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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!
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