Technology Trends in Hospitality Industry - Essay Example

HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY by The of the The of the school The and where it is located The date Technology Trends in Hospitality Industry Introduction The term technology originates from the term “techne”, which was predominant in the ancient Greek error. Just like many other terms, technology traces its roots in ancient Greek. Technology, therefore, means the collection of tools, machinery arrangements, and modifications facilitated and used by human beings. Technology came about with the basic aim of assisting human beings and other species to adjust and match up with their natural environment. It can be applied from a general perspective or from a specific angle. Examples of specific technologies are information technology, construction technology and medical technology. Engineering technology is the type of technology that seeks to study, design and expound on other specific types of technology. Modern technology has revolutionized the livelihoods and operational designs of human beings since the mid-20th century. Communication, which is the basic channel of human interaction, has greatly improved over time. In the ancient error, communication was hectic and time consuming. The ancient communication means comprised of messengers, signals such as smoke, drum beating, and letters (Barth & Hayes, 2006, p. 87). Technology has revolutionized the use of the internet, which has made communication within extreme corners of the world possible by the use of e-mails or even skype. Another milestone in the communication sector is the widespread and use of cellphones. Education has also improved in that the internet contains many things that learners strive to get acquainted to (Aswathapp, 2010, p. 45-63). The ancient bookshelves have been reduced to a single folder in a computer. Online education has also been on the rise since courses can be undertaken online. Other fields such as health care facilities have improved through the introduction of modern sophisticated diagnostic tools that carry out effective medical practices. Industrial productivity has been on the rise through the introduction of machinery that performs tasks as many times more effectively as compared to humans. Main Body The hospitality industry is a widespread group of fields in the service provision branch that encompasses accommodation, event planning, theme parks, carriage, cruise line, and extra fields inside the travel and leisure industry. The hospitality industry is a billion dollar industry that depends on the availability of leisure time and extra income. According to Vermaan (2011, p. 11), hospitality components such as a cafeteria, guesthouse, or amusement parks comprise of multiple collections and personnel such as facility conservation and direct operations (waitpersons, housekeepers, porters, kitchenette workers, bartenders, administration, advertising, and human resources). All this, therefore, has attracted technology for efficiency, effectiveness and reliability of the industry to serve the ever rising demand and customers. One of the steps undertaken by this industry to embrace technology is the online reservation procedure. It has been observed that, in this modern error, 57% of hotel users often use the online booking sites due to tight schedules and convenience (Xu, 2007, p. 28). These facilities also give companies the ability to influence previous procurement habits and partialities in order to scheme tailored messaging that might be more alluring to an individual who desires a certain service or food item. This could include keeping track of birthdays, anniversaries, and other distinguished dates on which certain clients might be more willing to expend money on leisure events. Modern technology has changed the usual entertainment means and designs that were initially used to entertain guests in hotels and lodges. Modern television sets with improved HD viewers options have been on the rise particularly to the visitors who need to spend at hotels. Improved sound systems and home theatres have also been installed in modern hotels so as to give the inhabitants quality music and sound in the hotel rooms (Anderson et al., 2014, p. 52). Other entertainment facilities like internet and Wi-Fi have also improved the hospitality industry in that clients can surf leisurely and keep themselves entertained through online means of entertainment (Vermaan, 2011, p. 47). Games like play stations and x-box have also been made available with the intentions of entertaining. Hotels that cater for the business set are paying particular attention to the increasingly high-tech boardroom. A long table and a projector are no longer enough since hotels are now considering the remote office workspace in their meeting room and convention space design. Meeting organizers are now using applications to appeal for explicit things before and during the conference ranging from additional coffee to temperature variations in the room (Sun, 2005, p 37). The hotel industry is also undergoing a technological makeover with communal tables, charging stations, and digital information centers displaying often-requested data like instructions, flight statistics, or local eatery endorsements (Haklay, 2010, p. 73). As an alternative of waiting in a line, lodgers are treated to touchscreens that make information seeking faster than before. The industrious atmosphere inspires more and more visitors to see lobbies as pleasurable places to devote time and get work done in an extra social environment (Martineau, 2000, p. 9). Social media obligates a weighty influence upon the hospitality industry. Trip Advisors have become important links to holiday seekers, lobbies and leisure facilities. According to Belanger and Jordan (2000, p. 70), at the moment, other social network sites like Twitter, Facebook and hotel booking sites are also becoming more resourceful in the hospitality industry. Any guesthouse or hotel that ignores social media platforms is compelled to fail (Davis, 2004, p. 43). The online character of assets is essential in business since it does not stand alone as an advertising sectorial concern, but communicates straight to daily procedures. As such, social media monitoring has to keep in touch with the interface in the hotel organization systems so that rapid, appropriate accomplishment can be taken (Lewinsky, 2007, p. 54). Looking over at City Nites, the association is cultivating its online status by checking out applicable remarks through social media such as Facebook (Lytras & Naeve, 2007, p. 86). These comments can then be replied and looked upon by both advertising and operational workforces. Joining social media and the City Nites hotel management scheme, in this way, makes it convenient to trail all the probable sources of commentaries – particularly when campaigns are running. It is becoming a necessity for hotels to embrace social media so as to ensure their survival and wellbeing (Aswathappa, 2010). Customer facility matters and grievances are more often recognized and fixed in civic social forums. Hotels are grateful to select which social network is paramount to serve their requirements (Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Google Plus or Twitter) and to apply them to involve, endorse, personalize, and compensate their current and potential clienteles. Video as a communication channel is increasingly gaining popularity as a messaging device. Blogging is now an acknowledged means to endorse a product distinctiveness and supposed management. Finally, operative paid marketing and advertising movements need to be developed to target possible clients on social media sites (Barron & Orwig, 1995, p. 89). More and more inventions continue to spring up every dawn. Analysts continue to expect that technology will transform the hospitality industry (Kamel, 2003, p. 13). Technology can be made advanced especially to the hospitality industry so as to incorporate other elements of the daily livelihoods of consumers (Kamel, 2003, p. 66). It is possible and expected that the hospitality industry will take over and overshadow various other fields with the flow of events. More attention has shifted to the industry due to the current introduction of the internet, Wi-Fi services, modernized entertainment facilities, and efficient communication techniques (Hodgson & Kalley, 2001, p. 47). Medical facilities and sporting events could also be interlinked to this industry so as to make it accommodative. Research centers can also be set up in these places due to the increase in internet facilities (Atala & Yannas, 2005, p. 67). These calculated strategies will build on the face lift of the future advancements of the industry. The introduction of technology to this sector has been of benefit in that efficiency has improved due to the employment of scientific approaches. An example is the online booking and services like Trip Advisor, the Sarova and the Maasai Mara resort centers locate in Kenya that have defied distance and time requirements that were initially a huge hindrance to the lodging and guest house sectors (Rajput, 2007, p. 27). This convenience has made it possible to make reservations while being a long distance away without necessarily having to come in contact with the management or the staff. Marketing and advertising are also quicker and more target specific (Cruz-Cunha, Moreira, & Varajao, 2014, p. 80). Online sites like Pinterest can showcase hotel services, facilities, and locations to interested clients (Guerrero, AshbyY, & Gracia, 1993, p. 56). Technology cuts several overhead costs through the eradication of the previous labor intensive measures to carry out errands. Many have been narrowed down to online services, which are more convenient and cheaper as compared to the employment of human labor force. However, one major setback to this approach is that the reliability on technology to run errands promotes machine like behavior and hence changes human beings to robot like creatures. Technology completely faces out the human interaction part as most things are computerized and the clients hardly meet the management or staff persons (Dasgupta, 2006, p. 91). This, therefore, degrades the human attributes misplacing completely the human touch and replacing it with computers and machines. Some agents in this sector also take advantage of the situation and reap full profits from advertising while the actual hotel management is left to deal with client inconveniences. Clients, on the other hand, have high expectations of these hotels and this therefore gives them tight ultimatums (Berger, 2011, p. 54). An example is that most clients walk into a hotel expecting to find internet services, well cooked food and even additional online facilities that might not be available. According to Jordan (2000, p. 87) since the world is on a technological revolution era, most things are being computerized and the hospitality industry is no exception. This singularity calls for all other sectors to comply with the changes (Robbins, 2009, p. 53). The only solution to this delinquent whether to the customers or the service line is the embracing of this technological trait. Both the clients and the service providers have to abide by the unwritten rules that technology has put across so as to avoid being faced out completely (Fleishman, 2003, p. 78). However, technology can also aid in improving customer relations and wellbeing. Promotions can be used so as to entice customers through incorporating it with a desired technological technique. An example is the provision of free internet services and conferencing halls to clients who wish to conduct official duties in the designated leisure centers. Eurossc (Conference) and Roggen (2008) stated that free trips and tour services can be frequently granted to customers with the aim of promoting online booking services while at the same time building up on the marketing techniques. The internet has an advantage of being fast convenient and resourceful to those who use it to work while in their leisurely places (Light & Walker, 1990, p. 67). On the contrary, these places make a person extra comfortable and this comfort promotes laziness thereby resulting to inefficiency. Initially, before the invention of the internet, the check ins and check outs were done manually making the process to be long and cumbersome as all details had to be entered physically (Kumar & Krupinski, 2008, p. 42). Hence, this system was susceptible to errors as well as a lot of inconveniences especially to the tourists during the tourism peak season. It is a corporate repetition for hoteliers to offer a pre-set number of rooms to online reservation negotiators twice a year (Berger, 2011, p. 7). As the holiday period approaches, the rooms turn out to be filled and the agents use this opportunity to hike the costs and other relevant inclusions. The effect to the hotel is that no accommodation is left for offer, which makes the online agency to reap the returns as opposed to the hoteliers (Robbins, 2009, p. 98-103). In this sense, deliberating what it would imply to make sure real-time contact to inventory and valuing data-across all of dissemination channels is really puzzling (Skibo & Feinman, 1999, p. 17). It is possible to distinguish with infinitesimal precision where individuals stand with their room rates in utmost convenience and also be able to adjust according to quantity and mandate. Equipped with that data, anyone could strike a much altered deal with the online travel company (Fleisman, 2003, p. 47). Travelers would not be tied down to a set of arrangements or distribution. They could also reclaim control over their assets and services at the time when the services are overpriced. That, therefore, is the question of rudimentary output and the ability to rationalize events like physical input, which take numerous steps currently (Carcelle, 2009, p. 65). Customers will also be able to contemplate what ensues when they cancels their vacations. There can be an undulation effect not only in terms of inventory, but also catering and spa services (Information Resource Management Association & Khorow-Pour, 2003, p. 23). Conclusion In the hospitality industry, therefore, technology is a double edged sword that cuts on both sides. The baseline of technological advancement is that it has made operations conveniently reliable, time consuming and equally more appealing to the clients. The development of social media continues its speedy development and integration into hotel operations. Technology is no longer convicted by some conservatives as a "passing fad" or a "nice-to-have" by cynical auditors, it is now a copiously accepted client rendezvous touch point that must be properly funded and professionally succeeded. Companies can no longer make assumptions that simply having a "social presence" is sufficient (Robertson & Lucyszyn, 2001, p. 10). In order to arrest the courtesy they seek and to realize the returns on benefits they desire, corporations have to demonstrate their value to social media handlers who are refined, authorized, vocal, as well as discerning. It should also be put into consideration that technology is increasingly replacing previous human tasks. Considerations should be placed on the human qualities that are rapidly being succeeded by technology. In spite of this being a positive move, it should pave way and expound on the human element that was traditionally in control of the industry. Overreliance in technology, thereby, slowly changes human beings to machine or robot like creatures that are programmed to various tasks just like machines. Another emerging trend is the issue about hotel management agencies, which have had reputations of overshadowing the hotel management systems by being the middle men between the clients and the hotel owners. These agencies usually reap great profits as opposed to hotels. Technology came about with the basic aim of assisting human beings and other species to adjust and match up with their natural environment. A good case could include the phenomena that ancient bookshelves have been reduced to a single folder in a computer and online education has also been on the rise since courses can be undertaken online. The hospitality business is a prevalent group of grounds in the service provision division that incorporates accommodation, event planning, theme parks, demeanor, cruise line, and extra scopes inside the travel and leisure industry. All this, consequently, has engrossed technology for efficiency, efficacy and reliability of the business to serve the ever rising demand and clienteles through technology. Bibliography Anderson, J. M., Kalara, N., Stanley, K. D., Sorensen, P., Samaras, C., & Oluwotola, O. A. (2014). Autonomous vehicle technology: a guide for policymakers. Aswathappa, K. (2010). International business. New Delhi, Tata McGraw Hill Education. Atala, A., & Yannas, I. V. (2005). Clinical and preclinical applications. Berlin [u.a.], Springer. Barron, A. E., & Orwig, G. W. (1995). New technologies for education: a beginners guide. Englewood, Colo, Libraries Unlimited. Barth, S. C., & Hayes, D. K. (2006). Hospitality law: Managing legal issues in the hospitality industry. 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Hershey, PA, Information Science Reference. http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&scope=site&db=nlebk&db=nlabk&AN=181471. Read More