Click here to get this post in PDF
Hotel management software is beneficial to even the smallest independent properties. A good property management system (PMS) is the key to managing your boutique hotel, bed, and breakfast, or hostel, no matter how many rooms it has.
Having an organized system helps you focus on the customer rather than being distracted by repetitive manual tasks. It would help if you had the right tool at your disposal that makes it possible to work ON and IN your business. Because small teams often consist only of owner/operators and operate almost daily, smaller properties are more prone to getting caught up in daily operations.
Hotel management software features
A hotel management software can boost productivity and increase revenues for independent hotels. When a comprehensive business system works together, it creates the best results. A good hotel management system (HMS) must help you run your hotel better. The goal isn’t to add on another cost or additional burden.
1. Online cloud-based
Cloud-based software for hotel management is modern and powerful. In contrast, on-premises hardware hosting is not available for this solution. Fast, scalable, and affordable is what cloud computing technology offers. A system that requires expensive physical upgrades is also much more difficult to update regularly. An internet connection is needed to access a cloud-based HMS, so you do not need to be on your property to check if everything is okay.
2. User-friendly Interface
Why wait around for a clunky, outdated system when a company competes so hard for talent? To find an interface that is challenging to navigate, making completing daily duties an arduous task. Employees want simple, easy-to-use tools.
A hotel management system that is easy to use will help owners and managers train new staff more efficiently.
3. Integrated booking engine
Booking engines integrated into hotel management software enable guests to book their reservations directly, which leads to more direct bookings. Moreover, if it is integrated with a payment processor, you will receive new bookings 24/7.
You can also offer more bundles and packages that highlight the interests of different guests with a booking engine directly integrated into your website. No matter the size of the hotel, hotel personalization can increase revenue.
4. Comprehensive Reports
Hoteliers can make informed decisions based on robust reporting. Until recently, data was a privilege reserved for luxury hotels. Now not anymore! Using hotel management software effectively can increase your hotel’s financial stability, provide real-time analytics, show daily activity reports, and more.
It is easier to understand your business efforts when you have detailed reports. With that information, you can control your distribution strategy and channels and never overpay OTA commissions again. The reporting module should let you create reports in the web browser, by email, or as a downloadable spreadsheet or PDF. In addition to marketing channels, room types, years, and specials, you should be able to filter data accordingly.
5. Manager of channels
You can use a hotel channel manager to share the inventory of your properties with online travel agencies (OTAs). The channel manager updates your availability on your calendar when integrated with your hotel management software in real-time.
6. Optimization of revenue
Hotel rates must be dynamic and take into account local events and a competitor’s rates. You can maximize your revenue this way. You cannot adjust your prices manually constantly. The ability to adjust pricing in real-time based on demand is possible with automation.
Hotel management software should permit some pricing decisions to be automated. Manually adjusting pricing is not viable. By using revenue optimization technology, even small properties can increase profits.
7. Integrating robustly
Last but not least, a comprehensive and powerful hotel management software must integrate with third-party systems. Your HMS can be integrated with integrations to perform specific functions. Your hotel management software may integrate with your restaurant or cafe, so your guests can use their room credit for purchases made in the restaurant or cafe. Integrating integration tools like self-service check-in and review requests can help improve the guest experience.
You may also like: What Can Management Software Do For Your Business?