4 Characteristics of Reliable Hotel Management Software

By Simona Rusnakova

You can use hotel management software to control most aspects of your hotel business. However, hotel software is not always very reliable and if you have an unreliable system you will constantly be in fear of losing all details of your bookings. In order to avoid this it is best to get a reliable system and there are at least 4 features you should check before making the final decision.

1. Property management software that improves with age

Many people believe that getting new software every so often is best in order to ensure reliability. There are various software packages with updates every now and then. These updates may be via the internet or an extension that you may have to pay for. Getting software with online updates is a good idea as you can be sure that any problem will have a patch to fix it. This will ensure that your system is reliable and stays at the top of the range.

2. What other people say about a hotel management system

Seeing what other people think about a particular hotel management system is another way you can ensure reliability. Review websites are easy to find and they hold a host of reviews from both professionals and other program users. Reliability is not only judged by whether or not the program crashes but also by how well it works. When you look at reviews you will be able to see the areas where the program is good and the areas where it is bad. Hotel management systems need to be able to respond to requests quickly and this is one of the things you should look at in reviews.

3. The price of reliable hotel management software

High price is often a characteristic feature of reliable hotel management software. You may find that the more expensive software will be, the more reliable, but this is not a foolproof rule. There are many systems that are expensive but have some serious reliability issues. You should not just go out and buy the most expensive because it's pricey. You need to check that the system will have everything you need and that reviews confirm that it is reliable.

4. Support for your hotel PMS is advisable

With any software system you should always check the level of support you will get. There are many different types of support you should be aware of. For example, the 24-hour online support which is a good idea to have.

If your system crashes or has a problem you will be able to get help anytime. Your system may also come with technical support that you have to call and the technician will come to you. The only problem with this kind of support and that is that you usually have to wait for the next working day.

There are many things that make up reliable hotel management software. The updates, reviews, price and support you get are all characteristics that should be looked at when considering purchasing a new software package. The reason for this is that you do not want to have your hospitality business compromised by a system that is completely unreliable.

This article was submitted by Simona Rusnakova, consultant of 3r.ie, on behalf of Innovation PMS - low-cost hotel management software, with free trial available.

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Property Management Software - Make Your First Purchase the Right Purchase

By Mark Thomas Walters

Excel spreadsheets and the old standby of pencil and paper may be the organizational weapons of choice for some property managers, but too often their methods begin and end there. There are plenty of cheap, user friendly specialty tools that property managers may choose from that are much better than using Excel. When considering these alternative tools, avoid those that require long-term contracts or that have recurring fees attached. It is important to be able to cancel if needs be without paying a price. Go with programs that include customer support and tutorials as part of the subscription because some property management programs may require a little assistance in order to sift through all of the available features.

Support and training should be available that fits in with your schedule. Make sure that your software vendor has extended support hours, especially if your office is in a different time zone to theirs. Ideally, you want property management software that has been developed by actual property managers. The greater their experience, the better. You want the software to be able to efficiently deal with all kinds of properties, from single-family houses to large commercial properties. When deciding on a management program, some features to consider are the following:

- Efficient data management. Data and record entry is rather time consuming, and locating the proper feature in your management software can be as well. A program that does not handle these jobs efficiently is probably not for you. If you are in doubt, it is always a good idea to give the trial version a spin.

- A full accounting package. Whether you prefer the simplicity of cash or the detail provided by an accrual method, the management program you purchase should support it. And, because a property manager is continually reading reports and calculating late fees and discounts, pick a program that does it automatically. The reports should be available at any time and for any period.

- Check writing. Find a program that allows you to print checks right from your computer, especially if you write quite a few for your business. Time is money, and you don't want to spend it writing checks. Just ask your vendor to guide you to the correct companies that supply the check forms you will need.

- Reminders. You should be able to set up reminders for appointments and projects. You should also get automatic reminders for the two things every property manager needs to be aware of - expiring leases and late rent payments. The reminders should ideally be in the form of desktop pop-ups or emails.

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