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+--- Thread: April 28 Release! (/showthread.php?tid=578)
April 28 Release! - luther - 04-27-2021
Dears,
sorry for the delay, we were hoping to issue this release earlier, but as often
happens, we have decided to improve some things.
We are not sure that the minisites will be present. It is not to be excluded.
We try. If we don't succeed, it won't be long.
Nonetheless, we are announcing a first, robust version of the Warranty Methods.
We talk about the red and green shields. And several improvements scattered.
During these days, some threads of this forum have appearedinformation about it.
As always, we go step by step.
The development of the "Guarantee Methods" has reached a first level of completion.
In summary:
1. It will be possible to configure Zak in such a way that every booking can be
associated with a dedicated "Guarantee Method" (hereinafter "MG").
2. Each MG can be configured so that Zak can send to your customers requests for
confirmation, including a customizable number by reminders
3. Each MG can be configured to cancel reservations if the necessary confirmations
have not been honored
The goal is clear: since every incoming booking will be correct associated with the
right Guarantee Method, Zak will take care of everything.
The red shields will be managed completely automatically. They will turn green,
automatically. And according to your specific needs. And when they don't turn green,
that is when customers will not provide the necessary guarantees, you can decide to
cancel automatically their reservations.
In other words: Configure the policies once, let Zak do everything else automatically.
It is an ambitious goal. We want it to be the best answer on the market for manage
problems related, for example, to European regulations on credit cards. But we'd like
also all these automatism can lighten the "administrative" practices and even
improve the conversions of your online reception (see later).
The automatic association of Guarantee Methods depends on the channel of entry of a
reservation:
1. YouBook: here you can select manually
2. Online Reception: it is possible to associate a MG depending on the refundability
of the reservation
3. Channel Manager: There was a great job here. Each channel provides different
guarantees and we have made ad hoc developments.
Examples: on Booking.com it is possible to associate a specific MG depending on
the guarantee provided by the channel:
Virtual Card
Credit card
Third party payment (the customer pays booking.com)
No warranty provided (this also happens)
On Expedia, the election of the MG depends on the nature of the
book (Hotel Collect or Expedia Collect). And so on.
Behind the scenes, several things have changed. For example, Online Reception
no longer needs to be configured by enabling the various "Reservation Models"
(payments, deferred etc). That's enough to associate one MG with refundable bookings,
one with bookings not refundable and things happen automatically: depending on
the Method of Guarantee chosen, Zak will start managing in complete automatism your
business, even after reservation received.
One thing we consider smart to do: allow "pending reservations", that is confirmation
deferred when the reservation enter without any guarantee.
In fact, the associated Guarantee Method will allow Zak to request subsequently,
without relational expenses with customers, the confirmations of you need.
But in the meantime, the reservation has come in.
Conversion, in other words, increases. And the costs of managing the warranties
in a subsequent stage they are null. Because everything is automatic.
We're sure, we'll have to fix something. And make choices.
To simplify, I have already said that the Online Reception can be configured based
on the refundability of the reservation. Maybe it will be necessary to have tools
more sophisticated. With customizable calendars, as happens for cancellations
policies, for example.
As always, let's go and run the system in the everyday work. Improving it and
consolidating it over time.
In addition to the guarantee methods, there are other developments they will be
issued with the release.
The whole reservation area, except for the booking detail (but we have
almost finished too) and the management of overbookings, it was
completely redesigned.
There is an Overview Page that allows you to see the global situation at a glance
(pending, discontinous stays, offers etc).
A single, beautiful page to manage things. This was also a lot of work significant
in terms of energies. Which will soon be completed with the restyle of the booking
details: as I said, even here we are at a good point.
We introduce two new payment gateways: Nexi and Redsys.
The first was very popular, even on our forum.
We are happy to satisfy you.
The planner settings have been expanded. It's possible choose the number of days
to upload. Some customers, in fact, they prefer the speed to the length of the
period loaded.
Even the Email Branding module has a little something more: it is possible to
set the ReplyTo value, so that customer responses arrive at a different address
from what you use for notifications.
Another small improvement is related to the Online Reception.
You can choose to limit the number of selectable rooms during the interrogation.
Several people have requested it. If you have 5 rooms, you can now limit your
choice to this number.
Generating vouchers better interprets the language. In many cases, the language
will be chosen much more correctly.
Also, this development will be crucial once we finish the new page of the booking
details: here it will be possible to manage different vouchers for sending emails
or for Online Checkin.
Connectivity to Expedia has also been improved. Zak is now able to interpret
cancellation policies even in the case of exceptions configured on Rooms and Rates
on Expedia side.
On Online Checkin we have decided to inhibit cancellations if the bookings come
from OTAs.
Templating System messages, relating to reservations, they have a new important
value: the link to the section of the Online Checkin Extras. Great tool for
upsell, invite customers to buy extras online or to remember the possibility.
Finally: you will see the Kylix Menu appear. The development of the Restaurant
module is in progress. In the midst of that billion of things that we try to
manage every day by giving our own maximum.
With the hope that our efforts are up to par of your needs, we greet you and
thank you for all the trust you give us.