Most students never have the opportunity to experience the work involved in managing hotels, motels or bed and breakfasts first-hand.

Thanks to the introduction of new simulation software, students majoring in hotel, restaurant and institution management will have the chance to place themselves directly in those environments.

Miyoung Jeong, assistant professor of hotel, restaurant and institution management (HRIM), has recently been able to bring a software called Hospitality Operation Training System (HOTS) to her lodging operations course.

This semester, the software was introduced to Jeong’s HRIM 452 lodging operations class, a three-credit elective course only offered in the spring, Jeong said junior and senior students majoring in HRIM will be the ones getting the most use out of the software. Jeong said the simulation software is separated into two different categories, lodging operations and restaurant management, so students can work with what is relevant to their major.

“It’s a great software for a ‘capstone’ course that deals with all [HRIM] areas before graduation,” Jeong said.

HOTS software was created started in the 1980s by the British Company, Jeong said. Jeong said she decided to bring updated software to her classes this semester because the old software, Top of the House, was not providing adequate training.

“It was the only [software] that focused on the lodging industry with a case-to-case simulation,” Jeong said. “It’s a reflection of the real industry and of how you can improve your business. HOTS is the most advanced software that is used by Mariott Hotels for training.”

One of Jeong’s students also said she feels the software will be helpful in preparing her for the real hotel industry.

“It will probably give me more of an idea about planning and budgets for managing a hotel,” said Emily White, senior in HRIM.

What makes the new software so different from its predecessor is the hands-on simulation experience the students must work their way through. Jeong said there are nine different areas the students must successfully complete as part of the simulations. A few examples are changing lodging fees or rates, finding new suppliers, and deciding on affective advertising and developing business plans.

“It’s really hard to get students experience in the real industry, but with this [software] they can be exposed to all the functional areas to make the best decisions for the [simulation] hotel,” Jeong said. “It’s solely based on how students make decisions.”

She said some of the benefits of HOTS simulation software will be the students’ abilities to create and develop business plans with the background knowledge of the real industry components. They will also be able to gain a sense of how the hotel operates and ways to increase the revenues.

“This first semester is trial and error and an improving stage for me,” Jeong said.

White said she is excited to be one of the first to use the software.

“This is the first time anyone’s been able to use the software and it looks like a real user friendly program,” she said.

Jeong said the initial cost of installing the new software program was $6,500, which was paid for out of the Family and Consumer Sciences students’ computer fees. There is also an annual license fee of $1,200 for HOTS software. She also said the school is planning on establishing a course fee for next semester to pay for the software’s annual fee.

Jeong was introduced to the HOTS software when she was awarded a Big XII Faculty Fellowship Grant from the ISU Office of the Provost this semester. The award allowed her to travel to Kansas State University and work with instructor Ki-Joon Back in developing curriculum materials for the HOTS software.

Mary Gregoire, professor and chairwoman of the HRIM department, said Jeong has taken the college’s program to the next level by bringing in the new software which very few programs have.

“I believe it gives HRI students tremendous opportunities that really simulates real-life situations and develop critical thinking and leadership skills,” Gregoire said.