Internet Reservation Module (IRM.Net) Overview

RDP's Internet Reservation Module (IRM.Net) can display current rate and availability information on your marketing website, as well as allow guests, travel agents, groups and wholesalers to make reservations and process credit card deposits.  Reservations are stored immediately in the same database as normal "phone-in" reservations, providing one database for true "last room availability".  All reservations made via the IRM.Net are completely commission free - no payments to RDP or any other entity are applied.  The average RDP customer generates over $200,000 per year in additional bookings with the IRM.Net.   Topics covered in this document include:

IRM.Net Integration with your Marketing Website

IRM.Net is designed to be seamlessly integrated with your marketing website to provide the guest with a consistant look and feel and to maximize your revenue.  The diagram below explains the integration process.  For a demonstration, please see "IRM.Net Demonstrations Integrated with Marketing Websites".

The flow of events when a guest, travel agent, group member or condominium owner makes an Internet Reservation is as follows:

IRM.Net Demonstrations Integrated with Marketing Websites

IRM.Net is designed to be seamlessly integrated with your marketing website to provide the guest with a consistent look and feel and to maximize your revenue.  The links below are available to demonstrate this integration.  Please note that once you purchase IRM.Net, you will have a great deal of flexibility to change the appearance to match your website - these are just samples.

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

All reservations made via the IRM.Net are completely commission free - no payments to RDP or any other entity are applied. Think of the IRM.Net as a reservations department that works 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, for free!   With the IRM.Net, dozens of guests can check availability simultaneously at any time of day or night.  There are never any busy signals or the situation where a call back is required.  RDP has now installed over 300 copies of the IRM.Net, and almost all of our customers are amazed that they can close their reservations department at 6:00 P.M. and return in the morning to find new reservations in their system.  The IRM.Net works while everybody else at the property sleeps!

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

The IRM.Net contained within your marketing website can be used by guests, owners, travel agents, groups & wholesalers simultaneously to check rates and availability and make reservations.   When the IRM.Net is used from your marketing website to check availability and book a reservation, several advantages are seen over hospitality booking websites:

• No transaction fees (15-25% savings)
• The reservation entered is immediately placed into your reservation database; there is no manual input or interface required
• You do not have to maintain a separate room block, allowing for last room availability
• There is no risk that the guest will see one of your competitors - the only site on the IRM.Net is your site!

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
• Group/Wholesaler Overview
• Owner's can print/view their revenue statements on-line

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

The IRM.Net is designed to work with, not replace, the Global Distribution System (GDS) and other Internet booking websites, such as Expedia.  At RDP we believe in the following  approach to Internet reservations:

1. Use  the IRM.Net integrated into your marketing website to capture as many Internet reservations as possible, as there are no booking fees associated with IRM.Net direct reservations.  For example, use RDP's  Frequent Guest Program to encourage repeat guests to "book directly" or RDP Email Marketing.  See, Improve your website's visibility. 
2. Encourage home/condominium owners to use the IRM.Net for owner and guest reservations, printing owner statements, owner calendars, work orders, and more.  See Owner Internet Access.
3. Recognize that no matter how good a job you do marketing your website, a certain number of new Internet guests are going to end up using Priceline, Expedia or other GDS powered websites.  These reservations can be automatically loaded into the RDP database.  See RDPConnect.

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 RDP’s Owner Internet 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
• Owner and Guest of Owner Internet Reservations
• Owner calendar can be viewed, changed, and printed up to four years in the future
• View or print all past Owner statements on Internet in Adobe PDF format
• Owners can review work orders for their units including complete detail
• Owners can request housekeeping and specify requests using the Internet
• Owner mass e-mail marketing and newsletters
• Complete property descriptions with pictures
• Commission free reservations using the Internet Reservation Module (IRM.Net) for paying guests, groups, travel agents
• Sell additional guest services (packages, golf, gift items etc.) with the Guest Itinerary and Concierge module
• Additional reservation charges are allowed (booking fees, cleaning fees, etc.)
• All Owner Internet Access flows automatically to the Trust Accounting system

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

The average RDP customer with the IRM.Net has generated $200,000 per year in bookings with the Internet Reservation Module (IRM.Net).  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 online, a reservation will be made at your competitor's property.

Automatic E-mail Confirmations in Adobe and Other Formats

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 Email Confirmation
• RDP Email Marketing

Improve the Visibility of Your Marketing Website

Since the IRM.Net that is integrated into your marketing website 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 "hack in" to the Data Server from the IRM.Net.  The IRM.Net uses a secure communication method that encrypts critical data, such as the customers 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