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A-Z Glossary of Hospitality Tech Terms
We at Ace Marketing Solutions created this comprehensive A-Z glossary of hospitality tech terms to help hoteliers, property managers, and industry professionals better understand the evolving landscape of hotel technology.
As a company providing a cloud-based property management system, channel manager, booking engine, hotel e-commerce plans and hotel websites, we understand that the world of hospitality tech can be complex and ever-changing.
This hospitality tech glossary serves as a resource to simplify key hospitality tech terms, provide clear and concise definitions, and help you make more informed decisions when it comes to selecting and integrating the right technology solutions for your property.
Whether you’re looking to streamline your front-desk operations, increase direct bookings, or improve guest experiences, our glossary is here to guide you through the essential concepts and tools that drive success in today’s digital-first hotel environment.
A
API (Application Programming Interface): A toolset that allows different software systems to communicate. In hospitality tech, APIs connect a hotel's property management system (PMS) with other systems like channel managers and booking engines, enabling seamless data flow and integration.
Automated Revenue Management System (ARMS): Software that uses algorithms to forecast demand and optimize room rates across different distribution channels. When integrated with a PMS and channel manager, it helps in maintaining rate parity.
Artificial Intelligence (AI): Used in booking engines and customer service chatbots to provide personalized guest experiences, predict customer needs, and improve the overall booking process.
B
Booking Engine: An online reservation system that allows guests to book rooms directly on a hotel’s website. It is crucial for increasing direct bookings, reducing OTA commissions, and providing a seamless booking experience.
Business Intelligence (BI): Data analytics tools that provide insights into hotel performance, customer preferences, and market trends. When integrated with PMS and booking engines, BI helps hotels make data-driven decisions.
C
Channel Manager: Software that synchronizes a hotel’s room availability, rates, and inventory across multiple distribution channels like OTAs and GDS. This prevents overbooking and ensures rate parity, maximizing revenue opportunities.
Cloud Property Management System (PMS): A centralized software solution that manages reservations, check-ins/outs, housekeeping, and guest profiles. Cloud-based PMS systems offer benefits like remote access, real-time updates, and integration with other hotel software.
CRM (Customer Relationship Management): Software that helps manage guest relationships by tracking guest preferences, booking history, and interactions. A CRM system integrated with PMS and booking engines helps hotels offer personalized services and targeted marketing.
D
Direct Booking: The process of guests booking directly through a hotel's website or booking engine, bypassing OTAs. Direct bookings are crucial for reducing commission costs and building stronger guest relationships.
Dynamic Pricing: A strategy that adjusts room rates based on demand, competition, and market trends. Integrated with a channel manager and PMS, dynamic pricing helps optimize revenue.
E
Electronic Point of Sale (EPOS): A system integrated with PMS that facilitates transactions within the hotel, such as in restaurants or gift shops. It helps in real-time inventory management and billing.
Energy Management System (EMS): Software that integrates with PMS to monitor and control energy usage in a hotel, reducing costs and promoting sustainability.
F
Front Desk Management System: Part of a PMS that handles guest check-ins, check-outs, and room assignments, streamlining front desk operations.
G
Guest Messaging Platform: A communication tool integrated with PMS to enhance guest engagement before, during, and after their stay. It allows for real-time communication, upselling, and feedback collection.
GDS (Global Distribution System): A network that connects travel agents and OTAs to hotel inventory. A channel manager integrates with GDS to manage bookings from various sources efficiently.
H
Hotel Website CMS (Content Management System): A platform used to build and manage hotel websites, allowing for easy content updates and SEO optimization to attract more direct bookings.
Housekeeping Management: A feature in a PMS that helps streamline housekeeping tasks by providing real-time room status updates, task management, and staff coordination.
I
Integrated Payment Gateway: A secure payment processing system that is part of a booking engine or hotel website, allowing guests to make secure online payments during booking.
Inventory Management: Part of a PMS and channel manager, it helps manage room inventory across various channels to prevent overbooking and optimize room availability.
L
Loyalty Program Management: Software that integrates with PMS and booking engines to reward repeat guests, increase direct bookings, and build guest loyalty.
M
Metasearch Engine: A tool that aggregates hotel rates from multiple booking platforms. Hotels use booking engines and channel managers to manage listings and ensure rate parity across metasearch sites.
Mobile Check-In: A feature that allows guests to check in via their mobile devices, often integrated with a PMS to provide a seamless experience.
N
Natural Language Processing (NLP): A technology used in AI chatbots integrated with hotel websites and booking engines to understand and respond to guest inquiries in real time.
O
OTA (Online Travel Agency): Platforms like Booking.com and Expedia where guests can book hotels. While OTAs drive bookings, a well-optimized booking engine and channel manager help drive direct bookings and reduce OTA dependency.
Online Reputation Management (ORM): Tools that help hotels monitor and manage guest reviews and feedback across different platforms, integrated with CRM to enhance guest satisfaction.
P
PMS (Property Management System): The core software for managing hotel operations like reservations, housekeeping, and guest services. A cloud PMS offers real-time data access, scalability, and integration capabilities.
PCI Compliance (Payment Card Industry Compliance): A crucial feature for booking engines and integrated payment gateways to ensure secure transactions.
R
Revenue Management System (RMS): Software integrated with PMS and channel managers to dynamically adjust room rates and optimize revenue based on demand and market conditions.
S
Smart Room Technology: Technology that integrates with PMS to provide personalized guest experiences, such as automated room settings and smart controls.
SaaS (Software as a Service): The model used by cloud PMS, channel managers, and booking engines, providing scalability, regular updates, and cost-efficiency.
T
Two-Factor Authentication (2FA): A security measure integrated with booking engines and hotel websites to ensure secure transactions and data protection.
U
Upselling Software: Integrated with PMS and booking engines, it offers guests room upgrades or additional services during the booking process or check-in.
V
Virtual Concierge: AI-powered tools integrated with hotel websites or apps to provide guests with information and services, enhancing the guest experience.
W
Website Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO): Strategies to improve the number of visitors who complete bookings on a hotel website, often involving an optimized booking engine.
Wi-Fi Management System: Software integrated with PMS to provide secure and high-speed internet access to guests, often using data for personalized marketing.
Y
Yield Management: A pricing strategy that adjusts room rates based on demand, seasonality, and competition, supported by integration with RMS, PMS, and channel managers.
Z
Zone Pricing: A dynamic pricing strategy used in revenue management where room rates are adjusted based on geographical or market segmentation. Integrated with a channel manager and PMS, this helps in tailoring pricing strategies for different target markets.
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Email: sales@acemsthailand.com
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