Hostec preview
This year's Hostec event, being held at London's ExCel centre from 19 to 23 February, is expected to attract more than 10,000 visitors from around Europe who are interested in finding out about the latest technologies influencing the food service, hospitality and leisure industries.
Now in it sixth year, the event has never been more relevant, according to Robert Grimes, chairman of technology consultancy Accuvia, the owner and organiser of the event. "People used to go to hotels to get an experience different from their home," he says. "There was a time when air conditioning and cable TV were a novelty to most guests."
Today, however, it's the hotels that are competing to keep up with the growing expectations of an increasingly tech-aware client base. "It's the guests who are now using cutting-edge technology every day," says Grimes. "Many have PDAs and wireless laptops, and the vast majority make bookings online."
Technology, he says, is influencing every element of the sector: it's allowing smaller businesses to compete with larger organisations via the web; it's a vital tool in enabling companies to recruit staff from as wide a pool of talent as possible; and it's enabling the processing and reporting of important business intelligence.
According to Grimes, the event will be of interest to three distinct types of visitor.
First, there are the heads of IT and finance from large organisations, who can use the event to see all the latest technology assembled in one place. Hostec for them is a not-to-be-missed event where they can network, meet suppliers and see what's new in the market.
The second genre of visitor will be general managers and business owners of independent hospitality companies who aren't necessarily driven by technology but have to make technology buying decisions. For them, Hostec will provide an important overview of the technology that's driving the sector.
The third type of visitors will be people who work in hospitality, be they chefs, marketing professionals or customer service managers, who are keen to keep up to date with the latest innovations in their industry.
Based in the USA, Grimes is well positioned to talk about the latest technology trends affecting the sector. With most of the major hotel chains and quick-service restaurant brands located on the other side of the Atlantic, the USA has become a testing ground for technologies that hit Europe as established products.
Grimes says there are a number of areas where technology is changing quickly. Web-based reporting is now recognised as bringing competitive advantage to both restaurant and hotel businesses, providing managers with the ability to run sales reports and the like instantly and from remote locations.
Application service provision (ASP) is also becoming increasingly attractive to hospitality companies that run multiple sites, he says, as it enables them to run applications for different properties off a central server, easing manageability issues and resulting in big savings.
Grimes also pinpoints in-room system technology as an area that has come on in leaps and bounds with the advent of the internet. Online games, internet TV and innovations at the in-room bar are all aimed at providing better facilities for guests and generating extra revenue through selling services.
All these technologies and many more will be on show at Hostec, where there will also be a lively seminar programme covering all the major issues in the sector.
With so much going on over the five days of the event, Caterer has put together this event planner to help guide you through some of the highlights of the show.
What's happening and when
Sunday 19 February 12.45-13.15: Align yourself
Seminar: Aligning your IT and business strategies to ensure quantifiable results. This session will take an enterprise-wide view of business processes and IT systems, to show how an IT strategy can have a profound effect on your bottom-line results.
13.30-14.00: Keep in touch
Drop in and visit VMC, which will be showcasing the latest additions to its cashless payment products portfolio. Visitors will be able to see VMC's touch-screen customer service point system, incorporating the latest credit and debit card chip-and-PIN technology with note loader add-on options and a range of cashless EPoS terminals. Stand H5550.
14.15-15.30: Recharge your batteries
Go to see TeleAdapt, which will be launching its new AnyFill universal mobile phone battery-charging solution at Hostec 2006. The AnyFill is a desktop mobile phone speed charger, said to enable people who desperately need to use their mobile phone to charge its battery within minutes. AnyFill charges the battery with more than one hour's talktime and about 40 hours standby time in just 20 minutes. Stand H5736.
15.45-16.15: The personal touch
Visit the Springer-Miller Systems stand to see a demonstration of the company's SMS host hospitality management system, which includes more than 20 integrated, guest-centric application modules to provide hotel and resort staff with the tools they need to personalise service, exceed guest expectations and increase revenue. Stand H5650.
16.30-17.30: Anything's EPoSsible
Seminar: The changing face of EPoS.
This session will look at what it takes to bring such a solution on to the market, and the benefits chip-and-PIN technology offers. It will also cover how Bluetooth wireless and GPRS are changing the face of EPoS and card payments.
Monday 20 February 10.15-10.45: Let them entertain you
Seminar: The future of in-room entertainment. This session will outline the role of technology in shaping the guest experience, including pinpointing the guest services that add real competitive advantages and identifying the key changes in in-room technology.
11.00-11.30: It's terminal
Go and see Ramesys, which will be demonstrating the latest Z500 series EPoS terminals. The new terminal is said to combine easy-to-use devices with feature-rich intuitive software conforming to industry standards. Stand H5636.
13.00-13.30: Stay secure
Seminar: How does our industry deal with terrorism threats, and what role does technology play?
This session will address the concerns about terrorist threats to our industry, and how technology is being used to prepare for or handle such threats. It will look at security systems, business continuity plans, and emergency communication systems.
13.45-14.15: Take it easy
Premier Software will be exhibiting the latest release of its booking and management system, Premier Day Spa. The new version has the ability to book twin rooms, which reflects the growing demand for a couple to have treatments simultaneously. It is also available in a wide array of languages, to cater for multinational operators. Stand H5535.
14.30-15.00: Money talks
Seminar: Internet and web strategies for the hospitality industry. Hosted by Datacash and Fexco, this session will explore how to implement payment security on the web, and how to gain an additional revenue stream by offering dynamic currency conversion on web payments.
15.15-15.45: Call the Butler
Wireless communications specialist Long Range Systems will be showing its new commercial paging solution, called Butler II. Visitors will be able to see Butler II's easy-to-use PC interface that is said to let users pre-program specific alphanumeric messages when a button is pressed or a door becomes open. Stand H5440.
16.00-17.30: It's good to talk
Drop by the Hotel Telephone Systems stand if you want a company that offers a single support desk for customers who have both Mitel and Meteor installed. HTS offers a variety of services, including the distribution of specialised bedroom telephones, assistance with cabling requirements and high-speed internet access solutions. Stand H5708.
Tuesday 21 February 10.15-10.45: Food service special
Seminar: Step-by-step guide to foodservice. This session will provide an overview of the products available to the food service market, helping you identify key players and analysing current trends and products.
11.00-11.30: Remote access
Visit Hit Solutions for a look at its PointOne head-office product, said to offer secure remote access to sales and stock data. It enables managers who may not be on site to review daily trading figures or access historic sales information through a simple web browser. Stand H5719.
11.45-12.15: Know your options
Seminar: How to select a PMS system. There are many property management systems available to hoteliers today. This session will look at what options to consider before purchasing a PMS system.
13.00-13.30: Integrate this
Seminar: Enhancing the guest experience. This session will look at how the integration of reservations, property management and relationship management systems can maximise your overall guest experience.
13.45-14.15: Be my Guest
Drop by the stand of Guestline, which will be launching a new integrated chip-and-PIN module for its EpoS system at Hostec 2006.
Guestline EpoS is a PC-based, touch-screen point-of-sale system, said to integrate with the company's Windows- and web-based property management systems to provide a total solution for accommodation, food and beverages in hotels. Stand H5525.
14.30-15.00: Keep it private
Seminar: Privacy and data security.
This session will look at the fundamentals needed to ensure that customers' data is dealt with properly and legally. Areas covered include: loyalty marketing; training staff on security awareness and privacy policies; and understanding the risks of Wi-Fi.
15.15-15.45: Watch what you want
Visit Western to see its new SpeedWay TV, claimed to allow hotels to deliver a wide range of the latest films at full digital TV quality. This is a true video-on-demand system, says the company, which enables guests to choose a film, pause it and resume watching any time they want. Stand H5620.
Wednesday 22 February 10.15-10.45: Global communications
Seminar: Successfully communicating local needs back to the corporate base. This session will examine the infrastructure required for successful worldwide communication between satellite sites and corporate HQs.
11.45-12.15: Learning never stops
Seminar: Education for working hospitality technology professionals.
This session will look at how you keep your staff informed and aware of the latest technology offerings in the hospitality industry.
13.00-13.30: Pay all ways
Seminar: Innovations in electronic payments. This session will look at how electronic payment services can be applied to drive-through services, e-commerce, and kiosks. Find out what the challenges are, how they can be met and how they can increase revenue and efficiency.
15.00-15.30: Question time
Seminar: Selecting a PoS system for the future. With point-of-sale systems continuing to evolve, what factors and features should you consider before selecting a new PoS system? This seminar helps you determine what you really need in a PoS system and advises on the most important questions to ask before making your decision.
15.45-16.15: More great IDeaS
If your PMS or CRS system was developed before the widespread use of revenue management, you should visit the stand of IDeaS. The company has created a rate check module that can be integrated with older systems, saving the expense and hassle of having to change your existing system. Stand H5507.
Thursday 23 February
10.30-11.00: A glimpse of the future
Seminar: Tomorrow's technology - where is the future taking us? This session will feature a panel of industry experts who will seek to provide insight into where they see technology heading in the next couple of years, and what impact they believe it will have on the hospitality industry.
11.15-12.30: Call in any time
You will have to visit three stands to see the full range of restaurant paging and communications systems being shown by Call-Systems Technology. These products include: ResPAK, a system for booking and managing tables in high quality hotels and restaurants; HostAlert, a solution designed to benefit casual restaurants that specialise in walk-ins and fast table-turning; and TableCall, a wireless pager alert system that allows customers to summon staff with the press of a button. Stands H5401, H5402 and H5505.
12.45-13.15: Making connections
Seminar: Inventory management systems and back-office solutions.
This session will look at how inventory management systems have evolved state-of-the-art capabilities, with sophisticated communication links between back office, CRS and individual hotels.
Learn how these system solutions are being used today to further increase and enhance hotel management and reporting, and increase revenue.
Hostec
What: Hostec 2006
Where: ExCel, London
When: 19-23 February
More info:www.hostec-eurhotec.co.uk
