Should you be looking for a property management system which is cloud based?
- And anyway, what is the cloud?
- Just what is cloud computing, and how does it all work?
In laymen’s terms, cloud computing just means that all the software and data isn’t stored on your computers and you don’t need to have servers or database managers installed at the hotel or hostel.
Many small to medium business owners simply do not have the time to go out and buy a server, manage a server and pay someone to look after all of that. It’s much easier to use a cloud system. Most of us have been using cloud systems for years. Your internet banking is largely a cloud service. You don’t need to download or install software onto your laptop or computer. You just open up Safari or Internet Explorer or Chrome and away you go. Many of us have for years used cloud email systems (for those of you who remember when AOL was around – just sign into the AOL website was all that was needed even 20 years ago, and that was before anyone had called the cloud, “The Cloud”)
Most GuestCentrix installations at independent hotels and hostels have been what we call “On Premise” hosting up until 2 years ago. In other words, the PMS was installed locally at the hotel, with a server stuck somewhere in a server room (or in the corner of the manager’s office, covered in boxes of tee-shirts in one strange instance!) which needs maintaining and managing.
More recently however, many of our clients are aware of the fact that GuestCentrix will run “In the Cloud”. Oaks Hotels and Resorts, YHA Australia, City Edge Apartments and St Christopher’s hostels have all hosted their systems in data centres or what is commonly referred to as “The Cloud”.
- Is a cloud solution for everyone?
No.
And don’t fall into the trap believing that The Cloud will solve all your IT concerns. Those hotels who have poor or inadequate internet connections should choose to install GuestCentrix On Premise still.
We still visit a number of hotels across the globe whom have been unable to check us in, or out – or process our bills as they had lost their internet connection.
This happens on a regular basis at one of our favourite locations in the UK. The minute it rains, the internet drops out. They were sold a “cloud PMS” by a convincing sales person explaining it would cut their costs. All it has done was to cut their revenue. And that is not good business.
However, with a reasonable internet connection, a cloud solution from GuestCentrix will reduce the cost on site of having to manage servers, and massive network infrastructure, and needing to have an on-call IT support company who need to spend time and effort in maintaining all that hardware. In a Cloud system all that is taken care of.
The hardware never grows old, the operating system the Cloud solution works on never gets out of date, and your data is constantly backed up and saved, you know, just in case!
Here in the CMS Hospitality offices, many of our critical systems are already cloud based; support systems, development tracking, implementation systems and even our phones are cloud based.
The stuff just works!
Our team are here to help, guide and advise on what is the best solution for your business, and how we should deploy GuestCentrix in your environment. Whichever way you choose and whichever way you think best, we can supply it!
For more information about the GuestCentrix cloud:
GuestCentrix Cloud