Hotel management software is composed of various different modules that can all work together as an integrated whole. The modules communicate with each other so that anything that is done on one module will immediately affect all of the other modules. The system can be controlled centrally in order to monitor the work that is being done in different department and for management purposes.
Online hotel reservation is the most common type of hotel software. It is a convenient way for guests to make bookings online, from anywhere in the world at any time. It is also a far easier and more efficient way for hotel staff to manage reservations and customer information than the traditional manual systems of administration. Every change that is made to the system, such as a new booking or a special request from a particular guest, is instantly transmitted to the whole system, ensuring that there is no chance of making a double booking or a similar mistake. Having easy access to information about guests also enables the hotel to provide a better service. It is possible to check the guest’s preferences from their previous stays, for example, in order to offer the same facilities and services when they return.
Property management software can be used to schedule and organize the work of members of hotel staff. It can be synchronized with other software systems, such as the reservation and payment systems. This enables services to be scheduled according to the needs of the guests, for example enabling housekeeping services to be timed for when the guest leaves their room.
Point of sale software can be used to organize the handling of payments from guests and to gather information for inventory and accounting purposes.
Hotel accounting software can be used to organize the finances of the hotel. Because this software can gather information from other parts of the hotel software, such as the reservations and payment systems, it can make hotel accounting much easier and more efficient.
Call management software enables hotels to easily schedule and make calls to their guests and former guests, and to organize the contact details for their customers. This can be used to arrange automated calls to guests while they are staying in the hotel, for example a wake up call. It can also be used to make marketing calls to people who have previously stayed in the hotel, or to arrange follow up calls to ask guests about their stay or notify them of any belongings that may have been left behind.
Other types of hotel software are also available. The data that is gathered by the hotel software is easily accessible. Particular types of information can quickly be found on the system and reports can be generated, for example for accounting purposes.