1. What is the size of your business?
A Property Management System can cost anywhere between 100 to thousands of pounds. The size of your business will decide what is best for you. For smaller companies, smaller windows-based applications may be adequate for their needs. Similarly, if yours is a large organization, cloud-based services might be more suitable for your requirements. The Key-Data Gold System gives you the choice of opting for office-based or Internet-based system based on your preferences. Company size is irrelevant Key-Data Systems have single user clients 'in the Cloud' and large multi-branch organisations preferring their system to be 'Office Based'.
2. What are the pros and cons of a cloud-based system vis-a-vis a desktop system?
Ease of use, compatibility across different platforms and accessibility from anywhere are just some of the advantages of cloud-based computing. Added to this, there is no software installation and you don’t have to worry about software updates.
On the downside, if there is no Internet or you have very limited bandwidth, this might hamper your experience with a cloud-based system.
Scalability or the ability to change the size or volume to meet a user’s need (in this case, your needs) is something you need to keep in mind. A good Property Management System (PMS) is one that can support changes in your business overtime. Cloud-based products are more flexible this way.
3. What features are included in the system?
Many businesses spend a great deal of money only to discover that they didn’t need the biggest and the best PMS loaded with unnecessary features. On the flip side, many get a cheap and basic PMS only to realise in time that it does not have most of the features that property management requires. Analyse your business carefully and then choose a Property Management System that will take care of your needs. Key-Data Gold not only provides state-of-the-art functions like multi-occupancy and student lets management feature, automatic tenancy archiving, single branch and multi-branch functions, but it also doubles up as an accounting software solution. This helps ensure that there are few additional accountancy costs.
4. Does this PMS provide excellent data security and have reliable customer support?
Irrespective of whether you decide to go for a desktop-based or an office-based system, you want to keep your sensitive information secure. Ensure that you don’t just take a service provider’s word on security measures and do adequate research on your own.
Even more important than this is that in the event of running into any trouble, you need excellent customer service and support that will help you solve the issue painlessly. Key–Data Systems support staff are experts from within the letting industry and are available to constantly offer you unlimited support and training at your convenience. The Key-Data support staff provide individually tailored training sessions at no extra cost to you.
5. What are the needs and limitations of PMS?
Different PMS software will have different requirements for running optimally and will come with their own limitations. However, in case of Key-Data Gold, the product is tested thoroughly before being released offered to the clients. This means that you never end up with buggy, annoying software and thos will save time and help you to manage your work more efficiently.
You just need a reliable Internet connection and you can literally manage your business from anywhere in the world because the Key-Data Gold PMS software is fully cross platform compatible including IOS devices like an iPad, iPhone or a Mac book, as well as Windows and Android devices.
These basic questions will help to give you a pointer of sorts to refer to when you think of investing in a PMS. Invest time in research before zeroing in on your perfect PMS of course, but remember that Key-Data Systems have been looking after their clients for 20 years and know what they are doing.
