What to look for in an online booking system?
With so many different types of online booking systems available choosing the right system for your accommodation business can be confusing. Here you will find a quick six point plan which will hopefully ease tourism operators through the selection process.
1. Live availability and online bookings – Many customers will not wait for you to get back to them with your latest availability, they will just go elsewhere. Therefore you need an online booking system that displays your live availability and allows customers to make a booking with instant online payments.
2. Easy to use and install – You should look for a system that someone with only basic web editing skills can install, with no complex installation instructions. This way you will easily be able to manage and maintain your booking calendar without the need to call on your web developer each time something needs amending.
3. No commission charges – You should look for an online booking system that can be purchased for a fixed annual fee rather than having to continually pay out a percentage of each booking taken through the system.
4. Customisable booking pages – It is crucial that your reservation system can be fully customised in order to fit in with the look and feel of your website in order to maintain the professionalism of your brand.
5. Full Control – Your booking system should enable you to deal direct with your customer and all payments need to go straight to you, not through an agency. You should also be able to choose whether to offer real time online bookings, or provisional bookings which allow you to liaise with the customer in order to confirm the booking.
6. Help and support – It is important to choose a booking system that includes telephone and email support, as well as a quick and easy guide to getting started with the system.