Online Booking Systems Frequently asked questions
Here are some frequently asked questions relating to the implementation of an online reservation system and their answers.
I have a great web site and want to maintain my branding, can I change the look and feel of the customer booking pages to match my web site style and brand?
While many owners are happy and successful with standard booking calendars, some have a particularly stylish site or simply want to maintain their branding, then some booking calendars can be customised to reflect the original web site’s style.
I like the idea of taking payments online, but prefer to speak to the customer and confirm a booking before taking deposit payments ? is this possible?
Some systems allow the creation of invoices and let you specify which payment methods are accepted. Having spoken to a customer and confirmed they are happy, an invoice can be created and e?mailed. The guest receives an email pointing them to a page detailing the invoice and payment methods. It is then the operator’s choice as to whether they take payments online, by cheque or other means.
Are these systems secure?
Security is paramount so make sure the software company has its own dedicated servers and that the data on which is accessible only by the company. Ask if the computer is located in a secure building with the appropriate security checks, passcards and alarms etc.
Are these booking systems reliable?
In property circles its location, location, location that matters. On the internet it’s availability that matters, 24 hours a day, every day. Every minute your website or internet service is down you are potentially losing customers. Servers should be monitored 24 hours a day using monitors such as the WebsitePulse professional monitoring service.
I like to have control over my bookings ? does this system take that away from me?
You should have complete control. Any bookings placed via the standard system are provisional. You receive the booking details, then liaise with the customer to confirm the booking and any particular needs they may have and to arrange payment.
I don’t want to take bookings, I just want to show my availability and increase enquiries ? is that possible?
Yes as systems are available with an enquiries?only option. Instead of placing a booking, the system simply obtains the customer’s contact details and preferred dates. You then follow this up to confirm the arrangements and take the actual booking.
If a customer books via the online booking system, am I then forced to take their booking even if I don’t like the sound of them?
No. The customer is made very aware that bookings are provisional until they are confirmed by the owner. No money has changed hands, and there is NO legal obligation to accept their booking. If for whatever reason you wish to decline their booking, you are free to do so. You may wish simply to say that someone else has booked the property for example.
Will I need to change my current web hosting to use a booking calendar?
No, most systems run from a dedicated server so you won’t need to invest in new hosting. Although it will appear as part of your website, all the system pages are on our secure server computer.
How will an online reservation system help me?
- Let you add a live availability calendar to your website
- Let you take bookings or enquiries via your website
- Let you take payments online
- Notify you instantly you get a booking or enquiry via an email or to your mobile phone via text message
- Help you organise and keep track of your bookings, both those taken via the system and via other sources
- Enable you to keep track of who’s confirmed, who’s paid and very importantly who hasn’t!
- Enable you to quickly produce professional looking invoices and even take payments for invoices by credit card
- Keep your data in a secure place and back it up for you every day without fail
- Give you an overview of your availability and how successful you’ve been in ensuring maximum occupancy in the past.