What’s new in POS Hardware

Summary

     Tammy Mastroberte, Contributing Editor for Hospitality Technology discussed the latest advances to point-of-sale (POS) hardware.  Mastroberte starts off with a brief overview of the current hardware used like smartphone devices with attached card readers.  Starbucks is already using POS terminals that allow the customer to pay from their own smartphone.  This article lists and gives a brief overview of six POS terminals and two mobile POS devices.  Fujitsu America offers two new models that offer almost half the footprint and lower power consumption and can also be configured to run as a server with the ability to support multiple applications and terminals.  Logic Controls developed an all-in-one POS system that has an incorporated fingerprint reader.  MICROS System offers an all-in-one PC based workstation featuring a wide operating temperature, spill resistant case, and integrated magnetic card reader.  NCR Corp. came out with two new all-in-one POS systems.  The first has an energy efficient processor and runs the latest graphical touch-based operations.  The second system is designed for small/medium sized businesses is energy efficient without requiring a fan.  PAR Technology has two that offer shock and spill resistant covers.  The smaller model has an integrated card reader.  Radiant Systems, Inc. now offers a value-priced terminal with lower energy consumption.  Mastroberte discusses two new mobile POS payment stations.  Action Systems, Inc. and Verifone Inc. both have portable card readers.  Mastroberte closes the article with discussing a few of the numerous printers that are new to the market.  They all are addressing the issues of speed, dust and spill repelling, and versatility. 

Reflection

     The advances in POS terminals and payment hardware is amazing and yet worrisome.  My main concern is the customer being in control of the payment submission.  It is difficult enough for the trained staff to rectify a computer issue when they are the one that entering the transaction.  I can also foresee many unnecessary bank fees for these errors as the number of incorrect credit card charges increases.  Banks already are attempting to make up for the fee losses the new government regulations created for them and this situation shows strong potential for increasing the interaction with banks.  Aside from my concern about fees, the new technology does make me excited for my future in the Hospitality industry.  I can envision the need for many of the new advances I can utilize when operating my future hotel.  The new shock and spill resistant casings along with the smaller and more appealing look of the new terminals will make for a more inviting look in both the dining rooms and the open common areas.  The portable payment units will make impulse purchases easier and hopefully increase revenue.  The biggest advance in my opinion is the PC compatibility offered.  This will streamline the transfer and computation of data to provide a much more “real time” look at everything from inventory to profit.  Improvements in POS hardware will make the staff more efficient, the service quicker, and hopefully everything will happen at a quicker pace.  This all will provide increased revenue through increased customer satisfaction.

Mastroberte, Tammy. (2011, March 03). What’s new in POS Hardware.  http://hospitalitytechnology.edgl.com/top-stories/What’s-new-in-POS-Hardware-70775

Electronic Communication Tools: Top Pitfalls Affecting Hotel Staff Efficiency

Electronic Communication Tools: Top Pitfalls Affecting Hotel Staff Efficiency

Summary

     Glenn Withiam, Director of Publications with Cornell Center for Hospitality Research discusses e-mail, its use and impact on the hospitality industry.  The article is based on a study by Brownell and Newman on six formats for electronic communication.  These included document sharing, intranets, instant messaging, discussion groups, wikis, and blogs.  The document sharing format of email was the format that most chose to focus on.  Withiam states that the email control issue seems to have two pieces.  First is time spent and second is appropriate use.  Grammar, tone, and clarity are also topics for concern both in emails received and sent by mangers.  It seems that hotel managers were also very relaxed in their timeliness of their responses to emails.  In the Brownell and Newman study of 100 hotel managers they were asked what the biggest email challenge was for them.  The majority responded that they received too many emails.  Also, they found that being copied on an email just for “FYI” was found to be the most unwanted of the emails.  The study also found that two to five hours a day was the average time spent on emails by a manger.  Withiam does state that Brownell and Newman expect e-mail volume to decline.

Reflection

     I found this article shocking to say the least.  The way it portrays the inability of today’s hotel managers to use e-mail quickly and efficiently does not seem possible. The hotel industry is mostly face to face, but that does not mean that the managers do not know how to use a computer.  Basic email use is part of today’s society and by the time you are out of school to be a manager at a hotel you have taken many courses on e-mails, grammar, and tone.  I think Withiam was looking at the hotel managers of yesterday and I am very curious as to the when and who of the study.  Brownell and Newman may done a study of 100 hotel managers but I think that may be a very low number in relation to how many hotels are in the United States of America.  With the technology friendly society we have today I find it extremely hard to believe that instant messaging and text messaging aren’t much more prominent than this article portrays.  Hotel managers should be in contact with their staff at all times. As my plan is to open a hotel, my manager will be able to staff via cell phone or text message at all times.  I can see times when emails are necessary for certain things, just as face to face is also still needed, but a quick text message can get a question asked and answered in a matter of a few minutes.

Withiam, Glenn. (2010, March 30). Electronic Communication Tools: Top Pitfalls Affecting Hotel Staff Efficiency.

 http://hospitalitytechnology.edgl.com/top-stories/Electronic-Communication-Tools--Top-Pitfalls-Affecting-Hotel-Staff-Efficiency55213