16 years
I would be willing to show my system to anyone interested. What I am more interested in though, is to have you guys input on it so that I can improve upon it.
Front desk systems and property management software
Front Desk Operations
What kinds of systems does your hostel use to manage reservations and guests?
Here are some of the ones that I have seen:
- Paper reservation and accounting system
- Excel or OpenOffice spreadsheet
- roomMaster 2000
- Ros2000
- ASSD (including Gomio's version)
- Hostelworld's Backpack software
Any others to add? Recommendations or warnings about one system vs. another?
- Comments
16 years
I have used Backpack (Hostelworld reservation system) in the past when I used to manage Ashlee House hostel in london. I think that even though it is a really easy system to use and train staff, it was definitively lacking features such as reports. Also I used to hate the fact that if you use it as a booking engine on your own website, you are actually giving yourself and hostelworld the same availability and prices which I find ridiculous. Backpack wanted us to go with backpack online however it wasn't suitable as our internet is down too much in london and they have access to all your company details.
I now manage Ashlee house's sister hostel: Clink. We are also based in london. For this new property that openned in summer 2007, I looked at lots of booking systems. I chose Charts (online system), it is an Australian based company that provides a booking system to all YHA in Australia and other hostels such as Picadilly backpackers & Globetrotters Inn in london and USA hostels. What I like about the system is that we have Hostelworld interfacing and they are developing the interface with both Hostelbookers and Hostelsclub. This way ALL your availability is online but you can give different prices to different people. For example you can sell your last beds though your website or sell your beds at £15 and though others at £20. No availabilty to be given. A time saver! There is plenty of things I could say about Charts so I advise anyone that is interesting in a good booking system to get in contact with them. If you want a hostel point of view, do not hesitate to contact me.
berrie
Clink london
16 years
Thanks for that update on Charts -- it sounds like an interesting program. I will see if I can download a trial copy.
16 years
oh gawd... charts? yes, it can be edited to interact with virtually anything - but its like using DOS at teh front desk. possibly the least user-friendly frontdesk system ive ever encountered. im sure a few things can be learned from it, but er.... using it? no thanks.
16 years
I have heard of systems like:
Gubse starting to be installed in A&O Hostel in Hamburg, but having to be modified a lot to make it work.
System called Brilliant works really well for larger hostels that do groups as well and that find reproting improtant. Working well in GENERATOR hostels both in London and Berlin.
there are a couple of very important elements a system must be able to do:
- logical and simple to learn to work with the system.
- interfaces for several internet booking systems.
- accounting system
- reporting, daily, monthly, yearly and date ranges
would it not be great to have a system that would do all the work on all the internet sales channels, so are staff can focus on communicating with the guest because that is what guest are looking for when visiting a hostel. The inside information for our staff.
Who knows of a system that will be able to do this interfacing?
16 years
(For anyone who is interested in investigating them, here are links to those two front desk programs that were mentioned above:
Gubse
Brilliant Hotel Software)
16 years
As I said in previous emails, I am using Charts. It is interfacing with my own website and hostelworld. We are doing the testing for the hostelclub interface so it should be available shortly. I have been talking with David Smith from Hostelbookers and he said he was working on it however that was few month ago so I need to follow it up. I really think charts will be the first one to provide all of them....
16 years
Thanks for the update on Charts. I'm going to try to download a trial version soon.
16 years
smartfx.co.nz is a kiwi company which has a sql server back end. The downloaded demo seems ok, but not very intuitive. I use a hotel system (rezovation paired with webervations for internet bookings) for private rooms (they are interfaced) and worldhostelguide.com for dorm bookings. I use hostel world too, but no others b/c of the difficulty of multiple updates. I was always hoping that Tobias of worldhostelguide would add the killer guest management system to interface with world hostel guide. Charts looks like it's DOS based, text based is for the birds. waiting on word from powerhostel...ADDS too friggin expensive, maybe the gomio version, is it available to Americans? If no we'll invade your country too!
cheers
conrad in florida
16 years
ADDS too friggin expensive, maybe the gomio version, is it available to Americans? If no we'll invade your country too!
Hahaha! Absolutely no need for that, because:
1. ASSD is not good. I really really really had a close look at it because it´s one of the few specifically made for hostels and I didn´t like it.
2. You might be able to make a case for invading countries for oil - after all, you are running out of own reserves, but software development is the only world-class industry you have left (apart from political spin doctors, that is). If you have to go to war to get hold of computer geeks, your economy really must be in deepest shit! :D
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