Questions to Ask a Vendor When Choosing Software Used in Hotels

Hotels are places that are full of activity every day and every hour. Often, the staff and management are on their toes to ensure all guests are having a comfortable time in the hotel and everything is working at the optimum capacity. Managers aim at improving the efficiency of the hotel in every area by implementing any suggestions given by the guests to improve the hotel’s services.

Improving every part of the hotel is possible only by choosing a reliable software that is designed while keeping in mind the needs of modern properties. The software used in hotels can help in a number of areas such as quickly checking-in guests, allowing keyless check-in, providing useful information to guests, gathering guest feedback, and much more.

One of the benefits of using software is the high degree of automation offered by the software. The daily tasks of data entry and inventory management are taken care of by the hospitality property management system which saves the time of the staff. The staff can use this time to perform other duties that need their direct attention.

As the hospitality industry is highly competitive, managers need to choose the best hospitality property management system that is within their budget and comes with a wide range of features. As there are several vendors in the market for software used in hotels, managers have a difficult choice on their hands as their choice of hotel software can impact the current performance as well as long term expansion plans of the property.

Here are some of the features to check for in a Cloud-based Property Management System when looking for solutions that will suit the needs of your property.

1.   Software Costs

Using the software has varying costs that can include a one-time fee or a monthly subscription. While both these options have their advantages and disadvantages, hoteliers need to ensure they are choosing the right option for their property. A software with a one-time fee might ask for more money when it comes to future updates and new features might be available at additional costs. For a subscription model, hoteliers can negotiate paying a monthly or yearly fee as per their budget. Managers need to make sure they ask these questions when choosing a hotel software.

2.   Staff Training

Often, a complex software requires training the staff and managers so that they can be familiar with all the features of the software. Ideally, software should have a short learning curve so that even new staff members can learn to operate the software with minimal instructions. Managers must enquire from vendors if the software will require additional training with every update or if the features of the software will remain easy to operate for users.

3.   Data Security

In the age of information technology, it is absolutely critical to use software that offers high-grade data security. From the financial data of the guests to the day-to-day operational information of the hotel, all this data should be encrypted to prevent it from phishing or any other type of cyber-attacks. With regular software updates to counter new threats, the vendor should aim to keep the software at the cutting edge of technology. Managers should ask their vendor the kind of security measure they employ and what kind of technologies they use to safeguard information against attacks by hackers.

4.   Provision for Scaling

Every business grows at their own pace and an ideal software will offer provision for scaling with the business. Many hotels go from a single location to opening their branches in multiple locations and with reliable software, they can maintain the pace of growth for their business. Managers need to ask the vendor if the software allows for management of additional properties in the future and the kind of features that are available for the same.

5.   Third-Party Integrations

Hotels often use a number of third-party software for certain tasks around the hotel. The software used in hotels should offer compatibility with third party integrations whether these are used for report generation, payment processing, booking management or more. Managers should ask vendors the kind of third party integrations they offer and whether the software will integrate the current stack of software they are using in their premises.

Conclusion

Managers looking to create a profitable future for their properties need to find the right hotel software that meets the exact needs and requirements of their hotel property. A reliable and robust software is an essential part of the winning equation that can take a hotel’s profits to the next level. From small B&B properties to the large chain hotels, software can allow all these properties to improve their profits and maximize guest satisfaction.

At mycloud Hospitality, hotel managers can access an excellent software suite that is designed while keeping in mind the business needs of hotels. As a reliable hotel software vendor, mycloud Hospitality’s services are used by clients all over the world. The software solutions provided by the company are used by more than 2000 hotels in over 40 countries.

The unique feature of the software is that it is easy to customize as per the needs of the business. From single location properties to hotels that are part of a large chain, the software can work with all of them with fantastic ease. The customer care team at mycloud Hospitality is also available 24/7 to answer the queries of the users regarding the software. The company regularly updates the software to include latest features and upgrades. If you are interested in learning more, you can check out www.mycloudhospitality.uk. You can also call +1-415-390-5039 and schedule a free demonstration of the software at the time of your choice.