Focus on your system in 2022: future-proof PMS for Europe

The PMS – the centre of the tech stack – not anymore?

In 2022 the PMS still manages your property, however, for a closed, legacy, on-premises solution this is no longer true. Systems that have a steep learning curve and require a large amount of training are unable to cope with today's labour shortage.

Closed systems do not support innovation, you must upgrade your system before you can gain access to the touchless world that Covid-19 has ushered in. Legacy on-premises upgrades are costly, and even if you are lucky enough to have a vendor that has the interface available, you will get charged a steep amount for the license and implementation. But it could get even worse, if there is no strategic reason for an integration to be developed then you may never get the one that you want.

The cloud puts your PMS back in the centre

The cloud does not necessarily solve all your problems, but access to the latest software keeps you on top of today's industry trends and is a good position to start from. However, this is only true if you choose a true cloud, otherwise, you face a locked system where the server in your basement is replaced by a server running in a data centre.

Once you are in the cloud you will need to ensure that you are working with the right vendor. Interface charges are still out there, and vendor decisions on who to integrate with will be influenced by their own interpretation of strategic conflicts.

You need to find an open player who provides a full-stack PMS system with a strategic open API platform and marketplace. It pays to carefully check the technical and commercial approach of any vendor for hidden agendas and future costs.

All-in-one solutions vs. best of breed

Either of these options can be a good fit, depending on the vendor's product offerings and your hotel's needs, but try and find one that has a good selection of integrated products. Some will offer a complete suite, but there will always be the need for connected and integrated systems, and this is where you will need to examine their open API approach. Looking beyond the technical and commercial aspects, check out how a vendor approaches their monitoring and support of systems.

Even though we are now in 2022, when a POS or guest service interface goes down, it is usually the user who recognizes it first and reports it. We now live in a world of AI and ML; therefore, systems should recognize issues and take the appropriate action. If these actions are unsuccessful then it should trigger a message that instructs technical staff to intervene and fix the problem before the end-user knows about it.

The focus of a hotelier

Keep it simple and consider the transaction from a guest's point of view. Provide them with all the options they need to ensure a smooth journey. Is your digital, touchless experience seamless and intuitive? Does it cover everything from data privacy to legal requirements? Are registration cards and passport scans, which are compulsory in many countries, included?

Ensure you provide the correct and appropriate options. A business-orientated city-centre hotel incorporating the complete touchless experience during the week may have an entirely different clientele over the weekend. The leisure tourist that has booked a weekend away, with a higher focus on the dining and theatre aspects of their visit, may well require the complete hands-on hotel experience. It is during low-demand periods that a city hotel needs to be able to adapt and provide the appropriate service.

In the end, it all comes down to having the IT partner that can offer you these opportunities. Just be certain you have the correct tools in your hands to provide the service that your hotel stands for, and never compromise your hard-earned reputation for a system.