How to Use VRM's Discount Functionality to Raise Profit

NEW DISCOUNT FUNCATIONALITY

In Order to use the new Discount Functionality, you need

to be using a new online search engine and booking

engine. If you are using one of our Responsive VRM

Book Easy Websites, you have access to this

functionality. If you are not, please contact HELP to see

if you can utilize it.

TO ACCESS THE DISCOUNT FUNCTIONALITY

• Go to Properties.

• Select “Discounts”.

MAIN DISCOUNT SCREEN

SETTING UP A NEW DISCOUNT

WHEN YOU ARE SETTING UP A NEW DISCOUNT, BE SURE TO FILL IN THE FIELDS AT THE TOP

NAME AND DESCRIPTION FIELDS

• The “Name” field is what you see

displayed in your list of discounts.

Be sure to be descriptive so you

know which discount this is.

• The “Description Field” is optional.

You can use this field to include

more details about the discount.

Right now this will not display

anywhere for the guest to see, but

that might change in the future.

AMOUNT FIELD

• You can select to either have

your discount/mark up as a

percentage or a dollar

amount.

• The “Prorate” box only works

if you select “Percentage”.

PRORATE BOX

- The “Prorate” box can only be used in conjunction with “percentage” discounts/markups.

- If the Prorate box is not checked, the percentage discount will calculate against the entire rent

amount.

- If the Prorate box is checked, the percentage discount will only calculate against the days with

the “Arrival” and “Departure” date timeframe.

ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE DATE FIELDS

Select the Check-in and

Check-out Dates you

would like a reservation

to be within in order for

the discount/markup to

apply.

(OPTIONAL) RESERVATION ARRIVAL CONFIGURATION BOX

• If the “(Optional) Reservation Arrival

Configuration” box is NOT Checked, a

reservation with EITHER a check-in date

OR check-out date between the “Arrival”

and “Departure” dates entered will

receive the discount/markup.

• If the “(Optional) Reservation Arrival

Configuration” box IS Checked, a

reservation with BOTH a check-in date

AND check-out date between the

“Arrival” and “Departure” dates entered

will receive the discount/markup.

APPLICABLE DATES

The “Applicable Dates” indicate between what dates a reservation

has to be made in order for the discount/markup to apply.

AUTO DAY

The “Auto Day” fields determine how many days a reservation needs

to be in order for the discount/markup to apply.

AUTO DAY FIELDS

• When the “Auto Day Type” is set to

“Equal to”, a reservation has to be equal

to the number of days entered in the

“Auto Day Begin” Box for the

discount/markup to apply.

• When the “Auto Day Type” is set to “Less

Than”, a reservation has to be less than

the number of days entered in the “Auto

Day Begin” box.

AUTO DAY FIELDS (CONTINUED) • When the “Auto Day Type” is set to

“Greater Than”, a reservation has to be

greater than the number of days entered in

the “Auto Day Begin” Box and less than the

number of days entered in the “Auto Day

End” Box for the discount/markup to apply.

• When the “Auto Day Type” is set to “Not

Equal To”, a reservation has to not be equal

to the number of days entered in the “Auto

Day Begin” Box.

LEAD TIME

The values entered in these boxes determine how many days before

the check-in date a reservation has to be made in order for the

discount/markup to apply.

OCCUPANCY DATA

This section allows you to set occupancy guidelines to determine whether a new

reservation qualifies for the discount/markup. This is based on an individual property’s

occupancy percentage, which is calculated by the system based on the information you

enter in the “# of days BEFORE Check-In” box and “# of days AFTER Check-Out” box, as

well as the length of the reservation being created and any preexisting reservations. The

occupancy percentage amount calculated by the system is then compared to the amount

you enter in the “% Occupancy” box and what you selected from the drop down menu to

determine whether or not a reservation qualifies for the discount/markup.

OCCUPANCY DATA DROP-DOWN

• The discount/markup will

automatically apply when the

calculated occupancy percentage

value is either “Equal To”, “Less

Than”, or “Greater Than or Equal

To” the amount you enter in the “%

Occupancy” Box.

OCCUPANCY DATAThe occupancy percentage is calculated as:

[The number of days already reserved within the time frame you

set by entering the number of days in the before and after

check-in boxes] / {[number of days of new reservation] +

[number you entered in the “ # of days BEFORE Check-In” box]

+ [number you entered in the “ # of days AFTER Check-Out”

box]}

OCCUPANCY DATA - EXAMPLE

• You enter ‘30’ in the “# of days BEFORE Check-In” Box and the “# of days AFTER Check-Out”

Box. This tells the system you want to check for preexisting reservations 30 days before the

check-in date of the reservation the guest is making and 30 days after the check-out date of the

reservation the guest is making.

• You enter ‘25’ in the “% Occupancy” box and select “Less Than or Equal To” from the drop down.

This tells the system, you want the discount/markup to apply if the calculated occupancy

percentage is less than or equal to 25%. (In other words, if a property is only rented 25% or less

for the specified timeframe.)


• You have a guest making a reservation for April 7 – April 14.

• They system checks for reservations already booked from March 9 – April 7 (30 days before the

check-in date) and reservations already booked from April 14 – May 13 (30 days after the check-

out date). Currently, you have a reservation in the system for March 24 – March 31, and a

reservation for April 21 – 28.

OCCUPANCY DATA – EXAMPLE

All the Numbers:

• Number entered in the “# of days BEFORE Check-In” box: 30

• Number entered in the “# of days AFTER Check-Out” box : 30

• New reservation checks in on 4/7 and checks out on 4/14: 7 day reservation

• Preexisting reservation #1 for the same property from 3/24 to 3/31: 7 days

• Preexisting reservation #2 for the same property from 4/21 to 4/28: 7 days

• Total preexisting reservation days within time frame set by numbers you entered in

the “# of days BEFORE Check-In” box and “# of days AFTER Check-Out” box : 14

days

OCCUPANCY DATA - EXAMPLEThe system will calculate the occupancy percentage:

• Divide the sum of the total number of preexisting reservation days for the specific

property by the sum of number of days of new reservation, the number you entered

in the “# of days BEFORE Check-In” box, and the number you entered in the “# of

days AFTER Check-Out” box.

• 14 [total number of preexisting reservation days] / [7 (number of days of new

reservation)] + 30 (the number you entered in the “# of days BEFORE Check-In”

box) + 30 (the number you entered in the “# of days AFTER Check-Out” box)]

• 14 / (7 + 30 + 30) = 14 / 67 = .208 = 21% (This is the occupancy percentage when

using the dates of the new reservation.)


• Since you entered ‘25’ in the “% Occupancy” box and selected “Less Than or Equal To” from the

drop down, and the calculated occupancy percentage for a reservation being made from April 7 –

April 14 is 21%, the guest making the reservation would receive the discount/markup.

DAYS OF THE WEEK CRITERIA

• You can select which day(s) of the week a reservation has to

check-in or check-out on in order for the discount/markup to apply.

• You can also determine the minimum or maximum number of days

a reservation must be in order to receive the discount/markup.

NIGHTLY CONFIGURATION

If you want your discount/markup to be applied on a nightly basis

instead of just once, under “Nightly Configuration” you can select

which night(s) you want your discount/markup to apply. You can also

select the maximum number of times you wish the discount/markup

to be applied by entering a value in the “Max Nights” box.

NUMBER OF GUESTS

If you want your discount/markup to be applied to reservations that include more than

a specified number of guests, you can set that up here. When you check the “Apply

per Guest” box and select a value from the “Min Guests” drop down box, the

discount/markup will be applied for each person staying in the property above the

number selected from the drop down.

PROMOTIONAL CODE

If you want your discount/markup to only be available to specific

guests, consider setting up a promotional code. In order for your

guests to receive the discount/markup, they would have to enter the

Promotional Code on the Book It page on your website. Please note

this functionality only works with the new online search engine.

(Please contact HELP if you have questions about this.)

APPLYING A NEW DISCOUNT

APPLY DISCOUNT SCREEN

SELECT THE OFFICE

From the drop down menu, select the Office the property is in you

would like to apply the discount/markup to.

SELECT THE PROPERTY

• Check the box next to the

property/properties you would like

to apply the discount/markup to.

• Click the “ADD>>” button.

• This will move the

property/properties from the left

side of the screen to the right side

and will apply the

discount/markup.

ALLOWING DISCOUNTS AT THE PROPERTY LEVEL

• Even if you have applied the

discount/markup to the property, you have

to be sure the “Allow Discounts” box is

checked at the property level before the

discount/markup will actually be applied.

• Go to Properties -> Manage Properties.


• Select the office.

• Highlight the property.

• Click “Edit”.


Under the “Misc” tab, check the “Allow Discounts” box.

SEEING THE DISCOUNT ONLINE

YOUR GUEST WILL SEE THE DISCOUNT ON THE “CALCULATE PRICE” PAGE AND ON THE “BOOK IT NOW!” PAGE

DISTRIBUTION CONFIGURATION• A new configuration drop down menu named “Base After Discounts” has been

added to the Office Configuration section of the Admin Console. This new

configuration menu will drive whether the discount amount applied to short term

reservations will be included or excluded when calculating the reservation

management fee. The options within the “Base After Discounts” drop down menu

are “Net” and “Gross”.

• To access the “Base After Discounts” menu, go to System Configuration ->

Company -> Offices tab -> select the Office -> click the “Edit” button.

“BASE AFTER DISCOUNTS” MENU

• When the “Net” option is selected, the management fee will calculate based on the rental

amount minus the discount amount.

• When the “Gross” option is selected, the management fee will calculate based on the

rental amount. The discount amount is disregarded when calculating the management

fee.

REMINDERS

When setting up a

discount/markup, you

only have to fill in the

information in the top

section, all other fields

are optional.

REMINDERS

Be sure to apply your discount to your property through the

“Discount” screen and at the Property Level.

CONTACT THE HELP DESK:

• Through the Quick Access Menu

• Through the Custom Portal

• Or through email at [email protected]

Technology

How to Use VRM's Discount Functionality to Raise Profit