What is a booking engine?
A booking engine is a software application that captures and processes reservation data to allow guests to make online bookings on a hotel’s website. This technology has empowered hotels to regain control of their booking revenue and has enabled a shift away from the reliance on high commission online travel agents to obtain bookings.
Hoteliers can reap the benefits of booking technology to save valuable time through the automation of previously manual processes, whilst maintaining control of the way they manage their property.
What does a booking engine consist of?
Booking engine applications generally consist of a customer-facing system and a highly integrated back-end system.
The customer-facing system includes the areas that a guest interacts with on the hotel website. The back-end system is where the property can input room, rate and inventory information to be bookable by guests.
You can update this information as often as you like, but Levart’s set-and-forget calendar allows for advanced planning, so your rate and inventory management is taken care of as far into the future as you like.
What are the steps of the booking engine process?
- The property inputs room, rate and inventory information in the back-end system
- Guests interact with the software by searching dates, number of guests and room information in the front-end system on the hotel website
- Guests complete their reservation and receive an automatic confirmation email
- The property receives an automatic confirmation email
If the property uses a channel manager and property management system:
- The property’s channel manager receives an automatic confirmation of the booking and availability is then adjusted accordingly
- The booking flows into the property management system and is assigned a room
Click here to learn what is a channel manager or here to learn more about property management systems.
How will an integrated booking engine benefit me and my property?
An automated booking and reservation system can save so much time for busy property managers. Accept bookings while you sleep and let technology take care of all the hard work for you. Increase your bottom-line revenue with integrated upselling tools like add-on purchases at the time of booking.
The easy, effortless booking process is great for encouraging guests to book and the ability to create client profiles and promo codes can help to establish guest loyalty.
Incorporating a channel manager and property management system is a simple, cost-effective way to get even more out of automation technology.
What features does a booking engine have?
Whilst the basic function of all booking engines is to process direct online bookings made by guests, additional features can provide additional value to your property and your guests.
Levart’s booking engine combines all the simplicity necessary for a smooth guest experience with intelligent upselling tools and extras designed to increase your revenue. For more information about Levart’s booking engine and features click here.
What does Levart do?
Whether you already have a website or need one of those too, we work with you to ensure the design of your booking engine and booking pages seamlessly integrates with your website and brand.
Before your booking engine goes live on your website, we provide in-depth consultation to work out exactly what is right for your unique property.
We also know the process can be a little bit daunting, which is why we provide extensive one-on-one training sessions and on-going support (included with all Levart systems at no cost!) so you feel completely comfortable using the system.
