Essential Front Office Systems Used by Hotels

It wasn’t too long ago that hotels utilized manual systems to operate. Of course, those methods are outdated today. Even relatively small hotels make use of high-quality front desk software. These tools help make it far easier to properly manage all aspects of a hotel.

Below, we’ll be looking at a list of the five most important and common uses of Front Desk Software modules including:

1. Front Desk Reservation Management Software
2. Housekeeping Software
3. Point of Sale System
4. Reputation Management System
5. Accounting Management System

Let’s get a closer look at what each of these systems brings to the table and why they are so essential for hotel management.

Front Desk Reservation Management Software

A front desk operations software is the core of most hotel systems, and it should offer a robust number of features, including those noted below.

The front desk system will typically include features like a reservation management system. It can connect to the web, so any bookings that are done online rather than over the phone or in person can be updated in real time. This is helpful, as it will help to reduce the chance of double-booking a room or not filling a room.

Excellent hotel front desk management software will also include tools that will make it easy to multitask a range of activities. This includes:

• Individual check-ins and check-outs
• Group bookings
• Corporate bookings
• Sending confirmation emails

By streamlining the process for booking rooms, and ensuring it is always up to date, it reduces the risk of making errors that could upset guests.

Housekeeping Software

Housekeeping is one of the most important elements of hotel management, and you can’t afford to get it wrong. Rather than trying to handle the housekeeping scheduling manually, use a housekeeping module to make your life easier.

This type of software should connect with the front desk software, so it is easier to know when guests leave the room, when guests are arriving, and when the rooms need to be cleaned.

Good housekeeping software will have a simple-to-understand dashboard that can display room status information. The software can let users assign rooms to the housekeeping staff based on different floors or blocks.

With a good software module, it is also possible to sort them based on their status to better manage how the work is divided. Color coding will help to make it easier for you to see the status of rooms at a glance. The software makes it easy to add and remove staff as needed.

Once the work has been divided and assigned, it can then be printed out to pass out to the housekeeping staff. They can report their progress throughout the day, so the software module can be updated. However, some hotels may want to allow their housekeeping staff, or at least the managers, to have access to the software to make updates faster.

The software can allow you to easily assign tasks, share messages for special requests for rooms, with the staff, and more. Ultimately, this software module helps to increase housekeeping efficiency.

Point-of-Sale System

Hotels will often have multiple points of sale. These might include minibars in the rooms, the spa, restaurants, a gift shop, a travel desk, and more. Cloud-based point-of-sale system allows for more options, such as having orders transferred to the room as room service to be paid later, for orders to be sold directly to the guests and paid immediately, and more.

One of the other benefits of this type of module is how it can be leveraged to create custom packages for guests. This can be a powerful marketing tool. You can create a custom stay based on holidays, seasons, events, etc. by clubbing rooms with POS items. This way, you can offer those items in packages, which can help with upselling. Deals can be modified quickly, as well.

When looking for a quality point-of-sale module, it is a good idea to use a touch-screen system. These tend to be easy to operate, which can allow for greater efficiency.

Reputation Management System

A reputation management system will allow hotels to collect feedback from guests through online sites, such as TripAdvisor. Emails requesting a review can be sent directly to the visitor emails within a short time after checkout.

A great system will allow users to check out all of the guest reviews in a single place. This will make it faster and easier to see the reviews, including the problematic ones that will need to be handled. Use the software to monitor review platforms, and always be sure to connect with dissatisfied guests to help improve their experience—and maybe their review.

Explore Hotelogix's Guest Feedback collection and Reputation Management System for Hotels

Accounting Management System

A Hotel Front Office Accounting System keeps track of all the financial transactions for guests, businesses, and other visitors using the hotel’s services. It ensures accurate billing, records payments, and provides detailed financial reports, helping to streamline operations and enhance the overall guest experience. These include options like Intuit QuickBooks, Xero, Alif, and Tally.

How to Choose the Best Front Office System for Your Hotel

Choosing high-quality front desk software can make a significant difference in your hotel's success. Here's why:

• Better efficiency: Simplify housekeeping, check-ins, check-outs, and purchases, ensuring smooth operations for your team and great experiences for guests.
• Reduced Errors: Minimize errors such as overcharges, double bookings, and missed cleanings. 
• Improved Customer Service: Increase efficiency by delivering exceptional service, enhancing guest satisfaction and loyalty.
• Time Savings: Save time with user-friendly software that streamlines daily tasks.

When selecting hotel management software, prioritize a centralized, cloud-based platform that integrates important functions. Choose software that facilitates communication, and offers modern payment solutions. Always request a free trial to explore usability, features, and alignment with your hotel's needs.

Consider all these factors when choosing front desk software to enhance your hotel's efficiency and guest satisfaction effectively.

The systems listed above are some of the most important features of the software. However, there are other things to consider when choosing software. Ideally, buyers will want to choose a cloud-based, centralized platform that has all of the core functions added into a single system. All of the features should be easy to use, and they should provide advanced reporting and analytics features.

Choose a software system that is focused on the guests, can help with communication and engagement, and offers a modern payment processing solution.

You might also Like to read: A Day In the Life of a Hotel Front Desk Worker