Whether we like it or not, the mobile Internet has brought a culture of immediacy into our lives. We want what we want now! From fast food to online shopping, we want drive-thru coffee, immediate responses to our emails and text messages, and the ability to research our next vacation on our mobile device whenever and wherever the fancy takes us.
Remember when we had to physically go to the store to buy a book? (Remember books?) Or getting the busy signal when you made an actual phone call? Remember when booking a vacation involved printed travel brochures and real, live travel agents? It wasn’t really that long ago. For good or bad — and there are arguments for both — mobile Internet has bowled into our lives and given us instant, on-the-go access to almost anything our hearts desire. It’s changed our expectations.
In business, we also want immediate access to information and we expect the technology we rely on to run quickly and smoothly (cursing it if it doesn’t). We need efficient operational systems and processes to give us the time to focus on our customers. This is more important than ever as our customers’ expectations soar higher and they want service now. Like, right now.
In the hospitality industry, operational efficiency and quality of guest service hinges on the Property Management System (PMS).
Cloud PMS & the Culture of Immediacy
Great guest service stems from smooth operation, not a clunky PMS that requires all your time and attention. From check-in to check-out, when daily tasks are quick and easy to complete, you and your staff have more time to focus on providing personalized service that builds guest loyalty, and tending to guest requirements promptly — perhaps even immediately — for greater guest satisfaction.
Cloud PMS empower lodging operators to elevate service to the high level expected by today’s guests. How do cloud PMS do this? By automating and mobilizing daily operations — shifting your focus from technology back to hospitality.
On-the-Go Access
Accessed via the Internet, your cloud PMS really is available anywhere, from any computer or mobile device connected to the Web. It’s easy to see how this can speed up both operational tasks and guest service; imagine mobile housekeeping reports for up-to-the-minute room status updates, quick-and-easy paperless guest check-in on an iPad, and immediate visibility of guest requests entered in the system on the go. Mobile cloud PMS unshackle staff from the physical front desk for optimal efficiency and service.
Integrated Online Bookings
Just as it’s convenient for you to access your PMS on the go, it’s also convenient for travelers to book accommodation on the go. In fact, nearly 60 percent of travelers book vacations online and a quarter of travelers who use smartphones to research travel actually book travel online through their mobile, too. Cloud PMS offer seamless, mobile-optimized online bookings for your website, as well as integration with online distribution channels like booking.com and Expedia. Integrating online bookings with your PMS means that reservations coming through online channels are automatically updated to the PMS and availability adjusted across all channels accordingly, eliminating the need to consolidate online bookings with the PMS manually. So, not only do integrated online bookings cater to your Web-booking customers when and wherever they desire, but they also save you and your staff a lot of time that you can instead spend attending to your guests.
System Integration
From front desk to housekeeping to accounting, your PMS serves as a central point of control, integrating and automating processes so that you don’t need to manually consolidate information across core departments. Cloud PMS are also easily integrated with external systems like the GDS and OTAs, call accounting, electronic locking, in-room entertainment, payment processors, point-of-sale, revenue management, etc., streamlining operations property-wide. At risk of sounding like a broken record, process automation afforded by system integration maximizes efficiency, saves lodging operators time and, in turn, empowers you to provide even better service to your guests.
Maintenance-Free
System upgrades, data backups, maintenance and technical hiccups take your attention away from your guests and can cause stress and frustration. With a cloud PMS, all technical responsibility related to the PMS software lies with the vendor: upgrades, data protection and backup, software maintenance and bug fixes. A cloud PMS takes care of all the technical hassles, leaving you free to — you guessed it — take care of your guests.
The fundamental purpose of a cloud PMS is to streamline daily operations so you can give your attention to your guests when they need it (i.e. now). If you think about it, cloud PMS are made for our culture of immediacy.
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