6 Ways Hotels Can Benefit from Integrated PMS and POS Systems

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Delivering exceptional guest experiences while maintaining operational efficiency is a must for hotels of all sizes. To achieve (and maintain) this balance, properties rely on two essential tools — property management systems (PMS) and point of sale systems (POS). While both systems play important roles in different aspects of hotel management, integrating them results in a powerful solution that opens the door for streamlined operations, increased guest satisfaction, and revenue growth.

In this blog post, we’ll take a closer look at how your hotel can benefit from integrating its PMS and POS systems. From providing more personalized guest experiences to increasing opportunities for upselling, a well-integrated platform can transform how your property operates. Keep reading to discover all the advantages hotels gain from integrated systems, plus integration tips, trends to look out for, and more. 

What Are Hotel PMS & POS Systems?

There are two main systems that hotels use to ensure daily operations run efficiently. The first is the property management system. Considered to be the heart of hotel operations, the PMS is used to manage reservations, check-ins, check-outs, room assignments, and housekeeping schedules. By packing these core functions into a single platform, hotels can much more easily stay on top of the routine tasks that keep hotels running smoothly and guests happy.

But operations are only one piece of the puzzle. Like any business, finances are just as important, so having a way to facilitate transactions is equally crucial. A point of sale system does just that — handling all payments that take place within the hotel property, whether guests are paying for their room, enjoying a meal in the restaurant, or booking a spa service. Not only does the POS system process these payments, but it also integrates with other departments, making it possible for guests to charge purchases directly to their room.

Benefits of Integrating Your PMS & POS Systems

When a hotel’s PMS and POS systems aren’t integrated, they operate independently, which creates inefficiencies that can lead to financial losses and wasted time. To avoid these risks, hotels should prioritize integrating the two systems. Furthermore, integration comes with several benefits, including:

  1. Centralized Data Management: Integration allows for a unified platform where all guest data is stored and updated in real-time. This eliminates the need for manual data entry between systems, minimizing errors and ensuring consistent records across departments.
  1. Improved Guest Experience: With integrated systems, staff can offer more personalized interactions by having instant access to guest preferences, purchase history, and any special requests. It can also simplify the checkout process, making it possible for guests to pay for all services — their room, meals, drinks, spa treatments — at once.
  1. Accurate Billing: Integration ensures that all guest charges are accurately tracked and reflected in the final bill. This reduces the risk of discrepancies and disputes during checkout.
  1. Improved Security: Sensitive guest data is better protected when systems are integrated. Compliance with data protection regulations is easier to maintain when all information is processed through a unified, secure platform vs. when it’s spread across multiple, disparate systems.
  1. Better Control Over Payments: By linking the PMS and POS, hotels can monitor payments more effectively. Real-time transaction tracking allows for better financial management, ensuring that all payments are recorded correctly and any discrepancies are immediately addressed.
  1. Increased Opportunities for Upselling: With centralized data on guest preferences and previous purchases, hotels can better target their upselling strategies. These insights can help staff suggest the right upgrades or additional services at the right time to increase the likelihood of acceptance.

7 Tips for Smooth PMS & POS Integration

Successful integration requires careful planning and execution, so it’s a good idea to be as prepared as possible. We recommend following these seven tips for a smooth, setback-free process.  

  1. Assess Compatibility: Before getting started, evaluate your current POS and PMS to determine whether the systems are compatible with each other. Some systems are designed to sync up seamlessly, while others may need additional middleware or custom solutions to connect. Checking this off your list first will save time and resources later.
  1. Secure Stakeholder Buy-In: Integration impacts several departments across your hotel, including the front desk, accounting, food and beverage, and IT. To ensure all teams are on the same page, you’ll need buy-in from the main stakeholders early on. Explain the benefits and provide clarity on how the integration will improve day-to-day operations for the best chance of getting everyone on board.
  1. Focus on Data Integrity: Maintaining data accuracy is a must when integrating systems. Conduct data mapping to ensure all information will flow smoothly between the two platforms, and cleanse your existing data to remove duplicate information, errors, or outdated records. This ensures that only accurate and relevant data will be migrated.
  1. Prioritize Testing: In order to work out all the bugs before going live, testing should be a top priority. In the time leading up to your launch date, conduct thorough tests of crucial processes and functions such as room changes, payment processing, and inventory tracking. Confirm that each works as intended, or if tests reveal issues, perform any troubleshooting needed. This will reduce the risk of downtime and errors post-launch.
  1. Provide Training: Even if everything goes smoothly, you won’t begin to see the benefits of the integration until your staff understands how to use the new system. Provide training sessions for all employees to help them get used to the updated interfaces and processes.
  1. Monitor & Optimize: To get the most out of your newly integrated system, monitor its performance closely. Track key metrics, such as billing accuracy, guest satisfaction, and operational efficiency, and use the learnings to fine tune the system and address any challenges that arise.
  1. Plan for Scalability: As your hotel grows, so will its operational needs. To best accommodate this growth, make sure that your systems can support the additional locations, services, or features that come with an expanding business. 

Like all technology, PMS and POS systems are constantly evolving. And with both at the forefront of hotel operations, developments stand to shape the future of the hospitality industry. In a recent interview with Hospitality Technology, Dan Hogan, Chief Product Officer at Stayntouch, shared his thoughts on emerging trends for PMS development, identifying the following as ones to watch:

  • A Growing Focus on Personalization: Noting that “personalization is the wave sweeping across our industry in 2024,” Hogan revealed that the best way for hotels to cater to guests’ desires for more personalized experiences is to shunt as many services as possible through the PMS, allowing properties to leverage unique guest data to offer more tailored services.
  • The Rise of Attribute-Based Selling (ABS): This emerging trend involves “unbundling individual guestroom elements during the booking process to ensure guests can choose their desired services, amenities, or aspects of their stay experience.” Such a high level of customization is made possible by the evolving capabilities of today’s PMS systems. Advanced data delivery, automation, and dynamic pricing capabilities provide the flexibility for hotels to accommodate these specific requests.
  • The PMS as the Operating System for Hospitality: Hotel PMS systems are set to become the central hub for managing all aspects of the guest experience. With integrations within the POS, customer relationship management tools, housekeeping, and maintenance systems, the modern PMS is transforming into an all-in-one operating system for hotels. This shift enables better coordination between departments, real-time data sharing, and a more tailored guest experience, from reservation to checkout.
  • Human Interactions Still Matter: Despite technological advancements, human interactions will continue to be an integral part of the hospitality industry at the end of the day. For hotels, technology should be viewed as a tool to help staff provide exceptional customer service instead of a means to remove the personal touch that guests expect.

FAQs

What is the difference between a hotel PMS and a POS?

The property management system (PMS) is considered to be the heart of hotel operations. It’s used to manage processes such as reservations, check-ins, check-outs, room assignments, and housekeeping schedules. A point of sale system (POS) processes all financial transactions that take place within a hotel, including (but not limited to) at the front desk, in the restaurant, and at the bar.

Why should I integrate my hotel’s PMS and POS?

Integrating the PMS and POS comes with several benefits for your hotel. These include centralized data management, improved guest experience, more accurate billing, improved security, better control over payments, and increased upselling opportunities.

What will happen if I keep my PMS and POS systems separate?

If your hotel’s PMS and POS systems aren’t integrated, they operate independently, which creates inefficiencies that can lead to financial losses and wasted time. To avoid these risks, you should prioritize integrating the two systems.

Ready To Leverage the Benefits for Your Hotel?

When it comes to ensuring the most efficient day-to-day operations at your hotel, integrating your PMS and POS systems is a must. Not only will you avoid the risks that come with keeping these systems separate, you’ll also be better equipped to offer more personalized guest experiences, have more control over your payments, and increase revenue through targeted upselling strategies.
Check out our case study to see how Evention transformed financial operations and management in hotels across Saudi Arabia. Or, if you’re ready to bring the benefits of PMS and POS integration to your hotel, our team is here to help. Contact Evention today to schedule a demo.