What ’ s Hot : TECHNOLOGY
ONLINE REPUTATION MANAGEMENT
With the proliferation of social media websites , it is very difficult for an individual property to manually monitor its reviews and mentions . To solve this , online reputation software vendors have developed products tailored to the hotel industry , including the monitoring of competitors ’ reviews to create an online reputation competitive set . The data collected can be used across the hotel organization for sales , marketing , online distribution , revenue management , quality assurance and even human resources .
CONVENIENT CONNECTING
Today ’ s guests are bringing mobile devices so they can access streaming and stored content on their hotel room television just like they do at home . To make this process more convenient , vendors have developed connectivity panels that allow guests to connect their devices to A / V , audio and PC , HDMI and USB jacks to access that content on the room television from a convenient location instead of trying to connect to the TV ’ s jacks . Some vendors are integrating these jacks as well as iPod / iPhone stereo systems on telephones .
THE
NEXT
EXPEDIA ?
Like new social media websites , new online travel agencies are sprouting up at a rapid pace . New OTAs like Guestmob offer opaque deals to consumers , which some hoteliers say helps fill rooms with last-minute bookings . Tingo , on the other hand , locks in a rate so that if the price of the room decreases , the buyer is reimbursed . New hotel search engines include Google Hotel Finder and Room Key , the latter of which was founded by six of the largest hotel companies . Meanwhile , industry experts say more innovative online booking options could emerge from mobile , social and search . “ The OTAs came in and created a model that was based on the wholesale model , but we ’ re due for more innovation ,” says Cindy Estis Green , CEO , Kalibri Labs , Potomac , Maryland .
Google Hotel Finder
50 HOTELS October 2012 www . hotelsmag . com