Electronic Locking System with Wireless DNA

The video below introduce a leading edge technology application for a locking system which is”The RFID Lock with Wireless DNA". Through this wireless technology, this locking system can be management and monitored remotely. Users can easily cancel lost key during a trip, customer can do the auto check-out without time waste in a line, bringing advanced value to guests and hotel owners.This system also enables users to use cell phone with built in code as the room key, increasing the mobility of usage.

Technology guards your clients: Electronic locking system

The concept of electronic locking system was introduced and developed in the late 1960s and throughout the 1970s. The advantage is the metal key is no more necessary. This electronic door system was then commonly used by high level and luxurious hotels. There are many types of method for electronics locking system, such as, numerical code, fingerprint, and RFID (Radio-frequency identification). RFID is the majority which is used in hostel industry. RFID door card through the use of radio wave to exchange data between the readers equipped on door to get the identification for unlocking doors.

The card is programmed at the front desk and the specific data is transmitted to lockset to the assigned room. Because of the convenience of electronics of locking system, more than 85% of lodging industry in US applied this system. And this technology has developed to add more value in the locking system. For example, an audit function is available to record the number of entries. This will provide a record of entries by guests and by staff as well. This advantage can effectively reduce the number of stealing; furthermore, this advantage would also increase the safety and quality of guest’s experience in the hotel. 

Central Reservation System (CRS)

In the last post, the GDS (global distribution system) was introduced which is a technology can gather all the price information and room availability from hotels owner and provide those information to customers. Today, I would like to introduce the technology applied in hotel side, a technology we commonly known as hotel reservation systems or central reservation system (CRS). The major function of CRS is the linkage between hotels and GDS. CRS is a computerized system which distributes and stores information of a hotel, resort, or lodging facilities. An hotelier can use CRS to reach GDS and approach the online distribution and sales channels.

Besides providing well connected network with GDS, application of CRS also brings some additional advantage on hotel management with very practical information in each of the following categories:

Room reservation & pricing management:

- Add, change, and cancel bookings

- Standard, package, and group rate

- Table of room type and rates

- Waitlist capabilities

Customers’ profiles:

- Membership or club numbers and tracking

- Notation for special commissions for client, agent, or source

- Outstanding history statistics for past and future stays

Groups & Blocks:

- Groups room control

- Room allotments with cutoff date or days

- Super Group Blocks -single group staying at multiple properties

Administration:

- Transaction activity by agent and CRO

- On-line, written, or faxed confirmations

- Multi-tiered source of business tracking

Reporting:

- Expected Arrivals

- Total Booking Activity

- Monthly Booking Activity Summary

- Daily Booking Activity Summary

    The interface of CRS

    

                                               The network of CRS     

GDS (Global Distribution System) – You can get the better price

Look at the video from Youtube about how GDS works on Priceline. Customers can easily name their own price through i-phone app. The more interactions between hotel owner and customer provide more chance to reach the satisfied price for both sides. "Last night price" is another promotion which Priceline uses to entice customer and sell their empty rooms in the last minute. Cheap price to customers and not-waste for empty rooms to hotel owner is the value created by GDS which didn't exist in the past without GDS system.

GDS (Global Distribution System) – Connect to the world

In this post, I would like to introduce a tool called GDS (Global Distribution System) which is common used in travel industry. GDS is a very power reservation tool for agent making airline, car rental, hotel and other travel services booking. GDS, in 1960s, was first designed and operated by airline companies to track flight schedules, prices, and availability. GDS is a tool using computerized system and digital database to restore information and make transaction through internet. GDS system provides customer access to check worldwide travel service provider through internet. GDS was actually very primary e-commerce business tool. Nowadays, GDS furthermore establish an interface on which all relative service providers, such as airline company, car rental company, travel agent, and hotel, can facilitate B-B e-commerce business model. Because of GDS, customers can seek for total solution rather than ask to different companies individually.

There are currently four major GDS systems: 

1. Amadeus   

2. Galileo 

3. Sabre 

4. Worldspan 

GDS was also common adopted in hotel industry to improve the management quality in following aspects:

Sales increase:

Customer now can easily check the availability of room and compare the price online. GDS also increases the possibility of that customer access to the hotel commercial or advertisement.  

Price and allocation management:

Based on the real-time data in GDS, hotel owner can make best pricing strategy to guarantee the profit. To chose the timing for sale promotion, the historical data and current room-occupancy status can be the best indicator.

Packages:

Through GDS, Hotel is not only selling a room for stay anymore, more comprehensive service could be provided to entice customer. For example, hotel and car-rental can be made into a bundle to increase the customer value perspective.

The chart below is the diagram demonstrate the network of GDS. The role of GDS and the relationship to up-stream user and down-stream travel service provider are clearly depicted.  

diagram is from http://www.faqs.org