NFS Hospitality technology solutions

Have you heard the one about the American video conference where an attendee reached across the table and tried to take food from the plate of another attendee in Japan?

It’s not as crazy as it might seem. Once a video conference starts and you are in the zone, it’s easy to forget that the people you are speaking to are not in the same room, might not even be in the same country. Equally, it’s easy to forget that others can still see you, even though they aren’t physically sitting in front of you.

For these reasons, it’s important that video conference attendees moderate the way they work, appear and interact with each other during a conference. Here are ten do’s and don’ts on video conference behaviour.

Do organise the environment around you. Be aware of possible visual and aural distractions. Keep the light balanced to avoid harsh shadows or washed-out details.

Don’t appear unprofessional in your appearance. Comb your hair, apply make-up, dress smartly the way you would for any face-to-face meeting.

Do be aware of what other attendees are seeing when they watch you on their screens. Arrange a practice session before the conference. Get feedback and act on it before participating in the real event.

Don’t position yourself too near the camera or keep moving towards and away from it in a way that might lead to exaggerated facial expressions.

Do retain eye contact with the camera.

Don’t look around, glance out of windows, tap your pen, fiddle with clothing or hair, giving other attendees reason to believe you are being distracted.

Do be ready and on time for the start of the conference, well prepared to project a calm, unflustered image.

Don’t start working on something else during a conference just because the topic under discussion does not interest or apply to you. Clear your mind and stay focused.

Do plan visual presentations in advance so that you can introduce effective slides at appropriate moments.

Don’t forget that you are on camera at all times. Even when you are not speaking, others are still looking at you and will notice if you keep crossing and uncrossing your arms, yawn, tip your chair back, eat or chew gum!

Welcome to the first in our series of monthly Aloha tips and tricks. We will be covering how you can use the advanced functionality of Aloha restaurant EPOS to combat common sources of employee fraud.

The premise of the Buffet Scam is the same bill being used repeatedly throughout the shift on different guests. This scam only works if the customer is paying cash. A very important part of this scam is the ability to reprint guest bills.

We recommend these Aloha system processes to combat this fraudulent activity:

• Limit the server’s ability to reprint guest bills to a pre-defined number. In Aloha TableService, a manager can “View Tables” in the manager functions. This gives the manager the ability to see how long a bill has been opened as well as how many times the bill has been printed.

• Managers should flag the setting to NOT give the server the ability to transfer bills. With no transferring ability, the tab cannot be transferred to another server or to tables in an empty section.

• The Aloha system should be set so that table numbers can only be used one at a time. If the server has table 101 open with a tab, they cannot open a second tab with the same table number.

• Assign table sections for each server. If the server is only responsible for three tables per shift, assign only the ability to access those three tables and no others.

• Managers should use the floor plan view. With the floor plan view, the manager has the ability to see server table sections with table colour changing triggered by predefined time intervals. Not only does the manager have the ability to see table times, they have visibility of the last time an item was placed on the tab, server ID and how long the tab has been open. With all of the above items in place, the server will not be able to run the scam of using the same tab for multiple guests.

We hope you find this informative. If you wish to arrange a meeting to discuss how Aloha can help you prevent scams please contact us on info@nfs-hospitality.com

Running a conference is easy. Choose your subject, get some speakers together, find a venue, send out invitations and let the day take care of itself. That’s the way it might seem if you have been to a badly organised conference where boredom was the theme of the day.

The fact is that running a successful conference relies on meticulous planning, from venue choice to speakers, from travel details to the equipment needed, from catering to accommodation – all wrapped up in one neat, cost-effective package.

Here are ten take away tips for conference venue operators to pass on to clients organising events at their venues.

1. Think of a different way to present points. Make the environment attractive and distinctive. Give your delegates something to think about and take away with them.

2. Define your audience and design the programme to meet their needs. Canvas potential delegates and ask for suggestions about content.

3. Choose a convenient venue. Consider travelling arrangements, the nearest station, motorway proximity, ease of parking.

4. Start at a time convenient to those travelling long distances. Avoid school holidays.

5. Visit the venue in advance. Check its size, facilities for AV, wi-fi, broadband connection, accommodation and catering.

6. Ensure the venue is cost-effective. Don’t forget to include speakers’ fees in your costs. Consider sponsorship to offset expenses.

7. Give speakers plenty of time to prepare an effective presentation. Check that their presentation does not deviate from the conference theme.

8. Give delegates notice in advance with a mailshot. Detail the conference content, how to get to there, time of registration, what they need to bring. Ask about accommodation and dietary needs.

9. Arrive well before registration to check details and that all facilities are in place. Before the start, ensure each speaker has what he or she needs.

10. At the end of the conference, personally thank the speakers, the chairperson and, of course, the delegates for attending.

For more information about the latest technology behind successful conferences go to http://www.nfs-hospitality.com/rendezvousoverview.html

It is a commonly held assumption that ‘virtual working’ is a modern phenomenon. In fact, it came to life as far back as 1962 Dame Stephanie Shirley, founder of F International, responded to a growing need for their computer programmers to work from home. This objective was achieved by 1987, when over 75% of the company’s workforce operated from their own homes.

Another trailblazer in this field was ICI. In 1987, when only 160,000 people in the UK had mobile phones, their staff were interconnected with a system of beepers and mobile phones. Even more remarkable, ICI also introduced rudimentary forms of email and cloud computing – which was a revolutionary concept at that time.

Virtual working is still not ingrained in the wider workforce in spite of the technology being available in a nascent form for several years. One possible reason for this could be that it is often seen in narrow terms as home working -when in fact the workplace can take many forms, not just the ‘home’ or the’office’.

With strides in wireless networks, incrementally more powerful mobile technology and the rise of cloud computing, it is now possible to conduct business anywhere you happen to be, and not chained to a large Wintel box in the office. A key indicator of this shift is the recent introduction by Google of its Chromebook laptop, whose operating system is in the cloud, for always-on connectivity.

In their book, Becoming Virtual, Jane Klobas and Paul Jackson describe a step change in how work is configured: “The reality is one of high performing, dynamic networks which connect staff, enterprises, processes and expertise; where the drive to produce or complete has displaced the need for permanency and structure.’’

The landscape that constitutes a working environment is being redefined into one consisting of virtual collaborative teams utilising these new ways to connect and communicate.  Mobile workers no longer need a fixed desk and a growing virtual supply chain of outsourced, specialist service providers allow corporations to focus on their core business matters.

The nature of work is becoming increasingly fluid in modern society; this in response to a myriad of external factors, such as population increase and the global recession, which are driving organisations to look at more efficient ways of working.

According to United Nations, the world’s population will increase from around 6.5 billion people today to 9 billion by 2050. Out of those, 6.5 billion are predicted to be urban dwellers. So it seems that in the next 40 years the population of the world’s cities will double – making for an increasingly congested traffic situation, amongst other challenges.

Physical meetings may become a novelty as technology has made it easier to conduct meetings outside the traditional office environment, with the advent of advanced video conference and telepresence (VCTP) technology.

Initially driven by cost savings, VCTP has become an invaluable tool for companies looking to connect to colleagues, customers, prospects and suppliers. These cost savings are significant and should not be understated. To give an example, Tesco, the major global retailer, has cut travel costs by 45% through utilising telepresence at its offices.

Other companies benefiting from video conference technology include Boeing, global brand and manufacturer of jetliners. Over 27,000 external suppliers collaborated with Boeing on their Dreamliner project, taking part in over one million collaboration sessions during a 12-month period. The result was a dramatically reduced time to market for Boeing’s new model, thanks to this interactive initiative.

For the corporate HR department, video conferencing has also proven to be a boon as it allows managers to interview potential candidates from across several time zones. Many companies are using the technology to deliver training sessions, which not only enables them to access a larger audience but also saves significantly on travel and time out of the office.

We have highlighted just a few benefits gained from the use of video conferencing and telepresence. What other great things has your organisation seen through use of this new communication model?

Generation Y, also known as the ‘Millennials’, born in the mid 1980s or later, are the fastest growing segment in today’s workforce. This is a generation that grew up around laptops, cell phones, smart phones and other gadgets. They are super-savvy about technology and rely on it to perform their jobs better, and in unconventional working environments. This generation is usually plugged in 24/7 and is therefore driving change in the workplace.

A recent collaborative research study by Mark Dixon of Regus and Phillip Ross of Cordless Group and UnWork.com, called ‘Vwork: Measuring the Benefits of Agility at Work’ identifies the three Vs – Virtual, adVantage and Value – that will define the benefits of mobile working as it emerges over the next decade. The white paper states that as ‘Virtuality’ gains ground, the benefits of mobility and creating a sound business case for changing the way we work will become essential.

Dixon & Ross’ research has shown that virtual,  ‘New Ways of Working’ are already being put into place. Around 62.5% of  the large organisations they surveyed have already rolled out new working methods, while only 8.5% of respondents reported that no programme was in place.  Virtual work is the response to the need for new working environments. The obvious expectation of the Millennial generation is that they will be able to embrace virtual working over the traditional office.

Aside from Generation Y growing up surrounded by technology, many factors play a key role in the new virtual world; the main ones being: travel time and cost reduction, wellbeing and stress, concentrated work with fewer distractions, work-life balance and the ability to work anywhere, at any time. This new generation also has a different view of workplace expectations and prioritizes family and lifestyle over physical presence in an office.

“Agility will explode when the next generation comes into the workplace and we need to be ready to ensure that those new members of the workforce can be truly creative and productive,” said Chris Kane,  Head of BBC Workplace, the division responsible for the BBC’s corporate property portfolio.

“We will continue to operate and change the estate. Our aim will be to ‘do fewer things, better’ and help the Operations Group lead the BBC in implementing new, simpler ways of working. We will continue to be mobile and flexible, but in a much greater way than today. We will be an agile One Workplace team.”

As new ways of working emerge on the global business landscape, is your organisation ready for Generation Y?

Do get in touch to discuss ways in which NFS could help you prepare for an increasingly virtual workplace. Our email is info@myrendezvous.net.

Global and multi-location organisations have traditionally had to fly their senior staff around the world simply to attend a meeting. However this practice is becoming increasingly outmoded, not to mention unreliable and costly if we consider, for example, the ongoing ash cloud saga.

Companies are seeing the benefits of investing in video conference and telepresence technology as a response to external factors such as climate change and the economic downturn. By enabling video conference meetings businesses can not only offset their carbon emissions, they can also save tremendously on the travel, accommodation and expenses costs that their senior executives incur whilst on the road.

Despite its relative infancy, video conferencing is already being taken up with gusto and companies such as Polycom report that over 90% of attendees are satisfied with meetings conducted in this manner.

Whilst video conferencing and telepresence providers offer all the tools required for the actual meeting, it is still necessary for companies to have a robust scheduling software package able to handle multiple time zones, multiple rooms and resources and the scheduling of the video conference equipment.

Rendezvous Workspace has been designed expressly for this type of scenario and offers unique functionality such as agenda management, meaning that whether attendees are in New York, Washington, Beijing or London, they are able to keep abreast of all aspects of the meeting due to the solution’s seamless integration with MS Outlook.

Given recent developments such as the acquisition of Skype by Microsoft, it is becoming apparent that video conferencing is set to grow even more in the near future. NFS are already at the forefront of this trend with clients ranging from Legal and Financial to Advertising and Entertainment.

If you wish to find out more about Rendezvous Workspace scheduling software, please contact us on info@myrendezvous.net today.

Video conferencing and telepresence continue to be a hot topic across the globe right now.  With Organizations trying to cut reimbursable fuel costs, save money on airline travel, and foster collaboration between remote employees – not to mention ramping up on that “face-time” with clients in other cities, Companies not already on the bandwagon are scrambling to find and implement the right solutions.

Finding the right video conferencing and telepresence technology (VCTP) is a good start, but it’s only part of the equation.  Companies will also need a simple, efficient way to schedule and manage their VCTP facilities. Meeting hosts need an easy way to invite participants to meetings, keep track of changes, and update attendees as needed. Hosts may also need to communicate with VCTP technicians.  Some Companies will require a fully web-based solution that’s quick and easy to roll out, with others requiring this service to be hosted and supported.

Points to Consider When Implementing VCTP Technology

Once the decision has been made to implement VCTP technology in the Organization, there are certain questions to pose, such as, how do you manage the process of finding and scheduling available VCTP space? What if your Organization has a request/approve process with gatekeepers, or more of a self-service process, or even a combination thereof?

MS Outlook doesn’t have the flexibility or robustness to deal with variations and complexities such as these, but as many Companies know, employees rely heavily on this email application.

What if you could allow your staff to continue using the familiar MS Outlook, powered by a seamlessly integrated VCTP scheduling system that allowed them to book all meetings simply and efficiently from their desktop?

Knowledge is Key

Management and utilization reports are critical so that you know exactly how your VCTP space is being used.  Keeping track of trends will determine if VCTP space is being over or under-utilized.  Do under-utilized spaces need attention to make them more usable?  Do you need to scale up the amount of VCTP space on offer?  Knowledge is key. Informed and educated answers to these, and many other questions, can be easily obtained.

NFS Has The Solution

What if you could have all of this in one flexible, scalable, comprehensive scheduling solution?  NFS provides the capability to manage and schedule all your VCTP meetings directly from MS Outlook, with powerful software that is available on a hosted basis or as an easily implemented web-based system.

Experience the benefits of growing your video conferencing and telepresence capabilities, and let NFS show you how to manage and schedule these critical corporate assets with simplicity and ease.

For more information, please call NFS on 01992 514 598, email info@nfs-hospitality.com or visit our website at www.nfs-hospitality.com

With ever-escalating operational costs, organisations need to have the correct scheduling software in place to ensure that their space is being correctly utilised and that labour costs are kept to a minimum.

There are a number of points to consider when selecting workspace management scheduling software:

1. Define your Objectives

It is often said that failure to plan is planning to fail, therefore it’s imperative to have a set of objectives defined before beginning the process of approaching suppliers.

There can be a myriad variables to consider – such as the need for self-service booking, multi-location booking, hot desk booking, catering and AV management and video-conference management.

Management reporting should also be high up on the shopping list of requirements as this is a key benefit of a dedicated scheduling software solution over more informal methods for scheduling, such as Microsoft Outlook or Excel.

2. Investigate Suppliers’ Track Record

A number of key questions need to be asked:

• How long has the company been in business?
• How many customers use their product?
• Do they have many customers of a similar profile to you?
• How many references are available to speak to?

If a supplier is reluctant to give references then this should be a warning sign!

3. Assess Software Licensing Models

Increasingly, there is a move towards cloud computing. This has a key benefit for scheduling software as it enables an increasingly mobile workforce to have control of their schedules wherever they may find themselves, with web-based software that they can access on a number of different platforms, including the iPad.

It is cheaper to deploy the solution on a rental basis where the provider is responsible for all infrastructure costs. All the customer requires is a terminal and an internet connection. Deployment is instantaneous and with active directory integration increasingly prevalent, it is non-disruptive to the client’s workflow.

4. Is the Software Flexible Enough?

No two organisations are going to be the same in terms of their business requirements or processes as they relate to scheduling. Therefore a solution needs to be adaptable and also able meet clients’ future needs. Increasingly, organisations are looking for solutions which can manage hot desks and video conferences as well as the standard meeting-room booking scenario. Often, meetings are held across many time zones, so this added complexity needs to be factored in.

5. Seamless Integration is Key

Although scheduling software offers a number of great benefits, it cannot be considered in isolation to other solutions in the enterprise. As a minimum, a good scheduling solution should seamlessly integrate with:

• Email systems
• Integrated Workplace Management Systems (IWMS)
• Digital signage
• Self-service kiosks
• HVAC systems

6. What Are the Cost Reduction Benefits?

Scheduling software can not only deliver tremendous operational benefits, it can provide a number of cost benefits too. Comprehensive reporting enables organisations to easily pinpoint where rooms are being under- and over-utilised so that managers can make informed decisions about getting the best value out of their rooms.

An often neglected area of management is resource utilisation. By having effective reporting in place, managers can zoom in on the true requirements for items such as AV – thus reducing over-spending.

7. Can the System Streamline Manual Processes and Save Employee Time?

The fundamental benefit of a good scheduling software solution is the amount of employee time that can be saved; this due to the streamlining of manual processes that need to be introduced with informal systems.

Employees can now see room availability at a glance, select an appropriate room and communicate the booking to attendees – in a few simple keystrokes.

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If you are currently struggling to get to grips with the various important aspects surrounding scheduling software, you might like to download our new eBook. This is packed with tips about what to look for and what to expect in an advanced and integrated scheduling system. Please download a copy today!

When the iPad was launched at the beginning of 2010 it was hailed as the future ‘must have’ gadget for the consumer market. Whilst it has enjoyed unprecedented and unexpected success in this sector, for today’s modern executive the iPad is increasingly becoming the de facto mobile device, whether for note taking, delivering presentations, managing email, engaging in social media or just keeping on top of schedules and to-do lists.

Forrester analyst and commentator, Boris Evelson, notes in Mobile Tablet PCs, Not Phones, Will Create Critical Mass For Enterprise BI Adoption that tablet devices are driving enterprise Mobile BI adoption by addressing the inadequacies of smartphone form features – primarily the screen and keyboard.

According to Apple, more than 80 percent of Fortune 500 companies are currently deploying/integrating iPads in their enterprise communications programs.

The iTunes Apps Store contains many apps that duplicate the functionality of traditional desktop applications. For example, the PC Mag Editors’ Choice award-winning iWork for iPad (a mobile version of Apple’s office suite), Citrix GoToMyPC for iPad (a mobile version of the popular remote access software), Filemaker to Go for iPad (database software), and Power.ME (which excels at task and workflow management) give business users the ability to edit documents, access a Mac or PC remotely, keep inventory and track important data. This handful of apps alone makes the iPad a much more useful business tool than was initially envisaged.

A recent addition to the enterprise is Workspace Mobile – the iPad interface for NFS’ Rendezvous Workspace scheduling software. Workspace Mobile works just like any other business app on the iPad. Once a meeting is scheduled on the device it is seamlessly updated across the enterprise using built-in Exchange integration. But Workspace Mobile is more than just a calendar; it is also empowers the user to manage the event in much the same way as if they were sitting at their desktop PC. Unlike using a traditional PC, it is now possible to schedule and confirm meetings when sitting face-to-face with clients. This enables much faster decision-making and saves significantly on administration time.

With this exciting new interface you can now book meetings, view upcoming meetings, order refreshments, make amendments to AV requirements and send out agendas and meeting requests anywhere in the world, with just a few touches of the screen.

If Workspace Mobile sounds like the tool you need to empower your executives, please contact us for a demonstration.