Why a PMS is the key to automation in hotels
Efficiency and time optimization are crucial for success in the hotel industry. A modern PMS is at the heart of a hotel's digital infrastructure. By automating workflows and communications, the PMS can reduce costs, free up staff time and improve the guest experience. Lyra's PMS is a platform where all systems, including WBE, POS and online payments, are connected in real time. This means that hotels no longer need to manage multiple separate systems and can instead focus on smooth and automated operations. In this article, we highlight some of the features that can be easily automated in our platform.
Automated customer dialogue and communication
Digital dialogue for a better experience
Automating customer dialogue means that guests can receive automatic updates on bookings, payments or other events. Lyra has a powerful tool for creating outbound communication. Before, during and after the guest's stay. You can easily set up custom messages for every step of the guest's process. Some common examples are:
- Booking confirmation
- Booking modification
- Payment link sent
- Cancellation
- No-show
- Reminders
All templates can also be customized specifically for each guest during dispatch. For instance, if a guest has ordered flowers for their room via phone, you can adjust the opening phrase to say, “Thank you for your call, {guest’s name}, …” to create an even more personalized experience.
Streamlining communication flows
The system automatically sends messages and reminders, saving time and providing the guest with a more cohesive experience. You can choose which events to automate communication for and customize the messages to match your tone. Variables can easily be included in the message to make it more personal, such as the guest’s name, room number, prices, etc. For example, you can create a template by writing “Hello {guest-name}, thank you for your booking,” which will insert each guest’s name when the message is sent.
Automation of daily tasks
Automatic tasks for staff
The Lyra platform has the ability to automatically create tasks (To-Dos) for staff. These can be automated so that they are triggered by events in the system. For example, if X happens, task Y is created for person Z. For example, if a guest books an extra bed, the cleaning staff can immediately receive the task to place it in the room. It is also possible to mark tasks as urgent, which gives a signal to the person receiving the task.
Efficient management of upselling
Additional services and upsells are easily added to the system, and the right department or person is automatically assigned to handle the guest's needs. For example, if a guest requests extra services, such as flowers in the room or champagne, this is handled seamlessly by the right person automatically receiving the task and preparing it for the guest's arrival.
Lyra's platform streamlines staff workflows through task automation. The system can automatically generate tasks based on specific events. For example:
- If a guest books an extra bed, the cleaning staff is immediately tasked with placing it in the room.
- Additional services and upselling: when a guest orders additional services such as flowers or champagne in the room, the relevant details are automatically assigned to the staff responsible for preparing for the guest's arrival.
- Recurring tasks can be created automatically. For example, smoke alarms should be checked monthly or the lawn should be mowed weekly.
Tasks can also be marked as urgent to signal priority to the recipient.
Automated payment management
Smooth payment flows - reduce manual labour
Automating payment management means that the system handles payments for third-party channels according to your hotel’s desired configurations. For instance, credit cards from OTAs can be charged at a specific time each day, as per your preference. This eliminates manual work and ensures that all transactions are processed accurately.
Synchronized payments in real time
Whether payments are made online, via link, or on site, all data is synchronised in the Lyra platform, making all payment flows easier to follow and analyse.
Automation of no-show management
When a guest doesn’t show up, the system can be configured to automatically charge for the no-show night and cancel the remaining nights. You can also set different rules based on the guest’s rate code or agreement. This immediately frees up the room for new bookings and minimizes lost revenue.
Summary
Automation is the key to streamlining hotel operations, reducing costs and creating a better guest experience. Lyra's platform automates multiple processes such as customer dialogue, payments and no-show management in one cohesive system. This is just a limited selection of how you can work with automation in our system, contact us below to see how we can help your business grow with automation.
