The challenge however that we have seen over the years that hotels are continuously confronted with is the the fact that they are using legacy PMS systems that have duplicate profiles which create many operational inefficiencies and provides a lack of control for the hotel to personalise the guest stay and really make an impact on the overal guest experience at their property.
During my time working in hotels in the London Heathrow market, in positions such as Front of House Training Manager, Front of House Manager, Operations Manager, Revenue Manager and General Manager, I have had to migrate PMS systems three times, and I have had to setup a PMS from scratch for a new opening. It is intriguing to see that hotels and chains that are using legacy systems today are still confronted with the same challenges related to managing a multitude of duplicate profiles. These legacy systems have so many fragmented integrations that are not optimized and causing so many operational issues. Imagine therefore, the opportunity in this one world that we live in, to have the luxury of one platform, where you only need to manage one guest profile.
In the digital age, where every interaction is an opportunity for data collection and personalisation, the hospitality industry is at a crossroads. At the heart of this junction lies the outdated legacy Property Management Systems (PMS) that are proving to be a significant barrier to innovation and a bottleneck in harnessing guest intelligence effectively.
A recent conversation within the industry highlighted a startling reality: the conversion rate for guest surveys is abysmally low, hovering around 5%. This translated to a mere 776 completed surveys out of thousands, painting a grim picture of guest intelligence gathering in serviced apartments. The situation is exacerbated by legacy PMS platforms, which not only fail to integrate with modern tools, they also lead to a disconnect in guest communication and feedback mechanisms. This disconnect impedes the ability of hotels to gather critical guest reviews, a key component of the guest intelligence ecosystem.
The ripple effects of inadequate guest intelligence are far-reaching. Hotels struggle to perform in-stay service recovery, which is vital for maintaining and enhancing online reputation, but even more effective in driving guest loyalty. Furthermore, the inability to innovate in guest communication strategies leads to missed opportunities in personalised guest experiences. As competitors using advanced systems like Shiji ReviewPro outperform others, the gap widens, leading to higher business losses for those stuck with legacy systems.
A significant shift is needed towards a single guest profile approach. Not only is there a need to be able to manage this single guest profile, but there is a need to be able to minimise the need to have multiple systems to endeavour to manage these profiles. The key need here for hotels, is to have the single guest profile in the system where the majority of their time is spent – their PMS. Such a model centralises all guest data, enabling a unified view of preferences and behaviours across all touchpoints within the hotel. With a single guest profile, hotels can achieve a higher level of personalisation, enhancing guest satisfaction and loyalty. For example, knowing a guest's preference for a particular room or amenity allows for proactive service delivery, tailored to their expectations. In addition, the impact on the team members at the hotel becomes significant, less systems to manage, better data to make important decisions that impact the guest experience, therefore better employee satisfaction. And we all know, if we can keep our staff at the hotels happy, the positive impact that this generates on the service the guest receives is significant.
Moreover, the transition to mobile-responsive survey methods is paramount, given that 80-90% of guests complete surveys on mobile devices. Legacy systems fall short in this aspect, unable to facilitate seamless communication via contemporary channels like WhatsApp or SMS, which are increasingly preferred by guests.
The discussion also touches on the broader implications for the hospitality industry, including the potential for AI and machine learning to revolutionise guest experiences. However, the journey towards adopting these technologies is complex and requires a foundational understanding of guest data, which is only possible with an effective PMS in place.
In conclusion, the legacy PMS represents a significant impediment to the hospitality industry's ability to innovate and understand its guests deeply. As we move towards a more data-driven, personalised guest experience, the industry must embrace modern solutions that offer a single guest profile, and a single guest profile which also includes guest feedback data from their previous stays, all in the one platform. This shift is not just about keeping pace with technology but about fundamentally transforming the guest experience, ensuring that every stay is not only memorable but also meticulously tailored to each guest's unique preferences.
Neil James
Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Shiji Guest Solutions
