SiteMinder’s top tips to reinvent your hotel’s online distribution strategy

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It is no secret that the management of online reservations is a key challenge for hoteliers. It’s one continually echoed across today’s industry, with one underlying key theme: Time, or lack thereof. This is where we come in. SiteMinder’s powerful and innovative product suite can simplify and streamline your online distribution; our technology gives you more time to concentrate on other, more strategic and important tasks such as increasing domestic and global exposure, increases in direct bookings, and improvements to your bottom line. Our cutting-edge technology can help create new ways to achieve or even exceed your KPIs and the best thing about it, you won’t have to spend a dollar on engaging additional resources.

What can SiteMinder do for you?

Many global brands such as Hyatt, Radisson, IHG or Marriott use and trust SiteMinder with their online distribution, but it’s not just for the giants. Many smaller hotel chains and boutique accommodation providers also rely on SiteMinder to set them apart from the crowd.

Are you experiencing problems such as:

1. Not achieving maximum reach across all of your channels, including: › Not being able to sell all of your inventory coupled with running the risk of overbooking

› Spending hours manually updating inventory across all of your channels

2. Not getting enough direct bookings, with online booking channel rates and commissions proving expensive

3.Little or no technology solution, with existing solutions not integrated and seamlessly working together, causing errors and creating an inefficient process

If you’re experiencing any of the above problems, then SiteMinder’s technology can help you.

SiteMinder’s top tips to reinvent your hotel’s online distribution strategy

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A no-contract, commission-free business model, a robust product suite and effective client support has made SiteMinder one of the most recognizable names in the industry.

Village and Life Group states:

Since 2006, SiteMinder, with offices in Bangkok, Cape Town, Dallas, London and Sydney, has been helping 14,000 clients in over 137 countries increase online revenue, streamline business processes and drive down the cost of acquisition.

Between 1st June 2013 and 30th May 2014, SiteMinder were integrated into 178 booking channels, with our technology solutions responsible for a total processed revenue of $6,750,820,506 and 1,048,681,892 rooms booked, with numbers continuing to grow.

Technology product suite

There are six key tools within the SiteMinder product suite that seamlessly work together, helping you succeed in today’s high-paced and competitive market place. However, if you are looking for something to tackle a specific issue you may be experiencing, each tool is also an efficient standalone.

“The SiteMinder Channel Management System has drastically improved our ability to distribute accurate rates and availability to our network of online travel agents for 365 days in advance. We have significantly increased our online revenue by 40%. The SiteMinder system enables us to build a larger network gaining access to new markets and customers. They have provided us with very quick and efficient service, an easy to use system and a great value for money product.”

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The Channel Manager

www.siteminder.com enquiries@siteminder.com

For information about all of our partnerships visit siteminder.com

RESERVATION DELIVERY

RATES & AVAILABILITY

Key Benefits• Maximize online exposure• Increase revenue• Reduce cost per guest acquisition• Streamline business processes

HotelbedsGTA Transhotel+ many more

Wholesalers

Expedia | Booking.com | Agoda + many more

Online Travel Agents

TheBookingButtoniHotelierGlobekey+ many more

Hotel’s Website

TripAdvisorGoogle Hotel FinderHotelsCombined+ many more

Meta-Search

Property Management System (PMS)Central Reservation System (CRS)Revenue Management System (RMS)

Hotel’s Systems

SabreAmadeusTravelport+ many more

GlobalDistributionSystems

WHOLESALER

2-Way Real-Time Connection

AUTOMATIC AVAILABILITY ADJUSTMENT

RESERVATION DELIVERY

INVENTORYADJUSTMENT

The Channel ManagerSITEMINDER - POSITIVELY DISRUPTIVE

The Channel Manager streamlines processes in the tricky areas of online room inventory and rate management. With 2-way XML connections to the world’s leading booking websites from one central cloud application, the Channel Manager ensures properties can maximize online exposure, increase revenue and reduce the time and cost it takes to update rooms.

Key benefits: › Unique pooled inventory model – all rooms showing on all sites, all of the time

› Real-time inventory reduction across all sites when a booking is made on any one site

› Complete two-way integration to leading PMS/CRS

› Maintains rate parity across all sites

› A no-contract, commission-free model

› Effectively and efficiently manages online inventory from one place, saving hours updating multiple channels and reducing the risk of over-bookings

› Perfect for properties of all caliber

Learn more about the Channel Manager, watch the video:

http://www.siteminder.com/channel-manager-video/

TheBookingButton

TheBookingButton is a commission free, feature-packed online booking system that allows you to take direct bookings through your own website, connecting you to customers 24/7.

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TheBookingButton reservation software ensures properties of all sizes convert more website traffic into confirmed, commission free bookings.

Key benefits:

› Receive reservations commission free

› High conversion rates

› Fully customizable to your own brand and website

› Multi-property group capability - advertise multiple properties, their rates and availability

› Reservation delivery to PMS and CRS

› A fast, easy booking experience for your guests every time

› Mobile booking platform and Facebook booking capability

› Multi-language and multi-currency capability

› A low flat monthly fee

Learn more about the TheBookingButton, watch our video:

http://www.siteminder.com/thebookingbutton-video/

TripConnect

Appearing in TripAdvisor’s hotel pricing and availability search has been reserved for online booking channels (OTAs) and large hotel chains, up until now.

TripConnect allows independent properties to purchase Cost-Per-Click (CPC) bids to appear in the price and availability search box. This gives independents the ability to be just as visible and searchable as the big guys.

Key benefits:

› Travelers are directed to YOUR booking engine which will increase direct bookings, which in turn means less money spent on third party commissions

› Direct bookings become upsell opportunities on your website

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Learn more about TripConnect: http://www.siteminder.com/tripconnect/

GDS (Global Distribution System)

GDS by SiteMinder is a web-based Global Distribution System (GDS) connection, that seamlessly lets you manage and store your property inventory across all global distribution systems, updating all rates via the SiteMinder Channel Manager.

GDS provides a single point of entry for properties of all sizes and offers your guests multiple travel agency channels through which they can make their reservations.

Key benefits: › Power reservations across all GDSs including Galileo and Worldspan by Travelport, Sabre,

Abacus, Amadeus and more

› Management and storage of inventory across all GDSs

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› Updates all rates via the SiteMinder Channel Manager

› Provides a single point of entry and ensures your guests can find and book your property through multiple travel agency channels

› A low, one-off set up fee

› Easy to understand transaction fee inclusive of all charges

pmsXchange

pmsXchange is an innovative API enabling PMS vendors to build one connection to the SiteMinder distribution platform and gain access to the world’s leading online bookings sites. It facilitates development teams with a fast and easy connection, setup and build through the API, offering a complete 2-way integration between the PMS and leading booking sites.

PMS

Rates & Availablility

Reservation Delivery

pmsXchange

Key benefits:

› Real time rates, availability and restrictions are sent automatically from the PMS to the world’s leading online booking sites

› Once a booking is made, inventory is reduced across channels

› Reservations are automatically delivered into the PMS, saving the need for manual capturing of reservations

crsXchange

crsXchange is a smart technology API that allows CRS vendors to build one connection to the SiteMinder distribution platform and gain access to online booking channels such as Expedia, Booking.com, HRS, Hotelbeds, Orbitz, Agoda and many more.

With crsXchange in place, development teams are given a speedy and easy connection, set-up and build through the API. crsXchange offers complete 2-way integration between the CRS and the world’s leading online booking channels.

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CRS

Rates & Availablility

Reservation Delivery

crsXchange

Key benefits:

› Real time rates, availability and restrictions are sent automatically from the CRS to the world’s leading online booking sites

› Once a booking is made, inventory is reduced across the sites

› Reservations are automatically delivered into the CRS, saving the need for manual capturing of reservations

Helping you choose what’s right for you - making the experience personal

If you think SiteMinder’s products are for you, but you’re not quite sure of your specific needs, don’t worry, the SiteMinder team is always here to help and give advice.

SiteMinder help you clearly define the difference in technology, assess your requirements and objectives, and guide you in choosing the right solution. SiteMinder look at areas such as:

› What aspects of online marketing your property is already involved with

› What online booking channels you are connected to

› The online booking channels you should be connected to

› Which technology solutions best integrate with your existing systems

› What technology solutions will get you the best results

You can rely on SiteMinder’s global support team to provide you with a comprehensive analysis, education, and recoomedation on the various tools and technology available to you.

On-boarding, personalized treatment & support

Once onboard, a SiteMinder Training and Implementation Consultant will be in touch within a week to help you set up your chosen technology solution, in most cases, they’ll be able to set up the majority of the system for you, so you won’t have to worry about the technical side of things!

An Implementation Analyst will then help you with any property specific set-up requirements

The AmericasPhone: +1 800 511 6038

OceaniaPhone: +61 2 9221 4444

EuropePhone: +44 (0)20 3151 0730

AfricaPhone: +27 (0)21 403 6327

AsiaPhone: +66 2 660 3733| | | |

(e.g. special room types, terms and conditions), and provide you with comprehensive training on how navigate your way around the system. If you wanted to add new channels or experience any hick-ups along the way, both during and after on-boarding, you can call our flexible global support team for further assistance.

On top of this, SiteMinder provides an online knowledge database and supporting tools within the technology UI (user interface), that allows you to actively understand and navigate your way around the system in real-time. A dashboard within the Channel Manager solution provides live system information, giving you with the right information at the right time. SiteMinder also provides dynamic technology information to all properties, including new features and enhancements, and any potential impact these may have on your property.

In conjunction with the support and knowledge base, SiteMinder is constantly receiving and acting upon customer feedback to develop, enhance and tackle any improvements and new feature requests, with innovative, real-time in-house development our technology solutions at the forefront of the industry. Future growth and expansion will see customers benefiting from training and support becoming even more hands-on, even easier to access, and more personalized, ensuring you’re getting the most out of our technology solutions.

What are your next steps?

You may not be looking to invest in the entire technology suite, nor may all solutions fit within your property’s requirements, but there might be one specific solution that can help you ease processes, save you time and money, take more direct bookings, or even increase revenue, so why not find out more?

Getting started is easy, either …

› Sign-up for a FREE 14 day trial: www.siteminder.com/freetrial1

› Call one of our support teams closest to you: http://www.siteminder.com/contact/ › Inquire about a specific product & pricing: http://www.siteminder.com/contact/product-

pricing-information/

If you inquire via our website you will receive a prompt response. If you call us, the support team will run you through your options and what will work best for your property. If required, the SiteMinder team can also provide you with any further advice and educational information on current trends within the industry. We can even help answer certain questions that may focus on other technology solutions within today’s market place, not just SiteMinder solutions.

Contact us today!