Category: Hotel PMS

Communicate with your guests with a hotel management software: a recipe for a successful client experience

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Posted on by Karine Thibeault

However, it’s now possible to extend the attention that you give to your guests outside the walls of your establishment and reach them directly. With hotel management software that enables you to automate emailing and reservation management, it’s extremely easy to make a difference at the moment your guests make a reservation for a room at your hotel.

Since the client satisfaction goes hand in hand with your success, I want to present 4 ways where communication using a hotel management software can ease the upgrading, upselling and, finally, the set up for an impeccable stay.

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Communiquez avec vos clients grâce à votre logiciel pour hôtel

Automation: an essential ally of your hotel management software

Before even talking about different types of communication that can help you stay in connection with your guests outside of your hotel walls, you should know that your biggest coworker in this area is definitely automation.

Available with your hotel management software, automation will help you send emails to guests according to certain criteria of time or type of stay to answer theirs needs and keep them informed of their reservation details.

We find three types of automated email that are commonly used with your hotel management software:

  1. The reservation confirmation. This email is used to remind the guest of all the information about the reservation including all the options chosen by the client.
  2. The reminder for their stay. In this case, this email has a double function. Besides giving information about their stay, this message can also include promotions, packages, options for upgrading and other upsell options to enhance the guest’s stay.
  3. The appreciation email after the stay. This one allows you to thank the guest for staying, of course, but it can also include a satisfaction survey and even a retention tool.

To better understand how these emails can help you offer your guests the best stay possible and increase your revenue with upselling, I will tackle each type of email in detail.

Confirm the guest’s reservation without even touching a button with your hotel management software

Yes, it’s that simple! In fact, with your software for hotel, the first email can be sent automatically each time a guest fills out a reservation form on your website. The email will include all the information related to the reservation: dates of the stay and number of nights, number of people, type of room, type of package (if there is one), the price and the total amount for the stay.

Besides offering an email to the guest that gathers all the important information related to their stay, this message reassures your client and shows that you have received their reservation. Is this useless? Not at all! Because this is the kind of email that allows you to reduce the number of phone calls about basic things and helps free up your reception team.

Finally, this email is a true reference point for the guest. This is why we invite you to be thorough and include relevant information like the parking location, arrival and departure times, and opening hours of different services in your hotel. Your guest will appreciate it greatly.

Remind your guests that their stay is happening soon

A few days before your guest’s arrival, your hotel management software will automatically send a reminder email. Besides offering an overview of the relevant information for their stay, this message can also include promotions for other services.

As the stay approaches, your guest is more and more in planning mode, which they weren’t in when they made the reservation. They often know their schedule at this point and they are looking to enhance their experience. This is the perfect time to offer a package, a dinner special to your restaurant, spa treatments or even complementary activities.

You can then add a button to your email that allows them to easily and efficiently make a reservation for dinner or an appointment in the spa. By offering additional sales in advance, you let your guest choose the perfect moment for their activities and allow them to plan their stay according to their schedule while avoiding the frustration of a restaurant that is completely booked.

Obviously, besides different services, this email can offer your guest, depending on your room availability, different upgrade possibilities with just one click. You can then enhance your profits by selling a superior room, while letting your hotel management software coordinate everything.

These buttons can also be simple promotions. A bottle of wine delivered to the room, for example. This is, in fact, the moment to make your kindness and the service that built your reputation distinguished you shine. The reminder email is an excellent way of selling the unique experience of your hotel.

Finally, understand that this email goes beyond a simple reminder. It allows you to enhance your REVPAC (revenue per available customer). Which means that you have the possibility to get more revenue per customer through offers and promotions.

Thank and evaluate: a last email that is not insignificant

We think about it less, but it’s equally important to do a follow up with your guests once the stay is over. If your hotel management software offers you the ability to automatically send an email after your guest has left your hotel, don’t hesitate to use this function!

This message enables you to thank the guest for trusting you and choosing your hotel. This is valuable! And you can use this email to invite them to fill out a satisfaction survey at the same time. You don’t know what to include in the satisfaction survey? Look at this blog post for more information!

You’ll then have all the information in hand to make sure that your guest had a great time staying with you. In case of a bad experience, the survey will give you the tools to defuse the situation before getting a bad review on social media or a travel website.

Finally, the value of such an email is really to client retention. With the help of a promo code for their next stay or a loyalty program, your appreciation email will get more subsequent stays and loyal guests.

Obviously, with this series of emails, we are trying to extend the reach of customer service beyond the walls of your establishment. The hotel management software can enable you to use technology and automation to your benefit and ensure a complete and unique stay. It’s true; the usage of automated emails can help you guarantee the client’s satisfaction and increase of your revenue. However, you know it too well, nothing will replace a warm welcome and employees who care about your guests’ happiness. After all, being a good host starts with communication.

How well do you know cloud hotel management systems?

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Posted on by Claudine Vio

In poetic terms, cloud hosting literally happens “in the clouds.” The process is a bit more complicated than that, but the fact remains that the concept has scared many people since its inception.

It’s worthwhile to learn more about Cloud hotel management systems, so here’s a run-down of the basics you need to know about it. As you’ll see, there’s no reason to fear this technology!

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Connaissez-vous bien les logiciels hôteliers Cloud?

What is a cloud hotel management system?

Before outlining the many benefits of a Cloud hotel management system, it’s important to know precisely what such a system is. While Cloud technology is virtually ubiquitous today, you’re probably aware that it sparked a revolution when it appeared on the digital landscape.

Cloud hosting refers to app and data hosting on remote servers on the internet, as opposed to the old method of stocking and installing software on site.

With any Internet-connected device, you can access your software, even your PMS, which is hosted on the Cloud. A Cloud hotel management system consists of the apps stocked and installed on remote servers.

There are a ton of benefits to choosing cloud hosting for your hotel management system. In addition to having the freedom of working anywhere from any device, a Cloud hotel management system is a window onto the future of technology.

The benefits of a cloud hotel management system

Let’s cut to the chase. A Cloud hotel management system offers many benefits. Cloud technology is popular for many reasons.

Security

Security is the top worry clients have about a Cloud hotel management system. The Cloud is a safe space to host your data because it must comply with numerous international rules. Moreover, back-ups are done regularly on the Cloud so that you can avoid losing all your data if an incident should occur.

Cost savings

Surprisingly, a Cloud hotel management system is a tool that can save companies money. Since licences are billed monthly, they don’t require a substantial investment upfront. Additionally, the cost and features can be adjusted seasonally according to your financial cycle. Savings are also possible because no specialized hardware is required to host a Cloud hotel management system, which means you also save on maintenance.

No hardware required

Obviously, since hosting happens on the internet, you won’t have any physical infrastructure to maintain. Forget about breakdowns, accidents, flooding and hardware wear and tear; a Cloud hotel management system doesn’t require any maintenance.

Scalable

A Cloud hotel management system is a savvy choice because it’s easy to modify, improve or simplify. All you need to do is call your Cloud specialist, and they will help you add or remove features according to your company’s growth and evolution. Nothing could be simpler!

In short, choosing software that’s not on the cloud might put you at risk!

Even though you may understand the benefits of Cloud hosting listed above in an abstract sense, it can be hard to imagine what could go wrong with traditional software hosted on your site. However, the truth is that the Cloud is a much safer and reliable technology. Software hosted on site isn’t stored in the Cloud. Rather, it’s installed on servers on site, which can be unsafe in many ways.

First, it’s important to remember that a hotel management system hosted on site will need technical support for its infrastructure. Therefore, you’ll need to perform maintenance and updates on physical servers in your offices. The fact that you’ll have to rely on physical infrastructure to accomplish your work could complicate matters.

For instance, in the event of a fire or flood, your on-site data could be compromised. And since your hotel management system is installed on those same affected servers, it could be inaccessible for days, even weeks.

Also, a hotel management system hosted on site could put the security of your data at risk, especially if you don’t back up your data frequently. Servers are often the target of cyberattacks that aim to steal or even destroy your data with viruses. It’s also easier to steal or clone data when servers are at hand.

Finally, if you choose not to host your hotel management system on the Cloud, you run the risk of lost or stolen data, equipment breakdowns and data backup issues. Software hosted on site contributes to some risks.

Multiple cloud hotel management system options are available

Many hotel management system solutions exist either hosted on the Cloud or on site. You’ll find a wide array of products in both categories. First and foremost comes the essential PMS (property management system), which is a complete solution that includes various apps and modules to improve the overall management of your hotel.

For its part, the POS takes care of everything related to sales. Point-of-sale software makes it possible to generate sales and manage payments and invoices as well as inventory. Generally, the booking engine is hosted on the Cloud and lets you manage everything involving reservations, availability and so forth. The email marketing tools are often hosted on the internet, too.

Finally, multiple relationship management tools like Guestfolio or Trustyou are also on the Cloud.

In conclusion, Cloud hotel management systems are here to stay. Besides being omnipresent in the hotel world, they offer numerous benefits and undeniable safety. Even though the technology is recent, there’s no good reason not to trust it. If you want to learn more about Cloud hotel management systems, contact one of our experts

5 tips to maximize your property management software

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Posted on by Karine Thibeault

1. Training: getting to know your PMS

When implementing or changing your hotel management system, proper training is key. As obvious as this may seem, it is important not to skimp on the number of training hours before launching your new software. The training sessions will help you review all of the features of your hotel PMS software, either by type of feature or by applicable position.

It is important that these courses be attended by a maximum number of employees. If only one person undertakes the training, he or she will be the only one who knows how to use the hotel management system and will have to pass on that information to all your other employees. In order to accelerate the adoption of the new software, everyone should follow the training that applies to them. In addition, an employee should be chosen as a reference person for all questions concerning the software, and they should participate in each and every one of the training sessions. Software providers now offer training in different forms. Whether in person, via videoconference, or online, training has never been easier.

The training modules contain all of the necessary technical information to know about your hotel PMS software, as well as tips and tricks for good management practices. The training modules are often given by hotel industry professionals who want to equip you to the fullest. You will then be able to perform better with your software and in your operations, overall.

2. Online help: a useful resource!

Some hotel management system such as Hotello offer, in addition to training, online help that is available at any time for the user. This online assistance provides additional help in sticky situations where an employee is left alone to serve a client, but cannot remember how to perform a particular operation. This is a lifesaving feature for all users of the software. Online help is available 24/7 and includes an explanation of the different functionalities of the hotel PMS software. Most of the time, answers to your questions are quicker to find through the online help than if you ask another employee for assistance or the technical support of your hotel management system provider.

By browsing through the online help, you can refresh your memory about certain procedures and even learn about new features of the hotel management system. You can then return to your operations and apply this new knowledge!

3. Knowledge by type of position

As we have learned above, all your employees should attend software training. Whether as a refresher or for an initial training, it is important that the learning of the hotel management system is done according to position type. This will facilitate the training of your staff, but will also allow you to gather internal documentation about the essential points to know about your software according to the functions of each position.

Of course, the training modules can teach you a lot, but each hotel establishment has its own ins and outs, its own business model, and its own management rules. The hotel PMS software adapts to all of these specificities, but implementation must be undertaken at the heart of the establishment. Therefore, it will be of interest to create documentation to explain how to integrate these specificities with each of the different positions.

New employee = Loss of efficiency?

The above becomes especially pertinent if an employee leaves your establishment. A new recruit can simply read the documentation relative to his or her position and, thus, engage with the software in the correct manner. It is important that each employee is aware of all of the tools available in the hotel management system. This will help with an effective execution of the position. Often, some of the features are not utilized because the person in the position does not even know that these features exist in the software. A situation like this can arise if the former employee who left the position did not take the time to properly inform the new recruit or if the recruit is unaware of the availability of certain functions.

The arrival of a new employee is often synonymous with short-term efficiency loss for the establishment. However, with an exhaustive list of the functionalities offered by the hotel software and clear indications for the user of how to use them, your establishment will maintain a steady rhythm.

4. The connectivity offered by the management software

The choice of hotel management system should not be made solely because of the features it offers. You should also consider the types of connectivity that the provider has developed in partnership with experts across the hotel industry. These various forms of connectivity can provide you with a whole host of possibilities that allow you to simplify your life by automating certain tasks. An exhaustive list of partners also indicates whether or not your provider is open to new connectivity options. In the event that the list is short, you may already think that your development demands have little chance of seeing the light of day. However, if you find that your current or potential provider has an extensive list of connections, you can be confident that the day you submit a request for a new connectivity, your request will more likely be fulfilled.

Your hotel PMS software provider should also notify you when new instances of connectivity have been developed and are ready for use. To this end, it is important that you are subscribed to your provider’s news in order to stay on top of fresh developments.

5. News and updates

Change is not always welcomed with open arms in the workplace. Regardless, when it comes to updates or new versions of your hotel management system that become available, you should treat these developments as good news!

New versions developed by your hotel PMS software provider are not made to cause you suffering! On the contrary, they are designed to make your tools perform more effectively and more in line with the latest trends in the industry. These new versions also tell you that your provider is not resting on its laurels, but is working hard to make things easier for you. In addition, these updates and the frequency with which they are offered indicate the dynamism of your provider. This is a key point for technology companies: those who think they have gotten ahead can quickly fall behind if developments are slow or non-existent.

When your provider announces an update, rejoice in the fact that new tools will help you and your employees complete your tasks!

Let automation lead the way

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Posted on by Claudine Vio
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Laissez-vous guider par l’automatisation

The booking process

Automation begins with booking. When booking is done online, the booking engine must have access to the very latest, up-to-date inventory. Information about inventory derives from the Hotel PMS. For this information to be available in real time, your PMS and your booking engine must be integrated. Without this integration, the inventory must be done manually on your booking engine, which could lead to adverse impacts, such as overbooking or, conversely, to a loss of sales because too many restrictions are placed on the inventory.

Once a booking is complete, it is automatically sent to your Hotel Management System. Once again, when the booking engine and hotel software are integrated, the process is seamless and happens automatically, so there’s nothing left to do by hand.

Room allocation

Hotels must manage available space efficiently and use rooms equally. There’s no better way to do this than letting automation work for you to automatically allocate rooms. The property management software packages that offer this option use an algorithm to optimize room allocation.

Communication

Communicate even more efficiently with your current or future guests. Your PMS System can easily automate tasks such as sending confirmations, stay reminders and thank-you messages.

Payments

With the necessary integration between a Hotel PMS and payment provider, payments can also be automated. This type of automation covers debit and credit card transactions as well as batch closures. Payment automation does much more than simplify tasks, though. It also secures transactions with a PIN, eliminates data entry errors and saves considerable time when balancing the cash.

Report generation

Another item that can be automated is report generation. Granted, generating reports isn’t the most arduous task. Still, you’ll save precious time by simply programming them once so that they’re automatically extracted according to a set schedule. All you’ll have left to do is read them!

Check-ins and check-outs

Electronic terminal/PMS integration offers a new type of automation. This new technology makes autonomous check-in and check-out possible. From the hotelier’s point of view, no intervention is required. This innovation is likely to revolutionize the hotel industry very quickly.

The more your recurring tasks are automated, the more efficient you’ll be in your other tasks. As a bonus, you’ll have more time to spend with guests, increasing their satisfaction rather than frittering away valuable time.