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NEWS FLASH
2000 - 45 (Dec. 2000) PRODUCTS, SERVICES & APPLICATIONS Hotel Chain Gives Managers Wireless Data Access Hotel chains have been slower to adopt wireless solutions than, say, the airlines in an effort to enhance front-line customer service. Carlson Hotels, which operates the Radisson Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, however, has taken the plunge. The hotel chain has developed and started to roll out a portable wireless business information management system. Some analysts are praising the initiative as "a showcase product for the hotel industry."Developed in-house, Carlson’s wireless system, appropriately named Mobile Access to Carlson Hospitality-Version I (MACH-1), will enable their managers to access information from back-office systems via handheld devices. The hotel developed the MACH-1 to "get managers out from behind their desks and talking to customers." As quoted in ComputerWorld, Scott Heintzeman, CIO at Carlson, said "We’re not just pushing our static information, [but] information in a graphical format that makes it easy [for managers] to sport trends." For example, a room-booking screen lets managers view day-to-day or year-by-year occupancy rates. During the next 12 to 18 months, Carlson will equip corporate executives as well as general managers and frontline personnel each with a Compaq iPaq Pocket PC that uses infrared connections to synchronize with back-end systems. The hotel company plans to supplant the system with wireless LANs. Heintzeman added that with the wireless LANs, remote check-in and checkout for guests will be implemented. Commenting on Carlson’s wireless initiative, analyst Tim Scannell with Mobile Insights, Inc., called Carlson’s initiative a significant development for service organizations that need to push information to their field force. For more information: www.computerworld.com/cwi/Printer_Friendly_Version/frame/Mobileinfo Comments and Advisory: It is high time hospitality industry jumped on the bandwagon. We think business case is strong, mobility is natural in the hospitality industry, margins are relatively high and application development is not formidable. Well done, Carlson in showing the way. Note: This news release may contain forward-looking statements. Readers should take appropriate caution in developing plans utilizing these products, services and technology architectures. All trademarks used in this summary are the property of their respective owners. NEWS
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