Hotel management system: an overview of the best programs, features, description, reviews

2024 Author: Howard Calhoun | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 10:16

Hospitality is a very interesting and profitable business area. The owner can manage independently, but not everyone can organize the work so that the institution brings good profit. In this case, it is better to resort to the services of a professional.

Hotel management is the management of an establishment, the purpose of which is to provide services at a favorable price and make more profit.

Regardless of who manages the property, most hotels prefer to use a special program. It allows you to correctly plan the performance of all operations in the institution and provides convenient storage of information about customers.

ACS - a combination of hardware (mechanical and electronic parts of the device), software (systems for operating a computer) tools, as well as employees of the enterprise to systematize and manage various processes.

The hotel and hotel management system is a type of automated control system. It is used to maintain the current documentation of the institution, store information about residents, stock of rooms and accounting for finances. Helps organize workestablishments.

This program is also called a cloud-based hotel management system (hotel) or PMS (property management system - property management system). It also allows you to streamline daily operations and thus speed them up.

The system is installed on the computer and mobile phones of the hotel staff. Thus, each employee can receive the necessary information and instructions during the working day.

Goals and requirements

The interface of such programs is most often simple and understandable for ordinary users.

Purposes of using the hotel management system:

• staff automation;
• synchronization with booking systems;
• bookkeeping;
• paperwork for guests;
• calculation of various statistical indicators: at what time of the year there are more guests, which rooms are more often booked.

Basic requirements:

• reporting in accordance with the laws of the country in which the property is located;
• accommodation of guests in rooms and single beds;
• payment upon arrival or departure.

When choosing an automated hotel management system, first of all, focus on the specifics of your establishment. For large complexes, it is better to choose high-quality programs with rich functionality and tools. For a hostel and mini-hotels, you can choose a simple system that can satisfy all needs. This approach will allowsave money that a small business may simply not have.

What's included?

A cloud-based hotel management system has several components.

1. Chess.

This is a mandatory element of any program. Practical and easy to use tool. It is a form with data on any current booking, accommodation and client base.

Issued as a table. It takes into account a specific period and sorts the data by number of rooms. Great for keeping records of any type of establishment: hotel, hostel, hotel, recreation center.

2. Automatic notification of guests.

3. Forms for keeping statistics.

4. Registration of current documentation.

5. Storing customer information.

These items may vary by system.

Currently, there are several dozen hotel management systems. The difference between foreign programs and Russian programs is that they give the hotel staff the greatest freedom of action. While the systems that are operated in the post-Soviet space limit the activities of employees as much as possible.

And now let's talk about the most common hotel management programs and their main functions.

Opera

Full name - hotel management system Opera Enterprise Solution. Installation leader, used in 100 countries worldwide. Advantages that confirm the reviews:

• universal, that is, it can be used in various types of hospitality establishments;
• configurable depending on the size and volume of business activity;
• meets the most demanding requests;
• ensures reliable and fast real-time exchange of property data;
• has rich functionality.

Opera hotel management system can work together with programs such as:

• call billing;
• automatic mini bars;
• credit card authorization;
• accounting programs;
• restaurant management system.

This system is made up of modules that can be customized and modified as needed to meet the needs of the hotel manager. This also affects the cost of development. It includes:

1. Booking.

Hotel booking management system includes confirmation, cancellation, waiting lists, deposit management.

2. Room stock management.

Automatic distribution of tasks for maids. Control of the availability of free rooms, their equipment, cleaning and timeliness of repairs.

3. Guest card.

Personal data of each guest: address, phone number, hotel accommodation preferences, access to the restaurant, pool and other hotel infrastructure.

4. Reports.

Customization possible with built-in generator. You can also use standard reports (more than 300 forms).

5. Tariff management.

Installationquotas, revenue analysis and management, tariff setting and more.

6. Reception service, accommodation.

Accommodation of guests individually and in groups, with and without reservation. Maintain office notes and manage guest messages.

The hotel management system Opera PMS affects most of the business processes of the establishment, interacts with various interfaces: telephones, television, electronic locks, tablets.

Fidelio

The Fidelio hotel management system is a German product. All establishments with this development are automatically entered into global electronic booking lists.

In Russia, Fidelio is represented by Hotel and Restaurant systems (HRS). She implements and configures the products of this company, helps customers in mastering the system, provides technical support and conducts periodic updates.

The Fidelio hotel management system does not require special hardware characteristics of a computer and is also very popular.

Features:

• the price depends on the number of rooms and on the set of modules you choose;
• price includes installation, configuration, customer training, troubleshooting support;
• does not always work well with inkjet and laser printers.

Fidelio manufactures:

1. Accrual of funds for accommodation.
2. Booking and check-in.
3. Customer billing.
4. Get statistical reports.
5. Combine data on unpaid guest bills from different points of sale.

This program contains many modules, one of the most important is the cashier module. He is responsible for:

• management of the main cash register;
• relocation of guests;
• operations of the exchange office;
• interim accounts;
• accepting payments;
• armor fix;
• manual accruals.

Judging by the reviews, a big plus of this system is the ability to interact with other external devices and systems.

Hospitality Management System (HMS)

Libra has been developing programs for the hotel industry since 1998.

Hotel management system ("Libra" is the creator and developer of this program) Logus HMS has more than 500 implementations worldwide. It differs from other programs because it is an application that is installed on the hotel's server. Such a system has advantages over a regular cloud:

• can work offline (that is, without access to the Internet and regardless of its speed);
• faster data processing;
• interacts easily with any remote system;
• great for selling both rooms and beds in a hotel;
• all functionality is aimed at managing sales for profit;
• prediction of accrual and service delivery;
• details of all transactions;
• interfaces are integrated into the CRM system (this softwarecustomer-facing software) for an efficient workflow;
• ease of navigation;
• tariff flexibility;
• versatility;
• possibility to separate bills of guests, even if they live in the same room and have different packages of services (this is especially true for sanatoriums and rest houses where medical procedures are provided).

This is a convenient program adapted for the Russian hotel business. Can be used in all kinds of establishments.

Allows you to significantly speed up the execution of many everyday tasks by automating them. For example:

• Import and export information from an accounting program.
• Entering guests' passport details by scanning.

Also, the Libra management system has a component to provide services at a higher level and increase sales.

The company has developed a special guest reward module where you can set up any loy alty program.

Standard package includes 4 applications:

1. Engineering service.
2. Maid work.
3. Application for hostesses (controlling guest access to food outlets).
4. Console for the manager.

Judging by the reviews, in general, a good option for an establishment of any size. Another question is that for a small hostel or hotel it can be a little expensive.

Edelweiss

This program was developed in Russia and has been on the market since 2000. Has over 400 installationsfor the entire service.

Main characteristics of the Edelweiss hotel management system:

• Easy to learn and easy to use.
• A rich set of ready-made interfaces.
• Imports data to accounting and FMS.
• Shortens customer service time.
• Provides the possibility of using discount cards and bonuses in working with visitors.
• Guarantees the control of the sale of rooms through the Internet.
• Organizes a single payment space (with different payment methods).
• Keep records of conference room rental, event organization and other hotel services.

According to reviews, the Edelweiss hotel management system has a powerful and intuitive checkerboard with clear visualization and additional control of early departures and late arrivals.

OtelMS

Professional hotel management software. Like other systems, it is primarily aimed at automating all business processes in a hotel or hotel in order to optimize all activities and, accordingly, make more profit.

Consists of 3 modules:

1. OtelMS HMS.

Performs the following functions:

• customer history storage;
• booking;
• fare management;
• documentation;
• receptionist;
• organization of work with the number of rooms.

2. Booking module.

It is suitable for any kind of website and social network. Allowinteract with the most promoted booking systems. Pros:

• no commission;
• easy installation;
• work on any device;
• continuous update.

3. Channel manager OtelMS.

Helps to effectively organize the work of booking on websites and through travel agencies. Guaranteed:

• Increase sales by 20% within six months.
• All available numbers are always on sale.
• Efficiency and ease of operation.
• Sync with leading sales channels.

This management system has its advantages:

• reduces the cost of providing services (because they become automated);
• flexible reporting tools;
• full-fledged formation of the base of guests;
• update and system support included;
• booking module is suitable for any site.

Reviews about the OtelMS hotel management system are most often positive. For example:

1. Great value for money.
2. Infrequent freezes.
3. Prompt support service.
4. Easy document preparation.
5. Visual checkerboard.

Of the minuses they call:

1. Subscription fee.
2. Not suitable for material accounting of hotel sales.
3. Few promotion channels.
4. Missing some marketing analytics tools.

Statistics

Data on the use of control systemshotel:

1. Opera is the most popular program with over 13 thousand installs.
2. "Edelweiss" - used in 80 countries, more than 400 installations.
3. "Libra Hospitality Management System" is known worldwide, more than 500 purchases.
4. Fidelio is also very popular, but has a high cost. Although it depends on the number of modules selected.
5. Channel manager OtelMS. Not very popular, but has rich functionality, consists of 3 modules.

To select a system, the owner or manager must evaluate a number of factors:

• interfaces and extension flexibility;
• performance quality;
• variety of opportunities;
• project maintenance level;
• reliability;
• program cost.
• good job by an integrator company (this is a company that creates access programs and data centers: in our case, hotel management systems).

Mining hotel

And now let's talk a little about a completely new direction in the hotel business - hotel mining.

Recently, there has been a rapid spread of mining, this is due to a sharp jump in cryptocurrency. Therefore, entrepreneurs began to open new types of establishments. Let's try to figure out how this business works.

Mining (from the English "mining") - receiving cryptocurrency. It is carried out using mathematical calculations. This happens on a computer or specialized ASIC equipment. itspecial integrated circuits. They have a case with a cooling system and a module for connecting to the network. Aimed to solve the only problem - to mine bitcoins.

Just a few years ago, such equipment was not common at all. Amateurs were engaged in mining at home on ordinary computers with a good video card.

Over time, the power of home and office computers was not enough, they began to add additional components: video cards (4-8 pieces), motherboards, power supplies. This is how mining farms appeared.

Now the mathematical solutions in the network have become much more complicated, so the cost of electricity is constantly increasing. In addition, wiring in high-rise buildings cannot cope with the load, computers in unventilated rooms overheat and turn off.

Cryptofarmers began to unite in groups, because it is difficult to cope with such tasks alone, the loss of time means less profit. Accordingly, a place is also needed for all participants in the process.

Specialized equipment consumes much less energy and has more power. But it takes up a lot of space, it is difficult to place it in large quantities at home or in the garage. And this, of course, limits the profit. Therefore, mining at home has become simply unprofitable.

This entailed the creation of an infrastructure for miners who have outgrown apartment farms, but do not yet have the funds to independently rent a room.

This is how the miner management system appeared - DPC (mining hotel).

Such establishments are a platform with the necessary equipment: industrial air conditioners that will help avoid overheating, storage racks for mining farms, Internet access. The owners of such hotels charge for "beds" and electricity. While there are few such establishments, there are several hotels in Moscow, the Moscow region and Tatarstan. But the prospects for the development of this business area are huge.

PMS is the backbone of the hospitality business

The cost of a hotel management system is quite high, but despite this, it has a great advantage over handwritten accounting. The system ensures security, transparency and optimization of all current processes, eliminates errors in calculations.

When choosing a program, evaluate the size of the hotel business so as not to pay extra money for functionality that is not useful.

One of the main selection criteria is integration (interoperability) with other solutions and products from different vendors.

Thus, a properly selected management system will help organize the work of the hotel and hotel efficiently and effectively. Such a program is the basis of all hotel activities, so its choice must be approached seriously and carefully.