Smarter Online Reservation Management for More Bookings

Hotels today face a big problem: how to boost bookings and keep guests content. The solution? Smarter online reservation management. It goes beyond just having a website. It involves using technology to make booking simple and enjoyable for guests.

Why Online Reservation Management Matters

Think about this. When did you last phone a hotel to reserve a room? Most people now book online. In fact, a Statista study reveals that 66% of hotel bookings happen online. That's a lot of potential guests who might leave if your online booking system doesn't meet their expectations.

But getting bookings isn't the only benefit. A good online hotel reservation system has an influence on several areas:

• It saves time for your staff
• It makes guests happier
• It helps you to earn more money

Let's explore how you can improve your online reservation system to benefit you and your guests.

Bring Your Hotel to Life with Virtual Tours

Picture this: someone thinks about staying at your hotel. They check out your website and look at pictures. But what if they could do more than just look? What if they could take a virtual walk through your lobby, peek into the rooms, or take in the view from the rooftop bar?

Virtual tours have a revolutionary impact on hotels.

They give potential guests a preview of what to expect. And they're effective. Virtual tours have an impact in two key areas:

1. They boost guest confidence in booking. Customers know what they're getting.
2. They cut down on cancellations. Guests are less likely to back out after they've "seen" the hotel.

Read Also - What are Google Hotel Ads? How does it work? Best Practices

Tour Plan Software: Your New Go-To Tool

Now, let's talk about tour plan software. This tool helps you manage all your tours and activities. It's like having a super-organized helper who never drops the ball.

Good tour plan software has these features:

• Keeps tabs on your tours and activities: It logs every tour and activity you provide giving you a quick overview of what's on offer.
• Takes care of bookings and availability: The program updates slots as people book stopping double-bookings and keeping things running .
• Deals with payments: It processes money giving guests several ways to pay based on what they like.
• Pings guests with reminders: The system sends automatic reminders to guests before their tours cutting down on no-shows and making the experience better for guests.

The Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise in Canada shows how this works well. They use tour plan software to manage their guided hikes, canoe rentals, and ski lessons. This has led to a 25% rise in activity bookings and guests who are happier because they can plan their whole stay with ease.

Smart Pricing to Boost Profits

Pricing can be hard. If you charge too much, you might put guests off. If you charge too little, you miss out on money. Hotel revenue optimization through smart pricing helps solve this problem.

Tour plan software often has tools to adjust prices on the fly. This lets you change your rates based on:

• How packed your schedule is
• What other companies are asking
• Big events happening nearby

Marriott hotels are experts at this. They use flexible pricing for all their locations. They saw a 3% jump in money made per room due to their clever pricing approach.

Working with Your Tour Partners

If you run tours and activities, you team up with other businesses. This could be a local guide, a place to rent bikes, or a ski resort close by. Keeping tabs on all these team ups can be tough. But it's crucial.

Good partner management involves several key aspects:

• Your tours run smoothly: Good teamwork with partners makes sure all tour details, like travel and timing are well-planned and carried out. This cuts down on possible problems.
• You can offer more options for activities: By teaming up with different local businesses, you can grow what you offer. This gives guests many kinds of things to do that suit what they like.
• You build strong ties with nearby companies: Creating solid long-term bonds with local partners builds a sense of community and mutual help.  This can lead to special deals and better services for your guests, showcasing the benefits of business collaborations in the hospitality industry.

The Four Seasons Resort Maui uses a system to manage vendors working with over 20 local tour operators. This allows them to provide everything from snorkeling trips to helicopter rides, all of which guests can book through their website.

Streamlining Your Business Operations

Online booking systems do more than just handle reservations. They can boost your entire business performance. How? By automating jobs that used to eat up a lot of time.

Here are Some Examples:

• Emails that confirm bookings automatically: These systems send instant confirmation emails to guests, ensuring they have all the necessary details without manual intervention, which reduces administrative workload and enhances guest satisfaction.
• Digital processes for checking in and out: Guests can check in and out using digital platforms, streamlining the process, reducing wait times, and allowing staff to focus on more personalized guest interactions.
• Assigning rooms based on what guests like: The system can automatically allocate rooms according to guest preferences, such as floor level or view, improving the guest experience and increasing the likelihood of repeat bookings.

The Hilton hotel chain rolled out digital check-in and room selection in 2014. By 2018, they recorded over 40 million digital check-ins. This boosted staff productivity and improved guest satisfaction.

The Latest Tech in Travel

The travel industry keeps evolving, with new tech playing a key role. Some exciting developments in online reservations include:

1. AI chatbots to answer guest questions 24/7: These chatbots give quick answers to guest queries anytime making customer service better and letting staff handle more difficult jobs. Many hotels are now integrating hotel chatbots to streamline guest interactions and improve efficiency.
2. Booking through voice commands on smart speakers: Guests can book rooms by talking to devices like Amazon Echo or Google Home, which gives them an easy way to make reservations without using their hands.
3. Blockchain to keep payments and loyalty programs safe: Blockchain tech makes sure transactions are safe and clear, and it can make loyalty programs run smoother by creating a record of guest interactions and rewards that can't be changed.

The Edwardian Hotels in London have a chatbot named Edward. This AI answers guest questions, books restaurant tables, and handles complaints. Edward processed over 50,000 guest requests in its first year.

Making Every Guest Feel Special

Here's a tip: guests love when you recall their likes. Maybe they always ask for a room up high. Or they can't sleep on feather pillows. Noting these details can change a good stay into an unforgettable one.

New booking systems can help with this. They can:

• Store guest likes
• Offer tailored extras
• Email special deals based on past visits

The Ritz-Carlton excels at this. Their staff maintains detailed records of guest preferences ranging from favorite wines to children's names. This focus on details helps them keep one of the highest customer satisfaction rates in the industry.

Read Also - Digital Guest Registration: Better Efficiency, Happier Guests

Managing Group Bookings Effectively

Group bookings can boost business, but they can also challenge managers. You must handle multiple rooms, special requests, and often, a tight budget.  Understanding market segmentation helps hotels tailor their group booking strategies to meet different guest needs effectively.

Good group booking solutions can help by:

• User-friendly group booking portals: These portals make it easy to book for groups. Organizers can handle reservations and preferences in one spot.
• Room block control: The system manages room assignments for groups well. It puts all members together and stops overbooking.
• Group-specific pricing: It offers flexible pricing to fit group needs. This includes discounts or packages to make booking more appealing.
• Meeting space and catering organization: The solution handles the logistics of meeting spaces and food services. It makes sure to meet all group needs and well.

The Hyatt hotel chain rolled out a group booking system that allows planners to reserve up to 10 rooms online. In the first year, they saw their small group bookings go up by 20%.

AxisRooms: Your Partner in Smart Reservation Management

To Wrap Up

Online reservation management isn't just a bonus anymore. Hotels need it. It makes booking easy for guests and helps hotels run more smoothly.

Keep in mind:

• Virtual tours can make guests more confident and likely to book
• Smart pricing can help you earn more
• Good vendor management lets you offer more to your guests
• The right tech can save time and make guests happier

The hotels that are coming out on top are the ones that make good use of these tools. They're not just increasing their bookings. They're  enhancing the experience for their guests while ensuring smooth operations with essentials like hotel insurance for added security.

So, check out your online booking system. Is it living up to its full potential? If not, you might need to think about upgrading it. Your future guests (and your profits) will be grateful.