[vimeo https://vimeo.com/113722566 w=500&h=281]
Petra Risk Solutions’ Loss Control Manager, Matt Karp, offers a P3 Hospitality Risk Report – ‘Preventing Credit Card Fraud at Hotels’.Â
P3 (Petra Plus Process) is the Risk Management Division of Petra Risk Solutions – America ’s largest independent insurance brokerage devoted exclusively to the hospitality marketplace.
For more information on Petra and P3 visit petrarisksolutions.com or call 800.466.8951.
Comments Off on Hospitality Industry Risk Management Update: “Preventing Credit Card Fraud at Hotels”
Filed under Crime, Employee Practices, Guest Issues, Hotel Industry, Management And Ownership, Risk Management, Technology, Theft
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 Starwood’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 Apple’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
Comments Off on Hospitality Industry Technology Update: “Hoteliers Readying for Wearable Tech”
Filed under Guest Issues, Hotel Industry, Technology
In the last two years, significant data breaches have affected well-known companies such as Target,
Home Depot, JP Morgan Chase and eBay — 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, we’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 Solutions’ Loss Control Manager, Marco Johnson, offers a P3 Hospitality Risk Report – ‘How to Help Protect Your Hotel’s Computer Network and Information Systems’.Â
P3 (Petra Plus Process) is the Risk Management Division of Petra Risk Solutions – America ’s largest independent insurance brokerage devoted exclusively to the hospitality marketplace.
For more information on Petra and P3 visit petrarisksolutions.com or call 800.466.8951.
Comments Off on Hospitality Industry Technology Update: “The Growing Risk of Cyber Liability” (Video)
Filed under Crime, Employee Practices, Guest Issues, Hotel Industry, Management And Ownership, Risk Management, Social Media, Technology, Theft, Training
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
Comments Off on Hospitality Industry Marketing Update: “Trends and Budgeting For 2015” (Infographic)
Filed under Finances, Hotel Industry, Hotel Restaurant, Management And Ownership, Social Media, Technology
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. “You 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 beverage—all based on looking at the guest’s past preferences,†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
Google’s industry head for travel, Tiffany Miller, said that during the pre-booking period, consumers visit 18 travel-related sites. “You have two and a half weeks to inspire the traveler to book your property,†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
Comments Off on Hospitality Industry Management Update: “Engaging Today’s Connected Travelers”
Filed under Employee Practices, Hotel Industry, Management And Ownership, Social Media, Technology
[vimeo https://vimeo.com/121258482Â w=500&h=281]
Petra Risk Solutions’ Loss Control Manager, Marco Johnson, offers a P3 Hospitality Risk Report – ‘How to Help Protect Your Hotel’s Computer Network and Information Systems’.Â
P3 (Petra Plus Process) is the Risk Management Division of Petra Risk Solutions – America ’s largest independent insurance brokerage devoted exclusively to the hospitality marketplace.
For more information on Petra and P3 visit petrarisksolutions.com or call 800.466.8951.
Comments Off on Hospitality Industry Risk Management Update: “Cyber Security”
Filed under Crime, Hotel Employees, Hotel Industry, Management And Ownership, Risk Management, Technology, Training
Biometrics (voice recognition, fingerprint or retina scanning) is quickly
becoming another method of user authentication…Actual credit card data is exchanged only within the bank and payment network, not directly tied to the customer’s interaction with the merchant, removing the merchant from handling that data.
By the end of this year, it’s estimated that 70 percent of all credit cards and 40 percent of all debit cards (about 1.1 billion in total) worldwide will be EMV capable. This payment system, also known as chip and pin, adds dynamic data to the transaction stream that renders replay of payment transactions impossible. And since every card contains its own microprocessor chip, EMV (which stands for Europay, MasterCard, and Visa) cards are nearly impossible to counterfeit.
There’s no need for the card to leave the customer’s sight, and there’s no swiping. The credit card number isn’t exposed on a screen. Though not entirely fail-safe, the technology is a global standard and makes transactions hundreds of times more secure. In Europe, which has had EMV for years, reports indicate that card fraud has fallen as much as 60 percent over the last decade, whereas here in the United States, it’s increased about 50 percent over that same time period.
For more:Â http://bit.ly/1B2Dzwd
Comments Off on Hospitality Industry Technology Update: “How to Prepare Your Hotel for Smart Payment Systems”
Filed under Crime, Hotel Industry, Management And Ownership, Technology
Information on guestrooms, hotel amenities and features on property are still top of mind for guests arriving to the hotel. When figuring out a content marketing strategy for Hotel Josef and Hotel Maximilian, Amiraux found that guests do want to see information specific
to the properties…Sharing property information on social media is one way to market and showcase the “nuts and bolts†of a hotel. “Any of our social media is leading our guests to our website. We want our content there to be the best (high-res photos, videos, fresh content, etc.),†Amiraux said.
Hoteliers can connect with travelers on a deeper level—without adding much extra cost—by implementing content marketing as a permanent fixture within their marketing strategies, panelists said during a recent webinar.
During the webinar titled “Content marketing 101 for hotels,†hosted by Leonardo, two independent hoteliers discussed low-cost, effective ways to implement content marketing strategies for their respective hotels.
“Content marketing is wonderful because you have relevant content on the Internet that is drawing potential customers straight to your website,†said Adele Gutman, VP of sales, marketing and revenue for Library Hotel Collection. “It’s not that you’re selling to them. They’re finding you because they’re looking for that information.â€
Gutman manages content marketing for the collection’s four Manhattan properties in New York City, and because her hotels don’t affiliate with a brand, the marketing budget tends to be smaller. “We have to be more creative,†she said.
For more:Â http://bit.ly/1ETuM0l
Comments Off on Hospitality Industry Marketing Update: “5 Low-Cost, Content-Marketing Tips For Hotels”
Filed under Hotel Industry, Management And Ownership, Social Media
While hoteliers can take strong steps to reduce employee theft, eliminating it entirely is likely an impossibility.
The best loss prevention involves good procedures for hiring, training and supervision of employees. And by following a few best practices, employers can limit the potential liability for claims related to employee theft situations and diminish the potential for the insult of an expensive lawsuit on top of the injury of employee theft.
The problem of employee theft in hotels is an age-old problem. Businesses lose billion of dollars each year in employee theft. And hotels, by nature, present numerous opportunities for employee theft from guests and the house. Theft in a hotel can take many forms – from identity theft to credit card fraud to theft of merchandise and guest property. No employer hires an employee thinking that the employee is someday going to steal. Hotels need to take steps to prevent theft and be cautious in taking action against an employee after a suspected theft. Both have practice and legal implications.
Prevention in All Forms
Take a thorough look at your hotel’s security measures and processes. Ensure that your guest room locking systems and room safes meet general industry standards. Review, implement or update employee policies related to 1) package passes to control removal of property from the hotel, 2) lost and found procedures, which should be strictly enforced and 3) guest room access by employees. Consider an audit by a security expert to review your security procedures and protocols – in action.
For more:Â http://bit.ly/17ySjZz
Comments Off on Hospitality Industry Risk Management Update: “Employee Theft – Protecting More Than Property”
Filed under Crime, Employee Practices, Hotel Employees, Hotel Industry, Management And Ownership, Risk Management, Training
Also of concern to hotels is the Dark Horse Virus, Shortz said. This virus is meant to capture sensitive data business travelers might have on their devices.
She said it presents itself as a system update when a user logs onto a hotel’s Wi-Fi network and is prompted to type in their name and room number…Data hacks will continue to happen in the hotel industry, the presenters said. During an interview with Hotel News Now following the session, Garfinkel said it’s not a matter of if a hotel company is hacked, but when.
Lara Shortz surveyed the crowd Tuesday at the Hospitality Law Conference and asked attendees to raise their hands if they’ve been involved in a data breach.
“If you haven’t raised your hand, you should,†Shortz, an attorney at Michelman & Robinson, said during a session titled “Anatomy of a hospitality data breach.â€
The session was especially timely given reports that White Lodging was again targeted by data haxkers. In 2014, malware was found in the food-and-beverage outlets of 14 of  its hotels a year ago.
For more:Â http://bit.ly/1G81ko8
Comments Off on Hospitality Industry Security Update: “Tips to Keep Hotel Data Hackers at Bay”
Filed under Conferences, Crime, Employee Practices, Management And Ownership, Risk Management, Technology, Theft
