How to choose your website booking engine

Hoteliers today are exposed to new internet booking channels on a frequent basis and often find themselves spread thin in their efforts to effectively manage and properly yield these revenue streams.

One of the most important booking channels for your property that is usually overlooked is your very own website booking engine. This channel represents your most profitable booking channel and is the fastest growing revenue stream in the industry today. Every hotel should pay attention to this valuable booking tool and spend the time necessary to ensure it is one of the top producers in revenue.

This year begins a period of economic recovery for our industry as a whole. The climb will not be easy but there is indeed light at the end of this long tunnel.

With this recovery it is very important that hoteliers practice proactive sales techniques now to ensure they maintain their fair share of their respective markets. Focusing on your most profitable booking channel is one step closer to ensuring success in the future.

Identifying the need for a website booking engine is obviously the easy part. Choosing and utilising the right technology among the many options available can on the other hand be more daunting. Here are a few simple guidelines you can follow that will ensure you choose the right solution for your property.

1. Understand first that it is your property that sells a room.

Ensure that your website is rich with content and pictures that will allow you to showcase your property to potential customers. We live in a consumer world that is driven by visual stimulation that in more times than not can be the difference between securing a reservation or losing a potential customer.

2. Ensure that your website is properly marketed on the internet.

Today more than ever it is vitally important that you utilise proper web marketing techniques to ensure that potential customers find your property — even when they are not necessarily looking for it. There are a multitude of options available to you to assist you with web optimisation techniques. These can range from complete website design services that include SEO services to pay per click web advertising that will enhance your current site’s placement in search engines.

3. Make your booking engine accessible on your website.

Make sure your booking engine is visible on every page of your website. A clearly visible booking engine on every page of your website will increase your chances of receiving a booking at your property.

4. Don’t pay more than you should for your booking engine.

There is always a ‘balancing act’ that takes place between quality and cost when it comes to your booking engine. As stated earlier, your property and the quality of your website are very important factors in this channel’s success. Once a guest clicks on the ‘book now’ button you want their mind already made. This translates to choosing a booking engine that visually compliments your website and is easy to navigate. If the potential customer’s mind is already made up and your booking engine is easy to use, then the reservation is much more likely to be made. This means that you don’t have to pay thousands of dollars to develop or purchase an overpriced technology. Look for options that will cost a low, fixed price per booking or similar and focus the majority of resources on getting customers to your site first.

5. Don’t be afraid to let the experts help you with web marketing.

Not everybody is an expert in web marketing techniques. There are many options available to hoteliers, at many different price levels, to assist with the web marketing process. If you feel you are lacking in this area then find a fair priced solution for your property that will ensure you maximise the revenue associated with this channel.

6. Be bookable at every step

Once the potential customer is ready to book, it is crucial that they find the ‘book a room’ option with ease to complete the process, otherwise they could easily venture to another site which will cost you.

Shane Mansell has 18 years’ experience in the hospitality field and currently holds the position of director of operations at ResNet World.

Details: www.resnetworld.com or +971 (4) 448 7222.