Question

Describe the difference in handling a bar bill that is to be posted to the guest’s folio if:

• The bar uses a POS with a PMS at the desk.
• The bar has no POS, but there is a PMS at the desk.

List and describe two factors that management should weigh before buying and installing a new interface to its Property Management System.

Answer 1

The POS stands for Point of Sale and PMS stands for Property management System. Generally the PMS is equipped with lot of Interfaces based of the type of Property and its operations. Handling a bar bill that is to be posted to the guest's folio will be different in two scenarios

1. If the bar uses POS with PMS at the desk that means the integration is there as generally PMS & POS comes and act together. So as per the bill it will generally added to the Guests folio automatically along with other facilities and services availed by the guest. Thus it will give worry free and streamlined experience to the guest at the checking time as it will be a all in one automated information.

2. If the bar has no POS but there is PMS at the desk (normally that worry free happen though), in that case the bills of bars has to be maintained manually and in PMS it has to linked with an additional effort by the management. If by any chance the effort is not Upton the mark by the internal team of management and at the checking time the guest has some different information for checking out, there might have chances of altercation and it may not give the guest a pleasant experience.

The factors any management should consider before buying and installing a new interface to its Property Management System are

1. Operation Strategy of the Property: Based on the type of property and its operation strategy the interfaces differ. Choosing a right interface is as essential as identifying the need of it which will come once the management identify the need of it. The strategic performance of the interface will help the management to yield smooth functioning of the Operations and better output.

2. Ease of Use: Ultimately any interface has to be used by the team of management especially by the front line managers. It is very much necessary to first introduce and take feedback of those managers before purchasing any interface. any feedback now will help the management to avoid malfunctioning later, thus ease of use has to be checked properly keeping managers level of competency.