So as a longtime Webervations user, what'd you gain and what'd you lose by switching to ReservationKey?
Reservation Key - Online Reservation System
Visit the website>>> http://www.reservationkey.com/
Online Reservation Software Made Simple!
An easy to use, low cost, web-based reservation system for online bookings and property management. http://www.reservationkey.com/Comes Highly Recommended.
submitted by: Joey Bloggs
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I was going to come back to this and then couldn't find it. I found it tool bar top center (where I never look) oops.
What did I lose? Don't go there. What did I gain? Let me show thee the ways...
Okay for the features I require - you know them - such as real time reservations, auto confirmations that I can manipulate and put anything I want into, it has an auto scheduler - wrong term - but 3 days before the booking date it sends out the little reminder to the guest, it can also auto send out payment due notices. It is totally internet based. You can use paypal as well as regular credit cards you run through your own cc processor at your B&B.
What else, easy to manage, easy to update, asks for V-codes AS WELL as credit card mailing addresses and names IF DIFFERENT from guest names. This has been big here this past year, I have had so many third party credit cards!
Tech support is excellent. They have been established for three years. They back up DAILY (who woulda thunk this was not the case elsewhere - with another who is so worried about 'keeping' credit card data...you have no idea what it is like to LOSE ALL CREDIT CARD INFORMATION FOR EVERY FUTURE BOOKING -sorry to side track and yell...I was at my pc crying, yes crying - now I have to call every booking as get their credit card details again) so all the data is safe and secure with Reservation Key.
$15.99 per month up to TEN rooms - pay annually and save 5%. 30 day free trial.
Adds ons and FOR SALE ITEMS - I have all my adds on listed on every rez when they book.
Special rate periods - 2 night min's, higher rate event weekends.
Discounts - you can have as amy as you like and set the dates for these - it does require a CODE to redeem - which I LIKE! I have always wanted it this way, on my old system they just got it automatically!
Simplicity of forms, clean easy to use. Classy - what I had was (1.0) was ugly. Multiple bookings - split bookings (ie stay tonight and then stay in 3 weeks) to do this highlight an click and you can grab two rooms for any dates you choose - my old system ONLY allowed one room booked at a time! I have needed this feature and requested it badly FOR YEARS!
I set the booking dates - so I have it only bookable for 10 months ahead. A nice message I customized comes up about too far in advance if beyond that.
I have been keeping my eye out, and every once in a while we have comparisons on this forum - this was never here before, I found it searching with tear filled eyes.
- Seamlessly integrates online reservations & credit card and PayPal payments with your existing website
- Intuitive calendar interfaces
- Automates reservation tracking, emails to guests, payments, accounting
- Less expensive, and more flexible than any other software system in its class. Includes everything you need to take bookings online, as well as a comprehensive "desktop" booking engine.
If I could show you behind the scenes on the mgmt side I would, it is a nice database.Let me try to past it here:
Reservation SummaryUse this screen to manage every aspect of a reservation.
- 1) Guest details; custom fields can be added
- 2) Reservation history - all reservations for a guest appear here
- 3) Select eservation status, change dates, number of guests
- 4) Reservation notes specific to the reservation; contact notes stay with the contact
- 5) Change reservation settings
- 6) Add credit cards, specific to reservation
- 7) Open new window to manage correspondence and create receipts
Guests
Search your guests here. Also, powerful is the ability to combine duplicate entries for the same guests.
- 1) Search by name or view all
- 2) Sort alphabetically
- 3) Change number to view per page
- 4) Combine selected guests; useful where same contact in system more than once
ReportsReports built from your reservation data are found here.
- 1) Select report type
- 2) Print page or generate a link directly to the report
- 3) Set report to show date range and number of months
Reservations ListReservations are displayed in list format on this page.
- 1) Export Excel CSV file; current view is what is exported
- 2) Search for guests by name or ID
- 3) Summary of amounts due/received
- 4) Quickly change reservation status or delete reservations
Availability CalendarPrimary page for viewing all reservations and adding new reservations.
- 1) Quickly select month to view, or click "T" to return to current date.
- 2) Under advanced search limit calendar view by room type, property, etc.
- 3) After selecting open dates on calendar, Add Reservation button appears.
- 4) Mouse-over reserved dates for additional reservation details.
- 5) Selected dates change color on calendar as they are clicked.
- 6) User configurable status indicators.
I saw a couple of things in that I really liked...having ALL of the guest's past reservations show up with the new one, having the mouse over show me the NOTES so I don't have to open EVERY stinkin' guest record everyday to find out who has dietary restrictions. AND the add a field option. How many times have I just wanted to throw in another piece of info and not get it mixed in with the other notes!
Can you set reminders for yourself to do stuff like buy GC's for dinner pkgs or whatever? Does it allow you to show on the calendar WHAT holiday it is? Mine did that for a couple of days and I was delighted. Doesn't do it now. To be able to make notes about what's going on so the guest could see that would be immense!
Mouse over this date and a pop out shows what's happening in town! No more guests booking the WRONG weekend!
I saw a couple of things in that I really liked...having ALL of the guest's past reservations show up with the new one, having the mouse over show me the NOTES so I don't have to open EVERY stinkin' guest record everyday to find out who has dietary restrictions. AND the add a field option. How many times have I just wanted to throw in another piece of info and not get it mixed in with the other notes!
Can you set reminders for yourself to do stuff like buy GC's for dinner pkgs or whatever? Does it allow you to show on the calendar WHAT holiday it is? Mine did that for a couple of days and I was delighted. Doesn't do it now. To be able to make notes about what's going on so the guest could see that would be immense!
Mouse over this date and a pop out shows what's happening in town! No more guests booking the WRONG weekend!
Now you are talking about a blog. 
You got it! A blog and a booking engine all in one.
Update after a couple months using this program. Today I got bookings for multiple rooms (3 times today) which is an excellent feature, we really needed this. For managing the bookings all in one spot, and the guest selecting multiple rooms and doing it all at once, also super.
There have been some glitches with this prgm, they are good about working on the glitches right away and sorting them out. I ask for a lot, like asking for multiple discount codes and multiple up-sell items like romantic add-ons has been more of a challenge. As I try to push forth with these items I wonder to myself how many do I really need right there any way? Too many can just overwhelm people, so I am trying to streamline and K.I.S.S. When you see it from the programming perspective you can see how much more work it is, and when it is rarely used, so I made sure my most popular add-ons are there only.
So that is the update I promised. I am still 100% sold on the look of this program vs what I had and the functionality. The reporting was an issue, and those had some glitches which they are working on and improving each day. So like any program you have to make sure you stay on top of it ALL - none are automated to the point we can hand it all over. Not yet, anyway.
Oh and one more thing, for some reason guests just do not know how or want to enter in discount codes, so this is something I have had to deal with constantly.
The multiple room booking a few minutes ago just had a note "discount please for both rooms." This method does not GENERATE the discount when they book, if they ENTER THE CODE like it states on that line where there is a blank space ENTER DISCOUNT CODE HERE and on my rez page, they would see it taken off right then and there.
But this problem existed in my old system as well, people never entered it and then would tell me they wanted the book online discount. So I just gave it to everyone, it was the 'book online' discount.
i wonder if there is a way to embed the code in the url stream so they click on the discount link on your page and when they end up on the reservation form the discount code is already populated. (would probably only work if it is a one click rather than a few pages to get through before you get to the page to enter the code.)
i wonder if there is a way to embed the code in the url stream so they click on the discount link on your page and when they end up on the reservation form the discount code is already populated. (would probably only work if it is a one click rather than a few pages to get through before you get to the page to enter the code.)
Yes I am sure it is something that can be done, but like most I like the change out the discounts per "reason" or season, so it would be more work for them. The reason I change them out is I send them to our state tourism website, and try to get in on their marketing and advertising. The more pertainable to the event or season, the better chance to be shown.
I MUST have a main page that explains the discounts and specials - I have to put more info than just a code there, so I need this main rez page for that reason. You know all the "not combined with other discounts" and all that rubbish we have to put on there which noone reads. So this is the portal that guests must first read.
Remember the gal the other day who wanted a better discount. She was willing to take $10 instead of $20 so she could get the AARP or AAA. DOH!
Thanks for the update!
RIki
Update: Still happy with rezkey.
"In addition to managing reservations for the Old Firehouse Inn (Creede CO) they've also set up a page for ATV rentals - http://bit.ly/9zTGgf "
I am also using them and LIKE IT! I have raised some points that I think they are going to explore re Specials as a page other than Add-ons.
I like the ease of entering the reservations and MOVING a reservation - I have one I have moved 3 times now (she is a regular - 4 times last year with her horses - and has given plenty of notice and good reasons each time) and all I had to do was enter the new arrive/depart dates with a click of the mouse!
I am NOT a techie and it is working for me. BTW - JB likes the charge-it-now-all-is-done but I do not want CC numbers entered. We BOTH have what we want with this rez system.
I just got this tweet...another cool feature:
reservationkey
New merge codes for number of guests.Coming soon: integrated guestbook.Guests get link to leave comments, on res page link to view comments.
I got a biz reservation today for 2-nights in July AND 2-nights in August. She is a friend as well as a guest so I called to tell her she is confirmed - i am not going to send a letter. I asked how she liked the system, was it easy making the reservations a month apart, yada-yada.. She said it was very easy, she did not have to input the info again, it was very smooth and easy. I am really liking this ReservationKey system.
Saw this as I logged in today:
"Need to import reservation data? We now have detailed instructions for importing from an Excel spreadsheet. Details under Settings, Import".
Click my main MORE DETAILS button on my rezkey page and see what I added. I am sorry if I say this too often, but this program rocks!
You can add as many photos as you want on each room under more details too, I have not gotten that far, but the more details I just added on the main part about the inn I added in less than 5 minutes.
Edited to say I went in last night and added more room pix under the more details of each room as well. I have been meaning to do this for months, so someone lit a fire under my bootie and I got er done.
What I need to do now is go and clean out all those old worthless images I have stored in my folders on this pc. I have them by month and year, and then B&B stuff, RoomPix08, Roompix09 and under each one I have each room as a subfolder. But I just put them all in there and so many are bad, I need to do a major clean out, maybe this winter.
I am with JB on this. You all know what a numbnutz I am but this one I can do. And when I cannot figure it out, John does it.
I had a call today from folks with a horse for tomorrow. They stayed with another stable last time (she says she is full of spider bites). I entered the data for tomorrow. A couple hours later she calls back booking 2 more nights - one in Sept going and one in Oct returning. I did not have to reenter data and was able to reserve both nights at the same time even though they are a week apart. LOVE IT! It adjusts rates easily too. Even has a box to check if it is tax exempt - as in for my City.
iPhone, Android, and all smart phone users: New mobile version just for your phone!! Check out screenshots and info - http://bit.ly/htxJ3O
AWESOME! Those guys are with it!
Reservation Key
New feature: Activity Tab. Great place to see overview of all activity in your account. Almost every change to a reservation recorded here. Just got this tweet from Rezkey, and went to see...a nice database list of anything that has happened on my account, ie change or rooms, added reservation, change of date, it is all there chronologically.
- Drop downs allow me to search this week, last 30 days, 60 days, quarter etc. etc.
- Also search by last name, email, rez# etc.
- Then allows me to select discounts added, date modified, item for sale added, all activities, etc etc etc 20 options to select.
John at Rezkey has added a new feature which I think some might find very handy!
"New feature: Use Custom Text section to create versions of your reservation pages in different languages. Add as many languages as needed."
some older alerts of new features:
NEW: track your referral sources by modifying your reservation page URL. Great if you list on multiple sites.More info: http://bit.ly/efGLtb
and
Tip of the day: have multiple properties? Create different reservation pages for each property. Have unique settings for each page.
and
New in Guests tab - locate past guests by company name.
Tech support is excellent. They have been established for three years. They back up DAILY (who woulda thunk this was not the case elsewhere - with another who is so worried about 'keeping' credit card data...you have no idea what it is like to LOSE ALL CREDIT CARD INFORMATION FOR EVERY FUTURE BOOKING -sorry to side track and yell...I was at my pc crying, yes crying - now I have to call every booking as get their credit card details again) so all the data is safe and secure with Reservation Key.
Hi Joey,
I'm sad to see you leave Webervations, although it seems you are implying that we don't back up data here?
The issue you had was not with data backup at Webervations. We probably should do a better job communicating this, but if the settings in Webervations on auto-delete for credit cards are set to "delete four days after booking" from the default setting we put everyone on of "delete 3 days after check-out," then we delete them four days after booking - we don't keep a copy. Every property can customize that. The whole idea is so properties can rest easy that we are not keeping a backup of their customers credit cards. If I kept a backup against someone's wishes I would find myself in a whole lot of trouble.
As you know, your installation of Mozilla on your computer was old, and the settings were corrupted in some way - that was clearly causing problems as well with settings. I appreciate your suggestion of making other innkeepers aware of this and we are trying to figure out if this could be a widespread issue. After our support determined that was the case on your machine, got you a new version and fixed the settings it seemed to be working properly.
I can't really comment on your new system, as I have no idea what kind of PCI compliance they have, but I shudder to think they permanently store credit cards or CVV's... I wish you the best of luck with it, and if you ever want to come back to Webervations, just let us know.
Hi, was wondering if webervations was considering adding the multiple room bookings to 1.0? I know it is available in 2.0, but 2.0 was weak in things I needed in 1.0 ie: all inclusive packages, which is a strong point of 1.0
Thanks
Does this system do all your tax reporting and so forth as well? In other words, is it an all inclusive reservation system? The price is certainly right at one third of what I'm paying and I like the look of it on your web site! Keep us posted!
I just made the switch. Am in trial so will be payig Webervations for at least a month to make sure but so far - wow!
I acknowledge being a numbnutz in the techie world of today (running mainframes does not compute to PCs) and thanks to my wonderful web master and John at Reservations Key, all questions have been answered and I have actually been using it! Today I learned how to change minimum stays! Woohoo! I am rolling! I have my bookable packages that show when making a reservation....
I just made the switch. Am in trial so will be payig Webervations for at least a month to make sure but so far - wow!
I acknowledge being a numbnutz in the techie world of today (running mainframes does not compute to PCs) and thanks to my wonderful web master and John at Reservations Key, all questions have been answered and I have actually been using it! Today I learned how to change minimum stays! Woohoo! I am rolling! I have my bookable packages that show when making a reservation....
Be sure to update your rates in the calendar view. It looks like all your rooms are no charge!
Question can they import my past guests records from Webervation? This would be way cool.
That is a question for support@reservationkey.com John is usually very quick with his answers.
Question can they import my past guests records from Webervation? This would be way cool.
I would be interested to know the answer to that as well...
RIki
HI everyone - This is John from ReservationKey. It is great to see the strong support our software has in this group! We continue to grow in large part thanks to user referrals and recommendations. Our goal is to provide a useful and reasonably priced service that will basically market itself. We continue to improve and build on the product and eventually the popularity will explode (which seems to be starting...).
Regarding importing reservation data into ReservationKey, this is possible if the data can be put into an Excel spreadsheet. Unfortunately not all programs make it easy to export your data (we believe you should be able to access your data at any time and take it with you if you choose to go elsewhere, so we make it easy to export to an Excel CSV file).
If you can get your data into a CSV file, here are some instructions we put together for formatting the data. When formatted in this manner, it is easy to import. We will assist with loading your data into our system.
Custom DB Import Wizard
When your reservation and guest data is properly formatted, it can be loaded into ReservationKey. Your data should be saved into a Microsoft Excel file according to the following specifications for the spreadsheet: Once you have formatted your Excel file according to the above instructions please email it, along with your user name, to support@reservationkey.com. We will notify you when it has been loaded into the system.
Import Data
It wouldn't work for me, Webervations has their booking dates and arrival dates in a really funky excel format, like month/day/year all in different cells so we couldn't import without a lot of formatting.
Webervations has their booking dates and arrival dates in a really funky excel format, like month/day/year all in different cells so we couldn't import without a lot of formatting.
I frankly doubt it will work for ANYone. You can't currently import all the Webervations data into Rezovations - another bandb.com product. You can get the customer information but not their reservation history. It is the main reason why I have not made the change - the Web 2.0 is more and more frustrating to use. I have gotten different answers from different team members, but I don't believe there is any real plan to make that transition workable.
I think you'r e right Muirford. I can get guest names, addresses & e-mails imported, but not reservation history from RezOvation to Res Key. Even with that major stumbling block, I'm moving to Res Key. I've added a custom box on Res Key form that they are required to answer: "Have you stayed with us before"? with a yes or no radio button. I figure if they say yes, I'll go back into my old RezOvation system and hand input their info. At least that way I can slowly get the repeats info in without spending hours and hours hand inputing.
It's worth it to me to get away from bb.com and their domination of the industry.
Thanks for the updates. I am about to re-tool my Aspiring for a new class. Rez Key will be in it but now I can describe more features.
Just had to put in my two cents about ResKey. I have been helping an innkeeper with setting up over the past few days and John has been a dream as far as providing support to me. I don't have time to read directions and since it isn't mine, I just wanted an answer. He has been quick to respond and helped me immensely. I really like what I see and it can do alot if you take the time to customize. Anyone looking for a new system? I would give this high marks especially for customer support.
Got this tweet
@reservationkey Reservation Key NEW: click activity button at bottom of the reservation summary screen for quick view of reservation's activity.
I just went and tested it, what is showed on the one rez I clicked on was all activity, ie rez made on this date and time, rez changed on this date and time, status changed to confirmed on this date, this is NIF-TEE!!!
If you have rez key give it a shot.