Technology Reports - Hospitality Net

January 25, 2005

Gómez Performance Index For Hotels: December 15, 2004 - January 15, 2005

The Gómez Performance Index (GPI) for Hotels benchmarks end-to-end application response time and availability of leading hotel and third-party travel services Web sites executing a multi-step transaction -- the ubiquitous hotel room search. The steps measured consist of navigating to the homepage; initiating a search query; and gathering room details and rate information. Measurements for the Hotels GPI are taken from a cross section of a high-speed Internet backbone networks once every hour from 10 co-location facilities around the U.S.

Gómez

Report

January 2, 2005

Staying A Step Ahead of Your Guests

The Wall Street Journal recently reported on a new study from PricewaterhouseCoopers which said the hotel industry will raise their spending on renovations by 37% next year. PwC said hotels will spend $4.1 billion on upgrades and renovations in 2005, up from $3 billion this year. They also said that this is not due to a sudden spike in revenues but a response to what they call a hotel-amenities war. According to the study, hotels are trying to stay ahead of each other in keeping up with customers who have poured money into their own homes to upgrade features, the same ones they will want in a hotel.

HVS

Report

December 22, 2004

Gómez Performance Index For Hotels: November 15 - December 15, 2004

The Gómez Performance Index (GPI) for Hotels benchmarks end-to-end application response time and availability of leading hotel and third-party travel services Web sites executing a multi-step transaction -- the ubiquitous hotel room search. The steps measured consist of navigating to the homepage; initiating a search query; and gathering room details and rate information. Measurements for the Hotels GPI are taken from a cross section of a high-speed Internet backbone networks once every hour from 10 co-location facilities around the U.S.

Gómez

Report

November 30, 2004

Cornell Study Shows How To Maximize Value Of Information Technology

Ithaca, N.Y. | A new report published by The Center for Hospitality Research at Cornell provides a roadmap for executives to use to create and sustain strategic advantage in information technology. The report, Making IT Matter: A Manager's Guide to Creating and Sustaining Competitive Advantage with Information Systems, was written by Cornell Professor Gabriele Piccoli, Ph.D. Piccoli’s groundbreaking study offers the first comprehensive tool to help strategists plan, implement and upgrade information technology solutions. In particular, Piccoli aims to show executives how to create value that can be protected against competitive imitation.

CHR

Report

November 23, 2004

Gómez Performance Index For Hotels: October 15 - November 15, 2004

The Gómez Performance Index (GPI) for Hotels benchmarks end-to-end application response time and availability of leading hotel and third-party travel services Web sites executing a multi-step transaction -- the ubiquitous hotel room search. The steps measured consist of navigating to the homepage; initiating a search query; and gathering room details and rate information. Measurements for the Hotels GPI are taken from a cross section of a high-speed Internet backbone networks once every hour from 10 co-location facilities around the U.S.

Gómez

Report

October 25, 2004

Gómez Performance Index For Hotels: September 15 - October 15, 2004

The Gómez Performance Index (GPI) for Hotels benchmarks end-to-end application response time and availability of leading hotel and third-party travel services Web sites executing a multi-step transaction -- the ubiquitous hotel room search. The steps measured consist of navigating to the homepage; initiating a search query; and gathering room details and rate information. Measurements for the Hotels GPI are taken from a cross section of a high-speed Internet backbone networks once every hour from 10 co-location facilities around the U.S.

Gómez

Report

September 30, 2004

The Importance of Infrastructure: Planning for the Future

What allows a hotel to stand the test of time? You know the type: the “grand dames” of hospitality, world-renowned, ever-dynamic, always beautiful, and usually higher rated (as in ADR) hotel properties? They sprinkle themselves with diamonds and stars and make you remember one night there forever. As a strategist I wonder: What entitles some hotels to prosper for dozens of decades, while their competitors fade away in increments of thirty years?

HVS

Report

September 28, 2004

PKF Opinions | The power of the internet to build customer relationships and increase service levels in the travel and hospitality industry

As a result of world events of epic proportions, from September 11th, to an economic depression to SARs, consumers have become more sensitive to pricing pressures. They are more likely to conduct extensive research on prospective travel plans and are constantly seeking assurance and confidence. The conduit between these consumers and their destination is the Internet, and specifically, search engine marketing (including natural website optimization and paid search).

PKF

Report

September 21, 2004

Gómez Performance Index For Hotels: August 15 - Septemeber 15, 2004

The Gómez Performance Index (GPI) for Hotels benchmarks end-to-end application response time and availability of leading hotel and third-party travel services Web sites executing a multi-step transaction -- the ubiquitous hotel room search. The steps measured consist of navigating to the homepage; initiating a search query; and gathering room details and rate information. Measurements for the Hotels GPI are taken from a cross section of a high-speed Internet backbone networks once every hour from 10 co-location facilities around the U.S.

Gómez

Report

September 12, 2004

Developing an Email Marketing Strategy in Hospitality

Email marketing has changed significantly since our first article on the subject appeared a few years ago. Savvy hoteliers who embraced the use of email marketing as a direct distribution tool have another potent weapon in their arsenal against the need for online intermediaries. We have revisited email because this eMarketing format has developed remarkably in hospitality over these few years. As well as highlight important changes, we share examples of the collective spirit of hotel marketers who have been able to overcome spam and Internet marketing challenges by introducing great solutions for promoting their hotels in a cluttered email box world.

By Max Starkov, Hospitality & travel technologist and digital strategist, Hospitality Net

Report

July 21, 2004

Gómez Performance Index For Hotels: June 15 - July 15, 2004

The Gómez Performance Index (GPI) for Hotels benchmarks end-to-end response time and availability performance of leading hotel and third-party travel services Web sites executing a multi-step transaction -- the ubiquitous hotel room search. The steps measured consist of navigating to the homepage; initiating a search query; and gathering room details and rate information. Measurements for the Hotels GPI are taken from a cross section of a high-speed Internet backbone networks once every hour from 10 co-location facilities around the U.S.

Gómez

Report

June 28, 2004

Gómez Performance Index For Hotels: May 15 - June 15, 2004

The Gómez Performance Index (GPI) for Hotels benchmarks end-to-end response time and availability performance of leading hotel and third-party travel services Web sites executing a multi-step transaction -- the ubiquitous hotel room search. The steps measured consist of navigating to the homepage; initiating a search query; and gathering room details and rate information. Measurements for the Hotels GPI are taken from a cross section of a high-speed Internet backbone networks once every hour from 10 co-location facilities around the U.S.

Gómez

Report

May 12, 2004

Technology In Hospitality - Clash and Collaboration

Technologists and Hoteliers have very different personalities, yet both are critical to successful hotel technology decisions. This article explores the nature of that sometimes difficult collaboration, and offers some advice for a smooth process. Members of any IT department, from programmers to engineers, tend to be significantly different from the rest of their organization. Their strong technical skills, focus on logic, reason and order, as well as their discomfort with social interactions, places them at odds with the business world. Yet the general business world, where the approach is more fluid and subjective, is not as adept at solving complex technical problems.

HVS

Report

May 4, 2004

A Focus On Customers, Channels, Content And Capital Is Driving A Changed Approach To I.T. In The Global Hospitality Industry – Presentation by Ian C Graham

Bag End at Fletchings | In a world that is changing, it is no wonder that the world of technology in hospitality is ever changing. In a speech made at the Arabian Travel Market in Dubai on May 5 by Ian Graham, Managing Director of The Hotel Solutions Partnership Ltd, explored these changes and notes the strategies pursued by progressive executives.

The Hotel Solutions Partnership Ltd and The Hotel Solutions Partnership

Report

March 21, 2004

The (Not So Secret) Life of Data - By Chris Hartmann - HVS International

Today's environment of phenomenal growth in both computing power and communications yields an amount of information that is staggering and often beyond human ability to deal with it. Leaving aside the Internet's infinite information space, even a typical hotel has far more internal data than it can effectively use. Hotel information shares the same four needs as all business data: collection/storage, retrieval/selection, analysis, and communication.

HVS

Report

February 29, 2004

Networking Intelligence - Connecting Your Staff To Hotel Data, Each Other, And The Internet Is A Critical Success Factor But... - by Chris Hartmann - HVS International

Connecting your staff to hotel data, each other, and the Internet is a critical success factor but often neglected. This article discusses the risks of that neglect as well as some suggestions on preventing it and gaining a jump on the competition.

HVS

Report

February 26, 2004

High Speed Internet Access: No Longer 'Optional' - by Chris Hartmann - HVS International

The world's largest hotel affiliation, Best Western International, recently announced that high-speed Internet access will be available in all properties (though not all rooms) by the end of 2004. Likewise, Marriott and Hilton began mandating access last year for all new properties while widespread adoption continues at existing owned, operated and franchised properties. Their initiatives are likely to make Internet access a necessary, competitive amenity at almost every hotel in the U.S. If you are one of the many hoteliers now scrambling to install high-speed Internet access in your property, here are some tips for a successful experience. And for anyone who still believes that a dataport and a second phone line constitute high-speed Internet access - sorry, it's not even close.

HVS

Report

December 21, 2003

Gómez Performance Index For Hotels: Inaugural Analysis

The Gómez Performance Index (GPI) for Hotels benchmarks end-to-end response time and availability performance of leading hotel and third-party travel services Web sites executing a multi-step transaction -- the ubiquitous hotel room search. The steps measured consist of navigating to the homepage; initiating a search query; and gathering room details and rate information. Measurements for the Hotels GPI are taken from a cross section of a high-speed Internet backbone networks once every hour from 10 co-location facilities around the U.S.

Gómez

Report

September 10, 2003

Emotional Comfort - By Jacques Levy Bonvin - for ehlite.com

In the hospitality industry, everything is just about emotion!

Indeed, in this industry, it is about comfort and wellness. The hotelier and the restaurateur who welcomes the guests know it well. It is about pleasing, delighting, serving and to make sure the guest leaves with a positive souvenir if one wants to keep its clientele.

Report

September 10, 2003

Gómez Hotel Industry Benchmark - Homepage Data - August 2003

The Gómez Hotel Industry Homepage Benchmark for August reveals: (1) Network Data Center Response times are again on the rise for the online hotel industry. The aggregate benchmark for all companies monitored was 4.06 seconds for the month of August 2003, up from 3.68 seconds in July. (2) Marriott continues to lead the Network Data Center, Corporate and Residential Broadband connection speed benchmarks in end-to-end homepage response time. The hotelier's site, however, falls short in our dial-up "last mile" measurements, ranking third behind Choice Hotels and Embassy Suites. (3) Availability metrics for all benchmarked hotels remain superb across each connection speed monitored. Each benchmark, save the Dial-up Connection index, is in the 99th percentile, illustrating superior online reliability for the industry as a whole.

Gómez