A Comprehensive Guide to Property Management Systems in Japan

Property management systems, or PMS, are vital in the hospitality industry.

This guide explores what PMS is, its features, benefits, and how to choose one.

What is a property management system?

Shortened to PMS, it is a software platform that a wide range of establishments, including hotels, inns, and Airbnbs, utilize to manage tasks and enhance customer service.

Many property management systems can handle various actions, including but not limited to room reservations, guest check-in and check-out processes, room availability management, billing, and customer service.

The 4 must-have feature of PMS

Many property management systems offer similar features. Here are four must-have features.

1. Front desk operations

This feature combines managing reservations with front desk tasks to streamline the booking process and room tracking status.

The front desk will be able to automate guest check-in and check-out and facilitate quick guest services.

For example, many travelers use self-service check-in with QR codes or automatic check-outs instead of interacting with a front desk or filling out paperwork.  

2. Service and management

This feature includes customer service, facility management, maintaining guests’ profiles, and managing your venues to ensure everything runs smoothly without scheduling conflicts.

3. Finance tracking

A great property management system helps with financial operations, from point-of-sale transactions for comprehensive accounting to automatic account verification for accurate and up-to-date data.

Additionally, this feature includes data collection and analysis of your finances for revenue insight and management.

4. Housekeeping and maintenance

Housekeeping and maintenance are crucial to keep your property clean and well-managed. Some PMS can help schedule and oversee cleanings of facilities and larger spaces.

For example, with certain property management systems, the cleaning management feature lets you schedule and track cleaning so rooms are ready for new guests.

What are the benefits of a property management system?

1. Streamlined operation management

Property management systems are designed to significantly reduce the time your staff would spend on these tasks, freeing them up to focus on other important aspects of their work. This efficiency can bring a sense of relief, knowing that the system is handling the tedious tasks.

2. Better customer satisfaction

Property management systems, or PMSs, are not just for property managers. They also benefit your guests by speeding up processes such as making reservations, check-ins and check-outs, and additional services. This can instill confidence in your service quality, knowing that your guests' needs are being met efficiently.

3. Improve work efficiency

Property management systems help reduce manual data entry errors, improving financial reporting and analytics. These routine operations with PMS allow faster service and task completion.

How to choose a property management system

PMS can be divided into three different types depending on the size and type of the establishment.

1. For small and medium-sized facilities

Inns, guesthouses, small hotels and hostels, and Airbnb would be categorized as small to medium-sized facilities.

Whether you run an inn, guesthouse, small hotel, hostel, or Airbnb, an easy-to-use and cost-effective PMS is designed to streamline your daily operations without any complexities. This adaptability can provide a reassuringly simple solution for your property management needs, regardless of your establishment type. 

Basic features such as reservation management and a simplified account are sufficient to keep things running. 

If you’re already using a PMS, add MailMate to your lineup. MailMate will streamline your Japanese postal mail and translate its content into English. No more using your phone for each translation. Plus, all the mail will be saved in your account so you can easily search and download your documents.

While MailMate is not a traditional property management system, it can still handle tenant relationships, customer services, and scheduling maintenance and repairs for your property.

2. For business hotels

Business hotels need features supporting repeat customers, managing corporate clients, and supporting their partnerships.

Business hotels in Japan can use two main options for their PMS. Aipass (アイパス) helps make reservations for repeated guests, those with long-term consecutive stays, and even large group reservations based on their customers’ past preferences and frequency of past stays.

There’s also ビズサイト・ナフェイス CLOUD (BizSite N@FACE CLOUD), where you can use their services to adjust the room’s rate based on the type and time of day and adjust for demand and supply.

3. For larger-scale facilities

Larger hotels and resorts with over 100 rooms need a robust property management system to handle complex operations such as managing staff and multiple guests and coordinating large-scale events.

Youcom’s Hotel Manager Series is a highly customizable PMS that integrates with all aspects of your operations. For properties that focus on managing events and banquets, then 宿OH!Pro is for you.

Finally, for hotels specializing in weddings and department banquets, GLOVIA smart ホテル can handle reservations, estimations, and payment management.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between PMS and HMS?

PMS stands for property management system, while HMS stands for hotel management system. They are related but not identified, as both systems help manage and streamline their properties.

Both systems help streamline the process of managing properties. 

In closing 

Property management systems, especially in Japan, promote DX for hotels, hostels, inns, and Airbnb accommodations. Leveraging PMS technologies maximizes time and cost efficiency for your property.