WebSmartWare GuestAdmin

Marketplace for Tourists and Travellers

The three main components of the tourist industry are firstly the guest, followed by the accommodation provider and often motored by an agent. Various forms of transport at different stages in the journey as well as other extras can then complete the picture of any business or leisure journey.

In the beginning GuestAdmin was created to cater for any traveller requiring accommodation. A number of differing accommodation providers from small apartments, guest houses, hotels all worked together in a unique form of active involvement in the construction, testing, feedback and direct use of the application within 3 weeks of the starting gun.

Accommodation Information

Just as guests enter their data on booking - which is completed on arrival if incomplete - Basic Data contains information about the accommodation including its features, its location, equipment, pricing, any special arrangements, as well as photos depicting the rooms, apartment, facility etc.

Internet Linking

Most or all accommodation providers have their own website and/or are presented in a number of further information sites of a regional or other collective nature. Direct links to availability as well as actual online booking in GuestAdmin from within their own website plus a number of varied other websites has proved to be one of the strongest and most favoured features in the scope of GuestAdmin.

Supplied via the Web Browser in Real Time

Being supplied to the user through the Web Browser and their Internet connection with no other extra hard- or software attachments, GuestAdmin was built to reflect and solve the demands of accommodation providers and their guests to then include the role of agents. The secret is that all users are using programs and data created at the "same" time or real time as the software industry says. Thus, a guest viewing availability online "sees" the same data a receptionist might be viewing while at the front desk on the telephone. No matter from where in the world these activities may have been initiated the information is the same for all accredited users at any given time.

Accommodation Provider Control

At all times the accommodation provider retains control on "who sees and does what and when." At the point of booking a guest can view availability and make a booking in the form of a pro-forma booking requiring a confirmation by the accommodation provider. Or, the guest can view the rooms and book online into a particular room as if it had been done by a member of the hotel staff. The booking is firm and confirmed with GuestAdmin acting as a hotel staff member, all remote, online and through the remote web browser!

These two examples form the perimeters of the range available to accommodation providers who set their own system capabilities. Likewise, many accommodation operate within a number of currencies, languages and types of invoice required. Of course, they can set the governing parameters of their own operation and have a regular overview of the controls they have set.

Equally, they have full control and information available as to which sites allow access to their availability and which agents are allowed to sell which rooms/apartments at which times.

(Login) Identification - Access Check

All users (except guests who use a restricted portal) are required to login to the system and then the application with their own personal access name and password which activates the check system in the background.

Accommodation providers will see "their own data" and be able to set their own parameters as to how and which data can be viewed by guests or agents. Equally, data access to agents has to be and can only be controlled by accommodation providers.

In many areas tourist information offices act as agents while guests are in touch or actually in their premises. Accredited access will allow these agents to check actual up-to-date availability and even book online. Of course, GuestAdmin will complete the business documentation (conformation, invoice etc.) as well as calculate and allot the relevant fees and commissions to those involved according to the basic data registered in the system.

Furthermore, suppliers of extra services like bus and boat trips, car and bicycle rent, local restaurant tables, taxi services etc. can be included in GuestAdmin to provide a complete online service to all those involved from guests to agents and ultimately to accommodation providers.

GuestAdmin can be expanded to create a tourist platform to also include videos, slide shows, photos etc. to present any form of local information that may of be of use and interests to the guest. An access check can be used to ensure the "correct and accredited" use of data as well as to check for payment and bill the guest accordingly.

Speed and Security

GuestAdmin is integrated into the Internet displaying a speed of search and processing many users equate with a local PC. In fact, GuestAdmin can be accessed by any device which can drive a standard web browser - from high end PDA, hotel room TV/PC box, notebook, PC, Mac, etc. In all cases the speed of processing is high and the security of the system is such that would be invaders will have great difficulty attacking GuestAdmin as the protection system begins with trying to locate the main server.

Multi-Language

All users including guests choose the language in which they wish to operate in GuestAdmin. Currently, German, Dutch and English are available with French and Spanish to follow soon. A system of Multi-Language Tables make the adaptation to any new language a matter of one to two days. Online procedural plus context help systems and user information guide the user at all level of GuestAdmin illustrating the use of many mundane tasks.

N.B. The button on the Main Menu above containing the Chinese symbols is from the central administrator system. Not only does this demonstrate the ability of GuestAdmin to display oriental symbols, but also demonstrates the ease with which multi-language tables can be accessed.

Guest Information

Guest information on local features from various sightseeing or leisure aspects to restaurants is a wide ranging field that has already been included in GuestAdmin. The registry of restaurants allows a display of services local to the accommodation facility including details on proximity, price and speciality. Some of these features and services are particular to the facility which houses the guest, while further supplementary services may be particular to the type of accommodation he has selected within the facility. For example, not all accommodation within a facility may offer a valet or butler service.

Agents

One of the biggest problems faced by agents is the cost and time required in the coordination and confirmed administration of all the components required to get the guest to and house him at his destination. Traditionally, large agent organizations have purchased contingents of seats or rooms and then attempted to "sell" or fill them. GuestAdmin allows the "one off" booking as if the agent were constantly "connected" to the booking system of any accommodation provider. Having c coordinated dates with a potential guest and checked availability online, the agent can book immediately as all information is supplied in real time. There is no risk of double booking or information being outdated. In consequence, agents can confidently and quite simply research, book and confirm accommodation for their customers without the traditional business risks or the mounting costs and time delay involved with traditional communication methods. The smaller agency with local or other specialist knowledge will be able to grow their business and supply a reliable service to their customers.

Special Offers (Arrangements)

Often known as special arrangements, agents often develop these service packages to cater for a particular clientele or entice certain customers ostensibly making a special inclusive offer. For example a sailing trip will require accommodation for a small group of guests in a number of different locations as the trip progresses. From an administrative point of view this kind of trip can become an organizational nightmare. Not so with GuestAdmin: viewing availability, booking certain types of accommodation including confirmation is completed online in one feel swoop. Thus, a small group of agency staff can cater for a large number paying guests. Smaller specialist agents in Europe have already identified GuestAdmin as the key to growing an otherwise impossible business crippled by administrative demands into a profitable, dynamic enterprise.

The Future

GuestAdmin is a modular package and can be expanded almost at will while remaining in full active operation. Future capabilities envisaged include interfaces to accounting systems, multi-media delivery including radio, TV, commercials, local guest information, booking supplementary services, (already available though not yet activated), different user levels for the same customers for use in larger hotels and hotel chains (already available though not yet activated), interfaces to ancillary services like telephone systems, pay TV etc. and indeed a seamless link with any other service the Internet can offer.

Guarantee

GuestAdmin has been designed and constructed based on input from European accommodation providers and agents with countless years of experience in the tourist sector, a varied and diffuse range of accommodation types as well as guests from all walks of life and differing cultural backgrounds. The constant input and feedback from our customers ensures that GuestAdmin becomes and remains at the cutting edge of a fats changing industry.

Standard Platform features include: a core of industrial grade, high performance relational databases; security rivaling that of world-class banks through data flow, service programs, customer data, intra- and inter-organization collaboration; access with true real-time operation via wire or Wi-Fi from laptop, tabletop, upscale cell phone, Pocket PC or any other device with Internet connection (IE Explorer 5.5+ or equivalent); interface to Microsoft Office, SAP/R3, etc.; hundreds of program and operator callable calculations in various categories such as business administration, general statistics, engineering, finance, etc.; both off-line and Internet marketing can be handled; the customer's own system administrator controls those parameters that govern his business operation including assignment of personnel access rights; operation that is exceptionally robust due to the efficiency with which WebSmartWare utilizes the computer server resources - even the data traffic load of an entire city or company regardless of size and number of locations can be served on a minimal installation of our geographically dispersed, clustered and low-cost PC-technology servers; and a Continuity Of Operations structure that protects the customer even in a pandemic. The standard features coupled with mounted high performance service units create savings for the customer - typically 90% of the annual cost of a comparably equipped LAN installation.

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