This lesson will provide an overview of:
- Advantages of PMS vs manual processes
- Key features of a PMS
- Explain the basic functions and benefits of a PMS.
- Explain the basic differences between a manual system and online PMS.
- Assess the viability of a PMS for your tourism business.
https://youtu.be/iotUP7eJlS0
What is a PMS?
The hospitality industry has changed dramatically in recent years. With the rise of technologies like Internet, smartphones, faster connectivity to destinations and infrastructural improvements, the majority of accommodation bookings have shifted from local agents and phone bookings to OTAs (Online Travel Agents) and direct bookings on hotel or guesthouse websites.A property management system ( PMS) is computer software that helps these accommodation businesses efficiently organize, schedule and manage their daily operations.
The hotel PMS replaces the manual, time-consuming processes of entering reservations, organising rooms, creating invoices, etc on either paper or Excel spreadsheets.
It enables efficient workflow including booking/reservations, guest check-in & checkout, assigning rooms to guests, delegating housekeeping tasks and billing etc. A PMS automates and streamlines operations, saves man-hours and helps serve guests better.
Overview of key features
There are a vast number of PMS systems available to choose from. Here are the basic features that they all include:
The reservation system integrates with all channels where customers can make bookings, and provides you with access to up-to-date room availability information.
A calendar is a great way to visualize reservations. With an easy-to-read calendar, you are able to clearly see booking information and room availability.
The calendar shows real-time availability, bookings, prices and the status of your rooms.
PMS system includes a customer data management function, allowing staff to obtain contact details, the dates customers stayed at the hotel, information about which guests are in which room, etc.
The rate plan management feature considers the performance of your sales channels, demand, occupancy, competitor pricing and seasons, etc to recommend the right room rates.
Automated report functionality allows staff to quickly access reports based on the latest data, including hotel performance, financial information, or hotel management tasks and processes.
Connection to a channel manager which automatically updates the inventory (rooms available)
A PMS ensures that rooms are available across multiple channels e.g. Airbnb, Booking.com, your website, etc) and that room availability information is always up-to-date. Some PMS systems include their own direct channel management functionality, while others integrate with external channel managers.
Besides handling online bookings, the PMS must be able to handle bookings that are made directly e.g. via email or telephonically. These bookings are added to the system and then the inventory of available rooms is automatically updated everywhere.
Modern hotels often have a range extra facilities, services and sales outlets, and the various transactions that occur will often need to be added to a guest's bill, which will be presented upon check-out. For example, meals eaten at the restaurant should be added to the accommodation bill so that the guest can pay for everything at once when they leave.
The PMS provides a range of different payment options, including cash, credit card and online payments for online bookings. It creates invoices or receipts for customers, so that these can be easily issued upon check-out.
Let's take a look at how another PMS system, Hoteliers.Guru, describe the PMS that they offer.
https://youtu.be/k2JV-HepkUg
PMS + channel manager
How does a two-way integration between a PMS and booking channels save time and money?A channel manager builds a link between your PMS and your chosen online travel agencies (OTAs) such as Airbnb, Booking.com and Agoda.
Information is then instantly exchanged over this two-way connection from the hotel to online travel agencies When accommodation is then booked via one of these online booking websites, the hotel's PMS updates itself, meaning the days of manually entering each booking are over.
Meanwhile, real time rates, availability and restrictions are automatically sent from the PMS to the hotel's various online channels. Hoteliers can now maximise room inventory and revenue without the fear of overbooking e.g. if there is a cancellation, that rooms automatically becomes available on all channels and can be booked a ew minutes later. Using a paper system, the room would probably only be recorded as available the following day.
Sources:
Summary
- The hotel PMS replaces the manual, time-consuming processes of entering reservations, organising rooms, creating invoices, etc on either paper or Excel spreadsheets.
- A property management system (PMS) is computer software that helps these accommodation businesses efficiently organize, schedule and manage their daily operations.
- The PMS integrates with your reservation system, bookings via OTA's and channels and your financial systems.