In as much as getting direct bookings through your website is vital, making sure property reaches out to as many booking consumers as possible is equally important, however, managing your rooms across many channels can only be made possible if you have the best channel manager.

A channel management system aids you in successfully managing online distribution channels, allowing you to increase your revenue. This software enables you to effortlessly engage with users and increase product sales. Channel management solutions are becoming increasingly popular in an array of sectors, including banking, hotels, and telecoms. This program will assist you with verifying channel agent licensing and education, managing a high volume of transactions, accepting data from multiple sources, and managing data from a centralized hub.

What is the best Channel Manager?

The finest channel management software should allow you to keep track of which online sales channels are attracting the most customers and ensure that you have enough support personnel on hand in the event of a problem.

Below are some examples of the best channel management options in Southern Africa:

Channex is a channel manager app that allows you to update your sales channels and get more work done. It is the future of connectivity for tech providers. Whether you own a hotel, a vacation rental, or an apartment, you can use this channel manager to get the job done quickly and easily. Channex is accessible from any device, allowing you to find and access your bookings and pricing whether you're at your desk or on the go.

Costs – Based on one's needs

Advantages of using Channex

• User Friendly
• Multiple Channel Management
• Affordable
• Mobile App - Easy to use on your mobile
• Notifications - Get instant notifications of any bookings or cancellations on your phone.
• Support team responds urgently

Stayflexi is a property management software that assists hospitality businesses in managing various administrative operations such as housekeeping, room bookings, payment processing, and more. Professionals can handle check-in and check-out processes, as well as update room rates and reservation status across multiple channels.

Costs – Prices start from R250 per month for 1-5 rooms to R1500

Advantages of using Stayflexi

• Fully automated system - All the features in one system
• Mobile app that is easy to use
• Seamless connectivity with all BnB portals
• Very much convenient and user-friendly product even while using the app version.

Disadvantages of using Stayflexi

• Just like any software, there are bound to be challenges but they are always addressed instantly by the tech team.

RoomRaccoon is the most systematic hotel management solution for independent hotels in the world. It provides all of the tools you'll need to manage your hotel's various aspects from one location. RoomRaccoon has been rated the best all-in-one hotel management system by hotel managers and industry professionals. It is used by over 1400 hoteliers throughout the world.

Pricing

RoomRaccoon prices start from R1895 per month to R8579 per month depending on the number of rooms.

Premium Package (Standard)

Cost – start from R1895 per month for 1-11 rooms

The essential package for running smaller independent properties like boutique hotels, B&B's, and guesthouses

Pro Package (Most Popular)

Costs – start from R3696 per month price depends on the number of rooms.

Advantages of using RoomRaccoon

• It is very affordable considering that you truly get all three hotel systems in one combined
• Simple to use
• It's accurate
• Hotel management booking engine and channel manager are all handled by one piece of software

Disadvantages of using RoomRaccoon

• Takes time to set up and add in everything
• Invoice is fixed and one cannot add personal touches

SiteMinder exists to liberate hoteliers with technology that makes a world of difference in an age of increasing choice and accessibility for curious travelers. SiteMinder is the world's largest open hotel commerce platform, regarded as a technology pioneer for its smart and simple solutions that place hotels wherever their guests are, at every stage of their journey.

Costs – starts from R965.65 depending on the number of rooms

Advantages of using SiteMinder

• It is so easy to set up: from adding a new channel to the mapping process
• Rates can easily be configured for specific room types and channels, unlike others which are not so flexible
• The software is easy to use
• The front desk is impressive if you had a small hotel
• The flat fee makes it easy to budget and not have to analyze/verify/reconcile every month

Disadvantages of using SiteMinder

• Does not have HBSi connectivity. Some channels, such as Flight Centre, Apple Leisure Group/Mark Travel Corporation connect via HBSi
• Less informative dashboard - limited reports - no auto-generated report (send through via email)

Guesty is a cloud-based property management system designed specifically for rental managers and Airbnb owners. The platform was created with the primary goal of meeting the needs of property managers all over the world. It provides reporting tools, automation tools, and channel management. Users can use Guesty to monitor various aspects of daily operations and provide quality service to clients. Users can also manage properties listed on Airbnb and over 24 other platforms. To assist you in supporting guests, the solution includes tools such as an inbox and calendar, a unified dashboard, and a 24-hour communication service.

Costs – Guesty offers pricing models that fit your needs.

Advantages of using Guesty

• Powerful Automation
• Centralized Operations
• Seamless Payment Processing

Disadvantages of using Guesty

• The support team can take a bit long to reply and it can cause some frustration especially when dealing with live problems happening at the hotel or on the platforms
• They do not provide live support, instead you need to create tickets in their support system and wait for their response

References:

• RoomRaccoon - The all-in-one cloud hotel management system
• SiteMinder - World’s leading hotel commerce platform.
• Capterra - SiteMinder Reviews
• HotelMinder - List of the Best Hotel Channel Manager Systems
• Guesty - The Property Management Software of Tomorrow
• HotelTechReport - 10 Best Channel Managers for Hotels
• Channex - Helping hotels better connect things

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