Today's Hotelier - October 2016 - 55
12-MINUTE READING TIME
ENOVATIONS ON OUR 35-YEAR-OLD HOME
pose a never-ending battle of dust and noise.
As the carpenters, electricians and plumbers scurried about during the most recent
project, I noticed a remarkable corollary to
our industry.
Each tradesman's tool belt was uniquely
customized to fit the job at hand. While the
hammer was a centerpiece of the carpenter's girdle, it was
nowhere to be found on the plumber's frame or the electrician's
where the respective hallmarks were the pipe wrench and an
assortment of pliers. Yes, we all know about specialization of
labor and its impacts on hospitality - the revenue manager has
a specific skill set completely different from that of the rooms
divisions manager, for example, while both act in concert to
keep the hotel's revenues afloat.
But we seldom make the connection in terms of a specialization of technology where, like a carpenter's hammer, each
device or piece of software has a predefined range of functionality. Even though you wouldn't hire a plumber to do an
electrician's job because he or she lacks the proper tools and
expertise, the overarching goal of any laborer is to make the
house work. As the home owner or contractor, it's your job to
wrangle all these disparate parts.
Similarly, as a hotelier, you need to act as the project manager. Each piece of technology has a specific tool belt for
very well-defined tasks in order to optimize your business.
While you don't necessarily need to know the nitty gritty of
how each part does exactly what it does, you must certainly
know which piece is best suited for the job at hand. Just as
you wouldn't want to hire a landscaper to fix your locks, you
should aim to have a cursory understanding of the many
technology resources available to your property so you can
make informed decisions as to how to allocate your budget
accordingly.
I bring this now because, as I'm writing this, I've just gone
over my notes from my visit earlier this year to the largest
hospitality technology tradeshow in the world - HITEC. Held
annually in late June, this convention is a literal celebration of
technology, providing hoteliers with a gourmet smorgasbord
of the latest high-tech tools designed to up your game, including the global mega-conglomerates like Oracle and Samsung
to the first-timer startups occupying quaint 10-by-10 booths
on the periphery of the convention floor.
For those with a hunger for gadgets and gizmos, there are
enough grand ideas here to fill anyone's stomach. Everything
is for sale, and there's quite a bit I'd recommend buying.
Moreover, this show brings together some of the smartest
TODAYSHOTELIER.COM | OCTOBER 2016 | 55
http://www.TODAYSHOTELIER.COM
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Today's Hotelier - October 2016
Letter From the Chairman
Letter From the President & CEO
News Bytes
AAHOA Spotlight
Best Western’s New Frontier
Government Affairs
The Uneven Playing Field: Hotels & Airbnb
Finding Opportunity in the Old
Development & Renovation
Living Legends: Wisdom From Industry Trailblazers
Finance Q&A
The Latest Tech Tools for Hospitality
Guest Experience
AAHOA Events
AAHOA Founding Members
AAHOA Vendor Partners
Classifieds
Advertiser Index
Today's Hotelier - October 2016 - cover1
Today's Hotelier - October 2016 - cover2
Today's Hotelier - October 2016 - 3
Today's Hotelier - October 2016 - 4
Today's Hotelier - October 2016 - 5
Today's Hotelier - October 2016 - 6
Today's Hotelier - October 2016 - 7
Today's Hotelier - October 2016 - Letter From the Chairman
Today's Hotelier - October 2016 - 9
Today's Hotelier - October 2016 - Letter From the President & CEO
Today's Hotelier - October 2016 - 11
Today's Hotelier - October 2016 - News Bytes
Today's Hotelier - October 2016 - 13
Today's Hotelier - October 2016 - AAHOA Spotlight
Today's Hotelier - October 2016 - 15
Today's Hotelier - October 2016 - 16
Today's Hotelier - October 2016 - 17
Today's Hotelier - October 2016 - Best Western’s New Frontier
Today's Hotelier - October 2016 - 19
Today's Hotelier - October 2016 - 20
Today's Hotelier - October 2016 - 21
Today's Hotelier - October 2016 - 22
Today's Hotelier - October 2016 - 23
Today's Hotelier - October 2016 - Government Affairs
Today's Hotelier - October 2016 - 25
Today's Hotelier - October 2016 - 26
Today's Hotelier - October 2016 - 27
Today's Hotelier - October 2016 - 28
Today's Hotelier - October 2016 - 29
Today's Hotelier - October 2016 - The Uneven Playing Field: Hotels & Airbnb
Today's Hotelier - October 2016 - 31
Today's Hotelier - October 2016 - 32
Today's Hotelier - October 2016 - 33
Today's Hotelier - October 2016 - 34
Today's Hotelier - October 2016 - 35
Today's Hotelier - October 2016 - Development & Renovation
Today's Hotelier - October 2016 - 37
Today's Hotelier - October 2016 - 38
Today's Hotelier - October 2016 - 39
Today's Hotelier - October 2016 - 40
Today's Hotelier - October 2016 - 41
Today's Hotelier - October 2016 - Living Legends: Wisdom From Industry Trailblazers
Today's Hotelier - October 2016 - 43
Today's Hotelier - October 2016 - 44
Today's Hotelier - October 2016 - 45
Today's Hotelier - October 2016 - 46
Today's Hotelier - October 2016 - 47
Today's Hotelier - October 2016 - 48
Today's Hotelier - October 2016 - 49
Today's Hotelier - October 2016 - Finance Q&A
Today's Hotelier - October 2016 - 51
Today's Hotelier - October 2016 - 52
Today's Hotelier - October 2016 - 53
Today's Hotelier - October 2016 - The Latest Tech Tools for Hospitality
Today's Hotelier - October 2016 - 55
Today's Hotelier - October 2016 - 56
Today's Hotelier - October 2016 - 57
Today's Hotelier - October 2016 - Guest Experience
Today's Hotelier - October 2016 - 59
Today's Hotelier - October 2016 - 60
Today's Hotelier - October 2016 - 61
Today's Hotelier - October 2016 - AAHOA Events
Today's Hotelier - October 2016 - 63
Today's Hotelier - October 2016 - AAHOA Founding Members
Today's Hotelier - October 2016 - 65
Today's Hotelier - October 2016 - AAHOA Vendor Partners
Today's Hotelier - October 2016 - 67
Today's Hotelier - October 2016 - 68
Today's Hotelier - October 2016 - 69
Today's Hotelier - October 2016 - 70
Today's Hotelier - October 2016 - 71
Today's Hotelier - October 2016 - 72
Today's Hotelier - October 2016 - 73
Today's Hotelier - October 2016 - 74
Today's Hotelier - October 2016 - 75
Today's Hotelier - October 2016 - 76
Today's Hotelier - October 2016 - Classifieds
Today's Hotelier - October 2016 - 78
Today's Hotelier - October 2016 - 79
Today's Hotelier - October 2016 - 80
Today's Hotelier - October 2016 - 81
Today's Hotelier - October 2016 - 82
Today's Hotelier - October 2016 - 83
Today's Hotelier - October 2016 - 84
Today's Hotelier - October 2016 - 85
Today's Hotelier - October 2016 - Advertiser Index
Today's Hotelier - October 2016 - cover3
Today's Hotelier - October 2016 - cover4
Today's Hotelier - October 2016 - outsert1
Today's Hotelier - October 2016 - outsert2
Today's Hotelier - October 2016 - 91
Today's Hotelier - October 2016 - 92
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