Agencies

An Agency is any third party who generates bookings for you which you want to monitor. Usually because you are paying them a commission.

If a button appears to the right of the Zip/Post code then you are integrated with one of our Zip/Postcode database partners. Enter the post code and select the button. The address will be entered for you.

accommres supports agencies paid by commission or on a net rate basis. You specify a unique reference code (up to 10 digits in length) for each agency. As soon as you have created the agency, email or call them and tell them their Agency code. Use the "Agent Sales Report" to analyse bookings for a specific agent. More specific analysis can be made using Booking Overview.

Once you create an Agent, that agent can use you online reservation site. A box can be added which if the Agent enters their Agent code those online bookings are downloaded and accommres will recognise the agency code and calculate the commission accordingly. An email will be sent to the Agent at the same time with the booking information.

The search results for that Agent can show their Net rate or the commission they are entitled to.

3rd party websites, can link direct to your booking site and pass their Agency code to it. There are technical issues with this concept (covered in the Integration Information section) but in principle you can get any website to link to your booking site, issue it with an Agent code and any resulting bookings will result in commission generated for the website owner automatically. In this case the Agent code does not need to be entered as it is automatically entered by the browser. If you want to track bookings from an Agent but not pay them any commission then set the commission rate for them to 0.

Email the Agent

Select the above button to send an Email to this Agent. Your default email software will be launched and the email address passed to it.

Removing an Agent

Select the above button to delete an Agent provided they have not made a booking.

Finding an Agent

If you want to find an Agent. Select this button. You can search for them by:-

Label printing

If you have a label printer available to your computer the label button will appear. Click it and an address label will be printed.

Allocations/Allotments

Allocations of accommodation can be defined for Agents.

Commission

Three types of commission are supported. "Commission", "Commission - Total" and "Markup".

If an agent takes 10% of the booking value set the commission rate to 10 and the following pull down to "Commission". Laterooms.com use this method.

If the agent takes their commission from the gross value (including sales tax) then use the "Commission - Total" setting.

If an agent adds 30% to a net rate before tax is added, set commission rate to 30 and the pull down to "Markup". Expedia use this method.

If an agent takes 10% of the booking value on a net rate basis and collects the payment then set this entry to Commission and "Retained" to All. accommres can then invoice the Agent to collect the net rate in due course.

Retained

Set retained to "All", "Commission" or "Nothing" depending on the terms used by the Agent. Some agents will not collect any payment at the time of booking, others will collect full payment. This setting will determine how accommres invoices agents later.

Invoicing

Set the Invoice pull down to either "On Arrival" or "On Checkout" to identify when accommres can invoice the invoice (assuming you invoice the agent). "On Checkout + 7 and 14" will offset the invoice date by an additional 7 or 14 days. Identify the number of days credit the agent receives so that accommres can set the "Payment due" date correctly. If you are running a self-billing system you must enter the Sales Tax type and registration number for the agent.

You can use additional invoice settings if you set this setting to "Terms".

Bank Accounts

Bank accounts can be stored for each agent. Select the " Bank Accounts " button.

Terms

Individual terms can be defined for each Agent.

Client

In order for accommres to Invoice this Agent you must setup the Client first. Use the ? and + button to select the Client which will be used to invoice this "agent or tour operator" if they operate on a net rate basis

Standard Terms

If the same deposit terms are used as those for a direct booking then select "Standard Terms". These will be applied when the Agent makes a booking.

Damage/Security Deposit

Identify if this Agent collects an retains the Damage/Security deposit.

Round "Net Rate"

When accommres calculates the Net rate/Commission for an Agent it will do this accurately. However if you prefer the value to be rounded to the nearest whole number then select this option.

Deposit Terms

Specify a deposit value per Unit, Booking, Person or Week, or a percentage of the booking total.

Free Cot Beds

Some Agents require that you provide a number of Cot Beds free of charge. This setting controls this.

Currency

Some Agents only want pricing in a particular currency. This setting controls their preferred currency.