An analysis of NFC and it's impact on the hospitality industry.

1. Trends
Analysis
April 29
2013
The introduction, impact, and future of Near Field Communications.
Nate
Weisenbeck &
Erin Wendorf

2. Introduction to NFC
Near Field Communications (NFC) was originated from RFID (radio-frequency
identification) which was first patented in 1983 and was finally approved as an ISO/ISE standard
in 2003. One year later, three successful companies – Sony, Nokia, and Philips-formed what
would become the NFC Forum. According to NearFieldCommunication.org, “their main
objective was to educate businesses about the technology and uphold standards to operate
between different devices”.
The first sets of NFC tags were produced in 2004. It is a small, sticker like object that
contains information that a NFC compatible device, like a smartphone, can detect when passed
over the NFC tag. Many of these tags were “read only”, however there were a few cases that
could overwrite and edit the old information. In 2006 came “smart” posters which enable NFC
compatible devices to read as it is passed near the poster. It easily provides new information
that adds to what is on the poster. An example given from NearFieldCommunication.com is a
short biography given of a famous person’s life on a poster with their image on it. NFC
compatible cell phones became popular and more successful around 2006 when the Nokia
6131 came out. It featured payment methods, ability to share videos and photos and gaming.
Android released their first NFC phone in 2010 with the Samsung Nexus S.
NFC is starting to take the business industry by storm. People have a multitude of items
to carry with them as they go throughout their day. These items can range to likes of car keys,
credit cards, iP(Smrcka, 2013)(Dyer, 2013)ods, and if course the mobile phone. Businesses have
been hard at work to make it possible for a consumer to carry less with them throughout life.
Imagine a day in which your smart phone has everything on it such as your wallet, car keys,
house keys and even hotel keys. According to Karel Smrcka at EngineeringNew.com, students at
Fraunhofer Institute have developed software called ShareKey that works with NFC enabled
devices. This service would allow not only consumers to program their house keys into their
phones, but would also allow hotels to do the same. Of course NFC phones would have to be an
absolute standard before hotels could even apply this, but this is a springboard to a bright
future that would allow phones to be nearly the center of our lives.
NFC, while still fairly new, has caught on not only in the business side, but also on the
cultural side as well. A site called Identive-Group has a product listing for NFC tags for use with
NFC enabled devices. Customers can purchase these tags to make their phone do a wide variety
of tasks. They can place these tags on their nightstand so when their phone is set on it, it is set
to silent and brightness is turned down. This can also be used for advertising. These tags are
very thin and versatile so this allows to be integrated into posters. A consumer could see an
advertisement for a product and can simply just hold their phone up to it to go directly to the
site of that product. This works similar to QR codes, another fad that caught on for a while, but
is much faster and simpler for the user. With these examples, it is certainly clear that NFC is
starting to become embedded within our culture.
One could say all they want about the buzz the NFC is creating, but the truth is in the
numbers, and they don’t lie. One site called TheGlobeAndMail reported that a Canadian

3. wireless carrier called Rogers Communication is making a large push to provide more NFC
enabled devices. According to the article Rogers said it had “about 300,000 customers with
NFC” devices, but expects that number to “grow to 750,000 in 2013.” Drew McReynolds, an
analyst for RBC Dominion Securities, went on to say that “Mobile payments have been citied to
be the next ‘big thing’ on the horizon.”
Another good example of NFC on the rise would be The NFC Experience conference.
NFCWorld, a news source for articles related to NFC, reported on this conference which was
essentially a gathering of over 10,000 attendees that spent a day using the technology. Those
that had NFC devices could download coupons and vouchers to be used in the city. While there
was some difficulty getting badges to work (since you had to line of the NFC chips directly),
Pierre Combelles who was head of NFC at GSMA, said that “once the badges were activated, it
was an absolute pleasure.” The problems they faced are things that are very easy to fix and
manufacturers are working on it. These numbers however do show that there is drive in the
industry to make NFC a reality in the everyday life of a human being.
NFC’s Impact on the World of Business
NFC is still relatively new, so it is struggling somewhat find its place in the world
of business. Many good applications have already put into place in many industries, including
hospitality.
Hospitality has barely grasped the potential of NFC. There are many applications that
have yet to be explored upon. It has been applied in restaurants, amusement parks, and several
conferences. One particular area that has something really going for it is hotels. Hotels are
constantly looking for ways to refine and streamline the experience of their guests, particularly
with the process of checking in. Let’s face it, no one likes checking in. Guests like to walk in, get
to their room as quickly as possible and enjoy their visit. A company called VingCard hopes to
introduce NFC to the hotel industry to help make this process as fast as possible. In recent
memory, you need to call or go online to make a reservation, then after arriving you have you
go to the front desk to get your key. With the NFC technology VingCard has introduced, the
guest can skip the checking in process entirely. All they have to do is make a reservation online
and then they can use their phone to access their room without the need of a key. This solves
two problems: The hassle of checking in and the issue of lost keys. Every time a hotel loses a
key to the room they either need to change the lock (if they have old fashioned keys) or they
have to reprogram it. This is somewhat of a hassle and NFC technology can help prevent this
issue. This technology is definitely not popularized yet as only a handful of hotels currently
incorporate this technology. However, pioneers in the mobile phone industry are starting to
realize the potential that this technology has. As more and more smart phones incorporate this
technology it will be in the hands of much more customers and make it a much more feasible
decision for hotels to apply this to their locations.
As stated before, NFC has been applied in amusement parks. A major example includes
Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, who are working on creating a more personal and seamless
experience for each guest. There are many new initiatives that Disney is creating; however

4. there is one that really stands out. Using the RFID and NFC technology, Walt Disney has created
the MyMagic+ experience for guests. The Disney Experience website along with a new mobile
app, MyMagic+ comes to life allowing families to spend more of their vacation relaxing
together. Planning a vacation in advanced is now become an even easier task because this
new experience allows families the flexibility to plan as much or as little as they’d like. The app
allows you to set up dining reservations, book specific ride times, and times for shows or
attractions instead of keeping track of and splitting up the paper FastPasses.
Tom Stags, Chairman of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts explains that together with the
MyMagic+ experience, Disney has created a piece of technology that uses NFC called the
MagicBand. It is a bracelet like wrist band that will serve as the guest’s room key, theme park
ticket, FastPass, a PhotoPass card and an optional payment account. It can easily be encoded
with personal information allowing for a more personalized interaction with Disney Employees.
According to Clark of NFC World, “Disney can gain deep insight into how guests use its resorts,
create tailored marketing programs and generate additional revenue”.
Disney is still in the trial process with the NFC technology, but we think that the start
they have is very strong. Allowing families more flexibility and a more personalized experience,
Disney is using the right mindset and strategies to complete their goals. The idea of becoming
much more accommodating and convenient will make customers happier because it is less
work for them on their vacations. We like the idea of using the wristband as a wallet, keeping
all personal information automatic and secure. In order to make this process smoother, we
think it would be smart for Disney Parks and Resorts can advertise the security of these NFC
wristbands and how they can deactivate if lost. Along with this, it would be smart to post
technology areas for guests without NFC based smartphones to stay connected to their
MyMagic+ experience. This would be allowing the guests to access the app and log in to their
account in order to keep their registered times on track. We believe this would make the new
technologies more appealing to the not-so tech-savvy guests.
One area in which NFC has been applied out of the hospitality industry is in mobile
payments. Google, one company that is all too familiar to us, is seen as maybe not introducing
the idea of mobile payments, but maybe popularizing the idea with Google Wallet. Google
Wallet functions almost the exact same way one would think it does. It is a service that stores
all of your credit and debit cards in the cloud along with other payment services like PayPal.
This solution makes it easier to not only purchase products not only online, but in retail stores
as well. Imagine something as simple as buying a cup of coffee. One goes to the local Starbucks
and orders a medium Café Latte. After receiving it they must pull out their wallet, choose
whether to pay with cash or credit, and if credit they choose which card. Google Wallet allows
an individual to skip all of that, they simply pull out their phone, swipe, and the payment is
done. This simplifies payments greatly for not only the customer, but the seller as well. Google
Wallet is not all that popular yet as it is mainly used on Google's flagship phones. But according
to an article on NFCBootCamp.com, it says that NFC payments may surpass “$180 billion
globally by 2017.” That is an impressive and encouraging number. As more NFC phones
populate the market, Google Wallet very well may replace the credit card as we know it.

5. Another example of using Near Field Communication would be at a concert or sporting
event. Just like purchasing a transportation ticket, it is easy to purchase concert tickets using a
NFC compatible smartphone to gain access. Using smart posters, all the information that is
needed, like schedule of events, upcoming performances, information about the band or team,
can be at your fingertips. Like recently stated, just waving the phone at a merchant’s register
while at the event can buy a snack or drink. “Less tickets and cards to juggle makes the event
hassle-free and reduces your chances of being pickpocketed”, says
NearFieldCommunication.org.
The Future of NFC
Hotels and amusement parks are all wonderful places for NFC to fit right in. Yet another
good spot for it in the hospitality industry is in restaurants. We took it upon ourselves to
interview a manager at the local Buffalo Wild Wings in Eau Claire Wisconsin. Lindsey Smith was
very happy to answer our questions about the location she worked at and all locations in
general.
Our first question was what Lindsey’s opinion was of NFC technology. She said that it
“can certainly help streamline operations. It can also help catch mistakes a lot earlier so it is
dealt with in the restaurant quickly.” This is an excellent point she made as mistakes in your bill
at a restaurant are frustrating and in the mix things can be somewhat difficult to deal with.
With NFC all credit transactions take place at the table instead of at a POS terminal across the
restaurant. The server can review the bill along with the customer to ensure that the
information is correct and make changes as needed. It simply would “make things easier for
servers and customers in the long run.”
Knowing that she showed interest in the technology, we next asked her if any Buffalo
Wild Wings locations use NFC. Her response was “Currently I have no knowledge of any
locations using this technology right now.” She told us that she knew of several locations the
use “iPads as the POS system for all of the servers.” “I think NFC would aid this system already
set in place to open up new possibilities.” Many restaurants have invested in iPads as part of
their POS systems, or even had their entire POS system based around them. NFC would “allow
the server to deal with everything at the table allowing him/her to further enhance the dining
experience.”
Our final question for her was if she saw Buffalo Wild Wings investing in this technology
in the near future. “Buffalo Wild Wings always has tried to be the first to incorporate new
technology or techniques in the restaurant industry.” Some examples she gave use were of
course the iPads, but in addition to that were “the tablets for games and trivia, the bottom of
beer glasses being frosted to keep it foamy on top, and any other little things that customer(s)
appreciate to enhance the dining experience.” She felt that NFC seems like a very interesting
concept for “not only Buffalo Wild Wings, but the hospitality/restaurant industry in general.”
This interview goes to show that NFC still has to gain a little more steam before it
becomes mainstream. The demand is obviously there though. Many sectors of the hospitality

6. industry have incorporated this technology already, and more are following with many fingers
pointing to restaurants being next in line.
Many sectors of hospitality are already making the move to incorporate NFC into their
business model, and it is set to have a deep impact. Early forms of NFC, such as QR codes, have
already left a lasting impact on business in general. It has opened up new ways of marketing
new products by giving consumers a new and fun way of interacting with companies to learn of
new and upcoming products or services. NFC has the potential to do way more than that
though.
The main task NFC is used and marketed towards is mobile payments. The earliest and
most mainstream form of this right now is “virtual wallets.” Apple’s Passbook is probably the
best example of this. It is one place where you can have all of your digital coupons, gift cards,
and credit cards. This is quite convenient to the consumer because it gives them one last thing
to carry around. The only problem with this is that you have to scan it into a computer. This can
be troublesome as some phone screens are not as good as others and can take multiple tries to
register. NFC will do essentially the same thing, only it will simplify the process and make it less
cumbersome. As said in an article on AskIdentive.com, Arti(Clark S. , 2011)e Beavis states that
“NFC transactions will allow for speedy payment of items at hotels, gaming establishments, and
airports.”
NFC will also change the way marketing works. Currently customers are able to
download special offers and coupons to their phone for later use. Once again, as mentioned
earlier, this can be somewhat cumbersome as the coupon must be scanned from the phone’s
screen. NFC will streamline this and make coupons easier to use. Of course NFC isn’t only used
for payments. It can also be used with “NFC Tags.” These chips can be put into “smart-posters”
to help get the customer to information about new products. This will function in the same way
as QR codes currently work, however there is no picture taking this time around. All one would
need to do is touch their phone to the poster and they will be immediately taken to the website
or app. Once again, this is about simplifying and streamlining the process to make it easier for
both parties.
NFC will not necessarily “revolutionize” the hospitality industry, but will instead refine
how things currently work. Marketing and mobile payments will become a more personalized
experience in nearly every aspect of the industry. Payments can be made at the restaurant
quick and simple, and “smart-posters” will get information to the customer faster than before.
NFC will turn the hospitality industry into a well-oiled and efficient machine to deliver not only
better quality service, but faster service as well.
Near field communication systems can be considered a sector in the Marketing
Information Systems, which we learned about in class. As the textbook describes, “MIS consists
of people, equipment, and procedures to gather, sort, analyze, evaluate, and distribute needed,
timely, and accurate information to marketing decision makers”. NFC collects the user’s
personal information to keep track of their purchasing records. When hotels or restaurants use
NFC is it easier for them to track the customers previous purchases in order to know a head of

7. time, what that customer might want. NFC is a new and upcoming trend that will make MIS
systems even easier.
Another topic that came up in class was consumer behavior. It is important that the
businesses who use NFC technology, know what type of consumers want to use their product.
Knowing the background, social class, or cultural class of the people who are looking to use/buy
your products is important; some of these consumers may not know how to use any NFC based
technology. If a business is in a place where the consumer’s pattern of living such as activities,
social events, interests, political and social issues don’t match up with how you’re trying to use
NFC, it could be a failure.
If a product is not accessible, it has no value. To connect this to class and to the NFC
trend, if customers don’t have an NFC based piece of technology, they can’t use it or it has no
value to them.
Smart posters are an important part of NFC’s Promotion Mix. Using smart posters, a
business can create an advertising plan and use direct marketing. Customers see the poster
and use their NFC device to scan and bring up even more information on the product.
It is important that businesses that use NFC create a solid communication process. They
need to know a target market, probably the people who have NFC compatible devices, and
then determine a communication objective. After they determine their objective, they will
design a message and select a communication channel. This all relates to NFC because it can be
used a communication devise that enables people to share photos, videos, or anything else
between two devices.
In order for this technology to stay ahead of its competitors, it is important for
businesses to start using it as soon as possible. The faster those businesses grasp the concept of
NFC, the more popular it will become and its competitors will be less of an interest. Because
this technology can do almost everything possible, including becoming a digital wallet, a master
key for your house or car, keeping all identification secure, etc. it will be extremely hard to
surpass these characteristics. As Nathan Chandler explains, “Armed with these tiny chips,
smartphones are about to graduate from smart to downright brainiac status”.

8. Works Cited
Beavis, A. (2012, Janurary 5). How Will NFC Impact the Hospitality Industry. Retrieved April 2013, from
Ask Identive: http://www.askidentive.com/nfc-technology/nfc-impact-hospitality-industry
Chandler, N. (2013). 5 Ways NFC Technology Could Rock Your World. Retrieved April 28, 2013, from How
Stuff Works: http://www.howstuffworks.com/5-ways-nfc-tech-could-rock-your-
world.htm#page=5
Clark, M. (2013, March 12). Disney MyMagic+ sets a new bar for mobile wallet design. Retrieved April
22, 2013, from NFC World: http://www.nfcworld.com/2013/03/12/323001/disney-mymagic-
sets-a-new-bar-for-mobile-wallet-design/
Clark, S. (2011, June 28). VingCard Launches NFC Room KEy System for Hotels. Retrieved April 2013, from
NFC World: http://www.nfcworld.com/2011/06/28/38366/vingcard-launches-nfc-room-key-
system-for-hotels/
Dyer, K. (2013, March 6). GSMA Reports on NFC Experience at MWC. Retrieved April 2013, from NFC
World: http://www.nfcworld.com/2013/03/06/322921/gsma-reports-on-nfc-experience-at-
mwc/
NearFieldCommunication.org. (2013). History of Near Field Communication. Retrieved April 28, 2013,
from NFC: http://www.nearfieldcommunication.org/history-nfc.html
Sabella, R. P. (2013, February 5). NFC, Next on the Menu for Restaurants. Retrieved April 2013, from NFC
Bootcamp: https://www.nfcbootcamp.com/nfc-next-on-the-menu/
Smith, L. (2013, April 24). Bar Manager. (N. Weisenbeck, Interviewer)
Smrcka, K. (2013, March 22). Turning Smartphones into Versatile Keys. Retrieved April 2013, from
Engineering News: http://www.engineeringnews.co.za/print-version/turning-smartphones-into-
versatile-keys-2013-03-22
Staggs, T. (2013, January 7). Taking the Disney Guest Experience to the Next Level. Retrieved April 22,
2013, from Disney Parks Blog: http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2013/01/taking-the-
disney-guest-experience-to-the-next-level/?CMP=KNC-
WDW13_NGE_MDX_DOM_Exact|G|4131321.NG.AM.01.01U4S
Trichur, R. (2013, March 20). Rogers Boosts Smartphone Offerings in Mobile-Payment Push. Retrieved
April 2013, from The Globe and Mail: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe-investor/rogers-
boosts-smartphone-offerings-in-mobile-payment-push/article9982047/