What the Heck is Hotel Web Site SEO, Anyway?

The title of this article poses an excellent question to all readers. The article not only defines SEO but explains its use and what hotel companies need to consider. SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization. Search engines index all sites on the internet and rank their relevance to keywords entered by a person searching for say “Hotel in Newark, DE”. Many companies hire special consultants that are supposed to create a site that will show up in first few results on a search engine like Google. In order to do this, a site must contain keywords and content that is very relevant to the keywords. Simply placing all of the necessary keywords on your site is not an adequate solution. Search engines use complicated algorithms to scan web sites and analyze how the content is presented and what the true purpose of the site is. This helps to protect consumers from getting directed to sites looking to make ad revenue by simply listing associated words and displaying ads. The article then discusses that SEO must be an integral part of a company’s marketing strategy. Having discrepancies between web, print, audio, or video messages can seriously alter the effectiveness of reaching the appropriate consumers. SEO must be on every company’s mind if they wish to succeed online.

I thought this article was very interesting and important. Every hospitality company realizes that they need an interesting, informative, and easy to navigate website to appeal to potential guests. However, I believe that many forget that people use search engines more often than directly typing in web addresses. Your site may be beautiful and efficient but if people do not see it in those first ten search engine results they most likely will not visit it. If this happens, the time and money that was invested in website design was a waste because traffic will be well below potential levels. Despite having excellent web design people within a company it is probably necessary to find an outside consultant who understands SEO and its changing dynamics. Why would waste so much potential? In my experience, I hardly ever travel past that first page of results on any search engine because I assume that anything that didn’t make it to that first page is simply not relevant. I do not believe that I’m alone in thinking this and so companies really do need to make sure they make it to that first set of results if they want to be successful. The article talks about aligning SEO with your marketing strategy. This makes total sense because if you advertise in the newspaper with certain buzzwords someone might search using them. If your site doesn’t include these phrases, then that person may never make it to your site and that print ad is rendered useless. This article was slightly more technical but definitely important for hospitality companies to consider.

Salerno, N. (January 21, 2008). What the Heck is Hotel Web Site SEO, Anyway? Wired Hotelier. http://www.wiredhotelier.com/news/154000469/4034484.html.

KeyLime Cove to be Cashless

A brand new type of vacation destination is being built in Illinois that includes a 65,000 sq. ft. indoor water park and 414 room hotel. What makes this venture so unique though is that the property will utilize RFID technology in order to eliminate cash transactions. Each guest will receive RFID equipped bracelets that carry a guest’s information. Guests can simply wave their wrist in front of readers to charge food and beverage to their folio or even open up their hotel room. In order to keep younger guests from having complete power over their spending, the hotel allows parents to deposit money into their children’s RFID accounts and limit their spending. Kids may use their money for food, drinks, games, and shopping on property. Parents can easily deposit money into their children’s accounts by using kiosks that will accept cash, credit cards, or existing credit on account.

At many amusement parks pictures are snapped while guests enjoy rides and then are offered for sale afterwards. Thanks to the RFID technology each guest’s picture will be linked to their bracelet so that they can quickly and easily pull up their pictures on display kiosks after the ride. The bracelets also interface with games in a huge arcade so that they can play games without any cash on hand as well.

RFID technology in my opinion is the next big technology to be utilized in the US. It can be used to track shipping, inventory, and as we see here people and their habits. This technology fits perfectly with the indoor resort concept because having to carry cash or credit cards is undesirable when you are riding a waterslide and running around all day. Allowing this kind of freedom to guests will surely increase satisfaction and allow for more efficient movements around the property. Eliminating cash from transaction creates a more secure business with hardly any opportunity for employee theft of money. Parents should feel safer as well because they know what their kids are spending money on and how much they spend.

As for the property, I hope that the RFID system is tied into a type of tracking system that will allow for the company to analyze purchase patterns of people based on age, demographics, and several other factors. This should lead to a better understanding of guest behavior by segment. With this knowledge in hand, the company should be able to better market to previous guests by creating packages that are tailored to their past activity. I definitely see RFID technology becoming a standard in resort and cruise ship operations. Often people carry cards but this would create an even easier way to carry around your method of payment and identification. It will definitely make a big splash in the near future.

Unknown. (January 10, 2008). KeyLime Cove to be Cashless. Hotel Motel Management. Retrieved January 21, 2008, from http://www.hotelmotel.com/hotelmotel/News+Wire%3A+Technology/KeyLime-Cove-to-
be-cashless/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/483517?contextCategoryId=37264

Would You Like Wi-Fi With That Burger?

Would You Like Wi-Fi With That Burger?
Computer World

Would You Like Wi-Fi With That Burger?
This is an important question that many people in the foodservice industry are asking. This article discusses the various technological advances that are being made in the restaurant industry. McDonalds currently offers free Wi-Fi in over 8,000 store locations. The Wi-Fi is used heavily by the younger generation who can play video games over the net using this free Wi-Fi. However, the internet connection is not being offered solely to serve customers. The locations are able to utilize the Wi-Fi for many key business operations. Handheld order devices and inventory management devices allow information to seamlessly flow throughout the property in order to expedite business. The company sees it being used in the near future for self order kiosks and the ability to make payments without the need for human interaction. According to the author’s research only one third of restaurants are using more technology than they did three years ago. But roughly fifty percent of them have seen noticeable increases in productivity and efficiency.

Wendy’s is also beginning to implement more technology in order to increase business. They are applying it to the drive through operation which is often a complicated aspect of business. By using voice-over-IP (VoIP) they have made some promising advances. At locations where the technology is in place, orders are taken in line and routed to a central call center which processes orders and then relays them back to the property. This allows for greater sound quality and less mistakes while also freeing up staff to concentrate solely on order production and payment transactions.

The article also discusses self-service kiosks. In research these devices often increase sales by twenty percent per order due to intelligent up-selling.

This article showcases just how well technology can be implemented in restaurants. This is good to see since most have not adopted new technology like other hospitality businesses. Wi-Fi in a place like McDonalds may not seem in keeping with overall company strategy, but when you realize that it has more purposes than simply giving guests a connection, its value is recognized. I personally think this is a solid business move that many fast-food and quick-service restaurants should look to adopt. So many devices can be connected using wireless internet and they also allow excellent mobility for a manager who would like to keep on top of all aspects of business no matter where he is on property.

Thank you Wendy’s. There is nothing more frustrating than screaming into a drive through window and correcting the order ten times due to the horrible audio quality. This technology will allow franchisees to hopefully share resources and reduce labor costs. The centralized call center can also utilize automated ordering which can help handle overflow.

Finally the article quickly discusses kiosks. I happen to love these kiosks at places like Wawa because they take the guess work out of ordering and present all options clearly to a customer. I can definitely understand how they’re able to increase sales because the machines have so many options for extras that most people forget. The screens also display pictures which are very enticing and I assume promote impulse buys.

I look forward to these new technologies being used in restaurants that I will visit. I also believe though that some of these ideas will simply not be a right fit in fine dining for a few years until consumer preferences change.

Mitchell, R. L. (April 13, 2007). Would You Like Wi-Fi With That Burger? ComputerWorld.

http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9016499&pageNumber=3

Retrieved January 14, 2008.

Hotel Rooms Go High-Tech

The hotel guest room is constantly evolving and Hotel Rooms go High-Tech by Erin Sternthal discusses this as it relates to technology. The article outlines what several major companies and brands are installing in their rooms to better accommodate the guest. The Peninsula Tokyo which opened in September is very high-tech. The company installed consoles that can control all aspects of the room without ever leaving bed. There are standard aspects like an alarm clock as well as controls for temperature, curtains, lights, and even a night-light button that can illuminate the path to the bathroom. They also provide internet radio with over 3,000 channels to guests and preset channels that are related to the home country of the traveler.

The Plaza in New York will reopen this year and will be equipped with doors that utilize RFID technology in order to automatically unlock doors as a guest approaches with his/her card.

One item that will be installed, or already is, in many guestrooms in many brands is a panel that allows users to plug in various devices. Hyatt Place is has these “connectivity panels” which allow users to connect media devices like mp3 players and their laptops to the room’s TV and audio systems. The system will allow guests to showcase pictures and video on their televisions. Hyatt Place also has touch screen terminals in the rooms to order food from and even forward documents to a printer located in the business center.

Marriot is rolling out HD televisions along with connectivity panels and will have the ability to utilize a split screen, allowing guests to multitask. Marriot will also offer more channels in the rooms.

Starwood will begin to place Microsoft Surface technology in their Sheraton hotels. It is a new type of computer that will most likely be part of tables. The technology allows users to manipulate a large display with their hands and even bring up information on items that they place on the surface.

This article may not debut any never-before-seen technology, but the majority of it will be very new to the hotel industry. It is great to see that more and more hotel firms are realizing how adding technology can provide guests with unique experiences and an easier environment in which to do work or relax. I think a lot of this new technology will be greatly appreciated by the traveler. Extended stay properties really want to create a home-like environment for guests and allowing them to do work from their room or bring their own forms of entertainment is a great way. I believe that many of the technologies will become standard in the industry as more and more tech-savvy travelers demand ways to keep up a high-tech lifestyle while away from home.

One issue that could affect hotels is the fact that because guests can bring their own media and display it on the television their may be a decline in revenue from pay-per-view offerings. They can bring their own DVD’s or stream internet video which would eliminate the need for them to order in room movies.

I personally rely heavily on technology and am glad to see that when I’m away from home I will able to continue this. I have used the panels that control the room at trade shows as well as in hotels. I’ve been to the “technology” room at the Courtyard Newark and love how this room really allows people to feel at home by displaying personal pictures on digital frames.

I look forward to what hotel rooms of the future will provide.

Sternthal, E.F. (Dec 1, 2007). Hotel Rooms Go High-Tech. In Home Based Travel Agent. Retrieved January 9, 2008, from

http://www.homebasedta.com/hbta/article/articleDetail.jsp?id=477366&pageID=1&sk=&date=

Introduction

This is a test blog for HRIM 450