Category Archives: Technology

by Ida | April 9, 2015 · 9:37 am

Hospitality Industry Technology Update: “Security Flaw In Hotel Wi-Fi Routers Could Put Devices At Risk”

“This is the second time in recent months that security researchers have warned of hotel Wi-Fi networks being a potential vector of attack for cybercriminals, providing a not-so-subtle reminder that individuals must be ever-vigilant regarding the security of their devices and access points.”

Cylance, a security vendor, says that its security researchers at the Sophisticated Penetration Exploitation and ResearchÂ team (SPEAR) have uncovered a flaw in the InnGate Wi-Fi router commonly used by many hotels that could be placing the devices of guests at risk. According to Wired, the Cylance team reports, the vulnerability could threaten not just guests, but could also spread to the hotels themselves if hackers are able to compromise the router to allow them to access other parts of the hotel network. Cylance says this could potentially impact reservations and billing.

The vulnerability, dubbed CVE-2015-0932 gives an attacker full read and write access to the file system of an ANTLabsâ€™ InnGate device, Cylance reports. Â Cyber thieves gain remote access through an unauthenticated rsync daemon running on TCP 873, which then allows them to read and write unrestricted to the file system of the Linux based operating system.

For more: http://bit.ly/1yYJZK7

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Filed under Crime, Guest Issues, Hotel Industry, Management And Ownership, Risk Management, Technology, Theft

Tagged as Android, Arrest, Computer Security, Credit Cards, Crime, Cyber Law, Cybercrime, Cybersecurity, Employees, Free Wifi, Guest Safety, Hospitality, Hospitality Industry, Hospitality Lawyer, Hospitality Risk Solutions, Hotel Employees, Hotel Guest, Hotel Industry, Hotel Safety, Hotel Security, Hotel Staff, Hotel WiFi, hotel workers, Hotels, Housekeepers, Information Security, Insurance, Internet Security, iPhone, Lawsuits, Legal Issues, Legal Risks, Liability, Managing Risk, Mobile Technology, Motels, P3, Petra Risk Solutions, Property Damage, Restaurants, Risk Management Update, Security, Surveillance, Technology, Theft, WiFi, Wifi Router

by Ida | April 8, 2015 · 8:59 am

Hospitality Industry Technology Update: “Exploring The Brave New World of Hotel Tech Amenities”

“The most powerful existing effect of digital technology on design, Jacobs told me, is the feedback loop of websites and social media that plays back the success or failure of each design choice in real time, making it visible to the guestâ€™s friends, and their friends, and theirÂ friends.”

Hotels are my favorite places to think and write, or simply to escape from reality, which is sometimes harsh. The hotels I am grateful for are run by sensitive, thoughtful people who provide the precarious balance of anonymity and personal care that I crave. I want privacy, interesting design, and also a place to be sociable or take a meeting for an hour or two without breaking the spell of being somewhere far away from home. I like camping out alone under the stars, in a nice room with a comfortable bed, a desk, and room service.

As human beings become switching stations for the digital signals coming in and out of our phones, the technological backwardness of so many hotels has become, for me, part of their charm. I take comfort in the fact that hotel rooms often double as museums of Jurassic technologiesâ€”the desktop landline that acts as a five-pound free weight, the dedicated button you must push to order room service, the DVD player for which you can rent actual DVDs. Still, the fear that the hotel experience I am dependent on might dissolve into the surrounding digital babble of Big Data and wearable gizmos and giant LCD screens doesnâ€™t seem entirely unreasonable.

For more:Â http://for.tn/1JopkVV

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Filed under Hotel Industry, Management And Ownership, Technology

Tagged as Amenities Hotel, Crime, Cybercrime, Cybersecurity, Employees, Green Technology, Guest Safety, Health Hazards, Hospitality, Hospitality Industry, Hospitality Lawyer, Hospitality Risk Solutions, Hotel Employees, Hotel Guest, Hotel Industry, Hotel Safety, Hotel Security, Hotel Staff, Hotel Technology, hotel workers, Hotels, Housekeepers, Information Technology, Insurance, Lawsuits, Legal Issues, Legal Risks, Leisure, Liability, Managing Risk, Mobile Technology, Motels, New Technology, P3, Petra Risk Solutions, Restaurants, Risk Management, Risk Management Update, Room Amenities, Security, Surveillance, Technology, Travel, TripAdvisor

by Ida | March 30, 2015 · 10:47 am

Hospitality Industry Management Update: “The Good, The Bad, and Especially â€“ The Ugly. Why Responding to EVERY Review is Essential to Your Reputation”

“Address the comment, validate their frustration, apologize for their poor experience, and find a way toÂ make it better. This will, of course, depend on what the grievance is exactly, but itâ€™s probably an easy fix, and your response to the issue will be there forever for all future guests to see.”

Feedback, constructive criticism, or maybe just plain old criticism. Are you shuddering at the thought? If you are, stop, because though it may be hard to take sometimes, itâ€™s essential to the success and well-being of your hotel. Thatâ€™s right, criticism whether good, bad, or even ugly, is a necessary tool for you and your management team to have and to use. Without feedback, youâ€™ll never know what youâ€™re doing well, and what you could do better. Listening to all comments and responding appropriately and in a timely manner is one of the best tactics for hotel reputation management.

Regardless of whether your hotel has received a positive or negative review, you must give equal attention to both. Donâ€™t be arrogant. Mistakes are made everywhere in life, misunderstanding and miscommunication happens no matter what. Therefore, never turn up your nose at a grievance, large or small. Many potential guests will judge a hotelâ€™s customer service based on how the hotel responded to previous guests comments and reviews. Therein lies the true value of responding to all comments â€“ to show future guests you have responsive management, that you care about your guests and any issues that may arise.

From our very own experience, hereâ€™s a quick list of best practices when it comes to responding to reviews

For more:Â http://bit.ly/19qiItu

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Filed under Employee Practices, Guest Issues, Hotel Employees, Hotel Industry, Hotel Restaurant, Maintenance, Management And Ownership, Social Media, Technology

Tagged as Cybersecurity, Employees, Guest Safety, HMG Hospitality, Hospitality, Hospitality Industry, Hospitality Lawyer, Hospitality Risk Solutions, Hotel Branding, Hotel Employees, Hotel Guest, Hotel Industry, Hotel Managers Group, Hotel Marketing, Hotel Reviews, Hotel Safety, Hotel Security, Hotel Staff, hotel workers, Hotels, Housekeepers, Lawsuits, Legal Issues, Legal Risks, Liability, Managing Risk, Mobile Technology, Motels, Online Branding, Online Marketing, Online Ratings, Online Reputation, P3, Petra Risk Solutions, Restaurant Employees, Restaurants, Risk Management, Social Media, Surveillance, Technology, Trip Advisor, Yelp, Yelp Reviews

by Ida | March 24, 2015 · 10:31 am

Hospitality Industry Technology Update: “Hotels Are Getting Ready for Apple Watch”

The Accorhotel Apple Watch app will work in connection with a smartphone to manage reservations, access hotel information and property maps, and notify guests when a room is ready for online check-in. IHGâ€™s Apple Watch app is a port of its popular smartphone language translator. It will convert the words a user speaks into the watch into 13 different languages and even offer phonetic pronunciation help as well as a range of common phrases.

At an event in San Francisco earlier this week, Apple released more details on its new watch and showed off a few apps. Along with displaying the weather, making calls (as long as your phone is nearby), and tracking your fitness, the watch will also support Apple Pay, a mobile payment system that processes credit card transactions without the need to swipe an actual card. Ahead of the event, Marriott announced it would be the first hotel company to use Apple Pay, and would roll it out this summer at select Ritz-Carlton, Courtyard, Residence Inn, and Edition properties in New York, Los Angeles, Washington, San Francisco, Miami, and Chicago.

Apple Pay uses the near field communication (NFC) chip in an iPhone 6 or Apple Watch to communicate with specially equipped card readers, providing more security than old-school magnetic card swipers. While this could be a huge money maker for Apple, with analysts predicting that mobile payment systems will process $700 billion in transactions by 2017, it also offers hotels a new tool to measure guestsâ€™ habits and preferences.

For more:Â http://bit.ly/1OwUcqT

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Filed under Crime, Guest Issues, Management And Ownership, Technology

Tagged as Apple, Apple Pay, Apple Watch, Big Data, Credit Card Security, Crime, Cybercrime, Cybersecurity, Employees, Guest Safety, Hospitality, Hospitality Industry, Hospitality Lawyer, Hospitality Risk Solutions, Hotel Branding, Hotel Employees, Hotel Guest, Hotel Industry, Hotel Marketing, Hotel Safety, Hotel Security, Hotel Staff, Hotel Technology, hotel workers, Hotels, Housekeepers, Insurance, iPhone, Legal Issues, Legal Risks, Liability, Lodging Magazine, Managing Risk, Marketing, Mobile Technology, Motels, Online Branding, P3, Petra Risk Solutions, Risk Management, San Francisco, Security, Technology, Wearable Tech

by Ida | March 19, 2015 · 10:20 am

Hospitality Industry Security Update: “New Security Mindset: Focus On The Interior”

“We continue to be more focused on perimeter protection than on internal controls and monitoring. It’s clear that attackers are already inside or could be anytime they want and there’s nothing you can do about it on the perimeter…You would think external attacks cause all the damage. But study after study, two-thirds of attacks are mundane insider errors, lost equipment, technology failures, or lack of oversight over vendors.”

Chief privacy officer Jason Straight shares his insights on why organizations are struggling to stop the breach wave — and manage the aftermath.

Hackers keep on hacking, breaches keep on happening. The cycle continues, as major corporations now routinely get successfully compromised. A key element of the equation now is properly and efficiently responding to an attack as well as managing its aftermath.

The same old security missteps–falling for phishing attacks, not locking down sensitive data internally, giving users too much access, for instance–keep recurring. That’s because many organizations aren’t putting their security energy in the right places, according toÂ Jason Straight, senior vice president and chief privacy officer at UnitedLex, which provides outsourcing services and support for the legal industry.

For more:Â http://ubm.io/1BTm7L2

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Filed under Crime, Employee Practices, Guest Issues, Hotel Employees, Hotel Industry, Maintenance, Management And Ownership, Risk Management, Technology, Theft, Training

Tagged as Arrest, Business Journalism, Credit Card Fraud, Credit Card Security, Credit Cards, Crime, Cyber Attack, Cyber Crime, Cybercrime, Cybersecurity, Dark Reading, Data Breach, Employees, Guest Safety, Hacking, Hospitality, Hospitality Industry, Hospitality Lawyer, Hospitality Risk Solutions, Hotel Employees, Hotel Guest, Hotel Industry, Hotel Safety, Hotel Security, Hotel Staff, hotel workers, Hotels, Housekeepers, Information Technology, Insurance, IT, Jason Straight, Lawsuits, Legal Issues, Legal Risks, Liability, Managing Risk, Mobile Technology, Motels, P3, Petra Risk Solutions, Property Damage, Restaurant Employees, Restaurants, Risk, Risk Management, Risk Management Update, Security, Surveillance, Technology, Theft

by Ida | March 16, 2015 · 9:23 am

Hospitality Industry Risk Management Update: “Preventing Credit Card Fraud at Hotels”

[vimeo https://vimeo.com/113722566 w=500&h=281]

Petra Risk Solutionsâ€™ Loss Control Manager, Matt Karp, offers a P3 Hospitality Risk Report â€“ â€˜Preventing Credit Card Fraud at Hotelsâ€™.Â

P3 (Petra Plus Process) is the Risk Management Division of Petra Risk Solutions â€“ America â€™s largest independent insurance brokerage devoted exclusively to the hospitality marketplace.

For more information on Petra and P3 visitÂ petrarisksolutions.comÂ or call 800.466.8951.

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Filed under Crime, Employee Practices, Guest Issues, Hotel Industry, Management And Ownership, Risk Management, Technology, Theft

Tagged as Arrest, Big Data, Breach, Credit Card Security, Credit Card Security Breach, Credit Cards, Credit Fraud, Crime, Cybercrime, Cybersecurity, Data Hack, Data Privacy, Data Theft, Employees, Fraud, Guest Safety, Hospitality, Hospitality Industry, Hospitality Lawyer, Hospitality Risk Solutions, Hotel Employees, Hotel Guest, Hotel Industry, Hotel Safety, Hotel Security, hotel workers, Hotels, Insurance, Lawsuits, Legal Issues, Legal Risks, Liability, Managing Risk, Mobile Technology, Motels, P3, Petra Risk Solutions, Restaurant Employees, Restaurants, Risk, Risk Management, Security, Surveillance, Technology, Theft, Videos

by Ida | March 12, 2015 · 10:01 am

Hospitality Industry Technology Update: “Hoteliers Readying for Wearable Tech”

The Apple Watch will be available in early 2015. In the meantime, Starwood Hotels has developed a Bluetooth-enabled smartphone app that allows customers to unlock their rooms with a simple swipe. The company upgraded 30,000 room locks across nearly 150 hotels, and in November the app went live at Starwoodâ€™s Aloft, Element and W brands.

Technology giant Apple made a splash with a 9 March keynote address providing more detail about the much-anticipated release of its new venture in wearable tech, which will be available for purchase on 24 April.

Several hotel companies are getting in front of that launch date with news of their own tailor-made apps for the device.

Accor announced an iOS app for Apple Watch shortly after Appleâ€™s webcast presentation. Available in 10 languages, the app will promotes top hotels and destinations and allows users to manage bookings on Accorhotels.

Marriott International, meanwhile, announced it would be the first global hotel company to accept Apple Pay, which allows guests to use their iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus or Apple Watch to pay at check-in as opposed to via cash or credit card. The phased introduction this summer in the United States will include brands in popular locations, such as The Ritz-Carlton, Edition, Renaissance Hotels and Marriott Hotels.

For more: http://bit.ly/1ED7a3g

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Filed under Guest Issues, Hotel Industry, Technology

Tagged as Apple, Apple Pay, Apple Watch, Cybercrime, Cybersecurity, Digital Branding, Digital Marketing, Employees, Guest Safety, Hospitality, Hospitality Industry, Hospitality Lawyer, Hospitality Risk Solutions, Hotel Employees, Hotel Guest, Hotel Industry, Hotel News Now, Hotel Security, Hotel Staff, hotel workers, Hotels, Housekeepers, Insurance, Keyless Entry, Legal Issues, Legal Risks, Liability, Managing Risk, Mobile Technology, Motels, Online Marketing, P3, Petra Risk Solutions, Restaurant Employees, Restaurants, Risk Management, Risk Management Update, Security, Social Media, Starwood Hotels, Surveillance, Technology, Theft, Wearable Tech

by Ida | March 11, 2015 · 10:15 am

Hospitality Industry Technology Update: “The Growing Risk of Cyber Liability” (Video)

In the last two years, significant data breaches have affected well-known companies such as Target, Home Depot, JP Morgan Chase and eBay â€” just to name a few. The issue has become so prevalent that President Obama issued an executive order in February 2013 to strengthen the U.S. cyber security framework.

In today’s society, weâ€™re experiencing a steady increase in the number of users who utilize the Internet and technology each and every day. As a result, businesses are looking more to technology in order to stay efficient in their business practices. While technology is convenient in many ways, it also exposes businesses to cyberattacks.

According to the Poneman Institute’s Cost of Cyber Crime Study, there was an 18% increase in the number of cyberattacks in 2013, and a report by Symantec on internet security found that 61% of small and midsize businesses experienced a cyberattack in 2013. Hackers are constantly looking to disrupt business operations; hence, it is more important than ever to prepare organizations for potential security breaches.

For more:Â http://bit.ly/1MtrBRm

And for more how to best protect your property from a cyber security attack, check out the video below from Petra’s own P3 Risk Management Team.

[vimeo https://vimeo.com/121258482 w=500&h=281]

Petra Risk Solutionsâ€™ Loss Control Manager, Marco Johnson, offers a P3 Hospitality Risk Report â€“ â€˜How to Help Protect Your Hotel’s Computer Network and Information Systemsâ€™.Â

For more information on Petra and P3 visitÂ petrarisksolutions.comÂ or call 800.466.8951.

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Filed under Crime, Employee Practices, Guest Issues, Hotel Industry, Management And Ownership, Risk Management, Social Media, Technology, Theft, Training

Tagged as Arrest, Credit Cards, Crime, Cyber Attack, Cyber Liability, Cyber Security, Cybercrime, Cybersecurity, Data Breach, Digital Marketing, Digital Technology, Employees, Guest Safety, Hospitality, Hospitality Industry, Hospitality Lawyer, Hospitality Risk Solutions, Hotel Employees, Hotel Guest, Hotel Industry, Hotel Safety, Hotel Security, Hotel Staff, hotel workers, Hotels, Insurance, Internet, Internet Security, Lawsuits, Legal Issues, Legal Risks, Liability, Managing Risk, Mobile Technology, Motels, P3, Petra Risk Solutions, Property Damage, Restaurant Employees, Risk Management, Risk Management Division, Risk Management Update, Security, Social Media, Surveillance, Technology, Theft, Training, Video

by Ida | March 10, 2015 · 10:13 am

Hospitality Industry Marketing Update: “Trends and Budgeting For 2015” (Infographic)

Click above to view the whole image!

1. Mobile Presence

2. Local Presence

3. Social Presence

4. Content Marketing

5. User Experience

6. Paid Search Presence

7. ROI Analysis – Cross Channels

8. Understanding Your Customer Journey

For more:Â http://bit.ly/1Bnw44D

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Filed under Finances, Hotel Industry, Hotel Restaurant, Management And Ownership, Social Media, Technology

Tagged as 2015, Budgeting, Content Marketing, Crime, Cybercrime, Cybersecurity, Digital Marketing, Employees, Fire, Guest Safety, Health Hazards, Hospitality, Hospitality Industry, Hospitality Lawyer, Hospitality Net, Hospitality Risk Solutions, Hotel Employees, Hotel Guest, Hotel Industry, Hotel Safety, Hotel Security, Hotel Staff, hotel workers, Hotels, Housekeepers, Infographic, Insurance, Lawsuits, Legal Issues, Legal Risks, Liability, Local Presence, Managing Risk, Marketing Trends, Mobile Presence, Mobile Technology, Motels, Online Marketing, P3, Paid Search Presence, Petra Risk Solutions, Property Damage, Restaurant Employees, Restaurants, Risk Management, Risk Management Update, ROI Analysis, Security, Social Media, Social Presence, Surveillance, Technology, User Experience

by Ida | March 9, 2015 · 9:27 am

Hospitality Industry Management Update: “Engaging Todayâ€™s Connected Travelers”

To improve the overall guest experience, hotels should leverage their unique position as a supplier, said Bernard Ellis, vice president of industry strategy at Infor Hospitality, a software provider. â€œYou know more about your property than anybody else, so you can maximize that with things like early check-in and late checkout, room type, food and beverageâ€”all based on looking at the guestâ€™s past preferences,â€ Ellis said.

Hotels that establish meaningful relationships with guests can maximize revenue opportunities and increase customer satisfaction, travel industry experts said during the Digital Marketing Strategy Conference, which was hosted by Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International in Manhattan last week. Here are some best practices panelists shared for using technology to engage with guests before, during, and after their stays.

Before They Arrive
Googleâ€™s industry head for travel, Tiffany Miller, said that during the pre-booking period, consumers visit 18 travel-related sites. â€œYou have two and a half weeks to inspire the traveler to book your property,â€ she added. To make an impact, marketers should take creative approaches, like using celebrities or YouTube stars to boost engagement or allowing consumers to spread the message through self-generated videos.

For more:Â http://bit.ly/1NACu5k

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Filed under Employee Practices, Hotel Industry, Management And Ownership, Social Media, Technology

Tagged as Connected Travelers, Cybersecurity, Digital Marketing, Digital Marketing Strategy, Employees, Guest Experience, Guest Safety, Hospitality, Hospitality Industry, Hospitality Lawyer, Hospitality Risk Solutions, Hotel Employees, Hotel Guest, Hotel Industry, Hotel Marketing, Hotel Security, Hotel Staff, hotel workers, Hotels, Housekeepers, Insurance, Lawsuits, Legal Issues, Legal Risks, Lodging Magazine, Managing Risk, Mobile Technology, Motels, Online Marketing, P3, Petra Risk Solutions, Restaurant Employees, Restaurants, Revenue Opportunities, Risk Management, Risk Management Update, Security, Social Media, Technology

Category Archives: Technology

Hospitality Industry Technology Update: “Security Flaw In Hotel Wi-Fi Routers Could Put Devices At Risk”

Hospitality Industry Technology Update: “Exploring The Brave New World of Hotel Tech Amenities”

Hospitality Industry Technology Update: “Hotels Are Getting Ready for Apple Watch”

Hospitality Industry Security Update: “New Security Mindset: Focus On The Interior”

Hospitality Industry Risk Management Update: “Preventing Credit Card Fraud at Hotels”

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