 In This Issue
April 2008 |
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| Magazine Sections |
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| Cover Story: |
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| Uncommon Loyalty |
| 04/08/2008 |
| Author: Abigail A. Lorden |
| Wynn Las Vegas is managing to foster consistent guest loyalty in a highly competitive town, and in the complete absence of a formalized loyalty program. The secret, according to CIO Scott Carcillo, is superior customer service. This exclusive interview with Carcillo explores the service and the technology that's behind Wynn's uncommon loyalty.
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| Platforms: |
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| Targeted Texting |
| 04/08/2008 |
| Author: Abigail A. Lorden |
| A few months back, I was standing on a trade show floor being shown a demo for a new form of e-marketing: targeted text messaging.
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| Front Burner: |
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| Accor Going Green |
| 04/08/2008 |
| Author: Abigail A. Lorden |
| Following on the heels of its decision to phase out incandescent light bulbs at its Motel 6 chain, Accor North America announces a new agreement between its Sofitel Hotels and wind energy supplier Community Energy, Inc. to purchase clean, renewable, wind energy for all nine Sofitel locations in the U.S.
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| Restaurant IT Budgets on the Rise |
| 04/08/2008 |
| Author: Abigail A. Lorden |
| Restaurants are allocating larger portions of their annual revenue to IT initiatives, according to the 10th annual Restaurant Technology Study, published by Hospitality Technology.
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| U. Delaware Hosts Hospitality-Specific PCI Conference |
| 04/08/2008 |
| Author: Abigail A. Lorden |
| The University of Delaware, in conjunction with the Unified Compliance Framework, has created the first conference dedicated to Payment Card Industry (PCI) compliance within the hospitality industry.
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| On Property: |
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| PMS Market Update |
| 04/08/2008 |
| Author: Bradley Schmidt |
| When it comes to property management systems, new modules and upgrades hit the market on a near monthly basis, making it tough for hotel operators to stay abreast of what's available. To help keep you Ã.‚¬Å"in the know," HT spoke with operators about their recent rollouts, and the latest advancements in PMS technology.
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| Point of Service: |
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| POS Software: The Quick Service Perspective |
| 04/08/2008 |
| Author: Vicki Powers |
| In this POS software peer review, HT talks to a cross section of quick-service restaurant operators, hailing from the traditional drive-up to pizza delivery and smoothie shops. Operators share their unique needs for point of sale software, and the POS technology solutions that are helping them stay competitive.
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| Service Systems: |
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| Building an Online Brand |
| 04/08/2008 |
| Author: Tammy Mastroberte |
| Hotels are tapping into the power of the Internet by linking their websites with other property systems, and maximizing their appeal to guests. One property is boosting gift card sales by 30 percent with its online initiatives, while others are expanding their brand's awareness via smart marketing.
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| Speed Solutions: |
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| Gift Cards that Give Back |
| 04/08/2008 |
| Author: Tammy Mastroberte |
| Restaurants like Tully's Coffee and Brinker International are combining stored value card technology with savvy marketing initiatives for gift card programs that benefit the restaurants well beyond their initial sale. Through partnerships with local businesses, gift cards are accounting for as much as 30 percent of one restaurant's sales.
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| Killer Apps: |
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| Papa Murphy's Scouts Optimal Store Locations with Site Selection Tech |
| 04/08/2008 |
| Author: Kevin King |
| When Papa Murphy's wanted to expand from 1,000 locations to more than 4,000 nationwide, the company called on site selection technology to boost its chances of success. Location optimization tools have helped the pizza chain improve its ability to analyze potential markets, and determine demand.
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| Last Words: |
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| PCI Security Woes |
| 04/08/2008 |
| Author: Cihan Cobanoglu |
| Study reveals that hospitality operators confused about who is ultimately responsible for compliance with payment card industry data security standards. The confusion could cost them serious monetary fines and cause guest distrust.
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| Vantage Point: |
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| Hospitality Back on the Leading Edge |
| 04/08/2008 |
| Author: Bradley Schmidt |
| The proliferation of technology in American culture within the last decade caused the hospitality industry to have a bit of a technology identity crisis. But as the industry gains back its footing in the new landscape, it is finding new and more creative ways to leverage technology and create experiences unique to the hospitality industry. It is also going back to its roots and finding ways to be seen as a marketplace for technological innovation by implementing technology that few if any customers will possess or experience.
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| HT Events: |
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| Powerhouse Speakers, Best Practices at Restaurant IT Conference |
| 04/08/2008 |
| Author: Abigail A. Lorden |
| The 13th annual MURTEC (Multi-Unit Restaurant Technology Conference), held March 12-14 in Las Vegas, provided restaurant operators intimate access to learn from and network with C-level executives from some of the industry's largest and most influential multi-unit restaurant companies.
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