Blog Assignment #5

SUMMARY

Current economic conditions in the United States have hotel and restaurant owners wary about opening new locations. Fortunately, a new kind of software has allowed owners to take some of the guesswork out of coming up with areas in which their business could thrive. Geographic information systems (GIS) can provide owners with vast amounts of demographic and economic information about customers in various areas across the country. GIS data primarily comes from government agency databases. The software can go so far as to provide the owner with an exact intersection at which it believes business would be good for the company. It also gives information about competitors and advertising opportunities in the area.
Jack Butorack Jr., president of franchising for Marco’s Pizza, is a firm GIS believer. He purchased the software from MapInfo and went through an intensive process of location selection. After generating a list of 300,000 possible locations, MapInfo studied 67,000 possible competitors and were able to narrow the 300,000 down to 3,500.
In some cases, GIS human resource needs may be quite intensive. While some small companies can get away with designating only one person to GIS, others may require an entire team. This may seem like a huge sacrifice, but the long term benefits are undeniable.

Koroneos, George. Get Smart about Location Growth. Retrieved April 29, 2008 from http://www.htmagazine.com.

URL: http://www.htmagazine.com/ME2/dirmod.asp?sid=&nm=&type=MultiPublishing&mod=PublishingTitles&mid=3E19674330734FF1BBDA3D67B50C82F1&tier=4&id=FCE766CEF22546BC99FA612A838AA75E


REFLECTION

The use of geographic information systems makes complete sense. Sure there are lots of places on the web where you can find demographic information about customers in different areas, but the information you will find publicly on the Internet is not nearly as detailed and informative as the information provided by servers like MapInfo.
In all industries, not just hospitality, it is very important to know that there is a place in the local market for your business. For example, imagine you are the owner of an upscale fine dining restaurant looking to expand. Chances are that your business would have no success in a poor area. Very few families would be able to afford eating a meal at your restaurant. This would especially be true if there was already a fine dining restaurant somewhere in the area. There would be absolutely no customer base to support both fine dining restaurants, and maybe even the pre-existing one alone. GIS software could prevent the business from making the mistake of building a new location in that area. Instead, the software would probably recommend a more urban, middle to upper class area. I think that GIS technology would be a great investment for any corporation looking to expand.

Blog Assignment #4

SUMMARY

As the demand for bigger and better technologies in the hospitality industry grows, companies are looking to upgrade their current technology solutions. This is the case not only with five-star hotels and restaurants, but also in more humble locations, such as quick service restaurants. We can see how technology demands are being met in the quick service segment by taking a look at one of the examples provided in the article, Westshore Pizza.
This small, mom-and-pop chain in Florida has recently moved to an Aldelo POS system. The owners rave about this product, called “Aldelo for Restaurants”, because of its affordability, convenience, and functionality. Westshore Pizza uses the POS for integrated credit card solutions, delivery, and training. It has also started an online ordering system that operates through the POS. Technology has given the small pizza company all of the advantages of a large chain, and at a great price.
Thanks to offerings from both Aldelo and other hospitality software companies, quick service restaurants like Westshore Pizza have been given a step up in the market. POS packages can be customized to the business’s needs. For more information, read the full article, which offers five more examples as to how quick service restaurants are taking advantage of the hospitality technology boom.

Powers, Vicki. POS Software: The Quick Service Perspective. Retrieved April 16, 2008 from http://www.htmagazine.com.

URL: http://www.htmagazine.com/ME2/dirmod.asp?sid=&nm=&type=MultiPublishing&mod=PublishingTitles&mid=3E19674330734FF1BBDA3D67B50C82F1&tier=4&id=2A627D6FDED54083B4270EE10FBFC459


REFLECTION

I personally have seen the affects that hospitality technology is having on quick service and mom-and-pop restaurants. POS systems are springing up where I had never seen before, such as in my local diner. The small, old-fashioned, diner has moved away from the good old paper and pencil method and has moved onto a POS system with terminals in the dining room that communicate with the kitchen staff. The technology seems so out of place in the little Smyrna Diner, a popular stop for truckers and farmers grabbing an early breakfast or late dinner. The waitresses rave about the system, saying that it saves them time, mistakes, and sore feet from running back and forth to the kitchen.
Another technology that I have recently seen at a quick service restaurant was found at a local McDonald’s. Instead of using an intercom system at the drive-thru, there was an individual with a wireless POS walking from car to car to take orders. It was great to talk to a real person and be able to hear what they said instead of listening to a muffled voice over the intercom. The service was much more personal. I hope to see further technological advancements from mom-and-pop and quick service restaurants in the future.

Blog Assignment #3

SUMMARY

Present-day hotel guests are demanding technologically savvy hotels. Hilton Hotels and Resorts has risen to this challenge by implementing touch-screen technology that will allow guests to have an interactive technology experience. From these screens, guests will be able to browse services offered by the hotel, look at meeting room layouts, find out about events and points of interest in the area, and take a look into the future by using this state-of-the-art device. By implementing these screens in their hotels, Hilton hopes to spark the interest of guests both by offering something new and exciting and by providing a tool that the guests can interact with.
The screens, which are a Samsung product, will be placed in areas available to all guests, such as lobby areas. Unfortunately, these areas are often flooded with sunlight, making it challenging to view normal screens. Samsung has used a specific technology that will enable the screens to be viewed in even the brightest of environments.
Hilton hopes that this technology will create a great buzz among the hospitality community, as did the introduction of remote controls and air conditioning to hotel rooms. If guests are highly intrigued by this product, they will likely return to Hilton hotels in the future to get the same experience.

Harler, Curt. Hilton’s New Concierge is Interactive TV. Retrieved March 26, 2008 from http://www.htmagazine.com.

URL: http://www.htmagazine.com/ME2/dirmod.asp?sid=&nm=&type=MultiPublishing&mod=PublishingTitles&mid=3E19674330734FF1BBDA3D67B50C82F1&tier=4&id=FCD2F7DAADC8438E926C98968EDAE530


REFLECTION

I think that the interactive screens sound awesome! Hilton would not want to have me as a hotel guest. I would just stand there for hours, playing with it and being amazed by the technology. It’s hard to believe that in so little time we’ve gone from black and white TV to interactive TV.
The screens are not only fun, but they are also brilliant in a more strategic manner. Upon browsing through a topic on the screen, the guest may come across something that they wouldn’t normally learn about when visiting a Hilton hotel, such as the layouts of their various conference rooms. When later planning an event, the guest would remember the seeing the layouts and would mostly likely call for more information.
In a time when hotels are struggling to resist commoditization, Hilton is taking one step ahead of the competition by introducing this unique technology. If Hilton wishes to maintain this competitive advantage, they must continue to innovate; otherwise they will be out of luck when other hotel chains start using the interactive screens as well.
Overall, I think this is a great product and a great opportunity for Hilton. Hopefully we will see even bigger and better things in the future.

Blog Assignment #2

Summary

My second article is entitled “An IT Team of One” from Hospitality Technology magazine. This article discusses the shortage of IT personnel in the hospitality industry. Often times there is only one IT manager per hospitality company. According to a 2007 Global Security Survey, only those companies with upwards of five thousand employees had more than three IT professionals on staff. “An IT Team of One” provides four suggestions for IT managers dealing with this lack of support.

The first suggestion is to remember that you are working in the hospitality industry, meaning that no matter how frustrating your job may be, you must always be hospitable. Secondly, unified security solutions are much easier to deal with than systems that have multiple independent security solutions. This will allow you to have better control. Another suggestion was to consider outsourcing certain IT needs to IT service providers and Software as a Service vendors. This will provide some relief from the overwhelming work load of an IT manager. Lastly, the article states that it is simply impossible for an individual to keep up with all of the latest IT trends, so you should put trust in your vendors and follow their advice.

Rinell, George. An IT Team of One. Retrieved March 15, 2008 from http://www.htmagazine.com.

URL:
http://www.htmagazine.com/ME2/dirmod.asp?sid=&nm=&type=MultiPublishing&mod=PublishingTitles&mid=3E19674330734FF1BBDA3D67B50C82F1&tier=4&id=FA11AEE2B58242CD98BC285AEC11FF77

Reflection

This article certainly made me sympathize with IT managers in the hospitality industry. It must be very difficult to be basically entirely on your own. I can’t imagine the level of stress that these managers deal with on a day to day basis. Not only that, but they must also then be able to compose themselves and treat people in a hospitable manner. Under such circumstances, I can certainly see that the provided suggestions would be very useful. Outsourcing and the use of unified security solutions are great ways to lift some of the responsibility off the shoulders of IT managers.

Anyone interested in the hospitality IT field should read this article for two reasons: to be aware of what they are getting themselves into, and to receive some advice about how to deal with this lack of resources. Personally, this article scared me a little, considering that I am studying to enter the hospitality industry.

Blog Assignment #1

SUMMARY

For my first blog assignment, I read a Hospitality Technology Magazine article entitled “Self-Service Success”. This article focuses on ways to successfully implement self-service technologies in food-service and lodging operations. The author, Mary L. Carlin, states 10 strategies that owners should take into consideration when making the transition to self-service. A summary of these strategies is as follows.

The overall business plan should be considered when switching to self-service. This means that prior to the introduction of self-service, one should thoroughly think through all of the ways that it will influence the business. Besides thinking about how self-service will affect customers and employees, the business should also ensure that the self-service will be fully compatible with the existing POS (Point-of-Sale) and PMS (Property Management System). The employees may be hesitant about the self-service at first, thinking that their jobs may be in jeopardy, but by ensuring them otherwise, you can encourage employees to promote the use of self-service.

In terms of the technology itself, the kiosks should be placed in an appropriate location. If kiosks are placed close to the front desk, employees can more easily provide assistance to the customer when needed. During the beginning stages of implementation, it may be useful to designate employees to greet customers, guide them to the kiosks, and walk them through the process.

Overall, the article provided valuable advice to hospitality operations considering the implementation of self-service. To view the entire article, visit http://www.htmagazine.com.

Carlin, Mary L. Self-Service Success. Retrieved March 1, 2008 from http://www.htmagazine.com

URL: http://www.htmagazine.com/ME2/dirmod.asp?sid=&nm=&type=MultiPublishing&mod=
PublishingTitles&mid=3E19674330734FF1BBDA3D67B50C82F1&tier=4&id=42A774DE6D9E
4228B2674F0373BE430D

REFLECTION

I found this article very useful. As the demand for technology grows, it is very important for owners to be aware of the correct and incorrect uses of technology. The existence of Hospitality Technology Magazine alone suggests the importance of technology in the industry today. The beginning of the article stated that customers are often more determined to use self-service technology than owners are to implement it. Upon viewing articles such as this one, that provide helpful advise, owners may be less reluctant to introduce self-service technologies.

While the suggestions made in the article may seem obvious, such fundamental issues are often overlooked. The arguments made by the author reinforced everything that I have learned as an HRIM student. She stressed the importance of pre-planning, communicating with employees and customers, providing optimal service, and using technology to maximize revenue. All of these are tools for success in the hospitality industry. The article makes a statement not only about self-service technology, but also about how to be successful overall.

Welcome to my blog!

This blog is being used to test some of my skills learned in HRIM450, Managing Hospitality Information Systems. Please keep in mind that anything posted in this blog will be read by my professor! (Hi Cihan!)