Our team is growing, and we’re looking for the best ninjas out there. If you’re an excellent Senior Backend Engineer with passion for learning new technologies and environments, you might be the person we’re looking for to join us!
Job Description
- Overall platform architecture and design - design and implement core and infrastructure components, both front-end and back-end, which will need to be designed from the get-go to be both scalable and redundant
- Work environments setup - setup of the necessary dev, test and production environment, based on commercial state-of-the-art tools and cloud services
- Rapid prototyping and “agile” development - we aim to install an “agile” work process, i.e. rolling out and initial version within a short timeframe, and work on a continuous deployment basis based on customer feedback, with automated testing and rollout procedures
- Strong collaboration with product team - on both scope and specific feature definition
Skills & Expertise
- 5 years of experience in designing, developing and maintaining object oriented frameworks – Must
- Experience in working with cloud infrastructures (Amazon/Heroku) – Must
- Strong experience with one of the following languages: Java, C++, Python – Must
- Team player, with leadership qualities
- Highly responsible and responsive person, self-motivated and self-learning personality, proactive and technology oriented
- Strong execution mentality, self-starter
- Creative problem-solving skills
- Excellent team work skills
Apply to avi at hotelninjas dot com, attach your CV and links to previous stuff you’ve done – github profile works best for us.
We’ve been hearing a lot about cloud-based hotel management systems, but what is really the difference between these systems and the traditional server-based systems? And how does it impact you as small hotel, hostel, guest house or B&B manager?
We’ve identified four important points that differ between cloud and server systems. Pay attention to these points, as they are crucial if you want to increase sales and reduce risk and costs.
- Updates: Cloud-based systems are updated regularly, often without you even noticing it. This means that you are always using the latest, best version of the software. Moreover, the cost of updates is a part of your monthly subscription fee, so it doesn’t cost anything to get the updates. Server-based systems, on the other hand, require updates to the software you have installed in your hotel. This makes things complicated, therefore expensive for the provider of the software. Guess who pays for this added cost? You guessed right – it’s you!
- Tech Support: You are in the travel business, not in the technology business. So you might need tech support for your Property Management System. It’s much easier for cloud-based system providers to do tech support, as the software is hosted on their servers. On the other hand, old server-based providers need to either send a technician to the hotel, or get you on videoconference in order to solve trivial problems. Again – this makes their operation more costly, and you end up paying for it.
- Data Security: Cloud-based systems such as Hotel Ninjas are hosted on servers of companies such as Amazon and Google. We’re talking about server rooms maintained by the best security engineers in the world, physically protected by armed guards. Electricity never goes down as they have power generators in backup (actually they operate power plants http://phys.org/news/2011-04-google-invests-million-solar-power.html). Now think again about your server sitting in the back room of the hotel. How safe are your data from accidents and hackers?
- Cost: This point is actually a consequence of the previous ones. Since cloud systems are much cheaper to operate for the provider, some providers actually reduce the price for you. Some systems are so cheap, that old server-based systems just can’t compete anymore. Hotel Ninjas for example costs just €99 + €2/room per month. No set-up fees, no license fees and definitely no update fees.
In conclusion, cloud-based systems have many inherent benefits that end up reducing your cost and risk of technology, and allowing you to focus on what you do best.
Join the discussion on our Facebook page: www.facebook.com/HotelNinjas
Avi Meir is COO and Product Ninja at Hotel Ninjas. A Property Management System for the long tail of small hotels, hostels, B&B, and guesthouses.
You can check out Hotel Ninjas for free for 30 days at www.hotelninjas.com
There seem to be so many options when approaching the question of what is the best property management software (“PMS”) for a small hotel?
I believe that the most important features of a PMS are:
- It shouldn’t complicate the operation of your front desk. This is where every minute counts towards a happy customer, and you don’t want to keep the guests waiting. The system needs to be very easy to use by the front desk staff, so that the check-in / check-out process is as quick as possible.
- Connections are crucial. How many different technologies you have in your hotel? PMS, POS for the restaurant / bar, reporting system, accounting system. Oh, and those 15 open tabs to manage sales on different websites, right? A system that is well connected to other systems will save you time and money. Ideally, you should be able to manage all technology from only one screen.
- Don’t overspend! I know of systems similar to ours, who charge 10x the price. This is because they are old systems that require tons of maintenance and support. Modern management systems are so easy to maintain and are self-explanatory, reducing the cost for the supplier. Some companies will reduce the price accordingly, making the system much cheaper for you. Some will keep the price very high – watch out of the gold diggers!
So, simplicity and ease of use, very good connections to other systems, and price. These are my top 3 criteria when deciding on a Property Management System for Small Hotels. What are yours?
Join the discussion on our Facebook page: www.facebook.com/HotelNinjas
Avi Meir is COO and Product Ninja at Hotel Ninjas. A Property Management System for the long tail of small hotels, hostels, B&B, and guesthouses.
You can check out Hotel Ninjas for free for 30 days at www.hotelninjas.com
