Online payment gateways authorise credit cards instantly for those seeking to buy something from you over the interwebs. A unified payment gateway will accept all sorts of cards and can impact revenue.
Online booking systems should have these capabilities integrated already. The pay-off is not only literal, but you are more organised as a result. More and more businesses are setting up online payment gateways for their customers, and in our opinion, you'd be crazy not to.
The top two reasons to adopt online payment gateways are...
Convenience & Speed
It's convenient for your customers. In fact, research supports the contention that many travellers are willing to book online because of ease - not to mention all the discounts and deals they find. It's a place they can go to conduct research, browse through various options, and lock in a purchase all with a few mouse clicks. It doesn't even matter where they are in the world. Another aspect travellers enjoy is the lack of being hassled by a sales person trying to sell something in their face.
While you're sleeping and dreaming of better ways to enhance your tour or activity, people will be on your site, doing research. Some of them might even be intrigued enough to buy. Your online payment gateway allows your shop to take be virtual - meaning it's not time-sensitive (no opening/closing hours to hamper overseas customers from inconveniently calling in at wee hours of the morning).
Also, it's important to note that your customer won't have to go through PayPal or some other third party site just to make a payment. The less hoops they have to jump through, the more likely they are to become actual customers.
Speeds Up Your Cash Flow
Online payment gateways are trustworthy and secure. The risk of credit card fraud or scam is extremely low. A 128 bit, SSL, industry-standard encryption system protects your sensitive data. Make sure your customers know this - get the SSL certificate and add it as a badge to your payment page where you ask for their details. Dodgy-looking web pages will definitely dissuade potential customers from making an online booking.
When robots do the math, they usually get it right. One great benefit of an online payment gateway are automated calculations. There's less room for error when you use coupon codes and discount offers, too.
Your site's virtual nature means you have more money to spend on other endeavours - you don't even have to pay rent or hire in-house to help you manage incoming customers. There is less capital outlay, and money goes straight into your account. Being paid at the right time means your cash flow is steady, and there is minimal lag.
If you're a small tour or activity operator, the problem is always whether an online reservation system is needed - enough to be worthwhile to invest in. Will it actually work for your tour or activity? Take some time to decide by using free trial offers that many online booking systems offer. Make sure that in your free trials, you choose those that check off all four of the "no's" - no lock in contract, no credit card required, no commission, and no set up fee) like Rezdy's does.
After your trial you should be able to tell whether it will benefit your business. If you can, try it out for a quarter and back up your conclusion with analytics data.
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