Top 10 practical tips to kick-start your hotel PMS software journey

In this guide, we will bring together 10 practical tips that will enable you to confidently begin your hotel PMS journey and understand what you need to know when selecting the right software. These tips will give you more clarity in making the right hotel PMS decision, whether you are on the hunt to replace a current system or if it is your first time looking.  

Before you even start to explore your PMS options, you need to map out any inefficiencies or challenges that your hotel might be facing. This may include:  

• Slow checking-in services 
• Housekeeping delays or errors  
• Outdated room updates  
• Manual admin tasks  
• Reliance on time-consuming spreadsheets 

Recognising these common challenges will help you find a hotel PMS that endeavours to solve these issues and optimise your operations, not hinder them.  

Now that you know what operational areas you want to focus on, it’s time to map out what you want to achieve with a hotel PMS. Identify which KPIs matter to your hotel, whether that is:  

• Reducing manual admin workloads  
• Optimising check-in processes  
• Increasing direct bookings  
• Improving rates and availability accuracy 

Having goals that are clear and defined will give you more clarity in finding a PMS based on your priorities. Don’t forget to think about how you want your PMS solution to link to guest experiences, such as personalisation and tailored offerings to increase repeat bookings and support long-term relationships.

Your decision in choosing the right PMS not only impacts you but also your wider teams. They might not understand why a PMS matters, so including them in the early-decision stages will highlight areas you might not have considered, such as:  

• Mobile app functionality 
• Finance requirements and automation  
• Real-time reporting for more accurate decisions 
• Personalised experiences using guest data  

Deciding on the right hotel PMS is not a one-person job but needs to be aligned with the needs of your business and teams to help maintain a positive onboarding journey and long-term success.  

When you are thinking about new technology tools, you need to keep in mind the simplicity of the software. A user-friendly PMS solution is what will make your teams thrive as they will adopt it easily without any added complexity. With an easy PMS platform, you can:  

• Reduce onboarding times  
• Improve staff confidence  
• Manage guest data and requests  
• Review real-time reports on the go 

Integrating a simple PMS platform means your teams can focus on other areas of the hotel business to deliver exceptional guest experiences and not struggle with tech headaches.  

A hotel PMS doesn’t do all the work on its own, it needs to seamlessly integrate with your other supporting systems such as channel manager distribution, booking engines, RMS, EPoS, payments and CRM platforms. This will eliminate errors, duplicated data and create a smooth experience for both your guests and teams. Think about:  

• Data synchronisation in real-time  
• Is it an API-based connection?  
• Is support on hand for troubleshooting  

Having strong integrations in your hotel PMS will be the deciding factor to make your hotel operations reliable and scalable.  

There may be many hotel PMS solutions that come with additional features galore, but more features don’t necessarily mean you will see better results. Think about your essential modules and if they match your operational needs. Consider:  

• Core features – reservations, payments, revenue reporting, guest profiles.  
• Additional features – Mobile functionality, maintenance, automated messaging.  

Your hotel PMS choice should elevate your operations and not override them with complicated add-ons.  

It might already be in your mind, but considering a cloud-based PMS brings many advantages that might not come with an on-site platform. These may include:  

• Automatic updates  
• Reduce IT dependencies  
• Staff log ins from anywhere 
• Eliminates hardware failures  
• No reliance on servers  

A strong cloud-based platform will help your PMS stay reliable and secure, so everything is always connected.  

A standard demo might make the PMS software you’re interested in look great, but you need to see how the system will work with your hotel requirements. Ask your potential provider to walk you through realistic scenarios such as:  

• Managing a late check-in  
• Handling group reservations,  
• Updating rates 
• Processing payments  

When you see the software in action using real-life scenarios, you will know that you are choosing a PMS that delivers and not deceives.  

Having your teams effectively onboarded is crucial to ensure your PMS decision is a long-term success. Take the approach of designing a project-led plan with timelines and milestones that keep everyone accountable. Think about:  

• Preparing for data migration early  
• Running accurate testing  
• Scheduling hotel PMS training sessions for teams  

With a structured onboarding process, your integration will be smooth and seamless.  

Once your PMS is integrated, the journey doesn’t stop there. You need to measure its performance across operations and how it is impacting your guest experiences. Here are some factors to monitor:  

• Check-in times  
• Admin hours saved  
• Reduction in errors  
• Online reviews or improvement in guest satisfaction  

Understanding the data ensures your new PMS is keeping up with the hotel goals set out and aligns with your long-term success plan.  

Not every PMS journey will be the same, but it is important to recognise the basic milestones that you can keep in mind once your system is up and running.  

Download our hotel PMS timeline tracker to see if your PMS is hitting its targets.

Your hotel PMS journey doesn’t have to be difficult, which is why we have mapped out our top 10 tips to help you get on your way and make the best decision for your hotel operation. Once you have a clear plan and structure in place with the right tools and the right guidance, your hotel challenges will simply fizzle away.  

In this guide, we have explored the importance of taking your time with a PMS decision and what to factor in when choosing the best system. At Access Hospitality, we provide hoteliers with the tools to transform their operational needs with a PMS that delivers simple solutions using Guestline Evo, our AI-powered software. We are committed in helping you achieve your operational goals with easy integrations, user-friendly dashboards and smooth onboarding processes that will take your hotel to new levels.