Hospitality Technology

This article is talking about a centralized hotel accounting system that was introduced and explained by the Prospera Hospitality which is a leading hospitality management company operating 18 branded and independent hotels and resorts. This accounting system enables Prospera's team to track each property's daily performance and deliver flexible reporting. The system can generate individual and multi-property general ledger that help Prospera's team achieve different goals of investors. It also provides customized financial statements that give the management team an instant and clear picture of each single property's operating health. The cloud-based feature allows the smaller select properties not hire IT staff to support on-property software.

This article is talking about Prospera Hospitality, the leading hospitality operator earned reputation by its successful third- party manager for investors, including Marriott, Hilton, Starwood flags. In the article, talks about few reasons make them success, such as they implement centralized financial hotel accounting system platform that can manage by the numbers and to create customized financial statements for more efficient operation. In addition, cloud based system also enhance flexibility on multi- flag, multi-property accounting. In sum, this is the article about the hospitality organization that using accounting systems to successfully operate the business.

This article is about a task force called Guestroom 20X and this team puts on a "conference" or sorts every year and it displays the newest and most innovative technology for the hospitality field. specializing in hotel guest rooms. This is such a great way to get people together and get people talking about the newest technology. sometimes technology is updated so fast that it is hard to keep up with the curve and the point of this meeting is so that everyone can be educated and also be ahead of the curve. These technologies that are exhibited are anywhere from next generation tv's to non traditional technologies like bathroom fixtures, and also user friendly tech like mobile applications for the rooms. This also includes green technology as well to help heal our environment! I think this is just an amazing idea and that everyone in the hotel business should attend and learn more about what technology has to offer.

This article talks about how social media helps hotels not only to promote their public image but also provide customers a two-way road of comments and suggestions about their stay. The three websites that are best suited for hotels are Facebook, Twitter and Foursquare. Using these resources a hotel can give its clients and potential guests the freedom to freely interact with the company itself. Facebook serves greatly to allow people to comment on their recent stay and provide feedback. Twitter enables the marketing department to promote deals and upcoming special events. Foursquare is a tool similar to reward accounts. People can check-in to Foursquare at the actual location and depending on a set amount of check-ins, a guest can be awarded with a discount or special arrangement, for example, a complimentary bottle of champagne can be offered for five check-ins. Social media is an always evolving tool that goes hand-in-hand with marketing advancements and the growing use of gadgets. Iphones, blackberries and tablets are present in almost every home of travelers and are heavily used to interact, find deals and leave reviews. Hotels that use this media weapon and its technology to the fullest are on the upper hand compared to their competitors that rely on traditional advertisements.

That is a good way for hotels and restaurants to invest more in social media. Almost all people have their facebook pages they can a lot of information from facebook. People talk about everything on the facebook and share their experiences with friends. If somebody is sharing his great hotel experience with friends, that would be like a great advertisement that does not requires much money and all friends would believe this advertisement more than others.

The social media is a good way to promote itself from word of month. It is an easy way to get the feedback from their customers, and improve itself. The hotel can become more competitive base on the social media because it contains the real evaluations from the previous customers rather than the unconvincing advertisement.

According to the article, Colorado College did the survey on some state to looking for the swing voters minds of the November election. This survey asked some questions such as what the U.S. would be like in 30 years if it remains dependent on fossil fuels? And what the U.S. would be like in 30 years if clean energy is developed. Swing voters answers were discussed in this news. As the survey showed, the majority of swing voters in those states agreed with the statement that renewable energy will create jobs in the future. 80% interviewees believe the possibility of improving economy and protecting the environment. Besides, the climate change didn't resonated with those voters; however, they worried about the economic competition from China.

The companies have to do a drastic changes in order to stop destroying the planet and today there are materials or sources that can be substitute the fossil fuels, but they have invested so much money in their infractstructure that they do not want to loose it. The corpotates know that making this changes means invest a lot of money and I think they do not want to do so unless we as society force them to make these changes.

With the trend of green hotels and technology growing rapidly in not only our industry but all industries in general, it is important for companies to stay up to date with new innovative green technologies. This article touches upon on hotel in Seattle named Hotel 1000. The hotel has begun implementing new technologies such as memory lights that shut down when guests are out of the room and then turn on to the same levels set when the guest returns. Also being implemented is a system that can switch air on when a guest arrives to the hotel. This controls the amount of time the air is in use as well as prepares the room pre-arrival.  Finally this article discusses the imminent idea of alternative energy solutions for hotels. Many hotels hope to receive government subsidies in order to begin implementing solar panels on their roofs providing more energy while cutting current electricity costs. Installation costs are high but will be offset over time.

Just for fun for my fellow Tech group ... Are you dreading Valentines? Wondering why you are single? Well there is an app for that. Wot Went Wrong beta will help you find out why your ex left you. Fill out your name their name and it makes a questionnaire to send to your ex. Once they fill it out using the drop down adjectives and phrases you just might get the answer to the question keeping you up at night. Or you will realize that is why you left the tool in the first place.  Put the chocolate down! Be proactive! Actually, I just thought this was a funny app and wanted to share. ***Not responsible for any restraining order violations, unwanted make ups or horrible self actualizations. 

By using of Nano Ionic technology, The new interior paint will remove odors that caused be smoking, pets, bacterial proliferation. However, some natural matrix materials ground into a fine powder the mixed with paint to be applied to the interior walls of homes and businesses. Moreover, this new product is non-toxic, not harmful to pets, children or planet earth and no consumption of electricity is necessary.

In the last 5 to 6 years, MGM Resorts Intl. has instituted a new cloud-based booking technology for its Las Vegas properties called GroupMAX. It was initially used as a way to work jointly with group planners for two of the Las Vegas properties but as a result of the technology's success, the software was implemented in other hotels in the Las Vegas area. All in all, this software enables hotels and planners to access all booking information of numerous hotels in a single location. The article states numerous benefits using the GroupMAX technology - which above all increase operating efficiency and profitability. I believe this technology is extremely beneficial to the corporation, especially because of the enormous amounts of group reservations they have annually among their various properties. Though it may be somewhat costly initially, the benefits far exceed any costs the company encounters.

The article discusses five issues that hotel operations are facing, and how to decrease these issues in regards to data thieves. The first security issue discussed is "Remote Access", the article states "Many hotel operators and franchisors use remote management applications (RMAs)". This enable easy access to manage multiple locations downloads; conduct sales polls, and other systems within multiple companies. A advices to remote control issues are to change vendor default settings, in which you can create unique user IDs and complex passwords. Another advice is to "Configure the RMA", in which users are only allowed to connect to known MAC/IP. I personally don't think that creating a unique ID or account password may solve this issue, but allowing connection capability to a set IP/MAC is a wise intake. Although being able to just connect to a set MAC, will cause a limit on where and when you connect. The second security issue is "Network Security", many transaction volumes are being exposed, brand recognition as well; and that attract hackers. In order to reduce this problem, it is suggested that companies need to install and maintain a fire wall at all time. I agree with this other suggestion which is to Use outside resources to help identify new security vulnerabilities. This is great, because a company will be able to receive an outside outlook in regards to security. The last three issues that are on this list are: Password Management, Wireless Security, and Incident Response Plan. Overall it's evident that any system that has a password requirement is causing a major attraction towards security thieves. The suggestions within this article are great, but from my observation; many companies will have to put in time to track and monitor their systems. Systems can't allow to be left open without monitoring, and the internet is a lead way to all this, so any system that requires the internet must be monitored, and protected.

Technology enables service. That's the idea, anyway. In the hotel industry, thousands of companies worldwide provide hundreds of software applications to help hotels and hotel companies manage operations to provide better guest service. However, the hospitality industry continues to find itself targeted for damaging data compromise events by hackers. There are some good ways to decrease the attack of hackers. For example, Remote Access, many hotel operators and franchisors use remote management applications (RMAs).  Their ease of use in managing multiple locations makes them ideally suited to disseminate business downloads, conduct sales polls or survey inventory. RMAs are often packaged from vendors with default or blank passwords. Creating unique user IDs and complex passwords can reduce the risk of data compromise and help facilitate compliance with the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards (PCI DSS). Another example is about Network Security, transaction volume, brand recognition and the potential for sensitive data retention are all factors that make hotels (particularly franchise networks) juicy targets for hackers seeking to exploit insecure networks via the Internet. The hotel can install and maintain a firewall at all times.  Disabling a firewall can put a business at heightened risk of Internet attacks and potential system compromise.

With Hotel Concepts' Integrated Distribution Property Management System, hoteliers can now tie together the Brilliant PMRO PMS and the 3CX telephony system. Unique features of the 3CX Hotel Module now integrated with IDPMS and PMPRO include:1. the ability to automatically reset the guest PBX upon check-in and checkout, adding or removing the guest's name on the voicemail system and deleting any leftover recordings; 2. the option to block external calls to and from particular guestrooms upon request; 3.the scheduling of automated wakeup calls; 4.Guests' names are displayed to receptionists when making in-house calls; 5.Call billing automatically integrated into guest folios; 6.The ability for housekeepers to deliver status updates and execute minibar charges through guestroom PBX phones. With these special hallmarks, 3CX hotel module specified PMS in room amenity aspect and provide a lot of convenience and considerate design for customers as well as improve standard service quality of a hotel. Meanwhile it also bring revenues and profits without large costs for hoteliers. This will be a trend for hospitality development and technology enhancement.

Cendyn and Vipe Inc, a video marketing sofeware provider, launches eFaceTime video sales capability for eProposal. By using this technology, hotels enable to offer personalized videos about their service, food&beverage, function space, amenities and staff to the event planners or customers through eProposal presentations. This technology only need a hand-held cameras to link the videos, can hotels' sales people produce a high quality promotion vedio with less cost. It also provides video libraries, sales people can compare the videos and inser the best one into the sales Proposals quickly. Moreover, the eFaceTime video provide an effective way for the hotels to welcome their patrons. This technology drive the eMarketing to go futher. Its unique personalized videos may help the hotels to attract more customers especially for the event planners.

The distance is not a problem anymore. The style of proposal presentations is more is more convenient and less limited.

I think this is a useful technology for a hotel because hotel can sale its product without limited by region. In this way hotel can increase its market share and increase the profit.

E-Marketing emerged because of the Internet, today, there has an app called 'Hotels with Me' lunched by Hotels.com as an affiliate program in Facebook. Owners of Facebook information pages in the UK, Italy, France, Sweden and Germany can now install this app and earn commission on bookings made through it. 'Hotels with Me' is a hotel search engine run entirely through Facebook. This app has been launched on UK Facebook page in 2010 and grows strongly across APAC and Europe. It enables people to browse, choose and book hotels from almost 140,000 properties worldwide. It is easily to install which just needs a few seconds. And Josie Shah, director of partner marketing at hotels.com regards the app as a unique innovation for them. He thinks the app will be interest to championing sports events, bands or concert tours. And this app is not only convenience for users but also a market expend for owners. Also a video explains how the integration works through a link. http://www.choosewithme.com/affiliate-marketing/

I read an article takes about a mobile app which can help customer makes reservation of same-day hotel room on their mobile rather than on the internet. I think these two apps have the same function which helps the customer browse and book properties much more convenient.

This article indicated the new technology and innovation of PMS which called intellectual property management system (IPMS). IPM helps organizations evaluated their patent portfolios. And organization have developed IPMS to cater these needs, and ensure availability of information and database for strategic decision-making. IPMS has five key area of responsibility are generation of IP, IP portfolio management, IP evaluation, competitive assessment and strategic decision-making. It also help asset management to analyse the data, maintain the inventory. This article also introduced the development of IPMS at IIT Bombay, and the whole process of this system and its development in India.

This article discusses a new trend in hotels - women-only floors. Some hotels are starting to dedicate entire floors for women. I think this is an interesting concept. I would have thought this would only exist in places like hostels where there may be public bathrooms. However, this seems to be a growing trend in hotels that cater to business travelers. The floors are accessible only with the room cards and they are only given to women.  The article mentions a couple of times, that it makes women feel more secure but it didn't really explain why. One woman said she was new to the area and that's why it made he feel more secure. Seeing as how I am a man, I don't really see how being on a same sex floor of a hotel room could make you feel safer. Ladies could you help me out with this?

Optima is global leading software in the hospitality industry, Designed for both the mid - market and luxury hotel sectors. All Optima line applications are integrated, using a single image open database, allowing full access to data across all modules and all hotel departments. Whether it is Reception or Banqueting, Spa or Accounts receivable, all modules read from the same database. And in addition all modules have the same recognizable user interface allowing staff to easily switch between applications. It's efficient,easy,flexible and customized configuration.

Considered the technology of the next generation Optima PMS, with advanced icons and color codes which gives managers an overview of hotels operations and maintain management controls. The windows graphical user interface helps simplify data entry by employees, user friendly, quick and easy. The system is able to change to a variety of languages, automatic or semi automatic night auditing procedures, guest history and mail merge, unlimited number of folios for guest, interfaced with all leading PBXs, housekeeping and room maintenance. Optima PMS has a report module with an extensive report generator which provides statistical reports and occupancy and work assignment forecasting reports. This new upcoming system seems to be well suited and user friendly, but does not seem very far from opera. Opera is a very user friendly system which really provides convenient use for the employees. It is even possible to email reservation confirmation through the system to a guest. In other PMS systems like brilliant or Epitome that was not possible. These new and improved systems really make a front desk and reservation agent life a bit easier. The system is interfaced with the phones in the rooms, which allows us to see in the system when a housekeeper is in the room cleaning which is called pick up status" so that we can provide adequate information for the guest informing them that the room is currently being cleaned instead of having to call housekeeping every 5 minutes.

USA TODAY assembled five of the industry's top executives last month at the Americas Lodging Investment Summit in Los Angeles in the LA Live JW Marriott hotel for a discussion of the industry's latest developments. They were: Marriott International CEO J.W. "Bill" Marriott Jr.; InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) CEO Richard Solomons; Carlson CEO Hubert Joly; Choice Hotels CEO Steve Joyce; and Eric Danziger, CEO Wyndham Hotel Group. The discussion ranged from hotel Internet fees to iPad apps, new lobbies and chainwide hotel renovations. The hour-long event was moderated by USA TODAY's Barbara De Lollis . The text has been edited for clarity and length.

Thought this was a great article from the perspective of five of the top industry executives. Of particular note was about the issues of catering to the newer wireless data hungry traveler. Interesting to see all of their comments and concerns. Seems like this is an issue that is across the board and there is no consensus at the point about how to tackle.

When Room Key entered the pantheon of metasearch engines, initial reactions varied. While big chains were seemingly excited for this alternative to third-party search engines, independent hoteliers maintained a reserved skepticism, wondering what place, if any, there will be for them on the site. These independent owners are taking a wait-and-see approach when it comes to Room Key's potential influence on independents and hotel search-engine landscape.

Good example of the wait and see method as discussed last week. Be interesting to see how this one plays out for Room-Key as well as the smaller independent chains...

Highlights: REPORT FROM THE U.S.-As revenue management becomes increasingly sophisticated and complex, many major hotel companies are rolling out new platforms and tools to help managers at the property level. Description: There are two main applications of property management system in major hospitality management companies. The first approach is to provide service for hotels without a revenue manager. The second prong is to give revenue managers a set of tools to control their own pricing structure at the property level. Besides combining hotels in a same region together, one advantage of property management system is to save related costs. In general, revenue management needs deep skill and expertise, so the price for hiring employees with these abilities is expensive. In addition, this revenue management system helps managers enter the system easily. With the immediately information about the marketing's pace, managers can open or close rates conveniently. And property level managers can sell strategies to various best available rates. Property management system provides brand supports to hotels. Hilton is making efforts to develop this revenue management system, at the same time, they hire more and more persons with skills to use it. This system provides franchises a new tool to learn customer experience or marketing situation of other areas.

Trying to go beyond the limitations of the "Like" as a standard metric for social media, a new Compete study combines a variety of measures to assess the success of online travel brands on Facebook. While the analysis focuses on the travel category, the approaches taken could apply to other industry verticals on Facebook.

Article discusses ways in the the practice of measuring social media success based on likes canbe misleading for travel sites and brands. The argument made is that the like is a cumulative metric rather than a current. Meaning You have an indication of what people think of your brand in general, but not at that moment. Unique visits is a metric that is a better indicator of engagement as it lends to give you an idea of how users/travelers are reacting towards your brand on an ongoing basis...