Managing Business Disruptions

Managing business disruptions: Beds24 tools and functions which help during exceptional circumstances.

1 Accept requests only instead of confirmed direct bookings

In SETTINGS->PROPERTIES->BOOKING RULES you can change your „Booking Type“ to „Request“. This means that guests enquire and you confirm or decline each booking manually.

This setting will apply only to direct online bookings.

2 Offer cancellable bookings

If your bookings are normally not cancellable you could add an additional offer with a cancellable price. This help page explains how to set up additional offers.

3 Block days between bookings

The setting "Block Dates after Check-out" in SETTINGS->PROPERTIES->ROOMS->SETUP allow to block days between departure and the next arrival.

This option is only suitable for rooms with a quantity of one, the logic will not work correctly with room types with a quantity greater than one.

4 Close availability at channels

If you accept direct bookings or requests but do not want to sell all rooms or any rooms at OTAs at the moment you can reduce or close availability at the channels via SETTINGS->CHANNEL MANAGER->CHANNEL INVENTORY.

5 Completely disconnect channels

If you want to close the availability at the channels close the availability in Beds24 first. Check at the channels that the rooms are closed. You can then disconnect in the channel.

You find information on how to do this on the channel help pages for example for Booking.com when you go to SETTINGS->CHANNEL MANAGER->BOOKING.COM and then click on HELP in the top right.

Disconnecting a channel in Beds24 first will not close the property/rooms at the channels.

6 Automatically adjust prices

If you do not use dynamic pricing via Pricelabs or RoomPriceGenie you can use the yield optimizer in SETTINGS->YIELD OPTIMIZER to automatically adjust prices based on availability.

6.1 Incentivize re-bookings

If cancellations are inevitable you can issue gift/deposit vouchers which allow guests who cancelled or whom you had to cancel to future dates with a discount. This tutorial explains how to set up gift vouchers.

7 Keep guests informed

Use Auto Actions to keep guests informed on developments regarding their booking or to assure them about the measures you have taken.

8 Google Hotel Ads

Google has lowered the limit on commission bids. If you do not have many OTAs bidding against you you can get bookings for a 4% bid.

9 What you can do if you are forced to close

9.1 Close your property for new bookings

You can set a „Blackout“ in the CALENDAR to close your property for new bookings for a certain period.

For other methods to close a property please see here.

9.2 Cancel existing bookings

9.2.1 Direct bookings

Best is to deal with every guest individually. If you can not handle the process individually you can set up an Auto Action which changes the status of the booking to „Cancelled“ and sends an Email to the guest. Click here for instructions.

9.2.2 OTA bookings

For most OTAs cancellations have to be made in the OTAs. Check which each OTA what their conditions are right now.

9.3 Reduce Beds24 fees when you are closed

You can lower the number of rooms and if you have remove sub accounts and disconnect channels. If you use optional extras like integrations, SMS booking notifications, private label booking pages you can deactivate these as well.

If you keep the channels open after disconnecting them you will need to manage your bookings and your availability manually.

10 Resources

Airbnb Corona Virus Resource Center

Booking.com information regarding the Coronavirus