Platforms

Noble House Hotels & Resorts has installed Profitvue Enterprise Back Office Accounting from Aptech.

Technology has evolved, and its leaders need to evolve along with it. The plan/build/run model of IT operations is outdated, and businesses are starting to funnel money out of IT payroll and into external service providers. But there's still plenty of opportunity for business-savvy IT leaders to make their mark, if they're able to adapt.

Cloud computing and high-speed internet access are two hot button issues that will be shaping the hospitality industry in 2013. How operators choose to address these key points will have major implications in how businesses function and ultimately turn profits.

News of a potential security flaw in Onity locks drew attention to guest room technology and locking tech in particular. HT's 2013 Lodging Technology Study reveals the areas where hoteliers are planning to focus in the coming year, with 35 percent planning to upgrade locking systems.

The sentencing of two POS hackers, who stole payment card data resulting in $10 million plus in losses, offers insights and reminds about best practices to protect valuable point of sale data.

Both restaurant and hotel operators are calling for integrated technology to bridge the gap between service and overall experience. As multi-channel guest engagement becomes a top priority, both operators and tech vendors must focus on collaboration.

The hospitality industry is ready and willing to embrace technology in order to create guest-centric services and amenities. This shift is evident in the amount of high-touch, high-tech products that were introduced at the recent HITEC.

Knowledge is power, but only if you use it. The challenge facing the hospitality industry goes beyond merely connecting with guests on social channels, but how to turn information from those connections into actionable CRM data.