Company insight
Make your property easier to manage
We speak to Matthew Prosser, senior sales director, EMEA at Agilysys, about how property management systems are improving the guest and staff experience.
hoosing the right property management system (PMS) is one of the most important decisions you will ever make as a hotelier. The right software can streamline your operations while alleviating the relentless workload that can manifest at your property, leading to an elevated guest experience and improved bottom line. There are not many who understand this better than Matthew Prosser, senior sales director for EMEA at Agilysys, a software developer that supports the hotel industry specifically.
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What does a hotelier need from their PMS in 2022? Matthew Prosser: A PMS houses an array of BC1 tasks under one solution – from front desk operations to rate management, human resources, guest services and payment processes, among others. While many of these tasks had previously been done manually, today, the modern property management system has automated them to improve service levels and increase guest satisfaction. In order to properly coordinate these various services, however, there are a number of considerations that must first be taken into account. A PMS must be easy and flexible to use as it is essentially the heartbeat of the hotel’s entire operation. Furthermore, the PMS must integrate with multiple systems, ensuring interoperability throughout the property. Hoteliers are quickly discovering that they may need to adopt open platform PMS solutions and allow differing systems to communicate with one another. By investing in the right technology, hoteliers are putting not only their guests’ but their staff’s experience at the centre of their operation, reducing their level of stress, empowering them to become more efficient and providing them with a higher sense of fulfilment in their work. As a
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One of the main benefits of a PMS is to automate mundane tasks like booking guests into amenities and allowing guests to pay for such things without the need for a staff member.
result, guests stay more, spend more and recommend more.
What’s behind the increased demand for PMS? There’s no doubt that the events of the past two years have enticed people to engage in some good ol’ fashion ‘revenge travel’, be it overseas or domestically. Travel is still in demand. The question becomes what sort of experience will hoteliers offer in the wake of a global pandemic, changing guest perceptions and sleeker tech?
An article from Grand View Research suggests property owners and hoteliers might have their finger on the pulse of their guests as the global PMS market – valued at $3.04bn in 2021 – is expected to have a compound annual growth rate of 5.6% from 2022 to 2030.
How are modern PMS integrations enabling hoteliers to provide elevated guest experiences? One crucial area that a PMS works to improve is the handling of repetitive tasks
through automation. Reducing the number of processes that may require the touch of a person – such as manually booking guests for amenities like golf, spa, and dinner – provides guests with a more seamless experience and allows staff to do more meaningful work; helping ensure repeat visits that lead to high return hospitality. Alternatively, service solutions that integrate with the PMS help relieve similar manual workloads for housekeeping and maintenance staff. An integrated service solution can notify staff of maintenance requests/repairs and automatically update the status of that request once completed. Similarly, housekeeping can be notified of check-out times and keep the front desk automatically updated, minimising downtime.
Another integration that addresses changing guest expectations is mobility. While contactless options were initially fuelled by health and safety concerns, guests have now come to expect them. People have become accustomed to ordering food and drinks on their phones.
Hotel Management International /
www.hmi-online.com
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