Agilysys : Getting More Guest Engagement Out of Your Hotel Property Management System (PMS)

A next-generation PMS helps hoteliers drive increasing levels of efficiency and guest satisfaction that would have been unimaginable only a decade ago. New support tools and capabilities are making it possible to engage with guests in more personable ways.

A big part of growing in your market means adapting to the demands of guests. Making guests feel special and remembered is the key to staying competitive these days. It's not just for luxury or boutique properties. It's an expectation that spans the industry. Hoteliers who seek to truly understand each guest and customize their stay experience, whether for business or leisure, are garnering greater returns. A PMS that gives you options can go a long way in creating a deeper culture of guest-centricity. That is, a flexible PMS supports the varying ways in which guest's want to experience their hotel stay. For example, a courtesy newspaper will make an impression on a Baby Boomer, while a Millennial is likely to step over the paper when exiting the room. Does your PMS have the ability to add intricate details by guest profile? Using a next-generation PMS to understand spending habits and preferences, not only provides the knowledge needed to deliver a personalized experience, it also helps curate future, promotional offers without incurring a lot of manual labor and cost.

Hoteliers can also work with their PMS provider to make sure the system is optimized for the changing needs of their guest demographic. Is the configuration conducive to a quick and painless check-in and check-out experience? How long ago was it configured? It's quite likely that the business doesn't operate the same as it did when the PMS was last configured. Attention should be paid to optimizing existing systems or risk providing a disconnected impression to guests.

The rise of mobile usage has changed the PMS experience greatly. While mobility provides an obvious advantage to guests, with mobile check-in, room requests and mobile check-out, that's just a small part of the equation. Guests no longer need to wait talk with someone to make a dining reservation or request new pillows. Mobile technology plays a significant role in reducing friction without sacrificing guest service.

Guests are actually more in change charge of their own experience. Only hoteliers with next-generation PMS technology can accommodate - even anticipate - what the guest will ask for next. And new PMS technologies help make it possible to engage with guests in more personable ways, building loyalty with proactive email and text communications, and driving bigger returns with add-ons and upgrades that enhance the overall stay experience.