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laboygrisell

GDS vs. Channel Manager: What's Better for Small Hotels? - 1 views

  • Small accommodation providers have two options when it comes to distributing their online inventory. They can either do it via a global distribution system (GDS) or via a channel manager.
  • Option 1: Global distribution system (GDS)
  • GDS acts as a middle-man that connects your small hotel to a network of travel agency professionals, including corporate travel bookers. You connect to the GDS, giving you access to all of the travel agents your GDS is connected with. Those travel agents then sell your rooms to their customers (a mix of corporates and leisure travelers), and any bookings made are automatic.
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  • Retail model This is the traditional model, ie. how you would work with a retail or traditional travel agent.
  • Merchant model This model applies to third party service providers that connect you to retail travel agents (by integrating with a GDS) and online travel agents.
  • Opaque model In this model, your guests don’t know they’re staying at your specific property until after they’ve made the booking.
  • Small accommodation providers can benefit greatly from using a GDS to connect to retail travel agents and corporate buyers. However, we highly recommend that you steer clear of the merchant model, because you would be paying commission to both the third party service provider and the OTA.
  • Option 2: Channel Manager
  • On average, small hotels can cut the commissions they pay in half by using an all-in-one solution
  • In this kind of business relationship, it’s much better to retain full control of your rates and inventory
  • In the distribution landscape, Global Distribution Systems (GDS) are just one of the many players involved in selling your rooms to a world of travelers. They are one of the oldest kinds of distributors in the industry, so it’s important that you understand how you can work with them effectively.
  • A GDS doesn’t work exclusively for accommodation providers – it does the same for airlines, activities, and car rental companies.
  • Your rooms are sold through all channels connected through the GDS e.g. traditional travel agents. Whoever sells your room earns a standard commission. Your guest pays you, then you pay your agent. An easy way to understand this model is if you think about how you would work with your local brick and mortar travel agency, that caters to walk-in customers. This is the default model used upon connecting with a GDS.
  • In this model, you would work with online travel agents (OTAs) like Booking.com via the third party service provider. An OTA sells rooms on your behalf, allowing your guests to find and select your hotel, check your availability, and make a booking.
  • However, this is very costly. As they are a third party provider of GDS services, you would not only pay commission to the OTA (a percentage of each booking), but you would also be paying the third party service provider a commission for use of the system (usually $10-$12 per reservation).
  • The only difference is, they won’t guarantee it (there is less of an incentive to sell you because there is no additional commission for them), and they will de-emphasise your listing (by placing it at the end of the list, hiding images, hiding room rate, and other strategies).
  • You set up several rates (usually 25%-45% less than retail rate), selling your rooms based on bids that guests make based on location, star rating, and other attributes. For example, Priceline uses a bidding system, and Hotwire allows guests to make bookings based on discounted rates.
  • GDSes are great for tapping into the corporate travel market – however, it is being used more for other types of travel than for accommodation.
  •  
    Compared to large hotel chains and airlines, the GDS can play a different role for businesses of smaller sizes. For small hotels, it may be beneficial to make use of a channel manager instead of depending on sales from a GDS. The article suggests to smaller hotels that channel managers, who work directly with travel agents, can mean more profit for your business. Using the GDS and a travel agency, you are technically paying 2 commissions. With a channel manager, you would only be paying one. Having this business relationship will cut out a middle man, and hotels with smaller budget will find this strategy more efficient.
  •  
    I find this article a little misleading. The GDS are channels, can be managed by a channel manager, or in conjunction with, or separately but usually for smaller hotels require an intermediary. Accessing the GDS(s) are used less by smaller hotels for two main factors: 1. Costs and Fees 2. Scope of demand (driving the right customers). 3. Program Fees The article cites figures which have changed substantially since 2015, as of Q4 North American GDS growth was up 6.4% and ADR was up 4.2% YOY with 18.4% of all bookings coming through GDS. TravelClick, Inc. (2019, March 4) What isn't highlighted in the article was the fact that margin agreements with OTAs for smaller independent hotel range anywhere from 20-35% . If the article had done an actual cost comparison (access through intermediary to GDS instead of OTA) the 10% commission + access and delivery fee may have proven more profitable. It would have been better if they had done a little more comparative cost analysis. TravelClick, Inc. (2019, March 4). GDS Booking and ADR Growth Drive Strong Q4 2018 RevPAR Performance in Hospitality. Retrieved from https://www.hospitalitynet.org/performance/4092226.html
  •  
    This article from the Little Hotelier talks about what exactly is GDS and the Channel Manager and which on is better for Small Hotels. Small Hotels should opt for the system that gives them what they need, but in their price range and for the size of their business.
nashalsiddiqi

Blog : What does the future hold for the Global Distribution System? - 1 views

  • GDS is a worldwide computerized reservation network used as a single point of access for reserving airline seats, hotel rooms, and rental cars by travel agents, online reservation sites and large corporation
  • advances in internet and mobile technologies pose a huge threat to GDS. The number of agents using GDS fell from 90 percent in 2005 to 75 percent in 2011.
  • Some observers forecast that there may not be any GDS, at least in the way we know it, in a few years.
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  • But the party may not be over yet for GDS. According to a 2014 Business Travel Survey by Business Travel News, GDS still processes growing volumes of travel transactions.
  • If GDS evolves to meet the changing needs of the airline industry, it will survive; else it will cease to be relevant.
  •  
    This article spoke about the history of GDS as well as different opinions on what the future holds for GDS. The main points of the article included a comparison in percentages of travel agents using GDS now and in the past. It seems that GDS has a chance of surviving the downfalls of direct booking if they are able to evolve with technology and consumer needs.
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    modern technology/applications has taken over where most people can make their own flight reservations without an agent. But even with this change GDS is still going strong and that is mainly because most people feel safer when they go to an agent to make their reservations.
  •  
    the article discuss the large amounts airlines pay for GDS companies in incentives and they are trying to find different ways to reduce sales through other platforms and try to reach consumers directly. such methods like offering a good online reservation website offering better prices to consumers or raising the prices sold to GDSs.
sdavi111

The ineluctable middlemen | The Economist - 0 views

  • By contrast, other bits of the travel business that depend on the airlines—such as aircraft-makers, travel agents, airports,
  • and maintenance firms—have done very nicely.
  • caterers
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  • a fancy name for computerised-reservations
  • services.
  • Most flights booked through a physical or online travel agent go through a GDS, which charges the airline a fee of about $12 per round trip, passing a few dollars of that to the travel agent.
  • he loss of direct commission from airlines made travel agents more beholden to the GDSs, which not only slip them a share of fees but also provide their back-office computing
  • Despite airlines’ efforts to make travellers bypass agents and come to their own websites, less than half of flights are booked this way.
  • In recent years the main hope for restoring airline profitability has been ancillaries: all those extra charges for meals, checked bags, less-cramped seats and the like.
  • “new distribution capability”
  • One of its main elements will be a common technical standard for direct-connect services
  • t would be hugely expensive for any new entrant to replicate the existing GDSs’ heavy spending on technology: the need for such investment makes flight distribution a business that naturally tends towards an oligopoly, he reckons.
  • two of America’s big carriers have taken GDSs to court over the tactics they use to
  • maintain their hold over travel agents.
  • Both sides can claim to be the consumer’s champion. The airlines argue that the cost of the middlemen adds to the price of tickets (though the superficial evidence suggests that it is airline shareholders who suffer). They say they want to reform the distribution system to offer flyers a wider choice and a more individually tailored service. The GDSs argue that they provide travellers, through their agents, with impartial comparisons of all available flights, allowing them to get the best value.
teresastas

Skullcandy Promises to Slash 1 Million Pounds of E-Waste - 0 views

  • EPA says recycling, reusing or donating electronics prevents pollution and carbon emissions because fewer materials for items such as plastics or batteries do not have to be produced again. The energy saved from recycling 1 million laptops, for example, is equivalent to powering 3,500 homes in the US for a year, according to the agency.
    • teresastas
       
      This comparison is really eye opening for me. I know. Sometimes we get lost in all the numbers but when you look at it this way it's crazy to think about.
  • Skullcandy also says it will eliminate the use of plastics entirely by 2023 and shift to using only FSC certified paper products.
    • teresastas
       
      I think it is very important that companies that contribute to the e waste problem also help to fix the problem like Skullcandy is working towards doing. The idea of eliminating the use of plastics entirely on top of their e-waste pledge is making the right moves.
  • company has a partnership with environmental intelligence platform EcoChain, which helps the company analyze the carbon footprint of its manufacturing. One impact of that program is the development of a smaller battery.
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  • recycling by letting customers send any type or brand of headphones to the company to be properly recycled, giving them discounts for doing so.
  • Skullcandy Promises to Slash 1 Million Pounds of E-Waste
    • teresastas
       
      Headphone and Speaker company Skullcandy is making moves towards helping the fight against e-waste (short of closing it's doors of course). It recently pledged this month that it would eliminate one million pounds of e-waste by 2025 its new upcycling program. This program includes a few factors including a no plastic packing plan, an upcycling endeavor, and discounts to customers for responsible recycling of any headphone brands.
kellym64

The 9 Most Important Types of Restaurant Technology and Hardware (2023) | Toast POS - 0 views

  • Touchscreen Point of Sale TerminalsOrder and Pay at the TableHandheld Point of Sale SystemsContactless PaymentsSelf-Order KiosksKitchen Display ScreensPrinters for RestaurantCash DrawerIntegrated Online Ordering Solutions
    • kellym64
       
      Types of restaurants technologies to look for
  • Modern point of sale (POS) technologies, like touchscreen terminals, exist to increase efficiency
    • kellym64
       
      The common way now when people pay, they would use this system and way.
  • Toast Mobile Order & Pay™ gives your guests the ability to order and pay for their meal from the convenience and safety of their own device.
    • kellym64
       
      Personally, I have not seen this form a payment many times probably once. I did like it but the wifi was a bit spotty so it made it hard to pay and I ended up asking the waiter to check to see if it went through because it was processing so long.
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  • Beyond these operational improvements, handheld POS devices let your employees create a better guest experience. How? Because instead of trying to remember orders or running back and forth to a terminal, they can spend more time engaging with guests.
    • kellym64
       
      Handheld devices, especially at restaurants I feel are more useful. You can have every customer check their order once you placed them all to ensure you did not miss anything or feel like you may have added something twice.
  • During COVID-19, 34% of guests said that contactless / mobile payment availability is now extremely important to their dining experiences.
  • They allow restaurants to meet diners' expectations with a top-notch digital experience and easy-to-use interfaces. They also give guests more control over the ordering process, making it easier for them to review the menu and customize their orders.
  • The restaurant kitchen can be a hectic place, so, depending on your restaurant’s needs, printed tickets might not be your best option.
    • kellym64
       
      I personally have not used a kitchen device but I have used a paper device and I prefer paper. If the restaurants wifi goes down or is slow then this effects the process of making and delivering the food to the customer.
mmdmd99999

Compare WebRezPro to Hotel Technology Vendors - 0 views

  • Compare WebRezPro vs Oracle OPERA PMS vs ResNexus PMS Property Management Systems vendor comparison between WebRezPro vs Oracle OPERA PMS vs ResNexus PMS. Find out which Property Management Systems is right for you based on realtime data from 407 verified hotelier reviews across 55 countries.
  • ResNexus
  • WebRezPro
  • ...10 more annotations...
  • Oracle Hospitality
  • Monthly Subscription - Yes ( $7/room/month - $10/room/month ) - Yes ( More than $10/room/month ) - Yes ( $3/room/month - $6/room/month )
  • ut too old tech stack and too much corporate complexity
  • ResNexus doesn’t have any recent company updates
  • Avoid if at all possible, poor service and sales
  • View all integrations (9)
  • View all integrations (166)
  • View all integrations (466)
  • imple to Use Inexpsensive PMS with a TON of Interfaces Available
  • WebRezPro Partners with Google to Help Hotels Drive Direct Bookings
  •  
    Compare WebRezPro vs Oracle vs ResNexus and more to see pricing, reviews, integrations, and other options for each
vivduru

The blessing and curse of proximity marketing | Marketing Dive - 1 views

  • Over the last few years, retailers have increasingly seen consumers migrate away from brick-and-mortar retail stores in favor of convenient digital outlets.
  • Proximity marketing is a way to appeal to these fundamental consumer desires without sacrificing a focus on the in-store experience. 
  • This type of technology has potentially widespread applications for retailers and marketers working in partnership with each other and sharing data — for example, in airports or shopping malls where a specific marketer may not have a relationship with a particular consumer, but can provide a platform where other retailers can integrate their apps and reach out to that consumer.
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  • The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has brought several enforcement actions against both online and offline companies for failing to comply with their posted privacy policies, failing to adequately safeguard data, failing to honor consumer opt-out promises and for a general lack of transparency.
  • Today's consumers engage in a shorter purchasing process, but the essential principles that underlie business-to-consumer marketing have not changed — consumers still make emotional buying decisions, they still want to comparison shop t
    • ngerv001
       
      Proximity marketing provides a means to place targeted messages in the hands of consumers, literally. It's the next best thing to actually walking up and putting a product in a customer's hands yourself. Customers might walk right by a sign and ignore it or scroll right past an ad in a social feed but a notification can't be overlooked quite so easily. Sending messages directly to nearby mobile users' phones increases engagement dramatically. Beacons drive promotions that are relevant to what clients are looking for, in real time, in places where it is easy for them to make a purchase.
  • According to recent studies, including a report by Retail Touchpoints, nearly half of retailers in the U.S. la
  • Whether you are a fashion retailer or a chain drugstore, proximity marketing should be on your radar
  • unched proximity marketing programs going into 2016, and the number has only skyrocketed this year. 
  • Department stores such as Macy’s, Nordstrom and Neiman Marcus, as well as major fashion retailers such as Urban Outfitters and American Eagle, are already using beacons to target consumers based on their physical location
  • t a basic level, beacons emit radio signals to connect with nearby consumers’ mobile devices, working in conjunction with a retailer-specific app in order to push certain notifications to consumers when they are in proximity to the beacon — for example, a special offer for a product in the aisle in which they are browsing.
  • From marketers’ perspective, navigating these requirements poses a unique dilemma: how can they create content compelling enough to convince the consumer to stay committed through the opt-in process to share their data?
  • These reports and guidelines highlight the need for consumers to be informed of any data or tracking that they may not expect — for example, interaction with a broad-spectrum beacon that reaches beyond the confines of an affirmatively-downloaded retailer app.
  •  
    This article helped me gain a better undestanding of proximity marketing and beacons. Beacons emit radio signals to connect with nearby consumers' mobile devices. This article discusses some of the pros and cons to proximity marketing in order to best engage consumers. Proximity marketing is a fairly new concept that is beginning to skyrocket.
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  •  
    I found the information about the legal requirements very interesting. If a notification pops up on my phone to ask if I would like to share information, like location, I almost never do.
  •  
    Modern society is an era of big data. There are indeed many benefits to using proximity marketing. But pay attention to avoid excessive spam, so as not to cause customer dislike.
  •  
    This article talks about the benefits of proximity marketing and why it is the new wave in which companies should get engaged and begin finding ways to utilize this kind of marketing amongst their consumers. The collected data is priceless information for a company to gather about its ideal customers and how to engage them. However, the downsides the article brings up are the legalities around opt-in and the opportunity to allow consumers to opt-out with ease, and the pressures to get the marketing continuously. That is a compliance issue that companies should stay clear and consider. Also, it the importance to build security features to care for this data and information being shared online.
chadidscha

Cyberattacks are surging. CT's workforce isn't keeping up - 0 views

  • A growing wave of cyberattacks is threatening governments, businesses and everyday residents. Across the globe, there is a critical shortage of skilled professionals to guard against these criminals.
  • The state’s cybersecurity workforce increased by only 1 percent between 2015 and 2020, which was the seventh slowest rate in the nation, according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. By comparison, the ranks of these key professionals more than doubled in a dozen states over that timeframe.
  • Globally, cybersecurity experts are in extraordinarily high demand. An analysis from Cyberseek, a public-private partnership that measures cybersecurity workforce shortages in the United States, notes the talent gap is severe in every state besides Maine.
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  • Nationally, the number of unfilled cybersecurity jobs is estimated to be 464,000, including 3,800 in Connecticut, according to Cyberseek, which is backed by a subdivision of the U.S. Department of Commerce.
  •  
    Cyber-attacks has become an increasing problem within the US and the lack of unfulfilled jobs regarding cyber security poses just as big, if not bigger, of a problem. All states, besides Maine, are in dire need to fulfill jobs across the private business sector and government related positions. At this point, many companies, including the government, offer free training (acquiring proper certifications) in hopes of gaining more employees to help with the fight against cyber war.
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