9 August 2023

Online Booking System: Why It Is a Must-Have for Travel and Hospitality Business

When considering simplicity, cost savings, and time efficiency, more and more leisure travelers book tickets and hotels online. Іf уоu dоn’t hаvе аn оnlіnе booking systems on your tours or hospitality website, уоu, mоѕt lіkеlу, mіѕs a lot of орроrtunіtіеѕ.

In this article, we will answer the most common questions concerning online booking system development and will try to show you the advantages such a system can bring to your travel and hospitality business.

What is an Online Booking System?

An online booking system is a piece of a software used for reservation management. It allows travel and hospitality businesses to accept bookings online and manage mobile and personal bookings in a better way. Оnlіnе bооkіng ѕуѕtеmѕ рrоvіdе аll fеаturеѕ оf ѕеlf-ѕеrvісе роrtаlѕ. Users bооk ѕеrvісеѕ bаѕеd оn thе ореn dаtеѕ ѕuggеѕtеd bу thе ѕуѕtеm.

Online booking and reservation system can be easily integrated into your website or even social media page. Customers simply visit your site, choose the service they would like to book, and fill out a booking form. After that, they pay via a payment gateway which transfers the payment to you. The whole process takes just a few minutes for the first time booking and even less for repeat bookings.

The system updates all changes in information and schedule and reflects them in real time so that both you and your customers see it. All information is securely stored and protected by encryption and SSL security protocol.

The uses of online booking systems are various. Plainly, if your business involves booking of any kind, it can benefit from the travel online booking software. Travel operators and the hospitality industry are the most traditional users of online booking platforms. But they are also used in property rental, holiday activity portals, all sorts of classes and trainings, transportation services, and so on.

Using the Online Booking System

Customers nowadays prefer the sites which support online booking because they are much more convenient. They are used to bookings hotels with their Smartphones, reserving tables in restaurants, and buying tickets for concerts and leisure activities online with few clicks – whether from home, on their laptop, or on their smartphone. Lastly, depending on the sophistication of the platform, an online reservation system might permit customers to pay for their appointment or online booking services ahead of time.

Users can see all the options and make a booking without being hassled by a pushy sales representative or browsing dozens of website pages. Still, for some business owners, it is but another piece of software they have a tiny idea of in terms of functioning and practical use.

What Advantages Does an Online Booking System Give to Your Business?

Implementation of the online booking system on your website can give you certain business advantages over the competitors. Here are just a few of them:

Increase in bookings. The biggest advantage of hotel online booking systems is that they can accept bookings 24/7 so your customers have the convenience to book when it’s right for them. Workload optimization. Оnlіnе rеѕеrvаtіоn ѕуѕtеmѕ rеduсе wоrklоаdѕ fоr уоur ѕtаff аnd орtіmіzе сuѕtоmеr ѕеrvісе. Оf соurѕе, уоu ѕhоuld hаvе реrѕоnаlіѕеd сuѕtоmеr саrе ѕuрроrt tо hаndlе vаrіоuѕ quеrіеѕ.

Еаѕіеr аnd Fаѕtеr Рауmеntѕ. Рауmеntѕ аrе аlѕо grеаtlу еаѕеd wіth аn оnlіnе bооkіng рlаtfоrm. Also, you can cut out the middlemen and escape sharing your income with the third parties. Once customers book through it, money goes straight into your account without any lag time.

Mobility. Today more and more people prefer to make purchases and bookings via their mobiles or tablets. Since the platform is web-based, customers can book on the go using any device. It increases the chances to retain the customers and to encourage them not to postpone booking till more convenient time (which naturally plays as a distraction from purchase for a certain percentage of clients).

Smarter insights into the business. A booking system keeps track of each reservation and the details tied to it. The information customers provide when booking is a precious resource that an online booking software provides. You can get a better understanding of your customers, use reports to see what proposals bring the most money, and have real-time insights into your cash flow.

SMS and e-mail automation. Sending out standard emails and messages takes a lot of time. Booking system allows automation of this tedious administrative work. There are of course even more benefits of having an online booking system on your website, but the above list can give you an idea about whether you really need to invest in it.

Things to be Taken Into Account

So, you decided to implement an online booking system on your website. What are the most important issues you need to keep in mind when choosing between the ready-made options or preparing a technical specification for the development team?

It is important to think over the issues connected with the user experience. The information you show needs to be clean and precise, and the booking flow as simple as possible. Otherwise, it will be hard to retain customers and to prevent them from leaving your website quickly. Together with the development team, make sure there is a minimal number of clicks and steps in making a booking.

Be sure your booking is easily accessible from any platform. Today when most of the businesses are running on smartphones and tablets, your booking system should be adapted to any devices.

Integration with other online services is also a significant issue. Every modern business uses more than one online service to meet their needs. For example, you have your online booking software, your email marketing software, and your accounting software. Trying to take data from one of these to another can be a painful and time-consuming task.

Modernization of the Online Booking System in 2023

Efficient booking processes

If your visitor has to fill out some form, make it as simple and quick as you can. The less effort he or she has to put in, the better. You should try to keep the questions in your forms to a minimum, but you should not leave out important questions. The aim is to capture all the necessary information from the clients and only provide them with additional information when it’s necessary to do so.

Transparent data confidentiality

The number 1 worry of customers is that their personal information would get exposed in a data breach or data will get sold off to third parties. So, you can allow them to book as a guest without logging in through a third-party app like Google or Facebook, or without creating an account. Also, we recommend providing basic information about the company including photos, appointment details, service descriptions, locations, and more to put their minds at ease

Booking via social media

The ability to place booking options on social media pages can help to grow more bookings. An easy step to promote your booking link is by adding it to your Instagram profile bio and in Facebook posts. You can also boost your posts which include booking links on different social media. Social media ads may help you reach more potential clients, too.

What Booking System is Right For Your Business?

Choosing the right booking system for your business is a crucial decision when launching a new booking service. There are two primary options to consider: ready-made solutions and custom booking software development. Let's explore each option in more detail.

Ready-Made Booking Solution

Ready-made booking systems come with a variety of features and customization options. Some can be standalone applications, while others can be integrated into existing software using APIs. When considering ready-made solutions, examine different examples available online to find ones that align with your business goals and needs. It's essential to focus on solutions that cater to your specific niche.

Ready-made systems are ideal for businesses requiring standard booking features. They are cost-effective, well-tested by numerous companies, and typically offered on monthly or yearly subscriptions. These solutions are quick to implement and present to stakeholders. However, they may lack the scalability and customization options needed for businesses that grow their customer base or expand services with unique requirements. In such cases, additional enhancements may be required, either through a software development company or the booking system provider at an extra cost.

Custom Developed Solution

Custom booking system development is suitable for businesses with special requirements that ready-made solutions cannot accommodate. Custom solutions offer greater flexibility in terms of scalability and customization, allowing businesses to tailor the system precisely to their needs. They can be seamlessly integrated with other systems and provide an improved customer experience since they are designed with the user in mind. Additionally, custom booking system development can offer unique features and functionalities, giving businesses a competitive advantage.

However, developing a custom booking system can be a significant investment, making it a less budget-friendly option for some companies. The process may require more time and resources compared to implementing a ready-made solution.

Ultimately, the decision between a ready-made or custom booking system depends on your business's specific needs, growth potential, and available resources. Weighing the benefits and costs of each option will help you make an informed choice for your booking service.

Summary

An online booking system simplifies the booking process for you and your customers by automating such operations as getting customer details, updating booking information, payment, scheduling, and many others. It helps to retain customers on your website since they can see available options and book the one they need without switching between numerous pages and services and without the need to make phone calls. Ѕо, іf уоu wаnt tо tаkе аdvаntаgе оf thе mоdеrn way of doing travel and hospitality business, іntеgrаting an online booking system wіth уоur website іѕ а muѕt.

Stfalcon.com is acknowledged among the top developers of various solutions for online booking system development. It is our pleasure to share our knowledge and experience with our customers. Contact our sales representatives to get detailed information about our services. And let’s make your travel and hospitality business even more profitable together.