October 2023 Newsletter
October 2023 Newsletter
Welcome to the October edition of the GuestPoint Newsletter! In this issue, we delve into the latest in emerging trends and strategies for adapting to the new normal. Gain insights into how the Global Distribution System (GDS) can enhance your property’s performance. Discover valuable management tips and unlock the full potential of GuestPoint with expert tips and tricks. Learn about our exciting new updates and what they mean for you, and take a closer look at our Property of the Month. Lastly, challenge yourself with this month’s mind-boggling trivia!
Industry News
Adapting to New Trends & Accepting the New Norm
With the industry still finding its feet post pandemic, many believe that all hoteliers should be prepared for a slow start to the summer period. Furthermore, the soaring costs of international airfares have rendered them unaffordable for many travellers, potentially leading to a surge in domestic travel. What implications does this hold for hotels? To extract the utmost benefit from this evolving travel landscape, it is imperative to have already adjusted to the new norms and prevailing trends.
Energy management has always been the primary driver for GRMS solutions, effectively making sure there is no wasted power when the guest is out of their room. This is achieved by reducing the air conditioning effort, relaxing the temperature range of the thermostat, or simply turning the air conditioning off altogether along with the lights and other powered devices.
How Can You Attract new Travelers Including International Guests?
To effectively promote your hotels, it is essential to strategically choose the appropriate channels based on your customer demographics. For instance, CTrip enjoys immense popularity among Chinese travelers, while leveraging Global Distribution Systems (GDS) can be a potent tool to attract corporate clientele.
Expanding your presence across multiple channels not only enhances your chances of visibility to a wider audience but also elevates brand recognition. The increased exposure can bolster brand salience and cultivate trust among consumers who encounter your brand across various platforms.
Giving yourself the best chance to convert guests
It’s good to have your property advertised on as many channels as possible, however if your website is difficult to use this can deter potential customers. The little things also matter, such as presenting your property professionally on your website. If not presented properly this can have a negative effect on customers’ perception and deter them from using your services. Another notable concern is if your website isn’t mobile compatible then Google’s ‘Mobile-First indexing’ will rank your website lower than it may have previously been.
What solutions are there to this problem? Having an aesthetically pleasing website that is also practical is no simple task, especially for those who are not the most skilled with technology. At GuestPoint we have a team dedicated to building your dream website, that will help your conversion rate of guests.
Potential Trends of the Future
With the boom of AI technology, it’s predicted that this may be the future within the accommodation industry. AI may be used to assist with things such as contactless check in and out, which is likely to become more of a widespread expectation from the modern traveler.
Blog Article
Advantages of Connecting Independent Australian Properties to The GDS
The Global Distribution System (GDS) acts as an essential reservation platform, bridging the gap between travel bookers and a range of suppliers, including hotels, accommodations, and various travel-related services. Predominantly used within the corporate travel domain, the GDS streamlines the user experience by providing an integrated interface that showcases flights, hotels, and car rentals.
Benefits for Motels:
For motels, utilising the power of the GDS offers several advantages, with the foremost being a significant increase in demand from corporate travellers. The GDS, especially as offered by THN (Travel Hospitality Network), proves to be an exceptionally cost-effective solution tailored for smaller regional or remote properties. This effectively catalyses heightened corporate and government bookings.
Properties located near airports can amplify the benefits gained from GDS integration. This strategic location facilitates the creation of enticing bundled packages that seamlessly combine invigorating hotel stays with convenient airfare, providing travelers with a comprehensive and appealing experience.
GuestPoint Guide to:
Using GuestPoint Revenue Maximizer
In GuestPoint, setting a Revenue Maximizer is easy!
There are several benefits to using Revenue Maximizer, these benefits include:
- Increase Demand: If your property’s occupancy is low and rooms are sitting dormant, then a great way to increase this occupancy is to introduce a reduced rate only for when your property is under a certain occupancy.
- Increase profit maximisation: On the contrary, if your property is nearly at maximum capacity, you may bump your rates due to this increased demand.
Using a Revenue Maximizer shouldn’t be a tedious process. With GuestPoint’s Revenue Maximizer you can set and forget. With an entirely automated system, you can set your desired increases and decreases dependent on capacity and GuestPoint will automatically update these rates at your selected occupancy rates.
To set up your Revenue Maximiser, simply:
- Double-click on the management tab on the left side of the screen.
- Click into setup
- Find the Revenue Maximizer & Channels tab and click in
- Select a period you would like the price changes to apply to
- Then set your rate through either percentage or dollar amount
- Then hit apply changes when finished
Management Tips & Tricks
Using GuestPoints' Channel Manager, Harness your PMS potential
Benefits of using a single solution for Network Distribution
GuestPoint’s Channel Manager, when used effectively, can save you hours of work, creating the potential to promote your property through more distribution networks without additional time cost. Without a channel manager, you may be costing yourself hours of additional work.
The advantages of GuestPoint’s Channel Manager include a centralised platform, simplifying the management of your distribution effortlessly. You can handle reservations and payments seamlessly from this unified platform, ensuring rapid updates, with a mere 48-second update time, providing nearly instantaneous booking and reservation updates. Furthermore, it enables you to manage all mapping requirements conveniently from one place, streamlining your management needs.
If you are still manually managing your distribution network you are under utilising the potential of both your PMS and property. With a channel manager you will be able to utilise more distribution networks with no extra time expenditure. No longer would you need to continually update your channels/PMS every time there is a booking.
Property of the Month
Oasis Inn Ulladulla
Positioned ideally between the bustle of the CBD and superb coast of Ulladulla the Oasis Inn is a staple for coastal hospitality. Encapsulated with bliss and comfort, guests are spoilt with luxuries. As you enter you are welcomed with an extensive art collection leading into a lounging area fitted with a fireplace for maximum comfort.
This property epitomises the essence of an all-inclusive establishment. With an on-site restaurant and art gallery, as well as additional amenities such as a pool, gym, and an indoor spa, Oasis Inn Ulladulla offers guests everything they could desire and more.
At the heart of Oasis Inn Ulladulla’s success lies its experienced management team, boasting over 23 years of expertise and proudly holding the title of ‘the longest owner-operator in the Ulladulla/Mollymook area.’ Committed to delivering top-tier customer service, they personally reach out to each guest after booking to ensure that their room meets their specific needs, guaranteeing a comfortable and positive stay for all.
Following the challenges of 2019/2020, which included bushfires and the COVID-19 pandemic, the Inn made a strategic decision to transition to GuestPoint and undergo a rebranding. As part of this transformation, they renamed their property and revamped their website, a change they wholeheartedly embrace, as stated by Oasis Inn’s management. Moreover, the motel now leverages GuestPoint’s channel manager, resulting in a noticeable uptick in direct bookings.
In essence, Oasis Inn Ulladulla exemplifies the concept of a premium coastal retreat where guest experience takes precedence. Thanks to GuestPoint’s comprehensive services, this property continues to redefine the standard for exceptional customer experiences.
New Updates (August and September)
V11.3
We’re excited to share the latest enhancements in GuestPoint v11.3, designed to elevate your experience. Here’s a breakdown of the improvements you can now enjoy:
- Integrated Channel Manager screens in the Management tab. Clients using GuestPoint’s channel manager will find four seamlessly integrated screens:
- Channel Manager Reservations
- Channel Manager Mapping
- Channel Manager Rates & Inventory
- Channel Manager Preferences
Users now have complete control over their online distribution within a fully integrated channel manager.
The GuestPoint Pay feature now allows for convenient pre-authorization of funds. Easily hold and utilise pre-authorised funds through the credit card vault in GuestPoint Pay
- Enhanced Credit Card Reader: Experience improved credit card handling with our upgraded credit card reader.
- Housekeeping Schedule Refinements
- Improvements to debtor invoices
- Optimised Dynamic Rates
We’re dedicated to continuously enhancing your GuestPoint experience. Explore these improvements and take your property management to the next level with GuestPoint v11.3!
V11.4
We are also excited to share with you what’s new in GuestPoint V11.4, made to enhance your experience. Featured is what’s new:
- Recent Bookings feature added to Resplan
Whilst using Resplan a blue border appears around the last booking you were in. Helping navigate Resplan with ease.
- The New Revenue Maximizer Arrow appears on the Resplan
If you are using Revenue Maximizer, it will display up and down arrows on Resplan for the days when revenue maximizer adjustments have been applied
- New Report
Yield Report has been added. Access the yield reports in the Reports tab under the Accounts area. This gives a revenue/occupancy breakdown per day/per month depending on what has been selected.
- Print functionality
The ability to print from the graph’s dashboard has been added to Dashboard Graphs. A printer icon appears in the top right-hand corner making printing more efficient.
It also contains optimisations for the following.
- Bulk Rate Update, when multiple rate types have been selected has been optimised.
- Non-Res Accounts are closable if the account balance is 0.
- The refund button should be enabled even if the rollover has been done.
- The Room Account screen has been optimiser for smaller-resolution devices.
- Optimization to Group Reservation model
GuestPoint Trivia
Lapland is a Region Which Covers 4 Different Countries. What are they?
A. Samoa, Tonga, Fiji, and Cook islands
B. Finland, Sweden, Norway, and Russia
C. Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan
D. Namibia, Zimbabwe , Zambia, and Botswana
Correct Answer: B, Lapland is widely regarded as the best place in the world to see, enter, and experience snow buildings such as igloos and ice saunas.
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