subject: How important is it to be able to take credit cards? [print this page] You really need credit card transactions to succeed
All the reports are suggesting the same thing. There is an unstoppable increase in credit card transactions online; the travel sector is at the heart of this growth. A renowned business guru and Harvard Professor, Michael Porter, suggests the internet is the downfall of business. He suggests it makes businesses compete on price and despite the respect with which he is held it can be argued he misses some of the point.
Travel is not a commodity that can be purchased on a level playing field. The travel industry covers so many disparate sectors that it is relatively easy to differentiate from your competitiors. However, the importance on customer service has not, and never will, go away.
Credit card transactions are a simple fact of life nowadays. They provide simple functionality for customers to interact with businesses. Seamlessly providing instant confirmation. Imagine how frustrating it is to search for hours, to find an offer and then have to revert to snail mail to convert the booking. Ahhhhh!!!
So, which way to go? Businesses that do not offer credit card bookings are losing out on 40% of the business, so says Travolution.co.uk. Visit them and search their site for the term 'online bookings' and one will instantly see the importance of offering this service to customers. Every story is positive and suggesting increases in this form of booking transaction.
The difficulty private rental home owners face is how to facilitate online bookings. Here's a list on where to get started.
1. Search google online for 'Online booking system for my villa'
2. Pick out the websites that offer a booking system without the need for a merchant account.
4. Check the commission for carrying out transactions.
5. Compare the cost to Paypal.
5. Compare the benefits of both systems, Paypal to the website provider
6. Go for the system that not only provides transaction service but integrates a calendar to stop double bookings. One calendar equals one update.
7. Check that the booking system uploads to other sites. Imagine the time saved when a booking system can be loaded to several websites and all calendars are integrated. One calendar equals one update.
8. Check to see who the website operates with. Are they credibly linked to other reputable businesses?
9. See how many additional bookings are required to cover the cost of the card transactions. Frequently it will be as low as one, and it should be easily achieveable by converting the 40% of visitors that are currently lost. Making additional profit not less.
10. Finally, be reassured that when the research is done and the system implemented, customers are protected through the credit card charge back scheme. This instantly provides crucial reassurance to customers.
Credit card booking payments are a necessary fact of life. Rental home owners are clearly losing substantial business by not providing them.
How important is it to be able to take credit cards?
