ABTT211 (WEEK 2) Examples of Common Business Tools

• Digital Cameras – still, moving, and in mobile

What is Business Tool? telephones
A business tool can be considered as any asset • Mobile Telephones
that helps or assists the organization to achieve • Pagers
its stated aims or objectives. There are various • Scanners
types of tools that may be used in a business • Photocopiers
varying in size, complexity, danger, and • Notebooks
importance to the business operation. • Laptop
• Dictation Machines

Defining a Business Tool

Examples of Common Business Tools

• Portable and Attractive Tool:

- This states that the item is portable and • Order Taking Handhelds
probably does not have a fixed location. It • Laser pens
also states they are attractive, meaning they • Keyboards
could be a target for theft or excessive • Brochures
use. • Facsimile
• Significant Small Tools: • Landline Telephones
- This is very similar as the items are small so • Software
they can be easily lost and they are • E-mail
significant to the business. • Business web site

Regardless of the group name that is

identified, it is important to note that the tools
must:
• Represent an investment to the business
• Require control as their use or loss can
represent a significant cost to the business
• Will generally require training to prevent
damage to the user or the business
• Are attractive in terms of cost and can be
attractive to a potential thief
• Are often portable so they are susceptible to
damage and loss as a direct result of
their portability and the exact location of a tool
at any time may not be known.
 Characteristics of Technology-Intensive
Projects

1. Value creation by applying technology

2. High task complexity, risks, and uncertainty
3. Resource constraints and tight end-date driven
schedules despite tough performance
requirements.
What is Business Technology? 4. Highly educated and skilled personnel
5. Complex project organizations and cross-
functional linkages
• Business technology refers to the application of 6. Technology used as a tool for managing
science, data engineering and information for projects
business purposes, such as achievement of 7. Replacement of labor with technology
economic and organizational goals. 8. Advanced infrastructure
• The main element of technology is the idea of
change, and how it can affect business and 9. High front-end expenditures early in the
society. project life cycle
• That technology can be customer-facing [Link] short-term profitability in spite of large
applications and solutions, business-critical capital investment
production and logistics solutions, or back office [Link] markets, technology, and
financial systems, among others. Whatever its regulations
use, all this technology should be managed [Link] global competition, open markets,
professionally. low barriers to entry
[Link] product life cycles
[Link] for quick market response
[Link] decision-making processes
Challenges Posed by Technology in the
[Link] alliances, joint ventures, and
Hospitality Industry
partnerships.

• Changing World: Challenges and

Opportunities
• Global Dimensions
• Project Deserves Special Attention within the
Enterprise
• Unique Nature of Technology Projects
Dimensions of Technology in Business ● Disposal of data is necessary when these
are no longer needed or are no longer
useful. Disposal may be in the form of
• Ubiquity shredding hard copies, deleting soft
• Global Reach copies, or, can be saved in hard drive for
• Universal Standards retrieval in time that this will be needed.
• Richness Some companies may hold for five (5)
• Interactivity years, depending on its nature and type.
• Information Density
• Personalization/Customization
• Social Technology
Tourism and Hospitality Industry’s Main
Resources

(WEEK 2 PART 2)

Introduction to Business Tools and

Technologies in Tourism and Hospitality

Management in Information

● The first stage will be to gather

information from various departments.
This information came from the normal
reports of respective departments but
may include new data, depending on its
availability.
Common Business Tools and Technologies in
● Once data is gathered, the next stage is Tourism and Hospitality
to process. Processing may include
analyzing it, comparing it with the ● Management Information System (MIS)
previous data gathered, and other means
● Hotel Property Management System
in order to arrive at a sound decision.
(PMS)
● The moment data have been processed,
● Restaurant Point of Sale System (POS)
it can now be used for decision making,
and for whatever purpose it may serve to ● Global Distribution System (GDS)
the organization. This should be used
effectively so that decisions are right ● Computerized Reservation System
and suited to a particular situation. (CRS)
 ● Accounting Information System (AIS)

(LABORATORY WEEK 2)

OVERVIEW OF MANAGEMENT
INFORMATION SYSTEMS

- The tourism and hospitality industry Significance of an MIS

caters to various types of guests. ● Supports strategy decisions of an
Different requirements from different organization
markets need to be addressed. As the
number of guests varies from time to ● Improves the accuracy and integrity of
time and the type of information and financial statements and performance
service they need are beyond reports
expectations, this industry needs to
address these through careful planning ● Brings together massive amounts of data
and implementation of practices. needed by top-level management

● Provides a central location to store

business data
Management Information System
● Provide a common language for
● A MIS may refer to the study of people, managers to understand processed
technology, organizations, and the information
relationships between them.
● Increases sales and makes the business
● It is a people oriented field with an grow better
emphasis on service through technology.
● Provides a company a greater market
● It may also represent the approach a share
company uses to collate information
necessary to make business decisions. ● Improves people’s performance

● The management uses MIS at all levels ● Anticipates future problems/trends

of operation to collect, process, and ● Helps in controlling various operations
store data and give them feedback about of an organization
their performance.
● Undeniably, MIS is an important factor
for an organization’s future.

● There are a lot of impacts an MIS

creates on a company using it.
 ● Those mentioned are just some, MIS in SMALL BUSINESSES
depending on how this is implemented
in an organization; MIS plays a vital ● We can say that a small business
role in its survival in this challenging running even a single computer
world of tourism and hospitality appropriately equipped and connected is
business. operating a management information
system.

● An example, a small hotel serving

Features of an MIS various clients with different services
offered is as well using an MIS to keep
● Capable to handle voluminous data track of its business operations.
● Generates reports for management’s use ● In effect all businesses engaged in
● Convenient to be accessed and can be consulting, marketing, sales, research,
integrated with other systems communications, as well as other service
industries including hotels, resorts, and
● Flexible restaurants have large computer
networks on which they deploy
● Facilities quick search and retrieval of substantial databases.
information
● This is just an indication that MIS has
● Management-oriented come of age and has become an integral
part of small businesses. It is, therefore,
more valuable for large hotel and
Limitations of an MIS tourism businesses to utilize MIS.

● Its output is dependent on the input

entered and its process
Components of an MIS
● It is not too effective when information
● The components may not only be
is not shared with others in an
applicable for MIS but other computer-
organization
based system as well.
● It cannot substitute judgements of
● As MIS continues to innovate, these
managers in decision making
components may increase soon
● It is not that valuable for making non- depending on how business transactions
programmed decisions will look like in the future for its better
functionalities.

● Hardware

● Software

● Data

● Procedure
 ● People ● Ports for external devices like printers
and communication devices

● Ergonomics : Keyboard, Monitor

Hardware
● Vendor reliability, warranty policy,
● These are the input and output devices vendor support
of an MIS (Management Information
System)

● Tangible in nature, this includes

computers or desktops, laptops, video
monitors, magnetic disk drives, optical
scanners, printers, and others necessary
for the system to function accordingly.

The Central Tool of Modern Information SOFTWARE

System
● A computer program is a series of
● Four Basic Functions of Computers instructions to a computer to execute
any and all processes.
- Accept data
● Computers only “understand”
- Process data instructions consisting of electrical
signals alternating between two states.
- Store data and instructions
● These include those programs and
- Output Data applications that convert data into
● Output devices machine-readable language.

● Input Devices ● Examples of these are operating system

programs, payroll programs, word
● External storage processing programs, and spreadsheet
programs.
● Internal Memory
● Manages computer resources and
● Central Processing Unit performs routine tasks not specific to
any application

Considerations in Purchasing Hardware ❏ Copying and pasting sections and files

● Power – speed, size of memory, storage ❏ Printing documents

capacity
❏ Allocating memory
● Expansion and upgrade capability
● Developed to partner with as many
applications as possible
 ❏ Applications will work with system ● Incompatible with other organizations’
software ONLY if they are developed to system
be compatible

● Operating System (O/S)

● Packaged software
❏ Single most important program and
most important type of system software ★ Advantages

➔ Developed for a certain ➢ Low cost

microprocessor/s ➢ High quality
➔ Addresses technical details such as ➢ Vendor support
registers and RAM addresses
➢ Immediate availability
➔ Plays the role of “traffic cop” or the
“boss” of computer resources. ★ Disadvantages

● Features cater to the lowest common

denominator of users’ needs
APPLICATION SOFTWARE
● Software often addresses only a narrow
● Application - specific programs
spectrum of business needs
- Programs designed to perform specific
● Purchases may pay for features they
jobs
don’t need
● General - purpose programs
● Impossible to alter to meet specific
- Usable for different purposes needs

● Vendor may go out of business, leaving

users without support
● Custom-Designed applications
➔ Multimedia
★ Advantages
➢ Can handle many different types of data
➢ Meeting the organization’s exact needs such as text, voice, and image

➢ In-house developers are sensitive to the ➢ Powerful means of communicating

organizational culture
➢ Uses include education, training,
★ Disadvantages research, and business

● High cost ➔ Virtual Reality (VR)

● Production schedule subject to long ➢ Mimics sensory reality

delays
 ➢ Business use of VR is expected to grow PEOPLE
dramatically for design and testing of
new products, and for marketing. ● These are the users which may include
computer experts, executives, managers,
analysts, programmers, database
managers, and many other computer
CONSIDERATIONS IN PURCHASING professionals.
SOFTWARE

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY IN
BUSINESS: TELECOMMUNICATIONS &
NETWORKS

Telecommunications in Business

● Telecommunications

- Transmittal of data from one computer

to another over a distance

DATA ● Telecommunications has improved

business in three main ways :
● This refers to raw details to produce
desired information or facts and figures - Better communication
entered into computers for processing.
- Higher efficiency
● Examples of this are customer records
(name, transactions, etc.), inventory, - Better distribution of data
databases, product description, and
employee files.
(WEEK 3)

PROCEDURE Workplace Etiquette and Communication

utilizing Tools and Technology
● These are a set of guidelines to be
followed to use the other components
effectively and efficiently. ETHICAL & SOCIETAL ISSUES
● Without standard procedures, the use of ● Physical and Emotional Stress
the other components may create
confusion for the user. - General physical and emotional stress

- Muscular - skeletal problems

 ❖ Repetitive Stress Injuries (RSI) Vision ● Moreover, the simplest way of
Problems expressing and sending a message is
through written correspondence as not
- Repetitive strain injury (RSI) is caused often we meet our colleague, guest,
by repeated use of a body part, such as client all the time (face to face).
your shoulder, elbow, forearm, wrist or
hand. ● THEREFORE, “communication” is a
key.
● Electromagnetic Radiation
● With the given tool and technology
- This small risk can be eliminated by whether you are a manager and/or a
using Liquid Crystal Display monitor in personnel, sending and responding
lieu of cathode ray terminal (CRT) message professionally is a MUST.
monitors. *The CRT in a computer
display is similar to the "picture tube" in
a television receiver.
Business Communication
- Flat monitors not only emit negligible
amounts of electromagnetic radiation Face-to-face communication - a face-to-face
but are easier on the eyes. interaction where both parties shared a physical
space (e.g., an in-person meeting). However,
● Casting Doubt with the rise of the virtual workplace, this can
also refer to an online face-to-face interaction
- Mayo Clinic 2001 study casts doubt that (e.g., a video conference).
heavy use of a PC is a main cause of
carpal tunnel syndrome. Electronic communication - using electronic
media (e.g., a phone or computer) is categorized
❖ Editorial comment to study says results as electronic communication. Common
might have been influenced by sampled examples of electronic business communication
people and researchers being employed include email, live website chat, Facebook chat
by the same company. or other social media messaging, and
communication on project management
● Carpal tunnel syndrome is a common
platforms.
condition that causes numbness,
tingling, and pain in the hand and Written communication - This channel is used
forearm. a lot in business and comes in the form of
reports, memos, contracts, proposals, manuals,
standard operating procedures (SOPs), and press
BUSINESS CORRESPONDENCE releases. Emails, websites, and blog posts also
count as electronic forms of written
● A business correspondence is a form of communication based on their one directional
communication to send and receive nature.
message/s with different purpose and/or
intention relating to business matters
and transactions.
 DO’S

Salutation - respectful salutation, such as “good

morning,” “good afternoon,” “good evening” or
“hello.” ‘Good day’ or ‘greetings’ are other
phrases used frequently in the international
arena,”.

● Use proper salutation

● Use readable font

● Clear subject line

● Do Proofread

● Stay concise

● Don’t forget your signature

Business Letter | Email Etiquette

DON’TS

● Don’t use acronym

EMAIL + ETIQUETTE =
PROFESSIONALISM ● Don’t overuse exclamation points

● When emailing with someone, you are ● Don’t use bold letter or word
representing both yourself and your
● Don’t capitalize and highlight in RED
brand. It’s important, then, to put your
(as long as it is in instruction form)
best foot forward and present yourself as
professionally as possible.

● That means writing clearly, concisely, (LABORATORY WEEK 3)

and using proper punctuation. It also
means maintaining a somewhat formal
tone without being rigid and unfriendly.
Electronic Mail (Parts & Functions)
● Ultimately, email etiquette is just about
being clear and to the point so you and Electronic Mail (E-mail)
your recipient can both be as productive ● E-mail stands for Electronic Mail where
and understood as possible. it enables to send and receive messages
via internet.

● E-mail generally contains text, files,

images and other attachments through
computer network.
 ● Used to a newsletter to send There are different business letters, it could
advertisements, promotions and other be:
various content. ● Thank you Letter
● Response Letter
● An application to utilize for ● Letter of Request
communicating professionally. ● Sales / Marketing Letter
● Memorandum
● A widely used to send information
within the organization. ● Acknowledgement Letter

● Gmail is a free email service provided

by Google. In many ways, Gmail is like Business Letter Best Practices
any other email service: You can send
and receive emails, block spam, create
an address book, and perform other 1. Set a proper font, indentation and margin.
basic email tasks. 2. Consider organization’s format (logo,
heading, signature, contact numbers) if any as
● But it also has some more unique there will be uniformity and consistency.
features that help make it one of the 3. Usually in sales and reservation department, it
most popular online email services. is better to have a uniformed template so that
there will be a standard and branding.

Google Apps

Google Apps is a collection of web-based Tone in the Letter

programs and file storage that run in a web
browser. The platform also allows you to bring 1. Don’t make it sound arrogant.
in several of Google’s other apps to join the 2. Your approach should be direct to the point
party from right inside the Gmail interface, and conversational, yet professional.
giving you quick and easy access to your 3. Use appropriate word/s and be sensitive to the
calendars, to-do list, files, and notes. reader’s feelings.

(WEEK 4) Cover Letter

Business / Corporate Correspondence
1. Your name and contact information.
Common Components of Business Letters
1. Letter Heading 2. The name of the company you're applying to
2. Recipient Address and the specific position you're interested in.
3. Subject 3. Any relevant skills, qualifications, or
4. Greeting experiences you have that make you a strong
5. Body candidate for the position.
6. Complimentary Close 4. Why you're interested in the company and the
7. Signature position.
5. Any additional information you'd like to (WEEK 5)
include that sets you apart from other applicants.
IT APPLICATIONS IN THE TRAVEL &
TOURISM INDUSTRY

(WEEK 4 LABORATORY)

Business / Corporate Correspondence | “As the world looks to enter a recovery era, the
Format & Template tourism industry needs to focus, assess and
reinvent itself to build a stronger foundation. “

- UNWTO
Sending Proposal of Package Tour / Promo

Therefore, our industry (tourism) known for

innovative method in delivering service and able
to reach the possible market in digitalization.

The NEW Tourism:

- New Technologies
- Tourists are in charge
Letter of Appointment - Tourists prefer experience based

● The use of Information Technology (IT)

application and tools in the travel and
tourism industry is very significant.

● As this industry is big and is challenging,

serving all types of passengers and travelers
will be difficult to manage without the right
system that will help the organization
Letter of Confirmation of Booking provide the convenience their clients
deserve.

● Airline’s success, for instance, depends

largely on its ability to intelligently manage
sales, marketing, and other business
processes as well as its customer database.
Travel Industry TOURISM SYSTEMS

Commonly used industry - wide systems used by

travel organizations include:
Below are some of the different expectations - Global Distribution System (GDS)
from the clients of the travel industry: - Computerized or centralized reservations
system
● Schedules of flight
● Prices of tickets
● Comfort of seats Global Distribution System
● Quality of meals
● Treatment by the crew members and ground
staff ● GDS is an e-commerce tool introduced by
● Airport facilities airlines to facilitate the booking flights.
● Assistance in travel arrangements ● There are four major GDS:
● Assistance in arranging hotel accommodations - Amadeus
●Assisting in customer’s problems immediately
in the airport front office.
SABRE
● Created by American Airlines, this is owned
Customer with the Travel Agency by Sabre Corporation. Its headquarters is located
in Southlake, Texas, USA.
- Customer to look for assistance of a ● Travel agents and companies around the world
travel agency. use this GDS to search for flight details and
- Travel Agency to book the desired services offered by airlines, hotels, car rental
itinerary. companies, rail providers, and tour operators that
- Passenger to wait for his travel schedule. are utilizing it for their operations.

Customer with Online Booking AMADEUS

● This was created through the efforts of four
- Customer to visit websites of airline airline. Air France, Iberia, Lufthansa, and
companies. Scandinavian Airline System (SAS).
- Customer to fill out flight details and ● It developed the largest network of travel
pay through a credit card. providers and sellers across the globe.
- Passenger to print e- ticket and wait for ● Through this GDS, travel providers such as
his travel schedule. the airlines, hotels, car rental, and tour operators,
among others can connect with the travel sellers
such as travel agencies and other intermediaries.
GALILEO the CRS adjusts new data about rates and
● This was created by the collaborative efforts availability on all channels accordingly,
of a group of nine European airlines including including the hotel’s own website booking
British Airways. engine, direct (call center) and indirect channels
● It is based in Atlanta, Georgia, in the United (channel managers, third-party channels).
States and is owned by Travelport.

CENTRAL RESERVATION SYSTEM

WORLDSPAN
● This was formed by Delta Airlines, Northwest
Airlines, and Trans World Airlines in the early ●The CRS helps to eliminate overbookings and
1900s. maintain data accuracy across different channels.
● It provides travel distribution, technologies, ●When a customer books a hotel room on the
and services for travel companies worldwide. hotel’s website, the CRS sends this information
● This includes servicing travel suppliers, travel to the PMS (Property Management System) and
agencies, corporations, and travel websites. automatically updates hotel reservation data on
the hotel’s website and third party channels like
OTAs, GDS, or metasearch.

CENTRAL RESERVATION SYSTEM VS.

GLOBAL DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM
GDS VS CRS

● It is clear that GDS and CRS have similar

CENTRAL RESERVATION SYSTEM functionality: they keep track of availability and
rates across different channels and connect
hotels to business travel planners and agent
● It is used to store and retrieve information and networks.
eventually conduct transactions that have ● While talking about the global distribution
something to do with travel. systems, it seems the GDS loses value
● Historically, CRS is exclusively used by and may not be suited to every hotel. It is still
airlines but was then extended to travel agents used by airlines and corporate travelers as the
and hotels for them to conveniently transact with system brings additional operational revenue
various guests and travelers. with last-minute inventory disposal and
facilitates global reach using the existing
network and low marginal costs.
CENTRAL RESERVATION SYSTEM ● With CRS, the hotel becomes more visible on
lots of booking platforms and distribution
channels like [Link] or Expedia
● Designed for the hotel sector and used to increasing revenue and occupancy. Besides, the
manage room rates and availability, as well as system allows to attract more direct customers
share this information across various distribution through the Booking Engine. Given the fact that
channels, like the GDS or online travel agencies 82% of bookings are made online via a website
(OTAs). or mobile app, the CRS wins the competition
●When there is a change in a booking or rates, over GDS.
WHAT IS E- TOURISM? ●C2B (Consumer-to-Business)
*C2B businesses focus on generating value from
their customer base by crowdsourcing ideas,
● E – Tourism is the digitalization of all soliciting feedback and more.
processes and value chains in the tourism ,
travel, hospitality and catering industries that
enable organizations to maximize their
efficiency and effectiveness. (Buhalis, 2003) Business-to-Business (B2B)

● Basically, the E-Tourism term refer to E- ● B2B is a form of a business transaction

Business systems in the tourism industry. involving either a manufacturer and wholesaler
or a wholesaler and a retailer.
● It is technically a transaction done by
establishments instead of between a company
● It is an application of ICT’s (Information and and a consumer.
Communication Technology) and enable to
transform processes digitally.

Business-to-Consumer (B2C)
● An example of which that tourist may now
choose, filter and select their travel destinations,
locations and place to visit to. ● B2C is another transaction that pertains to a
deal between a business and a customer.
● It is a sale of products or services by a
company to the target individual customers or
WHAT IS E-COMMERCE? guests for a profit.
● In other words, the usual service and product
● It is about conducting commercial availments in the tourism and hospitality
transactions via the web or getting involved industry fall under this type of transaction.
in selling and buying items over the internet. It
also covers monetary transactions.
B2B (Business-to-Business)

●B2B (Business-to-Business) ● It is the first B2B travel portal

*Transaction between Firms / Companies established in the Philippines which has
brought all the airline and hotel
reservation system (GDS and LCC
●B2C (Business-to-Consumer) airlines) in a single page integrating all
*Companies that sell goods or services to a the servers and enabling the agents to
consumer surf the schedule, fares and make
bookings instantaneously.
● Launched in Manila in August 2010,
●C2C (Consumer-to-Consumer) [Link] Philippines has captured
*Transactions between consumers majority of B2B market with more than
*Usually eBay, Amazon, Shopee, Lazada 9000 travel agents registered in its
network and transacting on a monthly
basis, and presence in over 180 cities
and municipalities nationwide.

B2C (Business-to-Consumer)

● Official Websites of the Hotels

● Official booking sites of the Airlines
● Online Travel Agencies (Agoda, Expedia,
[Link], AirBnB

C2B (Consumer-to-Business)

● Tripadvisor operates the world’s largest travel

guidance platform, connecting a global audience
of prospective travelers with travel partners
through rich content, price comparison tools, and
online reservation and related services for
destinations, accommodations, travel activities
and experiences, and restaurants.
● Tripadvisor enables consumers to research
destinations, experiences, and restaurants, read
and contribute user-generated content (such as
reviews and photos), and compare destinations
and businesses based on quality, price,
availability comparisons, and complete
bookings.

B2B2C (business-to-business-to-
consumer)

Extends the B2B (business-to-business) model

to include e-commerce for consumers. The goal
is to create a mutually beneficial relationship
between suppliers of goods and services and
online retailers.

● GDS – Travel related Services (Travel

Agencies) – Travelers