Central Reservations Overview

RDP offers a central reservation capability to companies with multiple properties. A separate RDP database is created for each location, which allows unlimited scalability. Reservations can be made at either the central reservation office, at the property, or both. The databases can be located at a central location or at each property. The reservationist can choose to search availability at one property, more than one, or all. A master database of all guests from all properties is available via RDP's Customer Relationship Management product (CRM), which includes point tracking and a rewards program.

Topics Covered in this Document
Availability Search - One Property, multiple properties or all Customer Relationship Management, (CRM) - Rewards Programs Location of RDP Databases - Property or Central Location Mix and Match RDP System Types One Internet Reservation Module Can Access all Databases True Last Room Availability Full Property Management Features at Each Property

Availability Search - One, Multiple or All Properties

Each property using the RDP system has their own database, which can be located at each property or a central location. The central reservations availability display allows many choices when searching availability. In the example below the customer has four RDP systems and a central reservations operator has elected to see availability from either RDP property#1, the "Condominiums & Homes in the Miami area" or from RDP Property#2, the Timeshare Vista Resort in Orlando. The column labeled "PROP" in the display indicates if the availability is coming from property 1 or 2. The reservationist could have easily selected to see availability for just one resort, or all resorts, by placing checkboxes in the appropriate columns. They can also change the dates and unit types. For example, you could search for "any suite available in any property", or "non-smoking rooms in Orlando". After selecting an available room type at one of the properties the system files the reservation in the database for that property.

Show Availability for which Properties?
X	01	Condominium & Homes - Miami Area
X	02	Timeshare Vista - Orlando
	03	Grand Resort - Chicago
	04	Captains Hotel - New York City
		All Properties

Customer Relationship Management (CRM) - Rewards Programs

RDP's central reservation system is normally used in conjunction with our Customer Relationship Management (CRM) module, which is designed to track all relationships with guests to improve guest service and marketing. All guest visits are tracked from one or more RDP systems. Points can be awarded for each reservation. The number of points can be different for different seasons, room types, total dollars spent, and other variables. Guests can make reservations by redeeming points. Restrictions can be applied to control when "point reservations" are allowed. A complete history is kept of all point reservations from all resorts. The diagram below shows how the CRM works with Central Reservations. For more details, please see:

Overview of Customer Relationship Management and Frequent Guest Rewards

Property Databases located at Central Location

Location of RDP Databases - Onsite or Central Location?

Each property using the RDP system has their own database, which can be located on a server at the property or at a central location. There is also one, and only one, "master customer relationship" database", which can be located on one of the data servers at the property, or at central reservations. The price of each RDP database is the same, no matter where the data server is located. The pros and cons of the location of the RDP database are as follows:

Property Databases at a Central Location	The diagram above shows the RDP central reservation system with six RDP databases, all installed on a data server at the central location. Pros and Cons of this design are: Only one data server and IRM server are required to handle multiple properties. For sites with many properties additional data servers can be added for load balancing. Central reservations always has fast access to the data - it is on their local server The properties would connect into the central location using Microsoft Terminal Services or Citrix. Access is not available if the Internet connection goes down.
Property Databases at Each Property	The diagram below shows the RDP central reservation system with six RDP databases installed on six different servers at each property location. Pros and Cons of this design are: Properties always have fast access to the data - it is on their local server A data server and IRM server are required at each property The Central reservation computers access the remote databases via RDP's Internet Reservation Module Server installed at each property. Citrix or Terminal Services is not required. NOTE: This technology is currently under development - contact RDP sales for an estimated release date.

Property Databases
at a
Central Location

The diagram above shows the RDP central reservation system with six RDP databases, all installed on a data server at the central location. Pros and Cons of this design are:

Only one data server and IRM server are required to handle multiple properties. For sites with many properties additional data servers can be added for load balancing.
Central reservations always has fast access to the data - it is on their local server
The properties would connect into the central location using Microsoft Terminal Services or Citrix. Access is not available if the Internet connection goes down.

Property Databases at Each Property

The diagram below shows the RDP central reservation system with six RDP databases installed on six different servers at each property location. Pros and Cons of this design are:

Properties always have fast access to the data - it is on their local server
A data server and IRM server are required at each property
The Central reservation computers access the remote databases via RDP's Internet Reservation Module Server installed at each property. Citrix or Terminal Services is not required. NOTE: This technology is currently under development - contact RDP sales for an estimated release date.

Diagram - Property Databases at Each Property

One Internet Reservation Module Can Access All Database

When the data is all stored at the central reservation location, one IRM bridge server can be used to access multiple RDP systems. Guests, travel agents, groups, wholesalers, and condominium owners can all simultaneously access the same or different RDP systems using the Internet.

See Internet Reservation Module for more information.

Mix and Match RDP System Types

RDP's central reservation design allows you to mix and match RDP system types. For example, a central reservation office could manage 10 resorts. Five could be hotels, three timeshare resorts, and the remaining two wholly-owned condominium resorts. In addition, one resort could have a mixture of hotel rooms, timeshare rooms, and whole ownership.

True "Last Room Availability"

Reservations can be made simultaneously from each property and central reservations, with instantaneous update of the data. For example, if there is only one room left for a given day, that room can be booked from a workstation at central reservations, a workstation at the property, or by a guest, travel agent, or wholesaler using the IRM. All reservations are stored immediately in the RDP database.

Diagram - Last Room Availability with Central Reservation and Internet Reservations

Full Property Management Features at Each Property

Each property RDP database has all the property management features in our RDPWin system. For an overview of features, please see:

Core RDP Modules	Core RDP Modules	Interfaces
Technology Overview - RDPWIN Sample Screens Sample Reports Reservations Rates & Yield Management Packages Front Desk & Night Audit Groups & Conferences Travel Agents/Wholesalers Guest History & Marketing Housekeeping Scheduling General Ledger - Hotels Trust Accounting - Owners E-Mail Marketing Crystal Reports Training Hardware Requirements	Internet Reservation Module (IRM) Vacation Rentals (Condo Accounting) Timeshare & Interval Ownership Campground Management Guest Itinerary & Concierge Activity Scheduling (bike rentals, etc) Wait List / Denial Tracking / Res Quotes Frequent Guest/Rewards Work Orders & Asset Management Booking Pace & Forecasting Virtual Store On Internet Messaging/To-Do List Change Tracking 24-Hour Support Customer List RDP Headquarters in Vail Customer List and Comments	Overview Of All Interfaces Global Distribution System (GDS) Central Reservations SDC Credit Card Interface High Speed Credit Card Authorization In-Room Video Checkout Call Accounting Phone Actuator (On/Off) Point Of Sale Voicemail Maid-Phone (Housekeeping) Environmental Back-Office Accounting Vacation Rental Trust Accounting Nomadix Wireless Internet Billing Room Key (Ving Card, etc.) RDP Partners and Alliances

Vacation Rental and Condo-Hotel Features & Links
Maximizing owner satisfaction and increasing management revenue since 1981
Data Flows from Reservations to Owner Statement Full Trust Accounting Capabilities Equalize Owner Rental Revenue Pay Bills for Owners and Guests Powerful Reservation Board (Tape Chart) Work Orders & Asset Management Housekeeping Forecast, Schedule, & History Mix of Rental Types - Condos, Houses, Hotels, Timeshare Internet Reservations with Pictures and Virtual Tours Live Demonstration of Internet Reservations E-mail Integration for Guests, Owners, etc. Short Term and/or Long Term Rental Lock-Off Units Allowed Manage Units Not in the Rental Pool Extensive Custom Reporting with Crystal Reports Reservation Quotes, Wait List, and Denial Tracking Customer Relationship Management (CRM) Travel Agent Commissions Deducted Unlimited Charges Per Owner	Various Billing Cycles - Monthly, Quarterly, etc. Split Revenue Across Billing Period Fast Production of Owner Statements Month-to-Date & Year-to-Date Totals Per Owner Statements Can Always Be Reprinted Print Checks to Owners Integration to GDS, POS, Phones, Credit Cards, etc. Accounts Receivable with Aging Automatically Print or E-mail Overdue Notices IRS 1099 Year-End Reports Room Moves Pay Correct Owner Yield Management Integrated Sharewith Folios or One Guest With Multiple Folios Taxes Adjusted for Length of Stay and Location Timeshare and Interval Ownership Allowed All RDP Hotel Features Available for Owner Systems Customer List and Quotes Home Page - Vacation Rentals & Condominium Hotels Why Buy From RDP?
Hotel and Resort Overview Vacation Rentals and Condo-Hotel Overview Timeshare / Interval Ownership Overview Discount Available When Converting to Resort Data Processing (RDP) from First Resort Software