10 Reasons to Replace Your Current Hotel Software

Your hotel software is the heart of your hotel business. It helps you to simplify your day to day hotel operations, manage your staff, increase your revenue, and much more. Moreover, it is not only important for your own day-to-day operations but is an essential part of the overall guest experience too. 

This is why it plays a very vital role in determining the complete success of your hotel business. So, make sure you are using the RIGHT hotel software for your property. If not, let’s figure out how you can replace or upgrade your current hotel software through this blog.

Why should I replace my hotel software?

The changing technology waves have drastically turned every aspect of our lives. And, most travellers these days, use technology to plan their trips, one way or the other. Therefore, it is essential to implement the latest hospitality technologies; for hoteliers to meet their guests’ needs.

Often, these hotel technologies that you pick, have a limited life span and can only help you as long as it is suitable for your requirements.

Also, if your hotel software neither meets the latest technology or trends, nor does it help you in expanding your business; then it’s time for you to consider it as dead or nearly reaching its expiry date.

So be careful when your hotel system shows such signs; as it would gradually start taking your business down the hill and hamper your outcomes to a great extent.

Moreover, alert yourself and figure out ways to replace your hotel software as soon as you come across any such hints (listed below in the blog).

What are the types of hotel software I can choose from?

The advancement of technology has witnessed the development of various hotel management softwares. These systems automate your hotel operations and are suitable for all property types viz. hotels, motels, restaurants, resorts, hostels, B&Bs, serviced apartments, guest houses, chain of properties, and vacation rentals.

However, mentioned below are the three most prevalent ones. 

1. Cloud-based hotel management software: The cloud-based hotel PMS software is the next-gen software that is generally offered as a SaaS (Software as a Service) platform. It can be accessed from anywhere at any time through your desktop, smartphone, or tablet.

2. On-premise hotel management software: The on-premise or better known as the desktop or legacy-based hotel system runs as an app on your computer systems; usually without an internet connection. It can be accessed only on desktop computers.

3. Hosted cloud hotel management software: This system is hosted on servers, giving the hotelier a single and scalable system to work on. It is easily accessible through a web browser on the computer, smartphone, or tablet.

Although, if we consider the most preferred software by hoteliers, then, it would be the cloud-based hotel system.

What are the reasons for replacing a hotel software?

I am sure, you don’t want to stick to a software that doesn’t fulfill your hotel needs and hampers your business. So, the question arises, how will you identify those signs of replacing your current software? 

Here’s where the below-listed points would be beneficial to you. We’ve mentioned the top 10 reasons – whether you need to upgrade your hotel PMS software right away or not:

1. Your hotel software does not automate your operations

First, let me ask you, why would you even use a hotel software? To automate your day to day hotel operations, right? But, despite that fact, if most of your tasks are still handled manually, then it is time for you to think of replacing your hotel software.

Although, your current system may be working very well with automating a few basic hotel management tasks. But, because of its limitations, it may fail to automate a lot of complex operations like housekeeping management, guest engagement, hotel marketing, and others.

Moreover, you may even have to struggle with confusing interfaces, slow outcomes, many technical bugs, and faulty results. So, instead of making your work easier, it is rather complicating your tasks/operations. 

On the flip side, the ideal hotel software can set all your departments in proper sync.

It brings all the controls at your fingertips. So, most or all of your hotel’s operations get completely automated. 

Consequently, running and managing your hotel business gets easier, faster, accurate, and more efficient; thus allowing your staff to communicate well among all departments.

2. You receive poor software support

The importance of good customer support is next to nothing. Earlier, when the cloud technology was not much in use, most hotel PMS software were on-premise; which constantly needed extensive and expensive upgrades.

Hoteliers faced issues because of bugs and defects; which took a long time to resolve. Above that, many hotel technology companies charged a hefty amount of fees for providing software support. However, this scenario has changed widely with time.

Today, some vendors go the extra mile to provide you 24x7x365 support for FREE!

Moreover, a few hotel technology provider companies even help you with the complete onboarding and software implementation. 

They conduct training sessions to help you get familiar with its functions, assist you with the updates, offer video tutorials, and even take care of your user-experience in every possible way.

That being said, if your current technology provider company is not making any effort in providing any of these services, then it is high time you change your hotel management system.

3. It does not have enough third-party integrations

Third-party solutions like financial accounting, payment gateways, keycard door lock, and several others are significant for smooth hotel management. 

But, a majority of the hoteliers still operate them separately as their current hotel PMS fails to integrate with these solutions; involving a lot of efforts, time, and errors.

Managing your property through a non-integrated hotel solution worked well a decade ago, but currently, it is considered as an outdated method.

Nowadays smart hoteliers prefer a system that can seamlessly be integrated with such third-party solutions. This boosts your staff’s productivity as well as avoids operational mistakes.

Hence, if your present system has NONE or limited third-party integrations; then it’s the right time to change your current hotel software.

4. Your staff finds it difficult to operate the software

The true judges of your software are those who are actually using it regularly i.e. your staff. So, if they are unhappy with your software and often face issues such as:

• It is not user-friendly 
• Requires a lot of training
• Too many manual tasks to perform 
• Slow and buggy 

Naturally, your staff would be frustrated while performing daily operations which will lead to poor guest experience. This would also affect your staff’s performance and efficiency

So, make sure that your hotel software is simple to use and easy to understand. 

A software running on the latest technology offers an automated process for most of your hotel operations. This would help your staff to spend more time attending to your guests. 

Ergo, hear out from your hotel staff. If they express any of these concerns regarding your hotel software, then it’s definitely time for a change.

5. You need to deal with multiple vendors

While you are handling 100s of operations at your property, dealing with multiple vendors might mess up your work and lead to confusion. So, rather than using diverse systems to accomplish multiple tasks, you should always seek out as few systems as possible that are integrated rightly.

Whether it is about managing your hotel’s operations, receiving direct bookings, handling online inventory distribution, or any other such concerns; your hotel software should help you with all of these.

And ideally, your hotel PMS vendor MUST give you an all-in-one hotel technology. 

It will definitely simplify your operations even better. So, while you pick the right vendor, make sure you give equal importance in finding the perfect suite of software for your property too!  

6. Your hotel software ROI is low

When you implement high-end software, you expect it to improve your efficiency, automate your operations, and even reduce errors and efforts to earn a good ROI.

So, if you figure out that your software is unable to meet your expectations and the benefits are not justified against the investment done, then DON’T CONTINUE WITH IT. 

However, I know, replacing your hotel PMS is an extensive thing to work out on. But, the more you delay it; the higher it will cost you with reduced efficiency. 

So firstly, measure your hotel’s ROI and figure out how your software is performing.

Thus a perfect software for your property, would not only help you in generating value for your money spent, but also would help your business grow in the right direction.

7. You are not able to track your business on the go

All hotel systems are developed not only to automate your operations, but also to make your work simpler and faster. And, monitoring your business on-the-go is a necessity in this competitive and tech-savvy world. However, very few software providers give you an option to do so. 

Additionally, having a system that gives you anytime, anywhere access to your hotel’s operations and data can benefit you to a great extent.

But even today, a majority of the hoteliers spend most of their time being glued to their desks.

Now you see, how these systems DO NOT give you an opportunity to think beyond.

Thus, an ideal cloud-based hotel management system trespasses all these limitations. In fact, with a proper internet connection, you can run your hotel from anywhere, at any time, and fetch various reports in just a matter of a click.

Additionally, many of the latest systems even let you run your hotel through a mobile app; which makes it a stronger reason for you to replace your current hotel software.

8. The hotel software doesn’t help you with the guest experience

Right from making a booking to the time they share their feedback, everything counts as a part of imparting great customer experience. So, you need to focus on engaging with your guests from time to time by providing necessary services to them.

This can be done right, through a PMS that lets you record guest details and preferences; helping you serve them exactly with what they want.

A few systems also come with an in-built CRM, integrated loyalty programs software, and an effective guest self-service portal; thus making guest’s experience even better.

So, if your hotel system doesn’t help you with any of these, then it is surely not the right system for you.

An up-to-date hotel PMS streamlines your guest engagement with scheduled emails and the right recommendations.

This doesn’t end here. Advanced hotel software also provides self-check-in options to your guests; eventually reducing their waiting time, and saving your investment in frontdesk resources. 

So, providing a personalised guest experience becomes easier if you have an all-inclusive PMS. 

9. The software doesn’t help you analyse business performance

Using an effective PMS makes it easy to pull comprehensive reports with a few simple clicks. It lets you cover a wide range of reports, offering insights into all aspects of your hotel operations. 

Essential reports of bookings, cancellation rates, payments, tax and accounting, night audit, guest statistics, and more. These can be further bifurcated on a weekly, monthly, and yearly basis; thus helping you to analyze your business performance. 

Along with that, you should also figure out whether your software stays in line with the latest trends, innovations, technology updates, and enhancements. If not, you know what to do.

However, if you continue using such a software that doesn’t suffice your needs, then it would definitely invest a lot of your time and efforts too. And, provide you half or incorrect information about your data.

So think twice before you do so!

10. Your Hotel PMS doesn’t meet the regional compliances

Every region has its own set of rules and regulations. Be it tax related or data submission to government portals or other economic compliances.

But when it comes to a hotel business, tax seems to be a sensitive segment. If businesses fail to keep abreast with them, it may lead to severe discrepancies.  

So, hotels need to operate keeping this protocol in mind. That means, even the technology they use must meet the region’s compliances.

What should hotels do?

They should always try to figure out which system meets the regional compliances.

For example: India works on the ‘One nation, one tax’ system which is Goods and Service Tax (GST). So, hotels using a property management system (PMS) must ensure that their system is compliant with GST and helps them perform all the GST related functions effortlessly.

Commonly asked questions

We know this blog might lead you to a few unanswered questions in mind. So here we are, with the below FAQs that generally hoteliers like you may ask.

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