Making intelligent connections

Our brains are constantly thinking, even while we read. We draw on our prior knowledge and experiences, using that information to make connections that help us better engage in the text we are reading. This process enhances what we read, taking our understanding to a deeper level. What if our channel management tools could also make intelligent connections? Enter SynXis CR, the superior engine for critical availability, pricing and revenue management decisions that are communicated to OTA partners. Here is a little bit on how SynXis Channel Connect, leveraging the CR, goes beyond basic channel management to make the intelligent connections hoteliers need. Although most hoteliers would agree connections with OTAs are non-negotiable in our current distribution climate, they do not always consistently support all pricing models and types of restrictions. This makes it difficult for hoteliers to maintain parity across their distribution channels and they may be faced with challenges when working with OTA partners that do not share the same capabilities as some of the larger players in the industry. On average, OTAs communicate via industry standard message sets that are available to all CRS and Channel Managers. One of the benefits of the SynXis CR is the access it provides to all available rate strategies and restrictions applied to the rates and availability that are returned. OTAs that cache their data and rely on an ARI push from the CR need to be able to apply the data and rules that are sent in the messaging. In unique cases, partners do not support all the methods available to them, so SynXis CR has to be smart enough to deliver rates and availability in a manner that circumvents those challenges. Below is an overview of a few key solutions that bring just such intelligent connections:

To Fully Leverage LOS Pricing…

SynXis CR can expertly leverage different rate strategies to generate Length of Stay (LOS) Pricing to OTAs that support this pricing model. Hotels using BAR by LOS decisions from their Revenue Management Systems, or who simply use daily pricing in their price seasons, can have their rates converted to arrival-based pricing for each length of stay. LOS Pricing allows hotels to leverage their revenue management strategy or apply length of stay based promotions to their pricing so that they can be reflected by the OTA. In this example, a hotel using a daily pricing strategy has their pricing converted to a full price for each length of stay for an arrival date. The guest is arriving on June 1. The XML that is delivered to the OTA will reflect the combined price for each daily price for the length of stay.

To Communicate Full Pattern Length of Stay…

In addition to hotels using LOS pricing to communicate their pricing to the OTA, they can also deliver Full Pattern Length (FPLOS) restrictions to the OTAs. FPLOS combines several different types of stay restrictions and expresses them to the OTA simply as available or not available for each length of stay. The restrictions that are included in an FPLOS message are:

• Min/Max Arrival
• Min/Max Stay Through
• Hurdles
• Close to Arrival
• Close to Departure
• Open/Close

In the following example, some lengths of stay are available for a June 1 arrival and some are not, all due to different types of restrictions that can be applied in SynXis CR. The FPLOS is expressed as a Y or N to indicate whether the length of stay is available or not.

To Strategically Apply Rate Hurdles…

The SynXis platform evaluates rate hurdles based on an entire length of stay, which is why FPLOS is the ideal method of communicating them. SynXis assesses the availability of a rate by comparing the total price for a length of stay to the hurdles for the same length of stay. If the pricing exceeds the total hurdle, it is available. If the total pricing falls below the total hurdle, it is considered unavailable. This method allows individual dates that fall below a hurdle to still be available if they are part of a stay that exceeds the overall hurdle. In our example, the hurdles are applied for different lengths of stay for a June 1 arrival.

To Deliver Rolling Time-Based Restrictions…

SynXis CR backs the delivery of a Min/Max Lead Day or Lead Date restriction via ARI. We have discovered that not all OTA partners are capable of consuming and applying these restrictions. This impacts the hotelier’s ability to control the timeframe that an Advance Purchase rate is available with the OTA. To address this problem for OTAs that do not support this type of restriction, SHS has developed Rolling Time Based Restrictions. This feature allows a hotelier to apply a Lead Day, Lead Date or Lead Time restriction in SynXis that will be communicated to the OTA as an OPEN/CLOSE when the date or time is reached. By converting this restriction into a standard OPEN/CLOSE, we can ensure that OTAs can have the restriction applied and remain in parity with other distribution channels.

Beyond the Basics

These are just a few ways in which hoteliers can benefit from a connection that uses what it knows to help your system get the most for your hotel. The greater the intelligence behind the connection, the more benefit to your hotel. At what level of comprehension is your channel manager connecting?