HFTP Connect

As the Digital Era continues to evolve, professionals face all kinds of new challenges. It doesn’t matter what their professional discipline is or what stage of their career they are in.

Although specific requirements will vary, all professionals are increasingly expected to develop their digital competencies and have a working knowledge of each of the four big technology trends: Social (social media and other social technologies), Mobile (smart phones and tablets), Analytics (including big data) and Cloud computing (both for proprietary systems and software as a service (SaaS)).

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I’m going to start with a caveat:
An old, jaded and cynical hospitality software developer wrote this post.

I think in terms of return on investment. If you think that hotels are gilded palaces to guest experience, then this post is not for you.

You are cordially invited to stop reading now.

Still here? Okay. Good.

Here is the underlying premise to Brad’s Unwritten but Logical Laws for Successful Hotel IT: Hotels are businesses.

They exist for the sole purpose of making money for their owners. Period. The End.

If you think differently, then this post is not for you and you are once again cordially invited to stop reading.

Still here? Wonderful.

You are hearty stock and shall be rewarded generously with the following knowledge. Here are the laws. Read More »

Finally, a moment to recharge – for both my smart phone and myself.

HITEC 2012 is my first experience with Hospitality Finance and Technology Professionals (HFTP). I am quite impressed with the organization and array of innovative technologies I see in the exhibit hall.

Now that I’ve seen the technologies on the HITEC exhibit hall floor, I can’t wait for my next trip! The top 3 guest technologies that I am most excited to experience on a future trip are:

1. Hotel room check-in and access via smart phone

I can’t remember the last time I checked into a hotel when I wasn’t tired and grumpy from travel.  I would love to be able to go straight to my room to freshen up before enjoying the property.

Two products I found especially useful are: Read More »

HFTP Connect is featuring four guest bloggers throughout HITEC 2012. The bloggers will be providing you their insights on all things HITEC. Before we get to Baltimore next week, get to know our guest bloggers.

We already met Brad More and Nicole Hockin.

Now, let’s meet Christina Dzingala.

Christina Dzingala is a sustainability strategist specializing in management, technology and communications to transform organizations. You can reach her on LinkedIn or follow her on Twitter @CDzingala.

How many HITECs have you attended?

HITEC 2012 in Baltimore, Md. is my first HITEC conference and I am really looking forward to it. I specialize in communications, technology and sustainability – and I see a lot of exciting trends in these areas for the hospitality and tourism industry.

There is so much going on around mobile technology right now.

Travelers can pretty much do everything related to their trip with a smartphone or tablet and without having to print anything. Read More »

The Power of Online Bookings, Mobile-Friendly Web sites and a Unique User Experience

There’s no question that the Internet has taken center stage as the hotel reservation method of choice worldwide.

As price sensitive vacationers turn to third party reservation systems for the best deal and last minute travelers turn to their mobile phones for on-the-spot hotel bookings, the use of travel agents and dial-in phone reservations continues to rapidly decline.

In an increasingly digital world, it is now second nature for most travelers to start their search for a hotel destination from their PC or mobile device.

The Internet has made it quick and easy for travelers to research properties, read reviews, compare rates and find availability, all from the comfort of their home – or from anywhere for that matter, from their mobile phone, tablet or laptop computer.

More than ever before, independent hotels and chains need to stand out online by customizing their own proprietary channel to attract and maintain loyal guests.

To gain a consistent stream of online room reservations, hotels must offer a web site that focuses on their property’s unique brand, while offering customers the ability to see rate types, room availability and purchase a la carte add-ons or pre-built packages.

These eye-catching, custom sites are vital for independent properties that lack the branding power of large chains. They ultimately result in direct bookings, eliminating 3rd-party fees and thus, increasing revenue.

When looking to develop a unique online experience with the creation of a custom booking engine, hotels should also look past the reservation itself and think about other online functionality, such as e-mail and CRM. A booking engine that can communicate with guests through pre and post-stay e-mail messaging or reservation confirmations is of added benefit to both hotels and their guests.

Internet technology news giant Mashable predicts that 98.3 million travel bookings will be made on the Internet this year.

When looking at the top 30 brands, online hotel bookings accounted for 57 percent of all reservations made in late 2010. That is an increase of 19 percent since 2006 according to an eTRACK report and speaks to the urgency for hotels to get in the game with a custom site that caters to online room reservations.

As online travel reservations have reached their highest peak, smartphones have enabled a new form of Internet-based room booking to step into the spotlight, adding to the complexity of developing a successful Internet marketing strategy. Read More »

HFTP Connect is featuring four guest bloggers throughout HITEC 2012. The bloggers will be providing you their insights on all things HITEC. Before we get to Baltimore next week, get to know our guest bloggers.

We already met Brad More.

Now, let’s meet Nicole Hockin.

Nicole Hockin is vice president of marketing and public relations for Nor1, Inc., a technology leader in upsell solutions and exhibitor at HITEC 2012. 

She thrives on the creation of successful brand development and strategic communications.

Notable past positions include Chief Marketing Officer for REBEL Travel Corporation, Public Relations Manager for Hotels.com and Marketing Communications Director for Travelweb. Her greatest enjoyment comes from sharing her love of travel with her three children. Follow her on Twitter @travelnicole.

What is your specialty in hospitality and why do you enjoy your job?

I have been working in marketing and public relations with hotels and resorts, OTAs, and travel technology companies for 10 years now. I feel very fortunate to do what I do every day. It’s my job to demystify a business; to help articulate the benefits of products; and to help a company put its best foot forward from the inside out.

I enjoy creating “Aha Moments” when working with various teams to build and manage brand and product marketing strategies that inevitably are designed to give people a great experience.

I am excited for the opportunity to channel my old newsroom days and report on HITEC happenings. But before I do, here’s a little bit about me and my thoughts on next week’s most anticipated event. Read More »

HFTP Connect is featuring four guest bloggers throughout HITEC 2012. The bloggers will be providing you their insights on all things HITEC. Before we get to Baltimore next week, get to know our guest bloggers.

First up is Brad More.

Brad More is a former Naval Aviator who stumbled into hospitality technology and found a home. He is co-founder and president of Atri Leo, a new company focused on the practical application of technology to hospitality. Follow Brad on Twitter @brmore or e-mail him for more information.

What is your specialty in hospitality and why do you enjoy your job?

I consider myself a practical technologist and an integrator. I don’t particularly like to build fancy new infrastructure systems with the latest buzzies, but rather leverage existing systems to do new things in a practical, sustainable and maintainable way.

For me, the absolute best part of the job has very little to do with the nuts and bolts of technology. I really enjoy sitting down with people and guiding them from the kernel of an idea, a glimmer of a notion, through a process of discovery that ends with a clear path to move forward.

What is your favorite part about HITEC?

I love to cruise the outliers, the young start-ups who just got into hospitality. You know the folks; they usually have a simple, stock 10 x 10 booth back by the food court or near the bathrooms. Read More »

Let me begin by saying that I have no professional affiliation with the company I am about to talk about.  I am but a humble consumer of this product, and am pleased enough with it to share my experience with you.

My wife owns a home-based bakery and recently asked me how she could inexpensively accept credit cards.  Just a few years ago, my reply to her would have involved renting a credit card machine, signing up for a processor and paying monthly statement and processing fees.

But not anymore.

I recently learned about a wonderful little device from a company called Square, Inc.

The Square: By the Numbers

This little device, which is free after a $10 sign-up credit, plugs into the headphone jack of an iPhone, iPad or Android device.  It’s possible to swipe credit cards through the device and, after you have signed up for the Square processing service, start accepting credit cards inexpensively and easily.

The cost is only 2.75 percent of the transaction amount, and there are no hidden statement fees or other charges to pay.  If you enter the credit card number manually (without swiping), the cost goes up to 3.5 percent plus $.15. Most major credit cards are accepted, and the payment – less the processing – is deposited into your bank account the next day. Read More »

How Mobile Technology is Changing the Face of the Hospitality Industry

For anyone wondering if consumers are embracing mobile technology in relation to the hospitality industry, one just needs to look at the following stats:

• 29 percent, and rising, of U.S. mobile subscribers over the age of 18 have booked hotel stays on their smartphones, according to comScore Inc.’s September 2011 Custom Mobile Retail Advisor Survey.
• During the 2011 holiday season, more than 67 percent of consumers planned to make a purchase using a mobile device, according to PayPal.
• And the number of users is growing as mobile payments are expected to grow 40 percent, reaching $670 billion in transactions and 2.5 billion users globally by 2015, according to Juniper Research.

Mobile Technology Today

Hotels are recognizing the increased consumer interest in mobile technology and are delivering to their guests in several ways.

In addition to mobile optimized web sites and click-to-call reservations for easier booking, hotels are now instituting mobile check-in, event or discount promotions, communications with loyalty rewards members, spa appointments and golf tee times via smartphones and tablets.

This is all being done in an effort to reach today’s plugged-in consumer, who are increasingly expecting these types of services. Read More »

Read similar articles on the industries’ top trends in the HITEC Special Report, now available online.

The Intimacy of Mobile

The extraordinary appeal of application software, nicknamed apps, for phones proves that people have created a close relationship with their smartphones, so close that it could be characterized as an intimate one.

Think about it.

People use their smartphones for e-mailing, texting, tweeting and, oh yes, talking. They also get information, keep their appointments, play a game, update Facebook, check into their flight, even check in to their hotel. That’s much more than the old so-called “feature” phones. Smartphones now represent more than 50 percent of new cell phone sales and that share is increasing rapidly.

In January, Apple announced that it had its 10 billionth app downloaded from its iTunes or App Store. The total number of apps available will probably exceed a million by the middle of next year. Gartner Research estimates that by 2013, 21 billion apps will be downloaded annually! Read More »