Bill Gates once said........ MAX HITCHINS
Bill Gates once said… “The Internet is becoming the town square for the global village of tomorrow.” But we, in the hospitality industry in hotels, pubs, bars, taverns and restaurants have always been ‘town squares of cities towns and villages. Where are we in the future? The answer is: Technology IS the future…and the future is NOW. Consider what is happening in our industry. Last year, in September, the world’s first driverless taxis hit the streets of Singapore. In 2016 Domino’s started delivering pizza by drones in New Zealand. And I just learned that Aloft Cupertino Hotel in California, has a robot butler called Botlr that is able to move between the various floors of the hotel in order to take items such as toothbrushes, chargers and snacks to guests. Hence I ask “How is technology changing the way you operate your business?” Also, I noted in Singapore they are experimenting with the use of drones in restaurants to cut down on staffing costs. Each drone is capable of carrying about five pounds (and deliver them to a serving station) which could include a pizza and a few drinks and thus far, they have proven to be quite successful. For details of this story search Google for the first part of this sentence: “A number of restaurants in Singapore have been testing the use of in-house drone waiters.” A Sydney publican has also been experimenting with the use of drones in his pub. Balmain Pub Group boss Nick Wills was reported to be experimenting with Drones in 2016. He was quoted as saying “When I first heard about them I thought that it was something that could potentially dehumanise hospitality a little bit but now, having looked into it a bit deeper, I think it’s something I will definitely consider as staff labour was the prime cost for hoteliers and restaurateurs.” For details of this story, search Google for the first part of this
up to date when they're away from a desktop computer. This App is designed to keep staff up to date about their shifts and to assist managers dealing with staff requests. The app has a number of functions and features. It also has some additional bonuses like letting your staff know what the weather is going to be like each day. Is Wi Fi free in your place? Almost all guests, customers and patrons carry phones, tablets and computers and no longer see Wi-Fi as something they should have to pay for when checking into your Hotel. They now expect it to be available when they stay at a hotel, visit your restaurant or drink in your bar. They expect to connect to the internet seamlessly. And they don’t expect to have to pay for it. Can I suggest you might set a goal to learn one new thing about the Internet each day. Remember the internet changes everything it touches and it touches almost everything. By line: Max Hitchins’ weekly emails Secrets, Tips and Tonics to fill your Bistros Bars and Beds are read by thousands of hospitality professionals around the world. Tasmanian AHA members can subscribe to receive these (for FREE) by going to www. www. HospitalityDoctor.com.au You can also get additional updates from Max at facebook. com.au/maxhitchins
sentence: “Unmanned drones, directed by vision positioning systems, have already hailed as a success in Singapore and London with several Sydney restaurateurs.” Another piece of technology you might find useful is a roster application. It is called FindMyShift. It is available in Apple and Android versions. The main aim of the App is to help employees and managers stay
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