Hotel & Motel Management - November 5, 2007 - (Page 58)

58 Technology H&MM November 5, 2007 | HotelMotel.com www.HotelMotel.com/digital_edition RESTAURANT POS APPLICATIONS BY JASON Q. FREED, ASSOCIATE EDITOR Handhelds keep managers tech TALK Hilton Hotels Corp. and InterContinental Hotels Group connected their central-reservation systems to a Chinese hotel switch operated by DerbySoft Ltd. The switch is accessed daily by Chinese travel agencies, which can now book rooms at Hilton and IHG properties worldwide. The Global Hyatt Corp. selected a new e-Procurement solution provided by Birch Street Systems to streamline its purchasing process for its 700 properties in 41 countries worldwide. alerted Running a restaurant is no easy task. So when a product or system comes along that can make restaurant managers’ days run more smoothly, it is widely appreciated. Especially when it means fewer hours in the kitchen. That’s why several point-of-sale system vendors are focusing their time and energy on rolling out alert systems, hoping managers can spend more time out of the kitchen—and even out of the restaurant—and be alerted when there is an immediate problem. “We’ve done a lot to auto alerts,” said Lisa Wilson, managing v.p. at Action Systems. “There is also a lot that is manual. It used to be that when [a server] needed to void an item, you needed to run around and ﬁnd a manager. Now you can send a manual alert and they can look at it and determine whether they want to void the item. They don’t need to come to a station.” Restaurants can purchase the hardware for alert systems or managers can simply use handheld devices they already carry, such as a PC-enabled cell phone (right) or Blackberry, Wilson said. Managers can set up their alert system to notify them for many different tasks. “They would deﬁne what they want those metrics to be,” said Louise Casamento, v.p. of marketing and customer relations for Micros Systems, which owns JTECH Communications. “Maybe it is the kitchen is getting backed up or if there is a long line out front.” Wilson said any kind of cell phone can receive reports and basic alerts, but only PC-enabled devices would allow a user to respond from the handheld unit. WINDOWS MOBILE As part of a major upgrade program to the guestrooms and executive ofﬁces, Le Méridien Cancun Resort & Spa Hotel has installed Salto Systems’ new XS4 electronic access control system. Great Wolf Resorts has selected MICROS Systems’ OPERA Enterprise Solution and MICROS 9700 Hospitality Management System for its 10 resort properties. Deployment is complete at the existing eight resorts, with the two properties under construction scheduled for deployment in 2009. Best Western International will deploy the ExaDigm XD1000 countertop payment solution at hotel properties nationwide for card-based payment acceptance including traditional credit and debit cards, as well as the Best Western Travel Card. Centralizing POS simpliﬁes operations When it comes to running a standardized point-of-sale system throughout a large restaurant or hotel chain, organization is key. MICROS Systems has come up with a way to keep all workstations on the same page by connecting them all to a central host. “We’ve been focusing more on the entire architecture of the POS system,” said Louise MICR YS T E OS S MS Casamento, v.p. of marketing and customer relations for Micros Systems. Nick Low, product manager at Micros, said, “This product is designed so you don’t need a server on the property. All workstations report back to a host station.” Low said a centralized host can network several different services within one or many properties, including credit card machines, POS terminals and gift card machines. A centralized network system can even interface with property management systems. This new method of deployment allows changes, such as menu prices and item availability, to be done once at a main server and be coordinated throughout each system, saving manpower and labor cost, Low said. But changes can still be made individually at the property level if needed. “Centralized reporting is very good at giving you a real-time snapshot of your business by going to this one data source,” Low added. Quotable “ What’s taking away the need for servers is the kiosk system—putting the technology right there at the table But restaurants are about hospitality and hospitality is about serving the guests. We are about making the waiter better instead of eliminating him.” LISA WILSON, Action Systems managing v.p. TOP FIVE Reasons an alert would be sent to a manager’s handheld Kitchen is getting backed up There is a long line out the front door A server needs an item voided The temperature in the walk-in cooler has dropped/increased too drastically An employee is nearing overtime Sources: Lisa Wilson, managing v.p. at Action Systems and Nick Low, product manager at Micros Systems For more info Company Circle No. Action Systems. . . . . . . . . . . 389 CBORD Group . . . . . . . . . . . 390 InfoGenesis . . . . . . . . . . . . . 391 Micros Systems . . . . . . . . . . 392 Northwind . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 393 Sharp USA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 394 Silverware POS. . . . . . . . . . . 395 Squirrel Systems. . . . . . . . . . 396 TRIM-POS Software . . . . . . . 397 VeriFone. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 398 Kenmare, Ireland’s Sheen Falls Lodge selected the following Visual One solutions by Agilysys: property management, sales and catering, point-ofsale, spa management and Internet reservations. Compiled by Jason Q. Freed, jfreed@questex.com http://HotelMotel.com http://www.HotelMotel.com/digital_edition

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Hotel & Motel Management - November 5, 2007

Hotel & Motel Management - November 5, 2007 Contents M&A Pace Slowing After Early Boom LodgeWorks Jumps Into Upscale Game Accor Reorganizes Leadership, Structure Perspective At Your Risk Travel Trends Sales Clinic On Finance Family Business Matters Cornell Insights Franchise Law Training Trends Satisfaction Trends Management Trends Events Guest Column Trends & Stats GM Survey Historic Property Conversions Offer Appeal for All Extended-Stay Brands Survey Green is the Word at IH/M&R Show Transactions Restaurant POS Handhelds Keep Managers Alerted Rising Costs Confront Midwest Builders Business Travelers: Breakfast Still an Important Perk IH/M&RS Product Preview Vacation Ownership Projects to Grow in U.S., Abroad Awards Training Programs Jump to Front Lines Refrigeration: Before You Break It, Fix It Lighting Enhances Property People Supplier News Best Western Aims High with Atria Vantage Makes Global Plans Sierra Moves Forward with New Name, High Expectations Maintenance Doctor Social Marketing Makes Way into Hotel Industry People Ad/Editorial Index Marketplace Classifieds Checking Out

Hotel & Motel Management - November 5, 2007

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