Why Configurability is the PMS Innovation You Need Now

A property management operation is far more complex than people outside the industry realize. There are “front office” activities like marketing, channel distribution, and guest services. And then there are “back office” duties like bookkeeping, reporting, and payment processing. Given this complexity, it’s no wonder why some software providers would like to be the end-all, be-all solution that does all these things well.

Unfortunately, there is no such thing as a technology solution that is everything to everyone.

Most customers need additional functionality. The ease with which Track can adapt to their unique needs is what sets us apart. But how does this model work?

How a tech stack becomes too … stacked

Technology has a funny way of solving for one need while creating another. For example, a new laptop might require a new carrying case, or a smart home system might need a faster connection.

Nobody sets out wanting a dozen different contract terms, logins, passwords, interfaces, and support teams. It just sort of happens over time. At some point, you’re bound to look around and wonder, Do we really need all this to rent houses and condos to vacationers?

The desire to simplify drives many managers to look into a system that claims to do everything and do it well. It’s a seductive promise, but it rarely, if ever, satisfies all requirements to the customer’s satisfaction. For example, maybe you really liked Breezeway for property care, but now you have to use the property care feature of your new “all-in-one” solution. What if you don’t like it? What if it under-delivers on expectations? What if it doesn’t serve your unique needs?

The answer is that you’re stuck. The goal was to simplify, but in the process, you’ve gotten rid of a solution that was actually working pretty well for you. In other words, you traded usefulness for simplicity, and you’re not sure it was a good bargain.

Everyone is trying to solve the same equation: How do I meet my unique needs, with minimal disruption, and optimize for growth in ever-changing market conditions?

Unique requirements + market dynamics – disruption = ?

Here’s how we approach this equation with every customer:

Unique requirements

Most short-term rental companies share certain requirements, such as a CRM, trust accounting, and a booking engine. The core TrackPMS configuration handles such functions exceedingly well. However, they can be adapted to suit your unique needs, and most critically, to complement what already works well in your system. Some customers go from a dozen vendors to five, while others might go from five to three.

Market dynamics

If the past five years have proven anything, it’s that the market is always changing. Adaptability is the name of the game. Of course, we’re always improving Track in response to market and customer needs. But there’s “the market” and there’s yours. By making Track highly configurable, we can meet you where you (and your market) are.

Disruption

Our refined implementation process aims to remove disruption from the equation as much as possible. That means learning about your existing system’s pros and cons to understand where we can add value and where we can’t. Business continuity is too important to force you to do things our way. Track is designed to fit into your particular puzzle, not to make you build a new one.

Extensibility = Flexibility

Our robust partner ecosystem ensures the point solutions you already know and love integrate beautifully with Track. Does a computer do everything you need out of the box? Maybe, but if it doesn’t, there’s a whole software marketplace waiting for you.

This flexibility isn’t just a feature. It’s in our DNA. The more capable we make Track, the fewer point solutions you should need. But again, all things to all people is a fantasy.

The loss of flexibility with an all-in-one solution doesn’t just apply to the system itself. It also locks you into a relationship with a single provider. Their roadmap. Their support. And most importantly, their way. We think a PMS should conform to you, not the other way around.

The Bottom Line

Adaptability and flexibility may not strike you as innovative, but in our industry, it actually is. The bad old days of proprietary software that locks you into a single ecosystem aren’t that far behind. In fact, some customers are still using them. A PMS that can be configured to suit your unique needs is a pretty new concept, but an enterprise-class solution capable of it is almost unheard of.

Outside of our industry, software is all about adapting to your needs, preferences, and workflows. For example, one user’s Photoshop workspace might be unrecognizable from another’s, and that’s a good thing. Software is a tool, and if it doesn’t do what you need it to do, it’s not especially useful. We believe a PMS should be as useful as possible to every individual customer.

If you feel like you should be doing better as a company, talk to us. We’ll help you identify exactly what isn’t working with your system and how Track can help you improve. You know what they say—if the PMS fits …

Let’s talk about solutions that meet YOUR needs