Briefing: Uniting systems for smooth service

A good hotel should run like a well-oiled machine. And of course machines, data systems, and digital platforms are a key part of successful modern businesses. According to a report by Accenture, “77% of executives think that within three years companies will need to focus on training their machines as much as they do on training their people.”

Integration between multiple systems is vital to achieving a seamless consumer experience. In these videos our experts discuss the technology systems used in different areas of hospitality business:

Accenture conducted a survey for its Technology Vision 2015. 2,000 business and IT executives across nine countries and 10 industries were surveyed to gather insights into the adoption of emerging technologies.

The report states that: “81% believe that in the future, industry boundaries will dramatically blur as platforms reshape industries into interconnected ecosystems.”

Industry specific technology platforms are now available to many industries. According to Accenture; “39% of executives say they are now using these industry platforms to integrate data and applications with digital business partners and collaborate, while 35% are currently experimenting with them.”

The report also found that: “81% place the personalized customer experience in their top three priorities for their organization.” This is certainly a key issue in the hospitality industry. In order to achieve this technology need to work seamlessly in real time, and information need to be shared consistently across platforms. One complication is that this may involve passing data to technology business partners and would need to be accepted by the customer. Accenture say that: “67% of individuals are willing to share data with companies, but that percentage drops to 27% if the business is sharing data with a third party.”

People are the centre of any hospitality business. Whilst hardworking technology is vital behind the scenes to be able to offer the services that we need to give, staff will always be needed to connect with guests on a personal level. One final statistic to mention from Accenture’s report is that: “78% believe successful businesses will manage employees alongside intelligent machines— ensuring collaboration between the two.”

If you’ve been sent to this page and you’re not yet on the circulation list to receive these regular briefings and you would like to sign up, you can do see here. It’s free.

Video clips produced by ybc.tv for the Hospitality Channel, including interview from industry conferences such as the IHIF conference as well as specific Hospitality Channel shoots.

Briefing: Data Security fears rise among consumers

A new report by Symantec found that 49% of UK consumers and 57% of European consumers are worried their data is not safe. The State of Privacy Report 2015 found that 81% people now recognise that their personal data has value, and one in three people give fake personal data so that their real information remains private. Whilst hospitality companies continue to find innovative ways to organise data and use it to personalise service, it is imperative that they ensure security is robust or they risk losing customers.

In this week’s videos, industry experts discuss responsible data usage:

Symantec’s survey of 7,000 people was conducted across Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Spain and the UK in December 2014. On average 88% of respondents said that a company keeping data safe and secure was an important factor in choosing a company to shop with. This ranked higher than great customer service (82%) and having quality products (86%).

A second information security company, TRUSTe found similar results in it’s 2015 Consumer Confidence Privacy Indexes which showed that 42% of Americans and 33% of UK residents are now more worried about their online privacy than they were year ago. The reports state that 77% of Americans and 80% of UK residents have moderated their online activity in the last year due to privacy concerns.

It is clear that there are negative impacts on a business when security is not properly addressed. One hotel booking site closed down last year after a major issue with the way it handled data meant that customers’ booking information could easily be accessed by members of the public, according to this BBC report.

There are regulations in place that all business are required to follow which define how they can hold data and what they must tell the consumer when collecting information. In the UK there is the Data protection Act 1998 which now includes a paper specifically written to address the issue of big data. In the US the Consumer Bill of Rights is being drafted to update data privacy policy.

If you’ve been sent to this page and you’re not yet on the circulation list to receive these regular briefings and you would like to sign up, you can do see here. It’s free.

Video clips produced by ybc.hpgcms.wpengine.com for the Hospitality Channel, including interview from industry conferences such as the IHIF conference as well as specific Hospitality Channel shoots.

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