With technology advancing at a rapid pace, the hospitality industry as a whole is faced with the challenge of adapting or quickly falling behind. As travelers become more accustomed to these evolving technologies, hotels must also enhance their technology to remain competitive.
In the past, a hotel’s property management system was the core of their technology, with limited options beyond that. Fast forward to today, where more options are available, and a wide variety of hospitality technology solutions exist.
While the property management system still plays an integral part in a hotel’s daily operations, and is arguably even more valuable today, there has been a rise in specialized software aimed at streamlining specific internal processes, while enhancing the guest experience as well.
As the needs of each hotel is different, so too is the technology that is required. With that being said, we have put together a quick checklist to help create the optimal hotel tech stack for your property.
#1 – Find the right property management system for your hotel.
While this may seem like the easiest decision to make, the reality is that your PMS will be the backbone of your entire hotel operation. With many options available, there are a few key questions you must ask yourself prior to selecting to a property management system.
Is the solution cloud-based? If not, your hotel may struggle when it comes to streamlining operations and implementing more modern functionality such as mobile applications and the ability to use the software across multiple devices. That’s why we recommend choosing the right cloud-based PMS platform.
Does the vendor have an integration platform? This is something we will discuss later in the article, but the decision to choose a vendor with an open integration platform will increase the options available for integrating with additional third-party software.
Are there any additional costs beyond the PMS? With cloud-based solutions, there is no additional hardware to purchase as the software operates in a web browser or through the mobile app. This greatly reduces both upfront and ongoing maintenance costs.
Does the PMS offer full functionality? Aside from integration with other systems, the core PMS should have all of the necessary features and capabilities to operate your hotel efficiently. Ideally the property management software should have at least staff mobile functionality included, along with essential modules such as reservations, rate/revenue management, reporting, groups, etc. The groups functionality helps you optimize revenue and profitability all at once through a seamless process.
While these are just some of the general questions you should be thinking about, the main takeaway is that the property management system should be flexible to adapt to any changes your hotel may experience. In addition, a PMS that is built on modern architecture will allow your property to scale on the fly without having to change systems.
#2 – Does the PMS provider have an open or closed integration platform?
I alluded to this earlier in the article, but the decision to select a vendor that has an open integration platform will allow for a greater breadth of options when it comes to adding additional software. The benefits of an open integration platform are quite valuable.
Third-party software vendors can seamlessly develop integrations leveraging real-time data exchange, which can usually be developed in a short period of time. This allows for information to be shared back and forth without having to purchase the software separately and operate multiple systems. The result is a single property management software that branches out to numerous solutions, with the end user able to scale their tech stack to meet their growing needs.
With Jonas ARC, our open integration platform, Chorum PMS is able to directly connect to many third-party solutions on the market today such as reservations, customer relationship management, guest messaging, payment processing, revenue management, and sales and catering.
By determining if the software vendor has an open or closed integration platform, the decision will become a lot easier in terms of the right solution to create your optimal tech stack.
#3 – What are the current, as well as future integration partners?
This question often comes up during the initial stages of researching into a PMS provider, however, the needs of the hotel should be determined prior to looking into which integrations exist. For example, if the hotel does not do a lot of group business, the core PMS is likely enough, but if there are plans to grow this business in the future, then the property should find out if they integrate with a sales and catering solution – should the need arise.
As noted at the beginning of this article, technology evolves very quickly, so it is important that the hotel goes into the process with a forward-thinking approach. Leveraging a platform with open integration, hoteliers can position themselves for success in the future as new software is developed, rather than having to invest in a new property management system each time.
#4 – Does the PMS connect to mobile and contactless solutions?
In today’s world, the younger generations are becoming more interested in communicating from devices they are already familiar with, using software and apps they are already using. To keep up with this growing trend, hoteliers should look to create a tech stack that offers both mobile and contactless functionality for their guests.
There are many specialized software providers that offer text message communication and the ability for guests to check-in, use digital keys, and even order additional amenities right from their mobile device. Ensuring your PMS provider has direct integration with these vendors will go a long way to creating a more streamlined hotel operation, while also enhancing the guest experience.
In addition, the contactless functionality can greatly increase efficiency, as guests will be able to accomplish more on their own, while relying less on hotel staff. As many in the hospitality industry have stated, this type of technology will only increase in demand over the coming years, so selecting a property management system that integrates with mobile and contactless providers will be essential to the success of any hotel going forward.
Want to see how the Jonas Chorum suite of property management solutions can help create the optimal tech stack for your hotel? Request a demo today to learn more about our true cloud PMS software, integration partners, staff mobility, contactless solutions, and more!
