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APRILGuest Service: A Culture of YES |
Thursday April 18, 2019 |
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Safeguarding the Guest Experience from Hotel Cyberattacks
By Emily Loupee, Area Senior Vice President - Real Estate & Hospitality, Gallagher & Co.
The future of the hotel industry is decidedly futuristic, with automated drapes and floors that light up in the dark when you step on them. The endless capabilities of the Internet of Things (IoT) and artificial intelligence (AI) provide hotels with innumerable ways to give guests a more convenient, enhanced experience. Yet, the danger of turning devices into a smart device means they can now be used as a gateway for a hacker or cybercriminal. Hotels incorporating AI and IoT technology into their guest experience need to be aware of what they're exactly offering and the steps needed to prevent cyberattacks.
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TRENDING THIS WEEK |
Getting Hit by the Serial ADA Plaintiff: What Hotel Management Should Know...
By Bruce Liebman, Co-Managing Partner, Kaufman Dolowich & Voluck LLP
Hotels are increasingly being hit with lawsuits claiming discrimination against disabled individuals in violation of Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act. The lawsuits are being filed by what are called ADA testers-individuals who visit businesses intentionally looking for non-compliance with the requirements of the ADA. Common complaints involve architectural barriers in the parking lot (e.g., inadequate or no handicap parking spaces) and lack of handicap accessible restrooms). This article evaluates access claims under the ADA in the hospitality industry, how to defend these claims and the significance and impact of a recent decision on future hotel-related ADA discrimination cases.
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DAILY HEADLINES - Thursday Apr 18, 2019 |
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More from our online Library Archives... |
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Keys to a Successful Technology Implementation in Hospitality
By Adria Levtchenko, CEO & Co-Founder, PurpleCloud Technologies
Today's hospitality organizations rely on advanced technologies in a wide range of back-office operations, as well as areas directly impacting guest services. And much more is to come. Implementing these technologies successfully demands a careful approach to assessing needs, whereby all stakeholders embrace the new systems; acquisition; and implementation, including a thoughtful approach to staff training. In this way, we can achieve the objectives of making our jobs easier as we acquire new powers, communicate better within our organizations and with strategic partners and serve guests in new ways.
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Is April the New January Staff Turnover?
By Zoe Connolly, Co-Founder & Managing Director, Hospitality Spotlight
Traditionally, hotels were most exposed to staff turnover in January, a timeframe directly after the holiday season had ended and corresponding holiday bonuses had been paid out. Today however, as many large hotels report their annual earnings in March, the timeline has shifted, and hotel leaders find themselves facing uncertain employee retention issues as we enter the second quarter of the year. Employees and hotel leadership alike should look at April as an opportunity to further develop career paths, either through open and honest dialogue that clearly establishes next steps within a career path, or through a change in role.
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How Room Prices and Sleep Quality Are Interrelated
By Bhanu Chopra, CEO, RateGain
The scent of fresh sheets in a tidy hotel room can win any heart! Travelers unanimously agree that a ‘hotel stay' should be nothing less than a rich and pampering experience; and they further justify the statement by saying that prices are paid immediately, as quoted online. In order to pay the guests due respect, hospitality chains claim that they change or improve their services as and when an insurgency crops up. So, the single biggest truth of the hotel industry is that ‘sleep quality' drives this segment. Believe it or not, this catch phrase has materialized into a key measure of health and productivity in the global public consciousness.
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May 2019: |
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Eco-Friendly Practices: Corporate Social Responsibility |
The hotel industry has
undertaken a long-term effort to build more responsible and socially conscious
businesses. What began with small efforts to reduce waste - such as paperless
checkouts and refillable soap dispensers - has evolved into an international
movement toward implementing sustainable development practices. In addition to
establishing themselves as good corporate citizens, adopting eco-friendly
practices is sound business for hotels. According to a recent report from
Deloitte, 95% of business travelers believe the hotel industry should be
undertaking “green” initiatives, and Millennials are twice as likely to support
brands with strong management of environmental and social issues. Given these
conclusions, hotels are continuing to innovate in the areas of environmental
sustainability. For example, one leading hotel chain has designed special
elevators that collect kinetic energy from the moving lift and in the process,
they have reduced their energy consumption by 50% over conventional elevators. Also, they
installed an advanced air conditioning system which employs a magnetic
mechanical system that makes them more energy efficient. Other hotels are
installing Intelligent Building Systems which monitor and control temperatures
in rooms, common areas and swimming pools, as well as ventilation and cold
water systems. Some hotels are installing Electric Vehicle charging stations,
planting rooftop gardens, implementing stringent recycling programs, and
insisting on the use of biodegradable materials. Another trend is the creation
of Green Teams within a hotel's operation that are tasked to implement
earth-friendly practices and manage budgets for green projects. Some hotels
have even gone so far as to curtail or eliminate room service, believing that
keeping the kitchen open 24/7 isn't terribly sustainable. The May issue of the
Hotel Business Review will document what some hotels are doing to integrate
sustainable practices into their operations and how they are benefiting from
them.
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