Why You Need Online Bookings On Your Website
It’s getting late on a typical Tuesday night in suburbia.
Mitch and Jacinta have just put the kids to bed; they’ve poured themselves each a glass of their favourite red wine and are about to settle onto the couch to finally chill at the end of a long day. A weekend away is in order!
Jacinta pulls her phone out and types into search - “Accommodation near Beach”
“Here looks really good, I wonder if they’re booked out?
To book please call the office during business hours on… well that’s not going to work. Let’s look at the place down the road - yes, they have room! (Hits Book Now, enters personal and Credit Card details) There you go honey, all booked!”
What was the deciding factor for Mitch and Jacinta in deciding to stay at a particular property? It was the convenience of online bookings!
This realistic scenario demonstrates how important it is for your property to have online bookings available for guests - let’s discuss why.
Online Search
The first thing Jacinta did when it was decided to find somewhere to go away was reach for her phone - and start searching online. This is now the primary means that guests will use for information. Guests look for you online, so you need to be found online!
As a property manager, you need to ensure your online presence is visible and accurate. Once guests have found you online, the next step they want to take is to book!
Book Now Button
When Jacinta found her preferred property for the family’s weekend away; she couldn’t book with them straight away. Why not?
The property's website didn’t have a “Book Now” button on it. The property wanted guests to call them during business hours to book. But that isn’t when Jacinta wanted to book! She wanted to book at a time that was convenient for her - not the Park Managers. She doesn’t have the time to call during business hours!
Adding a “Book Now” button to your Property’s website and even Facebook page allows your office to be open all hours, 24/7! This gives your guests the convenience to book when they want to, and not be restricted to your physical office hours.
The Book Now button also makes your guests’ customer experience seamless and complete; they can search for you and find you online, and once they have found you, they can click another button to book their stay, without any time lag or having to navigate away from your sites - eliminating the opportunity for guests to decide to stay somewhere else and increasing your booking volume.
Real-time Availability
When Jacinta found a property her family wanted to stay at (and were able to book online), she was able to view the availability of the type of booking she wanted to make for the time period desired. This real-time view of availability helped Jacinta to be able to make the decision to book - she knew that the property had availability then and there, and she could confidently complete the booking and start packing!
Guests being able to view real-time availability of your property can be achieved by connecting the “Book Now” button to your Property Management System (PMS). This reduces double bookings and guests’ frustrations when they think they have booked with you when in fact they actually haven’t!
Online Payment
When Jacinta made her booking she was also able to pay immediately online using her Credit Card.
This is also beneficial for the property - they are receiving payment immediately at the time of booking. This reduces the likelihood of a no-show and saves time for staff - they don’t have to contact them again prior to check in to obtain or arrange payment and also increases the property's cashflow.
Most online booking systems will include an integrated online payment gateway or will provide a connection to a third-party gateway. These payment gateways are relied upon by millions worldwide to provide secure payment and are the standard for online retail and e-commerce providers.
If it wasn’t for online bookings, Mitch and Jacinta wouldn’t book to stay at that particular property - they simply looked for one where they could book online. Don’t let your property be the one that guests find and then book somewhere else, simply for not having a “Book Now” button on your website!
