Chapter 11 Information Systems

Hilton's Customer-information System, Called OnQ,  Rolling Out Across 8 Hotel Brands; Seeking Guest Loyalty and Competitive Advantage with Proprietary Technology

.

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. - Aug. 31, 2004 -- Hilton Hotels Corporation (NYSE:HLT) announced today that having completed deployment of its proprietary technology platform called OnQ(TM) across all of its more than 2,200 Hilton Family Hotels, including Hilton(R), Conrad(R), Doubletree(R), Embassy Suites Hotels(R), Hampton Inn(R), Hampton Inn & Suites(R), Hilton Garden Inn(R), Hilton Grand Vacations Club(R) and Homewood Suites by Hilton(R), the company continues to utilize technology to enhance guest recognition and efficiency, rolling out or expanding the following cutting-edge programs: Remote, Web-based check-in 24 hours prior to arrival enables guests with password-protected online account to select their room type and features based on preferences and history and print their confirmation document; Electronic folio access enables individual business travelers to review online and print their hotel folios (hotel receipts) following their stays at any of the 2,200+ Hilton Family of Hotels; for all guests with password-protected online preferences, a first for a multi-brand hotel company; Expansion of automated check-in kiosks to 100 kiosks within 45 Hilton Family hotels by year-end with an emphasis on metro and airport markets, enabling self-service check-in, room selection, check-out and a variety of other automated services; and High-Speed Internet Access now is available to guests at more than 1,995 of its 2,200 hotels, bringing the Hilton Family closer to 100 percent completion than its top competitors. "We are passionate about taking care of our guests, providing them with more choices and flexibility through effective use of technology. Being the only hospitality company utilizing a single, common technology platform across all brands and sharing real-time information across every guest touch point -- the hotel front desk, reservations, the HHonors Service Center and our brand websites -- enables us to take better care of guests at every single point of contact while ensuring their privacy," said Tom Keltner, president - brand performance and franchise development group. "Through better inventory management and enhanced recognition of returning guests at all points of interaction, we've achieved a rare feat in our industry of dramatically increasing guest recognition and loyalty scores within the past year across all brands." . "The name, OnQ (pronounced "On Cue"), supports the Hilton Hotels Corporation 'Customer Really Matters' (CRM) strategy and represents information that is available to team members on demand, prompting them to act on guest 'cues' -- preferences and service-recovery alerts -- that will delight customers and create a bond of loyalty to the Hilton Family of Hotels," said Tim Harvey, chief information officer for Hilton Hotels Corporation. "OnQ also represents an integrated suite of tools that 'cue' hotel operators to respond decisively to current market conditions and make informed business decisions based on historical trends and competitive data." . Web-Based Check-In Provides Greater ConvenienceAvailable within the fourth quarter 2004 at selected hotels across all brands, Web-based check-in will enable Gold and Diamond Hilton HHonors(R) members with password-protected online accounts to check into their hotel rooms in advance of arrival, regardless of how they made their reservation. Guests simply access their reservation via one of the brand websites, select a room with features that best meet their needs, and print the confirmation. Since guest information is stored within the online personal account, the hotel does not need to collect the same information at check-in. Once the guest checks in remotely via the Web, the hotel is notified electronically of the pending arrival. The hotel front desk then completes all pre-arrival and check-in processes so that the guest's key card and registration packet are ready and waiting for the guest's arrival. Upon arrival at the hotel, guests exchange the check-in receipt for their prepared room key and welcome packet, which will be waiting for them at the hotel front desk. "OnQ takes customer loyalty to a new level within the hospitality industry, most significantly because it enables us to continue to launch new, innovative technology that caters specifically to our guests' needs and aspirations," said Tim Harvey, chief information officer for Hilton Hotels Corporation. "Demonstrating our passion for taking care of our customers, our most recent and ongoing technological innovations are putting our guests more in control of their hotel experience, from pre-reservations to post-stay." Guests easily can create a personal profile by visiting any of the Hilton Family brand sites and click on "Create an Account." Electronic Folio Service Eases Travel Management & Expense Reporting By September 1, 2004, guests who create a password-protected online account with the Hilton Family will be able to access, view and print hotel folios (itemized descriptions of hotel charges) for an unlimited number of stays at the past five hotels across all brands, through an online feature made possible by the company's OnQ technology. At program launch, guests will be able to access three months of folio history, which will be expanded to a longer period of time in early 2005. "While we have provided electronic folios in the past to groups and corporate clients with negotiated rates, the Hilton Family is the first multi-brand company within the hotel industry to make E-Folio available to individual business travelers, across all of our brands," said Harvey. "Further easing the travel ordeal, saving time for frequent travelers, providing the convenience to facilitate expense report back-up, E-Folio is just one of the many ways we can provide peace-of-mind to our guests through their password-enabled online personal profile." Kiosk Check-In/Check-Out Saves Time Utilizing the OnQ technology as an enabler, Hilton developed, tested and deployed pilot kiosks in only three short months and is accelerating installations in more hotels in additional cities. Thirty kiosks now are deployed within seven hotels in Boston, Chicago, New York and San Francisco. The company is planning to install check-in kiosks in a total of 45 hotels and 100 kiosks across all brands by year-end. Deployment will focus on its company owned and managed metropolitan-area and airport hotels. Kiosks are designed to provide guests with more choices, convenience and control. Self-service kiosks currently are being used by 10-12 percent of guests on average within the hotels that offer the service. In some hotels, as much as 35 percent of the eligible guests are utilizing the convenient technology, far exceeding company expectations. Guest services staff assigned to the kiosk area are available to assist guests who have questions. Current enhanced-service applications for the kiosks include room check-in (ability to select the room, disbursement of room keys, and printing of registration information), check-out (printing of folio), personalized messaging to guests, and coupons for hotel services in selected locations. Upcoming enhancements include expanded ability to: offer visual room selection, hotel services such as bundled high-speed Internet access and phone services; up-sell to executive floors; and review resort package options. Hilton Family Nears Complete Installation of High-Speed Internet Access in All Hotels In one of the most aggressive efforts within the hotel industry to complete installation of simple, fast and reliable high-speed Internet access within all hotels across all brands, the Hilton Family is targeting the end of the fourth quarter to install HSIA in all of its 2,200+ hotels. Leading the industry in deployment progress, the company has achieved installation in more than 1,995 hotels, or roughly 90 percent installation throughout all of its hotels, including wireless in most public spaces. OnQ Technology Resonates with Guests OnQ improves guest recognition at check-in and provides more enhanced levels of service based on real-time access to guest preferences, information about Hilton HHonors guest reward program membership status, and past and future guest stays across all brands. "With the award-winning OnQ system, everyone benefits," said Keltner. "Because of increased guest recognition and enhanced service levels across all guest touch points, the Hilton Family is ensuring guest loyalty, which is increasing each brand's market share among its competitive set." Once a guest creates a password-protected account, front desk team members can recognize him or her at check-in and provide more personalized, enhanced service, including: Welcoming a guest back when he or she typically stays at another of our hotels in the Hilton Family and is staying for the first-time at one of the sister brands; Delivering a guest's top four guest preferences, including smoking or non-smoking room; type of bed (king or double/double); floor level; and room location relative to the elevator, among other preferences; Accessing real-time information about an HHonors member's reward status; Making requested adjustments to a guest's personal profile; and Changing a future reservation from the hotel in which a guest currently is staying. Since the launch of OnQ, the Hilton Family has been recognized among Computer World's 100 Best Places to Work in IT; within the Information Week Top 5 and 1st place within the Hospitality and Travel Category; and has received the Chain Leadership Award in the Category of Technology from Lodging Hospitality and as a result of being nominated by one of our technology partners, has received the Black Business Association award for Support of Minority Businesses.About the Hilton Family of Hotels Hilton Hotels Corporation is recognized internationally as a preeminent hospitality company. The company develops, owns, manages or franchises more than 2,200 hotels, resorts and vacation ownership properties. Its portfolio includes many of the world's best known and most highly regarded hotel brands, including Hilton(R), Conrad(R), Doubletree(R), Embassy Suites Hotels(R), Hampton Inn(R), Hampton Inn & Suites(R), Hilton Garden Inn(R), Hilton Grand Vacations Club(R) and Homewood Suites by Hilton(R). http://www.hotel-online.com

Chapter 10 Information Technology

 The Advantages of New Technology in Your Business

Reduced Waste

will lead to lower costs. Today, the amount of waste produced by technology can be the difference between strict environmental regulations and closure (but of course, also profitability).

Increased Productivity

where properly assessed, increased production, through efficiency and better planning, can also result from the introduction of new technology.

Less Workforce

may be needed if jobs that previously required personnel can now be automated, further reducing costs. This is an added advantage if you have few employees already, otherwise you may face redundancies.

Higher Profits

due to the increased efficiency which produces less costs. It may also be that new technology allows jobs to be completed quicker so that cash flow is more fluid.

A Higher Income

can be yours if your business is making more profit. You may even decide to give your employees a bonus that could increase their motivation.

Advanced Communications

such as the use of e-mail, computer networks and mobile phones allow information to be sent/received instantly. This is especially useful for long distances where documents and information needs to be passed on quickly. Remote work-force employers (employing travelling sales, home workers etc) have instant access to staff from mobile phones, web cams from PC’s and on-the-road lap tops.

More Competitive

as you can afford to lower the price of your product/service if your profit levels increase, without lowering your standards.

The Disadvantages of New Technology in Your Business

The Management

of new technology can be extremely difficult.

and clomid

If the decision of purchasing new technology is down to you, do you buy now or wait for the next technological advance? Also, you have to decide if the technology is really needed as some things can be expensive. Integrating the technology into your workforce is another task in its self.

New Skills

may be needed to operate the new technology and so you will have to re-train your employees.

Maintenance

of the technology will be required to keep it efficient. More importantly, if it is a piece of machinery on a production line: what if it beaks down – will it put a stop to all production?

Costs

are something that will be reduced if integrated properly. You have to consider if you have the finance to purchase the technology in the first place. Secondly, if it is to replace employees, will you have to issue redundancy pay?

Time

can be lost if you have to reorganize the workplace to set up the new technology. This could be an important issue if your business works to tight deadlines.

order amoxil

If you have a network of PC’s (even two) you will have to know something about computers to ensure quick resolvement of IT issues.

ref. http://www.bizhelp24.com

Chapter 9 : Evaluation

Chapter 9 : Evaluation

characteristic of good websites

What makes a website successful? Keep the following points in mind when creating your website to get the most out of it:

• Content

Quality content on your website can provide users with the information they are looking for. Content also allows you to establish yourself as an expert in your field. When your website visitors are looking to make a purchase they will feel more comfortable with your products and services if you have built their trust and confidence through what you have written on your website.

Keyword-filled content is also crucial for getting high search engine rankings. Most internet users trust search engines to help them find what they are looking for. Taking the time to create high quality content can have huge payoffs through increased search engine rankings.

• Simple and Attractive Design

The design of a good website should be simple, yet professional. The design should not take away or distract from the content. Websites with excessive use of Flash and moving images can be very distracting. Use design to help you get your message to visitors, not to distract them from the message. Colors should not be hard on the eyes, and text should be easy to read.

• Easy Navigation

Navigation and links provide opportunities to incorporate design elements in to the website; however, navigation schemes should not be so elaborate that the user has trouble knowing where to click to move to another page. The average visitor’s attention span is a matter of seconds, and if it is hard to find what he or she is looking for, you will loose that visitor very quickly. Links to your most important pages should be easily found on every page. A good rule of thumb is that every page should be accessible in two clicks from your home page (this may not be possible with larger sites).

• Unique

The most successful websites will stand out from the crowd. There are a number of was that you can make your website stand out: better design, high quality articles, a blog, a newsletter, some type of resource or tool. Find something that would be appealing to your target market.

• Fresh

Having a website that changes or is updated frequently will encourage repeat visitors. Repeat visitors will be more loyal and more likely to buy. There are a few different options for keeping your site fresh:

1- Update the site and add content occasionally – This will require you to either pay a designer or do the work yourself.

2 – Use a blog – With a blog you can add content to your website from any computer with an internet connection. All you’ll have to do is login and type. No special software or skills are required.

3 – RSS feeds – With RSS feeds you can add news headlines, weather, stock tickers, etc. to your website. Additionally, you can add content from most blogs to your site with RSS. The benefit of RSS feeds is that once in place they will automatically update.

• Optimized

A successful website will be search engine-friendly. Optimization includes things like using page titles and meta tags for all of your pages. Using headers and alt tags for images can also help optimization and accessibility. Even a website that is strong in other areas but weak in optimization may be hard for users to find.

Example :  The Good website

Information Bias

Examples of Bias in Wikipedia: Global warming

This article lists examples of Bias in Wikipedia, related to global warming:

1. Conservapedia posted the news about liberal corruption of global warming science (climategate) on its Main Page on the very first day: November 19th. But it took Wikipedia over two weeks to give priority to this bombshell, and even now its entry is remarkably biased against it.^[1]
2. 100's of other climatologists have been removed from the category "Global warming skeptics", which Wikipedia decided to delete.^[2][3]
3. Wikipedia's most controversial pages are guarded by liberal elite. Thereby, accuracy is replaced with ideology. ^[4] The first one-hundred and sixty-eight words on Wikipedia's Global Warming page contains multiple conjectures, major errors and bias. "increase in the average measured temperature ... since the mid-twentieth century" that same paragraph "solar variation combined with volcanoes ... and a small cooling effect from 1950 onward." Which is it, warmer or cooler from 1950? "very likely due" "probably had" or "the overwhelming majority of scientists working on climate change agree with the IPCC's main conclusions"- unsubstantiated bias.
4. Liberal elites at Wikipedia have embraced the ideology of Al Gore's Global Warming. It is with great sadness that ClimateGate has emerged as a worldwide news story. In an attempt to shrug-off the story, Wikipedia labels the page Climatic Research Unit e-mail hacking incident, with ClimateGate as only a redirect. [1] Next, Wikipedia claims the CRU was illegally hacked but other sources say possibly an inside job. [2] Finally, Wikipedia is sure to include plenty of climate change alarmists views discounting the incident; a smear campaign, an attempt to sabotage the Copenhagen, James Hansen "no effect on the science" , UK Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change Ed Miliband "We should be cautious about using partial emails that have been leaked to somehow cast doubt..." [3]
5. A recent charge is that U.K. scientist and Green Party activist and Realclimate.org member William Connolley functioned as a Wikipedia editor and website administrator, repressing information that militated against Climate Change. As such he "rewrote Wikipedia’s articles on global warming, on the greenhouse effect, on the instrumental temperature record, on the urban heat island, on climate models, on global cooling. On Feb. 14, he began to erase the Little Ice Age; on Aug.11, the Medieval Warm Period."^[5]
6. Michael Mann is a well known global warming alarmist who is ridiculed for his so-called scientific work on tree ring temperature data, the Hockey Stick theory and was the subject of fraud in the Climategate scandal. Wikipedia decides not to allow any mention of his involvement with Climategate. Any mention of Climategate is immediately removed from Mann's page. [4]
7. Wikipedia defines Denialism as "choosing to deny reality as a way to avoid an uncomfortable truth". It then gives as two of its main examples, Exxon-Mobil contributing to climate change research, and the Bush Administration's refusal to submit the Kyoto Protocol for ratification.[5]

References

1. ↑ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Climategate
2. ↑ http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=John_Coleman_(news_weathercaster)&diff=232272809&oldid=227980118
3. ↑ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Categories_for_discussion/Log/2008_August_7#Global_warming_and_ozone_hole_skeptics_categories
4. ↑ Wikipropaganda On Global Warming National Review, July 8, 2008
5. ↑ Lawrence Solomon: Wikipedia’s climate doctor, December 19, 2009

Chapter 8: Search Engines

How Do Search Engines Work?

Internet search engines are special sites on the Web that are designed to help people find information stored on other sites. There are differences in the ways various search engines work, but they all perform three basic tasks:

• They search the Internet -- or select pieces of the Internet -- based on important words.
• They keep an index of the words they find, and where they find them.
• They allow users to look for words or combinations of words found in that index.

Early search engines held an index of a few hundred thousand pages and documents, and received maybe one or two thousand inquiries each day. Today, a top search engine will index hundreds of millions of pages, and respond to tens of millions of queries per day. In this article, we'll tell you how these major tasks are performed, and how Internet search engines put the pieces together in order to let you find the information you need on the Web.

5 Example:
1. http://www.entireweb.com/
2. http://infomine.ucr.edu/
3. http://infomine.ucr.edu/
4. http://www.topsite.com/
5. http://www.surfcanyon.com/

Chapter 7: Internet

Please suggest the ideas to help and support the flooding crisis in Thailand in your web blog.

Have people donate a lot, so rescue team can go and buy stuffs that are needed for the victims that are in the flood areas or have already move out into safe zone areas. Also, we should have the rescue teams move the injury victims as soon as possible to a safe places.

Example of citation

In-Text Citations (APA Manual, pp. 174-179)

What You Are Citing	In-Text Citation
The entire work	(Smith, 2004)
A specific page	(Smith, 2004, p. 39)
If the author's name is included in the text of the sentence where the citation takes place	Smith (2004, p. 39) claims that... Use only the date or date and page number.
An online article with no page numbers.	(Myers, 2000, para. 5) (Beutler, 2000, Conclusion section, para. 1) Use abbreviation "para." followed by the paragraph number you are citing. When possible, specify a section of the article.
Citing multiple authors	See Authors, below.

Authors (APA Manual, pp. 181-183)

One author

Example: Reference List Citation	Example: In-Text Citation
Courtois, C. A. (2004).	(Courtois, 2004)

Two authors

Example: Reference List Citation	Example: In-Text Citation
Kelley, P. C., & Chang, P. L. (2007).	(Kelley & Chang, 2007)

Ref .http://www.umuc.edu/library/libhow/apa_examples.cfm

"Behavioral Study of Obedience"

by [author], [University]

1961

Abstract

There are little facts about the role of obedience when doing evil actions up until now (1961). Most theories suggest that only very disturbed people do horrible actions if they are ordered to do so. Our experiment tested people's obedience to authority. The results showed that most obey all orders given by the authority-figure. The conclusion is that when it comes to people harming others, the situation a person's in is more important than previously thought. In contrary to earlier belief, individual characteristics are less important.

Introduction

Current theories focus on personal characteristics to explain wrong-doing and how someone can intentionally harm others. In a survey, professionals such as doctors, psychologist and laymen thought that very few out of a population (1-3%) would harm others if ordered to do so.
    In the recent war trial with Adolph Eichmann, he claims to "only have been following orders". The author wanted to test whether this is true, or just a cheap explanation. Can people harm others because they obey the orders? Are good-hearted people able to do this?
    The experiment will test whether a person can keep giving electric shocks to another person just because they are told to do so. The expectation is that very few will keep giving shocks, and that most persons will disobey the order.

Methods

Participants
There were male 30 participants participating. They were recruited by advertisement in a newspaper and were paid $4.50.
Instruments
A "shock generator" was used to trick the participants into thinking that they gave shock to another person in another room. The shock generator had switches labeled with different voltages, starting at 30 volts and increasing in 15-volt increments all the way up to 450 volts. The switches were also labeled with terms which reminded the participant of how dangerous the shocks were.
Procedures
The participant met another "participant" in the waiting room before the experiment. The other "participant" was an actor. Each participant got the role as a "teacher" who would then deliver a shock to the actor ("learner") every time an incorrect answer was produced. The participant believed that he was delivering real shocks to the learner.
    The learner was a confederate who would pretend to be shocked. As the experiment progressed, the teacher would hear the learner plead to be released and complain about a heart condition. Once the 300-volt level had been reached, the learner banged on the wall and demanded to be released. Beyond this point, the learner became completely silent and refused to answer any more questions. The experimenter then instructed the participant to treat this silence as an incorrect response and deliver a further shock.
    When asking the experimenter if they should stop, they were instructed to continue.

Results

Of the 40 participants in the study, 26 delivered the maximum shocks. 14 persons did not obey the experimenter and stopped before reaching the highest levels. All 40 participants continued to give shocks up to 300 volts.

Discussion/Conclusion

Most of the participants became very agitated, stressed and angry at the experimenter. Many continued to follow orders all the time even though they were clearly uncomfortable. The study shows that people are able to harm others intentionally if ordered to do so. It shows that the situation is far more important than previously believed, and that personal characteristics are less important in such a situation.

References

http://www.experiment-resources.com/example-of-a-research-paper.html#ixzz1Zi89vdxo