While SynXis is a complete revenue optimisation CRM package, it does need some learning and getting comfortable with, however, its utility in the industry is bound to grow.
Inventory management is the most crucial function in the commerce of running a hotel. One application that helps in this function is the SynXis Central Reservation System (CRS) RedX, which allows hotel operators to consolidate and manage hotel inventory from all sources – seamlessly connecting to the GDS onto travel sites, private-label central reservations systems, and hotel web sites. The application runs on a booking engine, GuestConnect, which provides customised online booking services.
SynXis integrates with third party travel sites, using standard XML in most cases. It enables hotels to independently manage each distribution channel from a single control centre. It also has provisions for services like rate shopping tool, RFP programme, RezTrack reporting tool, corporate rate code mapping, internet marketing services and GDS media.
A product of Sabre Hospitality Services (SHS), SynXis is being marketed in India through Travelguru, a Sabre group company, and part of Travelocity, a travel site. Says Shaun Dubash, vice president, Travelguru: “SynXis forms the basic platform for hotels to have a robust e-distribution strategy. It helps hotels distribute their inventory from one source across point of sales, that is, GDS, IDS (internet distribution system) and their own website.”
As a customer, Alam Khan, revenue manager, Sarovar Hotels, finds SynXis a useful asset for maximising Sarovar’s revenues.
“Keeping in mind the growing competition within the online travel industry, it is important for country-wide hotel chains like ours to have a competitive and user friendly booking engine that can also help us cross-sell our product,” he says.
The Preferred Hotels Group is in the process of training and implementing the platform across its 25-hotels in India. Says Saurabh Rai Bhatnagar, regional director, India, and director global sales, India, Middle East & Africa, the Preferred Hotels Group: “SynXis’s biggest advantage is the cutting edge electronic distribution services it provides. As compared to others, it is rocket fuel.
With SynXis, guests can now book multiple rooms in one transaction, in fact, a full itinerary. In terms of customer usage, with this application the partner hotel will now have full control over the rate updates and whatever other services they want to offer.
They can change rate quotes, delete or amend anything. The control that the partner hotel will have on its offers will be phenomenal.”
SynXis allows complete customisation at the user’s end, doing away with the intervention of the technology provider to make changes in standard rates and offers. Contrary to what is often the case with booking engines, where the rates, availability and the other services/products on offer are fed into the application by the technology provider, this tool allows the end user to do the needful.
However, as one user points out, this complete ability to customise will come with its own disadvantages. In a process that should ideally take just three steps, SynXis adds two more. So, instead of merely selecting date, checking room rate and confirming the booking, the customer can also identify other add-on services that the hotels may opt to offer, which bulks up the booking process.
Tarun Lakhanpal, group manager, revenue management and distribution, Lemon Tree Hotels, feels customer satisfaction is derived less from purchase and consumption of products and commodities, and more from the experience with a brand.
“Guest Connect from SynXis is an engaging booking engine as it enables interaction with customers in all three stages. The booking engine allows a degree of control over the booking process and the design, which facilitates a credible online experience,” he says.
Lemon Tree Hotels has been able to integrate the application with Ixigo and Wego. This has been made possible because, as an active member of Open Travel, SynXis works with the most current XML standard interface specifications so new interfaces can easily and quickly be added as needed. At Lemon Tree, revenues have spiked and Lakhanpal feels SynXis could have played a big role there.
“In the last financial year, we have witnessed a 33% increase in bookings through our website. Apart from the fact that Lemon Tree Hotels are growing at an incredible pace, I feel that Guest Connect from SynXis has contributed to this increase as well,” he concludes.
