As brand standards continue to evolve with cabling, more bandwidth, access point density, electronic door locks, and other innovative features, it’s more important than ever to build an infrastructure that can integrate both older and newer equipment and services. Whether you are building a single unit hotel property or expanding with a hotel chain, you need to make construction decisions and select service providers that will benefit you in both the short- and long-term. When you’re building a hotel, you need to make sure you’re considering the following:

Building for Today and Tomorrow

You’ll find many companies and service providers that offer everything you need to complete your construction or renovation project using the latest equipment, top-of-the-line materials, and services that serve the modern-day hotel patron. However, not all of these systems and services will cater to your customers of tomorrow — the types of hotel guests that need more high-speed Internet bandwidth, for example, or those that want more advanced in-room entertainment options. When you invest in a Wi-Fi interface or large-screen television sets for every room and suite during your construction or renovation phase, you need to consider the needs of the customer of today and the customer of the future. Otherwise, you could end up spending even more money and resources just to upgrade your property and see customers turning to your competition for a higher quality experience.

This is where we come in. Our expert team is here to provide guidance and resources on equipment, suppliers, and materials for your construction project so that it is, and will continue to be, one of the most technologically advanced properties in the area. We also make sure the property is well-equipped to handle the evolving needs of tomorrow’s hotel guests, managers, and even future investors.

Preparing for Integration

Building an infrastructure that’s primed for growth requires the expertise of professionals that understand the full scope of technology trends and emerging trends that will impact the hospitality industry. The hospitality industry is evolving at a record pace and few properties are truly able to keep up with the times. Preparing for integration of today’s technologies and consumer needs with the tomorrow’s Internet capabilities, technological advances, and growing consumer demands is easier when you work with a seasoned team that can provide guidance with your construction decisions and when selecting various services for your property.

RTM brings decades of experience in hospitality technology to integrate multiple systems into a seamless product. Whether a hotel needs updated telecom services or Wi-Fi support in guest rooms, we are here to ensure the hotel’s technology infrastructure is implemented in a way that supports its growth in the present day, and in the future. We have extensive experience with source and project management, cable engineering, and other projects that can prepare you for growth. Contact RTM today for more information.

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When your telephone department was one of your best Revenue sources, micro-managing its expenses was important, no doubt, but now, without those associated revenues, it’s imperative.  That requires a thorough understanding of all operational costs and formulas that allow for accurate projections. Hotels that fail to conduct detailed audits on a regular basis are at risk for making poor operational decisions using inaccurate financial figures. A thorough audit can either validate or identify problems in expense management. Here are three key reasons why hotels must conduct periodic expense audits:

1. Helps streamline your expense management strategy. An Audit performed by an outsource team will reveal oversights, then correct and validate your recurring expenses. Conducting a dynamic expense audit will help you streamline many major expenses.

2.  Identify opportunities to consolidate vendors and resources. A dynamic expense audit will break down your current costs so you can see exactly which areas might need consolidation. Outlining your current expenses in detail during an audit will clarify any opportunities for consolidation, line item by line item.

3. Provides accurate numbers on actual savings. A complete dynamic expense audit will provide an accurate analysis of how much you are saving with various cost-saving measures — where you might be spending more than necessary, and identify areas that need to be optimized and make more informed financial decisions going forward.

Getting Started with a Dynamic Expense Audit

RTM Inc. specializes in expense management conducted thorough dynamic expense audits to help your organization better understand your financial standing. We analyze and optimize hospitality operating expenses, including telecom usage, guest Internet, utilities (water, gas, and sewage), trash removal, elevator maintenance costs, guest room entertainment, and other expenses. RTM’s audit team will identify opportunities for consolidating vendors and resources and provide your organization with more accurate numbers on how much you are saving with different operations decisions.

Contact Resource Technology Management by calling (407) 998-8000 or complete this form for more information.

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Hotels continue to upgrade their technology to meet brand standards, operational reporting or to enhance staff productivity.  Cabling standards change over time to enhance speed, reduce cross talk and improve overall performance.  The quality of the cabling also plays a critical role for systems to operate at peak performance.  For existing properties, many require upgrading from Cat 5 to Cat 5e or Cat 6/ 6a.  The different categories and their capabilities are listed at the bottom of this article.

Tip 1: Cat 5 cabling or earlier is obsolete. The updated standards from the major brands are Cat 5e for existing properties and Cat 6/6a for new builds.  For Cat 6/6a, jacks and connectors need to be compatible.

Tip 2: The cabling runs from the main distribution frame to the intermediate distribution frames should be fiber.  Cables and patch panel assignment should be labeled. Cabling runs need to remain under 328 feet or 100 meters.  Certification of the cable runs is required to document specifications are being meet.

Tip 3: Today’s television sets can use Ethernet to avoid the cost of coax.  Your sets should be double checked for the Ethernet connection.

*Categories of Unshielded Twisted Pair Courtesy of HowToGeek.com

For more information or assistance in obtaining cable quotes, please contact;  Terry Mueller at Tmueller@RTM-Inc.com or direct at 407-998-8028.

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Over 20 years of hotel-specific telecom experience has determined that these are typical prices a hotelier should be paying at a property based on the number of rooms. If your property exceeds these amounts, contact RTM Inc. for a complimentary estimate of savings.

Average Monthly Telephone Charges

Number of Room                                           *Price

0-150                                                            $575.00

151-250                                                       $750.00

215-400                                                        $925.00

$1,150.00                                                      $1,150.00

The above estimates are for dial tone only – not internet bandwidth.

 * All estimated prices include applicable taxes and monthly minutes used.

RTM Inc. works with a wide range of hospitality businesses from limited service to full-service resort style properties. RTM provides complementary analysis’ of Telecommunications Services, Internet Services, Trash Removal & Waste Management Services, and other utilities such as Gas, Water, and Electric. RTM also provides IT consulting, HSIA solutions, and Bandwidth Management.

RTM Inc., is a third party, a non-biased performance-based company working on your behalf. If you would like RTM to perform a complimentary assessment of your monthly expenditures, including telephone charges, please contact Terry below.

Contact Terry Mueller: tmueller@rtm-inc.com | 407-998-8028

The post What Should I be Paying for Monthly Telecom? appeared first on Resource Technology Management, Inc..

The pace of telecom and technology change continues to accelerate as demonstrated by recent announcements by AT&T and Sprint to no longer offer traditional land lines.  In hindsight, it is easy to see how the I-Phone, I-Pad, and the Internet have affected almost every industry, including hospitality. The changing technology and fierce competition have rewarded those who manage their telecom and Internet assets. The following are a few recommended steps:

• The first step is having a summary of services being paid for and the usage of each.  Your accounting department may have this information.  The property’s telephone bill will provide some of the detail.
•  A worksheet to assist in the gathering of this information includes:  main telephone number, lines billed under the main number, description  –  Upon request RTM can provide a worksheet or better yet, RTM will complete the worksheet using one month copy of the properties telecom bills.
• Track long distance, toll-free, & local usage such as fax, elevator, PBX, etc.
• Business lines typically have an annual cost of $500.00.  Eliminating unused business lines or converting to direct inward dialing numbers are some of the low hanging fruit.
• It is important to know the contract terms and expiration dates for services.  (While an extreme case, RTM recently replaced a $8,000.00 a month out of contract T-1 with a $900.00 a month service from a Tier 1 provider.)

Since the guest usage on the hotel’s PBX is negligible, armed with the above information the process of re-engineering the type and quantity of telephone services and the saving can begin.  Using an appropriate worksheet provides management a snapshot of actual and projected savings.

For more information on Telecom optimizations, please contact:

Terry Mueller

Founding Partner / Principal

Resource Technology Management, Inc.

251 Maitland Avenue, Suite 215

Altamonte Springs, Florida 32701

Direct line:  407-998-8028

Cellular:  407-257-0632

www.RTM-inc.com

tmueller@RTM-inc.com

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Competition and Technology are critical factors in managing assets and expense control.  However to obtain the maximum results, it takes time, expertise, and a process to Find It, Fix It and Document It.  The process is like gold mining in Alaska; you have to know where to look and the expertise to put gold in the pan.

Over the years, Resource Technology Management (RTM) www.RTM-inc.com has expanded their asset management/operating expense management services. Most services have a Pay for Performance or contingency option with some payback quicker than 4 months.

Why Use a Third Party Expertise

• Supplement In-house Resources
• Gives Your Company the Agility It Needs
• Experts in Brand Standards and Vendor Options
• Easy to Manage
• Clean up Projects that Never Reach the Top of the “To Do’ list

Unique Trial Offer:  Select any one of the services below for a complimentary, no-obligation review of the service by completing the Complimentary Review request.

Our areas of expertise include:

• Telecom optimization
• Telecom management
• Telecom bill coding
• In-room temperature control
• LED lighting conversion
• Electronic door locks
• HSIA monthly support
• HSIA required Upgrades
• Copy machine leasing
• Deregulated electricity
• Deregulated natural gas
• Trash removal
• Van Leasing

For more information please contact Terry Mueller tmueller@RTM-inc.com or visit our website at www.RTM-inc.com.

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