31/05/2022

What is a channel manager?

A channel manager is an indispensable tool for vacation rental managers who manage their properties on more than one booking platform.

Summary

It is a software tool that allows you to manage your vacation rentals listed on various online travel agencies (OTAs) from one place. It automatically updates rates, availability and reservations across multiple channels in real time.

In order to reach a wider audience, more and more vacation rental managers are choosing to list their properties on several online booking channels because this strategy has many advantages (better occupancy rates, increased revenues, etc.)

How does it work?

Property managers are the main users of channel managers. With the help of these software tools, property managers manage their bookings across multiple channels to avoid overbooking. In short, a channel manager links a booking engine or property management system to various online booking channels. This allows you to manage your listings across a variety of booking channels from a single location.

For example, when a customer books an accommodation on Expedia, the availability automatically changes on the other channels where the accommodation is listed. It works the same way if you update rates or make other adjustments. So there's no need to switch between accounts.

Real-time connectivity and the ability to synchronize information instantly are essential characteristics of channel managers. Otherwise, the risk of overbooking or double booking will always be high and can affect sales and profits. This model is essential for managing multiple properties efficiently.

This means that your rental offer is shared across all channels, rather than being distributed manually channel by channel. Such a model also ensures that availability and other listing data can be published on all channels at the same time.

A channel manager allows you to automate and facilitate the property management process. They integrate with booking sites via an API or iCal connection and instantly synchronize data from different channels. Each channel manager offers a specific set of booking channels to which it connects.

What are their advantages?

As mentioned earlier, channel managers help streamline the process of managing bookings across channels and maintaining consistent schedules.

But what are the advantages of using a channel manager for vacation rental owners?

Avoid double bookings

To avoid double-booking scenarios, you should update your calendars regularly. However, you can get overwhelmed quickly if your properties are listed on multiple channels. It's tedious work and not immune to human error. Moreover, if several holidaymakers book the same accommodation at the same time on two different channels, you will not be able to avoid this double booking.

The solution is a channel manager that synchronizes your calendars so that a customer can only book your property when it is actually available. By using a channel manager, you will no longer have to worry about double bookings and their negative effect on the customer experience and your business.

Update information on multiple channels

With bi-directional synchronization, a channel manager can help you update your listings on multiple connected OTAs in no time. Instead of manually adjusting each ad on each booking channel, you can do it from within the software. This way, all of your listings will have only up-to-date information, while saving you valuable time.

Save time in managing your ads

As mentioned above, you can save yourself the hassle of manually updating your listings. While updating rates or availability is not rocket science, routine operations can take up all your time. A channel manager will help you save time, so you can focus on more value-added activities.

Increase your ROI

Keeping your calendar up to date is critical to your revenue management strategy and to facilitate the booking process. Consistent availability information prevents double bookings and cancellations. This avoids lost profits and has a positive impact on your revenue.

By tracking your booking channels from one place, you'll be able to see which ones are bringing you the most value. You can then analyze the data and adjust rates to maximize your ROI.

Advertise on multiple platforms

With the help of a channel manager, you can establish your presence on various vacation rental sites and add new channels to your panel. If a channel manager connects to OTAs that you don't have listings on yet, you can consider setting them up. More channels means more reach and more potential customers who can book your accommodations.

What is the difference with a PMS?

A channel manager is a type of software whose main function is to manage the availability and pricing of your inventory on multiple platforms. It receives and sends information to/from the different channels on which you have ads.

A property management system (PMS) is a robust platform that goes beyond synchronizing schedules and updating rates. A property management system can help you accomplish more complex tasks, such as:

  • Organize your customers' messages from the various OTAs
  • Automate maintenance schedules
  • Process payments and generate invoices

By using a PMS, you can increase the efficiency of your business without increasing your payroll. This means you can save on labor while optimizing your business for maximum productivity.

To learn more, we have written a file on the PMS of seasonal rental as well as the 2022 edition of our PMS guide to help you choose the right one for your needs.

Have we piqued your curiosity?

Discover Swikly, the #1 online bonding solution for rental professionals!

Legal information

Editorial references

The swikly.com website is published by SWIKLY, a simplified joint stock company with a capital of 10,000 euros.
SWIKLY is registered in the Lyon Trade and Companies Register under number RCS 819 514 076
The head office is located in Lyon (France), 92 Cours Lafayette 69003 - Telephone: +33 4 20 88 00 48 - email: contact@swikly.com
Director of publication: Mr. Shaun WOURM, President of SWIKLY - shaun.wourm@swikly.com.
The hosting of the Site has been entrusted to Microsoft Ireland Operations Limited (Microsoft AZURE offer), whose registered office is located at DUBLIN 18 99000 BLACKTHORN ROAD, Ireland, registered in the Trade and Companies Register of "Foreign company n/immat.RCS" under the number 419 423 728, reachable by phone at +353 1850 940 940.
SWIKLY - April 2016 - All rights reserved

Personal data

The creation of a personal account and the use of the site imply the collection of personal data and the processing of data.
The purpose of this processing is the management of the Swikly smarphone Application, of the Website Services and the activity of the SWIKLY company. This processing of personal data is the subject of a declaration to the CNIL by the Company under the number 1948037.
The following personal data of the user is accessible to any other registered user:
-first name and first letter of a user's name.
The following personal data of the user is accessible to any user who has accepted a Swik of the said user concerned:
-first name, last name and reputation of the user.
Personal data is transferred by the Company to its service providers and subcontractors, in accordance with the aforementioned declaration made to the CNIL. All access to the user's personal data by these subcontractors and service providers is subject to the use of a login and password, with the data also being transmitted via an encrypted link.
No personal data is collected for purposes other than those mentioned above, nor is it passed on to third parties without your consent or used without your knowledge.
In accordance with the law n°78-17 of January 6, 1978 modified, relating to Data processing, the Files and Freedoms, you have a right of access, of modification and suppression of the personal data concerning you (art.34 of the law).
These rights can be exercised with the Data Controller:
Service CNIL, Société SWIKLY - 12 rue de la Barre 69002 LYON, France - contact@swikly.com.
You will find all the information concerning your rights, duties and the protection of personal data on the website of the Commission Nationale de l'Informatique et des Libertés: http://www.cnil.fr
When you visit the Site, a cookie is placed on your computer. The Company uses cookies to enable and facilitate electronic communication, to provide features tailored to the needs of Users. The cookie is used to identify the user at each of his connections, and thus facilitates his access to the Service. The user can refuse cookies when accessing the smarphone Application or by changing the configuration of his browser. This may however alter the functionality of the smarphone Application, which the User accepts.

Contacts

To report any errors or anomalies on the site:
Webmaster: contact@swikly.com

Cookie policy

What is a cookie?

A cookie is a small text file and covers all types of tracers "deposited and read, for example, when a website is consulted, when an e-mail is read, or when software or a mobile application is installed or used, regardless of the type of terminal used". 

It may be placed by the server of the site visited or by a third-party server (advertising agency, web analytics service, etc.). Cookies do not compromise site security.

Cookies deposited by Swikly

When you connect to our Site, we may install various cookies on your terminal. The cookies we issue allow us to :

- Maintain the proper functioning of the Site

- Memorize the selected language version of the Site

- To record and adapt the functionalities of the Site according to your browsing preferences (identification, adapting to the types of devices used)

- manage the acceptance and retention period of cookies

In accordance with regulations, cookies have a maximum lifetime of 13 months.

Cookies issued by third parties

- Analytics cookies:

They enable us to track the number of visitors to our site and your browsing habits (Google Analytics cookies), and to generate statistical data on site usage. This enables us to improve the Site's performance.

 

- Cookies placed by our advertising partners : 

These cookies enable us to identify your centers of interest, and thus offer you relevant advertising content when you browse other sites. 

If you do not authorize these cookies, you will be subject to less targeted advertising.

 

- Social network cookies :

While browsing our Site, you may click on the "social networks" buttons to view our Facebook and Youtube profiles. These third-party applications may use cookies to offer you targeted advertising. By clicking on the social network icon, the latter may identify you. If you are connected to the social network while browsing our Site, the sharing buttons allow you to link the content you consult to your user account.

 

We cannot control the process used by social networks to collect information relating to your browsing on our Site. We therefore invite you to consult their personal data protection policies to find out how they are used and what browsing information they may collect.

 

- Cookies set by Hotjar

 

We use Hotjar to better understand our users' needs and optimize the www.swikly.com website.. Hotjar is a technological service that helps us to better understand our users' experience (for example, time spent on a page, links clicked, and more generally browsing habits, etc.). This enables us to improve our service. The data collected by Hotjar through cookies relates to the behavior of users and their devices (in particular the device's IP address captured and stored only in anonymous form), device screen size, device type (unique identifiers), browser information, geographical location (country only), preferred language used to display the website). Hotjar stores this information in a pseudonymous user profile. Neither Hotjar nor Swikly will ever use this information to identify individual users or associate it with other data. For more details, please consult Hotjar's privacy policy

Cookie management

When you visit our site for the first time, a cookie banner will appear, asking you to consent to or refuse the use of cookies.

Your rights

In accordance with the French Data Protection Act of January 6, 1978, as amended, and the RGPD, you have the right to access, rectify, oppose, delete and limit information from cookies and other tracers. To do so, please contact contact@swikly.com.

Free guide:

The 2023 vacation rental PMS