What is Hotel Management Software?

Introduction

Hotel management software (HMS) is used by hotels, condos, RV parks, motels, resorts, and others to execute vital financial and organizational activities and tasks. Key functionalities include employee scheduling, accounting, property and maintenance management, customer relationship management, and reservations. Hotel management platform is also called Hotel ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) and Property Management System (PMS) and this solution empowers hotels to enhance their productivity and efficiency.

Hotels can select advanced or basic software depending on their needs and complexity of management operations. Hotels that include integrated restaurants require an add-on system to manage their restaurant processes and workflows. Such establishments can utilize a mediator to link the HMS to the restaurant’s management platform. With the right HMS, hotels can optimize their operations for better stability and greater profit.

Features of Hotel Management Software

Third Party Integrations

The HMS should seamlessly integrate with other programs such SnapShot, Global Distribution System (GDS) connect, Booking Suite, TripAdvisor connects, the hotel’s own online booking engine to facilitate efficient management of the establishment’s sales and operations.

Robust After-sales Support

The vendor should deliver reliable and strong after-sales support round the clock to help you resolve any issues quickly.

Secure Payments

The HMS should provide integrated payment gateways to enable customers to make secure payments online.

Customer Data Collection

Leading hotel software applications are capable of collecting and storing guest details, preferences, and information that can you utilize to analyze and predict customer behavior, and boost the quality of your guest service.

Integration with Channel Managers

Hotel software typically links with leading channel managers to help you handle inventory in real time, without being impacted by double booking concerns.

Accommodates Unlimited Users

Hotels typically have fluctuating staff numbers and the software should allow them to easily add or reduce the number of users as per their needs.

Cloud Access

Select a cloud HMS that allows your staff to access the system anytime, from anywhere. The tool should provide a single dashboard that your employees can utilize to efficiently manage and collaborate on their tasks.

Automates Hotel Operations

The hotel software should effortlessly automate operations for front desk, housekeeping, Point of Sale (POS) solutions, reporting, and others. These important functions should be combined into a single platform for competent management.

Benefits of Hotel Management Software

Fast Bookings and Billing

Hotels guests should not be made to wait for a long time to check in or out. A quality HMS helps here as it enables hotel staff to swiftly perform processes and tasks such as guest requests, check-in/out, bookings, room maintenance, housekeeping status, and billing. This helps the hotel to improve productivity and provide a top notch experience to visitors and guests.

Advanced Revenue Strategies

With good hotel software, you can execute impactful data-driven strategies for revenue management, and track KPIs closely. By monitoring indicators like gross operating profit per available room (GOPPAR), revenue per available room (REVPAR), and daily rate (ADR), you can implement more impactful revenue strategies. Plus, you can leverage reports and actionable performance data to analyze and compare performance over a time period to make smarter business decisions and produce more revenue.

Functional Integrations

Integrate your HMS with third-party channels like individual retail travel agents, global distribution systems (GDSs), and online travel agents (OTAs) to handle all bookings generated by them in a single system.

Transparent Communication

To serve guests efficiently, all hotel departments need to communicate and work in sync in a transparent manner. Hotel software facilitates clear and effortless communication between all units, helping them to function efficiently and effectively, save time, and provide guests a personalized and enhanced hospitality experience.

Boosts Efficiency

Large and fast-paced hotels need to manage complex daily operations and workflows that are also time-consuming. A top notch HMS can help to automate these processes and empower the staff to save time in performing these routine tasks, and focus on the important work of delivering an excellent customer experience.