Hotels are as complex as a sack of scientific calculators. And they're as hard to manage as a roomful of sugar-fuelled toddlers.

Sure, from the outside, they might look simple. You just check guests in, give them a key, and check them out a couple of days later, right?

Wrong. And if you're a hotel manager, you don't need us to tell you twice.

Check-ins are just the tip of the hospitality iceberg. You've also got to keep track of housekeeping, minibars, wake-up calls and about a million other variables.

Put it this way. If we ever get picked to colonise Mars, we're putting a hotel manager in charge. They'll keep oxygen supplies in check and fix that broken thruster while they're at it, we're sure.

But we're not here to dwell on the complexities. We're here to offer solutions.

How? With a little help from a VoIP phone system called Wildix.

I thought VoIP phones were for… err… phone calls?

Yes, they sure are!

And they're very good at it too. VoIP phones offer all sorts of time-saving and cost-effective features that just aren't possible with old-fashioned phone lines. These include high-tech video handsets, improved audio quality, and free calls to UK landlines and mobiles.

Wildix – one of our favourite VoIP systems – takes things even further. Wildix can act as a complete UC (unified communications) solution, allowing staff to make calls, send chat messages and initiate video meetings from one easy-to-use dashboard on their PC.

So far, so useful. But these features can benefit anybody. We promised to help hotel managers, not Jane or Johnny Businessperson. What gives?

Well, that's where integrations come in. See, Wildix is designed to integrate seamlessly with many popular business applications, including hotel PMS solutions.

With the right integration in place, Wildix transforms from an awesome, all-around communications solution to a hospitality superhero. A bit like Superman, if he focused his powers on hotel management instead of battling Lex Luthor.

What are the benefits of PMS integration?

OK. If you've read this far you probably already know what a PMS does. But let's cover it quickly just to be sure.

PMS stands for "property management system". Ergo, a PMS solution helps you manage all aspects of your hotel operations from one central system. A good PMS will track guest information, check ins, housekeeping, billing, and much more besides.

Integrating Wildix with your PMS can supercharge your communications. It means that every phone call or instant message can feed into your PMS, allowing useful data to be exchanged between the two systems.

That's the techy answer, anyway. Let's put the technology into action and discover four ways it can benefit your business in the real world.

(Please note: these features might not be available for every Wildix/PMS integration. If in doubt, check the Wildix website for details.) 

1. Block outgoing calls for checked-out guests

Once a room becomes vacant, you don't want people sneaking in to make expensive phone calls. With Wildix integration, you can easily block outgoing calls from vacant rooms. Because the phone handsets "talk" to your PMS, this can be set up to happen automatically – no human input is required, beyond the initial setup phase.

2. Arrange automatic wake-up calls

Missing an arranged wake-up call is a surefire way to upset a guest. Throw Wildix into the mix, though, and you can schedule these calls to happen automatically – complete with a friendly, prerecorded message.

Just imagine – you need never worry about missing a call again. That's worth the price of admission alone, in our book.

3. Monitor calls for easy billing

Wildix has powerful real-time call reporting tools built in. These can be set up on a guest-by-guest basis, allowing for reports to be generated the moment a guest checks out. This means customers won't have to wait around for their bill, and you avoid any risk of human error in your calculations.

4. Report on room statuses, remotely

Here's where things get really clever. Using room phones or DECT (walkabout) handsets, staff can send status updates directly to the PMS system, no matter where they are.

Consider housekeeping, for instance. By entering a quick service code, housekeeping staff can instantly indicate whether a room is vacant or occupied, and clean or dirty.

This has benefits for your staff, of course – delivering on-the-spot reports means they don't have to rely on notes and can focus on the job at hand. But it can boost efficiency for front desk staff too, because they don't have to wait for housekeepers to do their rounds before they can update the system.

You can also use this feature to report the use of in-room services. For example, staff can count up the minibar and charge guests for their usage, right there and then.

Which PMS solutions are supported?

Wildix supports direct integration with several of the most popular PMS applications, including OPERA Cloud, HotSoft and Protel.

And that's just the start. Wildix has one of the best development teams in the business. They've already delivered over 60 ready-to-go software and hardware integrations, and more are being developed all the time.

The full list of direct PMS integrations (at the time of writing) looks like this:

•   Direct Holiday

•   Ericsoft

•   Fidelio Suite

•   HotSoft

•   Oracle OPERA and OPERA Cloud

•   Protel Air and Protel On-Premise

•   Rezlynx

In addition, Wildix integrates with char pmslink. In case you're unaware, this is a very clever piece of software that connects hotel equipment with PMS apps. Using pmslink as the "bridge" allows Wildix to interface with more than 120 other PMS solutions. Wow.

Interested in Wildix?

At Yoozoom, we've specialised in VoIP telephony for the best part of ten years. We're an official Wildix partner, too, so we know how to make the most of this very powerful phone system.

Want to talk about how Wildix can benefit your hospitality business? Get in touch to set up a no-obligation consultation.

Want to do a little more reading? Great! Believe us, there's a whole lot more Wildix can do.

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