The channel manager distributes the hotel's room and price information for sale to multiple channels; the booking from the channel also passes to PMS. The main goal is to reduce the risk of selling the same room twice and to eliminate the burden of making separate transactions on each portal.
- Price and availability go to the channels; reservation, change and cancellation comes to PMS.
- Each room type and price plan are matched separately by the provisioner's compensation.
- Trusted connection requires idempotency, error hole, re-testing and consensus.
In which direction is the data moving?
The hotel first defines the rooms types and price plans within PMS. In the channel matching, the example of the 'STD' room type in PMS is connected with the reward in each provider. The price and availability go from PMS to the channels; the new reservation, change and cancellation comes from the channel to PMS.
This stream is double-directional but not every data is written in both directions. Room description and photos are administered from the channel extranet in most of the projects while daily price, stop-sale, minimum accommodation and containment channel manager are distributed.
Why do you need a separate match for each channel?
The same room can be found with different names on different channels. Also, the type of pension, the number of people, the currency and the cancellation rule should be matched. The wrong matching causes the price to go to the wrong room or the reservation to not be processed.
When the connection is installed, first using the test facility or a limited date range, then verifying the results from the channel screen provides a safe transition.
- Combination of room type and price plan
- Monetary and tax rules control
- Reservations, changes and cancellation scenarios
- Repeated Messages
- Error Hole, Re-Test and Operator Warning
How to prevent overbooking?
When a reservation comes, PMS reduces availability in one process and sends the current content to connected channels. If the same message returns again, the provider's reservation number is kept unique so that the second reservation is not created. The message should not be lost in connection error; it should be re-tested in the coat and the long-lasting error should be visible.
However, no technical system promises zero risk. Sales tampon, final room rule and regular agreement can be used for channel messages delays and manual extranet changes.
How to send prices and sales limits to the channels?
The hotel does not only send the price for one night. Minimum accommodation, entrance closed, output closed and sales stop restrictions can also be distributed on the basis of the date and price plan. If there is a rule that the provider does not support, the adapter should not silently count it out; it should show an open warning to the operator.
The response of each channel should be followed separately in the mass price update. The order that one channel is successful while the other is rejected, if it is generally successful, the difference is made between the hotel screen and the sales portal.
Test list before the channel connection is taken to live
The connection must be verified first in a low-risk date range or at the test facility. It is not recommended to open the entire inventory before the following scenarios are completed.
- One and multiple room new reservation falls to PMS
- The correct recording of the date, person and room type change
- Restore the cancellation container and protect the cancellation policy
- Price, stop-sale and minimum accommodation orders appear on the channel
- Not to copy the same booking message for the second time
- The messages waiting for the connection to be turned off and processed accordingly
RoomFollow Integration Approach
RoomFollow channel layer is set to convert the different format of each provider into a common booking and inventory model so when a new channel is added, the booking core of the PMS does not change; only the provider adapter and matchings are added.
The important thing on the hotel side is not to see the connection key; it is to be able to clearly track which room and where the price is dependent, the last synchronic time and the wrong records.
FAQ
Can the channel manager completely end the risk of overbooking?
The risk is significantly reduced, but for cases such as channel delay, manual extranet change or wrong matching, the final room rule and regular agreement are still necessary.
Do you need a separate API key for each OTA?
Some providers provide facility-based identity information, while some use the central connection through a technology-approved business partner.
Is the reservation automatically opened when the reservation is cancelled?
When the correctly matched dual-way connection is processed to the cancellation PMS, availability is re-calculated and the current content is sent to the channels.
