D5

As with many things in the COVID era, we have seen many shifts in technology. One area is the way in which we operate various hospitality and tourism businesses using ‘standard platforms’ For this assignment you will look into how this has changed. This is a multi-week project.

You will decide what type of business you want to focus on; hotel, restaurant, or travel agency

You will use LinkedIn and social media channels to reach out to different business operators

The goal is to be able to ask one individual about how they have changed the use of existing technology to adapt to the COVID era.

Here’s some script to help you with initial contact:

Good Day XXXXX – My name is XXXXX and I am doing a research project on how existing technology has been adapted to help businesses continue in the COVID era. Would you be willing to answer a few questions for me?

Depending on the business, they will likely use a particular software system. These include:

Restaurants – Micros POS, Aloha, Square, Clover, Toast, TouchBistro

Hotels – Hotelogix, HoteltimePMS, Orancle OperaPMS

Travel Agency – TravelWorks, Rezdy, Travenza

Once they agree to speak with you (phone, Zoom, or over email), here are some sample questions:

What technology is most important to what you do?

What does it allow you to do more efficiently?

Did any technology you used before March 2020 have a new purpose due to the Pandemic? In other words, did the hardware/software you traditionally used get used differently after COVID hit?

How did the way you communicate with employees, vendors and guests change due to COVID?

Feel free to ask a couple more questions, but be respectful of their time. This is an opportunity to grow your network and learn from people on the front line of the hospitality industry.

Upload your assignment by 11:59pm EST on 2/28.