If
you're like many a small inn or bed and breakfast your online
reservations consist of a hyperlink which either opens an
email program so the customer can send a request... or a
page which serves the same function. This requires
that your customer email you, ask about availability or
request a specific room, you reply, if the room isn't available
offering an alternative... several emails are exchanged...
and then your guest must call you to finalize the reservation.
This
looks great on paper... lots of one on one communication
with the guest... that personal touch so missing in today's
business world...
Who
are we kidding? Your customer wants to sit down, make a
buying decision, and complete the transaction as quickly
and as painlessly as possible. Unless they have a specific
question, they don't want to be exchanging volumes of email
with you. And they certainly don't want to have to go through
the fuss and bother of picking up the phone!
Up
until quite recently, online reservation systems were cumbersome
and costly. No more. A fast paced firm in Vermont has designed
a package suitable for lodging properties large and small,
and priced it so a smaller property can add reservations
functionality to their site quickly and easily... at a very
low cost.
The fee is a nominal 3% per reservation through the system
based on check-ins.
To access this software and view the many installed
features, visit www.findyourroom.com
Use Mary's B&B, our sample hotel site.
- you can book a reservation against the B&B
- you can access the hotel control panel using userid/password:
DEMO/SITE
You will note that we have a Gift Certificate module that
can be activated and used in addition to the reservation
system. A link such as “Purchase a Gift Certificate”
can be added the hotel website.
Currently credit card transactions are handled by the hotel
by pulling up the reservation, and retrieving the CC#.
Credit Card data is automatically deleted from the data
base after 5 days for security reasons. The booking engine
creates e-mail to the guest and the hotel whenever a reservation
is booked.
Calendar availability has been installed in addition to
the option of the user inputting a date. The availability
calendar appears and then the guest can pick dates and display
week availability. Hotel Marketing reports say
this is the best way to sell rooms over the Internet.
If the first choice is not available they can easily choose
another date without becoming discouraged. This feature
makes FindYourRooms.com particularly attractive to properties
with a limited number of rooms. You want that guest to stay
with you, not to move on to another property out of discouragement!
A Comprehensive Guide to the System can be accessed here.
Under development are the following features that
will be added to the standard system:
1. Bulk email lists and e-mail generation. All internet
reservations and form requests automatically update an e-mail
table. And the hotel can buy a list and import the
list into the table. The hotel can then generate their
own e-mail brochures regarding specials and other offers.
Duplicate names are automatically deleted, and recipients
can opt-out of the list.
2. URL referral tracking from bookings and web site visits.
We will have the capability to track the referral URL and
prepare summary reports. This will help to target
internet marketing efforts.
3. Additional hotel reports to show trends by month, state
of origin, etc.
Note that the above enhancements are Internet marketing
oriented so that hotels can enhance their Internet presence.
In addition to these features we also have resources and
tools to help interested hotels with Internet marketing
and advertising. This relationship would be on an
individual basis between FindYourRoom and the hotel.
4. Automated Credit Card processing to bill the deposit
or full stay, with payment direct to the hotel accounts.
(FindYourRoom's policy is to always have funds flowing directly
to the hotels. FindYourRoom does not want to handle funds,
or get involved with cancellations and charge backs. We
charge a service fee to the hotels at the end of the month.)
5. Additional Hotel Billing options: First night deposit
with and without tax. Full stay with and without tax.
Package Specials sales.
brochure sites 
Welcome
to OrbWeaver's Business Resource Lab