Frequently Asked Questions
With ReceptionBook.com do I have to know much about the internet?
No, ReceptionBook.com is built on a sophisticated database using modern programming technology.
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And how long will it take to get me set up?
A typical hotel site is up and running within a few hours. Our complimentary
training team will also visit the hotel for between 1 and 3 days depending on the
number of staff needing to be trained and their proficiency levels.
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How do guests find me?
ReceptionBook.com works from your web site for direct clients and from our website
for agents and booking offices. To improve internet traffic we recommend using our
sister site Africa-Beat.com; a specialist East African events and sales sites. Potential
guests find your web site on these sources, and from there are only one click away
from your online reservation system.
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Do I have to list my complete inventory on our website availability check?
No, ReceptionBook.com allows you to list only the rooms you wish.
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If a guest calls direct to make a reservation, how does this effect the
availability table?
You easily add rooms that are booked by telephone, fax or other means to ReceptionBook.com
via our site. This way the availability within ReceptionBook.com is always working in real time.
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What is the process for joining the ReceptionBook.com community?
Our consultants will help you enter all necessary data about
your hotel into ReceptionBook.com, including your rates and tour operator details. This whole process including training takes between one and three
days. We do the rest
by generating a complete online reservation system. Finally we issue the computer code that can be uploaded
to your own website to show real-time availability.
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Do I have to specify which computers and IP addresses I will be using with ReceptionBook.com?
No, as we use a password and username based system, on our secure server,
enabling you to log in to ReceptionBook.com at any time on any computer with an internet connection. If you wish to control access to ReceptionBook.com from specific computers, you can.
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How do I charge for my rooms; per room or per person?
ReceptionBook.com operates both options.
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Does ReceptionBook.com handle reduced rates for children?
Yes, unlimited age groups can be set up.
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Can I specify the minimum and maximum number of guests per room type?
Yes. You can also tell ReceptionBook.com the maximum number of children per room
and all the permutations of rates based upon that.
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Does ReceptionBook.com allow for seasonal rates?
Yes. You can specify unlimited seasons in a year and even different rates in a week.
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How do tour operators use my booking system?
You enter details of trusted tour operators and
there contract details including deposit amount, commission and holding time. When they log in to ReceptionBook.com
they can view your availability through a secure area where you have full control over the exact information they see. When
you meet new tour operators you can add them and through the community section of
ReceptionBook.com new business can also be found.
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How am I notified when a guest makes a provisional booking?
When you log in to your secure area of ReceptionBook.com you will see details
of new provisional bookings from internet clients or from tour operators.
As a security
measure you are also emailed the proforma automatically; a copy of which
is also sent to the client detailing the allocated room and price breakdown.
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What if a guest cancels a booking?
You simply log in to your secure area in ReceptionBook.com and cancel the booking.
The rooms are returned to the availability table. You can still generate an
invoice for the booking if you need to charge a cancellation fee.
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Does ReceptionBook.com have any sales reporting?
Yes. The program can display reservation report, cancellation report, monthly sales,
sales analysis, guest contact information, agent’s sales and individual invoices.
Report can be displayed for an entire year or the dates that you select. We can
however supply any reports you require, just let us know which ones and we will
do it at no extra cost. This report template will then be available for you to access
in the future.
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I offer different meal plans
is this possible with ReceptionBook.com?
Yes. With our system you specify the basic cost for a room with the default meal
plan. Other
meal options can be selected within the booking.
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Can I add extras such as airport pickups into the system?
Yes. You can add to your system any extras you offer and set rates. You can also
charge extras to the guest while they are inhouse.
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Can I offer any forms of discount?
It is possible to add a final discount to the clients bill
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Do you offer credit card processing facilities?
Yes, we do according to the following stages:
- Guests enter their credit card details onto ReceptionBook.com's secure server.
- You receive an auto-email when a guest books.
- You log on to your password-protected area on our secure server and can then print
credit card details and keep on file, or charge a deposit to the guest credit card,
as per your booking policy. You need your own credit card merchant account.
- Credit card details are stored on the ReceptionBook.com secure server for a maximum
of 7 days, in line with international legislation.
- We can also integrate ReceptionBook.com with payment
gateways, so that guest credit cards are authorised and cleared in real-time.
ReceptionBook.com are planning to introduce merchant credit card accounts for all
users in the near future.
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Can ReceptionBook.com handle a service charge?
Yes. You can add both a percentage and fixed amount. Adding surcharges is an optional
feature.
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Can ReceptionBook.com handle tax?
Yes. A variety of taxes can be added to individual items or onto the total
bill.
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What if my internet fails?
If your internet has a problem, there will be no trouble with any of your bookings as you will be able to use the hard copy of the availability sheet sent to you the previous day. This is automatically emailed summarising your availability, bookings, guests’ arrivals and departures.
Any website clients
or tour operators who try to make a booking while your internet is down, will be
able to make the booking as normal. Details will be displayed and emailed to you when
your internet is back functioning.
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How do I see a hotel's availability and make bookings?
You must first be registered as a trusted tour operator with the hotel,
then it is possible to see the room availability and make provisional bookings through a password and username controlled area of the ReceptionBook.com website.
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What is a “trusted tour operator”?
You become a trusted tour operator when a hotel adds you to a group allowed to view
real-time availability. As the financial package is tied in with this system, contracts
must also be entered between a hotel and tour operator before the latter can be
moved to a “trusted” setting.
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How do I become a trusted tour operator for more hotels?
You can view profiles for all hotels on our system and contact them regarding setting
up a contract and becoming trusted allowing you real-time availability checking
for their hotel.
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What if my contract changes with the hotel?
The hotel can easily update contract information including rates, deposit amounts
and holding time from any computer at any time.
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What benefits will ReceptionBook.com give me as a tour operator?
As you are using a real-time system you can get back to your client with full availability
details, a provisional booking and full cost breakdown within 10 minutes, allowing
you to close the sale immediately, without time-consuming correspondence between
your office and hotel reservation staff.
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