Streamline Hotel Operations with a Central Reservation System and Improve Guest Satisfaction

Managing a hotel is not an easy task on the best of days. Hoteliers need to make use of technology that can help them to take their hotel operations to the next level. Using a central reservation system comes with a wide range of benefits for the hotel staff as well as the guests that are looking for a hassle-free booking experience.

The flow of information is the key to managing a hotel property with ease and efficiency. As is the case, often, hotels mess up their bookings that lead to overbooking or double booking of the same room for their guests. Eliminating this confusion and error is the first problem that is solved by using a central reservation system for hotels

Keep in mind, a central reservation system for hotels is a cloud-based solution that acts as a system that allows the hotel to maintain real time data of their bookings, inventory, and room rates. The data is synchronized in real time with the PMS and the various OTAs that work with the hotel.

Cloud-Based CMS is Fast and Prevents Errors

Using the cloud at the back-end of a hotel reservation system means all changes happen in real time. Actions like changing the rates of the hotel rooms and status of the inventory are immediately updated across all distribution channels. A CMS can help hotel managers to prevent the errors caused by manual operations.

On top of that, the automated steps add to the speed of operations while freeing the staff to focus on other important tasks in the hotel’s workflow. At the other end of the process, customers also face ease in booking when they know that there will be no errors such as overbooking or double booking of a room. In the longer run, a robust system helps hotels to earn the respect and loyalty of the customers.

Differences Between a PMS and a Central Reservation System

Often, users are confused about the differences between a PMS and Central Reservation System as the features seem similar as does their functionality. In a nutshell, a central reservations system focused on the reservation related tasks while a PMS is used for managing a range of tasks in the hotel. A central reservation system is often the part of the PMS but it can also be a stand-alone software.

Key Features to Look for in a Cloud-based Hotel Reservation System

Automation - There are many tasks in the booking process that can be automated in a central reservation system for hotels. Sending automated emails is one such task that can be done by the software without human input. The software can send emails regarding successful bookings, payment receipt, personalized offers and for feedback.

Third Party Integrations - Integrating third party software with the central reservation system can offer new features that are suitable for your workflow. Every hotel has a unique way of handling operations and a system that can work with already existing software is a great way to enhance the productivity of the staff. Training the staff on how to use new software can often be cumbersome and time-consuming but with third party integrations this training path can be shortened by a great degree.

Group Bookings - Often, guests need to book rooms for a large group and this can happen during events like sports matches, business meets, conferences, and weddings. The cloud-based hotel reservation system needs to have provision to make group bookings so that guests can easily arrange accommodation for large groups. To make this option more attractive, hotels can also offer discounts on group bookings.

Direct Bookings - The most beneficial use of a central reservation system is that it can remove the middleman from the equation by facilitating direct bookings. The software can be integrated in the hotel’s website that gives the hotel an edge over competitors that are still using third party providers to offer booking for their property. Hotels can easily customize the central reservation system for hotels to match their hotel website’s look. Further integrations can be done by providing payment gateways that reduce the chance of payment failure and offer guests a choice of selecting the payment provider.

Location Based Options - Travel has truly become global these days and hotels also need to offer a global front to their guests. A CMS should be able to provide guests with hotel details in their language and the prices in their currency as well. This can make the booking process much easier for the guests and also give them a clear understanding of the prices and room features.

Data Collection - Data collection is the key feature of any cloud-based hotel reservation system. By collecting data and creating reports of relevant metrics, hotels can understand the pattern of their hotel’s performance and figure out the areas that need improvement. Hotel data management is a key to improving performance and adding to the profits earned by the property.

Conclusion

A central reservation system is the key to efficient management of reservations while ensuring the process goes through smoothly for the hotel as well as the guests. If you are looking for a central reservation system for hotels that is designed with the end-user in mind, then check out mycloud Hospitality. The central reservation system offered by the company is the ideal solution for multi-chain hotels that are looking for reliable and robust software.

This fully-featured, award-winning software is used by hotels around the world and if you are looking to take your hotel operations to the next level, you can do it with the help of the team at mycloud Hospitality. Interested in learning more? Give a call at +1-415-390-5039 to schedule a demonstration with the team at mycloud Hospitality. The software can be up and running on your systems in just four hours. So what are you waiting for? Give us a call today.