There are many ways for the hotel industry to benefit from the mobile revolution. iPad apps for the front office allow reservation processes to run smoothly even when the employee is away from the stationary workstation at the reception desk. The new app “protel Housekeeping” offers mobile support for janitors and housekeeping staff. Front office employees see the same information as the housekeeper performing daily routines, or the janitor doing repairs. Every change in room status entered by the housekeeping staff is instantly visible at the front desk. This way, a just-completed room can immediately be assigned to a new guest, or a lost property enquiry can be checked instantly, in real time.
Christian Weis, Product Manager at protel, explains the development process: “The idea for this app arose from talking and listening to our clients about their particular needs and requirements. We were thus able to create a mobile solution that offers tangible benefits for daily workflows in the hotel.” The combination of app functions and device features of the iPod and the iPhone are particularly useful in supporting various operational work processes. Since a picture says more than a thousand words a photo taken in the room, for instance, can quickly clarify the necessity for repairs, and attached to a “Lost and found” message, the image helps prevent any misunderstandings.
Using WLAN, protel Housekeeping synchronizes all information and images with your protel PMS. And even if WLAN is not available in all areas of the hotel, the app’s automatic offline mode allows continuous use. Housekeeping staff and janitors don’t have to interrupt their work process based on current WLAN connectivity. As soon as the employee enters an area with WLAN access, all information that was entered whilst in offline mode is immediately and automatically synchronized with the system. The new protel Housekeeping app allows key employees to see up-to-date information wherever they are and whatever they are doing. This added benefit helps to ensure that the hotel runs smoothly and efficiently, which in turn allows more freedom to focus on the wellbeing of the actual hotel guests.