Property Management System Overview

Study Notes

PMS is a computerized system used to manage properties, including maintenance, legalities, and personnel.
PMS replaced old-fashioned, paper-based methods, which were cumbersome and inefficient.
In the hospitality industry, PMS generally refers to the set of computer programs that manage front office and back office activities.
PMS is a comprehensive software that automates functions such as booking, online reservations, point-of-sale, telephone, accounts receivable, sales and marketing, banquets, food and beverage costing, materials management, human resources and payroll, maintenance management, quality management, and other amenities.
PMS interfaces can be integrated with Central Reservation Systems, Revenue Management Systems, Front Office, Back Office, and Point of Sale Systems.

PMS integrates information required for front office, back office, and office automation operations.
PMS provides data for marketing activities like revenue maximization, improved room inventory control, more accurate room block management, and yield management capabilities.
PMS automation can enhance guest service, such as guest recognition programs. Systems track guest preferences for things like specific room or seat requests, or even car types, based on historical data.
Automation can also improve operational efficiency through automated check-in and check-out processes.

PMS can interface with various stand-alone applications such as point-of-sale, call accounting, electronic locking, etc.
Point-of-Sale (POS) systems allow for the direct transfer of data from the POS system to the PMS, giving the PMS access to information about sales, payments, and transactions from various locations like restaurants, lounges, room service, gift shops, and pro shops.
Telephone Call Accounting Systems (CAS) track guest room phone charges. The data they provide can be used to manage local and long-distance phone services and help hotels apply a markup to switchboard operations.
CAS interfaces with front office guest accounting modules to post phone charges directly to folios.
Electronic locking systems interface with the front office computer system to enhance key control. Some systems use a computer terminal at the front desk to generate a code for a guest's card. Once a code is generated, the previous codes are canceled, so previous guest cards become invalid.
Energy Management Systems can be linked with the front office rooms management package to control guestroom energy and enhance guest comfort. Passive infrared motion sensors and door switches turn off lights and air conditioning when a guest leaves the room to reduce energy consumption.
An energy management system can monitor guestroom temperatures via computer, potentially reducing energy consumption and lowering costs.

PMS interfaces with auxiliary guest service devices, which may include the placement of wake-up calls and other services.

Consist of software programs, including:
- Reservations
- Room management
- Guest accounting functions

Becoming a popular method of booking hotel rooms
Travelers can book rooms:
- From home
- Using online security for privacy and financial protection
- Using online travel agents for price and facility comparisons
Before internet, travelers would:
- Write letters
- Telephone hotels directly
- Use travel agents

Stores and distributes hotel, resort, or lodging facility information
CRS is a tool for hoteliers:
- To reach Global Distribution Systems (GDS) and Internet Distribution Systems (IDS)
- To manage online marketing and sales
- To upload rates and availabilities to be seen by sales channels using a CRS
- To ease online distribution tasks
Distributes hotel information to:
- Conventional travel agencies
- Online travel agencies
Information stored in a CRS:
- Room types
- Rate plan architecture
- Room rates and conditions (guarantee, deposit, cancellation rules, minimum length of stay, maximum length of stay, closed to arrival, arrival not allowed, departure not allowed)
- Room inventories
- Generic hotel information (address, phone number, fax number)
- Distribution content (descriptions, amenities, pictures, videos, local attractions)
- Reservation information
- Geocode information
- Nearby IATA cities and airports

Processes:
- Guest registration
- Room status and housekeeping management
- Cashiering and guest check-out
- Telephone services

Enables a hotel to:
- Rapidly process room requests
- Generate timely and accurate rooms, revenue, and forecasting reports
Reservation received at the central reservation site can be:
- Processed
- Confirmed
- Communicated to the destination property
When destination property uses a Property Management System (PMS):
- Reservation module receives data from the central or global reservation system
- In-house reservation records, files and revenue forecasts are immediately updated