Icts Hotels In The Hospitality Information Technology Essay

Icts Hotels In The Hospitality Information Technology EssayThe revolution in ICTs has intense implications for financial and social maturity. It has pervaded every aspect of tender-hearted life whether it is health, education, economics, governance, entertainment etc. Dissemination, propagation and memory accessibility of these technologies argon viewed to be integral to a countrys breeding strategy. The most classic bene scoff associated with the access to the new technologies is the increase in the supply of instruction. The secondly thing would be it as well decreases the cost of production. Knowledge is transmitted, produced, accessed and divided up at the least cost. With the decrease in the transactional costs, there is to a fault a decrease in the degree of inefficiencies. Thirdly it has overcome the constraints of distance and geography. ICTs have tailor across the geographic boundaries of the nation states. Buyers and sellers are able to contribute information, speci fications, production action etc across the national borders. It enables all to know the comparative improvement in the market economy. It leads to the strikingr markets and increased access to global supply chains. Fourthly it has led to more transparency. Networking and information sharing definitely leads to demands for greater openness and transparency. Whether you loss to know the status of the central banks foreign exchange agency or the cost prize of potatoes in the local market, ICTs empowers the individual with the information access, which is transparent. Efforts are at a lower place way to integrate ICTs to all firmaments and tuitional activity. Tourism is one such potential champaign.Information Communication and Technology is one the most important and maturement field that every company and almost all the sectors are adopting to simplify work and also to reduce man power. ICT plays a major role in Tourism sector so as considering the guinea pig of a cordial r eception firm. Tourism includes umpteen sectors desire transport food, adjustment, restaurant, cultural activity and leisure, so fit all these sector into one severaliseicular form there is always the need of advance focus and outgrowth of itself to fulfil the customer needs. Now a days tourism sector estimabley focus on customer satisfaction as tidy sum who wants to travel has become independent by fulfilling their requirements on their own than to depend on a third person to help them do the sufficient requirements. In this processes ICT acts as a fully fledged sustain and a user friendly thing that even a normal person has started using net income to run his routine. In the developing world internet is become peoples second brain and it makes most of the things for man. So this assessment focuses on the main contribution of ICT in Hospitality that is in Hotel Industry. objectiveThe main Purpose of this ascribement is to find out the role of Information communication en gineering science (ICT) in hospitality tourism sector.ICT acts as the main source of any industries development and also adds up to the reduction of man power and time, it is also used as a source to reduce problems. Even though, little is known some the extent or aim of use of ICT. The ICT has become the major consideration, as it has become the revolutionizing equipment of the hospitality Industry. This study leave alone look into the prosperity for the adoption of ICT ground facilities in the hospitality fabrication. This also covers the problems that encountering the adoption of ICT in hospitality firm. This assignment contributes and finds out these issues.FindingsThis finding says that almost 80 per cent of the billetes use ICT efficiently, mainly to allow for information and improve utility quality. In gain, some firms had already adopted very effective methods of using the internet for sales and marketing but neglected supply functions. We will be surprised to not ice that ICT is seen as a way of enhancing personal divine service and that rather than a barrier, it is seen to promote quality of service. Moreover, the respondents did take care to have used ICT effectively to overcome the disadvantages of place.ObjectiveThe main objective to be focused on the assessment comprises of all the following issues and factors that helps us study the importance, development and the barriers of ICT in the tourism field, especially focus in a branch of it that is the Hospitality sectorThe impacts of ICT towards Hotel manufactureThe ongoing use and follow upation in the particular fieldThe major confine and the main harbor of ICTThe successful implementation of IT in hotel industriousness and its advantagesThe functioning of it towards marketing purpose and the way it support for the success of exploit.The Impacts of ICT towards Hotel IndustryHospitality industry is a risquely information intensive industry, so information technology and communica tion has a wide impact in the particular industry. Information communication technology has created a new revolution in the world of tourism industry. The tourism industry is a colossal market in terms of the design of tourist visiting a particular place. It is stated that ICT has caused restructuring phenomenon (intermediation, dis-intermediation and re-intermediation in parallel) in the hotel industry. It proves that ICT has improved operating efficiency of hospitality industry as well as planning and throwing experience of customers.ICT has a great impact in hospitality industry- it enables direct contact with customers/ nodes and improves strength and efficiency of clients services.ICT provides new tools and also enables new channels, creating new business environment in the industry, requiring all new skills.ICT also makes the competition harder and so it demands a dogging investments on developing things and keeping it updated.In all these impacts there are two major area s which are gamely influenced by ICT that is electronic commerce and tax commerceElectronic commerceThis stool be defined as a secure exchange of informationBusiness to businessBusiness to clientsclients to clientsbusiness to governmentbusiness to client communicationresearch to business1NotesGDS Global distribution systemCRS Central reservation systemDMC Destination Management corporationDMO Destination marketing Organisation2Traditional valve chainThe value chain changes into a new concept as now a day it is focused scarce into internet that is almost most action depends on internet the value chain changes to3Internet based value chainRevenue CommerceRevenue managements sounds like the top most management, but most hotels are small and medium sized so every employee acts as a revenue manager. So it is an important factor that every employee is provided with knowledge of revenue management at all levels of the hospitality industryThe main goal of the revenue management is (a) Maximise topic (price units sold) or minimise lost revenue per available product unit in view of average cost per available product unit(b) control condition availability of price products by customer revenue potential and forecast segment mix(c) Control daily availability of price products lower than full price, based on unsold inventory, time left to sell and segment total demand.4To fulfil these objectives, tourism professionals need strong knowledge in areas as marketing, finance management, statistics, customer service principles and distribution trends.Implementation in the particular fieldThe use of electronic figurer its technology has vastly developed from 1980s to the division of 1990s. A survey given in 1980 said that a fewer amount of 10% were using calculating machine technology. There were polar surveys stating the usage of technology in hospitality industry in operating things efficient and make lymph gland satisfaction.There are two factors that affect t he use of IT in an accommodation establishment. First is the instance of clientele and secondly the complexity of operations. Considering the type of clientele and their experience will be affected by technology, helps us to determine the level of automation in a hotel. There are unlike types of clients expectation different types of services. Business travellers consider more efficient type of services as they never want to spend time in any new(prenominal)wisewise thing than their work, so they appreciate speed of service and faster technology. Almost the other type of clients/guests prefers hotels where technology does not intrude into their vacation and leisure experience.The complexity of a hospitality field is also impacted by many factors and computer technology plays a major role. Larger the property, larger the technology resorts with many activities like golf, tennis, multi-restaurants and other benefits has gained a lot through IT technology.Hotel Size% using IT% high IT needs% agreeing IT enhances guest satisfactionLess than 100 rooms89.428.970.2101 to 300 room96.743.683.2Over 300 rooms97.257.486.1Different hotels use different technology to enhance their facilities and some of their applications are stated above5.Property Management System (PMS)Property management system is the main central computer which acts as the core functions of the hotel information processing. It maintains all details that describe the hotel, such as the size, type and the number of rooms, the rate applicable for rooms and other facilities, and also the details concerning the guest called the guest record or the guest history. This also includes various operations such as support and control and management of different outlets of a hotel that is bm office, reservation, back office, food and beverage inventories, bar / shop takings, hotel staff salaries and wages accounting and also some of the managerial functions in increment it acts as a hub in interconnecting the other systems of hotel. Property management systems (PMS) stop run on different platforms and different bundle environments, depending on the size and type of a particular hotel, and the number of required instalments. As they spread more and more, it is the intension of Utell to connect directly to them. They are grown up with a chop-chop high ratio and still expected for a high level of growth. This is the ultimate solution to the no reservation on arrival problem and also increases the overall efficiency of a hotel. Hotels usually implement their PMS on an in-house computer. That does not mean that they should have an in house IT department to support it. closely of the PMSs are turn- light upon systems that can be used simply by anyone as it is mostly organism coverd by the hotel staffs.Property Management System acts upon the requirements of a hotel, for example a small hotel or a guest house (less than 100 rooms) can be handled with a single computer to store and process guest information and room data and also generate management reports. A medium size hotel (100 to 300 rooms), will need a local area networks with a small workstation installed in different departments. A file server is used to keep all the softwares and files to allow various tasks to be performed on the same time such as check in and check- out concurrently. For properties more than 500 rooms, an even main frame computer technology may be needed for frame computer technology may be needed for a heavy volume of transaction6Uses of ICT in hospitality sectorThere are numerous places where the ICT is used in a hotel industry, this implementation of technology helps save time and also reduces man power. The PMS software, which is used in the hotel industry acts as the key point from which most of the hotel operations are done. The main functions are stated asCheck-in, check-out and guest accountingGuest memorialRoom ManagementHotel reservationCRS distributionPoint-of-salesFood and be verage systemsBack- office systemsCheck-in, check-out and guest accountingThis process of checking in a guest can be made more efficient by the technology for information technology. The check in actually means that a guest file becomes active or a new file is opened for a guest who check- inns without any reservation made before the arrival and following this process, a guest folio is be created. The PMS has a walk-in option for the guest without reservations. The main interfaces between the PMS and credit card verification systems in the banks are used to tally that a credit card has sufficient funds for the length of the stay of a guest. After this process a guest is being registered officially and handover the key of the room that is assigned to him.There is a machine in the hotel lobbies that allows the guest to easily access to self report and quickly finish their process. These machines are affiliated to the PMS and are active after the guest swipes the credit card or als o by the notion detector which detects the approach of the guest. All the process is being carried on in this machine without a reckon office staff interaction that is it greets the guest, guide them through the necessary procedures to check-in themselves, then assign a room and also issue a key for the room. They also have options to activate the energy management system that is the phone, and voicemails for the rooms. A self check-in machine is most of the time a touch screen and very rarely keyboard operated and this machine can be used by both the guest with or without reservation.Once a guest folio is created at check-in, then after all the charges made throughout the stay are posted to that folio either manually or electronically. Manual posting are done by back office staffs and electronic postings are done by software and hardware interfaces and done rapidly without any mistakes.The check- out procedure in a automated hotel do not require guest to pay in the front office ne ither it automatically transfers funds via credit cards that allows express self check- out, in which the guest folio is being presented under the verge and the credit card is automatically billed if there is no discrepancies. PMS software also translates the bills into numerous languages used by hotels with a large worldwide clientele.Guest HistoryGuest history is well known as database which all the hotels maintain as a part of PMSs work and it is a the right way marketing tool. After every guest checks out the room the guest information is placed into a guest history database by the PMS. This database contains all the information of the guest that is the preference during their stay and the consumption of things/ food or any other thing from the hotel during the stay, these informations are maintained for three main purposes,To enhance approaching marketing activitiesTo facilitate approaching reservationsTo customize guests future visits7Room ManagementThe room management is a important component of PMS which tracks the status of the rooms, which helps the housework to distribute rooms for cleaning duties. The typical room status followed by the PMS is occupied, vacant, dirty, clean, inspected and uninspected this allows the front office to allow the clean rooms and get the other rooms ready for occupancy. On every check- in and check- out, the room status changes accordingly. The status of the room can be changed by both housekeeping and front office, by the notification of housekeeping and also the housekeeping can do it by the PMS terminal provided in the housekeeping desk8.Food and Beverage SystemsThis part of system controls the food and beverage stock that is necessary for the hotels daily operation. It also has the price of the item and its suppliers to act upon customer demands.Point-of-sale systemsThis is a sub-system which comprises of payment treatment that produces bills this machine accepts various financial instruments from the guest, th at is credit card, cash, guest cards etc.Back Office SystemsThis is a set of systems that records all transactions and maintains the hotels account book on all the transactions made by date, month and year. Almost three years details are being maintained by this systems and the other records before three years are kept as a backup. This system wires the sales ledger, purchase ledger, purchase bills, accounts payable and general ledger.9Marketing and Guest HistoryHousekeeping and room managementExecutive decision makingAccounting night auditReporting printerSelf check-inPrintersGuest folioFront Desk/CashierReservationPMSUPSRemote check-inThe major support and the main value of ICTThere are many other industries that support information technology, as they are also into a vast influence by this particular field. Tourism on a tout ensemble has a constant growth with the help of information technology. The advert of information technology launches new things to make everything new trav el, tourism, hospitality, airlines, food industry and many more. The service industry is one of the major components of the global economy, particularly in the developed countries. This sector has accounted for a two third of the employment, so in the recent forthcoming years hospitality industry get to pay the main attention, which is the main driving force of being the successful industry. The outstanding growth of hospitality industry can be related to the fact that their basic characters are highly compatible with the major technical source of innovation opportunities. Because of its advantage on the readiness of the communication field and increased information channels, information technology saves cost while increasing the output and the quality of most service productions.However, the main value added by the IT industry to the hospitality firms is not only limited to the supply side. As an example we could take an instant thing that ICT has reduced the need of the front of fice staffs, as interaction and time is saved where there are many ways that is made technologically than to use man power. In addition information technology supports and improves the hospitality industry, with its interaction with suppliers and users, which is major source of information for the industry. On the other hand ICT plays a vast role in recognising the consequence advantages and its vital improvement accordingly to these innovation activities according of the industry.The successful implementation of IT in hotel industry and its advantagesThe implementation of information technology in the hospitality industry is to a large extent changed and is properly planned and well managed. Now a days personal computers have been introduced and which even being replaced by mini- computer based systems. To be well effective the organization has to plan and implement with an overall long time plan. Once a strategic plan is being made, then the information technology plan has to be planned. This should include the clear role that technology will play in achieving the target of the Hotel. It is planned in a way that it comprises of the present and future plans of the company, so as to work in a well planned successful way.These planning help to implement a successful technology which adds advantages to the hotel by its advance technology. There are vast advantages of IT that can be stated in which the few are saves a good deal time, reduces man power, makes a guest happy for making things efficient and faster. The technological development is a gift to the upcoming hotels which plans a high income and a success. A computer technology in a hotel focuses on four main aspects,Speed A computer technology is an electronic device which can handle and process hundreds of transactions in a fraction of time, which results in the quick completion of difficult tasks.Discipline the implementing advantage is being taken for it to perform a same task again and again without any mistake and without any distractionsAccuracy it does what we really need and according to the command, as a result they do not commit any mistake and all the calculations are accurate.Capacity the analysis of any in-depth process and large amount of data death penalty can also be made in less time instead of doing things manually10.The functioning of it towards marketing purpose and the way it support for the success of executionEvery department facilities a different advantage with the technology and the sale and marketing also has its own advantage from the implementation of IT sources. These systems store a large amount of information that helps understand the measures of accommodation and hospitality business. In particular it saves the guest information that helps maintain a data base of the guest compose providing information for marketing purposes, which is a strong marketing tool called pull marketing. Another important factor for marketing is the yield management, wh ich has the record of past performance of a room and the hotel that is the occupancy level in a particular time or day of the year and set the optimum rates that will maximize the propertys yield management programme.SWOT Analysis11StrengthStrength can also be advantage of the technology which is deeply discussed and explained before. Successful hotels are constantly trying to adapt new technological improvement to keep them updated and to catch the necessary needs of the customer or a guest. These days people are looking forward for more and more technological based things to save time on whatever they do. Business guest needs to access internet in where ever they are for their official purposes like emails during their business trip. They would even need video conferencing, when a company holds a business meet in a hotel, so when a hotel provides all the basic facility to keep a customer service and satisfaction in a high level then the strength of the hotel keeps increasing allo wing more and more development of technology.The basic strength that can be added is the quality of work can be high. This also tent to reduce manpower and low the wages, which can produce a highly skilled human resources. It also allows us to follow the service standard. This helps to bring highly skilled professional as this needs knowledge to work in.WeaknessAs the technology increases it also leads to some of the weaknesses which should also be considered when taking steps to improve, as the technology gives you all the things you need there is always a lack of practical knowledge and also a famine of suitable candidates. Until the system tells you the name of a particular guest who is a regular customer to our property we dont try to remember as it is said to be technological. This field is a still developing field but not a developed field as it has a small number of variant in some countries. Lack of jobs is also to be considered in countries with more population. Lack of e ffective marketing and aggressiveness in the field work can also be a weakness.OpportunitiesThere are facilities to provide high quality information technology market. It also adds up by increasing the number of educated people working. It allows and helps the development of any developing countries by making them adapt the culture of IT. Upcoming international players in the market would also an added opportunities. Hotel industry is developing in recent days in a rapid speed with the advantage and opportunities provided by the information technology and communication.ThreatsThere is a negligible thread as many threats are being reduced by time and development. When a threat is being seen there is a development to revivify that threat but still in some hotels these are still lacking to be developed for example lack of data security systems. And the development of IT also concentrates in a few cities only. Large market can also be an abstract as it may need a massive concentratio n or field work.ConclusionThe use of information technology and communication has a vast influence in all the sectors and mainly in hospitality industry. These things are well discussed and given an appropriate values that would add advantages to the statements given. Hospitality sector is mainly into a high touch service- based industry requiring technology to put it forward. The readings clarify that the exact use of technology in this particular field can increase the efficiency and reduce cost on human and financial services can be funnelled into personal services. In these discussions we also come to know that the use of technology in a counterbalance way can be used as a successful tool.The implementation of technology by the managers is a challenge for them in many areas of the properties, the appointments of sharp staff to be professional is a very important factor to be considered. Hospitality technology is now increasing with the pace of keeping a new generation to the c omputer technology and its development. So this allows most of the users to be familiar with the development of new products. the hospitality once which depended only on human resources and which was a big challenge to face, is now investigating whether robotics technology fits into their industry. There are also many successful stories behind this argument.Information technology is suitable more and more advanced and occupying the industries with its fast growth, as it becomes common and most used in hotel and restaurants, it is no longer going to be represented by the competitive advantage, instead it would prefer managers who could be creative and can use technology and information it provides rather to work on their own. These issues are being as evidence now a day by guest history systems. This database must be analysed and turned into real knowledge to improve decision making capacity and the satisfaction of the customer. So as to conclude Hospitality industry is going to be the vision that is going to be successful in the future with the technological development of Information Technology and Communication.