The Property Management System: The View from the Front Desk on Training and Performance

This paper examines the critical role of the Property Management System (PMS). The PMS is the key information technology for hotels, though these PMS systems are not exploited to their full potential. Previous research has identified a lack of training as a key barrier to full exploitation, thus, this paper investigates in-depth the role of PMS training. A qualitative approach using in-depth interviews is undertaken to give insights into why training budgets and time taken for training are low. The interviews with front desk managers show that front desk personnel themselves conduct most of the training and that specific budget allocated for front desk training is limited, training days are minimal and not fully integrated into IT budgets or strategy.