Hotel Operations Efficiency

A Cisco ACI (Application Centric Infrastructure) multi-site design connecting a main data center (DC) to multiple remote locations. The setup ensures seamless traffic flow between sites, leveraging ACI's scalability, automation, and centralized policy management. The design uses an IP network to interconnect the main data center and remote locations. Within the main data center, the core consists of Cisco ACI components, including the Application Policy Infrastructure Controllers (APICs), spines, and leaf switches. The remote sites are connected to the main data center through spine switches, which serve as gateways to the external IP network. Main Data Center The main DC forms the control and operational hub of the entire network. It includes: APIC Controllers: These manage policies, configurations, and orchestration across the network. Spine-Leaf Architecture: Spines act as the backbone, connecting leaf switches in a highly scalable and redundant design. This architecture supports high east-west traffic, reducing latency and bottlenecks. Leaf Switches: These connect to various endpoints, such as virtual machines, bare-metal servers, or Kubernetes nodes. Remote Locations Each remote location contains: Remote Leaf vPC Pairs: The Virtual Port Channel (vPC) pairs provide redundancy and load balancing for endpoints connected at these remote sites. These endpoints can include Kubernetes nodes, VMware environments, bare-metal servers, or other hypervisors. Traffic Routing to Main DC: Traffic between endpoints at remote locations is sent to the spine switches in the main DC via the IP network. The spines are responsible for inter-site communication, ensuring traffic reaches the correct destination. Traffic Flow and Benefits Traffic between endpoints in remote locations does not flow directly. Instead, it is routed through the main DC spines, ensuring centralized control and adherence to ACI policies. This design simplifies management and ensures that security, quality of service (QoS), and application-specific policies are consistently applied across all sites. Benefits of this design include: Centralized Management: Policies and configurations are centrally defined in the main DC and propagated across remote sites, reducing administrative overhead. Scalability: The spine-leaf architecture in the main DC and the extension to remote leaves allow seamless scaling of endpoints without compromising performance. Redundancy and Resilience: The use of vPC pairs and ACI's inherent redundancy ensures continuous operations even during hardware failures. Unified Fabric: By leveraging the ACI fabric across multiple sites, this design supports consistent operations, regardless of location. Application-Centric Policies: ACI enables application-specific policies to be applied uniformly, enhancing security and performance.

𝗜𝗻𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗹 𝗶𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗰𝗸.  𝗜𝘁’𝘀 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗰𝗮𝘀𝗵 𝗳𝗹𝗼𝘄, 𝗰𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗿 𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗰𝗲, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗼𝘀. If you're not applying structured inventory techniques, you're inviting stockouts, overstocking, or worse—cash trapped in the wrong places. Here are 6 high-impact inventory control techniques used by top-performing supply chains: (1). ABC Analysis Categorizes items by value contribution: • A = High-value, tight control • B = Moderate-value, periodic review • C = Low-value, simple checks Focus where it financially matters most. (2). XYZ Classification Uses Coefficient of Variation (CV) to classify demand variability: • X = Stable • Y = Moderate • Z = Erratic Drives how much buffer or planning flexibility you need. (3). EOQ (Economic Order Quantity) Finds the optimal order size that minimizes total holding + ordering cost. Formula: EOQ = √(2DS/H) (4). ROP (Reorder Point) Calculates when to place the next order so you never run dry. Formula: ROP = Daily Demand × Lead Time (5). Safety Stock Holds extra inventory to cover demand or supply shocks. Formula: SS = Z × σ × √LT Z = service level, σ = demand variability (6). VED Classification Ranks inventory by criticality: • Vital – no stockout allowed • Essential – important, but manageable • Desirable – lowest priority Crucial in healthcare, aerospace, and military supply chains. 🧠 I use this exact framework when training supply chain teams or auditing stock strategies. Which technique do you use most? #InventoryManagement #SupplyChain #DemandPlanning

Uber used GenAI to build its in-house invoice automation system, achieving 70% reduction in average handling time. 📈 Here’s how they built the system end-to-end: 1. To start, Uber built TextSense, a common document processing platform. - Uber’s approach takes invoice documents from different sources like emails and PDFs, into object storage platform, converting formats to a standard one for processing. 2. TextSense abstracts all these processes. - It has a modular and reusable interface over OCR and LLMs, making it easy to onboard new document processing use cases through simple config changes. 3. The processing includes pre-processing steps with Uber's CV platform for OCR to extract text, and LLM models for capturing specific data fields like invoice numbers, dates, and amounts. 4. For model training, Uber focuses on supplier invoice data, using labelled structured data and unstructured PDF text to fine-tune their models and improve extraction accuracy. 5. Finally, on the UI they show side-by-side comparisons of the extracted data and the original PDF, simplifying the review process for manual checks. Link to the article: https://lnkd.in/g_A4pb8E #AI #GenAI #AIAgents

Financial Analyst Interview Insights 🧑🏫 1. How do you collaborate with cross-functional teams to share relevant and accurate information? A: Collaboration with cross-functional teams involves regular communication and ensuring transparency in the information shared. This includes organizing meetings to discuss key data points and aligning on objectives. Timely sharing of financial reports and addressing any queries from other teams ensures that all stakeholders are on the same page. A clear understanding of each team’s needs helps in finding optimal solutions. 2. How do you ensure the management reports you create are comprehensive, accurate, and timely? A: Management reporting is approached with thorough data validation processes to ensure accuracy. Gathering inputs from relevant teams early in the reporting cycle helps meet deadlines. The reports are structured to highlight key financial metrics, variances, and business performance drivers. Presentations are tailored to the audience, ensuring clarity and focus for senior management and stakeholders. 3. Can you give an example of when you identified a key driver that led to an important business decision? A: During a monthly review, a significant deviation in actuals versus the forecast was identified. After analyzing the data, it became evident that an unforeseen operational cost was driving the variance. By escalating the issue with leadership and suggesting potential cost-cutting measures, adjustments were made to avoid further financial impact, contributing to improved cost control in subsequent months. 4. What steps do you take when preparing an executive summary of financial performance? A: When preparing executive summaries, the focus is on clarity, relevance, and brevity. Key metrics such as revenue, expenses, and margin variances are highlighted, along with concise explanations for deviations from the plan. Additionally, opportunities for improvement and potential risks are flagged, offering actionable insights for leadership. 5. How do you take ownership of dashboards and ensure their continued relevance and accuracy? A: Taking ownership of dashboards involves regular updates and ensuring the underlying data is accurate and up-to-date. This includes working with data teams to automate data feeds where possible and making enhancements based on user feedback. By reviewing key KPIs and ensuring alignment with business priorities, the dashboards remain relevant and provide real-time insights. 6. How do you approach forecasting and planning cycles to ensure accuracy? A: Forecasting and planning require a methodical approach. Inputs from various teams are gathered, pressure tested, and consolidated. A comparison with historical data and external benchmarks helps refine the projections. Risks and opportunities are then identified, which allows for adjustments, ensuring a well-rounded and accurate forecast.

Yogurt in a bag. Protein bars in a carton. Green tea in a juice box. Vitamin jelly in a squeeze pouch. Japan’s innovation doesn’t stop at bullet trains and vending machines—it’s deeply embedded in even the most basic food and beverage items through the lens of convenience, practicality, and delight. I came across dozens of small, smart decisions in product design, packaging structure, and format flexibility that caught my attention and challenged the norms of CPG in the U.S. Here are a few intriguing themes and photos from Japan’s supermarkets and stores: 🧃 Structure is Strategy Yogurt in a resealable bag. Soft-serve in a metallized squeeze pack. Bread sold in 3-slice packs. These aren’t gimmicks—they’re logical responses to space constraints, solo households, and freshness-first expectations. A frozen soft-serve pouch defrosts just enough to be enjoyed on the go. A 3-slice loaf reduces waste. A resealable bag of yogurt makes storage and dosing easier. Thoughtful. Functional. Elegant. 🥕 Nutrition, Reframed A protein bar becomes a “Balanced Food Block.” A multivitamin drink comes in a gusseted jelly pouch. There’s turmeric energy shots in aluminum bottles and vegetable juice sold in juice boxes. The wellness category here feels purpose-built, not hype-driven. No shiny slogans or 30g protein callouts—just use-case clarity and format ingenuity. 🍞 Portion Culture Shock From three-slice bread to tiny cans of coffee, beer, cola, and sparkling drinks, Japan caters to moderation. In contrast to the U.S.’s obsession with “more,” Japanese formats feel tailored to smaller kitchens, fresher shopping habits, and the solo consumer. Less feels like a virtue, not a sacrifice. ☕️ Packaging with Purpose The FIRE coffee can has a crimped, fractal-like texture embedded into the aluminum can—instantly recognizable and tactile. A 7-Eleven soft-serve cone has a protective top and stabilizing base. Chip Star (Japan’s Pringles counterpart) uses a fully paper-based canister—stackable, resealable, and recyclable. UCC instant coffee in saches are placed inside of 5 stacked cups with stirring sticks for the ultimate on-the-go format. Every structure here feels considered. 🍡 Flavors with a Story Coconut yogurt soda. Umami cola. Regional KitKats tied to prefecture-specific confections and seasonal gifting. Japan doesn’t just innovate on flavor—it imbues it with meaning. Whether it’s turning fermented notes into functional drinks or transforming a global chocolate brand into a local souvenir, these products don’t just taste different—they mean something different. It’s flavor as culture, as occasion, as collectible. It's refreshing to get outside of the U.S. CPG bubble and see things from a new lens. Not everything here would translate stateside, but the spirit of what Japan gets right—practicality, portioning, and structural charm—might just be what our aisles are missing. #CPGinnovation #PackagingDesign #ProductDevelopment #JapanRetail #FoodTrends2025

Every multi-site operation faces the same hard question: Do we manage inventory locally at each site, or pool it across the network?   It’s not a simple cost exercise. The decision touches on: - Mathematics (risk pooling, demand correlation) - Total cost (carrying, logistics, procurement, service levels) - Strategy (capital allocation, resilience, competitiveness) - Execution (pilots, systems, change management) The answer isn’t binary. Most companies find success in selective pooling: critical spares stay local, while high-value, slow moving, and sporadic demand parts are shared across sites.   We’ve just published a full framework that breaks this down, with practical guidance, pitfalls to avoid, and how to build a path from pilot to enterprise scale. https://lnkd.in/dPbUngqX PS: While we developed it from spare parts inventory cases, the insights apply to any multi-site supply chain.

One of the most consistent themes in my conversations with food and beverage leaders right now: the future of eating is becoming deeply personal, profoundly ethical - and far more complex to navigate.   From global strategists to innovation heads, the questions are the same: How do we respond to rapidly shifting consumer expectations? How do we balance science, sustainability, and emotion in what we bring to market?   In our latest foresight report, we explore three of the most urgent forces shaping the future of food & drink:   1️⃣ Mood Food – where nourishment is emotional, and functionality meets wellbeing. 2️⃣ Climatarian Diets – where sustainability is expected, but value and trust still shape decision-making. 3️⃣ Engineered Eats – where scientific progress opens new doors, but acceptance and ethics must follow.   These shifts aren’t trends - they’re structural changes with profound implications for brand, product, and purpose.   🔗 Read the full report here: https://lnkd.in/e9EFmFgA   #FutureOfFood #ConsumerTrends #Foresight #Leadership #Innovation

Consumer Brand and Innovation Leaders, Earlier this week I attended Chicago Innovation's Taste of Innovation. In addition to sampling delicious eats from Chicago restauranteurs and brands, I heard from a diverse panel of chef's and Food biz experts on where the industry is headed. 🔮 But it wasn't a rehashing of food trends we all know about. I found it helpful to hear reframes of the dynamics/trends we've already been watching. 🌟 𝗚𝗟𝗣-𝟭'𝘀: There's broad industry agreement they're here to stay, so how can CPGs adapt, beyond creating "GLP-friendly" products? I was intrigued by one panelist's perspective that these drugs represent the merging of food and healthcare: "Personalized, performance based eating" (paraphrased). Ways menus and brands can adapt: ➡️ Prioritizing nutrient-dense ingredients/foods ➡️ More focus on small plates/mini meals ➡️Treating nutritionists as the HCPs they are in making medical decisions ➡️ Educating on the importance of maintaining muscle mass 🌟𝗔𝗹𝗰𝗼𝗵𝗼𝗹-𝗙𝗿𝗲𝗲: yes, it's a huge and enduring trend, but social drinking remains a prevalent behavior, especially among consumers <40. The need for on-premise and CPG alcohol innovation isn't going away. ➡️IMHO, a positive byproduct of the Mocktail trend is we can now look at Cocktails as if not "healthy", carriers for real fruits, herbs, interesting spices, etc. which bring a health halo. ➡️We've already seen innovation from both big Bev alc companies entering No ABV, and CPG drink companies entering DIY cocktails/mocktails. But there's still a TON of upside across many CPG categories, from pack formats to flavor profiles to collaborations. FUN stuff. 🌟𝗔𝗜 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗣𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘇𝗲𝗱 𝗗𝗶𝗲𝘁𝘀: As wearable trackers/diagnostics (Oura rings, glucose monitors etc) and microbiome testing become more prevalent, CPG /foodservice leaders can paint themselves as "functional chefs," harnessing data to address individual customer needs. ➡️We know food is medicine, so how can it be positioned to boost individual performance in whatever context that might be? Think focus at work, endurance for athletics, or even creativity for the arts or recreation. 🌟𝗙𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝗪𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗘𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗟𝗼𝗰𝗮𝗹: It's no secret that restaurants, retailers and food companies face food waste challenges, but it was eye-opening to learn that ~30% of waste happens upstream in the food system--pre-consumer. Ways to offset this: ➡️Understanding food sources and buying local (less transport = less waste) ➡️Smaller menus curated with seasonal offerings and specialties featuring regionally/locally accessible ingredients. There's a reason Natural Grocery is faring better than Mainstream Grocery in our Tariff-ridden times! ➡️Shopping: make more frequent trips to smaller footprint stores with stronger fresh assortments vs huge stock-up trips that increase likelihood of waste What do you think? I'd love to hear your thoughts and builds! #foodindustry #insights #trends

Measuring your SME financial health with Free Cash Flow metrics 🎯 As an experience finance professional, I always consider good cash flow management as crucial in maintaining company’s financial health. Cash is the lifeblood of any kind of business in my opinion. So, it is very important that SME business owner to take a good care of their business cash flow management💸. One way for a business owner to assess the health of their company’s cash flow management is by selecting the right metric and consistently monitoring it. Free cash flow (FCF) is one of the metrics that can be used to measure your company financial health. It indicates how much cash a company can produce after taking cash outflows for operations and assets purchase into consideration. Normally you calculate FCF by subtracting capital expenditures from your operating cash flow. In another word, it is actually a measure of profitability that excludes the non-cash expenses of the income statement and includes cash outflow on equipment and assets purchase as well as changes in working capital from the balance sheet. Here are some key benefits in monitoring your business FCF: 1️⃣ Cash flow management: By monitoring FCF helps SME owners to ensure that they have enough liquidity to cover day-to-day operations, pay debts, and pay capital expenditures. 2️⃣ Decision to expand the business: Understanding FCF allows business owners to know the ability of their business to expand or grow, such as by expanding distribution assets, adding production line, or pursuing opportunities to acquire other business without compromising financial stability. 3️⃣ Debt management: By monitoring FCF, SME owners can assess their ability to service existing debt and at the same time evaluate the feasibility of taking on new debt to support the business growth. 4️⃣ Better financial forecast: Regularly tracking FCF enables SME owners to make more reliable financial forecasts, anticipate future cash needs, and plan accordingly. Such forecast could help to identify potential cash flow gap early and prepare relevant mitigation. 🤔 How do you monitor your business cash flow management? Please share your insight and experience in the comment section. 🙏 If you're gearing up to scale your SME or early-stage business to new heights, let's connect. Together, we can explore strategies to optimize your business cash flow and strengthening your financial foundation. #CashFlowManagement #BusinessOptimization #BusinessTransformation