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We are going to answer the common question on why IT management is essential for the hospitality sector because it is one that is frequently asked! Simply put, the hospitality industry needs IT management. Firstly, you need to remove the mindset that IT needs are exclusively in an office environment and consider the technology used to run a business in the hospitality industry. From restaurants to theme parks, the dependence on technology is increasing and therefore so does your need for IT management, for example, let’s look at the amount of technology used in a restaurant and set aside the service element for a second, you have:
- EPOS (Electronic Point Of Sale)
- Databases with staff and client information
- Ordering systems (for customers)
- Stock ordering and management (in-house)
- Tablet managements system
- Security systems
- Online ordering
- Websites
- Employee computers/laptops
- Internet Accessibility
And this doesn’t even consider the advancement of technology such as smartphone payments, new apps and ongoing changes in security regulations. A business in the hospitality industry is still a business and needs to be treated as such because the industry as a whole is years behind on tech, partly because what is available it isn’t managed or maintained. This is where an IT manager comes in and here’s a few of the things they do to prove why you need them:
- Online Security
Whether it’s customer data, sensitive documents and emails or your employee databases, your information needs to be kept secure and changing your passwords regularly won’t cut it (although it’s an excellent place to start. With the new GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) legislation coming into effect, your business can face massive fines regardless of whether you are in finance or hospitality, you have a responsibility to keep data secure. An IT manager can provide safety protocols and security measures to safeguard your data as well as train you and your staff on how to avoid lapses in security for the business. Technology is advancing and your security needs to go with it.
- Project Management & Installation
Thinking of expanding, having a site overhaul or changing the way your business looks? We can help with the technology side to liaise with the project managers so that you can still provide the service in the aesthetic that you like. Doing this during the building phases helps to minimise disruption to your business and makes sure that you don’t have any lapses or poor technology issues which can look bad to customers. An extension is great but if your free Wi-Fi doesn’t reach outside anymore your patrons aren’t going to be happy.
- Upgrades
An IT manager knows when it is time to upgrade and what you should upgrade to and that doesn’t always mean the most expensive or newest products. Stability and performance are the two key factors we aim to combine and with our insider knowledge we know what is going to work and what software or hardware hasn’t quite worked out the kinks.
- Day-To-Day Assistance
The hospitality industry tends to require multi-tasking as processing are different than a standard office, you need day-to-day maintenance and checks as well as someone being on hand to deal with issues that arise. While your go-to IT person can handle some of the problems, you can’t expect them to handle multiple sites and locations as well as any projects, upgrades, repairs and installations all by themselves!
- Quicker Resolutions Of Problems
Knowing who to talk to can get a job done quickly and right! Have you ever been passed around from one department to another trying to get support, with everyone claiming nothing is their fault? Cut out the middle man and let us do it for you, not only can an IT manager discuss and organise on your behalf but they also have the contacts to get things resolved swiftly (and escalate problems properly that aren’t getting fixed) This solves problems in half the time and allows you to focus on the other important aspects of running a business.
- Translate Tech jargon
Those error messages that you don’t understand, we do! We know what they mean and how to resolve them as well as what’s normal and when to start panicking! Technical language can be confusing and with our knowledge we can provide the translation and help make it easier for users to understand, removing the “fear” of something going wrong.
- Back Up Solutions
Have you ever been writing a document, your computer freezes and you have to restart it, then you remember you haven’t clicked save for about half an hour? Imagine this on a larger scale. Sometimes things go wrong, it’s a fact of technology but an IT manager can help provide regular back-ups to ensure you and your employee’s data is safe. We make sure that redundancies are in place so that there is minimal disruption when restoring information and everything is backed up. We offer cloud based solutions which we feel are the most flexible, secure and effective (as well as quick and easy to restore to get you back up and running in the event of a failure.)
- Staff Training
Let us teach your staff how to use their technology in the most effective way, from shortcuts to user-guides, IT management aims to create a unified relationship between user and technology so you are using it to its fullest potential for your business. Knowledgeable staff are able to cope with problems without panicking as well as knowing what to do in basic situations and when to call the experts, think first aid training for computers. A handy skillset for your employees.
Ultimately, IT management can streamline processes, boost productivity and improve customer service in the hospitality industry and at the end of the day, it’s the service that matters. For these reasons, hospitality industry needs IT management.
If you’re in the hospitality industry and want more info on what our IT managers can do for you, visit our list of services or get in contact.
