How to Set Up a Promotional Code

 

Create the Rate Plan used for the desired Rate. This plan can be specific to the Promo, Company, or target audience, or can be used for several different ones. Note: This is more important for use of a promotional code as a web code. Please see Rate Plan Types for more details. To create a Rate Plan Type for use on-line, specific information fields on the General tab of the Rate Plan Maintenance screen must be completed, in addition to the required information (fields in RED).

 

 

Open the Negotiated Rate Accounts screen:

 

The Negotiated Rate Accounts information screen may be accessed by using the command Companies with Negotiated Rates on either the Files Menu or, if your Property uses it, the Sales and Catering section of the Skyware system.

Note: If your Property does not currently have our Sales and Catering Module and you are interested in adding it, please contact us at  Sales@SkywareSystems.com.

 

 

When selected, the Companies with Negotiated Rates Accounts screen will open, with a list of all the negotiated rate accounts for the property appearing on the left, and the details about any selected account appearing in the main area of the screen. By default the account details are shown for the first account in the list.

 

Set up a new account to be used for the Promotional Code:

 

Set up a new account by using the New button from the local toolbar and complete the fields on the right to enter the details, or replicate an existing account using the Replicate button from the toolbar and then change the field information to what is desired.

 

For a promo code account, very few details will be necessary, (again, as the account in Skyware associated with the promo code will not be for a specific company but will be generated from your property solely for use with the promo code) however it is possible to add an A/R account number if desired. It IS recommended that the account is designated as using a specific rate plan type (this may need to be set up first) as this allows you to restrict WHEN the rate is used more easily - if for example you do not wish the promo code to be available for use over holidays, or if the property is already at over 90% occupancy. These restrictions may be specified for the rate plan using the Rate Plan Types screen (via the Rate Rules section and the Dates this Rate Plan is Closed sections) allowing you control over when the promo code may be used. Otherwise it may be used at any time.

 

For example, if you wish to set up a 20% web promo code, the details you enter for your account on the Companies with Negotiated Rates screen could look similar to this:

With the Company name completed as "20% off Web Special" and with the Rate Plan "PROMO" selected.

 

Once the account details have been entered to your satisfaction, you MUST save the new entry to create it. Use the Save button in the local tool bar to save the changes and generate the account. When saved, the new account will now appear in the list of all the negotiated accounts for the property (on the left).

 

The Modify Rates icon appears as a a green paper money note (a dollar bill) in the local tool bar of the Negotiated Rate Accounts screen. Clicking this icon will open the Negotiated Rates screen, where you can add or modify a negotiated rate associated with the particular account. These rates will carry over to stays whenever the account record ("company") is associated with a stay. Thus, whenever anyone uses the promotional code that the account has been made for, the resulting stays can be linked with the account and pull the specified rate into the reservation.

Note: If this is a web promo code, to have the promotional code AUTOMATICALLY link the online reservation to the account and therefore apply the specified rate, once the rates have been selected on the Negotiated Rates screen you will need to enter a web rate code (see below and/or How to Set Up Web Rate Codes).

 

Once the Negotiated Rates screen is open, you can specify the rates to be used with this promotion code account. You may choose to specify the rate for each room type you offer individually if desired; however it is highly recommended that instead you use the check box (at the top of the table) to use the rate plan attached to the account, which will have any restrictions on rate usage already specified. Otherwise, you cannot limit WHEN the rate entered for each room type will be used - it will ALWAYS be used for a reservation associated with this account.

Once you have made your rate specifications, either by checking the "Use the rate plan attached to this guest as the rate." check box, or entering the rates into the table for each room type, you should click the button "Save and Show Guest >>" at the top of the screen to add any negotiated rates specified here to the account.

Skyware will display a pop up window to let you know that the negotiated rate(s) have been successfully saved.

Once you click the blue button "OK" on the pop up window, it will close and return you to the Account screen.

 

On the Negotiated Rate Accounts screen, the displayed account will have multiple tabs. By default, the General tab will be open. To add a web rate code, which is defined as a "short code given to a client to make online reservations using this rate" to the negotiated rate (promotional code) account, you will need to open the Other tab. Entering a web rate code on this tab will mean that, if it is then used by an online guest, the code AUTOMATICALLY links the online reservation to the promotional code account and therefore applies the specified rate to the reservation when it is made.

Once the Other tab is open, simply enter the promotional code that the prospective guest should enter on the website into the Web Rate Code field, then press the Save button in the local tool bar to save the change.

Now when this code is used online at your website, the reservation made will be automatically linked to the account and the specified rate applied.