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Galileo Concierge Live! Increasing your Revenue Through Non-traditional Distribution. Christine DeZarn Regional Director, Hotel and Car Distribution Sue O’Hearn-Brennan Galileo Hotel Product Manager July 11, 2007. Agenda. What is a “non-traditional” distributor Who are they?
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Galileo Concierge Live!Increasing your RevenueThrough Non-traditional Distribution Christine DeZarn Regional Director, Hotel and Car Distribution Sue O’Hearn-Brennan Galileo Hotel Product Manager July 11, 2007
Agenda • What is a “non-traditional” distributor • Who are they? • How is my market changing? • How do I talk to non-traditional distributors? • What is JumpStart? • Why do I need it, and how do I get it? • What is Complete Pricing Plus? • Why do I need it, and how do I get it? • Frequently asked questions • Additional questions
What is a Non-traditional Distributor? • Traditional Distributor • Travel agency, full-service or limited service • Compensated primarily by commission • Supplier pays all distribution costs • “Travel professional” interaction, usually involves human intervention throughout selling process • Non-Traditional Distributor • Tour operator, specialty online retailer, destination portal • Compensated by net + mark-up, sometimes commission • Distributor is willing to share cost of distribution for content that otherwise requires offline management processes, fax, etc. • Consumer-direct or B2B interaction, rarely involves human intervention throughout selling process
How is my market changing? • Traditional distributors are decreasing in number • Consolidating • Differentiating to non-traditional models • Non-traditional distributors are increasing in number • Focused on consumer behaviors, online destination research • Targeting individuals with buying discretion (leisure) • Wholly reliant upon the “structure” of data received • Willing to pay for automated shopping and reservations • Taking on risk due to e-commerce legalities
How do I work with non-traditional distributors? • What is JumpStart? • Distributor uses Galileo Web Services, an interface used by software developers to build custom software and web sites • Distributors share the booking cost with suppliers for inventory and rates currently accessed by fax or offline processes • Controlled by Pseudo City Code, normal Galileo processes • Why should I be concerned about data “structure”? • Today’s Non-traditional distributors can not easily conduct business without it (and in some cases can not conduct business at all) • What’s in it for me? • More points of distribution and specialty consumer targeting mean more bookings • Cost savings for the property • Data transparency
How do I reach non-traditional distributors? • Activate “Inside Shopper” if not already in place • Agree to make negotiated and FIT rates available for participating JumpStart distributors • Ensure your data appears in the correct fields (not a given!) • Educate properties and GDS departments on consumer “self-service” use of GDS data, implications • Respond to address consumer service issues appropriately and quickly, if they occur (help distributors manage risks!) • Commit to adopt expansion of data provision, to include all taxes and service fees, triple/quad occupancy, pricing for children, extra bedding, meal plans, room views and other important leisure data elements for consumer shopping!
How Do I Commit? … to adopt expansion of rates and data elements for consumer shopping??? … especially when the GDS restricts the data I can send? Restricted No Longer with RoomMaster’s Complete Pricing Plus
What is Complete Pricing Plus? Project Initiated to Meet Expressed Needs of: • HEDNA Leisure Committee: • “Can’t market /sell leisure products adequately thru GDS • Agencies • Can’t shop/book leisure through automated systems – have to call property majority of time due to uncertainty regarding: • Room View • Meals Included • Bedding Configuration • Total Rate, including children Requirements Validated by: • Supplier and Agency Focus groups • Major Internet Booking Engine (IBE)
What is Complete Pricing Plus? It is…. the Next Generation of Hotel Pricing
What is Complete Pricing Plus? FEATURES: • Enhanced Pricing on Property Availability Displays – Complete Price Plus can include all taxes, surcharges, rate changes, PLUS • Age-Specific Children Pricing • Extra Bedding Pricing (Cribs, Beds, Roll Aways) • Extra Adult Pricing • + Indicator-Defined Room Descriptive data on Property Availability* and Rule Displays • Open Travel Defined Codes for Room View, Meals included, Bedding Configuration, Smoking • + Indicator-Defined Rule Data on Property Availability* and Rule Displays • Indicators for: Credentials required, Rate Category, Commissionable, Deposit/Prepay/Guarantee • Formatted Deposit, Guarantee, Prepayment and Cancel Policies • + Multiple Room Availability* Indicator • + Expanded Rate Data* (rate breakout, rate components) *Enhanced Feature for Structured Data Users
Complete Pricing Plus BENEFITS: Significantly Enhances/Facilitates: • Leisure distribution • Cost of Children, extra beds included upfront • Key Room data is confirmed (view, meals, bedding configuration) at availability and stored in booking • Distribution through on-line channels • Formatted/indicator driven data allows IBEs to identify best rates for customer and/or filter rates not appropriate • Multi-lingual distribution • Indicators allows key room and rule data to be displayed in IBE language of choice
Why Do I Want Complete Pricing Plus? • Competitive Edge • IBEs - often limit content to chains with preferred functionality and/or provide these chains with more favorable merchandising • Agency preference for chains that support higher levels of functionality • Reduced Customer Service Issues Traveler arrives at hotel with documented knowledge of: • Complete Price (including applicable “extra options” charges, rate changes, taxes/surcharges) • Applicable Room View and Meal information • Requested Bedding configuration • Guarantee/Deposit/Cancel policies • Reduced System Hits • IBEs obtain required data from Property Availability response – reduces need for Rules queries to obtain rate breakdown, deposit/cancel requirements, etc..
Complete Pricing Plus - How Do I Get It? Current Status: • General Release in all markets YESTERDAY (July 10th) • Launch Partners - Supranational Hotels and Columbus Reservation Service via Wizcom Switch • Pegasus Switch - in development, targeted October 2007 Minimal Participation Pre-requisites: • Triples and Quads • Complete Pricing Key Functional Pre-requisites: • Pricing / validation of pricing qualifiers (i.e., children, bedding) on Property Availability • Return of mandatory room/rule data indicators on Property Availability If Interested - Contact your Relationship Manager
FAQ’s Q: What effort is required on the hotel’s side to participate in Complete Price Plus? A: There are both participation prerequisites and functional requirements that must be met that I mentioned previously. More detailed information can be found in the data format guide. Because this is an industry leading enhancement, it’s likely that your CRS interface will require development - but also likely that the development can be leveraged to enhance functionality on your chain web site. Q: Who participates in JumpStart? A: A current list is always on the supplier secured site
Thank you for joining today’s Concierge Live session!