Hospitality Technology

This article shows the importance of guest reviews in a hotel through online websites like TripAdvisor. Before purchasing the antique St. Ermin's Hotel in Central park, management decided to take a look of what customers thought about the property. People said the location was fantastic and it had beautiful physical assets but it needed a major renovation. TripAdivisor played a huge role for the hotel to recover and maintain high level of guest satisfaction raking their property from 480 to number 25 in TripAdvisor's Central London rankings and later jumped to number 18. Websites like TripAdvisor enables management to be informed and up-to-date of what customers are looking for before they travel. At the end, customers are they reason why we are still in business.

This article shows the importance of guest reviews in a hotel through online websites like TripAdvisor. Before purchasing the antique St. Ermin's Hotel in Central park, management decided to take a look of what customers thought about the property. People said the location was fantastic and it had beautiful physical assets but it needed a major renovation. TripAdivisor played a huge role for the hotel to recover and maintain high level of guest satisfaction raking their property from 480 to number 25 in TripAdvisor's Central London rankings and later jumped to number 18. Websites like TripAdvisor enables management to be informed and up-to-date of what customers are looking for before they travel. At the end, customers are they reason why we are still in business.

This is a kind of a new improved software for connecting to wi-fi and mobile broadband networks of Microsoft 8. The user need to be installed required drivers and software to connect to mobile broadband networks of Win7, while, Windows 8 has been designed to simplify the process of connecting to mobile broadband networks and of managing those connections, including monitoring data usage and controlling costs. Prior to Windows 8, you needed these applications to compensate for functionality not provided natively in Windows. This additional software confused and frustrated users by conflicting with the Windows connection manager, showing different networks, network status, and a separate user interface. Also, this software can read user`s action and reconnect more faster.

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

Surface interactive table is very popular in recently years. It is a technology that through glass capacitive touch screen. The technology is used to capture guests touch on acrylic surface. This kind of interactive table could be included games, internet and communication to offer a complete interactive experience. Guests can pass by, touch or approach the screen to activate the system and the content will start immediately when guests use finger to point the device. The technology has a lot of methods to use. The screen not only can click, double-click but also rollover, multi-touch. Because some users are use the same screen for meeting, playing game and organizing, the interactive table has a lot of ways to use even to perform activities which use two hands in parallel. If the hotel has this technology, it is really a surprise. The businessmen will use it for meeting and communication. The children use it to play games together and the travelers are likely to design maps, mark destination and organize their tourism.

In the hotel that I used to work in Down Town Miami they have two surface interactive tables. Guests love them! As you mentioned before they play games such as chess, Chinese checkers, and you can play the piano too. You can also check for directions, listen music, and look for information. I know there is a restaurant in Orlando that have Surface interactive tables too, it would be nice to check it out.

That is a great idea that Paris is putting into practice. For only 199 Euros which is around $256 dollars you can get a room like that, I will totally do it! Comparing rooms here in South Beach that are much more expensive and do not have The Eiffel Tower as the view, that is a great deal. And, they are just testing this concept for 3 months and if they see that the demand is high enough they will keep it for longer. This, at the end will result with higher profit and product differentiation. Customers will love it!

Great article about the use of Siri, Apple's voice activated virtual assistant, and the use of voice activated travel search. The video demonstrated by the CEO of Bonvoy Group travel demonstrates voice activated flight status searches as well as searching of future flights to which the Bonvoy systems emails you the results based on your search. The potential for voice activated flight is enormous and it will be interesting to see if other travel OTA sites such as Travelocity, Hotels.com, Orbitz etc, adopt similar uses of this technology. I can see the use of this on hotel booking sites either via thrid party as well as direct through the hotel. Also sites like Open Table make use of Siri for voice activated reservation. With Siri still in its "beta" phase, the opportunity for developers and the travel industry to build apps like these is very good.

I posted this article on Scoop.It. This is more evidence of the push towards mobile computing. It begs the question, when will we begin to see this adversely effect PC sales?

The iRiS Sommelier is an application that turned the iPad into a digital Sommelier. It allows diners to browse through the wine list in their preferred language, view each wine label, and narrow the selection according to the type of wine, color, size, grape and region, as well as price. The iRiS Sommelier does not just lead to more informed dining experience, but also reduces wine selection time. Furthermore, this application helped to increase wine sales by 21% at the Kepinski Hotel in Budapest. In regards to the operation, the great feature is that restaurants are able to update their wine lists instantly, as well as change prices and availability. In addition, wine menu printing costs are minimized and environmental benefits are maximized. In my opinion, the iRiS Sommelier is not just a great new way to introduce the wine menu and update the inventory, but also to educate diners and give diners more time to enjoy their wine and food.

I think that mobile devices (smart phones) are playing an important role in the lifestyle of the restaurant goers, this applicaton not only educate the consumers about wine and food, but also keep them up date of the new trends.

To design a website hardware and software tools are needed. A computer with a large hard disk, Random Access Memory to store data, high processing speed and large storage capacity is necessary to be able to process large video files that you would need to put on these websites. with videos, its best to take them yourself so as to lessen the cost of production. Two servers are needed both hardware and software. Microsoft front page is a software needed before constructing the site because it is a website design and management tool that is used to add, rename, delete or move around files. It also contains web pages, graphics, documents and multimedia. A good anti-virus or software is important to have for web design to prevent external threats. Backing up the website should be done through emails, where it can be restored if any problems occur. With mobile web design and editing software you can edit your site from any location and it can be viewed on smart phones, PDAs etc. Some website require databases, for example Dynamic websites. This is prepared with fresh information and is easier to update with new contents for the webpage.

This article is talking about the Green Key Global which is a company providing eco-rating program for hotels to keep sustainable development announced that this program has established in all 50 United States. The Green Key Eco-rating Program is a rating system intends to recognize lodging industries that are committed to improving their environmental performance. Hoteliers would be awarded a 1-5 Green Key rating based on the results of a comprehensive environmental self assessment and they could learn guidance on how to reduce environmental impacts and operating costs by reducing utility consumption, employee training, and supply chain management. This program is a win-win situation for both hotels and Green Key Global. Hotels are helping Green Key penetrate the U.S market and the Green Key is helping hotels win the business of environmentally conscious consumers because more and more consumers are treating the green part as a decision-making factor in where they stay. In my opinion, I love this program and I hope more hotels would participate in this program to reduce the increasing environmental impacts created by human and our business activities. And I believe green hotel would a trend for the future and one day it may be a regulation issued by government.

I was not aware that travel services/sites were recognizing rankings on green initiatives. Many consumers today are basing their choice in hotels on their environmental programs, it is great to hear that Green Key is now present in all 50 states!

Yes I also love this eco-rating program, which will improve environmental performance. It's a win-win situation as you mentioned in your summarize that both Green Key Global and hotels would get benefits. I did some research of the hospitality trend, and go green is definitely a big trend.

This is a three year old survey on Green Intiatives by American Hotel & Lodging Association. It talks about : (a) Challenges or barriers faced by hoteliers. (b) The biggest motivation for implementing green lodging practices. (C) The top ten things hotels are doing well relating to green initiative. (d) Top ten green things hotels can improve on.

The American Hotel & Lodging Association's Green Assessment Survey results reveal the top 10 green initiatives hotels are enacting, the top 10 motivations for implementing green lodging practices, the top 10 green things hotels are doing well and top 10 green things hotels can improve on. In the challenges and barriers part, the biggest one facing in implementing green lodging practices is having enough capital to invest; in addition the whole world is in financial crisis now. Money is a big problem. As we know, before implement green practices, hotels need large amount money to buy equipment and need a lot of time to train employees to use it. In high season, they are busy to serve guests, to earn money. In low season, they may have time but no money. In the motivation part, environmental benefits and building guest loyalty rates to first place. But I think most hotels deciding to implement green practices are because financial savings. In addition, implement green practices can preempt government regulations and improve hotel reputation. It is also a good way to advertise. To do and not to do lists, hotels should keep and improve their recycling and reuse program and pay more attention to the power save program.

This is a great article that collected all top 10 related to GREEN. It makes me realize what we are doing well and what we need to improve in the future. And also it lists the top 10 challenge that we are facing. I agree with you that implement green practices can preempt government regulations and improve hotel reputation.

This article is talking about a distribution system called Amadeus. It gives agents easy access to a hotel listing and view its multiple offers from different source, which is similar to Google hotel finder. however, a day after the announcement of this system, HRS announcing to all hotel partners a commission increase from 13% to 15%

Unlike many articles here, this article focuses on modern technology for cruise ships. What it talks about is top ten cabin technologies which will enable cruise liners to increase guests' experience and its profits. Among the top ten, there are some remarkable technologies. First of all, biometrics will play an important role onboard because it will enable both cruise liners and guests to save great time with facial recognition, touchless palm and iris scanning. Guests will no longer have to wait in line to get into/out of the cruise ship. Second, RFID, Radio Frequency Identification, will be another key technology. This is also beneficial to both sides, guests and cruise operators. With RFID wristband or ankleband, guests do not have to bring their key cards and wallets while doing activities. Also, in-cabin sensors could detect whether guests are present, helping room stewards figure out when they need to clean the cabin, and conserving energy. The last notable cabin technology is cell phone. With wireless-enabled cell phone, guests will soon be able to open the cabin door, make a reservation for restaurants and other facilities such as spa, massage, and shore excursion. As cabin technology has greatly advanced, guests would rather spend their time in the cabin than going out to the decks and public spaces such as casino, bars, stores, ets., with their wallets. This is definitely not good news for cruise operators, but all of these great technologies make guests' experience onboard better and easier, increasing in guests repatronage and revenues.

In this article, Hyatt has launched a global sustainability program. And also Hyatt has green teams and employee volunteers to do efforts on the sustainability.  When talked about the progress of the sustainability program, Hyatt said they had three steps: First, Hyatt Thrive is supported by 80,000 associates in over 450 hotels in the world, which will give a lot to help. Second, this global framework has a singular goal to help thrive. Third and finally, Hyatt is very committed to measuring and tracking the progress. They were very accountable. I think more hotels need to develop a sustainability program like Hyatt to help the world go green.

This is a great article and not to mention an amazing initiative. A program that is fueled by it's associates will certainly have a positive impact on the community and a lasting effect.

Article speaks about hotel automation systems by vendors, that allow hotels to reduce energy and utility costs that impact the bottom line. The EPA estimated that in 2004 the hotel industry spent more than $5 billion on energy and that the number was likely to increase. Items such as occupancy based thermostats communicate over wireless networks and allow hotel staff to perform maintenance tasks such as detect issues with in-room HVAC systems before guests call in to report the items. Other systems use energy monitoring systems that allow for the hotel to detect room temperatures. This is significant as those rooms temperature and lighting systems can know whether the occupant is in the room and adjust lighting and temperature settings accordingly. Energy waste in hotels is an issue that affects the bottom line so the potential for ROI is great. Implementation of many of these systems is flexible as many are built on wireless networks that do not require heavy physical installation of wiring. Interested in the groups thoughts on this?

This article makes an interesting, albeit accurate, point about technology today. For the most part, most technological advances are not so much hardware as they are software-oriented. Aside from making the hardware devices more compact and smaller, the focus is on speed, operating system, and functionality. Related to the topic but not in the article, I remember reading somewhere that gaming systems/companies usually come out with a new device every five years or so, but none have come out recently due to the potential still in the devices used today (specifically the wii, xbox 360 and ps3).

The Aloha restaurant managed video as a service platform which is the leading exception reporting and theft deterrence tool for the restaurant owners. By utilizing Enysion's video, restaurant owners can monitor cash handling easier, identifiy potential suspicious activity faster and monitor the exception report effectively. Moreover, Aloha Restaurant Guard which invented by NCR corporation can identified the common scams through analyzes POS data and transactions. I think that combine Aloha Restaurant Guard to Envysion's video, the owner of the resturant may have a whole picture of the restaurant in their mind through easy used video web interface and secure video clip sharing, data from the two platform and intelligence reports. This is a good model for restaurants to reduce the profit losses from fraudulent activities. It smooth restaurants' daily operation meanwhile employees will regular their own behavior during the work period.

This article is a case about how digital menu helps the restaurant increase sales. There are several benefits by using digital menu. The most important one is that digital menu enable customers to better know the dishes. The restaurant could use full-motion video to show more details. Another advantage is the easier way to control the updating and changing of the menu. 

Generally, digital bill folder provides solution to two kinds of problem : simplifying the checking procedure and reducing skimming.

The Hotel Industry has not kept up with the state of the art technology to the degree other industries have. It's at a point where a great investment is needed to upgrade technology they use both in communications as well as the unseen hardware that make hotels function on a day to day basis. The cost of replacement and and expansion of business data centers and security is very large. But who bears the cost?, since guests have come to expect ammenities such as high speed internet, but aren't necessarily willing to pay for it. This is an inevitable cost hotel corporations are going to have work in to their budgets in order to stay relevant and competitive

This article basically talks about a front-desk bypass solution that allows guests to head straight to their room without standing in lines to obtain a plastic room key as long as a guest has a mobile phone.  To sum up the article, mobile key by Open ways is compatible with any cell phone, as all of the 6+ billion mobile devices in the world. It simplifies hotel Master Key management by harnessing mobile technologies to make all locks 'on line' without the costly infrastructure. It also enhances a hotel's sustainability program because the Mobile key is made only of data and not plastic. Moreover, hotels can eliminate costs originally spent on toxic plastic key cards. It is a creative way to move the technology of mobile keys forward, giving hotels an added dimension to guest satisfaction and a new means of attracting the ever-important business traveler. In my opinion, this solution could be beneficial to hotels' revenue since the system is compatible with not only smartphones but also all kinds of cell phone. It works with all major lock technologies and relies on a combination of text messages and its Crypto Acoustic Credential (CAC) technology. The only modification required to a lock for it to work is the addition of a decoding listening device. I think this is a great convenience for both the hotel management and consumers. Furthermore, there might be a good marketing opportunity here modifying the system to pop up a special offer on a phone once the rock has been deactivated. For example, a free dink at the hotel bar, or a half price meal at the hotel restaurant.

Mobile Key by OpenWays allows hotel guests to bypass the front desk and go straight to their room upon arrival by simply using their cell phone as a room key. Many people do not want to wait in line at the front desk merely to get a plastic key card for their room. As long as the guest has a cell phone and the hotel is equipped with OpenWays they can get secure access to their rooms. Mobile Key by OpenWays is also very beneficial to the hotel as well. Since Mobile Key is only made of data, it cuts the hotel's costs of making room keys out of toxic plastic for guests as well as master keys for employees. The hotel is now "greener," saving money, and improving customer service. With technology growing and customers relying more and more on mobile technology while travelling, Mobile Key creates an easier and more enjoyable way to travel.

In my personal opinion, I love this renovation on mobile key. I don't like to wait a long time for check-in. With the Mobile Key, guests don't have to carry their room key anywhere anytime and if they leave it in the room, they have to wait a long time in the line to the front desk to ask for another one. My favorite part of the Mobile key is that this technology is green. Even though current room keys that used by most hotels made of plastic are reused and recycling, the plastic itself is a material that would pollute the environment. But I still have a question about it that how about guests lose their cell phone during their stay. Does the hotel have a plan B for helping guests to open doors without the plastic key?