What is RevPar?
RevPar is a key performance matrix used within the hotel industry to define and monitor the revenue per available room. This is one of the most important indicators of a hotel’s health in a hugely competitive industry, allowing hoteliers to forecast subsequent revenue and predict continued profitability by providing a snapshot of its ability to fill rooms.
But what features should a booking engine designed to increase revenue per available room include?
Keep It Simple
Usability and user-friendliness should be chief amongst the concerns of any hotelier serious about maximising their bookings. Simple, intuitive designs smooth the reservation process and minimise users leaving the website before making a booking – a major cause of revenue loss for even the most sophisticated of hotels.
Keep it Speedy
Slow, sluggish booking engines are a complete turn-off for hotel guests. They don’t want to wait to see reservation options, or panic while wondering if their card payment is going through because of the millennia it is taking to process. Perform a speed test of your booking engine if you are in any doubt as to its performance – and be sure to put a fix in place if it’s not up to scratch.
Seemingly small gestures such as allowing a guest to state their preferences during a booking process go a long way towards encouraging them to make a booking with you. This could be achieved in a number of ways through your booking engine – either through the addition of ‘add-on’ options to opt in/out of, or simply through providing hotel guests with a small text box to add any clarification messages or queries they may have at this stage.
Make it Mobile
A mobile-friendly design is an absolute given for a modern booking engine. Holding out on making sure your booking engine is mobile responsive could cost you dearly in annual revenue, as guests are increasingly browsing and booking using mobile devices. Adding a mobile version of your website is a quick fix if you don’t want to switch over to a fully mobile version – but with new advances in technology, it is only a matter of time before you’ll need to make the change to keep up with the pack.
Personalise Responses
Nobody wants to feel like a number – and this is especially true when making larger purchases such as booking a holiday or a hotel stay. Personalised responses on booking give customers added reassurance and increase their trust in your establishment. Adding this simple function to your booking engine will pay dividends for years to come.
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