How to distribute to Expedia on the Allotz.com system
Transcription
How to distribute to Expedia on the Allotz.com system
How to distribute to Expedia on the Allotz.com system Expedia is one of several channels that we connect with that has its own connectivity software that they provide us to connect with them. When a reseller such as Expedia does this instead of using the Allotz connectivity software it can cause a number of limitations in the level of management Allotz can apply. In most cases such as this one Allotz cannot update the content of Expedia for you or join Expedia for you, you are required to complete a number of steps externally to Allotz before Allotz can manage your rate and allocations with Expedia automatically. Once these steps are completed by you, Allotz will be able to manage rate and allocation as well as retrieve bookings from Expedia for you. Please follow the below instructions carefully. If you are not currently a client of Expedia please go to Step a: If you already distribute directly through Expedia please start from Step d: a. If you are not currently a client of Expedia you will need to go through their joining process. To join Expedia hoteliers who are inquiring about contracting with Expedia or connecting to their extranet please visit www.expedia.com. b. To join Expedia hoteliers please visit https://joinexpedia.com/default.asp. To activate your property in the Expedia system and connect to their Extranet system. This activation or connection process is out of the control of Allotz.com. Although Expedia do their best to activate properties via the Expedia system and connect to their Extranet system in a timely fashion, Allotz.com cannot tell you how long this process will take to complete. It is important that you take an active and proactive role in ensuring that this process is completed. c. If your property is accepted by Expedia for distribution through their primary website and associated websites you will be contacted by Expedia provide you with the access codes to the Expedia Easy Manage Extranet administration area. You will then setup your property details and your inventory details in the Expedia Easy Manage Extranet administration area. d. Please ensure your existing property name, property currency, inventory names and maximum guests of the inventory in the Expedia Easy Manage Extranet administration area are the same as Allotz.com Limited accommodation provider administration area. Note: (Please disable 'Base Allotment' setup in the Expedia Easy Manage Extranet administration area.) In the Allotz.com Limited accommodation provider administration area goes to channel page select channel Expedia to join. e. Please contact your Expedia Market Manager by telephone or Email and ask them for your "Hotel Code", "Room Codes" and "Rate Plan Codes" that Expedia use for your property. f. Please provide the following information to Allotz.com. You can do this by emailing the information to [email protected]. Version 10 1 - "Hotel Code" - "Room Codes" - "Rate Plan Codes" - "Expedia Easy Manage Extranet administration area Username and Password" These codes can be obtained from the Expedia Market Manager or Extranet. You must indicate which Allotz.com hotel/room/rateplan codes are to be mapped to the provided codes from Expedia. Note: (The Expedia Easy Manage Extranet administration area "Username and Password" and these codes are used to identify your property and room types when we communicate with Expedia.) Please complete the Expedia Quick Connect Sign Up Sheet and return it to [email protected] for your property with Allotz.com. For more information about what is "Expedia QuickConnect" please visit www.expediaquickconnect.com/content/eqc-home. Please complete the Expedia Mapping Sheet and return it to Allotz.com. g. Once Allotz.com finishes mapping your property with Expedia and Expedia Market Manager switch on "Expedia Quick Connect" for your property then you can set up Rates and Allocations in the Allotz.com Limited accommodation provider administration area. This will mirror the data to the Expedia Easy Manage Extranet administration area. Please ensure your existing inventory Minimum Night Stay in the Expedia Easy Manage Extranet area is the same as Allotz.com Limited accommodation provider administration area. You will then be able to "set and forget" your property inventory in the Expedia distribution channel through Allotz.com Limited's "Dynamic Time Expiring Asset, Inventory and Revenue Management System". You will have peace of mind knowing that all day everyday your inventory is being promoted to the right customers, at the right price at the right time and in the right place. Other matters you need to know to distribute your inventory efficiently and effectively through Expedia are – 1. All of your property and room information (description, images) are managed directly by you through the Expedia Easy Manage Extranet administration area. Allotz.com does not update your property or room type content on your behalf as it does to all its other unrestricted two way direct connected channels. 2. Once your application is successful, for Allotz.com to distribute rates and allocations to Expedia on your behalf, Allotz.com must obtain the Expedia Easy Manage Extranet "Room Codes" for each of your saleable room types. Depending on the Geographical location of your property (i.e. Australian and New Zealand properties) you may be required to supply each property "Hotel Code", "Room Codes", "Rate Plan Codes" Please consult with your Expedia Marketing Manager in regards to obtaining the Expedia Easy Manage Extranet area "Hotel Code", "Room Codes", "Rate Plan Codes" you require for your property. Once all of the Expedia Easy Manage Extranet "Username and Password", "Hotel Code", "Room Codes", "Rate Plan Codes" exist in the Allotz.com Limited system and Expedia Market Manager switch on "Expedia Quick Connect" for your property then your property will be approved in the Allotz.com system and you will be able to start distributing rates and allocations to Expedia through Expedia Easy Manage Extranet. 3. When you have change of the Expedia Easy Manage Extranet "Username and Password" please provide the Version 10 2 new details to Allotz.com so we can identify your property when we communicate with Expedia. You can do this by emailing them to:[email protected]. 4. When you create a new Property, new Room or new Rate Plan in the Allotz.com Limited accommodation provider administration area or Expedia Easy Manage Extranet administration area, please ensure that both websites have the same setup of the new Property, new Room or new Rate Plan on them. You will then need to contact Expedia Market Manager by telephone or Email and ask them for the new Property "Hotel Code", or the new Room "Room Code", or the new Rate Plan "Rate Plan Code" then please provide the new Property "Hotel Code", or the new Room "Room Code", or the new Rate Plan "Rate Plan Code" to Allotz.com so we can identify your new property, new Room or new Rate Plan when we communicate with Expedia, you can do this by emailing them to:[email protected]. 5. Bookings made at your property via Expedia are retrieved from the Expedia Easy Manage Extranet area interface by the Allotz.com API bridge and recorded against the allocations set for the Expedia channel in the Allotz.com system. On this basis, it is recommended that you regularly check and compare bookings and allocations in both administration areas. On occasions, Expedia closes their Expedia Easy Manage Extranet system for routine maintenance and this creates a timeframe in which your booking data may have to be retrieved outside the Allotz.com system. If this downtime occurs it is possible that Allotz.com may be unable to retrieve a booking notification from Expedia Easy Manage Extranet system in the allowed timeframe. If the allowed timeframe for retrieval expires due to maintenance downtime, the delivery of the reservation information reverts to delivery by Fax direct to the property. In this scenario Allotz.com will not know about the booking and it is imperative that you make sure that you maintain the correct availability in the Allotz.com system for the room type over the period of time the guest has booked. Any further modifications or adjustments to bookings originally sent by Fax will also be sent by Fax. You will need to make sure that these adjustments are reflected in the allocations set in the Allotz.com system. 6. When a booking is retrieved from Expedia through Expedia Easy Manage Extranet area, Allotz.com will send the booking details to the property via Email. Although every care is taken to translate this information correctly Allotz.com is not liable for any incorrect booking data sent to the property via email on behalf of Expedia. 7. Due to the possibility of bookings being sent to the property via Fax (if the Expedia Easy Manage Extranet interface is uncontactable for some reason, like maintenance), the Allotz.com IntelliAllotz for allotments feature is not available for the Expedia channel. This IntelliAllotz for allotments feature requires 100% of the booking information be accounted for by Allotz in "Real Time" in order to react effectively when a channel runs out of allocations. 8. Only the guest's name will be included in the booking information retrieved from Expedia through Expedia Easy Manage Extranet. This means that you will have to obtain the e-mail address separately (usually on registration at check-in) for guests booking via Expedia. These guests will not be available in the MailAllotz email marketing software until an e- mail address is obtained for the guest. Version 10 3