RPTS 302 Chapter 5

Folios

A form used to record a guest's hotel.

Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) System

A system designed to combine all information sources, subsystems, and processes from various locations into one unified system.

Property Management System (PMS)

A unified system used to manage sales and marketing, reservations, front office operations, POS systems, telecommunications, back office operations, and revenue management. Combine computer hardware and software into an integration information system. Provide a central point for accumulated data and integrate a variety of activities.

Night Audit

An accounting function performed in hotels at the close of each business day to ensure the correct posting of all revenues.

Data mining

Analyzing information stored in computer databases with the help of statistical techniques to uncover hidden relationships and patterns. Aiding tourism suppliers in targeting micro-segments of their markets and customizing marketing mixes to fulfill the needs of specific travelers.

Management Information Systems (MIS)

Computer based systems designed to collect and store data and then provide information for planning, decision making, and problem solving. Information Systems. Provide the backbone for operational decisions. Deciding what information systems to use, whether to develop applications in-house or buy them, and then whether they should be centralized or dispersed to the property or store-level are only a few decisions facing chief information officers and information technology professionals.

Enterprise Systems

Computer systems that provide for collaboration and communication of data storage and retrieval across multiple departments and organizational units. Combine information for multiple properties. Enterprise systems present a new model of corporate computing.

Information Technology

Computer systems that provide for the storage and retrieval of data.

Data

Facts and figures.

Social Networking

Individuals tied together by a common interest or theme who share bookmarked Web links and conversations.

Revenue Passenger Miles (RPMs)

One seat on an airplane, railroad, or motor coach traveling one mile with a revenue-producing passenger.

Blogs

Online journals composed of links and postings in reverse chronological order.

Point-of-Sale (POS) System

Systems designed to record and track customer orders, process debit and credit cards, manage inventory, and connect to other systems in a network. Improve food service efficiency and profitability at a staggering pace.

Available Seat Miles (ASMs)

The distance traveled multiplied by the number of seats available.

Load Factor

The number of revenue passenger miles (RPMs) divided by the number of available seat miles (ASMs).

Revenue Management/Yield Management

The process of allocating the right type of capacity to the right kind of customer at the right price so as to maximize revenue or yield, enhance customer service, improve operating efficiency, and increase profitability under the following conditions: 1. When capacity is relatively flexible. 2. When demand be separated into distinct market segments. 3. When inventory is perishable. 4. When services can be sold well in advance. 5. When demand fluctuates substantially. 6. When marginal sales costs are low and marginal capacity costs are high. Developed by Bell Laboratories in 1988 and initially used a scheduling tool for the airline industry.

Technology

The use of new knowledge and tools to improve productivity and systems. Created both challenges and opportunities for tourism service providers. Technology's impact on tourism service providers: Profitability, communications, customer service, and productivity have been impacted by technology. Gives a competitive advantage.

Radio Frequency Identification Devices (RFIDs)

Use radio waves to identify people or objects automatically. Are being used to control hotel guest room locks, to track inventory, and for a variety of other uses for which low-cost tracking and security are needed. Do not require a direct line of sight to be read, and multiple tags can be read at one time, creating opportunities for ticketing, identification verification, and something as complex as tour group coordination.