Technology Streamlines Hospitality High Touch Meets High Tech Wendy Tappan Coastline ROP

Externship Goal My goal throughout this externship opportunity was to update my knowledge of the industry mainly focusing on technology.

Externship Training Teri Rosales the Human Resource Supervisor at the Marriott Newport Coast. Director of Security David Kubik at the Surf and Sand in Laguna Beach. The Fairmont Newport Beach with Kamia Kinchlow, Business Travel Sales Manager and Rei Strand, PR and Marketing Coordinator. The Ritz Carlton with Rena Benrubi who was the Manager of Quality.

Behind the Times Typically hotels and much of the hospitality industry are behind the times in technology. –It is expensive to change over 100+ rooms to computers, plasma screens, etc. –We also consider ourselves “high touch not high tech” which means our customers want to interact with humans more not computers. Business travel however is the number one reason people travel so we have to keep up and meet the demands of our customers in technology or fall behind.

Marriott Newport Coast

Student Tours At Marriott

Marriott Newport Coast Teri Rosales – Human Resources Supervisor  One of the biggest changes I found was in human resources where many companies have tried to go “paperless”.  By going paperless I thought there would would no more files, but that is not really possible.  Many files need original signatures and need to be kept on property for legal reasons.

Marriott Documentation in the computer system ( paperless) is: –The application –Employee information –I-9 check (residency) –Training materials –

Marriott I-9 documentation drug testing sexual harassment policy employee handbook benefits written warnings or disciplinary actions awards resumes background check any other property specific information necessary. The Employee Files contain:

Marriott Teri has learned 6-8 computer systems to run Human Resources. The ones we discussed are: PeopleSoft – Software used to input new hires. Applications – All persons applying at any Marriott must apply on line. I-9 and E-Verify- Checking residency status of an employee. and Internet Security – This is the way managers communicate on property and to corporate. There are also controls on Internet access. Training – Marriott offers a variety of training courses on-line to their employees. Management Master Scheduling- All managers have access to a master schedule and can set up meetings and post them to the master schedule.

Surf and Sand Resort Laguna Beach

Surf and Sand Resort David Kubik – Director of Security Security is fairly standard in the items that they use, a two way radio, ear piece, and cameras installed throughout the property. What is crucial to security is to keep our staff out patrolling the property consistently. This is where technology has come in.

Surf and Sand The new technology that ensures that the guards patrol the entire property every time is the installation of microchips with bar codes on them throughout the property. As the guard comes to each scanning station they have a handheld scanner and must scan the barcode.

The Fairmont Newport Beach

The Fairmont Kamia Kinchlow, Business Travel Sales Manager Rei Strand, PR and Marketing Coordinator Part of PR and Sales is to learn to follow the trends, and the trends that we were discussing and following this time were eco-friendly and organic products, Twitter, and social networking. Many of the hotel companies are trying to determine how to use Facebook, MySpace and Twitter to their advantage, but worry about pitfalls.

The Fairmont Now, just a few months after our discussions, most hotels are cashing in on this phenomenon and the Fairmont is no exception. I went on Facebook today and Fairmont has a Facebook page with links to twitter. On twitter there are many deals at Fairmont’s all over the world. One particular deal that stood out was at the Santa Monica Fairmont where twitter users receive 50% off the hotels summer rate if they book the date online. They call them “suite tweets. Go to hotels. hotels

The Ritz-Carlton Laguna Niguel

The Ritz-Carlton Rena Benrubi Manager of Quality This position in many companies is called Total Quality Management (TQM). She was in charge of all of the comment cards, customer service calls, complaints and reviews for the entire property. Every property tract their customer service scores and management bonuses are even based on these scores.

The Ritz-Carlton There are goals that must be met by each department, usually at least 90% or better, of customer service scores or the management team will not receive their bonus pay. Now, all of this is pretty standard in the hotel industry, the new part, is the technology. –The scanning of the cards –the amount of unique reports you can create for your department and team and individual staff members –Accessibility to the rankings of every hotel in the company at any time on the computer is really unique and an excellent tool to motivate.

Conclusion This was a great experience! I learned how technology can enhance the guest experience; as well as, streamline the work that we do. Facebook, twitter, and social networking are enormously successful and if the industry can learn to use this they will be on the cutting edge.

A Great Experience! There are many jobs that have been created in hospitality due to technology. –Programming –IT –On-line reservations including: price line, hotels.com, travelocity.com, and many more. –Consultants I am currently adding all of the technology items that I learned about into the appropriate lessons and I am working on a lesson just discussing the benefits of technology. I feel the students will have a lot to add to this.