In years gone by there was no reason why hotel IT infrastructure needed to be up to the standard of that found in law firms and accountancy offices, but times have changed, and nowadays any modern hotel IT infrastructure is likely to include a dedicated server and on-site access to the internet for staff and guests alike.
You may feel as though your premises are being left behind in the frenetic pace of broadband evolution – but with Comcare’s help, that does not have to be the case.
Here are just a few of the ways hotel IT infrastructure can help you to bring in more guests, serve your existing customer base better, and enable your staff to do their jobs more effectively too.
- Hotel websites
If you don’t have a website at all, a basic static page advertising your location and contact details is a start, but there is still much more you can do.
An online ordering system that connects directly to your bookings calendar can avoid double bookings and automate much of the process, leaving your staff at the reception desk to deal with customers who are there in person.
- Communications
Good hotel IT infrastructure is not just about making multiple methods of communication available – such as VoIP phone lines, email and so on – but is also about making sure they are available 24/7.
Reliable hotel IT systems let customers contact you when they want to – you might not have personnel on the lines around the clock, but you can at least ensure you have a list of enquiries to respond to when the morning shift begins.
- Point of sale
Whether you take cash for things like meals and drinks, or charge them to the guest’s room, point of sale systems let you track each customer’s spending more reliably.
This not only avoids making mistakes and forgetting to charge for certain items or services, but it also gives you a single database of customer transactions from which you can identify what sells well in your bar or restaurant, and what does not.
Comcare’s expertise can assist you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year – an invaluable service given the 24 hour nature of the hotel industry. We’re also able to advise you on the complicated nature of PCI compliance – an unavoidable issue when it comes to POS.
- Storage and backup
The more important data you generate using your hotel IT systems, the more crucial it is that you store it where you can quickly retrieve it, with secondary backups just in case anything goes wrong.
Comcare can help you to set up your server so essential files are automatically backed up, checked and monitored on a daily basis.
- Wireless networks
WiFi is essential for most hotel guests these days so fast and reliable access is essential. Comcare can help design an entire wireless network or advise on how to improve on what you’ve got to enhance the overall guest experience.
Installing your wireless networks correctly can make all the difference when it comes to your cyber security.
Comcare will always advise setting up separate networks for your staff and your guests to ensure the utmost security. You don’t want to be surprised by a savvy guest who manages to retrieve sensitive information by sharing your staff networks.
- Seamless upgrades
Whatever hotel IT infrastructure upgrades you invest in, you need them to be carried out quickly, with minimal downtime of your existing systems.
Comcare understand this need, and can schedule upgrade work to take place as quickly as possible at a convenient time – in some cases we have completed hotel IT system upgrades with less than an hour’s total downtime.
- Hotel Management Software
Although Comcare does not supply dedicated hotel management software, for many years we have worked alongside specialist hotel management software developers such as Avon Data to ensure the smooth running of the hotel. We work with them to ensure our clients get the best possible service and results to ensure the smooth running and success of the Hotel.