I don't want guests to have a login per say... I think we live in a world with username + password overload. I would like a place where a guest can lookup their booking via booking ID and last name. Similar to an airline reservation. If I was to give guests the ability to create a username and password for my personal website, there would additionally need to be options like "login with my google account" etc etc. Which is a much heavier lift security + API wise. Let's keep it simple.
I don't want guests to have a login per say... I think we live in a world with username + password overload. I would like a place where a guest can lookup their booking via booking ID and last name. Similar to an airline reservation. If I was to give guests the ability to create a username and password for my personal website, there would additionally need to be options like "login with my google account" etc etc. Which is a much heavier lift security + API wise. Let's keep it simple.
Yes! That’s a much better idea. There could simply be a button on our hosted website or personal website where guests could search by their ORB number for their booking details. I continue to have guests asking for total cost, check-in and check-out times, etc.
I don't want guests to have a login per say... I think we live in a world with username + password overload. I would like a place where a guest can lookup their booking via booking ID and last name. Similar to an airline reservation. If I was to give guests the ability to create a username and password for my personal website, there would additionally need to be options like "login with my google account" etc etc. Which is a much heavier lift security + API wise. Let's keep it simple.
With respect, I don't agree with this sentiment. Or the idea of a guest being able to see a portal simply with a booking number.
A guest's travel plans are a private thing, and for security's sake should not be publicly available without a secure login. Although I understand and agree with the sentiment of there being too many requests/demands for logins online generally speaking, I genuinely believe this is not one of those times – the situation actually does call for a secure login. With browsers ability to hide and store logins, it hardly presents an inconvenience at this time.
I also don't see the need for 'login with my XXX account' functionality, which personally, I never use. I don't want any of those mass data aggregators collecting any more info on me than possible. Give me my own login and password any day please.
When the guest logs in to the guest portal, they won't be logging into my website, they will be logging into OwnerRez, with their own sub-account, in a manner similar to how my PM or cleaner may do so now. A portal won't require any more work or maintenance on the owner/host side of things except for setup. And that's from fifteen years of experience with a great guest portal in my old PMS.
I very much hope that OR will spend some serious time asking their customer/users what they want to see and have in this important component of the software, and testing it for features and usability. Sadly it seems that a number of OR features or updates have been released lately that are 'half-baked' with obvious design/UI flaws that simply should never happen. (And which haven't been corrected quickly either!)
Additional Feature Ideas:
1) In conjunction with the custom data and input requests being discussed in this forum (yes/no restrictions, radio buttons, drop down menus, text formats; date only, etc.) it would be REALLY great (and should be a prerequisite for its design) that the Guest Portal be something that the USER can 'control' in terms of its content and appearance beyond the basics. The OR user should be able to add specific PAGES to the portal, which they can name and would appear in a menu across the top, and then include whatever information they wish to, using a simple html editor, including links, images, and all of the OR Field Codes and Custom Fields (with the aforementioned Custom Input Controls).
2) If would be freaking AWESOME if after the design of the guest portal, which could be viewed on OR's servers, OR users could also then incorporate the entire portal into their own website using a Widget, just like we do with quote and inquiry forms today. It should still require input of a username and password prior to becoming visible, but if it could be incorporated into the host's own website this would go a long way to helping hosts build their individual businesses, while OR helps them with the management of it.
If there is a list being kept somewhere, I absolutely volunteer to assist in the design/testing/creation of this feature. Please give us what we need and want, not what you think we should have.
Logins... what a conundrum... how are they created, where are they stored, how are passwords reset, two factor authentication, etc. etc. etc...
I believe with enough pieces of information similar to what airline and cruise companies do with booking information... that not having an additional login is a good thing. If I can use my ORB number and a last name, that would seem adequate in locating and confirming who I am. The odds of someone knowing my ORB# and the booking last name are pretty slim. Passwords, just like installed apps are a reason to keep guests from actually using what you are trying to provide to them. Another option might be a link that is sent to the booking guest via SMS, email, OTA messaging... that has the URL with a "hash" of some kind at the end that gets them to their specific booking portal page. (ie something like: portal.orez.com/?token=3444fcf6a9fd574283e7897b1fb737e539be212acb7873126c1c267d3766aebf)
I for one do not want to have to manage thousands and thousands of "logins" a year for guest bookings.
Regarding what should be there...booking information is important...arrival date, checkin time, departure date, checkout time, number of adults, children and pets, door lock code(s), etc... and it is often a component that is missing or sparsely populated from the 3rd party apps today... upsells... OR puts these on the website as optional surcharges... but not all guests go through the website so allow them to purchase them here... (this captures the OTA guests) and if there is not enough customer information to process the card you also get an opportunity to capture their name, address, email, phone, etc... to add to the booking/guest information. 3rd party apps are plenty to look at things that are needed in a guest portal...we like not only property specific "guidebook" type items... how to use the tv, internet information, house rules, checkout instructions, etc... but that initial impressions survey... is important... we capture the first time their code is used in the lock and can trigger based on that information a welcome message... do the same in the portal...as soon as they checkin have the main portal screen have the initial impression survey popup... get ahead of the 5 star review. Area information with user defined categories... Things to Do, Hikes, Day Trips, Coffee Shops, Taverns/Bars, Restaurants, Local Insider Info, etc etc etc... and as stated above we should be able to use Rich HTML, ... The portal should know where they are in their stay and change the home page accordingly... pre arrival might be trip planning information and include things like what the weather is like when they are scheduled to be here... a day or two before driving directions become important and door access codes, pictures or the house or parking situation, etc... Checkin would be the survey, house information, etc... and as you get to the end of the stay the home screen is checkout related.. with checkout times, reminders to gather up their stuff, checkout instruction, maybe a checkout button to notify you they are gone (turno does this... we do it with our locks but a way to get the housekeeping started as early as possible) post stay the portal drops the booking information and becomes a rebooking tool... plan next visit... links to the website for booking, discount codes or whatever... post stay survey... The point is it should be dynamic and know where they are in their stay and serve up relevant information on the main screen but have all of the information available via navigation.
