The heartbeat of a hotel is its property management system - Property Management System for short. In the past, hotel Property Management System was written down. Today, Property Management System is handled by an application, typically front desk software that incorporates all major touchpoints of the guest experience.
As the beating heart of any hospitality venture, a Property Management System is designed to professionally manage daily tasks and automate routine ones. Without one - a good one - a property will struggle with operational efficiency and, ultimately, guest satisfaction.
So how does hotel management software work?
Front Desk Management
As the first, in-person point of contact, the front desk is on the front lines of the neverending war to win guest loyalty through superior customer service. To that extent, a robust hotel Property Management System software should be able to check guests in and out, see all reservations by date, add additional items to bookings, change existing bookings, create invoices, and maintain guest profiles, among other things. The best-in-class Property Management System software is now cloud-based and mobile-friendly to keep hotel staff accessible throughout the property.
Reporting
Every company needs good data and an effective property management system will deliver you more than the average TPS report. It should be able to analyze hotel performance, bookings, guest information, as well as invoices and more.
Channel Management
With the majority of bookings coming from online travel agents (OTAs) these days, it is important to be able to adjust room rates and availabilities everywhere, all at once, at a moment's notice. Efficient hotel reservation system software will be able to update live rates and manage bookings across a number of booking sites right from within the Property Management System.
Manage Guest Communications
If a property does its job right, you don't only have a guest for one stay, but for a lifetime. Like any relationship, the hotelier-guest bond is one that needs periodic attention and clear communication. The best hotel Property Management System today incorporate systems and automations to send emails to recruit, retain, and respond to guests before and after visits.
Increase Guest Revenue
Upselling has never been easier, now that online hotel Property Management System is here. Not only can you customize add-ons to create memorable guest experiences, but also you can handle routine but lucrative incidentals like late check-out or spa packages. Of course, guest satisfaction equals repeat business, which means longer lifetime value per guest.
Artificial intelligence
AI is OK. With more Property Management System software becoming cloud-based - hosted on a network of servers remotely instead of in-house - the smart SaaS companies are building artificial intelligence into their application. Cloud hotel management software should use AI to analyze large data sets to learn more about guest spending, habits, preferences, and more. The astute hotelier can take this information to increase personalization and offer recommendations that will increase revenue.
Also, artificial intelligence powers useful, always-on tools like chatbots and messaging. Sometimes a potential guest has an easily solved question or issue that an automated, artificial customer service "agent" can answer in real-time, 24-7, without the need of human supervision.
We are just scratching the surface of what the best hotel Property Management System can do. At least now you know how they do what they do - and why a hotel needs quality hotel property management software.
A lot goes into the creation and maintenance of today's property management software. As the world's top hotels are in competition with each other and online travel agents, having an effective property management software is mandatory for success. Don't be left out of the new Industrial Revolution - data! Like, follow, and visit us at BookingNinjas.com for hotel-related content.
Tags: Property Management System, hotels, property management software, online booking engine, hotel reservation system software