If you think of a hotel as a well-oiled piece of machinery, with millions of little parts that work together to deliver a seamless experience, a good property management system (PMS) is the heart that makes the machine run smoothly. From simple check-ins and check-outs to delivering sublime experiences based on guest preferences, a good PMS is an integral part of running hotels of all shapes and sizes.

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

Most hoteliers consider security to be their top priority, and indeed that is a valid concern. Any PMS you select must be PCI compliant. Without it, the system is open 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 specifications do not end with the security measures. There are a few other things to consider before finalizing a PMS for your property.

1. It must be easy to use

The best type of technology is one that is absolutely easy to use. The longer you take to understand the system, the faster you will tire of it. Furthermore, hotels are famous 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. It must be compatible with mobile devices.

Gone are the days when technology was restricted to personal computers attached to a desktop. We are in the 21st century and unless your technology solution can literally walk with you, it is 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 reach you no matter where you are and what device you’re 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 incoming and outgoing connections. This will ensure that you can integrate it with any other solutions you may be using in your hotel, such as rate management and customer relationship management software.

If your PMS doesn’t facilitate deep partnerships with other vendors, you’ll 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 the breakdown of relevant systems.

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

The front desk is one part of the hotel that sees the most engagement, and yet most of the tasks performed there are quite mundane and repetitive. If there was a way to automate them, staff would be free to attend to more important tasks. For example, you should be able to automatically assign rooms based on guest preferences. It will do this by gathering all the relevant information and using it to make appropriate decisions on behalf of the guests.

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

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

5. It should automate communication with guests.

Hotels are often required to communicate with their guests to share regular updates. But due to conflicting time zones, it becomes difficult to reach them by phone. This is why they generally prefer to communicate via 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 on track, a property management system can automate this process, sending emails related to booking confirmations, post-stay thanks, and everything 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 right at your fingertips, accessible with just a few clicks.

The basic systems will give you an overview of the daily operation of your property. The most advanced systems should be able to provide reports on parameters such as check-ins and check-outs, 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 figured out, a good property management system can really be a boon to 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 external systems it’s integrated with, and providing subtle insights that help improve guest relations.

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