Smaller and mid-sized hotels often struggle when deciding on their IT infrastructure, particularly with regards to selecting appropriate software. Options like Hotel Software, Back Office Accounting, and ePOS for restaurants are all potential choices for businesses, but questions remain even after selecting a software provider like Sage, Micros, or Prologic First.
Common questions that hotel owners ask themselves include whether to install software locally or host it on the cloud, whether hosting costs money, what to do if they lose their internet connection, and whether the cloud is reliable and secure. The answers to these questions have changed significantly in the past few years.
Today, hosted applications are the future of IT infrastructure. With the increased availability of 3G and 4G dongles for backup connections, losing access to software due to hardware failure is less likely than experiencing cloud infrastructure downtime.
Regarding data security, it is true that even large companies like EBay, Sony, and Apple are at risk of being hacked. However, these companies are targeted due to their high profile. In reality, no one is truly safe from hackers, whether they are working for thrills or are paid by rival businesses.
While there is a monthly cost of £80 to £100 for a virtual private server (VPS), consolidation of local servers to a single site has allowed businesses to save on hardware maintenance and backups.
Ultimately, the decision between in-house or hosted IT solutions depends on whether the business has an in-house IT department to handle system maintenance and upgrades. Alternatively, businesses can take advantage of the shift towards cloud-based solutions and leave behind traditional on-site client services. Cloud-based hotel management software overcomes the challenges outlined above and offers customizable and detailed reports. For a 30-day free trial, click here.
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