Managing Business Disruptions
This page lists Beds24 tools and functions and links to resources helping during exceptional circumstances.
Contents
1 Manage cancellations and existing bookings
1.1 Incentivize re-bookings with vouchers
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.
1.2 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.
1.3 Create reports on cancelled bookings
We have added a new column "Cancel Date" in REPORTS >CUSTOM REPORTS which allows you to create reports on cancelled bookings.
2 Make sure you do not miss out on bookings
2.1 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 to allow for cleaning.
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.
2.2 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.
2.3 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.
2.4 Attract last-minute bookers
With lack of tourist demand and most bookings being due to essential immediate travel booking lead time has drastically decreased. Consider removing or reducing minimum days until check-in rules set in your daily prices and rates and same day booking cut off in SETTINGS->PROPERTIES->BOOKING RULES to allow last minute bookings.
2.5 Make sure guests can book for next year
While cancelling their next trips many guests are already booking ahead for next year. Open up for sale by adding prices for more than a year ahead by adding prices and increasing the "Max Days in Advance" setting when using rates. If you set "Export data" = 2 years in SETTINGS->CHANNEL MANAGER we will send data as far ahead to the channel as they allow.
2.6 Update your descriptions
Update headlines and descriptions on your booking page and OTAs so guests know which measures you take and what you offer at the moment.
2.7 Evaluate alternative rental options
In many areas there is still a demand for accommodation which under normal circumstances might not be considered lucrative but can now help to cover costs.
- Attract guests who need longer term temporary accommodation by extending maximum stays and offering discounts for longer stays.
- Offer day use with limited service as "homeoffice" for people need a place to work.
- Offer accommodation to guests who want to isolate themselves.
- Offer accommodation to people who normally live together but need alternative accommodation at the moment.
2.8 Take advantage of Google Hotel Ads lowered limits on bids
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.
2.9 Contact previous guests
Use our integration with Mailchimp SETTINGS->APPS & INTEGRATIONS->MAILCHIMP to automatically update your mailing list. Alternatively you can download bookings as a .csv file to use in another system.
2.10 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.
2.11 Close or reduce 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. Check on the channels web sites that the inventory is actually closed.
3 Adjust Channel Manager
3.1 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.
4 What you can do if you are forced to close
4.1 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.
4.2 Cancel existing bookings
4.2.1 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.
4.2.2 OTA bookings
For most OTAs cancellations have to be made in the OTAs. Check which each OTA what their conditions are right now.
4.3 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.
5 Resources
Our partner Pricelabs provides data on booking trends at https://hello.pricelabs.co/coronavirus-trends/
Many OTAs have launched specific programmes and provide help and advice.
Airbnb Corona Virus Resource Center
Download Airbnb Corona Toolkit
