A hotel property management system (PMS) is the central point of hotel operations. It has become an indispensable tool in an ever demanding and challenging world of hotel management. From reservations to administration and everything in between, a hotel PMS is designed to manage the day-to-day operations of the complex hotel environment efficiently.
Last year it was reported, in the US, 34% of buyers are looking to replace an existing hotel management system; one out of every four hoteliers still use pen and paper to manage properties, and a surprising 16% have no system at all in place?! Choosing the right hotel PMS to suit your hotel’s needs is no mean feat; it’s a necessary investment but not a decision to be taken lightly. While there are number of property management systems available, all with different offerings and promises, we’re here to tell you “4 Things Your Hotel PMS Should Be Doing” so that when it comes to making the decision to invest or upgrade, you know you will be making the right choice.
- Streamline operations: Hotels can and do have multiple systems across multiple departments to manage the day-to-day operations. For maximum efficiency, your PMS needs to streamline critical functions into one; many systems need to communicate with one another and the mismanagement of any one of these operations and systems can be a significant detriment to guest service and revenue.
With a Cloud based PMS hotel staff don’t need to worry about this as they can access, update and track all the relevant information concerned with the day-to-day functions of the property and guests, across all departments (and locations if necessary) through one single platform. For example, working in sync with all departments’, front office staff can easily assign specific room-cleaning tasks to housekeeping, and both can track room status updates.
With a Cloud based PMS there is no more having to log in and out of multiple systems, keep paper files and utilize other manual management techniques that are completely inefficient and prone mistakes. Leveraging the power of the Cloud, hotels can easily manage their most critical tasks in one place, stay organized, save time and keep their focus on their guests rather than behind the desk.
- Allow for remote access on multiple devices: As today’s hoteliers are constantly managing on the go, a mobile PMS solution is not just a nice to have, but a necessity.
Traditionally, a hotel PMS was deployed as software that had to be (there was no choice) installed on a computer located at the property. This meant, and still means for some hoteliers, that staff movement was/is restricted based on the physical location of the PMS, typically the front desk.
However, Cloud based PMS solutions allow you to manage your property anytime and from anywhere. Running in your browser, you can remotely and securely login and have real-time access to all information you need, from bookings to check-ins, housekeeping reports, accounting and billing etc. Staff can process orders, reservations, and payments, and can check customers in and out, anywhere, anytime.
With the Cloud, information is easily accessible and always at your fingertips allowing employees to provide services anywhere the guests are, resulting in more satisfied customers.
- Support Revenue Streams: Hoteliers only know too well that the execution of operational day-to-day tasks involved in running a hotel significantly impacts guest service and revenue. Your PMS needs to be designed to maximize efficiency and to increase and support revenue streams across departments and locations.
One of the most intuitive and valuable functions a Cloud PMS is its ability to integrate multiple programs and to consolidate pertinent guest stay information and preference data all in one place. By joining processes and managing results, Cloud PMS provides real time instructive and actionable analytics about your hotel and your customers.
Why a Cloud PMS Beats Your Current Hotel PMS
As a result, this data can then be used to optimize your services and help your hotel make key decisions in real-time. Cloud PMS allows you to promote offers and sell customized relevant and personalised ancillary products and/or packages and push upgrades and upsell more easily to the right customers, at the right time in their journey and at their moment of decision.
Cloud PMS has exponentially enhanced the possibilities of promoting and selling ancillary services. Not only will this keep your guests happy but it will keep them coming back for more!
- Guest Facing: Guest-facing technology has changed from being a desirable feature to a must have feature. A recent Lodging Technology Study revealed that the main factor necessary for repeat business and increased revenue is guest satisfaction – and for today’s guest, it’s technology that is a critical determinant in overall satisfaction.
Guests want to check-in on their own to save time and effort, both yours and theirs – therefore your PMS needs to allow your guest the ability to control their booking and stay, and have the process as automated as possible.
With a Cloud based PMS, its self-service automation capabilities provides a secure channel for communication between the hotel and its guests, which offers services and controls like self check-in, change of booking, room service orders bill preview and secure payment, as well as keyless entry and check-out (to name but a few!)
With Cloud, guests have the option of more control over their stay – while at the same time freeing up staff to get on with what they do best… serving their guests!
In a rapidly evolving technological world, staying current is crucial. Your PMS needs to provide all of the tools needed to achieve efficient and impactful hotel operations. Choosing a Cloud based PMS not only allows you to access information anywhere, with the added convenience of 24 x 7 x 365 accessibility but it comes with endless benefits; from financial savings, to increased revenue, improved staff productivity and guest satisfaction.
Read more articles on Hotel PMS, Mobile PMS and Cloud PMS.
