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SELECTION and purchase OF PMS

The steps involved in selection of a Property Management System are: STEP 1: Identification of Need Firstly an analysis is done to determine whether there is a need of computerized system or not. The following steps are followed in this process: a. Selection of a team comprising the representation from all the departments at all levels from all the shifts to analyse the needs. . b. Analyse the flow of guests through the visit to the hotel i.e. an analysis of the guest cycle. c. Analyse the flow of information from other departments to the front office e.g. billing information, room status information etc. d. Anlyse the administrative paper work produced in other departments.
e. Evaluate the needs that have been identified in terms of importance. f. Combine the needs to determine the desired applications.

STEP 2: Software Selection - today, software is available in modules to cater to different areas in a hotel. - based on requirement, as deduced from the needs analysis in step 1, a hotel may go in for the entire PMS or parts thereof. - proper software selection is very important, as it involves a heavy investment. - configured or customized as per the need of the hotel. STEP 3: Hardware Selection
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- the hardware should be selected to run the needed software. - the basic factors to consider here are the Processor speed, Disc drives, I/O Port for connecting peripheral devices & for networking, Monitors/ touch screens, Keyboards, Printers, Modems and Supplies: paper, forms, ribbons, ink, toner, cartridge, floppies, DA T, CD-RW etc. The other factors to be kept on mind while selecting the hardware are: a. Positioning of hardware: based on the workflow analysis done during needs analysis. b. How does it benefit the guest, who will operate it, who all will require access to the system at that position. c. Climatic condition: whether air-conditioning required/not esp. in back-of-the-house areas. d. Ergonomics: psychological & physiological effect of computers on people.

STEP 4: OTHER CONSIDERATIONS 01. Vendor Claims: Claims made by the supplier. One must inquire about the product from the current users of the same; whether they are satisfied using the system, problems faced by them in using the system. 2. Installation plans: Proper planning of installation is essential for maintaining guest services & employee morale. One must have a complete plan laid out for installation of hardware & cabling in different areas of the hotel; also, who shall be installing the hardware & who shall be installing cables.

03. Training: Classroom & on-the-job training provided by vendor or not. If yes, charged or inclusive. Whether training module has been provided or not. Documentation of procedures. 04. Back-up power sources: Provision of UPS. 05. Maintenance agreement: The cost of repair & replacement of hardware & software. Emergency services. STEP 5: FINANCIAL CONSIDERATIONS - the decision regarding purchase or rental of a PMS since heavy investment can
tie-up the cash flow of an organization. - Also, if cost benefits are not realistically projected, profits may be difficult to come

by. - analyse the savings in terms of overtime paid to the employees, losses due to late charges, cost of marketing database collection, wastage of energy. - advantages of outright purchase, discount for full payment in cash, finance charges, depreciation. - advantages of lease: continuance of cash flow, application of lease payments to purchase price, tax advantages of leasing etc. PMS APPLICATIONS
The modules of an ideal PMS are as follows:

Reservations 1. Guest data 2. Room inventory 3. Deposits 4. Special requests 5. Blocking 6. Arrivals 7. Departures 8. VIP 9. Projected occupancy 10. Travel agents 11. Guest messages 12. Reports Registration 1. Reservations 2. Guest Data 3. Room inventory 4. Room status 5. Security 6. Reports 7. Self check-in Room status 1. Room inventory 2. Availability 3. Reports Posting 1. Point of sale

2. Room 3. Tax 4. Transfer 5. Adjustments 6. Paid out 7. Miscellaneous charges 8. Phone 9. Display folio 10. Reports Call Accounting 1. Guest information 2. Employee information 3. Post charges 4. Messages 5. Wake-up calls 6. Reports Checkout 1. Folio 2. Adjustments 3. Cashier 4. Back office transfer 5. Reports 6. Guest History Night Audit 1. Guest charges 2. Department totals 3. City ledger 4. Cashier 5. Financial reports 6. Housekeeping Inquiries! Reports 1. Reservations 2. Registrations 3. Checkouts 4. Housekeeping 5. Credit balances Back Office 1. Accounts payable 2. Accounts receivable 3. Payroll 4. Budgets 5. General ledger 6. Reports Housekeeping 1. Room availability 2. Personnel assignments

3. Analysis 4. Housekeeper's report 5. Equipment supplies inventory 6. Maintenance requests Food and Beverage 1. Point of sale 2. Posting 3. Cashier reports 4. Food/beverage inventory 5. Recipes 6. Sales control 7. Sales production analysis 8. Labour analysis
Maintenance

1. Review work orde, 2. Status, 3. Cost/ labour analysis 4. Inventory, 5. Repair cost analysis 6. Energy usage analysis, 7. Guest room power start
Security

1. Keys, 2. Fire alarm 3. Burglar alarm, 4. Security code transactions Marketing_ and sales 1. Guest history, 2. Word-processing, 3. Client file 4. Banquet files, 5. Desktop publishing 6. Reports, 7. Travel agencies Personnel 1. Employee file, 2. Job control list 3. Word processing, 4. Analysis 5. Reports
Electronic Mail

1. Security codes, 2. Mail, 3. Hard copy


Time clock

1. Security codes, 2. Personal identification number, 3. In, 4. Out, 5. Analysis, 6. Reports

FIDELIO
It is a completely integrated system package designed to maximize the efficiency of the hotel .it is highly flexible system ,its uniform and user friendly ie hotel employee can learn it easily and quickly. It has a special training module which enable the user to work and learn in a real like environment It is a highly user friendly software with pull down menus and help and assist the user at every step and only short term training is required to staff

It is one of the most advanced hotel management software.it has its own software for its extra protection ie red alert software for extra software

Importance
Smooth functioning of dept
Reduces paperwork in saving money on extra stationary Eliminates communication gap between department helps in providing service to guest Upkeeps hotel goodwill with guest Saves time work load and increases productivity

Advantages
Eco friendly Eliminates filing work and storage work It is complete menu with windows functions keys ,it has friendly screen, It is highly flexible as it has facility like report generation night auditing It creates guest history ,behavior,preferences for years

Disadvantages Expensive,maintenance is also expensive as compared to other


system,if proper locking is not done anybody can access into guest profile and guest information can be altered or erased.During night auditing the terminals are shut down for two hours thus check in and check out are avoided through computers .there is no provision to block anyone from ready valuable information It has Reservation module

Packaging module Group allotement Check out Room management Night auditing Check in Guest history Guest accounting Cashier function City ledger Credit card accounting Reporting system Other function-inventory,revenue report, cost calculation goods received vendor selection, evaluation report etc

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