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How to find low prices during travel’s dynamic pricing era

Linchi Kwok Travel, Hospitality & Event Management

Marriott is set to introduce dynamic pricing to its Bonvoy rewards program in the coming weeks. Effective in September, travelers will need to spend 14 to 33% more reward points in exchange for an award night when a hotel is busy. Meanwhile, travelers may also receive a discount on an award night when a hotel has low occupancy. Dynamic pricing is a common tactic in revenue management, and allows service firms to respond to consumers’ fluctuating demand for the perishable inventory with a fixed capacity. The airline industry has been using dynamic pricing for decades.

3 takeaways from the recent Business Roundtable statement

Catherine Iste Business Management, Services & Risk Management

Why should small businesses care about the recent statement from the Business Roundtable? After all, the lobbying group represents some of the largest and most powerful companies in America and thus is not necessarily representative of the thoughts, feelings and challenges of our country's smaller organizations. However, before moving on to the next headline, business and HR leaders should consider these three takeaways.

Can you recession-proof your job?

Catherine Iste Business Management, Services & Risk Management

Whether you believe that Big Macs or RV sales predict recessions, it seems at least that the continued talk of a recession is certainly on the horizon. Yet, with more of us gainfully employed and the job market so seeker-friendly, should we care? Yes; just like how it is easier to find a job when we already have one, it is easier to plan for a recession when we are not in one. Here are a few things to consider when trying to recession-proof your job.

3 steps to new employee success

Catherine Iste Business Management, Services & Risk Management

The honeymoon period for new employees provides a prime time to set the stage for unlimited success. While some employers unfortunately also call this the introductory period and try to use it as an evaluation window within which to weed out new hires, we should look at it as a litmus test for our own success and a chance to invest in the success of an employee. Employees come in ready to make an impact, optimistic about the opportunity and eager to learn. Here are three steps to take to fan that flame of enthusiasm into a sustainable fire.

Which industries will benefit most from the industrial internet of things?

Joseph Zulick Science & Technology

A common statement among historians of the 1849 gold rush was that the people who were most likely to make the most money were the ones who made tools for the miners and not the actual miners themselves. As industries like transportation, manufacturing, technology, energy and healthcare pursue success with the industrial internet of things (IIoT), this colloquial wisdom stands true. IIoT equips these sectors with the information and data to operate their businesses more effectively.

The best and the worst of America’s airports

Matt Falcus Travel, Hospitality & Event Management

A new study is gaining a lot of attention as it gives travelers a ranking of the best and worst airports in America. The study published by The Points Guy (TPG) is now in its fourth year, and this time it ranks the top 50 airports in the country. Naturally, the airports at the top and bottom of the pile are receiving plenty of attention. They are San Diego in the top spot and Chicago Midway trailing in last place. While any ranking like this is largely subjective, this year the website made much more use of reader feedback, rather than solely the experiences of its own staff.

Travel2020: Flight delays now measured in thousands — of years

Lark Gould Travel, Hospitality & Event Management

That innocuous two-hour aircraft maintenance interruption may seem like a minor inconvenience, but if added together with all the other interruptions per passenger at an airport in a given year, the delays can add up to thousands of years. A new study by FinanceBuzz examined the top 25 airports in the U.S. where passengers are most delayed. Not surprisingly, Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD), hometown hub of United Airlines and where the legacy carrier runs more flights than any competitor, the topped the list.

A look at NEC’s enterprise solutions for hospitality businesses

Linchi Kwok Science & Technology

I recently met with the hospitality team of NEC Global Enterprise Solutions at NEC Corporation's headquarters in Tokyo. The team gave me a brief introduction of what services NEC provides and a tour of the NEC Future Creation Hub, an interactive showroom for the company’s latest tech products. The trip to NEC's headquarters was, in fact, a follow-up visit after I met with the company’s hospitality team at HITEC 2019 in Minneapolis in June. After getting a sneak peek of what NEC offers, I wonder whether tech firms or hospitality companies are the force that drives the transformation of the industry.

Infographic: The cost of downtime

Brian Wallace Science & Technology

When the system stops, so does business. So, it is in your interest to resolve any problem as quickly as possible, and more than that, to prevent downtime in the first place. This is where infrastructure monitoring comes in. Every operating system is unique, and if you have a mixed IT infrastructure, you need a server monitoring service that caters to them all. There are several ways to look after your IT infrastructure. Learn more with this infographic.

How Milan’s airports are handling the temporary closure of Linate

Matt Falcus Transportation Technology & Automotive

Closing one of a country's busiest airports for three months in the summer period might sound like a recipe for disaster, but that's exactly what's happening in Milan as Linate Airport has ceased flights to undertake essential upgrades. Linate closed on July 27 following the final departure to Palermo late the previous evening. Work has now commenced on a string of upgrades to the airport — the most notable of which is the complete resurfacing of main runway 18/36. It is expected to reopen on Oct. 27.

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