#Japan #Tokyo #Smart Order #OTA Management #Hospitality Service

Smart Order Unveils OTA Management Service

In a significant move for the hospitality industry, Smart Order Co., Ltd., headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, has launched its new Online Travel Agency (OTA) management service on July 1. This service aims to assist various lodging facilities, including hotels, ryokans (traditional Japanese inns), and vacation rentals, in managing their OTA listings more efficiently. For easy access to the service, you can visit the official site here.

The Challenge of OTA Management for Lodging Facilities

Hotels and other lodging businesses rely heavily on OTAs, including industry giants like Booking.com, Airbnb, Agoda, Trip.com, and Rakuten Travel. These platforms are essential for reaching both domestic and international guests. However, many lodging facilities face significant challenges in maintaining their OTA listings. Once a property has been listed, regular updates and management are required to continue attracting bookings, which typically involve:

• - Registering and updating facility and room information
• - Reviewing and improving content such as photos, descriptions, and amenity details
• - Adjusting prices based on market trends and competitive pricing
• - Managing availability and sales periods
• - Setting up campaigns and promotional strategies
• - Continuously enhancing listings based on booking and viewership data

This is particularly demanding for small hotels and vacation rentals, which often struggle to manage day-to-day tasks such as reservations, cleaning arrangements, and check-ins alongside OTA management. Time constraints often leave these properties with outdated photos and descriptions, and they may miss opportunities for campaign settings or competitive pricing strategies. The burden increases further when managing multiple OTAs, as each requires separate oversight of information, pricing, and inventory.

Smart Order's Data-Driven OTA Management Support

Smart Order's OTA management service combines the data found in a property management system (PMS) and various OTAs to support operational improvements. The service allows lodging facilities to cross-reference their booking, inventory, and pricing details in real-time.

For instance, if weekend bookings are filling quickly, the pricing strategy will differ from a scenario where rooms remain unbooked until the day of check-in. Adjustments to pricing, inventory, sales methods, and listing content will be made based on comprehensive insights into the overall booking status of the facility rather than applying a one-size-fits-all approach.

Key elements of the service include:

• - Integration of PMS with OTA management to promote data-driven decisions.
• - Monitoring of market and competitor conditions to inform pricing strategies and sales campaigns.
• - Tailored adjustments to pricing and inventory based on booking patterns and performance.
• - Enhanced OTA listing pages that effectively communicate facility features.
• - Collaboration on campaigns tailored to the operational needs and sales goals of each facility.
• - Ongoing improvements based on performance metrics rather than one-off changes.

Three Tailored Service Plans

To accommodate different operational needs, Smart Order offers three service plans:
1. OTA Start-up: Designed for facilities commencing sales via OTAs or considering new OTA listings. This includes initial setup support for OTA accounts and listing information, guiding properties through the setup process amid other preparations.

2. OTA Consulting: Provides ongoing support, with facilities managing their OTA accounts while receiving advice from Smart Order on data analysis and improvement strategies over the course of a year.

3. OTA Management: A comprehensive package that handles all aspects of OTA management, from content updates to pricing adjustments, aimed toward facilities unable to dedicate sufficient time or staff to OTA operations.

This service is particularly beneficial for properties struggling with inconsistent bookings that need a structured approach to bolstering their online presence.

Future Directions for Smart Order's Service

As the hospitality industry continues to evolve, Smart Order is committed to streamlining the management of reservations, OTA operations, check-ins, cleaning logistics, and more. The company plans to enhance its support model to ensure lodging facilities can leverage PMS data for operational growth while engaging effectively with external services.

With over 250,000 facilities and 4 million rooms relying on its cloud-based comprehensive PMS solution since its inception, Smart Order is well-equipped to facilitate the evolving needs of the hospitality sector. By integrating the OTA management service with its existing PMS capabilities, Smart Order is set to help lodging facilities improve operational efficiency and maximize profitability while delivering superior guest experiences.