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SCMP Reporter

HOTELS may soon offer push-button comfort to guests if the winning project at the recent City University of Hong Kong TechExpois implemented.

  The project virtually provides hotel guests' needs at the push of a button: including ordering food and drinks, sending E-mail and booking hotel facilities.

   The winning entry in the Computer Studies section - Hotel Express Terminal System - is intended to link up with existing hotel systems such as Global Reservation and Food and Beverage Ordering.

  Team leader Geoffrey Ng Kwok-fai said efforts had been made to connect the project with other systems.

  'On the other hand, we must avoid any overlapping in case the facilities become redundant to hotel guests,' said the final-year Higher Diploma in Computer Studies student.

  The two-part system aims to serve hotel guests and management.

   While food and beverage ordering, reservation of hotel facilities, bill checking and information inquiry are included in the Guest Information System the Executive Information System provides hotel executives with maintenance and monitoring functions for the guest system, said Felix Lam Wing-keung, a member of the winning team. He said a main feature was the facility to send E-mail.

   'As the Internet has become more and more popular, customers - especially businessmen - may need to send E-mail and transfer files to do their work inside the hotel room,' he said.

  Although computers had become common in the hotel business, their use was focused mainly on management rather than customers.

  The expected growth in the hotel industry when Chek Lap Kok airport is finished inspired the group's project. But copyright of the system is the university's and Mr Lam was not sure if the system would be sold to the hotel business for use.

  The four-member team, all from Higher Diploma in Computer Studies (Year Three), won $4,000.

  The third Project of the Year Competition and Exhibition was organised by the university's Division of Technology to provide students with the chance of practical experience in project-making.

   Winners were also selected from four other higher diploma courses - Architectural Studies, Building, Building Services Engineering and Building Surveying.



Push-button hotel room service takes expo top prize