Preparing to Increase Productivity and Guest Safety in The New Hotel Landscape
May 19, 2020 – Properties are working with minimal staff to keep the doors open during today’s slow down; but what about tomorrow? Travel will quickly ramp up as CV-19 restrictions are lifted. Many operators are preparing for the restart now, implementing technologies, hotel software, and processes that will support social distancing guidelines and enable more efficient operations as staffing levels slowly return to meet higher occupancy demands.
“Post-CV-19 hotel operations will be about doing more with less and honoring regional social distancing guidelines,” said Warren Dehan, Maestro PMS President. “Reduced staffing levels will mean more work is falling to management and executive level teams. This, combined with new social distancing mandates and guest health concerns is creating the new guest journey, one that relies more on technology than ever before.” Technology that can take the pressure off management and provide integration across property operations at every point of contact will help organizations manage through lower staffing levels without compromising guest experiences.
For the past several years, Maestro PMS has offered users a variety of integrated modules, touchless tools, and apps that reduce or eliminate the need for physical contact. Online web and mobile guest registration check-in, online prepayment portal, express mobile check-out and electronic signature capture support a touchless guest journey and eliminate several unnecessary points of contact. Mobile-key guestroom access combined with web registration check-in lets guests forgo personal front desk contact at check-in. Many properties also offer mobile device check-out for a nearly complete touchless experience. “Maestro’s enhanced mobile guest journey solution shows concerned guests a property respects their health concerns by limiting exposure with others. Many Maestro clients have already set up pre-payment portals and WebPro online pre-check-in, and are launching digital registration cards with E-signature and express check-out to facilitate a nearly touchless hotel experience,” Dehan said. “We additionally offer an extensive API capability to integrate Maestro with third party systems which is also critical to this new landscape” he added.
Maestro PMS will provide several webinars through the month of June on “The Touchless Guest Journey, Technology Options & Guidelines to Consider,” promoted by invitation to Maestro clients and operators looking for the latest innovations in PMS offerings.
Maestro’s Housekeeping module also delivers functionality that effectively supports social distancing at the guestroom level. “Our Housekeeping Module can be programmed to create gaps in room rental spacing to allow time for complete room sanitation,” Dehan said. “Maestro’s Front Office system also offers a ‘wear and tear’ option that may be programmed to sell rooms that have been vacant the longest first. Plus, our Housekeeping system provides mobile texting capability and room status updates for less personal contact between staff and guests.”
System training will be an important ongoing process as properties rehire furloughed staff or bring on new employees. “Maestro has over 40 years of experience supporting independent operators who do not have brand support,” Dehan said. “We understand the importance of education and training for staff on systems and procedures, and we have built specialized eLearning and instant help tools so they can confidently use our system quickly. Every Maestro module comes with intuitive integrated learning
materials plus Live Chat Support and Training accessible by a single click from any Maestro screen. This lets staff get answers to system questions instantly to streamline system proficiency.” Live Chat enables hotel staff to start a chat session with Maestro’s support team from anywhere within the software application. Live Chat is part of Maestro’s expanding Diamond Plus Service program that includes On-Demand One-on-One Live Training, Built-In system Self-Help Tutorials and Reference Guides, an entire eLearning Center including Live Webcasts, Videos, and Self- guided Tutorials for faster system proficiency and ultimate staff productivity; all of this as well as the latest version upgrades included in the standard annual fees.
For more information on how to deliver a mobile strategy to support the guest journey you may click on the Maestro PMS’ Guest Engagement white paper.
The Maestro Property Management System delivers flexible and scalable deployment options with an identical full-featured web browser or windows solution available in the cloud or on premise. Maestro’s revenue-generating hotel management software tools and services increase profitability, drive direct bookings, centralize operations and provide personalized and mobile guest service tools to enhance the guest experience. Click here for more information on how to engage and socialize with Maestro PMS
