringing awareness to cloud base storage, application mobility, social media marketing, and integration of amenity software. Companies are now outsourcing its IT department to minimize operating expense.

@corrie242 these six trends discussed are very important to keep efficiencies and competitive advantage, and I can confirm that at the Hotel company I work for, most of these are all in use. The social media use and monitoring has been a big shift in how we have changed the way we capture our guests' sentiment from comment cards being left or mailed to the hotel, to being able to receive immediate feedback in a very public way such as through Tripadvisor, Open Table, Facebook, Twitter, etc. We employ a digital media manager who assists in monitoring all that is said about us through these different channels so we can respond and try to stay on top of what is being commented.

This article was a very interesting read and focuses on the savings and improvements that technology can deliver by outlining six trends. The main item that peaked my interest was the trend of Cloud / Software as a Service (SaaS) or cloud computing. I have been introduced to this concept over recent discussions with a close family member. Like the article noted, the argument that was given by my relative in support of this system was that this concept is the new way to go in information technology. This option is very cost efficient and like the article mentioned it has no initial hardware costs or associated expenses like full time, in-house IT staff to maintain the system. It can also allow management of your network system to be done offsite giving hospitality operators the time to service their guests more efficiently and effectively. With technology constantly changing it is very important for hospitality operators to be aware of the emerging trends in the industry. These trends can aid in considerable growth and improvements that can be beneficial to their businesses.

The article discusses the ways hotels can become more sustainable for the environment by using green technology which will reduce energy and cut down water usage.

To move toward a circular economy, manufacturers would also need to embrace a "green design" that minimizes the generation of e-waste in the first place.

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.

This article focuses on the technology innovation regarding electricity in hotels. The article states that the total energy consumption costs for hotels will continue to rise. Luckily, there is an energy saving technology that is worth investing in. Cogeneration, which the article states is known as "combined heat and power (CHP), helps minimize the heat and power from a single fuel source". It takes natural gas and converts it to electricity. This helps the hotel use heat for areas of their operation. This technology supplies 95% of the electricity needed for a standard hotel. Besides helping the hotel's electricity, heat, and power system be more efficient, the CHP helps with financial costs. According to the article, investing in a CHP will bring a payback in about 3 years and this time expected to decrease. This means hotels will receive a return on their investment in a shorter period of time. In my opinion, this is great technology to invest in. It not only helps with financial savings but it is also better for the environment. The business will benefit from it because it helps with operations. Also, consumers will be more likely to want to stay in a hotel with an energy efficient system. It goes hand in hand with the Go Green initiative that has proved to be successful and consumer driven. In all, investing in technology is a risky business. For this specific energy saving technology, I believe it is worth investing in. The cogeneration would be ideal for "hotels with 100 or more rooms, high electric rates, hot water heating system, and high use needs".

Hotels POS systems are at risk for customers. Hackers are using tactics like Phishing and ransomware. Hotels must take action and arm themselves with a "toolbelt" of security options to combat the hackers.

This article explores the issues with cyber security in the hotel industry. it is to be taken seriously because customer information is on the line and so is the company's reputation and revenue. Hotels must look into their POS systems because, according to the article, is a weak security point. However, it holds much of the consumer's information like credit card numbers, expiration dates, and etc. The POS system is vulnerable so the secuiry put in place to protect it must be updated. Personal details for hotel guests are stored in many different places in a hotel's many systems. This includes the restaurant, gift shops, billing, facilities, and etc. According to the article, hotels needs a "toolbelt" of various security technologies to prevent malicious attacks. The three mentioned in the article are File Integrity Monitoring, Unified Threat Management, and Security Information and Event Management. Please look into the article to read what each of these systems can do in regards to cyber secuity for the hospitality industry. A good way to implement these tools is to look into outsourcing a managing security firm that specializes in cyber security. This can help minimize and even diminish things that can cause breaches in systems. In my opinion, this article gives solutions to hotels in regards to cyber security. Sometimes installing a firewall or antivirus is simply not enough. A security firm that specializes in this area can be considered. It may be expensive depending on the business to do that, however, it will be even more expensive to have a tarnished reputation for not securing customer information and to deal with lawusuits.