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Reservation Management FAQ
Your reservation system; The heart point where all flows from web, OTA, call center, WhatsApp, agency and MICE requests converge.
Reservations not recorded in PMS, conflicting rooms, manual Excel lists, options stuck in the e-mail, different information on different channels... These are; Especially in destinations such as Antalya–Belek–Kemer–Side–Bodrum–Alanya, it means not only stress but also direct loss of income and reputation.
This FAQ page covers the most frequently asked questions regarding Reservation Management;
- •It was prepared to explain the deduplication of web, OTA and call center reservations on PMS,
- •prevention of overbooking on the technical and process side,
- •guest data integrity,
- •income-oriented reservation flows
Brief Summary
Reservation management; It is the management of all reservations coming from web, OTA, call center/WhatsApp, agency and MICE channels on a single "real source" (preferably PMS) without overlapping, with complete guest and revenue information. In a healthy model, OTA reservations flow to PMS via channel manager, web booking engine works integrated with PMS or channel manager, and call center reservations are opened in PMS with standard fields (source/channel, segment, note format). Thus, the risk of overbooking is reduced, reservations that do not fall into the PMS are detected early, and pick-up/forecast data becomes reliable for revenue management. Critical control points; mapping and log tracking, daily/weekly comparison reports, single-center management of stop-sell/closing decisions and buffer inventory approach in certain periods. Guest data integrity (email, country, segment, preference) is the primary fuel for CRM, remarketing and loyalty beyond booking; Disorganized records produce invisible losses on both the operational and revenue sides. Especially in high-volume destinations such as Antalya–Belek–Kemer–Side–Bodrum–Alanya, standardizing processes with written SOPs, regular inspection of integrations and periodic control of reports transform reservation management from a "source of stress" into a system that preserves income and reputation.
Brief Summary
Reservation management; It is a process structure that collects web, OTA and call center reservations on a single screen in PMS, reduces overbooking and keeps guest data properly.
Frequently Asked Sample Queries
- What is reservation management?
- How can I find reservations that are not included in PMS?
- How to prevent overbooking?
- How to deduplicate web and OTA reservations in PMS?
Reservation Management Overview
What exactly is reservation management?⌄
Reservation management; Requests coming to your hotel from all channels such as:
- •web reservations,
- •OTA reservations,
- •call center & WhatsApp reservations,
- •agency and MICE reservations
- •on the same PMS,
- •without conflict,
- •with complete guest and income information,
- •in a revenue-oriented manner. It refers to managing the flow
Why is reservation management critical for hotels?⌄
Because small mistakes made during the reservation process are returned as:
- •overbooking (double booking),
- •wrong room/price,
- •reservation not recorded in PMS,
- •missing guest data
- •guest dissatisfaction,
- •problem with OTA/agency,
- •revenue loss and operational chaos
Are reservation management and OTA/channel management the same thing?⌄
Complementary but different layers:
- •<strong>Channel management</strong> → how much inventory and at what price you will release on which channel,
- •<strong>Reservation management</strong> → how the reservations coming from these channels are recorded, controlled and tracked on the PMS.
Who is the Reservation Management FAQ suitable for?⌄
- •For all hotel and tourism businesses that, despite using PMS, still make reservations in Excel/notebook,
- •cannot see web/OTA/call center reservations at a glance,
- •experience overbooking and false reservation errors,
- •cannot collect guest data properly
Is it “reservation management = entering reservations into PMS”?⌄
No. Registering in PMS is just the last step. Reservation management:
- •means being aware of what kind of demand comes in which channel,
- •designing the process revenue-oriented,
- •establishing the PMS-OTA-channel manager-call center connection correctly,
- •continuous improvement with control and reporting
Why is reservation management extra important in destinations such as Antalya–Belek–Kemer–Side–Bodrum–Alanya?⌄
Because:
- •number of rooms is high,
- •OTA and agency diversity is high,
- •seasonal pressure and price competition are intense.
Short Questions
What is reservation management and what does it do?
Reservation management; It is a process structure that collects web, OTA and call center reservations in a single flow on PMS, prevents overbooking and manages guest data properly.
How do I combine web, OTA and call center bookings in one system?
By connecting PMS-channel manager-OTA integration and web booking engine-call center flows to PMS; You should collect all reservation records on a single PMS.
How do I prevent overbooking?
By managing the inventory in all channels via PMS & channel manager, minimizing the use of manual channels/updates and defining stop-sell/closing rules through the system.
How do I solve the problem of reservations not being recorded in PMS?
Regularly compare OTA/channel manager logs, PMS reservation list and manually opened records; You must identify and fix integration errors and process gaps.
How should I structure the reservation flow in a revenue-oriented manner?
During the reservation process; You should plan room types, upsell/cross-sell opportunities, minimum night, package and price rules together with revenue management and apply the same logic in call center/web/OTA flows.
Who is the Reservation Management FAQ suitable for?
Especially for hotels in tourism destinations who use PMS, OTA, web and call center channels and say “everything is together, I cannot see a clear picture”.
Service Scope: Channels, PMS, Data Integrity
What does the reservation management service include?+
- •analysis of web, OTA, call center and agency reservation flows,
- •evaluation of PMS–channel manager–OTA integration structure,
- •flow design for deduplication of all reservations on PMS,
- •detection of overbooking risk points and solution suggestions,
- •standardization of guest data (name, e-mail, country, segment, etc.),
- •reporting and control mechanisms. constructing.
How to deduplicate OTA–web–call center reservations in PMS?+
- •OTA reservations are written to PMS via the channel manager,
- •web booking engine is integrated into PMS or channel manager and transferred to PMS,
- •call center reservations are opened directly via PMS.
How does reservation management affect revenue management?+
- •clear visibility of segment and channel-based reservations,
- •accuracy of forecast and pick-up analyses,
- •quick price/room decisions (e.g. which channel should we block, where should we load?)
Where are the call center reservation flows in this structure?+
The call center is especially critical for:
- •winning the undecided guest,
- •upsell/cross-sell,
- •multilingual support
Why is guest data integrity so important?+
- •Accurate and complete guest data is essential to recognize repeat guests,
- •to manage CRM and loyalty processes,
- •to produce country/market based performance reports,
- •to carry out campaigns and remarketing
Process & Operation: Single Flow, Overbooking, Control Mechanisms
How to start the reservation management process?+
<ol>• • • • • </ol>
Make the current reservation flow map (web, OTA, call center, agency).
Determine which reservations enter PMS automatically and which manually.
Collect overbooking and reservation cases that do not fall into PMS.
Check PMS–channel manager–OTA integrations.
Design and test the new “single flow” process.
How are OTA–web–call center reservations standardized in PMS?+
- •using the same room and price plan structure,
- •using the same segment and source codes,
- •keeping special requests and notes in the same format in PMS note fields,
- •following the cancellation/change flow on PMS for all channels.
How to prevent overbooking?+
- •managing all salable inventory from PMS & channel manager,
- •Minimizing manual stock changes in OTA panels,
- •Not keeping Excel/ledger stock outside PMS,
- •taking stop-sell and closing decisions through the integrated system,
- •using "buffer" inventory in certain periods (extra attention for end rooms).
How to detect reservations that are not transferred to PMS?+
- •Regularly comparing OTA & channel manager reservation reports with the reservation list in PMS,
- •receiving "control reports" at regular intervals (daily/weekly),
- •following integration logs,
- •defining a separate control process for manually entered reservations.
How should I structure the reservation flow in a revenue-oriented manner?+
- •taking into account which room types are sold on which channel,
- •which channel you booked on which dates,
- •minimum night, package and campaign rules
Performance & Reporting: Results of Reservation Processes
What metrics should I use to monitor reservation management performance?+
- •channel-based reservation number and revenue,
- •OTA–web–call center shares,
- •number of overbooking cases,
- •number of reservations not transferred to PMS,
- •missing guest data rate,
- •cancellation and no-show rates.
How are OTA–web–call center reservations reported in PMS?+
In a correctly configured PMS;
- •If the Source/Channel fields are used correctly,
- •which channel each reservation came from,
- •which segment it is in,
- •on which dates it is concentrated
How do booking processes affect revenue management?+
If the data is corrupted, revenue decisions are also corrupted. Correct reservation management ensures accurate data such as
- •actual occupancy and pick-up,
- •channel and segment-based distribution,
- •market/country performance
How does reservation management affect guest satisfaction?+
- •accurate room/price information,
- •no overbooking,
- •special requests being visible in PMS notes,
- •the feeling of "waiting for you" at check-in
How often should reservation management reports be checked?+
- •operational: daily/weekly (overbooking, reservations not included in PMS, mapping errors),
- •strategic: monthly/quarterly (channel shares, revenue distribution, market analyses).
Messy Reservation Records, Conflicting Reservations, Missing Data
What does messy reservation records mean, what harm does it do?+
- •If some reservations remain in PMS,
- •some in Excel,
- •some in e-mail folders,
- •some in the OTA panel;
How do conflicting reservations occur?+
- •manual stock tracking,
- •non-integration channel or agency,
- •non-PMS reservation records,
- •late or incomplete closing/stop-sell transactions.
What happens if I have to manage overbooking?+
- •you may have to move the guest to another hotel,
- •guest satisfaction and OTA/partner relations may be damaged,
- •in-operational stress and costs increase.
What problem does missing guest data (email, country, segment) cause?+
- •loss of remarketing and remarketing opportunities,
- •inability to perform segment-based analysis,
- •lack of market and country-based performance reports,
- •making it difficult to establish loyalty and CRM processes.
Why are reservations that do not go through PMS critical?+
- •missing guests in check-in lists,
- •errors in accounting and income reports,
- •risk of conflict in room planning,
- •shock of "no record" when the guest arrives at the hotel.
Productive Search & Industry-Focused Reservation Management Questions
Why is reservation management critical for resort hotels in Turkey?+
- •high number of rooms,
- •OTA + agency + direct mix,
- •peak season pressure,
What should be focused on in reservation management in regions such as Antalya, Belek, Kemer, Side, Bodrum, Alanya?+
- •Robustness of PMS–channel manager–OTA integration,
- •Duplicating OTA–web–call center reservations in PMS,
- •clear reporting of market/country based reservation flow,
- •overbooking control.
How does reservation management differ for City hotels?+
- •short accommodation and last minute reservations,
- •corporate agreements,
- •MICE reservations,
How to deduplicate OTA–web–call center reservations in PMS?+
- •by using the "source/channel" field correctly for each reservation,
- •by ensuring card/ID uniqueness instead of opening a new record for the same guest,
- •by adding reservation numbers and OTA references to PMS records.
With which departments should reservation management work together for Türkiye in general?+
- •reservation & call center,
- •reception/front office,
- •sales & marketing,
- •revenue management,
- •accounting.
Mini Reservation Management FAQ
Should the reservation management process be in writing for every hotel?+
Yes; Written reservation SOPs are very useful to reduce errors and uncertainty, especially during personnel changes.
Does just using PMS mean reservation management is good?+
No; If PMS is used incorrectly or some channels fall outside PMS, reservation management is still poor.
Is reservation management necessary for small hotels as well?+
Yes; Even if the number of rooms is small, reservation management with a mix of several OTAs and web/call centers is important.
Can reservation management be carried out by outsourcing teams?+
Yes; With the right SOP, integration and reporting, a reservation management model can be established with both internal and external resource teams.
Does it still make sense to keep all bookings in Excel?+
Not above a certain volume; The risks of errors, overbooking and data loss are very high.
Is it enough to just work with OTA reports?+
No; It is necessary to look at combining PMS reports covering all channels with OTA reports.
Are call center scripts important when managing reservations?+
Yes; Reservation flow, PMS integration and upsell/cross-sell steps on the call center side should be standardized with scripts.
Is it realistic to completely reset overbooking?+
Technically, it is possible to get it close to zero; However, some hotels may choose to do strategic overbooking. The important thing is that this is conscious and controlled.
How should I prepare reservation data for CRM and loyalty systems?+
By keeping guest information in PMS with standard fields (e-mail, country, segment, etc.); You must transfer or integrate it to external systems in a healthy way.
Can I get the Reservation Management service only as “audit + process design”?+
Yes; It is possible to purchase a consultancy package that analyzes your current reservation flows, shows risks and opportunities, offers PMS-OTA-call center integration suggestions and SOP draft, and carries out the application with your own team.
Collaboration and Action Questions for Reservations Management
How can I get a quote for Reservation Management with DGTLFACE?+
- •the type of your hotel (resort, city, boutique, chain, etc.),
- •the PMS, channel managers and OTAs you use,
- •your web booking engine and call center structure,
- •the reservation problems you are currently experiencing (overbooking, reservations not recorded in PMS, missing guest data, messy records, etc.),
- •your targeted improvement areas (correct data, data integrity, revenue-oriented flow). etc.)
What does the “consult an expert” call clarify on the reservation management side?+
- •We discuss together which channels you receive reservations from,
- •where the data is broken (reservations not included in PMS, Excel, e-mail, etc.),
- •overbooking and error points,
- •critical flows that affect revenue & guest experience