77% of the market hasn't adopted a reservation system; however, with the pandemic, there has been a sharp increase in the number of businesses that have transitioned from paper to digital tickets and are moving to a more digital era of ticketing.
¿Aún no hay software de reservas?
Are you always behind on bookings and stressed out?
Missing out on bookings and making mistakes in paperwork can cost you money. It's hard to keep track of everything when you're always on the go. However, with the rise of online ticketing systems, you can easily sell tickets and attract new customers.
An online booking system helps you keep track of all bookings in one place, preventing mistakes and ensuring you never miss a reservation.
With an event reservation system and tour operator online booking system, you can overcome past ticketing challenges.
¿Qué es un sistema de reservas en línea?
In case you are still unsure what an online booking system is, it's a software solution that allows your visitors to self-book tour appointments online and pay through your website, event booking page, and other channels, allowing you to accept reservations without lifting a finger.
That's not all, though. Reservation system technology has advanced to the point that it has become a central location where you can handle every aspect of your business - from marketing to distribution to operations.
Online booking systems help businesses sell tickets for events, tours, and activities through various channels. It offers specialized features for each channel, all connected to the same backend, making pricing updates automatic. The system's main feature is online point-of-sale, which enables event managers to sell tickets easily.
No hay que asustarse si no se es experto en tecnología; todo lo que se necesita es un sistema de reservas en línea y la capacidad de cosechar los beneficios (y ahorrar dinero).
[See our in-depth guide to online booking systems here.]
Here are some key advantages to consider.
- Siga sus ventas con informes en tiempo real
- Sell online even if you are not available during business hours
- Evite las reservas dobles con las conexiones API
- Controla las comisiones de tus revendedores
- Assign assets and teams to activities
- Antes de que lleguen sus visitantes, recopile información sobre ellos.
- Automate reviews on third-party websites.
Consider these before choosing a digital reservation system
1. The benefits
There are several reasons to adopt an online reservation system for your Zoo, Museum, Attraction, Tour or Activity, including the potential to increase sales or revenues.
Generate more sales and direct bookings with a 24-hour online self-service option that allows customers to book and pay for tour appointments online without waiting in line.
Capacity and timed tickets, an online store, contactless admission control, capacity reporting, and robust marketing capabilities that integrate with a CRM… plus so much more!
1. You never close your store and sell 24 hours a day.
2. Ofrece más seguridad que las hojas de cálculo
3. Deje de perder el tiempo en tareas inútiles y repetitivas.
4. Ofrecer una mejor experiencia a los huéspedes
5. Manténgase organizado
6. Erradicar las cancelaciones y las ausencias
7. Obtenga información en directo sobre la salud de su negocio
8. Connect your favorite software tools
Tip: You can add an online booking fee to your tickets, pushing online booking system fees to your clients and increasing revenue.
2. The disadvantages
No hay ninguno aparte de la comisión que hay que pagar, pero se obtiene rápidamente un retorno de la inversión si se trata de una comisión porcentual. Los costes fijos tienen más riesgo al principio.
Some companies also use ticket brokerage companies to help them sell more tickets.
3. Business needs
There's no need for a call center or box office with an entirely online reservation system, which improves efficiency and client experience.
Software like TicketingHub allows customers to manage bookings by modifying or canceling their bookings without speaking with support.
[You can read more about our Magic link feature here.]
Here are the top 10 must-have features to consider when selecting an online booking system:
1. Real-time online bookings
An excellent online booking system should allow customers to view all available dates and make bookings immediately. This is without needing to make inquiries and wait for a response. If a date is unavailable, it should be blocked in real-time to prevent further bookings. This feature saves time for business owners and allows customers to book at their convenience.
2. Multiple languages and currencies
The online booking system should be available in multiple languages to cater to international customers. The system should detect the customer's IP address to choose their preferred language and currency. This feature reduces the chances of losing customers to competitors. It ensures that customers understand what they are booking and how much they are paying.
3. Voucher generation and management
A well-designed online booking system should generate and manage vouchers efficiently and clearly. It should also be possible to redeem external vouchers such as Groupon during the online booking process.
4. Secure payment options
Secure payment options are essential for any excellent online booking system. PayPal is an excellent payment option as it is secure and simple to use. It also ensures guaranteed online payments directly from customers and is available worldwide.
[See our payment gateway integrations]
5. Intelligent calendar/diary
An intelligent booking or occupancy calendar provides users with a summary of all bookings, capacity, and turnover for the required periods at a glance. This feature simplifies resource planning for business owners. Additionally, the booking diary should be synchronizable with digital diaries already in use, such as Outlook or Gmail.
6. Online and telephone support
A reliable online booking system should offer online and telephone support. Having a detailed help database is a plus, but it should also be possible to contact developers online or by phone.
7. Automated emails for management
An online booking system that automates sending out regular standardized emails like booking confirmation, reservation reminder, and cancellation saves time and effort for business owners. For example, a booking confirmation should be sent to the customer immediately after the online booking process is complete.
8. Mobile responsiveness
More people use smartphones to book leisure activities, so having a mobile-responsive online booking system is essential to ensure a smooth and easy booking process on different mobile devices.
Here's what the customer booking journey look like on mobile.
9. Easy integration with your website
An online booking system that integrates easily into your website is a must. The system should allow you to customize the booking process to match your website's branding and style. It should also be easy to set up and manage without requiring technical expertise.
10. Analytics and reporting
An online booking system that integrates easily into your website is a must. The system should allow you to customize the booking process to match your website's branding and style. It should also be easy to set up and manage without requiring technical expertise.
All the above help you grow your business while reducing costs. With an online reservation system, real-time reporting, an easy check-in process and third-party system integrations, online ticketing systems are the key to customer satisfaction, efficient cash flow management, and profitability.
4. Guests' experience
With a ticketing and admission control solution, you can better serve your guests, members, and school groups. In addition, you can reach broader connected markets via distribution channels. This is done via a single point of truth in your software dashboard. Allowing group registrations can save both you and your customers time while providing them with a more enjoyable experience.
Create a more personalized experience for guests by including anything they need in their hands. With email and SMS notifications, you may provide personalized material, offers, and recommendations to visitors at the right time, giving a truly tailored experience.
Seamless check-ins
An online booking system saves everyone valuable time by making it easy for ticket buyers to buy tickets in advance and check in at the venue. This means no long registration lines at the entrance and a streamlined check-in procedure that involves simply scanning the ticket QR code or barcode using the system's app on any mobile device.
Revamp the in-person customer experience with point-of-sale solutions
Sell tickets at the door for in-person sales using a Point of Sale connected to your reservation system to avoid double bookings and speed up the check-in process.
Connect your POS to a PDQ Machine (card machine) to take payments (and payment details) in seconds and never oversell your capacity.
5. Distribution growth
You can reach a whole new pool of consumers and capitalize on the opportunity with a single click. An online booking solution can connect to distribution platforms to streamline operations and increase profits.
Increase your market share by selling through international online travel agents (OTAs) like TripAdvisor (Viator), Get Your Guide, and Things to do in, and connect all booking data into one dashboard.
Online booking system should allow you to track all aspects of your ticket sales, including web analytics, to see which marketing campaigns are working best.
All these things increase your sales possibilities whilst reducing admin costs—no need for clients to print tickets or have a box office. Customers can simply present their confirmation email on their phones.
Is it the right digital reservation software for my business?
There are many options to choose from for an online reservation system. So, how do you decide which one is right for you?
Here are some things to consider.
What type of tickets will you sell?
There are several online booking system options available, each designed for a specific industry:
- Las plataformas de sistemas de reservas para operadores turísticos ofrecen un amplio conjunto de funciones para gestionar todos los aspectos de su negocio de operaciones turísticas.
- Zoo and Attraction's online reservation system offers a wide range of features specifically tailored to the needs of the leisure industry. These features include facilities for pre-booking and managing activities, appointments, memberships, and catering.
- Event ticket online reservation systems can sell tickets to events, such as concerts, plays, or festivals.
Using online ticketing software, you can build a specialized ticketing flow via a widget on your website/web pages / specific event pages for your product. Choose various ticket tiers to sell (Adult, Child, VIP, etc.), set the price and have multiple payment options for each type of ticket, get real-time sales statistics, and much more.
Author's note: If you are unsure which type of ticket is right for your tour business or if you need help designing your ticketing flow, we are here to help. You can set up a call with us here!
How easy is it to use?
You should choose an easy-to-use online reservation system - after all, you don't want to spend hours learning a complicated software and most of your time adapting it.
What are its ticketing features?
Cada industria tiene sus propios requisitos, pero el apoyo es universal.
- ¿Tienen un equipo de apoyo fiable?
- ¿Cumplen plenamente con la normativa PCI?
- Do they support print-at-home tickets?
- Can people buy tickets easily from a mobile ticketing phone?
- Do they offer access control?
- Can they support dynamic ticket prices and multiple ticket types?
- What are their refunds and cancellation policies, and is it aligned with yours?
- ¿Se pueden personalizar los formularios de preguntas de los tickets para cada tipo de ticket?
- ¿Admite el registro de los asistentes y contenidos personalizados en función del tipo de entrada? ¿Se integra con su CRM?
- ¿Puede gestionar los activos?
- ¿Se pueden establecer avisos personalizados?
- Does it support membership?
- ¿Dispone de un punto de venta para vender entradas en persona?
- ¿Ofrece la posibilidad de escanear los billetes en los dispositivos móviles?
- ¿Puede integrarse con los torniquetes?
What is the cost?
Most products on the marketplace are priced based on two types of pricing models, a fee per booking, a subscription, or both.
Arrival Travel wrote a very informative piece on this, which you can find here.
This table summarizes the prices of the most basic product packages.
Tarifa por modelo de reserva
Modelo de suscripción
Each option has its own set of features, and the cost varies depending on the complexity of the software. It's imperative to find software that is easy to use and has all the features you need to manage your reservations and grow your ticket sales.
What is their Reputation?
When choosing between event online booking systems to sell tickets, the reputation of the company is key. Make sure to read reviews and see what customers have to say about the software. This will help you make an informed decision about which online booking software is right for your business.
Does it offer a free trial?
The online booking company you choose should offer a trial account, so you can test out the software before buying. This will help ensure that the online reservation software is suitable for your business and that you understand how to use it before paying any ticketing fees.
How is customer service?
Most online booking systems offer customer service, which is invaluable as you navigate this new platform. Customer service may include online chat, phone support, and email support with your new service provider during account setup. It can also involve onsite customer support or staffing in some instances.
This will help you make the most of the online reservation system and learn something as well while you're at it, as each online reservation system has its unique features and benefits.
Conclusión:
Selling tickets digitally with an online reservation system eliminates the need for a call center or a box office. This increases efficiency and reduces operations costs and overall customer satisfaction.
Online booking software offers customer service, which is invaluable as you navigate this new platform and grow your sales.
We think it's worth looking into a ticketing system for your company - it'll make your life much easier and help you keep track of all your sales customers, and reduce your costs.
We've discussed pricing above but don't hesitate to spend more on your online reservation system. This will enable you to sell more tickets and save you lots of valuable time.
When it comes to the cost of online booking systems, there are various options to choose from. Each option has its own set of features, and the cost will vary depending on the complexity of the software. It's imperative to find online booking software that is incredibly easy to use and has all the features you need to manage your online reservations.
¿Qué opina usted? ¿Cree que el software de venta de entradas es el camino a seguir?
Háganoslo saber en los comentarios.
¿Qué sistema de venta de entradas se utiliza para el registro de eventos en línea y la venta de entradas de artes escénicas?
The most famous booking platform companies for event organizers or event management teams to sell events online and collect event data are:
¿Qué sistema de reservas en línea se utiliza para las reservas de los turoperadores?
Most high-volume tour operators use the following booking solution providers:
¿Qué sistema de reserva en línea se utiliza para la venta de entradas del zoo?
¿Qué sistema de reserva en línea se utiliza para los recorridos en autobús Hop on Hop off?
Which booking system and software is used for theatre shows?
What's the difference between an event ticketing system and a tour operator's online booking software?
Event organizers and event planners use ticketing systems to sell online event tickets in advance and at the door. On the other hand, tour and activity operators booking software is used to book tours and activities.
El software de reservas para operadores turísticos suele incluir funciones como múltiples franjas horarias por día, gestión de guías, gestión de clientes, gestión de actividades y contabilidad financiera.
Zoo and museum reservation software typically feature opening hours, time slot management, and membership solutions. Some also offer merchandise and restaurant POS, whilst others connect to third-party systems such as GoodTill or Attraction.io.
Vender entradas con un sistema de venta de entradas todo en uno
Even if you don't know much about computers, there's no need to be intimidated. You don't need technical knowledge to set up a ticketing system, sell tickets, and reap the rewards.
TicketingHub has a global reach that supports the sale of millions of tickets in 180+ countries. TicketingHub supports its clients by selling millions of tickets to tourists each day. We connect our clients to unparalleled access to an international ticket marketplace to sell tickets online.
Our online booking systems provide tools and services essential to a successful event management business. Give yourself the chance to make lasting memories instead of sweating over the details.
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