Best practices in information technology

Abstract

The successful companies of the next decade will be the ones that use digital tools to reinvent the way they work. These companies will make decisions quickly, act efficiently, and directly touch their customers in positive ways. " 1 —Bill Gates s Bill Gates notes in the quote displayed above, the companies that effectively use infor- mation technology (IT) will be the ones that best improve customer service, whether those customers are external (e.g., guests) or internal (e.g., employees, stockholders). Certainly this holds true for the lodging-industry champions who were nominated by peer organizations and managers for their efforts in information technology The champions designated specifically as information-technology champions are listed in Exhibit 1. All of these companies have worked to develop or improve technological systems that influence the guest experience.