Radio frequency identification (RFID) technology allows for the automatic identification of objects using radio waves. It has various applications in tracking inventory and improving efficiency. Examples discussed include Walmart using RFID to track inventory, a ski resort using RFID tickets to reduce lines, and the Aloft hotel brand allowing guests to check in using an RFID keycard and unlock their room without interacting with staff. An expert is quoted saying RFID could benefit schools by providing parents more access to student information and benefit hotels by enhancing services for loyalty program members. Overall RFID is presented as a technology that can improve customer service across industries by creating more convenient experiences.

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Radio Frequency Technology
Hospitality and Tourism Marketing and Sales – HT 344
Rachel Reber and ReemNasraddin
3 October 2012

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Overview:
Radio Frequency Identification or RFID has been around for over 40 years but has not
always been as refined as it is now. RFID is a way of automatically recognizing a specific object
by storing and remotely recovering data from small transponders which are called the RFID tags.
The tags have an antenna assembled into them which then allows the transmission and reception
of radio waves from the transceiver.
The technology of Radio Frequency Identification can be traced all the way back to
World War 2 when they had similar technology which was then called the Identification Friend
or Foe or IFF. The purpose of IFF was to recognize if an incoming aircraft was a friend or foe,
they would use coded radar signals. The coded signals would activate the planes transponder and
reply with a friendly military plane or a harmless civilian plane. After World War 2 ended
scientists and researchers started to discover the use of RFID to store and transmit data. The only
problem was that the scientists were having a hard time finding an appropriate power source. It
took around thirty years for the technology to be able to be created.
Radio Frequency Identification technology is a term that is used to describe any method
of identifying a unique item in the form of a serial number using radio waves. There are three
components of a basic RFID system they are the antenna, the transceiver and the transponder.
The transponder is electronically programmed with its specific and unique information. The
antenna releases radio signals to trigger the tag to read and write data to it. Then the reader
produces the radio waves in ranges which could be anywhere from one inch to 100 feet or it
could be more it just depends on the power output of the radio frequency that is being used.
When the tag goes through the electromagnetic zone it finds an activation signal. The chip then
decodes the data which is encoded into the tags incorporated chip and the data is passed to the
computer which then processes the information. Mobile RFID is opposite of traditional RFID
because instead of the reader being a fixed machine and the tags being moving parts, the reader
is installed on a mobile device and the tags are fixed.
The potential of Radio Frequency Identification is enormous. Wal-Mart is one of the
biggest believers in this technology. They have announced that most of their stores are now using
RFID with the company inventory. Since the introduction of RFID Wal-Mart will save a huge
amount of money in labor and product cost because it will be easier to track inventory and
market awareness will increase. A study done by the University of Arkansas displayed that the
Wal-Mart locations that did have the RFID tags had a larger success rate with customer
satisfaction because the availability of certain products.
Many other companies besides Wal-Mart have also taken hold of RFID technology. The
golf cart company Club Car has started to use RFID to improve productivity on their production
line. Another example is a small ski resort named Blue Hills Ski Area which is located in
Canton, Massachusetts just a few miles outside of Boston. Kristin Orozvitch the Ski Areas

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general manager and the chief operating officer Corie Stone decided to use a system called
SnowDAG. This system is a RFID ticketing and access-control solutionfor ski resorts. The use of
SnowDAG has helped Blue Hills Ski Area by reducing wait lines and making it more convenient
for guests. SnowDAG also has the option of being loaded with money so guests could use it to
make purchases at the retail store.
Examples:
Radio Frequency Technology has impacted the world of business as a whole. RFID can
help improve every business to be more efficient and help create even more guest satisfaction.
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. has gone a less tradition route and instead of using
RFID as a method of tracking products Starwood has integrated it with their rewards program at
their tech savvy hotel line called Aloft. Being a Starwood Preferred Guest allows you to use a
new innovative idea called Smart Check-in; this process was generated for the new generations
of guests who are more interested in technology than personal one on one guest service. Smart
Check-in works by Starwood Preferred Guests members receiving an Aloft-branded RFID
keycard. On the day of check in a text messages is the sent to the guest’s cell phone with their
room number. When the guest arrives at the hotel they can skip the check in process and head
straight to their room because their keycard will already be activated and unlock the room. By
doing so this gives the guests full control of their check in experience. Eventually the Aloft-
branded RFID keycard will be able to act as an all-access pass allowing the guests to buy drinks
and food at the hotel’s restaurant as well as items in the gift shop. Aloft’s Smart Check-in is the
hospitality industries first RFID program and has simplified the guest’s experience. I really love
this idea; I believe that it maximizes the guest’s experience. I think this is such a wonderful idea
because Aloft caters to the younger generation who is always on the go and does not value the
one on one customer service that the older generation does. I think that the next step of Alofts
Smart Check-in is to be able to gain access to a room with just the cell phone and not needing a
specific keycard that can get lost. The Hilton and InterContinental are already testing this process
by allowing the doors to be unlocked with the cell phone which I think is a much smarter idea.
Another great example on how Radio Frequency Technology is being used in the
hospitality and tourism industry comes from The Ushuaia Beach Hotel located in Ibiza, an island
off of Spain. The Ushuaia Beach Hotel has just launched a new way to be connected to social
media when you are on vacation. The hotel is using the RFID technology to allow guests to
update their Facebook activity while in the real world. Guests can now tag pictures and share
their vacation experience with their profile without needing a computer or cell phone. The guest
simple needs to wear a wrist band that is hooked up with RFID technology thatthey receive at
check in and link it up with their Facebook account. The resort has set up specially made
Facebook kiosks that are located around the hotel. All the guest needs to do is simple swipe the
wrist band at the kiosk at it brings up their Facebook page. This is not only a great idea for the
guests who are staying at the resort but also for the company, this is a great free way to advertise.
The resort does not only get free advertising but the guests get to share the experience with their

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Facebook friends who might in the future book a room. Other business can also benefit from the
RFID social sharing. Some examples might be waterparks where you are not able to carry you
cell phone, as well as ski resorts, and amusement parks.
Radio Frequency Technology in the hotel industry does not only have the potential to
make simple processes that already exist more convenient like unlocking a door or sharing your
experiences with friends. It can also improve the guest experience by making it more interactive
and enjoyable for guests. RFID is not only great for the guests but also for the hotel by
providing free advertising.
Interview:
Radio Frequency Technology is being used in almost every industry today. According to
marketing expert Alicia Lundal, Director of School Relations at High Point Christian School
located in Madison Wisconsin. She believes that RFID could even be helpful in her small private
Christian school. Mrs. Alicia Lundal states “I think the RFID technology will begin to permeate
many areas of today's society. I also think something like this could be used in the private
education sector. Parents want to be "in the know" about all aspects of their children's education.
With the use of Internet communication between home and school already in place, RFID may
be the logical next step.Parents could have an ID card that could be scanned that would provide
them with, for example, the following:student grades, account balances, perhaps even making
payments, school news, classroom news, requesting teacher conferences, communication,
between parents and faculty, re-enrollment and many more possibilities.” I agree with her about
this, if parents are paying a large amount of money for their child to attend elementary and
middle school then they are obviously very involved with their child’s life. RFID would be just
another step to help make that possible and to provide the convenience these parents are looking
for. When I asked Mrs. Alicia Lundal about what her opinions of this technology being used in
the hospitality industry she stated “this seems like the next logical step in the hospitality
industry; especially for "preferred customers" or individuals who are already part of a
"member/honors/reward" program.People would be able to seamlessly make reservations for
both personal and professional use.” I also agree with her statement on how it is the logical step
for hotels to start pairing with RFID and give their preferred customers something special that
sets that above the rest of the hotels guests.
When I asked Mrs. Alicia Lundal for some of her person opinions about the new and upcoming
technology this is what she told me “It is important for businesses in all areas, whether it be
hospitality or health care, to be continually thinking of better ways to create a process that
provides additional assistance or ease to their customers. Being customer-driven is not only a key
to aggressive marketing, but taking a business to the next level of success. It is also important to
think about one's internal customers.For example, in the hospitality industry, could the
housekeeping service have part in RFID? Perhaps a hotel room door could be scanned to advise
whether a customer has checked out and whether a room needs to be completely set up for the

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next guest.More and more people will be able to conduct many facets of their personal and
professional lives from mobile devices.” Mrs. Lundals idea and opinions I thought were
excellent and really made me think of the infinite possibilities RFID is capable of. RFID is very
compatible with every industry and business.
Using my expert opinion I believe this trend will impact the business landscape enormously.
Radio Frequency Identification technology has the capability to make businesses more attractive.
It allows for better customer service by being more convenient. Guests I believe will choose
companies that use RFID over companies that do not because it is easier. For example in the
hotel business a guest who travels a lot does not want to wait in line to check-in, rather the guest
would like to simply walk up to the room and relax after a long day of travel. In the future RFID
will become more prevalent in every industry. Some examples will be when shopping you can
carry a RFID tag that contains your personal information and when you walk by hangers the
clothing that has your preference match will light up. Another great example is smart appliances;
your washing machine will choose the correct cycle depending on the tag information. Smart
refrigerators will take an inventory and alert you when your food has expired, the fridge will also
create shopping lists and browse the internet to find recipes that contain the ingredients that are
located inside. There are limitless opportunities for RFID to improve our quality of life and
better our companies. The companies that look forward into the future and who grasp this idea
will succeed. RFID will be widely accepted and will be in the norm. Instead of businesses using
a separate key or card to hold the RFID tag it will be implanted in each of our cell phones so it
will be extremely convenient. RFID will be aimed towards all ages, especially the elderly
because it will make their life much easier. A company in Europe is testing a RFID equipped
online medicine cabinet which can alert users if they have chosen the incorrect medicine. The
companies that use the older generation’sfaults to their benefit will have the greatest competitive
advantage
Overall, Radio Frequency Identificationtechnology is an up and coming idea. In the years
to come we will start to see in become more wide spread. It will be in every industry and
customer service will be at an all-time high. RFID will be for every age group and will great
improve our quality of life. RFID is just starting out but will soon be everywhere.

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References
 (2011). Rfid, a vision of the future. Retrieved from
http://www.rsa.com/rsalabs/node.asp?id=2117
 Aim global. (2012). Retrieved from
http://www.aimglobal.org/technologies/RFID/what_is_rfid.asp
 Beal, V. (05-1). All about rfid. Retrieved from
http://www.webopedia.com/DidYouKnow/Computer_Science/2005/rfid.asp
 Rfid for small ski resorts. (2012). Retrieved from
http://www.rfidjournal.com/article/purchase/9399
 Check out this hotel's facebook obsessed rfid campaign inibiza. (2011). Retrieved from
http://thenextweb.com/socialmedia/2011/08/01/check-out-this-hotels-facebook-obsessed-
rfid-campaign-in-ibiza/
 Aloft opens door to "smart check-in" at more hotels. (2011). Retrieved from
http://www.starwoodhotels.com/alofthotels/newsevents/news/detail.html?mode=pressRel
easesDetail&id=EAME11052011