New generation of PMS for hotels!
Cloud PMS make it easy to connect multiple digital applications and counteract workforce shortages.
APPLICATIONS OF THE PAST
Many hotel properties have licensed local PC-based PMS (Property Management System) applications and still use them today. In general, these old applications have an outdated user interface and are difficult to connect to more modern cloud-based applications. They also need to be updated regularly which involves significant effort, downtime and cost.
With the accelerated use of cloud computing, a new generation of applications has developed and is taking up more and more space in the market. On the side of legacy PMS, these developers all have a plan to make their application available in the cloud: some offer their application in hosted mode and claim their application is in the cloud, while others have chosen to completely rewrite their application with modern tools designed specifically for the cloud. However, all of these vendors have to juggle the demands of their current customers with the development of their new cloud application, which is a huge challenge!
NEW OPEN APPLICATIONS
A hotel’s applications revolve around the PMS and must exchange data with it. New PMSs designed for the cloud typically offer an open API (Application Program Interface) where the data exchange protocol is public and freely available to all application developers.
This innovative approach allows for the accelerated development of specialized applications that meet specific needs. These applications can be quickly installed and connected to your PMS. In this way, hoteliers can choose the best application for their particular needs and build their own ecosystem commonly referred to as the “Hotel Stack”.
THE BENEFITS OF THE CLOUD
The benefits of a cloud application are numerous: no capital outlay, available as a subscription, continuous updates, unlimited scalability, easy integration through APIs, simplified usability and an overall improved customer experience.
Cloud PMS applications are more accessible than ever and mobile-ready, said Ahmed Youssef, EVP of marketing and business development at Amadeus. “The underlying architecture of cloud-native PMS solutions also allows for faster feature development and much less downtime for upgrades and maintenance compared to on-premises PMS.”
INTEGRATION: A KEY SUCCESS FACTOR
A cloud-based PMS is also easier to integrate with other third-party applications with much lower implementation and operation capital costs. It allows hotels to use less expensive equipment and the user to perform almost any transaction anytime, anywhere and from any device.
With the COVID-19, contactless technology and artificial intelligence have taken the available options a step further by replacing tasks previously performed exclusively by employees at certain times. This level of automation is particularly useful in times of staff shortages. Not only does it save time and improve quality, but at the same time, it allows you to work with smaller teams using intuitive and efficient systems.
11 HOTEL OPERATIONS APPLICATIONS THAT IMPROVE EFFICIENCY
The size and scope of services offered at your facility determines the applications you need: small hotels can operate with one PMS and one payment processor, while larger properties will need several well-integrated applications.
1. A good hotel ecosystem will include a PMS Cloud property management system offering, among other things, automated and integrated contactless payments, automated check-in and check-out, integration with other hotel applications, a key component of productivity.
2. Your price management will be supported by an RMS revenue management system to optimize your prices and maximize your revenue. This tool will help you save time and efficiency in decision making. You will see a return on investment within the first year of use.
3. Your lock management system will support digital keys, reducing your plastic key card costs; more environmentally friendly and more economical. This will allow your guests to go directly to their room without going through the front desk.
4. A good CRM system will allow you to do targeted and personalized digital marketing campaigns; this will increase customer acquisition, retention and engagement.
5. A customer app will offer multi-channel communication on mobile devices, before, during and after the customer’s stay. This will increase customer satisfaction with immediate responses from your staff. This application will include a hotel portal offering all services to the customer on their mobile device, increasing your sales and automating transactions.
6. A good housekeeping and maintenance management application will reduce staffing needs and your housekeeper will be able to control everything remotely. Equipment in good condition with preventive maintenance, reducing staff requirements. Customer repair requests handled instantly, increasing customer satisfaction.
7. A collaboration application for your staff members who are spread over different floors, buildings and teams will be very useful to keep everyone on the same page. This platform will be able to replace analog methods such as walkie-talkies and logs, track tasks, reduce manual errors and increase efficiency.
8. For your meetings and events, a MICE event management application will automate the preparation of bids and contract signatures, the preparation of BEQ lists and very importantly, the booking of rooms integrated with the PMS, reducing errors and staffing requirements.
9. For your bars and restaurants, a good POS system integrated to the PMS will allow to charge expenses to the customer folio, book a table on the hotel portal and account for sales in the PMS
10. For facilities offering healthcare, a SPA management app will allow the guest to book services at the appropriate time on the hotel portal, fill out their pre-treatment health form on their mobile device, and transfer the charges to their room folio.
11. Hotel establishments have dozens or even hundreds of employees and scheduling is not an easy task. A good workforce management application with features for scheduling, recall list management and forecasting, labor cost overview and integrations with payroll and timekeeping systems will be essential to optimize productivity.
LET US SUPPORT YOU
At HOTELUS, we support hotel properties in their digital transformation. We help you select, integrate, implement and optimally use the best hotel digital applications. Contact us for a free discovery meeting.
