Capital expenditures
How can you justify capital expenditures on technology items which will quickly be obsolete?
Smart Bar
1. The obvious question: From a management perspective, would it make sense to have this installed in my bar?
2. Why is this technology not installed in more establishments?
3. What, if any, are the negatives of this technology?
Can Cloud Computing Solve Everything?
1. Is cloud computing the answer to everything?
2. What are the pros & cons?
VOIP, Cloud Computing
1. What are the negatives of cloud computing?
2. With the growing reliance on the internet for daily business activities, should we start looking into internet redundancy?
What are the three big technology issues for the hotel industry?
1. If ‘technology enables service’, what is the role of PCI in service?
2. Should mobile computing, social networking, data acquisition & mining also be added to this list? What would your list be?
eMenu Discussion
1. Similar to the ‘Smart Bar’ technology, eMenu systems and other unattended POS systems are a growing trend. Is this another example of technology replacing jobs, and is there a need for traditional waiters/waitresses?
The Role and Value of GDS in Travel Distribution: For the past decade, airlines have been relentless – and successfully so – in their pursuit of direct bookings
1. Based on current trends, airlines (and hotels) are now competing with GDS’s, so why did the airline industry adopt the original GDS system and structure?
2. GDS’s were thought to be the end of the travel agency business. What is the current role of travel agents and why do we still need them?
3. With increased direct bookings and restructured fees and commissions, is there a need for GDS’s?
Unattended POS in Action
1. In my example, was I being impatient and somewhat expecting unrealistic service from my waiter?
2. Does this device improve the restaurant experience? Remember, by me ordering my dessert and settling the check, I was out of the restaurant faster, which means faster table turnover.
3. In this example of working with a server, what (if any) are the negatives?
Web-based PMS
1. Examine www.webrezpro.com. Identify and discuss pros and cons of the webrezpro service compared to a traditional PMS.
AI, AR & Robotics
1. Discuss how you see the influence of Artificial Intelligence/Augmented Reality/Robotics being used in hospitality and tourism in the future.
2. These technologies have been at the forefront of discussions for the hospitality/tourism industry during COVID-19. Has the pandemic helped or hurt the implementation of these technologies?
3. What about the personal touch? What about the front-line workers? How will these advancements affect hospitality employees?
Failures
In 2013, Budweiser’s Brazil team introduced the Budweiser Buddy Cup (glass) – a cup that when tapped with another one of its kind allows the two cup holders to become Facebook friends. That’s right, no need to put down the beer, take out the phone, search for a name and then send a friend request. When two people clink glasses, the friend request is sent from one to another.
The Buddy Cup brought together the in-bar experience with Facebook. This sounds like a ‘can’t miss’ idea, but the reason that we’ve never heard of it is because it was considered a failure. Although the RFID technology used in the cups functioned as planned, you can see that cutting-edge technology does not always lead to successful products/campaigns.
Similar to the Buddy Cup, what are the potential pitfalls that can lead to failures in location-based marketing implementations?
Proximity Marketing
1. What is the benefit of proximity marketing to companies/consumers?
2. What are the negatives to proximity marketing?
Electronic Wasteland
1. What is the role of nations to eliminate problems like this in the future?
Story of Stuff
1. What is the role of computer technology in the ‘Story of Stuff’?
The Most Devastating Cyber Attack in History
1. Discuss the importance of keeping computer equipment up to date, and the recurring financial commitment required to mitigate potential threats.
2. Discuss the importance of offsite backups.