Guide to Hotel Front Desk Software: Key Features and Best Options

Running a hotel is no child’s play, particularly considering the multiple management facets ranging from operations and front desks to concierge services and housekeeping. Why is the front desk vital for hotels? It is the first point of contact or interface for guests whenever they arrive at any property. 

Thus, it sets the tone for the whole experience, while holding responsibility for service and customer satisfaction. Front office teams often take care of planning guest experiences, while serving as the face of the hospitality brand. They interact regularly with guests throughout stays, while gathering valuable inputs/feedback for the future. They also answer questions, enable check-ins and check-outs and directing guests to things that they require. Over time, the increasing complexity and dynamic nature of the job has led to the rise of cutting-edge frontdesk hotel software solutions. Here’s looking at the same in a little more detail below. 

What is Hotel PMS FrontDesk Software?

Hotel front desk software is a technological solution that is used by properties of diverse types to manage various tasks and keep records related to guests and their stays. These solutions can enable hotels to automate and streamline daily duties, while making operations more efficient and lowering costs in the future. At the same time, these software solutions also enable hospitality businesses to gather and view data more efficiently in real-time, thereby improving decision-making considerably. 

How Does Hotel PMS FrontDesk Software Work? 

There are several ways in which hotel front desk systems work, including the following: 

• Processing reservations digitally, by phone, or at the POS (point of sale)

• Managing check-outs and check-ins 

• Managing guest booking details, communication and profiles 

• Taking care of accounting, billing, inventory, availability and rates

• Monitoring frequent guests and loyalty members, along with managing guest history and vital client data 

• Integration with the property management system (PMS) for enabling guest profile management, check-ins, check-outs, and more 

• Integration with the customer relationship management (CRM) software along with POS (point of sale) software, revenue management systems, and channel managers, along with booking engines

• Automating workflows and enabling features like keyless room entry, contactless check-ins, guest messaging and more. Several back-office functions like property management applications, staff scheduling, data processing and reporting and notifications can also be managed with these solutions 

Key Benefits of FrontDesk Software Hotel

 Best Hotel PMS Frontdesk Software comes with a diverse range of benefits, including the following: 

• Higher efficiency- This is ensured through streamlining time-consuming and repetitive manual tasks. Frontdesk software solutions can easily enable quick room status checking and super-fast check-ins or check-outs. Guests can thus get more time on their trips without going through these procedures. 

• Lower mistakes/errors- Manual calculations of costs and entry of payment details can be erroneous and time-consuming, while leaving open the chances of fraud as well. With integrated payment processing, these procedures can be automated and initiated swiftly without any errors or lags. 

• Improved Service- Through the automation of repetitive and time-consuming tasks, these solutions can free up hotel employees to focus on personalising guest experiences. They can also look at ways to generate more revenue without bothering about manual service functions. 

• Reduction in Costs- Cloud-based Property Management System and CRM integration along with booking engine and channel manager options will save costs in the long run. Hotels do not have to purchase software/hardware that quickly gets obsolete. They can easily lower costs involved in resources for manual tasks and increase their profitability considerably. 

• Easier Auditing- Audit trails will be automated, along with easier data capturing, consolidation and reconciliation of accounts. This will leave staff members with more time to focus on data analysis and leverage insights to improve operations further. 

Key Features to Look For in Hotel Front Office Software

Opting for a hotel front desk software download can unlock diverse benefits for any hospitality brand. However, here are some features that you should look out for. 

• Cloud-based centralisation of the platform with a unified system for all core functions 

• Open API that enables seamless integrations with third-party software and applications. 

• In-built booking engine and channel manager 

• Flexible and customisable solution that can scale with the business with advanced analytics and reporting

• Self-service options for guests with enhanced communication and contemporary payment processing options (smooth account reconciliation and contactless payments)

• Easy templates and training resources for hassle-free onboarding and access to customer support 

• Convenient pricing/subscription models tailored to your needs 

Top 10 Hotel Front Desk Software Systems

Here are some of the best front desk hotel system worth considering: 

•  aPerfectStay- A revolutionary platform for front desks and other hotel operations, it offers everything from a channel manager and PMS to concierge, housekeeping and more. Advanced data analytics and reporting helps streamline operations and boost overall efficiency alongside. 

• Cloudbeds- This is a platform that offers multiple tools for running hotel operations. It is cloud-based and comes with diverse unified tools such as a channel manager, booking engine, revenue management tools, payment processors, PMS, and guest engagement options. There’s also a third-party app marketplace on offer for users. 

• Eviivo- It offers an integrated suite for property management with an online booking engine, channel manager, performance manager, guest manager, and several other tools. 

• Frontdesk Anywhere- This cloud-based software tool helps lower costs and comes with a channel manager, payment system, revenue management system and booking engine. 

• LittleHotelier- Tailored for smaller properties, this offers multiple solutions like a mobile app, PMS, channel manager, booking manager and an app store. 

• Mews- Based in Amsterdam, it is a cloud-based solution that offers a booking engine, PMS, payment systems, RMS and a third-party app marketplace. 

• ResNexus- This Utah-based solution comes with multiple offerings like payment processing, reservation systems, web booking engines, marketing services and more. 

• RMS Hospitality- Based in San Diego, this company offers an integrated and cloud-based system for property management and reservations, including a channel manager and booking engine. 

• RoomRaccoon- Some of the top features of this platform include a PMS, accounting automation, online check-in and more. It is tailored for independent hospitality units or properties and also integrates with several third-party apps. 

•  Hotelogix- This Singapore-based platform operates on the cloud and offers a PMS and web booking engine along with a channel manager and a dedicated mobile app. 

Why Choose aPerfectStay? 

Choosing aPerfectStay as your front desk hotel management software is a no-brainer for several reasons. It is suitable for a whole new generation of properties and serviced apartments while being fully customisable at the same time. It offers aPerfectSuite which can enable better operations through key divisions like aPerfect PMS, aPerfect Concierge, aChannel Manager and aPerfect Docs. With this tool in place, you can expect to boost efficiency and customer satisfaction considerably, while saving time and money simultaneously. The biggest take-away is that it helps business owners take informed and data-driven decisions. 

Unique Selling Points (USPs) Compared to Competitors: 

• Cutting-edge aPerfect PMS with integrations across the entire system and guest app to boost operational efficiencies. It enables management of day-to-day functions, housekeeping, reservations, maintenance, reporting and billing in a single consolidated and easy-to-understand interface. 

• You can get customisable reports for your property while making GDPR-compliant guest profiles for improved experiences. 

• aPerfect Channel Manager  syncs bookings from multiple channels onto the PMS with new bookings being added seamlessly as a result. 

• Update availability and pricing in real-time through the channel manager tool, while saving money by not using third-party systems or direct connections. 

• Link up with multiple OTAs Link up with multiple OTAs for your business, including Booking, Airbnb, TheSqua.re and many others who are globally recognized. 

• aPerfectConcierge functions as a guest app that offers an opportunity to digitally promote added services. You can build a second stream of income and take low-cost payments via Stripe. Integrate your merchant and take commissions up to 30% on sales via third-party services with this solution as well. 

• It also offers seamless order management along with direct payments in accounts through Apple Pay or integrated payment gateways. 

• aPerfect Housekeeping enhances concierge, guest services, pre-arrival inspections and more. The inspection is customisable as per the property type and industry, with integrations across warehouse management systems as well. 

Testimonials or Success Stories from Users 

aPerfectStay has been a trusted choice for several global hospitality brands over the years. Here are some testimonials and reviews of the brand. 

1. Ocean Waves INN- The platform significantly improved the management of existing bookings, reducing the likelihood of errors and ensuring a smoother operational workflow.

2. TheSqua.re- Automation leads to increased efficiency, which finally leads to improved performance. Also, having many reports easily available on the PMS has made day-to-day work more productive. 

3. Villa Lagoonscape- Channel Manager flexibility to have different rates for different channels and the user-friendly interface of the channel manager are the most valuable features of aPerfectStay. It has helped us become more efficient in terms of inventory management. I would recommend aPerfectStay to others because it is convenient and ideal for smaller players. 

As can be seen, aPerfectStay is the ideal frontdesk hotel software solution for any type of accommodation in the global tourism and hospitality industry. From hotels of various types (both small and big players) to serviced apartments, it offers customisable solutions designed to improve efficiency and ensure time and cost savings simultaneously. 

Conclusion 

With technology transforming the global hospitality industry, front desk and operations management are set to scale up their digital footprints further. From easier guest and booking management to automated processes, there are several advantages that front desk software solutions offer to businesses in this field today. If you’re a hotelier looking to streamline operations and save costs, these solutions merit a closer look without a doubt. Get future-ready and embrace the power of technology to build a sustainable and profitable hotel business.