The software has changed the way hotels manage their business. 

Hotels have a wide range of software applications deployed ranging from hotel management software to point of sales software to ERPs (Enterprise Resource Planning) like SAP. 

These software systems make the process of running a hotel business efficient.

Though hotels have managed to implement software systems to manage their core business, the supporting verticals are often ignored. They are like a leaking pipe that drains precious resources resulting in unnecessary expenses and complications.

In this article, we have covered five important software applications that hotels should implement to make the overall business process smooth and efficient. 

1. Guest Self-Check-In Application

One of the most important yet laborious tasks of the front office team is to seamlessly check in the guests. 

On a typical day, the guest enters the property walks up to the front office, and initiates the check-in process. 

The front office staff needs to gather all guest details, fill out the hotel database form, and collect and scan their ID proofs for upload. 

This process takes time, and when the hotel is busy with many guests, it leads to longer wait times for check-in.

The Solution 

Instead of that why can’t hotels mimic the process of web check-in that the airlines follow? 

The guest makes a booking through his/her preferred booking site. 

The hotel on receipt of this booking confirmation can send a link to the self-check-in portal. Alternatively, the self-check-in portal can also be linked to the website for easy access by the guests. 

The guests who have done the self-check-in beforehand can simply walk up to the front desk on the day they booked the hotel collect the key to their room and move on. 

Even if 30% of the guests follow this process it will greatly reduce the workload of the front desk staff. 

In addition to this, it will simplify the data entry process and make it less error-prone. 

As we discussed above regarding maintaining accurate guest data, a self-check-in application will drastically improve the data quality and will help in maintaining an accurate guest profile database. 

It will also pass on the task of scanning and uploading ID proof to the guests and this will drastically save time for the front office staff. 

2. Guest profile management

I was recently talking to a general manager of a 300-room property and he was complaining about not having a master database of his guests and their contact details.

In addition to that, he had no idea what category of people came to his restaurant and how he could increase repeat customers. 

These are the problems that almost all general managers face. And the easy solution to this problem is maintaining a detailed and up-to-date guest profile. 

The solution seems to be easy however the problem lies in implementing and maintaining a guest profile. The quick or easy fix is to open up google.com and search for tools to maintain guest profiles. 

However, this will fail unless the data input issues are sorted out. 

In most hotels, the front office is so bogged down by the pressure of checking in guests in time, that entering guest data into the system accurately appears to be a mere luxury. 

In many hotels, there are lots of duplicate guests maintained in the system. 

For example, the same guest named John Nash would have been stored as John, JohnNash, Nash, John Nash. 

This is an example of bad data. Bad data is like a rotten vegetable that cannot be used in cooking. Likewise, bad data is useless and no meaningful insight can be obtained from it. 

The Solution

So to start with, the staff manning the front office should clearly understand the importance of entering accurate data into the system and should have been trained to do so.

If staff shortage during peak hours is a real issue then this needs to be fixed so that the staff have enough time in hand to enter accurate data. 

Unique data points like phone numbers and email addresses should be captured without fail. This is the most important data point which will be used by the marketing team down the line. 

Once the data entering problem is sorted out, maintaining a guest profile will be a cakewalk. 

Most hotel management systems have a built-in option to manage guest profiles. For the ones that do not have this feature, any third-party application will solve the problem. 

3. Complaint And Request Management Software

Complaint management has always been the most important factor that provides the opportunity to convert any negative impression into a positive one.

During their stay, guests when encountering any issues register a complaint with the management through the front office. 

If the complaint is handled properly, it can enhance the guest experience, leaving a lasting impression and making them feel valued and well-served. 

However, if the complaints are mishandled, they can create a very negative impression of the hotel.

Complaints when handled manually, especially during busy days, can lead to delays, inconsistencies in responses, and missed opportunities to address guest concerns promptly.

The main reasons for mishandling complaints are failing to assign them to the right person, forgetting to follow up to check the resolution of the issue, or neglecting to address the issue during busy periods.

The solution

Implementing software specifically to handle guests’ complaints and requests can resolve the problem.

Software that is specifically designed to manage the guests’ complaints and requests can automate the task of assigning, tracking, escalating, and generating reports on guest complaints and requests.

This also provides a centralized platform for the hotel to track complaints, monitor their status in real-time, and ensure that every complaint is addressed promptly.

Addressing complaints leads to improved guest satisfaction and enhances the hotel’s reputation for exceptional guest service and quick complaint resolution.

4. Guest Feedback Software

We all accept that guest feedback is critical to understand the satisfaction levels of the guests in a hotel. 

It helps us understand our rights and wrongs and doubles down on increasing and decreasing them respectively. 

Despite this oftentimes the guest feedback is the most ignored activity. It is considered an afterthought and is used to manage reputation online. 

Even in places where guest feedback is taken seriously the feedback forms are complicated and on paper which are seldom filled up by the guests. 

The Solution

Every hotel needs to implement some form of digital guest feedback system. 

Having a digital guest feedback system is a win-win situation for both the guests and the hotel. The guests can easily fill up the feedback form using their mobile devices and the hotels can easily capture the feedback and store it electronically for future reference. 

The bare minimum can be a simple Google form that captures the feedback in a Google spreadsheet, but it needs to be digital. 

Things To Note

• It is important to keep the feedback form as simple as possible. There is no point in digitizing your two-page feedback form. 

• Make the process of filling up the feedback form joyous for the guests. 

5. Asset Management Software 

Asset management is another tedious process in hotels. In most cases, the asset that needs to be managed is vast and spread across the property. This makes it even more challenging to maintain the assets. 

Unmanaged assets are like leaking pipes. They drain precious resources and also reduce the life of the asset. 

Unlike software companies, hotels need to manage and maintain assets of various types. This can range from assets like servers to assets like air conditioning.

Asset maintenance is also important to ensure that the right depreciation value is taken into account while filing the annual task returns. 

Contrary to its importance in most hotels the asset management process is often manual or ignored altogether. Both are a reason to worry. 

The Solution

A good asset management software will solve this problem. It will help hotels manage their assets more efficiently and also make it easy to plan and schedule maintenance activities for the right assets at the right time. 

The initial setup of asset management software can be a tedious process, however, in the long run, the benefits outweigh the temporary inconvenience. 

Conclusion

The hospitality industry thrives on efficiency in exceptional service and the ability to adapt to the ever-changing guests’ needs.

While an efficient hotel management system (HMS) is very important, integrating additional tools can significantly enhance hotel operations and guest satisfaction.

Embracing these must-have tools empowers hotel managers to create a seamless and enriched experience for their guests, ensuring that they stay ahead in the competitive hospitality landscape.

As the industry continues to evolve, these tools will be indispensable allies in delivering exceptional guest experiences and achieving operational excellence.