The trend towards instant response, live availability and virtual bookings is an expectation worldwide, to offer access to make bookings and ask questions 24/7.

 

Responding to market demand

More corporate buyers and agents are favouring booking with venues that offer them the ability to check live availability online and make direct bookings, without contacting the venue first.  This is largely for booking day meetings for groups of 30 or less. 

There is a heightened importance on response times, especially for agents wishing to provide a faster service to their clients.  If they can check venue availability themselves, they will favour that venue as it allows them to service their client more efficiently.

Overcoming concerns with live availability – specifics for event venues 

 

So venues, what are you worrying about – here is some reassurance around the common concerns with implementing such a system:

 

  • Yielding: Set limitations on spaces bookable online so that it fits with your sales strategy and ability to yield the space.
  • Pricing visibility: Customers are now very used to seeing variable pricing online, especially in the travel and tourism industry, it is totally acceptable in the event booking space also.
  • Lead Time: Venues may be concerned about selling smaller meeting rooms on a long lead time as it could prevent a larger conference booking option that requires breakouts.  Set restrictions in the system regarding lead time to only accept short lead bookings.
  • Event Type: Only accept online bookings for day meetings and small group events, prevent users from booking more complex events such as weddings, awards dinners and receptions.
  • Use for repeat clients only: This will help build the relationship by making this exclusive to them and create ease of booking repeat events.  It ensures from the venue side that clients have had experience of the venue before.
  • Upselling: allow clients to log in and effectively create their own event sheet, saving the team time on phone calls and admin.
  • Payment done online: another time saver for the team in not having to process a high volume of small transactions throughout the day.

 

Summary and suggestion

 

To summarise, stay ahead of the competition and embrace booking technology to service buyers needs and preferences!

All companies offering this technology offer demos and trials so why not give it a go

 

 

We would love to hear of any success stories!

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