| Nowadays, only small bed and breakfasts and guest | | | | should come with a demonstration mode. At the |
| houses don't use some form of hotel bookings | | | | very least, it should have a few video walk throughs |
| software. For them, the trusty pencil and paper is | | | | to show you how to use it but even better if it lets |
| the only way. But with more and more hotel | | | | you enter real bookings data and use it as though it |
| bookings being made online, you need an easy way | | | | was already bought. That way, you'll get to know |
| to keep track of who's booked in otherwise you run | | | | how the bookings program copes with the quirks of |
| the risk of either double booking a room or - possibly | | | | your hotel and how well your reception staff can |
| even worse - letting it stay empty. On top of that, | | | | work with it. |
| your hotel bookings software needs to be easy to | | | | Another bonus with using software is that computers |
| use otherwise it will just sit there, gathering digital | | | | enjoy crunching numbers. The software you choose |
| dust on your hard drive while you go back to that | | | | for your hotel bookings should have the option to run |
| large book. | | | | reports - even if you don't use them to start with. |
| Whilst it is possible that you could design your own | | | | These should let you contact your "regulars" with |
| software using a program such as Excel, that's | | | | special offers and they should also tell you the nights |
| probably not where your skill or enthusiasm lies. | | | | when you may need to run promotions because |
| Which means that you should look for an off the | | | | you're not as full as you'd like to be. |
| shelf program that is easy to set up and simple to | | | | If you have things like mini bars and pay per view |
| use. | | | | television, the software should cope with those and |
| If the software company says that you will need a | | | | should let you run stock checks on any physical items |
| day's training to be able to operate their software, | | | | that need you to keep a close watch on them. At |
| that either means that it is far too complicated or | | | | the end of the day, whatever software you choose |
| that they don't think that you're intelligent enough to | | | | to help manage your hotel should make your life |
| use it. Either way, that's a warning signal. | | | | easier! |
| Ideally, the hotel bookings software you shortlist | | | | |