Property Management System Interfaces

HA210 : The Class : Management Technology : System Interfaces

Property Management System Interfaces

Objectives and Student Goals:

Objectives of this topic are to develop within the students...

…An understanding of the synergistic advantages available from a well-planned property management system. Issues a property should consider before purchasing front office and other interfaced management systems.

…An appreciation for the legislative history of the hotel telephone department. The role HOBIC played before deregulation and how that compares to HOBIC's role today. How the hotel telephone department changed from an operating expense into a valuable revenue and customer-service center.

…A practical knowledge of the levels of access found in an electronic locking system hierarchy. Calculate and develop the direct and indirect savings and benefits of implementing an ELS over traditional mechanical locks.

…A realization of the numerous PMS interfaces available in today's industry. A brief list of common interfaces and the features usually associated with each.

At the conclusion of this topic, the student should be able to…
…Develop a list of at least four reasons why standardization across property management systems and
hotel interfaces is growing in acceptance with the hospitality industry. Explain how
standardization will benefit the individual hotel operator.
…Recite the three options available to hotels after the deregulation of the telephone industry in 1981.
…List one positive and one negative aspect to the hotel industry from alternative operator services.
…Describe the hierarchical levels of an electronic locking system.
…List at least seven different interfaces commonly found in today's fully automated hotels.
Describe one feature or advantage to each.

Summary of Module 5, Topic 2:

In today's automated hotels, the property management system (PMS) serves as more than just a simple check-in and check-out function. It also acts as an information clearinghouse and interface center for a number of auxiliary electronic systems in the hotel. By interfacing with other hotel systems (energy management system, call accounting system, and electronic locking system, for example), the efficiency and quality of data provided by the PMS is greatly enhanced. Recent efforts towards hardware and software standardization should ultimately simplify and lessen the cost of system interfaces developed for the hotel industry.

The telephone is the oldest of all property management system interfaces. During early decades of HOBIC, hotels had no option--they were forced to accept a system (including its paltry 15 percent commission) which was characterized by high costs and little or no profits. Following deregulation of the telephone industry in 1981, hotels were able to select from three different options. They could continue using HOBIC, a system plagued with numerous problems and costly charge backs. They could install their own in-house call accounting system. Or they could shop among a growing number of other common carriers (OCC's).
In terms of features, modern call accounting systems are a far cry from yesteryear. Enhanced 9-1-1 capabilities provide emergency answering centers and in-house operators information about the guest room number and location of those placing 9-1-1 calls. In addition, today's sophisticated call accounting systems are able to recognize a range of new long-distance area codes as well as to block certain undesirable area codes, like 900 premium-priced calls originating from guest rooms. Due to increased use of the telephone line for data transmission (fax, internet, etc.), today's guest rooms often boast a second phone line. Many corporate and full-service hotel rooms are also designed with multi-function feature phones which have the capability of operating in-room lights and sound, changing the room status to do not disturb, and even adjusting the air conditioner and television set. And finally, CAS's house a number of supplemental guest services including voice messaging, automated attendant services, and wake-up calls.

Electronic locking systems (ELS) provide tremendous cost savings to hotels. Expensive brass key blanks, the labor to rekey rooms when a master key has been lost, and the risk of lawsuits from potential break-ins due to an obsolete traditional key program are all problems of the past. An ELS provides automatic rekeying of rooms with each new guest. A checked-out guest cannot reenter a newly occupied room even if the keycard is still in hand. And in addition to security, hard-wired electronic locking systems provide other unique cost savings. The best example is through an interfaced energy management system which can adjust the guest room temperature, turn off lights and the television, and disconnect the telephone automatically at departure!

Other common interfaces include point-of-sale terminals, energy management systems, and guest-operated interfaces, including; in-room safes, in-room minibars, in-room entertainment systems, and fire-safety systems.