How Hotel Management And Catering Technology Is Changing Working Roles

Hotel management and catering technology has, like technology everywhere, gone through dramatic changes in recent decades. The introduction of computer systems into just about every area of business has meant that the vast majority of employees need to have some degree of familiarity with computer systems. The systems used in hotel management can range from just the simplest administration package used to augment the paper booking system still in use, to a full electronic system which records activity in the hotel in real time.

The introduction of computer systems has changed the role of many hotel employees to some degree or other, and in the cases of management and counter staff it can change it completely. Although management remains fundamentally a people facing job, with a need for highly developed face to face negotiating skills, it also now has a need for an understanding of relevant technology. Even if you are not going to be called upon yourself to operate the computer systems, you will still need to be able to understand them to offer advice to those who do, to organize manual alternatives in the case of a breakdown, and to arrange for repairs to be carried out.

Reception and counter staff have had their roles changed out of all recognition by the introduction of computerized booking systems. In the past, bookings were taken by telephone and recorded in a book. Now, there is still a significant number of telephone bookings, but most hotels will have some kind of online booking system as well. All bookings, including the telephone bookings, will be entered into the computerized booking system to avoid the possibility of double booking errors.

Computer systems are also used at the highest levels of management to analyze performance and decide the company's future. Advanced accounting packages can break down profit and loss figures so that management can see at a glance where improvements can be made. At an even higher level, it can suggest to the top managers which hotels in a group are worth retaining, which should be sold off, and which should be redeveloped and then marketed with a different image.

The future of hotel management and catering technology is not likely to see any dramatic changes, although there is considerable scope for electronics to be used in the improvement of hotel security. Entry systems for both staff and guests can be made more secure with the use of electronic keys as well as manual. Booking systems and accounting packages are unlikely to change to any significant degree in the coming years. Computers are definitely here to stay, and if you are looking to build a long term career in hotel management you will need to spend some of your time becoming familiar with hotel management and catering technology.

 


 

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