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Technology: The Newest Weapon in Event Planning | Emergency Management content from EHS... - 2 views

ehstoday.com/...ehs_imp_12954
shared by Jiabao Han on 16 Jan 12 - No Cached
  • Technology, if used correctly, can assist in the automation of business processes (thus freeing precious resources), provide situational awareness for all agencies involved and provide real-time information to users. This article reviews the uses and benefits of one such technology solution, E-Sponder, at two major events (The 2004 Presidential Debates held at Washington University in St. Louis and the 2005 Super Bowl held in Jacksonville, Fla.) as well as provides guidelines when choosing a technology solution.
  • Gragnani and Smiley immediately saw that E-Sponder – a collaboration and information-sharing portal developed by Convergence Communications based upon Microsoft Office Professional Enterprise Edition 2003 technologies – offered the potential for real-time collaboration because it delivers collaboration functions such as e-mail, forums, calendars, shared documents, task lists and messaging that allow stakeholders to efficiently work together remotely. Gragnani and Smiley knew that Convergence would be willing to work with them to customize the solution to accommodate their changing needs.
  • Technology, if used correctly, can assist in the automation of business processes (thus freeing precious resources), provide situational awareness for all agencies involved and provide real-time information to users.
  • ...2 more annotations...
  • Out of this need for heightened security stems a dichotomy between necessity and reality. The necessity of an organization to provide heightened security is oftentimes at odds with the reality of the entity's ability to furnish the needed man-power and absorb the costs associated with hosting a large-scale event. All too often, a city or county is given the designation as a lead agency to provide security for an event, but is given little-to-no financial assistance to make certain that the event takes place without a serious threat to the public.
  • If the decision is made to work with a technology solution to assist in securing your event, it is important to remember a few key points: n Do your homework: investigate, prepare and implement. Take time to assess your exact deliverables and what you are going to be held accountable for. Assessing your deliverables and requirements goes beyond the obvious: How are you going to manage and archive e-mails, meetings, conversations, images and plans? Implementation of the correct technology solution will assist you in this process and keep your staff free from much of the administrative burdens found in planning large-scale events. n Don't just choose technology, choose a technology partner. Planning an event is a dynamic task. Make certain that the company you choose is willing to understand your business processes and work with you to marry technology with your most challenging issues. n Don't learn your technology during a crisis. Pick a technology solution that is extremely user friendly. As the dynamics of an event change, you may need to collaborate with a community of users you did not anticipate in your initial planning. These new users will need to quickly learn and adapt to your communication solution. When securing an event, everyone is working toward the same goal: An event where the public does not think twice about security. The right technology solution can quickly put more accurate information in the hands of those who need it, and allow people to focus on their mission, not on paperwork.
  • jennifer kornreich on 16 Jan 12
     
    This article talks about how events have changed throughout the years and especially because of 9/11. before this day the event planners and safety personel were focus on traffic control but now it is more safety concerns and the prevention of terrorist attacks. It discusses how and why technology can help them and shows many different examples that were real life like the super bowl an the presidential debates. it also stresses how important it is to know the technology and not to learn it in a crisis. Also it helps in choosing what technology to use. There are so many options out there and there is definitely a way to do all this without technology but technology can help and make it a lot safer and more effective.
  • Yichuan Hao on 26 Feb 12
     
    Events can be successfully planned, executed and reviewed without the use of technology. However, there are affordable technology solutions that can ease the burden and provide enhanced situational awareness during an event. And the new high tech, E-Sponder, really assist in the automation of business processes, expecially the event planning. E-Sponder was used to automate many critical business processes during the debate and consequently provided real-time information sharing and reduced resolution time for unplanned events. In addition, it gave complete situational awareness both inside and outside the command center to all of those involved in securing the debate activities.

Green Chains Have the Competitive Edge over Stand Alone Hotels - 2 views

started by Mary White on 17 Jan 12 no follow-up yet
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Solar Powered Energy for Hotels - 2 views

www.forbes.com/...d-energy-management-for-hotels
shared by Mary White on 18 Jan 12 - No Cached
  • Mary White on 18 Jan 12
     
    A company in Denmark has piloted a solar panel system (Zenros Solar Touch Panels) they believe will save hotels 35% in energy costs (heating light and power) over the current sensor based system.The system draws power from natural and man-made light and wirelessly communicates with all electrical devices in the room allowing for efficient function. Unlike other systems, this one does not require rewiring of the hotel because it is wireless. A hotel in Qatar has purchased the system and is set to go live with the new green hotel soon.
  • gaby bestulich on 18 Jan 12
     
    It sounds like a good plan. I mean if it will reduce the energy costs by 35% they should definitely try the system out in a certain group of hotels around the world. Some people like to stay in hotels that are all about being green, so if these solar panels can help reduce costs and increase in rooms sold it is basically a win win for everyone. The only thing I would be unsure about is the mechanical aspect of it. It may reduce the energy costs but will the maintenance cost increase to keep the devices running.
  • Mary White on 23 Jan 12
     
    I find myself wondering why the United States is not more proactive in green technology. A lot of the information I came across centered around other areas of the world pushing forwards with innovation. I would assume that all technology will require maintenance, but once a system has the bugs worked out of it, most modern technology runs pretty well. Maybe that is why more hotels are not using the technology. They could be waiting to see how the pioneer hotels do.
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Hoteliers see green in 'green' tuxedos, tablecloths - 2 views

travel.usatoday.com/...1
shared by Matt Turner on 19 Jan 12 - No Cached
  • Kevin Character on 19 Jan 12
     
    In an effort to catch up with emerging technology and trends, it is expected more hotels will begin to "go green" this year with their linens and uniforms. I believe this is in part because hotels are being held to hirer expectations as we emerge from the recession. USA Today reports that American Laundry News surveyed several vendors about new products at the 2011 International Hotel, Motel and Restaurant Show in New York. Vendors including popular uniform maker, Cintas revealed more items like the washable tuxedo, made from recycled plastic bottles and the Eco-Cobra Jacket for front door staffers. Hospitality textile maker, Riegel is reportedly getting lots of attention from hoteliers for its recycled polyester tablecloths, also made from recycled bottles. The recycled fibers are expected to cut costs on hotel laundry bills. For example, Cintas estimates the washable tuxedos would save them nearly $1,000 each year. I had the opportunity to attend IHMRS this year, and visited the Cintas display. The recyclable material is no new idea. However, it is apparent that changes are being made to improve the durability of the products. I recall when the recycled fibers were initially used. The material seemed cheap and couldn't be ironed for risk of destroying it. Quality seems to be something hotels and restaurants are forgoing in order to "go green". To add, up front costs aren't necessarily saving companies much money. The USA Today article prompts reader responses by asking if hotel/ restaurant visitors even care whether or not a business has "green" products. I believe this is a fair question. Beyond attempts to save on long term costs, what other motivation do hotel operators have to "go green"?
  • Craig S. Wright on 19 Jan 12
     
    I think it is important to hotel visitors, especially group & corporate, for hotels to go green. Maybe companies and organizations require their employees to book rooms at hotels that meet certain "green" standards. If I am a business owner, and promote the company as "green", then our actions and choices have to be "green" too. The uniforms made of recycled material sound very interesting! I wonder if they are comfotable and liked by employees.
  • Matt Turner on 29 Aug 12
     
    While many U.S. hotels are moving from recession style cost cutting to updating their properties, it would appear that they have become interested in a more green approach, at least in one area, laundry. The American Laundry news explains that as many hotels seek to buy new tablecloths and uniforms for their staff, they are looking for green products that can help to trim their laundering costs. One of the things that caught the interest of hoteliers is the hotel industry's first look at machine washable tuxedos for the wait staff. Cintas partnered with Boardroom Eco Apparel to produce the tuxedo, which uses recycled plastic bottles transformed into polyester fibers. Cintas has stated that this green, machine washable tuxedo can save the hotel up to $1000 per employee annually. Cintas has also garnered interest in its recycled polyester bellman's jackets, as well. Another green product that hotels can use is the recycled polyester tablecloth. These tablecloths also come from recycled bottles and are also very eco-friendly. Riegel, the company behind these, has said that just using one of their table napkins can eliminate three plastic bottles from landfills. While these tablecloths may not save the hotel money in the short run, Riegel says that the hotel can save money in the long run by pitching itself as a "green" hotel. It is important to note that hotels have been slowly switching to greener products over the years, such as energy efficient light bulbs, to recycled plastic water bottles, and even sustainable organic ingredients in restaurant kitchens.
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The Time is NOW for Social Media in the Hospitality Industry - 2 views

www.business2community.com/...e-hospitality-industry-0118473 hotel hospitality mobile technology travel
shared by Matt Turner on 23 Jan 12 - No Cached
  • Jennifer Beatriz Hernandez on 23 Jan 12
     
    Social media has revolutionized the way businesses are able to interact with consumers - It sets an unprecedented opportunity for brands to raise the bar in providing unique, personal experiences for customers past, present and future. The hospitality industry in particular has an enormous opportunity to market in innovative ways via tools like Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, blogging, mobile-based initiatives and more. Now is the time for the hospitality business to use social media to target their customers. It is important for hotels to realize the importance of this and invest money in improving their company's image and awareness.
  • ...2 more comments...
  • Mary White on 23 Jan 12
     
    I definetely agree with this article. Social media seems to be the advertising method of the future. I do not follow any blogs, but I know a lot of people who will go and buy whatever their favorite blogger suggests are good products. The same will likely be true for the hospitality industry. If the right person suggests a restaurant or hotel, people will flock there. Bloggers are like internet celebrities and everyone knows how people blindly follow the celebs.
  • Matt Turner on 25 Aug 12
     
    This is an article that highlights the relationship between the hospitality industry and social media. The author, Debbie Miller, talks about how social media has enabled brands to provide personal and unique experiences to its customers, whether they are past, present, or future patrons. Miller also talks about the innovative ways that the hospitality industry is marketing itself, such as twitter, facebook, youtube, and more. Miller touches on location based loyalty, and we no longer need a stamp card, because everything can be managed to through cell phones, using applications such as foursquare. The author then goes on to talk about the fact that everyone can be a potential reviewer, and how restaurants and hotels must monitor sites such as tripadvisor and yelp. She makes a great point about how one bad experience can be posted in real time, for the world to see. The next point that Miller makes is how mobile access and video is key for hotels. She states that Hotels have a cliental that is always on the go, and that makes it important for the hotel to utilize a user friendly mobile site. Also, she talks about how hotels can use video to show potential guests all that they have to offer. Lastly, Miller moves on to talk about airlines and destinations, and how they use social media. She states that airlines have found a number of ways to use technology and social media, explaining that one airline, amidst a large words with friends debacle, used social media to clear the air. The author finishes with how destinations are using social marketing as well. She states that many destinations are now using social media sites to keep their guests informed about local events, as well as niches such as hotels, eateries, and other attractions.
  • Jenna Rashbaum on 26 Aug 12
     
    Social media has been around for a while but slowly has become more and more popular. We as a hospitality industry have so many opportunities with social media. For example.. I work in a restaurant and we do so much promoting on Facebook And twitter for specials and upcoming events. With social media in the industry it allows us to interact with customers from the past, present, and potential future guests. The author of this article hits it right on when talking about ways to use it with all the different allies there are now a days.
  • marilyn diaz on 26 Aug 12
     
    This is a great article. This is the wave of the future as hospitality business can place ads and deals on places like facebook and travelocity. It is great as well to see reviews from other people when it comes to things like hotels and restaurants, so you too can choose if the place is right for you. While reviewing a place is great for future customers, it may not be a great tool for the establishment, if it receives bad reviews. One bad review can damage an establishments reputation over night.
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The Pros and Cons of Cloud Computing for Hotels - 2 views

lhonline.com/...index.html cloud computing
shared by Cecilia Lucas on 23 Jan 12 - No Cached
  • Believe it or not, most hoteliers don’t fully understand what the cloud is
  • There is the natural inability of the hotelier withstand outages or hacker attacks in the cloud
  • 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.
  • ...18 more annotations...
  • Redundancy
  • There are many pros and cons associated with cloud computing and hosted solutions for the hotelier
  • 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.
  • Cloud computing is very fast to implement to a number of workstations.
  • Then there is the fixed-cost advantage: Software provided online is upgraded and maintained by the provider
  • The fixed cost allows business owners to plan rather than be caught off-guard when a costly software or hardware upgrade must be purchased.
  • Making false promises
  • Redundancy.
  • Cloud hosting resides in a single data center.
  • 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.
  • So if you’re using cloud hosting, make sure to pay daily attention to your usage.
  • App performance could suffer. Your data might not be cloud-worthy
  • Service level availability agreements. Since these agreements are very detailed, it’s essential to verify all the services being defined in the contract.
  • Service level availability agreements.
  • 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”.
  • cloud computing service provider
  • 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.
  • 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?
  • Cecilia Lucas on 23 Jan 12
     
    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.
  • Gyujin Chae on 26 Jan 12
     
    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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The GDS wars, broken models and metasearch issues -- JetBlue-style | Tnooz - 2 views

www.tnooz.com/...etasearch-issues-jetblue-style travel solution hardware Business technology Software
shared by Ruth James on 24 Jan 12 - No Cached
  • Ruth James on 24 Jan 12
     
    In 2007, in the last round of GDS negotiations; American Airlines and Delta Airlines warned that they will pull out Of major GDS if they didn't get to have their way. American Airlines threaten once again to pull out, due to other airlines pushing messages; stating that "the airline-GDS business model is broken and must change, leading up to negotiations next year". GDS seems to spite airlines by lowering the travel agents incentive fees, because the airlines lowered their fee that they pay out to GDS that year. JetBlue's vice president mentioned how much the industry took baby steps in the last sets of negotiation. There is a disturbance between the travel agents and JetBlue, in this situation. JetBlue was making profits off GDS, but at the same time GDS is releasing flight seats to travel agents; that don't need help to be filled. Therefore travel agents are making more profits because they are receiving these seats at a higher distribution cost. There are also concerns among the airlines about the GDS financial model that have been broken, and needed to be fixed. The engineer that is over this, stated that it will be fined tuned; and things will adjust. My observation with this entire article is that the airlines that were mentioned are money hungry, and competitive with wanting their own way. They are concerned about the GDS; because travel agents are reaping many benefits that they think only should be offered to them in regards to the distribution cost. It seems, like the airlines just want to be in control of everything. They have to accept that many people purchase through third parties and don't directly go on their websites.
  • Marcia Brown-Kelly on 01 Mar 12
     
    As mentioned in the article the GDS model should be examined based on current trend. American Airline now is directing clients to its direct connect site so all parties need to come together and negotiate in a way that will be beneficial to all including the consumer. It was interesting to read in the article that even though JetBlue is a low cost airline it saw benefit for corporate travelling through GDS.
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How rich visuals generate more travel bookings - 2 views

www.tnooz.com/...-generate-more-travel-bookings hotel technology image website solution
shared by Ganna Gorbachuk on 24 Jan 12 - No Cached
  • Ganna Gorbachuk on 24 Jan 12
     
    As you might know there are three learning styles - Visual, Auditory and Kinestetic. People use all three modalities to receive and learn new information and experiences. However, one of these styles is normally dominant and it defines the best way to remember new information. More then 90% of information we get by vision so visual effects are a great way to receive higher productivity in your business. Basicly, the consumer is searching for two things: an escape from routine and new experiences. So if you use more unusual, bright, vivid pictures, videos and/or 360 tours to show on your website and other visual effects which will imply on idea of new, unexpected experience the customer will be surprised and really attracted by your service. The results can be enormous. « -- Total unique visitors to the hotel website will increase an average of 13%. -- Rich content click-through (to booking engine) rates 4 to 5 times more than static images. -- Rich content generates post-impression activity (return visits) rates twice those for non-rich content and 46% more sales for those activities compared to non-rich content. -- The bounce rate (number of visitors abandoning site after viewing only one page - homepage orlanding page) improves by more than 5 percentage points.» And all of the above is not just statistics it's a power of psychology and online marketing.
  • Mary White on 24 Jan 12
     
    I definetely agree with this article. Older advertising outlets such as as magazines and television spend insane amounts of money to create visually stimulating advertisements. Those types of media have a much more captive audience than internet source have. Super Bowl commercials have to be memorable and stimulating, or their viewers will leave the room for more chips, but they do have their thirty seconds of air time. On the internet, a company may have 3 seconds and other advertising is present on the same page at the same time. To compete in this new higher level of competition, websites have to work extremely hard and be highly innovative. Visua effects are definetely a valuable tool.
  • Lorena Collazos on 25 Jan 12
     
    This is a really great article! Visual marketing aids and 360 tours really give the customer a sense of comfort in the product, service, and/or experience they are paying for.
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Embassy Suites Boston at Logan Airport installs FlyteBoard | Hotel Management - 2 views

www.hotelmanagement.net/...port-installs-flyteboard-14515
shared by Juan Franco on 25 Jan 12 - No Cached
  • Embassy Suites Boston at Logan Airport installs FlyteBoard
  • Juan Franco on 25 Jan 12
     
    Hotels are using new technology in order to exceed customer satisfaction by using digital signage that inform to the guest of the real departures and flights from the local airport and no local. This digital flight board is also used to inform the customers of the local or nationwide weather, hotel events, and news, just to mention some of its use. It is called FlyteBoard; also the flights information can be seen through the guest in room television and ipads all this is touch screen interaction.
  • Yekaterina Ponomareva on 25 Jan 12
     
    This is such a waist of funds just like as everything Hilton does...Guests can access all that information from their in-room TV - that will probably be more comfortable, than to look for this TV flat-super-screen somewhere in lobby, then standing their in front of it, navigating touch screen, when 20 other people are waiting to check their flight...
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Hospitality eProcurement - Will the Industry Take Advantage of These Internet Models an... - 2 views

www.hotel-online.com/...000_eprocurementadvantage.html hotel networks
shared by Jiaqi Xu on 25 Jan 12 - No Cached
  • Jiaqi Xu on 25 Jan 12
     
    Smart companies are taking full advantage social media by interacting with customers in innovative ways.With the advent of the Internet, marketers have access to the technology to customize products and communicate directly with smaller target markets. The Internet is now firmly established as a marketing tool. It serves as an integral part of the marketing mix, serving as a digital distribution channel as well as an electronic storefront.
  • kabir joshi on 25 Jan 12
     
    Nice article. E-procurement solves alot of small everyday problems of hospitality industry. Not only does the Internet facilitate the sharing of information, it simplifies the process for the end-user as well, and reduces infrastructure and transaction costs. The shared nature of the Internet distributes the infrastructure costs across large groups of potential customers,
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New Guest Review System For Hospitality - Industry First - 2 views

www.hospitalitynet.org/...4053305.html Hotel software guest system
shared by Sungoo Kang on 26 Jan 12 - No Cached
  • The Guest Review System enables hospitality companies to manage and display consumer reviews on their own websites and blogs.
  • Sungoo Kang on 26 Jan 12
     
    This article talks about Guest Review System from Lodging Interactive. It is a cloud-based system enabling a website to collect guest reviews directly, manage & reply to guest reviews from one easy system, receive real-time guest review alerts, and view & download online reports. Besides, it enables travelers to share their reviews on Facebook with their network of friends. The price of Guest Review System is $750 per year. In addition to its Guest Review System, Lodging Interactive's Chatter GuardTM Service helps hoteliers monitor what people are saying about their brand 24/7.  Nowadays, many cloud-based programs are coming out and it actually has brought lots of benefits to companies but users still need to be aware of the risks of cloud computing system such as possibility of data spill when it's hacked, impossibility of data control when server goes down.

My Profitable Business Career - 2 views

started by cafe software on 26 Jan 12 no follow-up yet
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Hotels find savings, other benefits, in the cloud - 2 views

www.hotelnewsnow.com/...gs-other-benefits-in-the-cloud hotels cloud benefits hotel software solution
shared by AQUEELAH THOMPSON on 27 Jan 12 - No Cached
  • function GetMidArticleAd(sAdPageName, sAdPagePosition, blRotatingAd) { $('#middlearticlead').html(''); $.ajax({ type: "POST", url: "../../LocalServices.asmx/GetAdByPagePosition", data: "{'AdPageName': '" + sAdPageName + "', 'AdPagePosition': '" + sAdPagePosition + "', 'RotatingAd': '" + blRotatingAd + "' }", contentType: "application/json; charset=utf-8", dataType: "json", success: function(msg) { AjaxSucceeded(msg); }, error: AjaxFailed }); function AjaxSucceeded(result) { $('#middlearticlead').html(result.d); } function AjaxFailed(result) { alert(result.status + ' ' + result.responseText); } } function GetMidArticleAdById(sId) { $.ajax({ type: "POST", url: "../../LocalServices.asmx/GetAdById", data: "{'AdId': '" + sId + "' }", contentType: "application/json; charset=utf-8", dataType: "json", success: function(msg) { AjaxSucceeded(msg); }, error: AjaxFailed }); function AjaxSucceeded(result) { $('#middlearticlead').html(result.d); } function AjaxFailed(result) { alert(result.status + ' ' + result.responseText); } } Hotels find savings, other benefits, in the cloud  
  • that which removes hardware off property to centrally located servers for on-demand functionality and accessibility
  • The goal in both cases? Get as much IT out of hotels as possible.
  • ...1 more annotation...
  • By taking the burden of IT off hotel staff, the front desk can focus more of their energy and attention where it really counts: the guest, Choice’s Davis said.
  • AQUEELAH THOMPSON on 27 Jan 12
     
    This article is a good one about the cloud and how the hotels are finding benefits with using it. The benefits that they are seeing is that the cloud allows them to move their hardware off of the property to a central location to be operated. Another point they focused on is how it allows hotels to run their software and hardware more efficiently and it is also a lot cheaper. They have found that it allows them to get rid of IT in the hotel. They also touched on the cons and one being that if their is no internet or not enough internet connection there will be problems. Another issue is security.
  • AQUEELAH THOMPSON on 27 Jan 12
     
    This article is a good one about the cloud and how the hotels are finding benefits with using it. The benefits that they are seeing is that the cloud allows them to move their hardware off of the property to a central location to be operated. Another point they focused on is how it allows hotels to run their software and hardware more efficiently and it is also a lot cheaper. They have found that it allows them to get rid of IT in the hotel. They also touched on the cons and one being that if their is no internet or not enough internet connection there will be problems. Another issue is security. Many people feel that as complicated the industry is, it is somewhat important for hospitality type businesses to have the cloud. With having the cloud, this will ensure that the systems are always updated. A point that stood out to me was how the La Quinta saved 30-50% in telecommunication at each of their locations. Many hotels will find themselves using the cloud in the future
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TripAdvisor analytics tools enable hoteliers to monitor the competition | Tnooz - 2 views

www.tnooz.com/...ers-to-monitor-the-competition Hotel management TripAdvisor Competitor
shared by Xinyu Tian on 28 Jan 12 - No Cached
  • Xinyu Tian on 28 Jan 12
     
    The most popular hotel review website, TripAdvisor, finally introduced the new dashboard for the hotel managers. With this management dashboard, hotel managers can know their online booking competitors, and also their customer profiles. Before, the TripAdvisor is just for the customer, it offers a board for customer comments and ratings score for each hotel, and there are millions of people searching hotels through this website. On the other hand, this is a great value data resource for the hotel. If hotels can get and analyze that information, it can help the hotel management team make their decisions, and that is what the TripAdvisor does today. It not only offers competitors' page views but also some analyzed customer profile pages, I think this new function will be widely used and become much more popular soon.
  • Alejandra Kravets on 28 Jan 12
     
    What a great tool for hotel owners and managers to measure how well their doing in the market and what customers think about the business and compare the ratings among competitors. Not to mention it is free for companies that are registered with TripAdvisor!
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World's Largest Cruise Ship Launches RFID-based Passenger-Tracking System - RFID Journal - 3 views

www.rfidjournal.com/...7415 cruise ship RFID technology communication
shared by Gyujin Chae on 28 Jan 12 - No Cached
  • Gyujin Chae on 28 Jan 12
     
    This article talks about cruise ship which is equipped with RFID-based passenger tracking system. With this system, cruisers can find where their family members and friends are through Wi-Fi-based RFID tags in badges or wristbands, and iPhones. There are nearly 1000 access points installed with Wi-Fi network on the ship. So wherever someone with a RFID badge or wristband goes, their location can be found. With iPhones, passengers can not only locate their party members but make reservations at restaurants and spas by calling or sending messages to those places. The goal of this system is to allow cruisers to more freely communicate with their party members and merchants on board so cruise operator can improve guests' experience on board. In the near future, with the advancement of RFID system, everything on board can be done with RFID badges, wristbands, or something else, which means guests will not have to bring their cash, credit cards to pay and crew on board will go through less hassle.
  • ...2 more comments...
  • Alejandra Kravets on 28 Jan 12
     
    Great article. Incorporating RFID system in wristbands badges allows guests to freely take a tour of the ship without worrying about where their family members could be. This is fantastic technology especially for kids!
  • gaby bestulich on 28 Jan 12
     
    Agree great article. It just makes the cruise a bit more leisurely for those traveling with younger children because they can just check their phones and find out where the little ones are.
  • Melissa Krajewski on 29 Jan 12
     
    I think this can be a helpful tool if used appropriately. It should be an elective option chosen by the passenger who is eighteen years or older. I think the age limit is important because once passengers are eighteen years old they are technically adults. This way parents can choose whether or not they would like to monitor their children's location throughout the ship. Keep in mind that not only can their parents see where there children are but any crew member who has access to the system may be able to track such movements throughout the ship. I hope appropriate safeguards are in place to prevent people from using the system inappropriately.
  • Carl Miller on 29 Jan 12
     
    I would not be a fan of this if I were going on a cruise. This is too "Big Brother is watching" for my liking. I think it's a good idea for families to keep track of their kids but that does not apply to me. The only function I would like is the alert from the restaurant saying your table is ready.
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BookingCenter launches MyPMS(tm) Web-based Property Management System :: Hotel Job Reso... - 2 views

www.hoteljobresource.com/roperty_Management_System.html MyPMS web-based
shared by Yu Zhai on 03 Feb 12 - No Cached
  • BookingCenter, a provider of integrated Property Management Systems, Central Reservations and Global Distribution
  • MyPMSTM - a full-featured, Web-based PMS delivering all of the advantages of remote centralized management with integrated Internet Reservations and Global Distribution.
  • MyPMS is designed and proven to seamlessly tie together PMS, CRS and GDS functions; it's simple and affordable; and it's delivered over the Internet for unmatched accessibility, accuracy and efficiency in remote, real-time multi-property management.
  • Yu Zhai on 03 Feb 12
     
    This article shows us the initial stage of web-based PMS launched by BookingCenter. It integrates Property Management Systems, Central Reservations and Global Distribution together, which is a simple yet smart application which minimizes the investment and common risks of PMS software and hardware. It displays most benefits, such as Flexibility * Transparency * Immediacy * Customization* Simplicity * Savings * Fixed Cost * Deployment * Standards* Security * Centralization. MyPMS makes it easy to manage rates via channel, tiers, sources, and room type from anywhere for the revenue manager. Besides, it is useful and easy to learn so widely, from front desk staff, to property owners, management companies and franchisors, to global distribution partners and individual and group guests.
  • Jeremy Fairley on 03 Feb 12
     
    I'd be interested to see how many other properties jump on board. I didn't see anything in the article about the software's ability for additional systems such as integration with rms and pos software. The property mentioned in the article must not have had a restaurant in the hotel or is fine with his rms system working independent of the pms.
  • Yu Zhai on 03 Feb 12
     
    Yeah，it just focus on introducing the advantages of the system. Actually in this software it accomplishes the following tasks: Reservations Guest History Group Bookings Guest Accounting House Accounting (house folios and reporting) Night Audit and Automatic billing Content and security control Inventory Sales and Packages Invoicing for Direct Bills Distribute corporate/AAA/AARP rates, net rates, Consortia rates, through all 4 GDS systems, Pegasus, and other networks Maybe I should have bookmarked two links.
5More

How to Generate Revenue with Hotel Call Accounting Software - 2 views

ezinearticles.com/?How-to-Generate-Revenue-with-Hotel-Call-Accounting-Software&id=94261 hotel technology
shared by Jiaqi Xu on 07 Feb 12 - No Cached
  • Jingyi Wen on 07 Feb 12
     
    Billing software is important for the hotel. It can helps the hotel account for telephone charges, Internet usage, equipment fees, surcharges and taxes in real time. With the declining of the telecom revenue the new call accounting modules should adapt to new market competition. Some of the hotel adjusting room rate to balance the telecom revenue lost. Even though the use of the telecom is declining, proper use hotel call accounting system can still bring profit. The accounting system can provide traffic reports identify grade of service, peak calling hours, and the number of trunks the hotel should have to run telecom smoothly. The calling accounting report can show where guests are calling. It is easy for hotel find its target market and negotiate better tariff plans. The call accounting system can make fewer mistakes than the night auditor. All calls are being record with the help of calling accounting system. Hotel should update the critical information in calling accounting system monthly and all the properties use the same tariff table and follow the same guidelines. In this way hotel can avoid inaccurate billing and lost revenue.
  • ...2 more comments...
  • Carl Miller on 09 Feb 12
     
    This is an interesting article as hotels have to adjust from guests using the room telephones and hotel internet to using their cell phones and mobile networks. Hotels do need to compensate for that loss in revenue but it is hard to charge much for internet service when guests can go down the block to Starbucks and get it for free. With these changes, it makes it even more important to hotels' bottom lines to have the right call accounting system in place making sure they don't miss out on any collectible monies. Good article Jingyi.
  • Fei Qi on 02 Mar 12
     
    This article is about how to generate revenue from the hotel call accounting system. Travelers involve the business travelers and family travelers all need to keep in touch with others. Therefore, it is important for sophisticated hotel billing software to account for telephone charges, Internet usage, and equipment fees. Sometimes your telephone charges could account for a larger cost than the room rate. The article also compared the old call accounting system and the new ones. Old call accounting system would generally been left in the back room logging long distance call records from a PBX serial port. Nowadays, hotel managers become creative in using new call accounting modules or more appropriately a communication management system .Properly utilization of a hotel call accounting system can help hotel generate high profits. Proactive hotel properties use call accounting reports to determine calling patterns that show where guests are calling. These statistics help the hotel target marketing and negotiate better tariff plans. As hotel provides more communication facilities, the communication management system will be required to account for hotel cell phones, calls made with authorization codes, internet service, hand held devices and other guest amenities.
  • Jiaqi Xu on 02 Mar 12
     
    Hotel call accounting software or hotel accounting software in short is a system records telephonic activity, translates it into relevant data and arranges it in reports, graphs, charts etc for analysis. In the hospitality industry, the call accounting software plays an important role as an interface between the hotel management/staff and the customers. Call accounting products allow hotels/motels to bill guests for all phone calls that the property will have to pay for, recovering costs.Managers can also detect phone misuse or abuse, optimize phone system performance, allocate telecom costs by department or extension, set special rates for VIP guests, and decrease billing errors.
  • Wei Ding on 03 Mar 12
     
    Using accounting system to generate revenue for hotel is a great way. Today, revenue management is strong relay on those more accounting system. Properly use accounting system can support hotel generate more profits. Also, proactive hotel properties use call accounting reports to determine calling patterns that show where guests are calling. All these data help the hotel target marketing and negotiate better tariff plans.
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Choices for Going Green in the Hospitality Industry: How is the Hospitality Industry Go... - 2 views

www.brighthub.com/...63995.aspx green hospitality
shared by anonymous on 08 Feb 12 - No Cached
  • The hospitality industry recognizes the importance of managing its properties in an environmentally responsible way.
  • The hospitality industry whose services span the management of large areas of land, real estate, energy and other resources, is no exception.
  • The industry is realizing that green practices contribute significantly to their bottom lines
  • ...7 more annotations...
  • ecotourism as the fastest growing market in the hospitality industry. Adopting environmentally responsible practices has become imperative to promote properties as destinations for such clients. Another positive outcome is the healthier environments they generate
  • Certification: Managers of hotel properties, from bed and breakfast inns to large facilities are turning to certification as a means toward going green.
  • LEED focuses on improvements to buildings and structures to improve operations.
  • Their commitment to environmental conservation is viewed favorably by customers and the communities they operate in.
  • they incorporate many environmentally sustainable practices in their operations. The use of land, materials such as paint and carpets, furniture, fixtures and equipment, cleaning supplies and food, lend themselves to eco-friendly practices.
  • In addition to certification, some members of the hospitality industry are contributing to the greening effort by setting their own goals and priorities.
  • As customers become increasingly concerned with environmental conservation, technologies and practices will adapt to cater to such need. Environmental sustainability will be a key focus of these efforts.
  • Diane Cacho on 08 Feb 12
     
    The hospitality industry is recognizing how imperative it is to run your hotel in a way where it will not only benefit you and your business but for the environment as well. Many hotels are making an effort to making an effort to become certified by means of having a going green business. In addition to certification, businesses in the hospitality industry are contributing to this go green effort by seeking specific goals and priorities. Hotels for example are focusing on how to save energy and water conservation, solid waste management, land use and indoor air quality. Changing basic hotel equipment such as toilets, solar heating, washing machines/dryers, refrigerators to "green products" can create a big difference in hotel energy costs and help save the environment as well. When a hotel owner applies for certification they are carefully inspected to verify compliance on how well the hotel manages their business efficiently by saving energy, water and disposing wastes properly for example. Even something so small as using the right cleaning supplies can have a positive impact on the environment. Not only does going green lower hotel costs but they also receive tax rebates, zoning permits and other incentives to persuade hotels to go green.
  • Cecilia Lucas on 09 Feb 12
     
    In todays world, where ecoturism is the fastest growing market in the hospitality industry, hotel managers and owners realize the importance of running their properties in an environmentally responsible way. These initiatives usually translate in to greater customer recognition and loyalty. Some of the ways they achieve this is thru certifications, such as LEED which focuses on improvements to buildings and structures in order to maximize operations such as energy performance, conservation of water and other resources.
  • anonymous on 21 Jan 15
     
    In an effort to become more environmentally conscious, many hotels and resorts have taken major steps, from pre construction to customer requests, to reduce their "carbon footprint". These establishments understand the value of "going green" not just to increase their long term profits but also to cater to a growing demand for more environmentally friendly recreational outlets. Going green is more than just a fad. Therefore, it is imperative, to stakeholders, within the hospitality and tourism industry to make the necessary changes to maintain a competitive edge.
3More

Hotel Room Keys of the Future | Scene by Laurie - 2 views

www.scenebylaurie.com/...hotel-room-keys-of-the-future RFID
shared by Craig S. Wright on 09 Feb 12 - No Cached
  • To provide better customer service, several major hotel chains are testing mobile phone hotel door lock technology and radio-frequency identification (RFID) enabled cards as alternative means for room entry. Annoyances like long check in lines or demagnetized strips that require a trek back down to the lobby could go away.
  • OpenWays technology in select hotels and cities that enables access to rooms by holding a mobile phone up to the lock. Guests who sign up for mobile entry receive a text with their room number and then a second text with a phone number to dial when they get to the room. When dialed, an audible tone is sent over the phone which unlocks the door when the phone is held next to it.
  • Jeremy Fairley on 10 Feb 12
     
    I wonder how this will translate into widespread use by the hotel industry. It seems there were issues with some guests who didn't hold the phone properly to get in. Also seems as if just using a room card would be quicker as opposed to having to dial and wait for a tone. Be interesting to see how this idea evolves.
10More

IT investment proves a help to struggling Station Casinos - 2 views

www.computerworld.com/..._to_struggling_Station_Casinos hotel Technology
shared by Jiaqi Xu on 10 Feb 12 - No Cached
  • Station Casinos, which runs 18 casinos and hotels that are located off the Vegas Strip and primarily serve residents of the Las Vegas area rather than tourists, is seeing major benefits from the heavy investment in unified communications, unified computing and wireless technology, said company officials accompanying journalists on a tour of the Red Rock Casino and Resort here during the Cisco Live conference this week.
  • Cisco's Call Manager software.
  • Unified Computing System (UCS
  • ...2 more annotations...
  • wireless IPICS,
  • The UCS and related technologies that Station Casinos has installed have made the network more adaptable and resilient,
  • Yichuan Hao on 10 Feb 12
     
    Unified Computing System (UCS) technology is widely used byStation Casinos Inc., which is a one of high-tech Station Casinos Inc. invested and do a good implement in their properties. It not only help this company do a good business and also help the it employees keep their jobs.
  • ...2 more comments...
  • Yu Zhai on 10 Feb 12
     
    I see that about 80% of our revenue comes from slot machines, I think that's why IT investment means a lot and so helpful for them.
  • YUCHEN TI on 21 Mar 12
     
    Station Casinos Inc. was struggling to reorganize under bankruptcy protection. And the last, company decided to increase the IT investment to solve this problem. Station Casinos, which runs 18 casinos and hotels that are located off the Vegas Strip and primarily serve residents of the Las Vegas area rather than tourists, is seeing major benefits from the heavy investment in unified communications, unified computing and wireless technology recent network installations include a variety of Cisco Systems Inc. technologies, according to Baltz and Bryan Miles, director of networking and telecommunications. The company has deployed 3,000 of 9,000 Internet Protocol phones so far, and it is using Cisco's new Unified Computing System (UCS) technology to consolidate data center operations. Miles said UCS allowed the company to cut the number of data center server racks from 12 to one. Cisco officials noted that IPICS systems are normally used by emergency personnel to communicate across various wireless bands while responding to fires or other disasters. The updates to the Station Casinos network have helped the company connect 15,000 different devices, including some of the 23,000 newer slot machines installed at its various casinos.
  • Jiaqi Xu on 22 Mar 12
     
    Hotel guests are a captive audience and are often looking for the convenience factor when making their purchasing decisions, such as where to eat that night. If hoteliers take the initiative with their WiFi solution, they could be soon be reaping the financial rewards.
  • Ligia Elizondo on 24 Mar 12
     
    Implementing the right technology can bring a company back to business therefore it is really important to Know what technology is the best for the organization in order to improve productivity and attract potential clients.
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