Knowing the ins and outs of your property-management system has obvious benefits and can actually translate into real revenue. Not using the system’s many layers will actually lead to lost dollars.
With the help of the World Wide Web, PMS vendors are offering intricate training.
“User manuals are built into the application—everyone is expecting that now,” said Dave Kantrud, SVP of development for Multi-Systems. “We’ve made shop talks available where the property can get online with a trainer and discuss functionality. We are moving more into more of the tech focus of training—we do webinars and offer short snippets of video on the Web.”
Kantrud said MSI offers a pretty layered approach to online training. For customers that are familiar with the product and want to see what’s new, MSI offers 1- to 4-minute video snippets they can watch at their leisure. For new customers, MSI offers Web-based training that is more in-depth so the user can learn the system from scratch.
The Web offers unique training options because property staff and PMS vendors don’t have to meet face to face.
Micros Systems, who recently partnered with Venza Group to deploy a learning management system to its client hotels, recently began offering its e-learning package on the Web rather than on CDs.
“Doing it Web-based, we were able to add more functionality,” said Alicia Marz, e-learning manager for Micros Systems. “We’re trying to save properties some money on on-site training and trying to leverage that savings.”
The Web can help properties roll out new property-management systems and can also help with continual learning.
“We attend many webinars over different modules to keep up on our training,” said Libby Stowe, sales and marketing specialist for Campbell’s Resort on Lake Chelan in Washington. Stowe coordinates online training classes with Northwind Maestro and oversees all online new-hire training and learning updates. “We also do some ad hoc training—one-on-one training—and when we have questions on anything they have on-demand live Web chats.”
Stowe said Northwind products are getting very advanced, and as new applications or extensions are rolled out, she must learn how to best use them and then teach her staff. For example, Campbell suggested to Northwind that they would like to set up a guest loyalty program, and the vendor is now in the process of developing such tools.
“Every time we have a suggestion we send them an enhancement request,” Stowe said. “We have made a ton of changes to Maestro just by suggesting tweaks.”
At Hotel Concepts, the PMS vendor uses the Web by setting up a “virtual hotel” to teach employees how to best use the software. Actual room counts and bed types are set up to emulate the property receiving the upgrade, and property staff and Hotel Concepts training staff can access the server remotely.
Shiobhan Dolan, a product manager at Hotel Concepts, said Web usage depends on what type of training is needed.
“If we’re rolling out a complete new module, we would send out what we call release notes saying we are going to update your property on such-and-such date, and if you have additional questions we can schedule a webinar,” she said. “If the updates are less extensive, we can set up a Web session.”
Dolan said Hotel Concepts plans to increase efforts to address continual learning opportunities by sending e-mail blasts to existing customers and polling them to see if they have any questions about the software.
“Based on meetings with your support teams, are you getting questions about the product? Are you getting questions from your revenue managers? Is there a void there? We need to gauge that interest,” she said.
Training wheels
Who is responsible for training the new front-desk clerk on how to best use the property-management system differs from property to property. Here’s how some of the popular PMS vendors attack training:
“Because each hotel does this their own way, I attend the broad Northwind webinars, take that back and teach employees how we will use it.”
Libby Stowe, sales and marketing specialist for Campbell’s Resort
“If they’re just adding a module, it’s usually based on the premise of the Opera software they already have and some of the technology is exactly the same. Then we don’t have to start from scratch. We’re trying to reduce time on site, so maybe we’ll train the management and supervisors and they can in turn train the staff.”
Alicia Marz, e-learning manager for Micros Systems
“E-learning provides the opportunity for staff to teach themselves the system and then take a test to prove they’ve watched it.”
Dave Kantrud, SVP of development for Multi-Systems
“Normally we would train the employees and the management all together in a training room at the property. Each trainee has his or her own work station. For less extensive enhancements, we can set up a Web session.”
Shiobhan Dolan, product manager at Hotel Concepts
