BookingCenter | Help | MyPMS | Agent Allocations

Working with Agents and Rate Plans

Managing Rate Plans

Each Rate Plan in MyPMS can be setup to be a 'parent' or a 'child' of another rate plan. This makes it very easy to manage a single 'parent' Rate Plan and then automatically update the Rates of all associated 'child' rates attached to it. If one is particpating in Net Rate or negotiated rate programs, this means that availability from BookingCenter is manged seamlessly and the user needs only to manage the 'parent' rate (for exqample, the Rack rate) in order to automate the delivery of contracted rates to each contracted agent. If a Rate Plan, for example, is not available for weekends, then that option simply doesn't exit. If a Minimum Length of Stay is set for 3 days, than that is the rule for the Rate Plan.

An example of a Rate Plan screen:

Managing Agent Rates through the BookingCenter Central Reservation Service

Finding new customers through programs such as the Net Rates or the GDS is a good idea. Having them come back to you directly - to book at your website or via your email/phone - is smart business. BookingCenter provides a way to create and manage Rate Plans for any needs - special events, mid week discounts, local agents, etc - so that your website transacts repeat business instead of the expense of a GDS or a Net Rate transaction. These Rate Plans are set in the MyPMS product, but the relationship to your Central Reservation Systems is established in the Member's Area (the link is found in the 'setup' area of MyPMS, accessible only to managers).

Every Agent has a specific commission, allocation, rate (pricing) and network loading.

Agent Relationships

Agent Relationships displays a list of all Agents that have specific relationships to resell your service showing commission rates, allocations and network loading.
Commission Rates can be any percentage or flat rate. Rates can be changed by request to BookingCenter.
Allocations determine what rooms an agent is allowed to sell. All Agents share access to all rooms. If there are 10 rooms in a room type, and 2 are allocated to an agent, this agent can sell the first 2 available rooms only. Therefore, if 8 rooms are available, this agent sees 0 available rooms.
Network Loading is used to rise and fall regular prices by percentages to an agent. This can be used a 'short cut' to creating unique Rate Plans. Therefore, if Network Loading is set to -10% and the normal room price is $100, then this agent will see $90 as the price. +10% would cause prices to be increased to $110.

Still gave questions about the Global Booking Network? A Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) overview is available here and an overview of the Global Booking Network is available here.