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Why a Booking Engine on your Website is Vitally Important for B&Bs

Here are some reasons why instant online booking capability on a Bed & Breakfast’s website is vitally important:

  1. B&B’s can offer incentive pricing for direct booking on their website versus OTAs.
  2. Encourages international guests, and can actually increase the diversity of guest demographics.
  3. Helps capture reservations from potential guests that would otherwise leave the website and search elsewhere (the fact is, most guests are searching multiple accommodations on the internet, and just don’t want to waste time emailing or calling).
  4. A well-integrated Booking Engine raises the credibility bar for a B&B.  Properties using freebee booking buttons, old style email request forms, or PayPal-style payment buttons are often perceived by guests as amateurish or “low-budget”.  This is a perception that, rightly or wrongly, reflects how well the B&B manages their accommodations.
  5. The importance of collecting deposits online with a booking cannot be overlooked.  Most free booking buttons don’t offer this.  Additionally, a well-established Booking Engine that can verify customer credit cards, and handle collections in multiple currencies is important, particularly in many regions.  Many international guests will not be able to book if their cards are being declined by second-rate providers and merchant accounts.  Most innkeepers don’t know that even PayPal restricts payments from cardholders in many countries.  These are questions that all innkeepers should be asking when selecting a Booking Engine provider.

So, if you are an innkeeper or manager of a small hotel, consider how online booking capability may enhance your business.  Ask questions, and consider several providers before selecting one that’s right for you.

For some ideas on how BedBreakfastTraveler.com (Instant World Booking) can improve your website with a Booking Engine, visit:

http://bedbreakfasttraveler.com/booking-engine.php

 

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Avoid Paypal Reserves

If you use Paypal to charge your guests’ credit cards, you may have noticed some new reserves that Paypal is introducing to account holders.  Reserves amount to increased costs to you, the merchant, and result in delays in receiving your money.  Instant World Booking offers alternative and better methods for collecting from your guests that will not result in delays or higher costs in receiving your money.

Here is how Paypal recently described their reserves, which may amount to 20% of your credit card proceeds:

“Why was a reserve placed on my account?  Sometimes we need to temporarily set aside some money in your account to make sure that you can cover any potential reversals or chargebacks.

What are the different types of reserves?  Rolling reserve: A certain percentage of the money you receive each day is set aside and then released after a certain number of days.
Minimum reserve: The minimum that you need to keep in your account at all times. We’ll hold a percentage of each day’s payments until you reach your minimum reserve.”

Instant World Booking offers the industry’s low-cost solution for booking engines on a bed and breakfast or hotel website.  Compare with BedandBreakfast com and others.  There are no complicated reserves to contend with.  Instant World Booking also now offers IWB Payments, a convenient way to charge your guests by credit card for reservations and other services you offer.  For more information, check out IWB Payments.

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