Hotel management systems are one of the many things that you need to think about when you run a hotel. It does not matter if your hotel is just a small boutique type hotel or a large nation-wide chain. Having this software is essential to making sure you business runs smoothly and offers your guests a quality service. Of course there are some things to look at when buying these systems and one of these is the ease of use.
A hotel property management system is complex with lots of options and features
Hotel property management systems have a number of different parts that make them up. You need to have an idea of what you want the hotel property management system to do for you. The reason for doing this is that many systems can be bought in modules with each module having different features. How complex your system will eventually be is entirely up to you. If you want to have a lot of features and options available then you need to make sure that there is no duplication as this can make the system hard to use.
Original designs can be daunting for new hotel PMS users
Every software manufacturer wants their product to stand out. Unfortunately the designers of the programs do not always have new hotel PMS users in mind. This is particularly visible when you try and install a new program. Original designs may try a different way of installation to what you are used to. To remedy this you may need to get someone in to do the installation for you. Additionally the user interface may not be designed for new users. Sometimes the terminology used on the interface is geared more to people who know a bit about computers and this can definitely impede the use of the system.
Hotel management software should have easy to read screens
The screens of your hotel management software should be easy to read as this is where you have to input all the data. Screens that have writing that is too small can make the system hard to use as you may need to squint at the screen a lot. Additionally the set up of the screen needs to be taken into account as well. If there is no logic behind the set up then it may take you more time than necessary to find the areas you want to use.
A rule of thumb when it comes to property management software
When you look at property management software there is a general rule of thumb which is that any new staff member like a receptionist or reservation clerk should be able to learn the new system in one hour. If the program takes longer to learn then you may have one that is too complicated or not suited for your business. One of the reasons why this is an important rule is because these people are the ones that will be using your system the most. If it is not easy for them to use it can cause delays and problems with bookings and other hotel functions.
The ease of use of any software program is a very important thing to look at. This is particularly important when you deal with software used in hospitality fields. The easier the software is to use the more helpful you can be to your customers.