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Nowadays, the hotel industry needs to embrace technology to stay competitive and meet the demands of modern customers. One aspect that hoteliers need to focus on is their payment methods. The hotel online payment solution is a crucial aspect of the customer journey, and any inconvenience or complication can lead to dissatisfied guests and lost business. In this article, we will discuss how to transform your payment transactions and why it is essential for your business to get more online hotel bookings.
Traditionally, hotel guests have had limited payment options, and credit cards were the preferred mode of payment processing. However, with the rise of digital wallets, contactless payments, Apple Pay, Google Pay, virtual credit cards, and mobile payments, customers expect more flexibility and convenience. Additionally, the hotel industry has been slow to adopt new mobile payment apps and methods due to concerns about security, integration, and cost.
Common hotel online payment methods and systems
There are a lot of types of hotel online payment: virtual cards, Google Pay, Samsung Pay, Apple Pay, etc. Here I would like to explain the most used common methods to receive payments and to allow your client to pay for your accommodations with ease and, above all, safely. In this article I wrote, I go deep into all the ways to receive online payments.
PayPal
Using PayPal to charge clients provides a convenient and secure online payment system for both the hotelier and the client. PayPal is an incredibly user-friendly platform, accessible from anywhere in the world, making it easier for clients to pay for hotel reservations. The platform offers various payment options, including credit and debit card payments, cards, bank transfers, virtual credit cards and PayPal Balance. Moreover, PayPal offers a Dispute Resolution Center that can help to resolve any payment disputes, which can help to avoid any negative impact on the hotel’s reputation.
Credit card
Credit cards are a really convenient and secure way for hoteliers to charge their clients when they buy a room. Accepting credit cards can help to increase revenue by providing clients with a more accessible payment gateway. They also offer a level of security. Furthermore, credit card payments can be processed quickly, which helps to improve the customer experience, which is one of the most important things when talking about the whole journey of your client booking a room to the stay. This method, also, reduces the workload of the hotel staff.
Stripe
Stripe is a popular hotel online payment provider system that allows hoteliers to receive online payments from people all over the world. It’s a convenient online payment gateway, that can be integrated into hotel websites, making it easy for customers to pay for their bookings. Amenitiz, with its payment tool, uses Stripe to make all payments safe and easy. Later in the article, we will see all the features of this tool. This is especially useful for hoteliers who work with OTA’s (online travel agencies), as it provides a seamless payment experience for customers. With Stripe, hoteliers can process credit card payments, manage subscriptions, and handle refunds. This hotel online payment is a secure and reliable payment method that offers competitive transaction fees and provides hoteliers with real-time insights and analytics. Overall, Stripe is an excellent choice for hoteliers who want a hassle-free and efficient way to handle their online payments.
However, nowadays, there is an easy way to protect clients and hoteliers when they buy directly and with OTA’s, doing online payments and protecting all the payment information.
Banks
In the realm of hotel online payments, especially in the hospitality industry, various banks from the UK and USA play a pivotal role. In the UK, leading banks such as Barclays, HSBC, Lloyds Bank, NatWest, and the Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) offer robust online payment solutions, catering to the diverse needs of hotels and their customers. These banks are known for their secure, efficient, and user-friendly online banking platforms, which enable seamless financial transactions. Similarly, in the USA, major banks like Chase, Bank of America, Wells Fargo, Citibank, and U.S. Bank are at the forefront of providing advanced online payment services. Their platforms are equipped with the latest technology to ensure the safety and convenience of online transactions. For hoteliers looking to integrate a reliable online payment processing system, these banks offer a range of options that can be tailored to suit their specific requirements, ensuring a smooth and secure payment experience for both the business and its clients.
How do hotels take online payments?
So, online payments methods are the main kind of method, and this means a lot of “direct and indirect” risks. For “directed” I refer to being defrauded. This can happen when your own information or a guest’s information isn’t encrypted, so when you don’t use the correct payment system. For “indirect” I want to enlighten all those aspects like the customer experience. If your client can book easily and the process is smooth from his first arrival on your website to the payment, they will be happy already. This is important because a stay is not only a room with a bed.
The improvement of your hotel online payment method can provide numerous benefits for your reputation and consequently for your business, including an increase on direct bookings and more:
Enhanced customer experience: by offering a variety of hotel online payment options, you can provide a more convenient and seamless experience for your customers.
Improved security: reducing the risk of payment fraud when using payment information or online transactions.
Increased efficiency and precision: for your hotel, online payment solutions can help you streamline your payment gateway, reducing errors and saving time.
Integration: by using an hotel online payment system that integrates with your existing systems, such as your channel manager and accounting software, you can reduce the risk of errors and save your time.
Offer a variety of payment methods to meet the expectations of all your customers. Providing more payment options increases the chances of completing a sale. So don’t be afraid to receive online payments!
Implementing a virtual payment solution can help you to make your payment process smoother, reduce errors, and improve efficiency.
Integration is the key. You need a centralised system that can integrate your PMS and your channel manager, and help you automate payment processing and reduce errors. This integration can also help you manage bookings and payments from different channels in one central location, reducing the risk of overbooking or double bookings.
As a strategy you could offer incentives for online payments to encourage customers to use them, you can offer incentives such as discounts or loyalty points. This will help you increase online sales by reducing the cost of payment processing.
It is essential for you to be sure that your payment process complies with data privacy regulations. This includes the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in Europe and the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) in the United States. Make sure you understand the requirements for collecting and storing payment information and implement appropriate security measures to protect customer data.
Let your clients pay online and safely with AmenitizPay
AmenitizPay - What does it mean?
- Organisation.
AmenitizPay is an hotel online payment solution that can help you streamline your payment process, increase efficiency, and enhance the customer experience. You will be able to schedule all the payments and decide when to receive payments from your guests, which will be completely automated with the rules that you can create by yourself.
- Centralisation
You will be able to centralise and automate all your payments in a user-friendly platform for your property.
- Responsiveness
Your clients will be able to pay from all their devices from all over the globe and anytime. You can process cards using our mobile app or our payment terminal.
- Flexibility
You will be able to transfer payments to different bank accounts. Online transactions will be easier.
- Saving
You will reduce all your costs by getting more direct reservations and forgetting the extremely high OTAs commissions.
- Security – and peace of mind.
Security is a top concern for customers when it comes to touching their money pockets. With our solution, you can offer enhanced security features, including SSL encryption and PCI compliance, reducing the risk of fraud and chargebacks.
- Effectiveness
Easy to use and effective. For you, for your staff members, and for your clients. You will enhance the overall customer experience and increase customer satisfaction.
If you don’t think those benefits are not enough, hear it from one of our clients.
In conclusion, transforming your hotel payment system and working on safe, efficient online payment methods, can provide numerous benefits for your business, including improved customer experience, efficiency, and better integration with your existing systems. By investing in providing various payment methods, you will provide a better experience for your customers and increase your chances of success in the highly competitive hotel industry. And if you want to save money and time while upgrading the management of your hotel, Amenitiz is what you need. It all starts with a demo!