The importance of the guest experience has become paramount in today’s modern hospitality setting – no longer do the evolved brands possess the undisputed pulling power they once had. Today’s guests are mainly comprised of young travelers who belong to the millennial generation and they’re a lot more open to new experiences. Millennial travelers also seem to prefer independent properties over the conventional international chains, as these hotels provide them with a more intimate experience of living in the city. But perhaps one of the greatest facets of millennials is their willingness to accept a more subsidized room with fewer amenities for a lower price. But only as long as the guest experience isn’t compromised – millennials do expect good service and convenience!
Unlike the large multi-property chains, independent hotels often have a smaller employee strength with individuals usually undertaking multiple responsibilities. Optimizing the property’s core operations and simplifying tasks can have far-reaching positive repercussions on the staff’s ability to cope with tasks as well as guests. That’s where a cloud-based property management system (PMS) comes in and helps organize, even automate processes – the benefits of better management trickle down to the guest level too!
Decrease human errors: No matter how meticulous people are, errors are always bound to creep in. Automation of sensitive tasks such as night auditing can go a long way in eliminating mistakes – even a small error can quickly be compounded to wreak havoc on a hotel’s books. Seamless generation and consolidation of folios also prevents mix-ups during billing, avoiding potentially awkward situations.
Integrate seamlessly to channels: Online bookings have quickly grown to become the dominant source of bookings for hotels around the world and with millions of reservations being made on OTAs, it can get hard – even impossible – for hotels to accurately update inventory every time a booking is made. Ensuing double-bookings can be extremely unpleasant for guests as well as the hotel. With a cloud-based PMS, this issue is nullified.
Save valuable staff time: With mundane, daily activities like night auditing and reservation organization automated by the PMS, the staff have a lot more free time to devote to guests and their needs. This is especially beneficial for independent properties that don’t have the capital to invest in the kind of manpower that large hotels boast.
Increase revenue with direct bookings: Hotel booking websites are the optimal sources of revenue for properties as they come without unwanted commissions. With a robust booking engine, hotels can provide guests with a streamlined booking experience that encourages more guests to book directly on the hotel’s website in the future. Not only does this add more to the bottom-line, it can also help build loyalty by implementing a good direct booking strategy
An increasing number of hotels around the world are growing more aware of the changing trends in hospitality, and are modifying their approach to better cater to today’s young generation of travelers. Independent hotels that continue to ignore the needs of millennials could be making a very costly mistake – ensure that your property isn’t missing out on a great, long-term revenue stream!
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