Hotel management systems are invaluable to many hospitality organizations. The introduction of cloud-based systems, the use of SaaS and mobile integration are enhancing these important tasks in a way that not only benefits the guest but are having a much more significant impact for hotel staff. Here’s how:
Mobility and Enhanced Customer Engagement: With the use of SaaS hotels can provide more productive and efficient customer service anytime, from anywhere on property. An attractive feature of SaaS is its ability to remove fixed locations and space limitations therefore Front Office staff can take a tablet, or even a smartphone, and turn it into a portable front desk to provide services and engage with guests wherever they are needed.
In conjunction with mobile, SaaS can expedite and even fully automate the process of checking guests in and out; staff can also process orders, bookings and payments directly from a tablet or mobile device and service requests can get immediate execution from wherever the guest is located in the hotel.
Similarly, when used together, SaaS and mobile provide management with engagement and marketing opportunities by not only anticipating guest needs but facilitates an easier and more effective way to provide a personalized service to gently persuade hotel guests to spend a little more on upgrades and customized added amenities. This provide an ideal channel to take advantage of, and capitalize on guests’ specific desires while at the same time augmenting the guest’s experience, resulting in higher guest satisfaction and revenue/ADR.
Enhanced Internal Communications and Improved Productivity: With the use of SaaS staff can now be equipped with mobile devices as opposed to retro two way radios allowing them to stay informed and to perform duties from anywhere on the property.
Housekeeping staff with tablets can check expected guest arrival and departure times so they can prioritize which rooms to clean first and then check off rooms as they are cleaned – all completed remotely and in real-time. As a result, Front Office staff are updated instantly regarding room status and can expedite the check-in process. Similarly any manager of member of staff furnished with a mobile device can instantly add any maintenance messages or service requests to the system for housekeeping to complete such as replenishing toiletries or the need repair the air conditioning unit.
By using SaaS, it has the potential to increase room attendant productivity by 20%, eliminate 80% of calls made to the front office and also has the potential to cut 50% of operational costs. “Whether it’s the PMS, POS, CRM or revenue management software, employees are using complex systems that, due to cumbersome design, can end up hampering productivity and even diminishing job satisfaction,” says Stefan Tweraser, Snapshot.
However with the use of SaaS, employees can access information, make decisions, respond more quickly to requests, track and close work orders electronically, all in real time – all of which increase efficiency and productivity, and as a indirect consequence, can improve overall guest satisfaction. Not bad!
In summary, mobile and SaaS not only can help enhance back-end operations but allow hoteliers to provide a much more flexible, convenient and personalized service when compared to the traditional PMS. Instead of “Please proceed to the front desk” they allow staff to meet the guest where they are and provide the service they want, improving the overall guest experience. They enable hoteliers to save time and money, enjoy increased flexibility and allow them to spend more time with guests instead of being behind the system.
