The hotel PMS, an essential tool in times of crisis and post-crisis

This practical and efficient solution makes it possible to coordinate several departments at the same time and has functionalities that can be adapted to different properties’ needs. In fact, the main functions of a Hotel PMS are room availability, rates adjustment, customer invoicing, bookings, management of contacts and automatic sending of emails. Furthermore,  you can connect a property management software to other softwares, such as your points of sale (POS), customer relationship management (CRM), distribution channel management (OTA), payment interfaces and many others. At a time when teleworking and mobility are important, you can even have your PMS installed on cloud and manage your property remotely as if you were there. To do so, always keep in mind that a good PMS needs to be easy to use, scalable, and must offer automation if you want to save time, money and increase customer satisfaction.

Although a crisis is temporary, it will strongly impact travelers’ behavior and could have long-term consequences on a property’s income. As a hotelier, it is beneficial for your property to have a high-performance property management software and use its advantages to face the crisis and prepare for the post-crisis period!

An efficient management in the event of staff reduction

In times of crisis and post-crisis, a hotelier might be confronted to reduce staffing. In this case, having a Hotel PMS will help you automate recurring tasks such as automatic room assignment, automatic sending of emails, printing of personalized reports, online bookings management or even the update of rooms inventory. Thus, automating these tasks will allow you to have more time to take care of your guests and focus on the quality of your customer service.

In addition, property management software will improve the efficiency of your staff through communication between your property’s different departments and will help you save time. For example, think about your housekeeping manager who has to distribute tasks differently following the health and safety measures implemented in your hotel and also in order to facilitate the arrival of your guests. The staff reduction will be offset by the automation of tasks: thanks to technology! The arrival procedures will also be facilitated with online check-in solutions or check-in kiosks that can manage guests’ arrivals, deliver room key and assist your guests with their final payments.

A precise analysis of your property’s activities

Using a property management software, also called Hotel management software, is useful because it allows you to have a multitude of activity reports such as occupancy reports and comparative reports with previous years. Some reports can be generated on a daily, weekly or monthly basis from which you can retrieve several statistics according to the targeted performance indicators.

It represents an undeniable advantage for you as these reports will help you to accurately track your sales, number of bookings and occupancy rate. In addition, this precise analysis will improve your strategy and increase your income, despite difficult times.

The optimization of your property’s income

In times of uncertainty, it remains essential to keep an eye on your property’s occupancy rate. Therefore, the analysis of your performances compared to previous years will allow you to establish a yield management strategy. The centralization of availability in your Hotel PMS enables you to adjust your pricing all in one place and then distribute it to various distribution channels, while ensuring that you remain attractive in comparison to your competitors. Of course, yield management’s main objective is to maximize your occupancy rate and your income.

A personalized customer relationship management

For guests, periods of crisis often lead to a need to feel listened and reassured. To do so, the Hotel PMS will become a real advantage for you because it allows you to collect a lot of information about your guests. Indeed, this tool is considered to be a real factor in customer satisfaction. It will help you to know the type of customer, the type of stay and more information on your guests’ consumption preferences. Thus, you will be able to better understand their purchasing habits and to better meet their needs and expectations with personalized offers and services so your guests feel more valued.

Furthermore, a Hotel software is a relevant tool if you want to maintain and consolidate the relationship with your customers and retain them in the long term. For example, you can communicate about the current situation within your property, the new cancellation policies, the hygiene and prevention measures of your property and even your special packages and promotions. Reports are therefore essential if you wish to communicate with a specific clientele who would need to receive specific information for an upcoming stay.

A highlight of contactless and secure solutions

Using a property management software also means offering contactless and secure solutions for your guests. To do so, your guests will have the opportunity to check-in online before their arrival, or directly at your property’s check-in kiosks. In times of crisis and post-crisis, connecting a PMS to these innovative solutions should be highly considered, since it makes it possible to avoid contact at the front desk and also respect a safe distance between your guests and staff. Moreover, these solutions will remain a great option even at the end of the crisis, especially for your recurring or business clientele who don’t want to waste time queuing for their check-in.

During a crisis or post-crisis period, having a property management software will make your employees’ work easier but also allow you to offer an outstanding customer experience. Thus, keep in mind that it’s important to remain attentive to your guests and staff needs. Prioritize health, safety and well-being over all. 

Moreover, you can take advantage of these quieter periods to train your employees, clean your property, review your strategies and improve your digital tools.