Educational timetable – Wednesday, 6 February
23 January 2002 by Andrew Davies
The registration desk for Hostec/Eurhotec 2002 is open each day from 8.30am to 5.30pm.
There is a continental breakfast from 9am to 9.30am each morning - all delegates are invited.
| Meeting Room 1 | Meeting Room 2 | |
| 09.30 to 10.15 | When outsourcing IT can make good financial sense This session will address return-on-investment and existing marketplace resources for the operator considering outsourcing the IT functions of their organisations. As systems for enterprise reporting become more diverse and the labour pool more difficult to define the IT functions present a myriad of challenges that might best be addressed by engaging a resource partner. | Managing vendors, consultants and IT-driven initiatives *Dan Connolly, assistant professor, School of Hotels, Restaurant & Tourism Management, University of Denver* How do you manage resources that are executing technical functions that you may not fully understand? This is the tough challenge in front of many operators who are dealing with suppliers of Web design and hosting, network specialists and telecommunication agents of all kinds. This session will provide insight into how to manage and obtain desired results from technical resources. |
| 10.30 to 11.15 | Contracting technology solutions in various organisational structures *Kenneth Hartman, CHI, Piper Marbury Rudnick & Wolfe* Partner alliances with suppliers of technology are becoming integral to the successful operation of many chains. How to build contracts that recognise the risk of such alliances, the ever changing nature of technology and the access that your technology supplier may have to your data and operating processes is paramount to protecting your long term interests. | What's coming in foodservice technology? *Toby Malbec, managing director, Accuvia Consulting* What is marketable and what is not? What are customers expecting at each point of customer service and what is the cost benefit of implementing? What do customers expect and what enhances the customer experience? |
| 11.30 to 12.15 | Loyalty programs - what they mean to your bottom line Has the implementation of a customer loyalty program positively or negatively impacted your bottom line and customer perception? This panel discussion of operators from various aspects of the industry will explore the benefits as well as the overstatements of loyalty programs. | Operational customer relationship management (CRM) trends and strategies *Kenny Jacobs, Independent Consultant, Ireland* This discussion of CRM strategies that have worked as well as those that have been less than successful will provide insights for operators to apply to their own customer retention efforts. |
| 12.30 to 14.00 | Lunch and chief information officers panel Moderated CIO panel discussion of current challenges and trends facing the international hotel and travel industry. Panelists to include Jules Sieburgh, Host Marriott; Willi Tinner, Swissotel; Mike Kennedy, Cendant. | Lunch and chief information officers panel Moderated CIO panel discussion of current challenges and trends facing the international hotel and travel industry. Panelists to include Jules Sieburgh, Host Marriott; Willi Tinner, Swissotel; Mike Kennedy, Cendant. |
| 14.15 to 15.00 | Travel.com - the Web initiative for the travel industry An update by the International Air Travel Association on the development of the Travel.com Web portal. | Wireless communications and applications - where to invest Pushing organisational efficiency to the next level through instant communication provided by wireless communication devices. How can these powerful tools be used most cost-effectively to improve organisational efficiency? |
| 15.15 to 16.00 | Building security and trust online and off Discussion of digital technology and the risks of automated data capture. What level of security do customers expect of your organisation and what can you guarantee and control? How can you control the data terrorists that may reside inside your organisation or out? | Driving traffic to your Web site - hits and misses *Marco Amaral, e-commerce director, Orient Express Hotels* This session will present case studies on development and impact of instituting an interactive customer Web site. What are the high points and pitfalls? |
| 16.15 to 17.00 | Integrate mobile devices into corporate infrastructures Have you considered integrating mobile devices into your corporate infrastructures and how to mobilise the enterprise, develop a strategy, and properly consider the return on investment? This session examines those very questions. | Communication media for the future Telecommunications and telecom services are changing rapidly. This sesson will examine the media available today and what is likely to be delivered in the near future. |
