Hotel Billing For Communication Expenses
By Rito Salomone, Sat Dec 10th
Communication services are essential in keeping guestsconnected. Many business executives and travelers demandefficient facilities that can keep them in touch with home baseand perform tasks remotely. From small inns to large hotelchains there is a recognized need to provide their guests withthe latest communication technologies.
It is imperative for a sophisticated communications managementsystem (CMS) to account for telephone charges, internet usage,equipment fees, surcharges and new technologies added every day.Potential revenue walks out the door without a proper meteringsystem.
Virtually all communication servers and telephony platforms areequipped with a mechanism of delivering transaction logs(usually Call Detail Recording (CDR)). These logs are capturedby the CMS application, translated into a database, assigned acost and instantly delivered to a property management system. Insome small B&B, inns and motels billed transactions are spooledto a printer. Larger environments require more sophisticateddelivery of transactions to desktops, one or more propertymanagement systems and a central hub.
CMS applications are usually tailored for the special needs ofhospitality. These accounting systems generally facilitate realtime directly into room folios, departments and GLaccounts.
A CMS reporting engine can provide concise up to the minuteinformation for accounting comptrollers. Detailed and summaryreports can be derived
for guest rooms, meeting rooms,convention floors, administrative, employee and tenantextensions.
Most hotel chains will have special policies acrosstheir properties. A robust CMS pricing engine can accommodateany carrier tariffs, custom hotel plan, markups, surcharges,price limits, discounts or taxation. These tariffs can apply tointernet records, carrier services or IP/PBX records.
Competition and alternate communications technologies over theyears has reduced the cost of long distance. Many generalmanagers have complained about the loss of long distancerevenue. However, forward thinking comptrollers are nowmaximizing their returns with sophisticated communicationsmanagement systems (CMS) that address the of new and oldtechnologies (VoIP, Wi-Fi and fixed analog lines).
Most are becoming more savy about the capabilities of theirinfrastructure. Properties are reducing expenses throughintroduction of VoIP facilities and channeling more trafficefficiently. They analyze calling patterns, equipment usage andtraffic flow.
These metrics assist in tweaking systems for better customerrelationship. This generally results in recurring patronagerevenue for the property. A CMS solution is vital to the successof every hospitality environment.
About the author:Rito Salomone is the president of Resource SoftwareInternational Ltd. (RSI). He has 17 years experience in thefield of communication management solutions.
For more information you can review: http://www.telecost.com orcontact the author at rsalomone@telecost.com.
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