If you think of a hotel as well-oiled machinery, with a million small parts that work together to provide a seamless experience, a good Property Management System (PMS) is the heart that keeps the machine running smoothly. From simple check-in and check-out to offering sublime experiences based on guest preferences, a good PMS is integral to running hotels of all shapes and sizes.

That said, the technology needs of a smaller hotel are vastly different than those of larger establishments. An intuitive PMS that understands your specific requirements is worth its weight in gold. But it is also a significant investment and to ensure that the money is spent well, hoteliers must choose a system that works well for their property.

Most hoteliers consider safety their top priority, and that’s a valid concern. Any PMS you select must be PCI compliant. Without it, the system is exposed to threats and vulnerable to attack. Your customers’ bank details, credit card details and other personal information must be protected at all costs.

However, the specs don’t end with security measures. There are a few other things to consider before finalizing a PMS for your property.

1. It should be easy to use.

The best kind of technology is one that is absolutely easy to use. The longer it takes you to absorb the system, the faster you will tire of it. Additionally, hotels are notorious for their high turnover rates, and the software is likely to be used by young executives and experts alike. The system should be such that it requires minimal training for people to feel comfortable with it.

2. Must be mobile-friendly

Gone are the days when technology was restricted to desktop-connected personal computers. This is the 21st century, and unless your tech solution can literally walk with you, it’s useless for all intents and purposes.

Any PMS you consider should be able to connect and send information to mobile devices. It should be able to communicate with you no matter where you are and what device you are using, including mobile phones, laptops, tablets, and personal computers. Not only does this promote operational efficiency, but your staff will also be able to provide excellent guest service on the go.

3. It should be easy to integrate

The PMS you select must have APIs that support inbound and outbound connections. This will ensure that you can integrate it with any other solutions you may be using at your hotel, such as rate management and customer relationship management software.

If your PMS does not facilitate deep partnerships with other vendors, you will have a fractured technology solution on your hands. It will prevent the two-way exchange of information and make it difficult to exchange guest profile data. The end result will be a less than satisfactory guest experience, not to mention a breakdown of the relevant systems.

4. You need to keep track of guest preferences and history.

The front desk is a part of the hotel that sees the most compromise and yet most of the tasks that occur there are quite mundane and repetitive. If there was a way to automate them, staff would be free to attend to the most important tasks. One way a PMS can add significant value to a property is by making low-level decisions on behalf of the hotel. For example, you should be able to automatically assign rooms based on guest preferences. You will do this by gathering all the relevant information and using it to make the right decisions on behalf of the guests.

Second, a good PMS should be able to extract a guest’s history to discern what they like and what their preferences were. This way, if a regular guest has booked a room by the pool in the past, the system will automatically reserve the same room or something similar for them.

This form of automation not only eliminates congestion at the front desk, it also results in more intuitive exchanges with guests and the delivery of personalized and informed services.

5. It should automate communication with guests.

Often times, hotels must reach out to their guests to share regular updates. But due to conflicting time zones, it is difficult to get in touch with them by phone. That is why they generally prefer to communicate by email.

Having to do this manually can be quite tedious for hotel owners and staff. And if you forget to send an email, it could cause a serious delay in communication. To keep things running, a property management system can automate this process, sending emails related to booking confirmation, post-stay thanks, and everything else in between.

6. It should help you measure success

A great feature to have in your property management system is advanced reporting. It frees you from having to go through long and complicated spreadsheets and decipher the data that is relevant to you. Instead, it puts all the information you need at your fingertips, accessible with just a few clicks.

The basic systems will give you an overview of the daily operation of your property. More advanced systems should be able to provide reports on parameters such as check-in and check-out, cancellations, payment methods, average vacant rooms, average occupancy, average length of stay, and even revenue per available room.

With so much data at your disposal, you can gain insight into how your business is running and even identify areas that need improvement.

As you may have already gleaned, a good property management system can really be a godsend for a small hotel. Working invisibly behind the scenes, it combines the best parts of workflow management and decision automation. It also displays a fair amount of intelligence, learning from the external systems it is integrated with and providing subtle information that helps improve guest relations.

That is why it is important that you choose a PMS that suits your establishment. Take all the considerations into account, evaluate your requirements and make a final decision once you are sure that the product meets all the requirements.