Take a moment to consider the role the Internet plays in travel planning. In most cases, regardless of where the person will be going or for how long, the process begins online, perhaps even long before the trip is scheduled. The Internet offers countless hotel and travel sites that have detailed information and sensational images. It's ideal for planning a trip from start to finish, including paying for the travel online, or just for dreaming about a once-in-a-lifetime vacation.
The attractive photos and allure of the descriptions provided can often be enough to entice dreamers to make the decision to take a vacation. Impulse shoppers have a difficult time resisting when the goods offered are so appealing. Attractive websites displayed across the web can be compared to placing candy bars on the counter of a cash register at a grocery store — you are sure to make some quick sales!
A visit to the right website can convince an impulse buyer to take a trip!
Call it Psychology
The trick is to let the customer see the product, and then make buying it quick and easy. One of the key secrets to the psychology of impulse buying is putting the product or service in front of the customer. It's a simple fact: The customer has to see the product or be aware of it in order to buy it.
Once you have successfully grabbed the customer's attention, you can count on making sales. But you also have to make the buying process very convenient for the customer.
Quick — Before the Mood Passes!
Keep in mind that the customer has an advantage. He/she can easily leave your website at any time. It is important to not only have a well-designed website that is attractive and easy to navigate, but it should also be informative.
In addition, in order to make things as convenient as possible, you should be prepared to accept mobile payments. This will help ensure you can capture the sale before the site visitor’s mood changes.
Customer Expectations
Online shopping has become the norm. It is not a fad or trend; nowadays, all businesses are expected to have websites and to offer the acceptance of online payment options. These are expectations from customers — and if your hotel cannot meet these expectations, a competitor's hotel certainly can!
Benefits to Your Hotel
One of the most touted benefits of accepting online payments is the efficiency of the systems. Transactions are processed automatically, and data is tracked for you as well as for the customer. Not only is this type of system more efficient, it also saves time and money. Your hotel will save money on supplies needed for paper billing and postage, plus the time needed to manage the system.
Automation means sales can be made around the clock. Once the system is in place, everything should be simplified. Although you will still need to have regular hotel staff in place as usual, your automated online payment system will be on duty around the clock. This is convenient for customers — and good for your hotel.
Making it easy for customers to book your rooms online is a way to increase your sales and make your hotel more successful.
Bottom Line
Accepting online payments is not really a matter of choice; you simply have to do it if you want your hotel to appear credible. But not all payment services are top quality. Choose one that protects your customers from identity theft. An encryption process should be used to transmit sensitive credit and debit card data. Another concern is fees. Some payment service plans have hidden fees.
The customer support that will be provided to you is very important. The fact is, there will probably be occasions when the service has a little down time. Obviously, unless you can get excellent customer support, even a small amount of down time could cost you some big money.
The bottom line is this: Every modern-day hotel should accept online reservations and payments — it is expected. It streamlines the booking process and makes planning a trip much easier. And in the end, it can make your hotel more successful!
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About the author
Debbie Allen is a professional content writer, online marketer, and blogger. Besides writing about small business management topics, Debbie also likes to write about things related to home décor and renovation
