HubX , the Center of Reservation
Innovation and a global leader in hospitality e-business, has developed a
breakthrough solution for the web site booking engine interface that hotels,
resorts and hospitality companies use to conduct e-commerce with guests and
business partners.

In a departure from traditional static presentations, HubX`s new advanced
booking engine allows properties to present their complete offering on one
reservation page while tailoring that page to individual guest needs and
preferences.  Whether the guest is a new customer, a returning guest, or
frequent traveler, the HubX engine dynamically serves up highly relevant
rates, cross-sell opportunities (spa, golf, or dining reservations, etc.)
and value-added offers specific to each guest, instead of the typical hotel
website `one size fits all` reservation process.

In addition to providing a more personalized experience for guests, Hubx`s
advanced booking engine allows hoteliers the advantage of being able to
build on both dynamic pricing strategies for a specific timeframe and their
knowledge of their customers. They can cross-sell based on guest histories,
and build stronger relationships through the online reservations process -
all elements that are not available from generic and discount third-party
reservations websites. 
Behind the scenes, the booking engine provides
user-friendly, real-time content management so that hoteliers can quickly
and effectively maintain the products and services they are offering on
their web site
Key features of the new advanced booking engine include:

- Efficiency - A one page, intuitive reservation process

- Rich Content - Descriptive text, images, virtual tours, floor plans, etc.
are displayed in a clear manner at the point of sale - empowering consumers
with a wealth of easily-accessed information

- Personalization - An intelligent and dynamic booking engine that can
recognize guest patterns and serve up relevant rates, promotions, or other
services based on guest history/preferences, site behavior, market demand,
etc.

- Cross-selling - Targeted sales and marketing of other hotel, resort or
destination services such as golf tee times, spa reservations, restaurants,
entertainment/activities, etc. - all through a consistent reservation
process

- Itinerary Management - Provides guests with the control and convenience of
building a complete trip itinerary component by component

“This product brings hotels, resorts and destinations closer to the guest on
the web. It allows properties and other vendors to sell, promote, cross-sell
and personalize their communication with the guest in a way never before
possible.” said Mike Murray
, HubX President and CEO. “Our products and
services enable our clients to counter the `lowest price/commodity` tendency
in web bookings by empowering them to speak to their guests more intimately,
effectively, and frequently while opening up their website to a wider array
of products and services.”

HubX`s existing proprietary reservation services provide two-way, real-time
direct connectivity with any property management and/or reservation system.
The new advanced booking engine builds upon this capability and takes it to
a whole new level by combining automated interfacing with more advanced and
robust booking engine features for sales and marketing of additional
products and services.  Additionally, while enabling HubX clients to provide
sophisticated customization and cross-selling scenarios, the new, advanced
booking engine offers consistency and scalability that is important both to
individual properties with a variety of offerings, and to hospitality
organizations with a wide range of properties, services and related products
they wish to promote and cross-sell with one booking engine.

“We built this booking engine with flexibility and scalability in mind,”
said Murray. “We want our clients` guests to be able to follow the same
intuitive process in making all their reservations, whether they`re simply
choosing the type of room and rate they want for a single reservation, or
they`re planning many aspects of a full-featured resort stay.  The interface
must be intuitive and consistent.”

Related stories on ITN:

(06/09/2002) HubX Transforms HHA Reservations Center

(20/08/2002) HubX and Interactive Sites form Strategic Partnership

(20/01/2002) HubX Forsees Major Opportunities in 2002 for Hospitality eCommerce

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