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In the past twenty years technological advances and regulatory changes have not only altered
the banking and telecommunications industries, but have also brought the two industries closer
together. Many banking institutions now provide telecommunications services, while some
telecommunications companies provide financial services. Banks already lease some
communications line capacity to other users and extensively use telecommunications systems to
provide automated teller machines (ATMs) in locations far removed from bank branches.
Telecommunications companies offer such traditional bank services as issuing and processing
credit cards.
Banks were the first business sector to become major users of data communication networks to
carry out cheque clearing and other transactions.
Information about money is transmitted within a bank’s network of branches and cashpoint
machines, as well as to other banks within the country and banks worldwide. The financial
networks also connect the banks to global financial services such as VISA and MasterCard,
EuroCard and so on. These networks allow cardholders to make purchases with credit or debit
cards, withdraw cash or foreign currency from bank cashpoint machines, make purchases over
the telephone or Internet and obtain cash advances. Wireless links can connect both fixed and
mobile point-of-sale or cashpoint terminals, those installed in stores and kiosks, as well as mobile
terminals for street vendors, tourist sites and vehicles.
People everywhere can have bank accounts from which they can withdraw by debit or credit
cards and into which they can receive payments and make deposits. The access device is a bank
or credit card that is swiped at a point-of-sale terminal or inserted into a cashpoint machine
which may be positioned in a wall at a convenient location or on a truck with a wireless
connection that visits farms, villages and remote work sites: a circuit-riding bank.
The application of networks is a vital part of an effective information communication technology
enabled system, which is especially true in the case of banks with a branch network. Local Area
Network (LAN) may also be seen as a basic indicator of the minimum infrastructure required to
enable companies to conduct electronic banking at a substantial level
Banks and financial services companies have been major players in the telecommunications
sector for many years. Banking institutions have been offering new services and features to
improve the efficiency and convenience of their business. Banking is no longer defined by an
individual customer conducting business through a teller; it is now characterized by a system of
electronic transactions conducted over computer networks from points around the globe. Today,
57 percent of banking transactions occur outside bank branches. Future will bring a dramatic shift
away from the traditional bank branches toward more electronic systems. Banks will likely offer
new services in the future, they already use telecommunications technology in three important
ways: leased lines, ATMs, and home banking.
Examples of the use of internal network and communication in banking operation include:
Leased Lines. Leasing telecommunications lines has grown in importance in recent years. The
practice usually consists of buying excess transmission capacity from telecommunications
providers and using it for specialized purposes. Advances in communications switching
technology have made it feasible for some businesses to lease access to these lines and to
provide new data processing services by attaching their own switching and computer processing
equipment. With the proliferation of private telecommunications lines and the decrease in the
cost of computer and networking equipment, leasing communications lines is a burgeoning field.
In the past, data communication was done over the public voice network, but the limitations of
that network, in both speed and accuracy, encouraged many business users to look to private
digital lines for their communications needs. Many advanced service providers have entered the
field by attaching network management equipment to the lines.
Automated Teller Machines. . Automated teller machine has the capacity to make available
enquiries on balances, interest and exchange rates, withdrawals, deposits and account transfers
24/7. Banks provide ATM access via their branch offices, where the ATMs are wired to the
banking data network. Automated teller machines have become a critical component of a bank's
ability to communicate with customers and are the most recognizable electronic financial service.
ATMs allow use of the telecommunications network for remote withdrawals, deposits, and
account information retrieval twenty-four hours a day. Beyond increasing customer contact, a
great benefit to banks is that ATMs are extremely efficient, because fewer personnel are needed
to perform the great number of transactions.
Electronic Banking. The banking industry also employs telecommunications technology in a third
area - home banking. These systems allow customers to access bank computers from remote
locations, using networks that may be public (public phone network), private (private access
terminals), or both.
Electronic Banking services include the following:
Electronic Mail: is an electronic means of sending and receiving mails. Its application is popular
within a network environment or through the internet. Therefore with a network of systems, a
note, letter, report, and chart can be sent from office to another within the company.
Credit Card: is the payment system that involves no account debit at the end of each transaction.
Electronic and Mobile Payment System: Electronic payment system that works in conjunction
with electronic commerce, while Mobile payment system is used by mobile commerce.
Personal Computer Banking (PC): allows the bank’s customers to access information. The
increasing awareness of the importance of computer literacy has resulted in increasing the use
of personal computers. This certainly supports the growth of PC banking which virtually
establishes a branch in the customers’ home or office, and offers 24-hour service, seven days a
week. It also has the benefits of Telephone Banking and ATMs.
Internet Banking: is a form of banking transaction carried out on the internet. There must be
internet access and transaction is through a personal computer.
Online Banking: is a synonym to internet banking but predominantly used to reference banking
automation as against manual operations.
Mobile Banking: has brought about ease, convenience, privacy and security of online banking
through mobile devices that neatly fit into one’s purse or pocket based on SMS facility.
The modules of information systems in the hotel business can be classified according to different
focuses on the system, by which is meant to focus on customers, operations, support and
services.
Modules facing clients are: booking, POS systems, clients loyalty program, Web portals, front
office systems and others.
Modules facing operations include: revenue management, inventory, purchasing and billing
applications, planning and others.
Modules facing support activities are: applications for human resources management, financial
applications, CRM solutions and others.
Service Modules are: online bookings, interface to the GDS systems and stakeholders portals and
others.
Two major integrated modules within the information systems that are discussed in
hotel business are:
• Property Management Systems, PMS
• Computer Reservation Systems, CRS
The system for asset management of the hotel (Property Management System, PMS) is a core
component of management's operations. PMS system provides tools that hotel staff needs in
performing daily activities, such as provisioning, check-out guests, the management of the
accommodation capacities, serving the needs of guests, accounting, etc.
Comfortable invoicing
Multi-Client_Capability Exceptional flexibility
Flexibility
Central and/or local administration
Simple and intuitive usability
Speedy check-in
Easy and comfortable bill splitting
The biggest impact on the development of business in the hotel industry has left the development
of the Internet. The existence of inexpensive and complex computer and telecommunications
networks for transmission information, the whole world is linked in large unit share information
quickly. Today internet services, they are creating a global market for traffic and marketing of
goods and services. The advantages of using the Internet in the hotel industry are manifold:
reducing costs, increasing market, intensive marketing, the possibility of permanent interactive
communication with potential customers and partners etc. These are just some of the
advantages of this way of doing business in hotel industry.
Certainly the biggest advantage of the Internet in the hotel industry is the use of global
distribution systems and central reservation systems.
The use of information systems for the hotel industry can certainly be an asset improving
competitive advantage. ISs contribute significantly to improving the efficiency and effectiveness
of business operations, especially in large hotel where many activities take place regularly.
Starting from the easiest systems to integrate payment at one point of sale, managing costs and
passages, accounting or accommodation, to the reservation system, linking with other hotels and
suppliers, managing inventory, etc. information systems have an important role in the Marketing
field. Tourism is a market full of information, and the majority of companies are in close touch
with their clients, which enable them to acquire knowledge about their needs and desires.
Tourism companies, especially hotels, with the help of Information system can collect, store and
analyze information about users systematically and in order to improve product quality, faster
response to changing requirements customers, and ensuring customer loyalty.
The main objective of the implementation of information systems in the hotels is actually better
meeting the needs and desires of consumers. Although the tourist market differs in different
parts of the world, what is common to all business strategy is that faces to customer as the key
to success. Building a better way to consumers, is considered one of ways to gain a competitive
advantage in any market. One of the noticeable trends in the hotel industry is the need for faster
and easier performance of business operations, which is why a large number of hotel decided to
deploy information system that will provide faster performance with less errors and omissions.
Information systems not only help employees with work more efficiently, but also management
in the field of control and better availability of information. One of trends is certainly the
introduction of restaurant information systems that facilitate the ordering process and control
of materials and supplies. Hotel Splendid is one of the successful examples of how to raise the
quality of the hotel services application modern information and communication solutions.