When it comes to assessing property management systems, you could be forgiven for thinking that, a bit like politicians, they’re all much the same. But while all cloud-based systems will have their core functions in common – booking engine, front of house, back office, distribution and revenue integrations for example – they do all work differently, and offer different levels of service, particularly when it comes to crucial areas such as billing, service and integration management.
Hotel management technology has come a long way since the early days when it simply managed bookings and other front desk operations – check-in, check-out, room rates and billing. Now, however, any hotel management system worth its salt is truly holistic in nature, covering everything from POS integrations to housekeeping; back office and accounting to distribution and guest experience. We therefore explore what can turn a good PMS into a great one.
Nearly all property management systems these days are in the cloud. Cloud-based PMS systems have several unique advantages, as opposed to a server-based PMS which has to be installed and maintained manually:
- They can be used anytime, anywhere, from any device
- They back up and are updated automatically
- They largely remove human error through automation
- They are generally highly scalable, helping you to futureproof your business
- They add value by streamlining your CRM, integrations, data and analytics, payments and check-in/out, management and financial processes all into one place, adding value and saving time.
Faster innovation, lower cost and complexity, more revenue, and increased lifetime value per guest
In general terms, a cloud-based PMS will lead to faster innovation; lower complexity and cost; increased RevPAR (revenue per available room) and ADR (average daily rate) through rate management systems; and enhanced lifetime value as it becomes possible to target your guest segments with highly personalised offers which encourage loyalty.
This leads to specific business benefits:
- Increased productivity – a report by Forbes has found that process automation saves companies between 40% to 75% in operational costs.
- Improved accuracy – especially in the vital areas of billing, reporting and guest communications.
- Time-saving – save an average of 20 minutes per guest thanks to the automated processes, and your staff can spend this time with guests instead!
- Enhanced revenue management and distribution – these two crucial areas which often run alongside your cloud-based PMS ensure that your hotel is seen everywhere online, at optimised rates which take into account local events, the competition and your guest profiles.
- Superior guest experience – from automated confirmations and pre-arrival emails offering personalised upsells and extras, to post-stay communications and reviews which contribute to long-term guest loyalty and recommendation.
But what makes a good PMS great?
These features, benefits and results are common to most cloud-based hotel management systems – for example in Rezcontrol you will find:
- Hotel POS system to post charges to rooms and bring all sales together in one place
- Front desk software for easy check-in, check-out and guest experience – saving around 20 minutes per booking
- Back office software for your data, accounting and end of day
- Hotel distribution software to ensure you are seen everywhere you need to be
- Hotel booking engine to drive more direct sales
- Hotel rate management system to ensure your pricing is optimised
- Hotel revenue management system – which can increase revenue by around 20%
- Hotel event management function – making complex events simple, and integrating these with your regular room and meal bookings
- Hotel payment services for integrated payments
- Integrated gift voucher platform, which can vastly increase upsells and extras as well as special occasion bookings.
“The human touch, as well as values, operational choices and priorities, are the factors which will really elevate one PMS over another”
Beyond this, it comes down to operational choices as well as priorities and values. At Rezcontrol, for example, we choose our integrations very carefully and manage the relationships, whereas with some of the larger players in the PMS field, hotels are likely to find a ‘pick’n’mix’ where they choose and download the integrations themselves, and are left to manage them, which can be very time-consuming if anything needs further clarification, training, or goes wrong.
Rezcontrol integrates with several major players including Resdiary, Access Collins, Newbridge, Zonal, Quadranet, SiteMinder, RoomPriceGenie, For-Sight, Toggle, SmartGift SAGE, Xero, GuestRevu, Core and more. A full list of Rezcontrol integrations can be found here.
The human factor – service, innovation, value
The best PMS systems don’t ignore the human touch, and this can be a decisive USP in a field which is dominated by global players and service can suffer as a result. We believe Rezcontrol offers several benefits which we know our customers appreciate, and these tie back to our core values of innovation, service and value.
Rezcontrol PMS is as well-known for its customer service and tech support as for its innovation, ease of use, and comprehensive functionality. We offer on-demand training, 1-2-1 onboarding sessions and fully transparent billing – our customers pay a single, fixed monthly fee with no transaction charges or extras. Feel free to read some testimonials here.
“With a 30-year track record in hotel management software, we know the issues you face, and what you need to run your operation smoothly, efficiently and profitably.” – Sarah Cade, MD
Not a customer? Call us on +44 (0)330 223 1456 or email sales@rezcontrol.com – or contact us for a demo.