By Marci Glover


In most parts of the world tourism plays a very important part in the local economy. Great efforts are made to lure visitors to specific countries and regions. Visitors have to sleep and they have to eat. Therefore hospitality establishments have been developed wherever there is a steady stream of visitors. The industry is very competitive and hospitality establishments need to make sure that they are managed meticulously. That is why most establishments make use of an advanced hotel property management system.

Most managing practices are computerized. Hospitality establishment need to keep a host of information. One of the main purposes of managing programs is therefore to keep track of bookings. They need to know who will be arriving and when guests will be departing. They also need to be able to keep detailed notes on the special requirements, such as special diet needs. Most establishments also keep detailed records of the special preferences of regular guests.

Hospitality establishments have no choice other than to prioritize the needs of some guests and clients. A tour operator, for example, provides the establishment with much more income than a single guests staying a few days. Priority clients therefore receive preference and the managing program must make provision for such interventions. It is also important to keep track of the personal preferences of valued regular guests.

When guests make use of hospitality establishments they do not want to waste time on a myriad of administrative procedures. The program must therefore make sure that guest accounts are kept up to date at all times and that registration and booking out procedures are painless and quick. This need requires that the program must be able to correlate input from several departments such as the restaurant and laundry.

Large companies that own or manage chains of establishments often have special software designed to address their specific needs. Other establishments need to select a product from the shelve. It is vital to evaluate the available programs carefully before making a decision. Is must allow for integration between the different components of the program and it must be simple to share information.

Hospitality establishments regularly need to revise their strategies regarding marketing, client services and guest policies. Decisions must also be made regarding upgrades, activities and a host of other matters. This can only be done if valid management information is available. Any managing software should therefore be able to produce detailed statistics and reports in various formats.

The importance of ongoing support simply cannot be overemphasized. No software should be considered if it is not accompanied by an extensive support agreement. Hospitality establishments simply cannot afford to be off line. It is also vital to choose a program that can be upgraded at a later stage and it may be wise to opt for software that can service multiple sites.

In these modern times with the internet, instant communication and instant gratifications no hospitality establishment however small, can afford to ignore the importance of electronic managing programs. They must be able to react to enquiries and demands instantly. Keeping a register on the counter simply does not work any longer.




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