One of the most important pieces of technology for your hotel is a channel manager. Whether you’ve already invested in a channel management solution or are in the early stages of exploring your options, it’s vital you get the best value for money.
The benefits of a quality channel manager are multi-faceted. First and foremost it will help you simultaneously distribute your rooms across online travel agents, travel agents, tourist centres, and anyone else who books rooms on behalf of guests; and it will ensure everyone has access to your live availability and rates, updating your inventory in real-time.
However, not all channel managers are created equal meaning you won’t always see a satisfactory return on investment for your property. The two main functions of your hotel are likely to be to give guests a great experience and to be profitable. To achieve both these goals, you need to research channel managers and make sure you’re choosing the right product.
Here’s what you should look out for when comparing providers to make sure you select the best channel manager for your hotel.
1. Do they offer two-way channel connections?
Two-way XML (allowing data to be stored and transmitted) connections are vital to ensure information is accurate and up-to-date on both the hotel’s backend and the connected channel.
It’s also important the channel manager has a broad distribution range, so you have access to the hundreds of booking channels that exist, including those for niche markets.
Steer clear of any provider that is limited in either of these respects.
2. Do they use a pooled inventory model?
Pooled inventory is arguably the most important feature a channel manager should come equipped with. Using this method of distribution means you can always display your maximum number of available rooms on all your channels, without the risk of double bookings thanks to real-time updates from a channel manager.
Any system that connects your hotel to booking channels without pooled inventory should be avoided.
