If you run a hotel, you know there’s always plenty to do. You have to keep an eye on many of the property’s different aspects, all with the bottom line of making it as profitable as possible. You also want to make sure that your guests and staff are as satisfied and happy as you can make them.
Property management software, or PMS, is one of the things that can help you do that. If you’re not using it yet, it’s high time that you looked at what it has to offer. In this article, we’ll break down a few ways this software can help you.
What is Hotel Property Management Software?
Before you look at PMS hotel options, you should have a general understanding of what the term means. Hotel PMS is a software suite that has various features that make running your hotel easier. It automates several processes that would take up a lot more time and require a lot more energy if you or your staff handled them offline.
You want cloud-based hotel property management software. The cloud-based model has several benefits that we’ll get into right now.
You Can Manage the Hotel from Anywhere
One huge cloud-based software benefit is that once you implement it, you can run your hotel from anywhere. You can sit in the lobby and handle various tasks, or you can do it from half a world away.
You can make rate and room availability changes at any time. You can set up a promotional event whenever you need to, or you can raise rates if you feel that’s appropriate.
You Can Use the Software as a Revenue Driver
If you’re trying to generate more revenue, the software can do that in various ways. You can use it in such a way that every time a guest checks in and they interact with the platform, it offers them upsell chances.
You never know when someone will want to upgrade from a single room to a suite. Sometimes, a guest will accept an upsell through the software when they wouldn’t through an in-person interaction.
You Can Get One that Integrates with Other Software Suites and Features
You’ll also want to get a hotel property management software solution that allows you to have many integration opportunities. You might want a suite that integrates with various credit card companies so you can accept payment that way.
Perhaps you might want your software to integrate with discount websites that can attract some new customers. Maybe you can set yours up to accept cryptocurrency if you’re ready to tap into that revenue stream.
You Can See Your Hotel’s Status in Real-Time
You can use the software for real-time hotel updates. This is useful both during downtime and your busiest seasons.
You can look at how many rooms are currently available and adjust prices accordingly. You can look at data trends that reveal how guests find your website and how they’re interacting with it. You can make whatever changes you feel are necessary, and you’re making an informed decision rather than relying on guesswork.
You Can Reduce Staff Training Time
You might also get a software suite that you can use for new staff member onboarding. You know that this is a time-consuming process.
If you give your new employees software access, you can get them set up quickly and put them to work without having to collect any physical paperwork. All of their information, such as their full name, social security number, physical address, phone number, and so forth, remains safely in the cloud.
You can also use the software to familiarize them with the rules and how you run the hotel. You can set up interactive training features that demonstrate what you expect from them and answers common questions they might have.
You Can Let Your Guests Use the Software for Various Functions
The best hotel management software suites also have a guest-friendly interface. Once they download the app, you can upsell to them, but you also allow them to reach out to you if they have a question or problem. They can rate their hotel experience and leave helpful comments on how you can improve.
They can reduce wait times while checking in. They can also check out quickly and easily, saving them time if they’re rushing to the airport to catch a flight.
With the right hotel management software, you make your life a lot easier and increase revenue possibilities.