ARTICLE:
Keeping up with Technology
by Gideon Stanley

Keeping up with technology does have its rewards. On a recent trip to Seoul, Korea I was pleasantly surprised to enjoy high-speed Internet connection from the hotel where I stayed. I must tell you - it was faster than the connection in my Houston office! During my visit there, I learned how South Korea has developed from a 3rd world civilization to a first world economy in about 50 years. Selling and utilizing technology has been a key component of their nation's commercial growth. The economies in countries like India, Ireland and Israel have been transformed through their ventures in areas of technology. If investing in the right kind of technology can positively affect a national economy, imagine what it can do for your business!

Upgrading – Why do it? Is it worth it?  For anyone, and I would say innkeepers especially, time is money. Make sure your current software and computer is saving you time, and not costing you time – precious time that could be better “spent” on your guests – or marketing!  So take a few moments to consider the next set of questions, and you’ll know which upgrades will be worth their while.

Does your current “widget” do its job well, and is it fully supported?

I know a lot of innkeepers that fully enjoy browsing auctions for those “hard-to-find” antiques.  But I have met very few who enjoy browsing the Internet for “hard-to-find” computer parts for an outdated computer!  A printer or software program may keep running well, but be sure you still have access to replacement parts, service contracts and upgrades.  You want to be sure to keep your critical pieces of equipment and software up-to-date.  That way if something does go wrong, you won’t have a hard time finding a fix or replacement part.

What does the latest widget have to offer?

Usually, as you gain knowledge and experience with a program or computer, you’re ready to add more functionality and features.  If your software and/or computer provider are selling upgrades – that’s a good sign that their customers enjoy the product and are requesting more ways to use it!

How well maintained is your “technical” infrastructure?

For this question, I present to you the “leaky faucet” analogy. The more you use it, and the older it gets – the more likely it is to spring new leaks.  Financial and reservation data reside in these pieces of equipment – and that’s critical for your business.  Your data security depends on several factors: hardware, anti-virus protection, operating system and software reliability.

Hardware

This is usually the first piece of equipment to update, as everything else depends upon it.  I have talked with frustrated innkeepers who try to upgrade their operating system or software programs – but only have a floppy A drive for doing backups of their current data.  When considering upgrades, always look first at your main computer system and ask the following:

1. Does it have lots of free disk space?  In more recent computers, it’s fairly easy to add new drives and gain a lot of space.
2. Is the processor fast enough for today’s software programs?  If the processor is too slow – you’ll need to invest in a new computer. It is possible sometimes to purchase a new CPU without replacing everything (e.g. keyboard, mouse and monitor). 
3. How much memory do you have? We usually recommend our customers have a minimum 128 MB RAM.

Operating System

Many computer users don’t realize they can regularly download free updates to their current operating system (e.g. Windows2000, Mac OS X).  These updates usually provide either “fixes” or “patches” to existing problems or bugs.  You won’t see any new feature popping up on your screen – but by downloading these patches the overall performance of your system will be up-to-date, and you will also have the latest protection against any viruses that attack “weak links” in an operating system.  For Windows users – you can download these anytime by opening your Internet Explorer – and go to Tools>Windows Update. 

When is it time for a new operating system?

When you start experiencing incompatibility problems, frequent “freezes” or overall degrading performance – its time to consider upgrading your operating system.  Before doing this – be sure you have a very reliable backup system like a CD burner or ZIP drive to backup all your files. 

Anti-Virus

This is the ultimate exercise in regular updates!  Anti-virus software should be updated almost daily.  You should always have either a current maintenance contract or subscription service that provides you with up-to-the-minute protection against viruses.  Without it your anti-virus software is simply ineffective. 

Technology – Put it to work for You!

In the U.S., the Internet has certainly changed the way we do business and relate to one another. If Wal-Mart is a symbol of the 24/7 schedule, then email is a symbol of immediate response and delivery.  We postpone even longer, knowing the receipt will be immediate! 

People continue to push and shape technology as well.  The Internet began with educational bodies wanting to share information.  For innkeepers, technology has become a great medium for drawing visitors to out-of-the-way or one-of-a-kind destinations.  Learn to use technology to its greatest potential in the area of Internet marketing and direct communication with your guests.  

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