Mobile technology is on its way to becoming an integral part of modern hospitality, and not just from the guest’s perspective. As we saw in our previous blog, the benefits of a mobile management app are manifold. But where exactly can such an app make a difference within the property?
Front Desk –
Perceived as the ‘face’ of the hotel, the front office can get quite crowded during peak hours. With only a limited number of workstations available, especially at independent properties, guests often have to wait in line to get checked-in. Even if the hotel does have additional free staff, having to depend on the availability of a conventional workstation inhibits them from streamlining the check-in process. With a mobile management app however, almost any member of the staff can attend to guest needs – check-ins and check-outs can be conducted while new reservations can also be created on the spot. This adds to the guest experience while enhancing the front office’s efficiency.
Housekeeping –
Almost nothing happens within a hotel without the involvement of the housekeeping staff – they’re the unsung heroes who play a vital role in standardizing the property’s offering. Assigning tasks and communicating guest preferences can get cumbersome and unfortunately, it’s usually the housekeepers who bear the brunt of dissatisfied guests. With a mobile management app, front desk agents can instantly share guest preferences – any recorded information is reflected on the main interface and visible to all members of the staff.
Auditing –
A department with little margin for error, any software that simplifies things for the accounting office can ease the burden on the hotel’s administration. Just as is the case with the front office, work here is heavily dependent on the availability of workstations and eliminating this bottleneck by equipping the property with a mobile app enables the staff the consolidate and generate guest folios faster. Even daily tasks like night audits can be performed directly from the smartphone.
While adopting a mobile booking engine and optimizing your hotel’s website for all devices is a great first step, they don’t have much of an impact on the hotel’s operational efficiency. A mobile PMS app is a great way to boost your staff’s mobility without sacrificing on productivity. Moreover, with almost everyone carrying a smartphone today, it requires very little investment!
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