A channel manager is a kind of software tool that allows achieving multichannel inventory distribution with quick updates of prices and even availability. In other words, it permits you to simultaneously vend your inventory throughout numerous websites and offer the customers actual information on prices and even a property occupancy. A good channel manager software can ensure effectivity, smoothness and productivity.
Moreover, a good channel manager can be a stand-alone type of solution for your hotel or simply a part of a hotel’s property management system (PMS) or even central reservation system (CRS). Of course, this is something that depends on you what you want.
Why should you consider a channel management system?
Channel management system is the only way to simply effectively reach and convert guests from all over the world without even risking overbookings. To avoid any sort of overbookings, a hotel’s inventory requires to be continually updated across all of the distribution channels they might use, including direct online bookings, even travel wholesalers, and even otas. Hotel channel management can most of the times be time-consuming and even of course tedious, especially when manually managed throughout the multiple otas and an internal PMS. Time lag and even human error could even result in double bookings or even wrong rate parity across third-party booking platforms or websites. Manually managing a number of different booking channels is a full-time task. Hotels can automate the majority of this kind of data entry and focus on delighting their guests with a massive travel experience.
Choosing the right software
With an industry leading number of links, connections and integrations, hotel owners are afforded all the power and freedom they do require to make thoughtful, positive change within their business with the right software. So, here are some quick points for you to help you decide the right type of software for your hotel:
There has to be Third Party Integration
Unless you simply plan to overhaul your entire technology solutions including your Property Management System (PMS), even Revenue Management System (RMS) or that of Central Reservation System (CRS), check if the Channel Manager you are looking forward to or planning to invest on has an integration with your overall hotel systems. A 2-way XML interface between that of your PMS and Channel Manager is going to ensure capturing and delivering reservations generated at otas to the property management system in definitely real-time, thereby removing the overall manual handling of reservation notifications. Similarly, in case the Channel Manager is blended with your RMS, then the rate recommendations suggested by the Revenue Management System might automatically extrapolate in your channel manager, making your overall pricing strategy absolutely mistake free.
Unified Connectivity with web Sales Channels
You know there are hundreds of Channel Managers available in the market. Just a few offers XML interface with overall otas. Having seamless integration with online sales channels demand the technology expertise. However, seamless connectivity between otas and your Channel Manager is going to facilitate real-time data transfer hence promising inventories are always in sync.
For an optimal- distribution type of mix, you would require connectivity with a huge range of online distribution channels including global and regional otas, metasearch, overall niche channels, GDS, wholesaler and of course tour operators. The longer the list of channels offered by your Channel Manager, the huger could be your possible reach. Hence while checking on Channel Manager solutions, make sure that you do take a note of the number of off-the-shelf channels that the system in case offering. Here’s a swift tip. Most of the advanced Channel Managers are going to have connectivity with hundreds of web channels. By looking at their channel eco-system, you can definitely attain a fair idea of the solution you are looking into.
Overall, Payment & Data Security
One of the biggest challenges that the hotel industry today face is to keep security in check. Since Channel Managers offering the overall delivering reservations has access to credit card information, even it is important to safeguard guests’ data from data theft and cyber fraud. It is suggested that you should opt for a PCI DSS Certified hotel channel management software to ensure your customer card data is completely protected. Similarly, the solution even requires to be GDPR compliant for data as well as privacy protection,
Automatic Joint Inventory
Now, you know quite a few channel managers offer pooled inventory model that simply permit you or allows hotels to allocate your inventories across all your different channels including Brand website at the same time. This fundamentally allows hotels to work with any sort of number of channels thereby broadening their distribution network and exposure to overall new market.
Data and Analytics
A great Channel Manager is going to provide not just sales statistics, but also other important kpis like booking pace, channel performance, even price-point analysis for hotel revenue managers to remain on top of their business. Evaluate which Channel Manage provides you with visions on insights on booking volume, competitor analysis, market rate movement and other critical parameters to identify top performing channels and make overall adjustments to their distribution strategy.
Easy to Use
Now, it is true that simplicity is definitely beautiful. Simplicity is loved. A product could have loads of features, but what is the usage of such features if it is too complicated to handle. From Microsoft Office to even iPhone, you know most of the successful products share a common attitude – they are absolutely easy to use. The last thing a hotelier requires is to get confused with the difficulties of a technology solution. Instead, when looking for your next Channel Manager, check how convenient it would be to manage and even how long would you require to spend every day to manage your web distribution. To sum up, you can ensure that you have easy to use software for your overall working.
Conclusion
To sum up, you can check out a good software like Aiosell and ensure that you make the most of it for the smooth working of your hotel.