Changing your technology partner is a lot like changing the engine of an airplane while in flight. The risks are great, but so are the potential rewards. Propelled by significant advances in technology and software capabilities no doubt, hotel companies, and hotel properties are re-assessing their current systems-looking to cloud-based solutions, mobile applications, and the host of new technologies that improve operational efficiencies and enhance guest service to make decisions about upgrading their pms. But how long will it take to install the new system, from the time the contract is signed to the time the system is live? Here’s an overview of pms implementation timeline:
Pre-Implementation Planning and Discovery
The process begins long before any software gets implemented. The most successful projects kick off with a 2- to 4-week discovery phase led by your vendor’s implementation team. They’ll meet with your key team members (front desk, housekeeping, revenue management, IT) to map out your existing workflows, uncover any pain points, and document any unique requirements or processes that you need in the new system. This phase sets the stage for a successful project. You’ll also work together to outline your goals, success criteria, and who’s responsible for what. Hotels that skip this step tend to run into schedule delays because new requirements pop up that weren’t part of the original plan.
Did you think you could escape from Excel spreadsheets that easily? Unfortunately, you can’t. No matter how shiny and new your PMS is, there’s always going to be something you’re going to need to plug into Excel and keep a copy of, just in case.
System Configuration and Customization
With timelines generally ranging from two to eight weeks, the best advice is to begin with a detailed discovery phase. The more information gathered up front, the smoother and shorter the configuration phase will be. A good technology partner will provide you with a comprehensive worksheet that breaks down all the decisions and information you’ll need to provide. This includes all the stakeholders for booking, payment, and check-in; POS preferences (how do you want to handle incidentals? print receipts?); fiscal and/or jurisdictional reporting requirements; and customized reporting needs. Do you have a frequent-visitor program or own a timeshare, and how should your PMS account for these?
Requests for customization may lengthen the implementation phase of your PMS but they are essential to its optimal functioning. The custom built PMS is likely to cover most unique demands of your property or group. Sub-brands, for instance, might need separate fields for parent company or ownership details which are unlikely to be included in an out-of-box solution. Pre-defined, your vendor’s team can probably add anything you like but you need the time to document the request, review the build and test the results.
Data Migration and Testing
Data migration is like moving a library. You know what you want the new shelves to look like but unless you spend time in the old building you’ll leave things you need and take things you don’t. The same goes for your data , records that haven’t been used in years can be archived instead of moved. But what if something important gets left behind? Two of the key issues are missing data fields, and mismapped or misconfigured fields. Whether through error or oversight, fields critical to your operations can be hidden in your current system. If the same field names are used in the new system, the migration tool may assume a direct correlation. Even relatively minor differences in a field name or system flow can render an entire dataset unusable.
After the migration, you must conduct parallel testing where you operate the two systems concurrently (the old one and the new one) to ensure everything is working perfectly and there’s no data corruption. While parallel testing can be very time-consuming, it’s definitely a “do-not-skip” step. Processes must also be tested as per the below schedule. Test scenarios should include things like: check-in and check-out, rate change, night audit, payment handling, configuration changes, etc. Processes noted to be unstable should be locked during the parallel testing phase and reactivated only after the final cut over if no discrepancies have been identified.
Training and User Adoption
One of the top causes of hotel system failures is poor training. When staff don’t know how to perform a task in the new system, they either enter the wrong data or avoid using the system altogether. Offer on-demand training for new employees and refresher courses for existing staff. Create a knowledge base for easy access to how-to guides and FAQs. foster a culture of teaching and learning to ensure your team is always comfortable with the PMS.
How can we give our users the best chance for success in their brave new world? How can we help them get the most out of their shiny new tool? How can we make the transition easier and less painful for all concerned? Most of us have invested in training and change management. Most of us have left it at that. But is that really enough? How can practice be perfect if everyone’s forgotten what they’ve learned by the time the new system goes live? We need an ongoing system for sharing knowledge, tips and tricks, and solutions to common problems. What works for each of us. How to do X in the system. And that’s where the champions come in. Hotels that thrive will be those that continue to share knowledge beyond the formal training phase.
Go-Live and Post-Implementation Support
The day you ‘go live’ with new hotel software is not the day to review your training guide for the first time. Yet many users panic, having already forgotten their overview training from months before. This is when you’ll crave a support team who knows your unique operation and can communicate in layman’s terms. The system should function as it did (only now, faster and more intuitively) so the onus is on your trainers to have prepared you well.
Support doesn’t stop after go-live. To get the best return on your software investment, retain some key pms implementation vendor staff with experience on your project for a month of overlapping support and training. This period of in-the-trenches guidance bolsters your front-line users and trainers. The faster they master the rollout, the sooner you’ll hit peak performance.
Typical Timeline Overview
If you’re like most hotels, your first steps following contracting will be assembling your hotel’s implementation team, meeting with your PMS project manager for a discovery session, aligning with your property management vendor(s) timeline, and the actual configuration, integration, and training process. Let’s break down some common steps.
