A channel manager is a tool that allows you to connect your PMS with the OTAS available on the market.
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Your hotel's PMS is nothing more than a software designed to help you in the organization and management of your property. If you want more information you can read this publication dedicated to explaining what a PMS is and what it is for.
OTAS are the agencies you connect with to sell rooms. For example Booking, Expedia... You can read more details of what OTAS are in this article.
What is a channel manager
Now that you know what a PMS is and what an OTA is, we will explain what a channel manager is: a tool used to connect and synchronize PMS and OTA.
In addition, it allows your PMS to be always updated and synchronized with the OTA or OTAS where you sell rooms.
For example, if you book a room through your website or by phone, as soon as your PMS calendar is updated, this tool will alert the OTAs that the room is no longer available.
In the same way, when someone books a room through the OTA, this room will appear as unavailable in your PMS calendar.
Why do I need this tool?
Having a channel manager is fundamental in the management of your hotel because it allows you to increase sales. Your hotel's PMS and Booking (or the OTA you use) will always be synchronized. This means that the availability in both systems is always up to date.
If you don't have a channel manager, every time someone books a room on your website or by phone, you will have to access Booking manually to update the number of rooms available. This way, that step is not necessary.
How do I hire a channel manager?
Nowadays there are many companies with which you can hire a channel manager, but of course, it is important that they meet two requirements:
- That one can connect to the OTA or OTAS you work with. This is quite common.
- That it can connect to your PMS. This is not so common.
For this last reason, the ideal is to hire a PMS that has an integrated channel manager. This way you have two services that need each other through the same company, which means fewer problems to solve and, at the same time, fewer bills to pay.