Pearson New International Edition International pcl tp indd 1

FRONT OFFICE PROPERTY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
Whether selected by a hotel or dictated by a hotel’s franchisor, the quality of a
PMS can be evaluated by examining hotel-specific characteristics related to the system.
Some of the most important characteristics relate to the system’s operating hardware;
others relate to software. Some FOMs believe that the best approach to use when
selecting a PMS is to compare purchase prices of various systems; The lowest priced
system then becomes the most attractive. Although cost is always a consideration in
the purchase of any important hotel item, FOMs should evaluate a PMS based on
many characteristics, including these:
•
Reliability. The cost of a PMS is much less significant than is its reliability,
which is the single most important concern. The PMS is a computer system
and, like any other computer system, it may become inoperable at times (i.e.,
“crash” or “go down”).
Think of selecting transportation for a trip. If the trip is to be made by car,
the worst-case scenario may be that the car’s engine stops and delays the trip.
The traveler may incur significant additional costs for repair and experience
inconvenience. If the form of transportation is an airplane the worst-case
scenario is engine failure. In this case, the traveler may experience cata-
strophic consequences. Seasoned FOMs agree that the PMS is more like an
airplane than an automobile. Imagine, for example, the difficulty that would
arise in a 1,600-room convention hotel if, at 3:00 p.m. on the day that 1,000
guests are scheduled to arrive, the PMS goes down. In this scenario, think of the
information the front office agents would not know: who was in the hotel, who