The RDP reservation system is designed to provide last room availability from a variety of channels simultaneously as illustrated by the diagram below. This page describes how to integrate the IRM.Net booking engine with your marketing website.  Other helpful IRM.Net links are:
 

RDP Reservation Channels

IRM.Net Booking Engine or RDP API Web Services

The least expensive reservation channel is your marketing website, which can be integrated with the RDP database to display rates and availability and complete the reservation process without any commissions to travel agents, GDS, or other third parties.  Vacation rental, timeshare, fractional and private residence clubs (PRC) can also use IRM.Net to view statements, pay bills, and much more.  The methods of integrating your marketing website to the RDP system include:

Topics covered in this document include

RDP API Integration with the Marketing Website

Web programmers can integrate the marketing site with the RDP database through an the RDP API which uses Microsoft's Web Services.  For example, the  website programmers can request availability from the API, which is then returned to the marketing website for display to the guest any form desired.  The API can also display rates, room descriptions and more.  The API integration is designed for web programmers.

  RDP API Web Services Integration - Technical Details

IRM.Net Booking Engine Integration with the Marketing Website

IRM.Net is integrated with your marketing website to provide the guest with a consistent look and feel and to maximize your revenue. For a demonstration, please see IRM.Net Demonstrations Integrated with Marketing Websites.  There is a tremendous amount of customization available.

• IRM.Net Booking Engine Integration - Customizing IRM.Net with Themes and Style sheets
• Passing Search Criteria into IRM.Net from the Marketing Web Site

The flow of events when a guest, travel agent, group member or condominium owner makes a reservation on IRM.Net is as follows:

Commission-Free Reservations 24 Hours a Day, 365 Days a Year

All reservations made via the IRM.Net are completely commission free. No commissions to RDP or any other entity.  Think of IRM.Net as a reservations department that works 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, for free!  With IRM.Net, many guests can check availability simultaneously at any time of day or night.  There are never any busy signals or situations where a call back is required.  RDP has now installed hundreds of IRM.Nets, and almost all of our customers are amazed that they can close their reservations department at night and return in the morning to find new reservations.

Direct Access for Guests, Owners, Travel Agents, Groups & Wholesalers

The IRM.Net in conjunction with the marketing website can be used by guests, owners, travel agents, groups and wholesalers simultaneously to check rates and availability and make reservations.  When the IRM.Net is used to check availability and book reservations, several advantages are seen over hospitality booking websites:

• No commissions or transaction fees (15-25% savings)
• The reservation entered is immediately placed into the RDP database.  There is no manual input required.
• A separate room block is not used, allowing for last room availability
• There is no risk that the guest will see one of your competitors.  The only property on IRM.Net is yours!

Please use the links below for more information about direct Internet access using the IRM.Net:

• Vacation Rental or Condo-Hotel Owner Internet Access - Owners enter their own reservations
• Travel Agent Overview
• Travel Agent Reservations Flow
• Group/Wholesaler Overview
• Group Reservations Flow
• Owner's can print/view their revenue statements on-line

Other Internet Booking Websites and the Global Distribution System (GDS)

IRM.Net is designed to work with, not replace, other Internet booking websites, such as Expedia.  At RDP we believe in the following approach to Internet reservations:

1. Sign up for a GDS provider and use RDP's two way interface to capture the first visit to your property.  After the first visit, have the guest use the IRM.Net for subsequent visits so no GDS commissions are paid.
2. Use the IRM.Net integrated with the marketing website to capture as many Internet reservations as possible, as there are no booking fees associated with IRM.Net.  Use RDP's Frequent Guest Program to encourage repeat guests to book directly or RDP E-Mail Marketing.  See Improve your website's visibility
3. Encourage owners to use the IRM.Net for viewing reservations, printing owner statements, view owner calendars, view work orders and more.  See Owner Internet Access

The diagram below shows how GDS powered websites, guests, owners, travel agents, and groups can all make reservations simultaneously on the Internet.

Features for Vacation Rental and Condo-Hotel Owners

The goal of the IRM.Net Owner access is to identify all requests from owners that generate calls to management and move these functions to the Internet. Owner Internet access capabilities include:

Secure, commission-free owner Internet access 24 hours/day, 365 days a year direct to your database

1. Owner and Guest of Owner Internet Reservations
2. Owner calendar can be viewed and printed up to four years in the future
3. View or print all past Owner statements on Internet in Adobe PDF format
4. Owners can review or add work orders for their units including complete detail
5. Owners can request housekeeping and specify requests using the Internet
6. Owner mass e-mail marketing and newsletters
7. Commission free reservations using the Internet Reservation Module (IRM.Net)
8. Sell additional guest services (packages, golf, gift items etc.) with the Guest Itinerary and Concierge module
9. Additional reservation charges are allowed (booking fees, cleaning fees, etc.)
10. All owner Internet access flows automatically to the Trust Accounting System

The Average RDP Customer Generates over $200,000/year in Internet Bookings

The IRM.Net generated $200,000 per year for most of the RDP customers.  The number of reservations made via electronic distribution channels continues to increase.  Currently, 20% of all reservations are made through the Internet and this percentage increases every year.  With 20% or more of reservations via the Internet, imagine the implications of your property not being connected.  A guest may find you and your competitors websites, but if the potential guest cannot book your property on-line, a reservation will be made at your competitor's property.

Automatic E-mail Confirmations in PDF Format

The IRM.Net automatically sends e-mails to all guests, owners, travel agents, and groups who make reservations.  You have complete control over the text, fonts, pictures, and graphics that appear on the confirmation, which can be sent to the guest in Adobe format or other formats. 

• Sample E-Mail Confirmation
• RDP E-Mail Marketing

Improve the Visibility of Your Marketing Website

Since the IRM.Net does not have any associated booking fees, it makes sense to drive as many potential guests as possible to your marketing website to make reservations.  A few possible ways to increase website traffic are presented below:

IRM.Net Security - SSL Certificate (Secure Socket Layer)

Security is an important concern for anyone using the Internet.  With over 300 installations of the IRM.Net, there has never been a breach into the RDP Data Server from the IRM.Net.  The IRM.Net is fully PCI compliant.  It uses SSL technology to encrypt the web pages and also internal database encryption for critical data, such as the guest's credit card number.  For more information please see Installation of Secure Socket Layer (SSL) Certificate.

Sample Screens

A few sample screens from the Internet Reservation Module are below.   See Additional IRM.Net Sample Screens

Guest Preassign Reservation Screen Fixed Dates While Reviewing Availability and Room Details
Alternative Preassign Screen Allows Flexible Dates While Reviewing Availability
Returning Guest Login Screen