The big escape. The glory of resignation. The Great Resignation. No matter what you call it, it's happening, and you can't turn back. And the hotel industry has taken the brunt of the damage, more so than almost any other industry. The hotel sector is suffering from historic labor shortages, thanks to COVID-19 and a range of other issues such as the rise of the gig economy, virtual job alternatives, employee insecurity, and the absence of hotel tech such as Hotel Management Software. During the early stages of the pandemic, the hotel industry was one of the most hit. Layoffs and furloughs were prevalent as governments imposed stay-at-home orders and limited travel. However, as the world continues to reopen and travel returns to the forefront of people's minds, the sector is battling to re-hire or even keep its current workforce.
More than 50% of U.S. hospitality workers that were let go or furloughed would not return to their positions, according to a new study of 13,000 job searchers. Worse, more than a third claimed they have no plans to return to the sector. The epidemic brought to light the areas where hotel employees (and personnel in other businesses) were dissatisfied, and it provided them with a genuine chance to reflect, whether forced or not. The study showed that 52% of workers would not return because they want a better work environment, 45% want better benefits, 19% want more flexibility, and 16% want remote work. So, how can hotels recruit, empower, and keep excellent employees? What’s Causing Labor Shortage In The Hospitality Industry? There are numerous reasons for a massive labor shortage in the hospitality industry. Let’s take the COVID situation for starters; not only did it cause a stressful workplace but also resulted in low pay and huge layoffs. What’s truly troublesome is the fact that a large number of the workforce now resents the idea of returning to the hospitality industry. Other than the above stated, there are many other reasons for the shortage, let’s take a look at some.
In addition to these, there are also some ‘hush-hush’ reasons that cause labor shortage. What’s interesting to note amid all of this is the fact that this issue isn’t something that cannot be treated. The hospitality sector as a whole needs to genuinely look at these gaps and inculcate a system that can fill them up for good. Stated below are 5 ‘top of the hand’ things hoteliers can do to fill this void of labor shortage and make way for their employees back to where they’re needed. Invest In Technologies Like Hotel Management Software That Frees The Staff There are seldom issues that technology cannot provide an answer to. And this is true even in the case of the hotel industry. Technology is an investment, and investing in one can truly be the solution to the rising woes of labor shortage. The aim here would be to reduce your staffing requirements by a significant percentage with the use of tech and making do with fewer employees. Find some of the ways here in which you as a hotel can use technology to not only reduce your dependency on staff but to also enhance the overall user experience:
Make Employee Wellness A PriorityThe general workforce at the moment seeks job opportunities that not only offer a consistent paycheck but also take their physical and mental health into account. A committed focus on the wellness of employees is paving the way across industries and the hospitality industry shouldn’t fall back on this effect either. The hospitality sector as a whole needs to embrace a more comprehensive view of their employees’ needs and experience while creating a wellness-focused workplace culture. Much like safety and health, the industry needs to cornerstone a culture that empowers its workforce. Meet The Monetary RequirementsAlthough this comes across as obvious, there are still many hoteliers that are apprehensive to engage in this. As a matter of fact, increasing the wages definitely isn’t something that proves successful in the long-term perspective. It is however something that is the need of the hour and is happening across industries due to demographic and economic constraints. Consequently, to attract new employees, hospitality industry players are forced to increase wages. As a result, wages now account for 25% to 30% of the total revenue. Monetary gains attract everyone everywhere, and in the hospitality industry as well, the workforce is lured by higher salaries. Benefits And Perks Are How You Do It! Among the major reasons listed by hotel staffers who aren’t willing to come back to the job was a lack of benefits. It certainly may be time to revisit and reassess your benefits package. It would be a good idea to include your hourly and part-time staff in your list of beneficiaries for dental and health coverage. Other than assistance in terms of tech via cloud PMS, consider what else can you offer other than the standards that include: Vacation days, personal days, and paid sick leaves. Offering medical benefits and coverage provides a sense of relief and stability to your employees. It also makes you as an industry more realistic, and supportive of your workforce. This promotes the staff into considering a life in the hospitality sector a lifelong career option. Other than the traditional perks, here are some creative ones that you can incorporate, like access to the hotel amenities on their off days. That can be anything from unlimited gym access, to a day at the on-site spa to special menu preview tastings. These things would come at absolutely minimal to no cost to your hotel property but come with the benefits of retaining your valuable staff.
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The technique through which visitors may make secure online bookings is called a hotel reservation system. In essence, the hotel’s booking engine and website are connected together, thus the hotel incurs no additional expenses when compared to utilizing an OTA. In the travel and tourist industry, online reservations account for roughly 63% of yearly income, or roughly $756 billion. You’ll be able to manage online bookings more effectively if you use a reliable hotel reservation system and use it to automate reservation operations while decreasing the chance of manual mistakes and company losses.
Guests can pick how long they want to stay, what sort of accommodation they want, add-ons, and pay securely online using hotel reservation system software. In this article, we’ll go in-depth about what a hotel reservation system is, and what are its must-have features. So let’s get started. What exactly is a hotel reservation system? A hotel reservation system is a software application that enables clients to book directly with the hotel online, bypassing the need for middlemen. The software basically processes online reservations made through the hotel’s website and then sends this information to the hotel’s own backend so that it can be conveniently accessible. Hotel personnel then manage the reservations. With the rise of the Millennial traveler, more than 700 million individuals are predicted to book exclusively online by 2023, therefore having an online reservation system is essential for accessing a larger audience. Most essential features of a hotel reservation system
It is simple and fast for people to book hotel rooms directly through your website, and if they are unable to do so, they may choose to stay in a competitor’s hotel. According to Tnooz, over half of customers cancel their online trip reservations early due to payment issues. “The checkout process took too lengthy,” they said, and “the payment method I wanted to use wasn’t accessible.” In order to avoid this problem, make certain that your hotel reservation system:
As a small hotel, your future success hinges on your ability to provide a secure online payment interface through your reservation system. 2) Automated guest communications Automatic emails have grown commonplace in the travel business, to the point where your guests expect to receive a confirmation email after making a reservation. 3) Reservation confirmation email This is an automatic email issued by your hotel’s reservation system after a guest submits their information to confirm a reservation. Because most reservations need a credit card, the goal of this email is to reassure your guests that their reservation was successful. It also assures customers that your hotel is real and that their sensitive payment information is safe and secure with you. 4) Preparation for their stay Now that their stay is approaching, the goal of this email is to ensure that everything goes smoothly, to get them enthusiastic about their stay with you, and to provide you with an opportunity to earn additional money. Remind them of their check-in and check-out timings, as well as your terms and conditions and whether they can use mobile check-in (especially your late check-in and late check-out policies). Also, inform them of the items they’ll need to check-in (ID, their reservation number, etc). Finally, some of your excess products and services can be upsold. 5) Integrated channel manager You must market your property to online travel brokers in order to boost your distribution and increase your online bookings (OTAs). However, without a channel manager, managing various channels and keeping your inventory and current pricing updated might be tough. A channel manager enables you to continuously display your live inventory and current rates across all channels, including your own website. Utilizing a solution with integrated channel management streamlines the process. When a room is booked at your hotel, all of your channels are automatically updated, ensuring that your availability is always up to date. 6) Advanced reporting Select a central reservation system that allows you to create customized reports with useful information about your property. You may see your daily, weekly, monthly, or yearly performance at a glance using these reports. You may also see payment history and outstanding balances. These reports should be straightforward to develop, generate, and analyze, and they should help you make the best decisions for your hotel. 7) Mobile app It’s infuriating to be bogged down by admin when you’d rather be communicating with your guests, which is why finding an online reservation system with mobile technology is critical. This allows you to run your business from wherever you are using your choice mobile device. Finally, you’ll be more efficient and able to focus on the vital goal of providing an excellent client experience. Conclusion Before you choose a hotel reservation system, make sure it has the capabilities you need. It’s a terrific way to streamline your daily activities and provide your clients the option of booking directly with your hotel rather than through third-party websites. The hospitality industry was one of the most deeply affected business segments in the two years of Covid-19. With travel restrictions and social distancing in place, the hospitality industry had to make advances by leaps and bounds to adopt new technologies and change the ways in which they did their business.
As travel slowly opened up, the demands of the travelers also became more focused than ever before. Travelers expected deeply sanitized properties, contactless operations and a much more personalized travel experience than ever before. One of the key strengths for hotel managers in this new scenario was cloud PMS that helped them to modify and operate their hotels according to the new health guidelines. In the post covid times, it has become essential for hotels to look to the future and prepare their properties accordingly for their guests. The old ways of property management through pen and paper or on-premise property management are outdated as the hospitality industry itself has become mobile. Throughout the upheaval in the hotel industry, cloud PMS has been at the core of the hotel operations for managing everything from front desk to housekeeping staff and bookings from various channels. By choosing the best cloud based hotel PMS, property managers were able to find solutions to the problems that arose because of the pandemic and the low business volume because of the travel restrictions all over the world. Let’s take a look at some of the problems faced by the hotel industry and how they were able to resolve these problems with the help of the best cloud based hotel PMS. Problem 1 - Lack of StaffStaff leaving the hotel was one of the first problems that many hotels faced in the initial months of the pandemic. Even as things started to become normal, hotels had to work with reduced staff for many of the regular tasks around the house. Solution: There are many tasks in the hotel that can be automated by using a cloud PMS. From web check-in and check-out to entering the details of the guests in the database. The software does the heavy lifting when it comes to managing information and creating reports that showcase the performance of the hotel in a given time period. The software can also distribute tasks easily and assign duties to the staff for maximum productivity. Problem 2 - Slow Volume of International GuestsWith the volume of international travel becoming lower than any time in recent history, hotels had to suffer losses. The tourists and travelers found it difficult to get out of their home countries. The restrictions posed on international travel by many countries also made it difficult for hotels to get new guests. Solution: Hotels had to use their properties to make space for local guests or travelers within their country that were looking for new places to work from or visit on a staycation. With the help of a cloud PMS, hotel managers were able to learn about guest requirements and provide them with conference halls, high speed WiFi, free coffee, plug points for charging devices and much more. Problem 3 - Social Distancing for Staff and GuestsSocial distancing and cleanliness not only became an essential part of the hotel experience but these were the demand of the customers that were looking for a safe and healthy stay. Hotels had to ensure all points of guest staff interaction were as few as possible. Solution: With a hotel management system, hotels can put systems in place that allow customers to scan QR codes and perform a number of tasks such as calling the front desk, downloading food menus, making payments, using a web app as room key, and much more. The uses of a scannable code are limited only to the imagination of the staff. Problem 4 - Getting Repeat BookingsWith the immense competition in the market and reluctance to travel on part of many guests, it is a challenge for any hotel to get repeat bookings from guests. With the pandemic raging for nearly two years, this task became even more difficult as guests were seeking a hotel stay that would be safe and memorable for them. Solution: By creating guest profiles and learning about the spending habits or the unique requirements of the guests, hotels can give their guests a superior stay at their property. There are some guests with food allergies and if that is mentioned on a guest’s profile, the hotel can ensure the guest gets food that is safe for them. Another way that hotels can earn guest loyalty is by catering to special needs of the guests such as board games and toys for guests that are traveling with the kids. Conclusion Finding the best cloud based hotel PMS is the most critical step that a hotel manager can take to improve the profits earned by the property. At mycloud Hospitality, hotel managers get access to the award-winning suite of software that is designed by a team of hospitality industry professionals with many years of experience in the field.The software offers solutions for clients that are looking to automate their hotel services and offers their clients with superlative services. The intuitive design of the software is created while keeping the end user in mind so that the learning curve is as small as possible. If you want to take your hotel business to the next level, it’s time to switch to mycloud Hospitality. Call +1-415-390-5039 to schedule a free demonstration or visit https://www.mycloudhospitality.com/ for more information. Source: https://www.apsense.com/article/how-cloud-pms-helped-hotels-to-resolve-hospitality-issues-caused-by-the-pandemic.html As a highly competitive and complex business market, India has always been a challenge for hospitality businesses. International visitors and domestic travelers keep the hotels on their toes and motivated to introduce the latest innovations to attract the guests to their property. With the havoc caused by the covid pandemic, the Indian hospitality industry suffered unimaginable losses like the rest of the world. These losses were further exacerbated by the fact that hotel management software in India is still gaining traction and many hotels still use on-premise hotel PMS.
The on-premise solutions used in Indian hotels require ample hardware and they take up a lot of space. Along with this, there needs to be a dedicated team to troubleshoot any issues that might arise. The hardware and software upgrades to the on-premise systems often cost a lot of money and might cause system downtime for the hotel as well. While the traditional hotel PMS focused on guest check-in/check out, room rate management, booking reservation, and billings, modern cloud based hotel PMS software has reached above and beyond the simple use cases. Some of the modern uses of a hotel PMS software in India are:
Why Indian Hotels Should move to Hotel PMS Software As the aftereffects of the covid pandemic wear off, the travel and tourism industry is going to pick up like never before. It makes sense for the hotels to be ready for the influx of the tourists that will visit India from other countries as well as domestic tourists as well. In the 2022-23 union budget, the government set aside US $316.3 million for the Ministry of Tourism. Similar efforts by the state governments mean that tourism in India is going to get a much needed boost and the hotels that are equipped to capitalize on this incoming business are going to earn great profits. If you own or manage a hotel property in India, here are some of the reasons why you should upgrade to a hotel management software in India. 1) Meet Post Covid Expectations of the Guests In the post-covid world, guests not only want a sanitized hotel experience, but they want a technology equipped hotel that offers contactless services. A best cloud based hotel pms can integrate with third party services to offer contactless check-in and check-out. Guests can use a web app on their phones as their room key. In the restaurant or their rooms, guests can scan QR codes to access the menu and order food. Billing is also done through a contactless POS terminal. All these facilities can help a hotel stand out among the competitors. 2) Increase Guest Loyalty Guest loyalty is the key to business success and it is especially true in a country like India. The word of mouth publicity for a hotel can be a real crowd pulled whether it is domestic or international guests. By creating guest profiles in the hotel PMS, hotels can understand the guest preferences and provide guests with the facilities that they seek. Whether it is the choice of room location, particular food, or requirements for a conference room, when such facilities are provided to guests, they tend to remember and choose the property again for their next stay. 3) Online Property Management The one crucial benefit of a cloud based hotel management software in India is that property managers can manage multiple properties from a single location. Gone are the days when property managers had to be physically present at a location to access data about the rooms available or the staff duties at the property. Now, with cloud synchronization, all data is accessible through any device that is connected to the internet. The data is further protected by encryption protocols to ensure privacy and security of the data. By having the data in the cloud, there is very little risk of data loss as the data is backed up in multiple locations. 4) Reduce Booking Errors Booking errors are the bane for any hotel business. With an on-premise hotel management system, overbooking or underbooking errors often creep in and this can cause great dissatisfaction among guests that are looking for a room. With a professional hotel management software in India, you can reduce booking errors as rooms are only available when they are added to the inventory. The inventory gets updated in real time so that once a room is booked, it is taken out of the inventory. A central reservation software integrated with a hotel PMS works in the background to ensure all activities related to the booking go forward without any issues. Summing Up The above mentioned points are only some of the benefits that Indian hotels can get from using a hotel management software. Saving money, increasing staff productivity, and increasing profits are some more benefits of upgrading to a hotel software in India. At mycloud Hospitality, you can get access to an award-winning software that is used by hospitality businesses all over the world. You can customize this software to suit the exact needs and requirements of your property. With zero upfront costs, you can be running this software to manage your property in as less as four hours. Still thinking about it? Why not try a free demonstration? Call +1-415-390-5039 to schedule a demonstration or visit https://www.mycloudhospitality.com/ to learn more about the software. Source: https://www.hospitalitytechguru.com/blog/how-hotel-pms-software-can-cater-to-the-needs-of-indian-hotels/ 7 Hotel Technologies Including Hotel Management SoftwareThat will add Value to Your Business6/24/2022 The times are changing! Change is not just on its way; it has already arrived. In the hospitality industry, there has been and continues to be a digital disruption. Did you know that the average small business employs 40 distinct software programs, while the average hotel employs around 20? Every component in your hotel’s IT stack would, in a perfect world, help you automate operations, cut expenses, increase revenue, and provide a five-star guest experience. But we realize how difficult it may be to keep up with the plethora of technology options offered to hotels. What’s a person to do? In this post, we’ll go over some of the most important Hotel Technology solutions that any hotel should think about investing in right now!
1) Hotel management system As a centralized resource across the entire property, hotel management software structures all aspects of hotel operations. Reservation management and housekeeping are all handled through the hotel management software. Today’s hotels cannot function without a PMS. You can empower your employees, streamline operations, and improve the customer experience with easy-to-use hotel management software. 2) Channel Manager There have been significant changes in the hospitality industry due to the Internet, one of which is online booking. Do you think it’s possible for hotels today to ignore the importance of online reservation platforms (or OTAs)? Absolutely not! OTAs assist in maximizing revenue, so they need to list themselves on as many as possible. While a channel manager can manage all the listings and inventory on various platforms, it can be challenging to manage everything without it. In hotel technology, a channel manager makes it possible to manage multiple listings and manage inventory across any distribution channel. Your channel manager not only automates operational tasks but also helps your guests make informed decisions about their stay. 3) Booking Engine Everybody says a hotel website is absolutely essential. However, no one has ever mentioned that it needs booking engines as well. When people can’t make a reservation on a hotel website, what’s the point of having that website? With a cloud-based booking engine, you can change the game completely. In addition to allowing hotels to upsell and create promotional and exclusive deals for frequent guests, top-notch booking engines also provide payment gateway options. In addition, hotels can also utilize booking engines to convert Facebook fans into guests by integrating their Facebook pages. There is absolutely no commission on any of this. Nothing will convince you to get a booking engine for your hotel unless you see these features. 4) Contactless solution Many people believe that contactless technology is only useful in COVID-19 pandemic. However, that’s not true. Even before the epidemic, contactless hospitality technology solutions existed. It’s only that during the covid crisis, this particular technique gained traction. What’s fascinating now is that passengers’ habits have shifted recently, and hotels have noticed. In other words, properties are increasingly inclined to use contactless solutions in as many areas as possible. With contactless solutions in place, customers may book their stay, choose their room, check in, use services, pay, and even check out with little to no human interaction. Simply said, guests have the ability to tailor their stay to their preferences, all from the comfort of their cellphones. Contactless technology is here to stay and will revolutionize the industry. It’s essential for providing outstanding guest experiences and increasing income. 5) Mobile PMS You’ll have to leave your property premises on sometimes. However, your hotel’s operations do not have to suffer as a result. A hotel management system app can help with this. With a mobile PMS app, a hotelier can accomplish almost anything a PC can do. From tracking new bookings and in-house visits to validating OTA inventory changes, settling folios, and creating critical hotel reports, a PMS software will offer you complete control of your hotel firm. To put it simply, with your smartphone or tablet, you can control your hotel from anywhere, at any time. 6) Revenue Management System Perhaps you own a fancy boutique hotel or a stylish B&B. However, if you don’t have a solid revenue management strategy in place, all of your hotel management efforts will be for naught. One of the most visible parts of the hospitality sector is revenue management. Hotels that anticipate demand, optimize availability, and correctly price rooms get the greatest possible results in terms of reputation and profitability. You can leverage data if you have a solid revenue management system. You may better assess your competitors and business performance to determine your market position. A revenue management system also comes with dynamic pricing, which is an added benefit. Simply said, you can create variable prices for items or services based on market conditions. Revenue management is currently in high demand. Hotels that have adopted it have seen positive outcomes. The hospitality industry is changing, not only for businesses but also for passengers. If hotels want to remain lucrative, they must be technologically advanced first. Some of the most popular hospitality technology solutions are listed above. Examine each of them carefully to determine how they may affect the way your hotel runs. The last two years have been a difficult time for the hotel industry. The after-effects of the economic downturn are still being felt and the industry is trying its best to bounce back on its feel. In these times, savvy hoteliers need to focus on the trends that will make them stand apart from the competition in their field and give them an edge that will make them the first choice of guests.
Firstly, hotels need to get innovative with the use of technologies such as cloud based hotel management software to make their property an enticing option for travelers from all over the world. Secondly, hotel managers need to put the focus back on the customers so that they can cater to the exact needs of their guests. Hotel managers need to understand that there has been an immense paradigm shift in the way the travel industry works. The travelers these days are looking for much more than a hotel stay, they are looking for a customized experience with all the bells and whistles. So what can a hotel manager do in such a case to ensure guests keep coming back to their property time and again? The easiest way to figure out the needs of the guests is by observing the prevailing trends in the hotel industry. Even then, knowing the trends is not enough, hotels need to use the technology and the skills of their staff to create a memorable experience for their guests. Cloud based hotel management software can help hotel owners to create a unified experience at their property throughout their hotel chain. Here are the top trends in the hotel industry that the hotel managers can keep an eye on to make their property a lucrative option for guests. Hotels as Work SpacesAfter work from home and remote work, the next logical step is for travelers to use hotels as remote working spaces. Many tech companies are adopting a hybrid work approach where the employees will have the choice to work from home or office. This kind of shift in the work environment puts hotels in an interesting space as the number of professionals that choose to work remotely keeps increasing. While locals will choose hotels as locations for holding meetings, business travelers will also use hotels as spaces where they can work with ease and comfort. Hotels can customize their offerings for business travelers by including conference rooms, free high speed Wi-Fi, coffee, and plug sockets as sellings points that will attract guests that are traveling primarily for business. Hotels can also offer short term stay for business owners that only want to use the hotel venue to hold meetings with clients. A Contactless Hotel Experience The post-covid world is more focused on sanitation and cleanliness than ever before. Guests want to use their mobile phones for most activities in the hotel while minimizing direct interaction with the staff. Hotels can easily create systems and services that allow guests to move around the property without being in direct contact with the staff. So whether it is contactless check-in, online payments, or using virtual keycards to enter rooms, everything is possible when you use a web based hotel management software. While the hotels might need to invest in installing these upgrades, the investment will surely be worth it as more guests become familiar with the technology. In the coming future, guests will not only expect, but demand a hotel property that offers the latest and greatest technology to make their stay a happy and comfortable experience. A Personalized Hotel StayIn these times, the guests at the hotels expect a personalized staying experience which caters to their needs and requirements. Hotel managers can make sure guests get a desirable stay by using web based hotel management software to create guest profiles that include specific data and preferences of the guests. For example, if a guest has mentioned food allergies during a previous stay, the hotel software can flag the same so that the guest does not need to mention it. Another example is that if a guest is staying with kids, the room service can be directed to play toys or board games in the room. Hotels can also create guest profiles in their database to give discounts and promotions to the guests. When guests receive such offers from the hotel, they are more likely to choose the property for future travels as well. Customers can also get access to AI-powered chatbots to give them any information they need regarding the property or their stay. The data collected through the chatbots is ideal in creating a customer profile that can help the hotel in the long run. The use of web based hotel management software is essential in monitoring data and optimizing processes that will help to improve revenues and customer relationships. Conclusion There are many ways in which hotel staff and hotel managers can make the stay at their property memorable for every guest. One of the first steps is getting a cloud based hotel management software that can be customized as per the needs of the property. At mycloud Hospitality, you can get a custom web based hotel management software that will help you to keep your hotel property abreast with the latest trends. The software is easy to use, easy to install and does not require new hardware. You can easily schedule a free demonstration by calling +1-415-390-5039 or you can browse through https://www.mycloudhospitality.com/ for more information. Source: https://www.techimply.com/blog/three-hospitality-industry-trends-hotels-need-to-focus-on-in-2022 Online hotel bookings are the way of the future as a large number of hotel bookings in recent years have been through an app, a website, or an online travel agent. According to surveys, an estimated 700 million people will make a booking online by 2023. More and more people are using their mobile phones for travel bookings and customers use their phones to do most of their research when they are looking for a hotel. With a mobile first outlook, most hotel managers need to ensure their property shows up in the mobile search results for the desired search terms and customers are able to easily book a room after searching for the hotel. A hotel reservation software is the key in accomplishing this goal.
With a reservation software for hotels, property managers can ensure they get bookings from domestic as well as international customers. A hotel can increase its reach dramatically by using a hotel reservation software that is customized to suit the needs of the hotel. Whether it is a small B&B or a large chain hotel, a reservation software is a must for all hotels that want to take their profits to the next level. Here are some ways in which a hotel reservation software can help your hotel to maximize bookings and bring in profits from a wide range of sources. 1. Scope for a Wider MarketA reservation software for hotels is the first step towards making your hotel truly international. Now you can cater to guests from international locations that are looking for a hotel stay at your property. A versatile booking engine can integrate with your hotel website and provide your customers with all the information that they are looking for. What’s more, the software can also show the customers room prices in their chosen currency for better familiarity. A software that is customized to meet the look and design of the website helps customers become more comfortable in booking a room and also builds brand loyalty. 2. Reduction in Booking ErrorsOverbooking and underbooking errors can often happen in a hotel that uses manual methods of data entry. With a reservation software handling the bookings, there is no scope of such error when you use a reservation software for hotels. Rooms are made available for booking only when there is inventory and once a room is assigned to a guest, it is not available for further bookings. Other data input fields such as customer names, address, financial information etc are also saved in the system without any errors. 3. Integration with Online Payment GatewaysIt is easy to integrate an online payment gateway in your hotel reservation system. This is the ideal way forwards as domestic and international guests will be able to book a room and pay with ease. A payment gateway is also an essential part of the hotel policy regarding bookings and cancellations. The software can collect the financial information related to the online bookings and use the data to create reports. Also, in the post-covid hospitality world, guests are more inclined to pay online to maintain social distancing. 4. In-depth ReportingReports are a fantastic way to understand how your hotel business is running and which areas need improvements. With a reservation software, you can find out which areas your guests are visiting from, the booking preference of guests, guests that are visiting again, payment preferences, and much more. With these reports managers can figure out which areas need improvement and which areas are performing better than others. Tweaking these metrics of the hotel’s performance can give great returns in the long run. Reports can also help with predictive analysis of sales trends, budgeting, and rate management. 5. Task AutomationThere are certain tasks that can be well handled by the software without the need of human input. For example, sending booking confirmation emails to guests and then emailing them for feedback. The hotel’s reservation software should have the option to schedule and send these emails. Other tasks like assigning room for cleaning to housekeeping staff should be done automatically once the room is marked as vacated on the dashboard. 6. Cloud Back-Up and Data SynchronizationBacking the data in the cloud is the most essential feature of the hotel reservation system. This data, once it is synched through the cloud, can be used by the other hotels in the chain to ensure customers get a unified experience at different hotel locations. Customers are more inclined to choose a property for future visits when they get a unique stay experience. The word-of-mouth publicity for the property also adds to the reliability factor of the hotel for new customers. The data can also be used to understand customer behaviors and their spending patterns. Hotel staff can use this information to provide a personalized hotel stay experience to the guests. Whether guests have specific requirements or preferences regarding their food, room location, or stay timings, this data can be shared across the properties of a hotel chain with ease. Conclusion Finding the best reservation software for hotels is the one action that will make your hotel property the first choice of guests. In a nutshell, if your customers are happy, they will bring more business to your property. At mycloud Hospitality, we help you to increase the happiness quotient of your guests by offering an award-winning software suite that you can customize as per the needs of your property. Whether you are managing multiple properties or a single B&B, you can use the software with ease. There are zero upfront fees, 24/7 customer support and the software can be live at your property in as little as four hours. So what are you waiting for? Call +1-415-390-5039 to schedule a demonstration. Check out https://www.mycloudhospitality.com/ for more information. Source: https://techmie.com/7440/six-ways-to-maximize-bookings-with-a-hotel-reservation-software/ Multiple lockdowns and travel bans during the covid19 pandemic have left hotels throughout the world reeling. They must cope with falling income as a consequence of lost business, as well as maintaining everyday operations with fewer employees as a result of workforce reorganization. With falling revenues, according to Hospitality Technology's 2022 Lodging Technology Study, investment in IT has been little over the previous two years — averaging at 2% to 3% of overall revenue. It also claims that by 2022, roughly 58 percent of hotels will be aiming to reduce the cost of managing technology. These critical challenges may jeopardize their present digitalization strategy and their ambitions for development and expansion. But what may be the solution? The answer is a cloud-based Hotel PMS.
What is a cloud-based hotel PMS? Hotel property management systems (PMS) manage all aspects of hotel business operations, including the delivery of superior guest experiences Traditionally, a hotel PMS was defined as software that enabled a hotel or group of hotels to manage front-office capabilities, such as booking reservations, guest check-in/check-out, room assignment, managing room rates, and billing. A hotel PMS replaced time-consuming, paper-intensive processes. Today, hotel PMS technology has evolved well beyond the front desk. A hotel PMS is now a critical business operations system that enables hoteliers to deliver exceptional guest experiences. Here are a few ways a cloud-based hotel PMS might benefit your hotel's operations. 1) It reduced ownership costs A cloud-based PMS is by far one of the most effective strategies to save money without jeopardizing the transformation effort at your chain hotels. Your IT overhead expenses are reduced since you only have to pay a single subscription fee for solutions at multiple hotels rather than investing in expensive servers, specialized IT employees, or AMCs for different properties. You won't have to worry about data security since your technology partner will handle it for you. Furthermore, operating a cloud-based PMS is relatively simple for new employees, saving you money on additional training. Isn't it more cost-effective when money is tight? 2) It helps manage chain hotels on the go Traditional systems have restricted access and require physical presence- a nightmare for chain hotel owners. On the other hand, cloud-based PMS allows you to oversee and conduct operational activities from remote locations. Using a cloud-based hotel PMS, you can not just conduct any hotel-related duties including reservations, check-ins, report generation, and check-outs for a single hotel but for your complete hotel chain. Because cloud PMS provides you access to any hotel system, anytime, anywhere, and guarantees that all operations are managed efficiently at all your chain hotels. 3) It increases data security When you employ a next-generation cloud PMS, you can assure the protection of client data of all your hotel chains. Remember that there are hundreds of customers from various chain locations relying on you for service and security. You can easily conduct security checks and updates regularly without even being physically present at all the properties. Thanks to the cloud technology of cloud-based hotel PMS, your data is protected even if your hardware fails. 4) It offers multi-property management that works Yes, we are referring to centralized control over multiple chain properties. A cloud-based hotel PMS allows you to centrally access group-wide or property-level information, guest history, manage bookings and even manage travel agents' and corporate clients' accounts. You may also use the web to access the cloud-based Hotel PMS on your smartphone. Such adaptability and mobility allow you to monitor your group/property-level activities from anywhere and at any time. 5) It efficiently increases staff productivity Time is unquestionably money. The longer it takes to educate your employees and deploy desktop-based applications, the greater the impact on your bottom line. The majority of best cloud-based hotel PMS are user-friendly and simple to understand. Even a novice or experienced employee may easily learn how to use the program. Additionally, cloud PMS automates numerous manual and redundant tasks, increasing overall productivity and leaving your staff free for guest engagement. Now imagine the same level of heightened productivity and higher guest satisfaction at all your chain properties, cloud-based hotel PMS is the answer to increasing productivity. 6) It improves hotel business by easily integrating with other cloud solutions. It becomes simpler to deal with other cloud-based third-party solutions when using a cloud-based PMS. It may, for example, integrate with revenue management, channel manager, online reputation manager, web booking engine, POS, and many more applications. This can automate operations in all your hotel departments, from the front desk to the backend operations. As a consequence, you will be able to:
7) It allows staff to best serve your guests According to the Hospitality Technology 2022 Lodging Technology Study, improving guest room technology would be a top priority for 45 percent of hoteliers in 2022. Many other patterns indicate that over 70% of hotels expect to invest in the technology needed to roll out a variety of guest-facing features this year. Contactless payments, mobile reservations, mobile check-in/out, mobile room keys, and hotel employee communication applications are all on the list. A cloud-based Hotel PMS, that lies at the core of your chain hotel business, can connect to the platforms described above to help you keep focused on improving the guest experience. Due to changing market realities, operational requirements, guests' needs, and other variables, technology is changing at a super quick rate. Hoteliers are rapidly adopting cloud computing because they can see the benefits of using a cloud-based hotel PMS to manage the operations of their hotel chains. If you haven't made the changeover yet, your business might be losing out on good profit margins. If that's your goal, now is the moment to make the switch to the cloud, as it has the potential to alter your hotel's development and agility. When you think of inventory, the first thing that comes to mind is the food and beverage industry. But the concept of inventory fits the hotel industry perfectly as well. The ability of the hotel to generate revenue depends on the availability of rooms in the hotel and knowing the status of the inventory at all times is essential to generate profits.
Modern hotels that are looking for a solution for their inventory management issues can benefit from using a cloud PMS that will take their inventory management game to the next level. A cloud based hotel management system can help the hotel staff in predicting trends and preparing their inventory accordingly through a carefully designed system. Another benefit of using a cloud PMS for inventory management is that the hotels don’t need to install new hardware. A cloud based hotel management system can be used with any internet enabled device which adds to the ease of updating the inventory even from a remote location. In essence, a hotel needs to take care of a lot of things to make sure their hotel’s rooms are available for new guests as soon as previous guests leave. An inventory software gives the team an exact idea of when the room will be vacant so that they can assign the housekeeping team for cleaning the room. Once the housekeeping team cleans the rooms, they can update the same on their mobile device so that the room is available in the inventory again. While we are talking about hotel inventory, let’s take a look at some of the factors that influence the rates of rooms in a hotel’s inventory. Fixed Costs Every room has certain fixed costs attached to it that can influence the price of the room. Some of these costs are:
The one way to increase revenue in spite of the fixed costs is to balance the covering costs with the inventory in the busy periods. Hotels can also choose to sell the room through their own booking engine instead of an OTA to save the commission. Seasonal Pricing The amount of inventory you have in your hotel can also vary as per seasons. In heavy rush seasons, you will have more guests in your hotel so you can price the rooms at a higher rate. In the slow season, the room prices will have to be adjusted accordingly. A robust hotel management system will help you to do that without any hassle. Depending on the trends, you can adjust the prices of the rooms to ensure maximum availability of rooms for guests. A cloud PMS will also give you the ability to study your competition and fix your rates that will give you an edge over other properties in the area. Distribution Channels One way to get your property seen by the maximum number of travelers is by putting the inventory up on multiple OTAs and search engines. The issue that most hotels face here is the monitoring of the property’s performance on such channels and then applying promotions to improve the performance. With a cloud PMS, it is easy to monitor how the property is selling across several channels. The software can be set to automate the distribution elements through regular monitoring so your property can optimize inventory for maximum profits. The Ways in Which a Cloud PMS can Help in Managing RatesData Based Predictions A cloud based hotel management system is a highly advanced computational engine that can predict demand and supply based on a wide range of factors. You can further program the software by adding new data that is relevant to your property and location. As the system detects trends to forecast demand and customer behavior, you can get a better assessment of how to price the rooms and maximize your hotel’s revenues. Integration with Existing Systems There are several systems already in place in a hotel such as channels managers and revenue management systems. You can integrate a hotel management software with the existing software to keep a tab on various performance metrics of the hotel. Whether it is room rates, inventory, housekeeping staff, kitchen management, and more, everything can be controlled from a single point of action. What’s more, a cloud PMS can be operated from any internet connected device and you can create automated workflows for maximum efficiency and increased revenues. A Mobile Based Approach Including mobile devices in the workflow goes a long way in adding to profits in the long run. The whole organization gets to an added boost in their productivity when staff can update their work status through mobiles on a unified dashboard. The customer service also improves as now the staff can attend to the needs of the guest by getting alerts and guest requests on their mobile devices. Another benefit of a mobile first approach is that room availability can be updated as soon as the rooms are cleaned by the housekeeping staff. All these activities are essential for maximizing the efficiency of the organization which can in turn help in adding to the revenue. Conclusion A cloud based hotel management system is the ideal approach towards increasing a hotel’s revenues and taking the productivity of the staff to the next level. There are many other ways in which a cloud PMS can be extremely useful to the staff in a hotel. Interested in learning more? At mycloud Hospitality, you can get access to a world-class software suite that will help your hotel to improve revenues and bring an increased level of flexibility to the staff’s operations. So what are you waiting for, schedule a free demonstration by calling +1-415-390-5039 or check out www.mycloudhospitality.com for more information. The Growth of the Hospitality Industry via online Hotel Management Software and Digitization5/27/2022 The hotel business is still in the early stages of digitalization. However, there is a distinction between the digitalization of background operations and of what may be immediately experienced by guests. Many hotels lack even the most basic digitalization capabilities, such as online hotel management software, even though they may earn significant efficiency and cost savings as a consequence. The employment of digital technology to create a visitor experience is still very uncommon. Yet, as in our personal lives, it is precisely on the front end where we envisage humans and technology working together in the future.
Because the hotel industry is not directly associated with the IT sector, it is instead a people business, hotels are just now discovering the benefits of digitalization. They are recognizing that digitalization may aid in the management of hotel operations in a more efficient, cost-effective, and long-term manner. It can aid in increasing market penetration, the number of direct bookings, and the acquisition of repeat clients. It can assist in providing guests with a one-of-a-kind experience throughout their stay. And that digitization does not imply that hotels will become any less human-centric in the future. The employment of digital tools frees staff to be more available for the guests. With that said, let's talk about the several digital technologies that help bring prosperity to the hotel industry, enhance operational efficiencies, and increase guest experience. Integration of the IoT Now that more and more devices are connected, the tourism and hospitality industries should start exploiting data created by the Internet of Things (IoT). Knowing more about their customers might help companies give better service. If IoT data indicates that a guest has visited their resort every year over the past three years, it may automatically send a message to the guest asking if they'd want to book again this year. Without lifting a finger, you have saved your consumer a step and ensured a room booking. Information on meal selection, activities, and in-room amenities might be used in the same way. Upsells and improved customer service opportunities are unlimited. Focus on Data No denying that the tourism and hospitality industry is going to be driven by data. In the case of Airbnb, they were able to use customer data to determine that guests who chose not to book were doing so because they were discouraged by hosts who failed to respond to their inquiries. They gave their customers the option to book instantly, alleviating many of their concerns and helping automate previously labor-intensive aspects of their business model. Data improves both the bottom line as well as guests' experience. Robots Robots have primarily been used as part of manufacturing lines in workplaces until relatively recently. However, within the hospitality sector, AI-driven robots, which more closely resemble humans, are one of the emerging digital trends and these robots can perform a range of complex, ‘intelligent’ tasks. An information robot is available at a hotel in Nagasaki giving you tourist information, a front desk robot helps you with your queries, a cloak robot stores your belongings, and a face recognition system locks your door so you cannot lose your key. Virtual Reality Using virtual reality, guests can have a look at hotel properties, museums, and tourist spots without having to leave their living rooms. To either provide guests with a preview of what to expect or to provide the next best thing to a visit. Though not widely done, some major operators are giving guests the chance to experience a bit of their travel experience before they depart-offering greater peace of mind, especially for those planning a trip overseas. Augmented Reality (AR) Digital trends such as augmented reality and virtual reality have many similarities but augmented reality enhances real-world environments with overlays of graphics or information, rather than completely changing them. The hotel industry can use this to provide many benefits to its customers. Consider having a wall map in your hotel that can be used in conjunction with an AR application to show customers information about local attractions when they point their phones at a specific section of the map. Users can also use some apps to view reviews of restaurants in their local area by aiming their phones at them. Chatbots & Artificial Intelligence (AI) One of the most advantageous digital trends in the hospitality industry today is the use of chatbots to answer customer questions artificially intelligently. This means simple questions can be answered without a human agent, improving response times and allowing human customer service representatives to handle more complex ones. The use of AI can also help businesses analyze data, improve revenue management strategies, and provide more personalized offers to customers based on their preferences. Mobile Integration Introverts who like to travel are in for a treat with digital transformation. Customers can do nearly anything on their phone, from checking in to ordering room service to opening the hotel door itself, as mobile-first and mobile-only firms continue to rise. You can organize a full trip without ever speaking to a live person, from booking to sleep and returning home. A hotel app that allows customers to reserve restaurant tables, order room service, and book massage or spa sessions can go a long way. While self-service can enhance the client experience, applications can also be utilized to develop loyalty programs, resulting in more repeat business. Furthermore, the technology may be combined with the Internet of Things' aforementioned capabilities, allowing clients to control heating and lighting from the app as well. Online hotel management software Modern online hotel management software can help you improve the hotel's overall operations by streamlining administrative systems and processes. It will drastically reduce the amount of time you spend on manual administrative activities, assisting in the hotel industry's workforce scarcity. It takes care of the majority of the work, allowing you to focus on other vital chores like feeding your guests. Every element in your hotel management system is geared toward enhancing your overall revenue and bookings. Whether you want to expand into new areas or increase low-season reservations, the correct software solution will help you optimize and maximize your results. The travel and tourism industry is worth $1.2 trillion. There is an incentive to invest in order to expand it further. Whether the Internet of Things improves airline schedule accuracy or the allure of virtual reality persuades someone to take their first international journey, there is no limit to the value that technology may contribute to travel. They only have to make sure it doesn't get to the point where people prefer the technology to the genuine thing. |
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December 2021
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