www.seekom.com 
online booking and distribution solutions                                                       Seekom Ltd  
118 Moxham Ave, Hataitai, Wellington
Ph: 04 976 6919  Cell: 021 962 482
Skype: craigjfraser
Fax: 04 386 4665

seekom.com  - What to Look for in an Online Booking System

If you want to increase your revenue and use the internet to market your rooms, one of the most cost effective ways is to sell via your own web site.  This gives you greatest control and highest margin.  To do this you need a good online booking system and this does not mean a fancy enquiry form.

There are many choices of system available today but there are some key differences between them.  This check list will help you by describing some things you should consider when looking for an online booking system.

Can Guests see whether I have Rooms Available or Not?

People should easily be able to see if rooms are available however far in advance they want to.  Some booking systems restrict you to displaying a few weeks in advance but you should be able to easily show availability well into the future so travellers can plan in the future.

If you can show you have rooms available, getting them to book is an easy next step.

Can Guests get an Instant Confirmation of their Booking?

Some booking systems operate on an “On-Request” model, this means that you still have to review the booking and confirm it, even if you have rooms available. 

What travellers are expecting now is that if you show that you have rooms available then their booking should be confirmed on the spot, i.e. instant confirmation.

Ideally you should be able to control whether you sell with instant confirmation or on request, for example, bookings a day or two out from the current date could be on request.  Also, you may still want to take booking enquiries even if full, you may know of alternative accommodation or want to have backups in case of cancellations.

What Rates Facilities does it have?

You don't want your online booking system controlling how you sell your rooms.  The rates you can specify must be flexible to cater for:

Weekend and weekday rates.

Rates based on seasons or special times of the year.

Discounts based on length of stay.

Special offers such as Package Deals, for example, stay for five nights, pay for four.

Can it have the Look and Feel of my Web Site?

Your booking system needs to look like it is part of your web site, not free advertising for you booking system vendor.  The booking screens should either be embedded into your web site or, if they are pop up screens, carry your colours and logo.  This creates a much more professional image.

Can I Sell Add Ons e.g. Breakfasts, Tours etc.?

You may offer additional cost items such as airport transfers, local tours and meals.  Wouldn't it be great if guests could see that you offer these and book them at the same time they are booking their accommodation.  

Does my Booking System Supplier also Resell my Rooms

Watch this one!  If your booking system supplier also acts as a reseller, guess who is going to control who you can sell your rooms via?  Not you!  Room inventory can be jealously guarded by resellers and most won't want to show your availability and rates on web sites they compete with.

You should seriously consider a booking system supplier who wants to electronically connect you to whichever sales channel you wish to work with. 

Can I share my Inventory amongst Multiple Resellers?

While you own web site gives you the most profit for your online sales you have probably  listed with a number of online directories and resellers.  These organisations invest a lot of effort in having their web sites appear high up the results list in internet searches.  People searching for accommodation on the internet are likely to find your property through their sites before your own.

The problem is you need to login to each system to manually update your available rooms is each system, this can be a time consuming task.

You need to choose a system that can help you distribute your rates and availability to multiple resellers so they read this information from your system, not you updating theirs.  While this is not a widely available feature today, you need to take this into account for the future.

Can it tell me Where my Bookings are Coming From?

You need to know who is generating your bookings for your, your own web site, those that you enter yourself, your online resellers and your agents.  Why? because you may be wasting money on advertising and listings that are not giving you any return.

Your online booking system should be able to capture the following information:

Who made the booking e.g. someone on your web site, a reseller, an agent or you.

How they found your web site (Google, Yellow Pages, AA, Jasons etc).

Does it Support Industry Standards?

May not be an issue now bit the internet is a fast moving, increasingly connected world.  In the future you may want to exchange information about your property with other systems and you don;t want to find yourself down a dead end.

The easiest way to electronically connect with other systems to pass booking details, rates and availability is via industry standards.  For the tourism industry, the most commonly supported standard are those defined by the OpenTravel Alliance (see www.opentravel.org).  It is important that your booking system vendor supports these standards to give you flexibility for the future.  

If you'd like to know more about online booking systems, feel free to contact us at info@seekom.com