There’s an old Latin adage “knowledge is power.” Though the phrase itself dates to early recorded history, it’s still as relevant today as ever. It’s especially true for the modern hotel business. It’s now possible to turn what was once invisible data into actionable insights from which to make smarter, more competitive decisions.

In order to unlock these insights, you need the right technology and tools, such as a cloud-based property management system. That can make a huge difference to the typical hotelier’s decision-making ability.

For example, the SkyTouch Hotel OS® features mobile-optimized hotel management interfaces and provides insights into your business with more than 100 reports that owners and operators can leverage to respond to changes more quickly, efficiently and profitably. And because information can be accessed from anywhere, decisions can even be made remotely. Categories of reports include:

  • Accounting reports
  • Accounts receivable reports
  • Company history reports
  • Emergency reports
  • Front desk forms
  • Front desk reports
  • Group reports
  • Guest history reports
  • Housekeeping reports
  • Marketing reports
  • Travel agency commission reports
  • Reservation reports

Steve Baggett, General Manager of the 37-room Cobblestone Hotel & Suites in Newton, IL, said using reports built into the SkyTouch Hotel OS aided him in understanding just exactly who his customer base was. Baggett determined his hotel had a disproportionate amount of corporate business compared to leisure business for his market. That understanding allowed him to adapt, ultimately creating a pathway for growing hotel revenue, increasing nine percent versus only four percent for the rest of the market.

Hoteliers like Baggett can also utilize reports to show a hotel’s top 50 corporate customers by revenue. Plus, the system displays how much revenue properties generate over a set period of time and can also provide contact information for top guests. That helps hoteliers better recognize its best customers.

Housekeeping reports can create a pathway to higher profitability, too. For example, the housekeeping department is alerted to which rooms are occupied, ones that should not be cleaned, as well as generating room cleaning assignments for team members. This sets the stage for hoteliers to streamline the housekeeping department, that – when done right – could lower labor costs through time savings.

In-depth accounting reporting features assist hoteliers in many ways such as daily deposit transactions, daily and monthly summaries, accounts exempt from tax, knowing how much is owed for various taxes during any specific time, such as quarterly taxes, and lots more.

There’s even a series of emergency reports protecting a hotel’s ability to operate during a catastrophe resulting in a loss of power or internet. That ensures hoteliers still know which guests are checking in and out, a list of in-house guests, and relevant credit status.

The internet, and cloud-based property management systems, are altering how hoteliers operate their hotels. When leveraging information created by SkyTouch Hotel OS® reports, knowledge becomes powerful insights that can help drive profitability.