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Cornell Center for Hospitality Research Focuses on Hotel Technology and Brand Market Research(Targeted News Service Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) ITHACA, N.Y., April 16 -- Cornell University's School of Hotel Administration issued the following news release: Research studies demonstrating a model for strategically integrating information technology (IT) and an analysis of consumer hotel preferences are now available from the Cornell Center for Hospitality Research (CHR) at the School of Hotel Administration. Hoteliers are invited to compare their IT systems to a strategic framework developed by top industry stakeholders. Additionally, a new Cornell Industry Perspectives shows how to use consumer research to evaluate the potential return on hotel amenity and feature upgrades. These publications are available at no charge from the CHR. Cornell Study Urges Hotels to Strategically Integrate Technology The hospitality industry is moving forward rapidly in implementing technology at all levels and in all areas, but a new study from the Cornell Center for Hospitality Research finds that the implementation is uneven at best. In the new report, "Network Exploitation Capability: Model Validation," (http://www.hotelschool.cornell.edu/research/chr/pubs/reports/abstract-17083.html) authors Gabe Piccoli, Bill Carroll, and Paolo Torchio urge hotel firms to focus on integrating their many technology solutions. Piccoli is a professor at the University of Pavia, Carroll is a senior lecturer at the Cornell School of Hotel Administration, and Torchio is vice president of e-marketing services for Sabre Hospitality Solutions. The report, which includes a self-test and benchmarks from a pilot study of hotel firms, is available at no charge from the Cornell CHR. "Our concern starts with the industry's speed in developing its IT applications. We see how quickly hotels have adopted technology in many areas," said Carroll. "But the big question is how well the industry is integrating that technology across three critical areas: demand generation, multi-channel digital distribution, and profit optimization. For this reason we developed NEC Maturity Model, which describes how hospitality firms can become more sophisticated and strategic in their use of IT." The validation and demonstration of the NEC model includes a 48-item self-test, the empirical results from a pilot sample of hotel firms, and detailed suggestions for how properties, management companies, owners, and chains can assess their own current level of IT sophistication. New Cornell Publication Details Best Western's Brand Research A new publication from the Cornell Center for Hospitality Research (CHR) explains the process that Best Western International used to determine customer expectations for mid-market hotels and to implement consistent brand standards. The study, "Using Research to Determine the ROI of Product Enhancements: A Best Western Case Study," (http://www.hotelschool.cornell.edu/research/chr/pubs/perspective/perspective-17123.html) by Rick Garlick and Joyce Schlentner, is available at no charge from the CHR. The founder and principal consultant for Populus Primo Consulting, Garlick is chair of the Research Committee for the Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association (HSMAI) and conducted the brand research with Schlentner, who is Best Western's director of strategic services. Given the hotel industry's "amenity wars" of the past few years, Best Western International used a data-driven process to determine exactly what its customers want in a hotel, instead of randomly matching competitors' amenity upgrades. "As a membership association, Best Western needed to develop a firm business case for formalizing its brand standards and for any proposed upgrades," said Garlick. "Thus, our research estimated a nominal value and calculated the payback for each possible improvement, including rooms and public spaces, right down to the trash can by the front door." Schlentner added: "We now had data indicating the items of high value to our guests, such as a hot breakfast that includes eggs and upgraded bedding. Based on our research, the Best Western membership endorsed adding these features to the brand standards." In addition to items endorsed as standards, hoteliers could assess other items as part of their hotel offerings, depending on their local market. Best Western subsequently extended the research to its international members to understand the difference in consumer expectations globally in order to update the global brand standards. About Best Western International, Inc. Best Western International, Inc., headquartered in Phoenix, Ariz., is a privately held hotel brand made up of more than 4,000* BEST WESTERN, BEST WESTERN PLUS and BEST WESTERN PREMIER (http://www.bestwestern.com/reservations/hotel-types/) hotels in more than 100* countries and territories worldwide. Now celebrating 67 years of hospitality, Best Western welcomes hundreds of thousands of guests nightly. Best Western provides its hoteliers with global operational, sales, marketing and promotional support, and online and mobile booking capabilities. More than 15 million travelers are members of the brand's award-winning loyalty program Best Western Rewards, (http://www.bestwestern.com/rewards/) one of the few programs in which members earn points that never expire and can be redeemed at any Best Western hotel worldwide. The brand's partnerships with AAA/CAA, race car driver Michael Waltrip, and Harley-Davidson provide travelers with exciting ways to interact with the brand. In 2012, Best Western won a record number of awards, including AAA's Hotel Partner of the Year, CAA's Partner of the Year, TravelClick's eMarketer of the Year and Compuware's Best of the Web Gold awards. For more information or to make a reservation, please visit bestwestern.com. *Numbers are approximate and may fluctuate. About The Center for Hospitality Research A unit of the Cornell School of Hotel Administration, The Center for Hospitality Research (CHR) sponsors research designed to improve practices in the hospitality industry. Under the lead of the center's 72 corporate affiliates, experienced scholars work closely with business executives to discover new insights into strategic, managerial and operating practices. The center also publishes the award-winning hospitality journal, the Cornell Hospitality Quarterly. To learn more about the center and its projects, visit www.chr.cornell.edu. Center Senior Partners: Accenture, ASAE Foundation, Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group, Hilton Worldwide, National Restaurant Association, SAS, STR, and Taj Hotels Resorts and Palaces Center Partners: Davis & Gilbert LLP, Deloitte & Touche USA LLP, Denihan Hospitality Group, eCornell & Executive Education, Expedia, Inc., Forbes Travel Guide, Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts, Fox Rothschild LLP, Hyatt Hotels Corporation, InterContinental Hotels Group, Jumeirah Group, LRP Publications, Maritz, Marriott International, Inc., Marsh's Hospitality Practice, McDonald's USA, priceline.com, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Proskauer, ReviewPro, Revinate, Sabre Hospitality Solutions, Sathguru Management Consultants (P) Ltd., Schneider Electric, Travelport, TripAdvisor, and Wyndham Hotel Group Center Friends: 4Hoteliers.com dz Berkshire Healthcare dz Center for Advanced Retail Technology dz Cleverdis dz Complete Seating dz Cruise Industry News dz DK Shifflet & Associates dz ehotelier.com dz EyeforTravel dz The Federation of Hotel & Restaurant Associations of India (FHRAI) dz Gerencia de Hoteles & Restaurantes dz Global Hospitality Resources dz Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals (HFTP) dz hospitalityInside.com dz hospitalitynet.org dz Hospitality Technology Magazine dz HotelExecutive.com dz International CHRIE dz International Society of Hospitality Consultants (ISHC) dz iPerceptions dz JDA Software Group, Inc. dz J.D. Power and Associates dz The Leading Hotels of the World, Ltd. dz Lodging Hospitality dz Lodging Magazine dz LRA Worldwide, Inc. dz Milestone Internet Marketing dz MindFolio dz Mindshare Technologies dz PhoCusWright Inc. dz PKF Hospitality Research dz Questex Hospitality Group dz The Resort Trades dz RestaurantEdge.com dz Shibata Publishing Co. dz Sustainable Travel International dz UniFocus dz WIWIH.COM TNS hc11-130417-jf78-4300641 EditorFurigay (c) 2013 Targeted News Service |