JP2002269419A - Hotel reservation method on the internet - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a reservation method allowing customers having a special relationship with individual hotels conventionally not adaptable for Internet reservation, to make the Internet reservation and the inventory of empty rooms to be treated without refusing reservation from general persons by receiving all the Internet reservation received through information for remaining rooms in order of application as a rule. SOLUTION: In the Internet reservation method for hotels storing information for remaining rooms in a plurality of contracted hotels in storage means in a computer connected to the Inter net and receiving the reservation of rooms from a reservation site for the hotels provided on the Internet, a general reception window for receiving reservation from anyone and one to two or more member reception windows are provided on the Internet reservation site, the member reception windows being one or two or more reception windows for receiving reservation at reservation prices corresponding to individual member levels classified under a certain rule in such a manner that reservation applications from the general reception window and the member reception windows are picked out of an inventory showing the information for the remaining rooms in order of application without separating general persons from members.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method for reserving a hotel on a computer network, particularly on the Internet.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, hotel reservations have been made either directly by telephone or by telephone or facsimile via a hotel reservation company. However, with the spread of the Internet, it has become possible to make hotel reservations on the Internet.

[0003] For example, an application and acceptance of a reservation a few days, a few months later, or the same day between a hotel terminal device and a user terminal device over the Internet via a public computer line, a mobile telephone line, or the like via a host computer of a reservation intermediary agent. Is being done.

[0004] Reservation acceptance on the Internet is usually
Due to the low advertising costs, room rates are discounted compared to applying directly to the hotel. The discount rate is not determined by the booking intermediary, and it is currently the hotel's own decision to determine the discount rate.
The reservation price is the same for everyone.

[0005] On the other hand, the hotel side, in addition to the Internet reception, as a custom of the industry, especially customers who frequently use,
Or, as a specific member, a specific customer such as a shareholder is offered a room at a special discount rate, but this business practice is not suitable for commerce in the open place of the Internet and still depends on direct reception. That is the current situation. In addition, since the reservation frame for specific members is provided separately from the reservation frame for ordinary members, if there are few reservations from specific members, empty rooms will appear even though the reservation frame from general members is full. In some cases, the operation rate was sometimes deteriorated.

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to enable a reservation company to make a reservation price for a hotel on the Internet, and to specify a reservation which has not been considered suitable for accepting reservations on the Internet. It is an object of the present invention to provide a method for making reservations for members on the Internet.

[0007] Furthermore, a reservation method is provided in which all reservations accepted on the Internet are accepted in principle in the order of application from the same remaining room information, so that inventory of vacant rooms can be processed without rejecting reservations from ordinary people. The purpose is to do.

[0008]

That is, according to the present invention, the remaining room information of a plurality of contracted hotels is stored in a storage means of a computer connected to the Internet, and the room reservation information is provided from a hotel reservation site provided on the Internet. In the method of accepting reservations, a general reception desk that allows any number of reservations and one or more member reception desks are set up on the reservation site on the Internet, and the member reception desks are assigned to each member level distributed according to a certain standard. There will be one or more reception desks that accept reservations at the appropriate reservation price, and reservations will be accepted from the general room reception desk and member reception desk from the inventory of remaining room information in the order of application regardless of whether it is a general or a member. The present invention relates to a method for reserving a hotel on the Internet, characterized by taking out the hotel.

[0009] As a preferable method of such a reservation method, the member reception desk is provided as a specific member counter at a closed reservation site different from the reservation site provided with the general reception desk, and only the specific member is connected to the closed reservation site. May be accessible.

[0010] The general reception desk may be used exclusively for general member registration, and the actual reservation may be made at the member counter.

Furthermore, the reception desk for members is divided into a reception desk for general members and / or special members and a reception desk for specific members, and the reception desk for general members and / or special members is the same as the general reception desk. May be provided on an open reservation site, and the reception window for a specific member may be provided on another closed reservation site so that only the specific member can access the closed reservation site.

[0012] In this case, the contracted hotel is determined by the contract criteria for the specific member, and the reservation receptionist performs the distribution of the special member on the open site. A new reservation method can be achieved without changing to.

Next, terms used in the present invention will be explained here. General (reservation) reception desk: A reception desk that handles reception for unregistered customers. General member (reservation) window: A member who registers information such as name, and is a reservation window for general members to which an ID number and, if necessary, a password are assigned. Usually, a privilege such as a discount on an accommodation fee is not provided, but various information such as hotel information may be distributed. Special member (reservation) window: A certain standard (for example, usage frequency, usage amount, etc.) among customers registered as general members
Is a member who has achieved the above, and is given an ID number and a password. The special members may be assigned to a plurality of ranks (in this specification, the members are divided into three members: A member, B member, and C member). Special members are given privileges such as discounted room rates according to their rank. Specific member (reservation) window: Members determined according to different standards from general members and special members. In principle, the hotel side has its own standards (specific companies such as listed companies in the stock market and long-term customers) Select with. The specific member is given an ID number and a password, and is given a privilege such as a discount on the accommodation fee. The specific member may also be provided with a plurality of ranks (in this specification, the specific member I, the specific member II, and the specific member III are described separately). Open site: A site on the Internet that can be accessed by any person from a communication terminal such as a computer (PC) or mobile such as a mobile phone. Closed site: A site on the Internet,
It is a site where only a specific person or company is notified of its existence (URL) and only a specific person can access from a communication terminal.

[0014]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION The hotel reservation method of the present invention provides an Internet reservation site with a general reception desk for accepting reservations from any number of members and a member reception desk for receiving reservations only from members. The characteristic is that the order of deduction (reservation registration) by reservation of the remaining room is performed in the order of application irrespective of the reservation window. Although the general reception desk is the same as the open site, the following embodiments are available depending on whether the member reception desk is for general members and / or special members, or for specific members. .

(1) Embodiment 1 The reception desk for members is a reception desk for general members and a reception desk for special members, both of which are posted on the same open site.

(2) Embodiment 2 The reception desk for members is the reception desk for general members and the reception desk for specific members, and the reception desk for general members and the general reception desk are posted on the same open site. Post on a closed site exclusively for specific members or on a closed site provided for each rank.

(3) Embodiment 3 The general reception desk, the reception desk for general members, and the reception desk for special members are posted on the open site, and the reception desks for specific members are collectively placed on a closed site exclusively for specific members. , Or on a closed site for each rank.

In any of the embodiments, as described above, reservations are basically withdrawn from the same remaining room information database. In this point, the system is different from the system in which the contracted hotel checks each time a reservation is received.

Here, the method of the present invention will be described for Embodiment 3 with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram for implementing a third embodiment of the present invention. Reference numeral 1 denotes an open site for hotel reservation established on the Internet, and a general reception desk, a general member reception desk, and a special member reception desk are provided as reservation reception desks. The screen is shown in FIG. In FIG. 2, the ranks of the special members are A, B and C. Clicking a button below each window switches to a reservation screen (not shown). The reservation screen displays the remaining room status of the contract hotel on the specific day, and is set so that the reservation can be registered if there is a desired room. As the method of displaying the remaining room status, searching, and registering the reservation, the method currently used can be adopted.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 2 denotes a closed site for hotel reservation established on the Internet, and only specific members are notified of the existence (URL). In FIG. 1, the specific members are divided into three ranks I to III. 1 closed site for specific members
(The windows for the specific members I to III are provided on the same screen), but it is preferable to provide them for each specific member rank as shown in FIG.

Inquiries and reservation application information from each reservation reception desk are sent to the processing system 4 of the server machine 3, necessary information is taken out from the remaining room information storage device 5 in which the remaining room information is stored, and the information is sent to the customer. Presentation or reservation registration is performed. The usage information of the customer is stored in the usage information storage device 6 and is used for determining a special member described later.

On the other hand, the hotels (hotels A, B, C,... In FIG. 1) contracted with the reservation company provide the remaining room information to the server machine 3 directly or via the reservation company. Also, from the contracted hotel side, not only the remaining room information,
Decision information of specific members is also provided on a server 3 for each individual hotel.
To the processing system 4.

As long as the server machine 3 can be connected to the Internet, a server machine of an Internet provider may be used, or the server machine 3 may be arranged at a reservation company.

The processing system 4 selects from which window the reservation is made, and performs a process corresponding to each window. Normally, at the general reception desk, after inputting necessary personal information and the like, the screen is switched to a reservation screen. The general reception desk may be dedicated to general member registration, or may be used for both reservation and member registration. In general, ID numbers are assigned to general members,
Thereafter, you can apply for a reservation from the general member reception desk.

General members enter from the general member reception desk,
The screen is switched to the reservation screen by inputting the ID number. Thereafter, the reservation procedure proceeds as described above. Ordinary members usually have the advantage of making reservations easier.

The special member is divided into a single rank or a plurality of ranks allocated according to a certain standard. The sorting criterion can be arbitrarily determined. For example, the usage information storage device 6
The information of the past use status (use frequency, use amount, use day of the week, etc.) is a suitable criterion. In addition, if the amount of use etc. is converted into points and if more than a predetermined number of points accumulate for a certain period of time, it can be upgraded from a general member to a special member, and even within a special member, if it can be upgraded, the point will be notified to the user and the reservation will be made Can be promoted. In addition, the discount rate of the usage fee for each rank (5% discount for A members,
The use can be further promoted by changing the B member's discount by 10% and the C member by 20% discount. The criteria for sorting special members are, in principle, set by the reservation company independently or according to the hotel's intention. Whether or not to adopt this special member system may be determined arbitrarily by each contracted hotel. For example, when hotels A and C are employed but hotel B is not employed, the usage fee of the reservation screen for special members is the same as that of general members only for hotel B.

The special member is given an ID number and a password, enters the reservation screen from the special member reception window of each rank, and switches to the reservation screen by inputting the ID number and the password in the dialog box for the member. The reservation screen may be the same as a general member or the like, or may be a screen displaying a discount rate or a screen dedicated to a special member displaying a discounted usage fee.

The specific member accepting a reservation from the closed site 2 is a customer determined in advance by each hotel based on its own standard. Therefore, a situation occurs in which the hotel A is a specific member but the hotel B is not a specific member, or the hotel C is a specific member I but the hotel B is a specific member III. Further, a change or deletion of a specific member is registered in the processing system 4 directly from the hotel or through a reservation company.

As described above, since the relationship between the hotel and the member occupies an important position, the specific member sets up an individual site on the Internet separately from the general public, general members, special members or other specific members. It is desirable that the URL necessary for accessing the site be individually notified to each specific member. However, there are cases where it is advantageous from the viewpoint of sales to list reception desks of a plurality of ranks on the same screen and to recommend a rank increase.

The specific member is given an ID number and a password, and the URL of the closed reservation site of the corresponding rank
Is notified. It is also possible to make the reservation site of a specific member an open site, but that would require the consent of the hotel.

The reservation of the specific member is entered from the designated specific member reception window, and after the reservation screen is displayed, the reservation can be made in the same procedure as the special member.

Next, registration of a reservation, that is, withdrawal of a remaining room will be described. In the reservation method of the present invention, the reservation is deducted in the order of reservation application, regardless of the reservation person, unless there is a special situation. That is, the difference between a general member (member), a special member, and a specific member is only a monetary aspect such as a discount rate, and does not give the specific member the right of priority application. Such priority application may be made by the hotel by wire (telephone, facsimile, etc.) as usual.

By setting the reservation application in the order of application in this way, a situation in which the reservation application is refused from the open site even though the vacant room for the specific member remains does not occur, and the remaining room is efficiently replaced. Can be digested.

It should be noted that the number of rooms to be provided (or a ratio) is allocated in advance for each member rank and / or for each hotel, and when the allocated number of rooms is exhausted, reservations for ranks with a lower discount rate are accepted. (Achieved goal setting system). Even in this case, the order of debiting the reservation is the order of application for reservation.

FIG. 3 shows a simple flowchart of an example of a program for executing the third embodiment, but the present invention is not limited to this flow.

As described above, the rank of the special member may be fixedly assigned by the contracted hotel side, or may be set to change periodically or automatically according to the number of transactions.

Here, a description will be given of a rank-up service when the contracted hotel fixes the rank of the special member.

As described above, for the purpose of sales promotion, reservation achievement targets can be set in advance for each rank or for each member. Various factors can be set as the achievement target, such as the number of reservations, the number of reservation rooms, the total amount of reservations, the number of reservations, and the like, or a combination thereof. Further, one or more of these factors may be converted into points, and the achievement of the set points may be regarded as the achievement of the target. Which factor is to be achieved or which points should be used depends on the circumstances of the contracted hotel.

Further, the achievement target may be a storage type from the time of registration, and a service corresponding to the accumulated points may be provided.

Further, from the viewpoint of ease of management, an achievement target may be set for each year or month, and whether or not the target has been achieved may be checked (not carried over) every year or month. In addition, by setting a target for each month, a special achievement target can be set for a month with few reservations based on conventional experience.

For members who have achieved the goal, special services are provided instead of the fixed increase in rank. Special services include various services according to the contracted hotel, such as free or discounted breakfast, drink service, discounted or free use of facility facilities. Of course, there is a service that can increase the discount rate of reservations after the goal is achieved only in the month that the goal is achieved.

Further, when the special member is a corporation, an achievement target is set for each corporation, and the points are also counted for the application department or individual (employee). A specific service may be provided to a department or an individual who has done so.

In any case, it is preferable for the entire hotel reservation system to set the target as a quantifiable (digitizable) factor that can be processed by a computer, and manage and operate the target achievement on a server machine of a hotel reservation company. .

Further, the content of the service to be provided after the achievement of the target may be determined in advance by the contracted hotel, or a menu may be provided so that the special member who has achieved the target can select it.

Although the third embodiment has been described in detail, the first embodiment is a case where there is no closed site for a specific member in the third embodiment, and the second embodiment is a case where there is no reception window for a special member. Others are the same.

[0046]

According to the reservation method of the present invention, it is possible to make reservations on the Internet for customers who have a specific relationship with individual hotels, which were conventionally considered unsuitable for accepting reservations on the Internet. Can provide a way to

In addition, a reservation method is provided in which all available reservations accepted on the Internet can be processed from the same remaining room information in principle in the order of application, so that inventory of vacant rooms can be processed without rejecting reservations from ordinary people. can do.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram of a reservation method according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an example of an open site screen in the reservation method of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a flow of processing in an embodiment of a reservation method of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Open site 2 Closed site 3 Server machine 4 Remaining room information storage device 5 Processing system 6 Usage information storage device

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. A method for storing room information of a plurality of contracted hotels in a storage means of a computer connected to the Internet and receiving a room reservation from a hotel reservation site provided on the Internet. The reservation site has a general reception desk that allows any number of people to make reservations and one or more member reception desks. The member reception desks accept reservations at a reservation price according to each member level, which is sorted according to a certain standard 1 Or, at least two reception desks, reservations can be received from the general reception desk and member reception desk by taking out reservation applications from the inventory of remaining room information in the order of application regardless of whether they are general or members. How to book a hotel. 2. The member reception desk is provided as a specific member contact on a closed reservation site different from a reservation site provided with a general reception desk, and only the specific member can access the closed reservation site. How to book the listed hotel. 3. The hotel reservation method according to claim 1, wherein the general reception desk is dedicated to general member registration, and the actual reservation is made at the member reception desk. 4. The reception window for members is divided into a reception window for general members and / or special members and a reception window for specific members, and the reception window for general members and / or special members is the same as the general reception window. 4. The hotel reservation method according to claim 1 or 3, wherein the method is provided on an open reservation site, the reception window for the specific member is provided on another closed reservation site, and only the specific member can access the closed reservation site. 5. The hotel reservation method according to claim 2, wherein the contracted hotel determines the sorting criteria for the specific member. 6. The hotel reservation method according to claim 4, wherein the special member is sorted by a reservation receptionist. 7. The hotel reservation method according to claim 2, wherein a goal is set in the special member reservation, and a special service is provided when the goal is achieved.