BELLEVUE, WA—Expedia Inc. released two new products capitalizing on the investment of its Real Time Data Platform: Real Time Feedback and Sell Tonight.
Available now in select test markets in the U.S., the products will roll-out globally in 2015 as the latest developments to the overhaul of the hotel-facing tool suite that is Expedia PartnerCentral (EPC).
Real Time Feedback targets the mobile-savvy traveler. Shortly after a guest checks into a hotel he booked through Expedia.com, he receives an email or app notification asking three short questions: “How was your check in?”; “How is your room?” and “Are you happy with the location?” Guests answer these questions through a simple interface and are offered the chance to enter specific feedback. The review is transmitted in real time to the hotelier via Expedia PartnerCentral, giving the hotel the opportunity to act upon the feedback and avoid a potentially negative trip review.
“Our hotel partners have told us time and again that their feedback to a negative review is simply ‘I wish the guest had told us, as we would’ve corrected the issue,’” stated John Kim, chief product officer, Expedia Inc. “So our product team began ideating how we could troubleshoot that, and Real Time Feedback was born.”
The second launch, Sell Tonight, makes it faster and simpler for hoteliers to push out same day rates and availability to Expedia.com and Hotels.com customers, according to the company. Sell Tonight, accessible via EPC, informs hotels in real time of same day rates in their market, providing them with the details they need to better compete and increase same day bookings.