Tourism industry statistics over the past few years clearly demonstrate the trend: an increasing portion of hotel traffic is generated via various online sources. Therefore, paper-based calendar-based methods of managing accommodations and reservations must become a thing of the past. Unless someone is determined to combat the phenomenon of overbooking (overlapping stays) and its financial and image-related consequences, a computer-based reception desk in the form of a hotel program with an extensive range of features is becoming a necessary step forward.
The fundamental, and at the same time most appealing to hoteliers, advantage of specialized digital software over written records is a significant increase in revenue. It's a simple matter: the more effective and fast sales channels, the easier it is to maximize occupancy. A reception desk with competent staff is, of course, always on standby, but launching an additional, computer-based reception desk in a virtual format will bring a wealth of useful features. One of them will be: a channel manager, responsible for synchronizing the availability and occupancy of individual rooms across all booking sites. From the hotel schedule for resort staff and/or managers to online travel agencies, led by booking.com.
Two-way connection
The aforementioned portal is capable of attracting many new tourists; in fact, well over half of guests at some accommodations have used a booking agent. For hoteliers, it's crucial that the channel manager exchanges data as quickly as possible. Computer-based reception systems that communicate with the extranet once a minute (or even less frequently) are completely unworthy of consideration. The window for potential overbooking is too large. A hotel program like NFHotel achieves results of one, three, or at worst, five seconds in the two-way exchange of information about new reservations, modifications, cancellations, etc. Such results allow us to confidently consider making all rooms available for sale on booking.com for the entire duration of the property's operation. Instead of just a select few, as many hoteliers do when overwhelmed by extranet responsibilities. The computer-based reception handles everything automatically and in the blink of an eye.
Your own booking engine for your website
Another extremely useful element that changes the advanced hotel program into a self-operating money-making machine. Partly, because launching a decent booking engine on a website effectively creates another comprehensive customer service point. It may be "online only," but it allows for a complete reservation from A to Z. And even Z. While a tourist won't be able to negotiate a better price with such a computerized receptionist, codes and discount cards for regular customers will take care of any potential discounts. Let's get to the point: booking engine guides the website user interested in staying practically by the hand through the entire booking process. Simply enter the number and age of guests, length of stay (preferred arrival and departure dates), and complete information about food, spa packages, and other additional attractions, then choose room standards, confirm, and pay. And then think about packing and the optimal route.
Great functionalities of the computer reception
While hotel software may not be able to fit all the "essentials" into a suitcase, it can still help a customer get there. For example, in the way NFHotel does. e-mail confirmations It includes a map with the exact location of the property, which, when launched on a smartphone, transforms into a dynamic navigation system. Such messages can also include a link to a shortened, yet multimedia guide to the tourist attractions of the town and its surrounding area. As you can clearly see, the computerized reception desk offers a multitude of useful functions for both vacationers and hoteliers.
