What is a hotel PMS, and what features should it have?

What is a hotel PMS?

A hotel PMS – or synonyms such as PMS Software, PMS system, PMS, Property Management Software, Property Management System – is a property management system that ensures complete, consistent and flawless hotel management. A PMS Software includes numerous features and, depending on your needs, it can assist you in various departments. A PMS Software’ main purpose is to help you manage room availability, prices, invoices, contacts, booking and sending automated booking emails before clients arrive, among other things.

Unlike its ancestor, the Excel file, property management software doesn’t require you to intervene or supervise to coordinate information, ensure an occupancy rate close to 100% or inform management of guest stay length or room vacancy rate. Awesome, right? So, when a PMS Software handles every aspect of your hotel, what’s left for you to do? What you do best: take care of your guests, offer them an unforgettable stay and ensure no details are overlooked.

What hotel PMS features does a good manager need?

Since hotel PMS software includes a wide range of applications and features, it goes without saying that it has to be adapted to meet each establishment’s needs and issues. However, there are some services you absolutely must have to leverage the power of your PMS Software fully.

You need PMS Software activity reports

As a manager, your decisions rely on numbers and stats, and even if your instincts are good, you need to analyze the data to make the right choices. This is why you should consider adding a module that generates hotel activity reports.

A hotel PMS can create all kinds of reports:

• Occupancy report
• Comparisons to past years
• Statistics relating to Key Performance Indicators (REVPAR, REVPAC, ADR, TO, etc.)

You need access to data

Try to get property management software that provides the data you need to better understand your clientele. Guests come through your doors every day, live in your rooms and see your hotel as their home for a few nights. It’s your duty to know your guests. Hotel PMS software offers complete management for your establishment. It’s the ultimate place to collect all the information related to your business.

Guaranteeing you have access to this information will help you make a wide range of decisions:

• Client type
• Stay type
• How many days in advance do guests book their room?
• Contact list to improve guest communication

Finally, while you need this data, you also need to be able to export, analyze, process and use it. Never underestimate the power of data! For example, if you want to attract business travellers, this data could help you set up various strategies based on the conclusions you draw from it.

Think about adding a yield management module to your hotel PMS Software

Unique to our industry, the yield management feature automates price management according to special events or activities. There’s no need to calculate the price manually as the module handles the task for you!
Remember to always look for a yield management function that will be easy to use and let you add notes to your calendar about all the important events that could influence your price. 
And, as you already know it, this module will complement the reports your hotel PMS generates. By analyzing these numbers, you’ll be able to set your prices better.

Finally, automation is vital to your hotel

Thanks to its modules and features, hotel PMS software can save you hundreds of hours of work. The ability to automate and free you from redundant and time-consuming tasks is its strength. One of the tasks it can take care of is room assignment.
You already know that optimizing hotel management and achieving an occupancy rate close to 100% are no small tasks. They’re like a Tetris game where your company’s profit, your guests’ satisfaction and your internal logistics are at stake.
By choosing a PMS Software that assigns rooms automatically, room turnover and space management are optimized to guarantee equal use of your infrastructure and equipment and avoid inconsistent bookings.

A hotel PMS is an essential tool for every department of your hotel

Your hotel PMS can assign rooms or develop data-based strategies, and it can also support every aspect of hotel management. Have you ever thought that software could help you manage your cleaning service better? Well, it can. A hotel PMS makes it possible for your department to communicate room statuses directly to the front desk to boost room cleaning speed and consistency between all your hotel’s teams.

Also, the cleaning service and all your service employees will be able to manage lost and found items, packages, activities or bookings more easily. You’ll find all the information you need in the software, add notes to the client file or create alerts to ensure better communication, coordination, and consistency. Besides helping you plan better, you will have everything you need to guarantee service quality. Indeed, adding a connection between your establishment’s various services will set your business apart from the competition and offer a flawless high-end experience to guests.

A hotel PMS is a versatile and efficient tool that can handle any aspect of your daily duties, free you from redundant tasks and help you avoid potential issues. Moreover, property management software makes it possible to automate room assignment, the sending of emails before and after stays and even group coordination.

The ultimate perk? Software like this gathers all the information linked to your hotel operations in one place. With a PMS Software supporting you at every turn, automating tasks and enabling fluid communication between your staff, nothing can stop you from providing the best service to guests so that they enjoy an unforgettable stay.