After enduring the brunt of a global pandemic for nearly two years, it’s no surprise that hoteliers evaluating new technology solutions will ask: “Will this future-proof my business?”
Which in jargon-free language translates into: Can it quickly integrate with solutions that will allow me to respond to new marketplace and consumer demands?
The question applies more to property management systems, arguably, than anything else. That’s because, historically, the PMS has been the hub of hotel operations. But its value is destined to diminish unless it can rapidly offer new products and services – via fast, simple integrations – that elevate guest experiences and operations. That’s why in 2022 you’ll witness the rise of the agile PMS.
Nothing foreshadowed this trend more than hoteliers’ adoption of contactless solutions as Covid-19 blindsided the hospitality industry. As safe distancing became a mandate, hoteliers who quickly introduced options such as mobile keyless entry and self-service kiosks for check-in – which allowed guests to avoid lobby crowds – gained an immediate advantage over their competitors. It was a pivotal moment underscoring the critical need for PMS agility, not just for success but survival.
Hoteliers seeking a PMS upgrade ranked the ability to incorporate innovations as the most-significant factor deserving consideration, according to The Smart Decision Guide to Hotel Property Management Systems published by Starfleet Research. In fact, in one of the report surveys, 93 percent of hoteliers cited the ability to “integrate with different technologies to create a command and control center with a 360-degree view of operations across the organization” as “important” or “very important.”
Anticipating such a need for adaptability, we introduced the Oracle Hospitality Integration Platform in late 2020. OHIP allows partners and vendors to connect to OPERA Cloud, giving them unimpeded access to the data within it for faster product development. OHIP represents a reinvention of Oracle’s integration model: It enables innovations that improve hotel operations and elevate guest experiences and makes them available in a matter of days and weeks, rather than months and years. In the past, technology partners often were dependent on Oracle for guidance before they could integrate with OPERA. But with OHIP, every integration is now a self-service experience. Users simply register for OHIP, and they can immediately take advantage of every capability on their own because of the platform’s intuitive design.
And certainly, PMS integration shouldn’t be limited to guest-facing apps. Transaction and interaction data from all sources, from retail and housekeeping to concierge and guest request systems, need to become part of the common data flow.
The Smart Decision Guide describes the PMS evolution: “While some industry observers surmised not so long ago that the PMS might take a backseat to other platforms in a technology stack, this has not been proven to be the case. Instead, tightly integrated with a customer relationship management (CRM) solution, a central reservation system (CRS) and a revenue management system (RMS), the PMS has evolved into an all-encompassing, end-to-end system that can be customized to the needs of the hotel property or brand.”
Expect an agile PMS, powered by the cloud, to make its mark.
Laura Calin is the Vice President, Strategy and Solutions Management for Oracle Hospitality. Connect with Laura on LinkedIn.
Oracle Hospitality brings over 40 years of experience in providing technology solutions to independent hoteliers, global and regional chains, gaming, and cruise lines. Our cloud-based, mobile-enabled solutions for property management, point-of-sale, distribution, and reporting and analytics lower IT costs and maximize business agility. Oracle Hospitality’s OPERA is recognized globally as the leading property management platform and offers open APIs to serve as a platform for industry innovation. Learn more at www.oracle.com/Hospitality. Get specific product information as quick as clicking right here.
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