Hoteliers Reveal Top Real-World Benefits of Hotel Management Systems

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Today’s era of rapid innovation in hospitality technology can make shopping for hotel management software (HMS) a little overwhelming. Cloud technology has allowed us to take process automation and service personalization to the next level, but while the possibilities are exciting, many independent hoteliers are first and foremost simply looking at ways to speed up the check-in process. So just how do you sort through it all to find out what really matters to your day-to-day operations?
The Hotel Management Software UserView 2015, a recent survey by hotel management software research company Software Advice, aims to give potential HMS buyers insight into the practical benefits of hotel management software in real-world settings by revealing which applications of HMS are most used and appreciated by current HMS users in the U.S.
Here are the key findings from the report:
1. Unsurprisingly, the most-used HMS applications correspond with the most common daily duties.
Respondents most often use reservation management applications, including check-in and -out (23 percent), followed by point-of-sale (15 percent), guest relationship management (13 percent) and housekeeping management (12 percent).
2. The use of mobile devices to access HMS is increasing.
While the majority of HMS users (82 percent) access their HMS from a desktop or laptop, mobile access is increasing with 18 percent using a tablet or smartphone.
3. Housekeeping applications are often accessed on mobile devices.
Respondents who use a mobile device to access their HMS, cite the same most-used applications as the entire survey sample: reservation management (18 percent), POS and housekeeping management (16 percent each) and guest relationship management (13 percent).
However, it’s especially interesting to note that, compared to the overall sample, mobile HMS users report significantly more frequent use of housekeeping management (16 percent versus 12 percent). Housekeeping management is a prime example of how mobile devices can boost productivity.
4. Top benefits of HMS are faster check-in and -out and improved organization of guest data.
According to respondents, the greatest benefits of an HMS are: faster check-in and -out (20 percent), improved organization of guest information for more personalized service (19 percent), improved accuracy of reservations (18 percent) and improved accuracy of real-time room status (17 percent).
The results of this survey clearly show that hotel management systems bring significant benefits to daily hotel operations by automating processes, providing accurate, real-time information, and improving organization of guest data — all of which ultimately benefit guests as well.
In light of this research, Software Advice recommends potential HMS buyers to look for software with strengths in:
>> Intuitive reservation management and check-in/-out functionality
>> Mobile housekeeping management
>> POS integration
>> Guest management features like comprehensive guest profiles for more personalized service.
Read the complete Hotel Management Software UserView 2015 for more details.
And for a no-obligation free demo of an HMS that ticks all of the above boxes (and more), we welcome you to get in touch with us here at WebRezPro.