ADR - Average Daily Rate is the total "Room" revenue divided by the number of rooms occupied. This number is used to measure the performance of a property.
ASCII - Pronounced "Ass Key", ASCII is a format of data that uses numbers, letters, punctuation -- but no graphics or sound. It is the most basic data format and is often used to exchange data between programs.
ASP - Application Service Provider is a program designed to run via the Internet. The program, not the data, is stored on the user's computer.
Booking Engine - See Web Booking Engine.
Broadband - A term meaning High Speed Internet Access, or a fast connection. Typical broadband connections are T1, Cable Modem and DSL. This type of connection is a must for businesses.
Browser - A program such as Internet Explorer, Firefox or Netscape. They are designed to allow you to use the WEB.
Call Accounting - A system that is attached to or part of your phone switch, and is designed to monitor the calls that guests make from the phones in their rooms to locations outside of the property. Typical call accounting systems will monitor the time the call was initiated, the phone number dialed and how long the guest was on the phone. Based on this information, the Call Accounting System will determine how much the guest should be charged based on the cost of the call and the amount of profit the property wants to make. Call Accounting Systems can be interfaced to a PMS such as AutoClerk. When the guest finishes their call, the Call Accounting System sends the charge to the PMS and it is posted directly onto the guest folio. Hansen, Tel-Electronics and Wren are all companies that produce Call Accounting Systems.
Call Center - A service where a guest can call on the phone to make a reservation at a hotel. The call center is not actually at the hotel. A call center can be part of a franchise such as Settle Inns or Best Western or it can be a private label company such as Topaz. A private label call center will answer the reservation phone line of a hotel and book the reservation without the guest necessarily knowing they are not talking directly with the hotel.
Client/Server - A type of software using two types of programs. A client is what the user interacts with and the server is what provides the client with the data to be displayed to the user. An example of this is the web, where a person uses a browser (the client) to view a website (which uses a web server). A PMS can also be a client server application, where there is a fileserver that holds all of the property's data and each station uses a client to enter reservations, check-ins, check-outs, etc.
CRS - Central Reservation System. All franchises such as America’s Best Value Inn, Best Western, Guest House and Settle Inns provide a CRS that includes a GDS connection, a call center and a web portal.
CSV - Comma Separated Values is a common file format used to exchange data between different programs, especially spreadsheets.
DSL - Digital Subscription Line is a form of high-speed internet access.
Firewall - A system of software, hardware or both installed between your computers and internet connection to protect you against people and programs that would attack your system with the intent of doing harm.
Folio - Guest Receipt
Franchise - A brand such as Guesthouse, Settle Inns, Best Western and America’s Best Value Inn. Franchises come with call centers, GDS connection and web portal.
GDS - Global Distribution System is a worldwide network that allows travel agents to book reservations for airlines, hotels and car rentals. Connecting to the GDS means your hotel can receive reservations from Travel Agents.
Hold Backs – Are rooms withheld from a reservation interface so that a reservation system or franchise cannot sell the very last room. It gives the hotel a buffer.
HSIA - High Speed Internet Access
IDS - Internet Distribution System are web sites such as Expedia.com, Hotels.com, HotWire.com and Priceline.com that allow customers to book rooms at different hotels.
Interface - A connection between two systems, such as your phone system and your PMS.
ISP - Internet Service Provider is the company that provides you with a connection to the Internet.
One Way - A type of interface where information is sent only by one of the two systems. For example, an interface to a call accounting system might send phone charges to the PMS to be posted to the guest folio, but the PMS does not send information back to the call accounting system.
PBX - Private Branch Exchange is a fancy name for a phone switch. A phone switch is equipment that allows the phones in your guest rooms and your office extensions to call each other or to call phone numbers outside of your property. PBX's may also include call accounting and voice mail or these systems may be added to a PBX.
PDF - Portable Document Format are read-only files that can be printed and will always print with the same format regardless of Windows version, screen size or printer.
Plug-in - A program that is installed to enhance the capabilities of another program, such as your web browser. Two of the most popular plug-ins are Adobe Acrobat, designed to allow you to view PDF files, and Flash, designed to allow you to view Flash multi-media files.
PMS - Property Management System is a computer system, such as AutoClerk, designed to automate the operations of a hotel. Basic functions include reservations, check-ins, check-outs and night audit.
POS - Point of Sale is a system used in restaurants, bars and gift shops to handle purchases. These systems can often be interfaced to a PMS so that a guest can have their meal automatically charged to their guest folio.
Real Time - Usually refers to a type of interface to a reservation system, such as a web-booking engine. Real time means that when a room is requested, the interface makes a request of a room and the rates to the PMS at the moment it is being booked. This is in contrast to an allotment-based system, which determines availability and rates based upon periodic updates of same.
RevPar - Revenue Per Available Room is the total room revenue divided by the total number of rooms at the property that are not out of order. This number is used to measure the performance of a property.
ROI - Return On Investment is the amount of time it takes to recover the cost of a product or service by using that product or service. ROI can also be the amount of money earned in relation to the amount spent for a product or service.
SEO - Search Engine Optimization is a process used to make it more likely that your web site will be found when a person does a search on the Web.
Spyware - A program that is installed on your computer, designed to look for passwords, account numbers and other sensitive information then send this information to someone to take advantage of you.
Static IP - Your address on the Internet does not change. This is important for interfaces. If your IP address changes, the system you are connecting with won't know your address.
T1 - A form of High Speed Internet Access based on older technology. This is generally considered to be more reliable than DSL. T1's can also be used to bring in multiple phone lines to your property so your staff and guests can make outside calls.
Tiers - Different levels of rates that are used depending on the level of occupancy. Rate tiers are typically used as part of a Yield Management System.
Two-Way - A type of interface where information is sent from both systems. An example of this would be an interface to a CRS. The CRS sends reservations to the PMS, and the PMS sends availability and rates to the CRS.
Virus - A program that is installed on your computer without your knowledge and is designed to attack your computer. This is usually done by corrupting the data on your computer.
XML - Extensible Mark-up Language is language used to exchange data between two programs. It was developed specifically for web applications, but is becoming the standard for exchanging data between different systems such as a CRS and a PMS. A file containing XML is a data file, not a program.
Walk-in - A guest that checks into a hotel without a reservation.
Web Booking Engine - The portion of a hotel's web site that allows a person to book a reservation at your property.
Web Portal - A website used to book reservations such as bestwestern.com and hotels.com.
Yield Management - A strategy of raising rates when demand is high in order to maximize revenue, and lowering them when occupancy is low in order to attract more occupancy.