Abstract
Since the year 2009, TVU/London School of Hospitality and Tourism Hotel has been operating on losses which almost led to its collapse. However, renovations are currently underway to revive the hotel. Several objectives are to be achieved including the complete computerization of the hotel. This report explains in detail the proposed technologies which should be installed in the hotel and their advantages.
Introduction
The London school of hospitality and tourism has been operational for many decades now. The school has got a hotel which offers accommodation, bed and breakfast and conference facilities. The operations of the hotel had been successful up to the year 2009 when it started to experience a drastic decline in the revenue it is earning. As a result therefore, the hotel was operating at a loss. No additional investments were being added to the hotel and improvements on the available facilities such as maintenance were not being conducted. The status of the hotel went down and the number of customers it was attracting declined.
To revive the hotel, the management proposed to renovate the hotel. The renovations aimed at making the hotel have state of the art facilities and equipment which modern hotels are equipped with (Abravanel, p. 288). Several objectives were raised by the management and among them was the need to install computerized systems which will aid in the efficient running of the hotel. The main aim of this paper is to propose the favorable computerized systems which should be installed in the new hotel and the impacts which they will have on the management and running of the hotel.
With the rapid advancement in technology that the world is facing, the hospitality industry has benefited a lot through incorporating information technology (IT) in its operations (Johri, p. 167). The incorporation and use of IT have made operations within these facilities to become easier, faster and more efficient (Jones, p. 250). Computerized systems in hotels have changed the manner in which hotels operate. At the present moment it is virtually impossible to run big hotels without the help of computerized systems (Herczog, 2009). The Hilton hotels for example use a combination of several computerized systems in their operations (Salvendy, p. 44).These systems assist in the making of reservations by guests, making financial transactions and storing accounting records, security and so on (Bidgoli, p. 462).
With regards to the renovations which are being conducted at the TVU/London School of Hospitality and Tourism Hotel installations of computerized systems will improve the manner in which the hotel will be operating. Through efficient operations achieving consumer satisfaction will be much easier hence the revenue earned will increase with time (Gillepsie, p. 47).
Findings
There are several computerized systems that can be installed in the hotel. However, to improve operations at TVU/London School of Hospitality and Tourism Hotel three important computerized systems were identified. These computerized systems were the financial accounting system, internet and Wi-Fi connections and a central reservation system. These systems will ensure that there is a smooth operation of activities in the hotel both for the customers and the guests.
The Central Reservation System
Having a computerized reservation system was of great necessity for the revival of the hotel. It was proposed that the Opera Central Reservation System (ORS) should be installed for the hotel. ORS is among one of the most widely used central reservation systems in the world. It gets wide application in large hotels worldwide (Andrews, p. 154). The program has been designed in such a way that it can integrate with other systems such as the sales, marketing and management systems without any problem. This program offers an avenue for guests, employees and travel agents all over the world to make reservations while utilizing its tools resulting in the maximizations of bookings hence increasing the revenue. ORS is capable of handling any type of reservation from individual to group reservations (Micros.com, 2011).
ORS has got a number of key features which have made it to be a very successful program. First and foremost it has a global perspective. This is achieved by its ability to support a variety of languages and currencies that are widely accepted in the world. The currencies can be easily converted into local denominations. Customers can also choose the language that best suits them hence they can get the correct information about the services which the hotel has to offer.
The system also supports automatic rate and inventory controls (Jafari, p. 75). It enables the management to have an easier and cheap means of determining their inventory. This leads to a decline in the operating costs. Also through this feature the management can set up the rates of the hotel depending on the number of available rooms, period of minimum stay and the season of operation (Miranda and Penland, p. 313). If properly utilized this feature will maximize profits and at the same time ensure that there is a constant number of guests in the hotel at any given time.
ORS also offers data and reports covering various issues. These reports come in handy especially in the provision of data that can be used to analyze the performance of the hotel. With this data acting as a source of information the hotel can concentrate more on the strong points and formulate solutions to the weak points of their operation.
Internet and Wi-Fi
The use of the internet has become very common especially in the 21st century. Almost every individual relies on the use of the internet in one way or the other (Khosrowpour, p. 246). That is why it was identified as another necessity that has to be installed in the hotel. This will be achieved by the installation of both cable and wireless (Wi-Fi) internet from Wi-Free Hotspot Solutions. The internet will be used both by the staff of hotel and the guests who it. Running and management of other systems may also be dependent on the internet (Sofroniou, p. 40). Every office and room in the hotel should therefore have internet connections.
Wi-Fi connections are cheaper and more convenient than cable internet connections. However, to satisfy those customers whose computers do not support wireless connections and also on the office desktops, the installation of cable internet was found to be necessary. The installation of a local access network (LAN) would assist in the sharing of the cable internet among all users.
The hotel and its boundaries will also be an internet hotspot through the installation of wireless internet. This will satisfy the ever-increasing demands of customers to stay connected to the internet while at every spot of the premise. Most computers and mobile phones support wireless internet connections. This mode of connection makes an individual be mobile and at the same time access the internet.
The availability of free internet will increase the number of customers who visit the hotel solemnly to use it and in the process the revenue earned by the hotel will increase. It will also increase the profile of the hotel, maintain its existing customers and earn new ones due to the provision of valuable services that satisfy the needs of their customers. Ramada Hotel in Newcastle is an example of a hotel that has benefited through the installation of the internet (Digitalwireless, 2011).
Financial Accounting System
The Hi-tech Hotel Manager program is the most suitable financial accounting system. This program has got several features that take care of all the requirements of the management in terms of managing its financial affairs (Wise and Hausa, p.531). The program operates in such a way that all the data from various sources are entered and stored in the accounting module. This data can be produced instantly with a touch of a button when required. This program aims at improving the efficiency of the accounting system thus if proper management is practiced profitability can be easily realized.
The program integrates other systems of the hotel which are financial in nature or deal with finance. This includes the payroll system and human resources system. It also keeps up-to-date data concerning visitors, rooms, staff and other financial transactions which will be conducted by the hotel. The data obtained from this program can be very useful especially in decision making.
The main aim of this program is to ensure that there is an effective and efficient accounting system in place which contains no errors (Gelinas and Dull, 2009). The program works by maintaining perfect accounts and keeping them up to date. It saves a lot of time and money by avoiding manual maintenance of accounts which in most circumstances contain a lot of errors. Due to its simplicity, the program is easy to operate. It just requires some training for an individual to become familiar with.
Benefits of These Technologies
The central reservation system will make it easy for guests, agents and staff to book rooms from all over the world. This is because this system can be also be accessed via the internet so bookings can be done from all over the world online. Its multi-language and multi-currency feature will enable customers from all over the world to access information concerning what the hotel has to offer, their rates and even directions. This feature therefore enables customers to have a clear understanding of the hotel wherever they are.
Installation of the internet will also have great impact on the hotel. As stated earlier, the internet will be used by the staff of the hotel and the guests as well. In these times which we are living in people want to be connected wherever they are. Most people conduct the transactions online, communicate with other people and do many other things. Provision of this service by the hotel will satisfy their needs, a key objective which has to be achieved in the course of the development of the hotel.
Installation of the accounting system will ensure that the transactions which are being conducted reflect a true and fair view of the hotel. This program is very effective and efficient ensuring that there is accountability for all the transactions which are being conducted by the hotel. This program also makes it easy to get financial data which is very essential especially in the formulation of policies and decision making. Lastly, the program can be used to make payroll for the hotel staff just by the click of a button saving a lot of time and money.
Conclusion
The world is changing at a very fast rate especially with the advancement of technology. It is now almost impossible for any business or organization to operate efficiently without the use of technology. This includes the hotel industry. Therefore, the renovations being conducted at TVU/London School of Hospitality and Tourism Hotel should consider the installation of computer technologies that will assist in the running and management of the hotel. These technologies are very effective and efficient therefore if they are properly maintained and the management of the hotel will be maintained at high standards then the hotel should maximize its earning and make profits with time.
Recommendations
The three computerized technologies which have been proposed in this document are very essential at this time in the development of the hotel. However, there are other technologies that can be installed in the hotel to make the operations of the hotel become even much better. First there is the hybrid system which is composed of the energy management systems, telephone systems, electronic door lock systems and in-room entertainment systems. There is also the food and beverage system composed of a recipe-costing system, conference and banqueting system, stock–control system, electronic point-of-sale and automated mini-bar. We also have the sales and marketing system.
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