Thursday 29 May 2014

How A Hotel Property Management System Improve Client Service

By Marci Glover


The hospitality industry is incredibly competitive. The ability to travel quickly to any part of the world has opened up opportunities for tourism that never existed before. Of course, when visiting foreign climes visitors need somewhere to sleep. Because the industry is so competitive, establishments need to be very carefully managed. That is why it is necessary to make use of a sophisticated hotel property management system.

In these modern times everything is computerized. One of the main components of any tourism managing program is to keep track of bookings. It is not only a matter of keeping record of which guests are booked and at what dates, but waiting lists, cancellations and changes to bookings must be monitored very carefully. If this is not done the rooms that could have been occupied will remain empty.

Most reputable hospitality establishments focus very strongly upon repeat bookings. Regular visitors, celebrities and tour operators that use the establishment regularly therefore receive preference. It can be complex to manage the various rates that apply to different customers. A managing program makes this easier and also helps the staff to make provision for the personal preferences of special guests and to make sure that important clients receive priority service.

When guests make use of hospitality establishments they do not want to waste time on a myriad of administrative procedures. The program must therefore make sure that guest accounts are kept up to date at all times and that registration and booking out procedures are painless and quick. This need requires that the program must be able to correlate input from several departments such as the restaurant and laundry.

Some large hospitality groups use custom designed software for managing their operations. However, there are a variety of products available for smaller establishments. When evaluating different programs, it is important to make sure that it is integrated. This means that all the various components of the program need to communicate with each other, eliminating the need for duplication.

No establishment can make sensible decisions if they do not have access to extensive management information. That is why any program worth its salt will make provision for reports on all aspects relevant to the establishment. Statistics and trends can help the owners to make better decisions regarding maintenance, marketing and cost control.

Another important matter to consider when purchasing this type of software is the level of support that can be expected. No hospitality establishment can afford to be off line. The supplier must therefore be able to provide backup alternatives and round the clock support. It is also advisable to opt for a system that can be upgraded as needs change. The best course of action is to try a few systems before making a final decision.

In these modern times with the internet, instant communication and instant gratifications no hospitality establishment however small, can afford to ignore the importance of electronic managing programs. They must be able to react to enquiries and demands instantly. Keeping a register on the counter simply does not work any longer.




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