💬 Guest article by Tobi Preston, Senior Business Development Manager for Africa – Enterprise at Profitroom

As part of our Profitroom Talks series, Tobi shares his perspective on why hotels—especially in Africa—need to take back control of the full guest journey. From bookings to loyalty, this piece offers practical advice on how to reduce reliance on third parties and boost long-term revenue.

It can be tempting for hotels to rely on third-party platforms like bed banks and online travel agencies (OTAs) for most of their bookings. I get this. These third parties take care of most of your marketing for you, they’re already known to your target market, and they deal with all of the SEO, automation, AI and other tech stuff that can seem daunting. 

Within the Africa context, enterprises also have a lot of other things to deal with, from power shortages and unreliable internet to the staffing shortages that are a legacy of the pandemic. So I really do understand that it’s not always easy or intuitive to ‘go it alone’ online.

Yet I want to encourage hotels – in Africa and elsewhere in the world – to make the effort to take ownership of the entire customer journey, beginning with the booking process, as this is arguably one of the most important steps in the journey besides the actual hotel stay itself. I say this because brands that sell rooms directly to customers reap multiple rewards, including:

• Improving the bottom line, as you remove hefty third-party fees.
• Owning your own customer data, which can be mined for invaluable insights that in turn can be used to steer marketing campaigns.
• Enjoying opportunities for real-time upselling.
• Being able to develop customer loyalty from the get-go, as you can already start offering a differentiated and personalised service.
  
  

It’s important for me to say that hoteliers keen to transition and bring their bookings in-house don’t need to go it alone, as there are companies like Profitroom that can partner with you to provide a one-stop-shop sort of approach to online marketing and direct bookings. 

Case in point, at Profitroom we provide software for direct bookings and this has a far, far lower commission fee model than OTAs and bed banks (it’s usually in the middle single digits compared to say 15 to 30%). So you’re going to earn far more than you would through a third-party seller but still enjoy the support of a hospitality bookings specialist.

Now just think what you could do with those increased booking fees! You could invest a small percentage back into the guest, by offering a complimentary meal, discounted upgrade or membership points during the checkout process, for instance. When you do this, you’re already growing the loyalty of the customer, as they’ll go tell others: “It was the best experience. I got this, this and this. I joined their loyalty programme. Now I’m getting upfront discounts everywhere else.” 

Things like this make a massive difference. Massive. And yet they cost you almost nothing – in fact, you’re still earning a whole lot more because you removed the expensive middle man.

Of course, for this to work, you need to invest in your online presence. Most importantly, focus on optimising your website and booking system, otherwise you’re going to alienate visitors rather than earn direct bookings.

My top advice when it comes to any hotel website is to ensure it:

• Functions optimally, otherwise you risk annoying visitors or causing them to feel mistrust. They’ll then head back to the likes of booking.com because they already know them. So ensure your website has quick load times, for instance. You also don’t want any jittery jumps in URL. And you should have a mobisite or mobile-first design so mobile users have a good browsing experience.   
• Is visually engaging and easy to browse. Think captivating photos and videos (nothing stock), a user-friendly layout, and clear information and answers to FAQs.
• Shows you can be trusted. You can do this, for instance, by sharing guest reviews and overall ratings, linking to independent review sites, and showcasing any awards or certifications. 
• Find ways to engage the visitor, for instance through pop-ups or chatbots. Direct engagement builds trust and makes your site the go-to option for bookings. 
  
  

Again, Profitroom has a website builder that can help you with all of this.

When it comes to the all-important booking system, keep the process simple and intuitive as nobody likes a clunky system. Even better, include a price check widget to show that booking directly is the better option. (It goes without saying that your website price should always be the lowest on offer!)

Also, be strategic with your checkout process. This is where you can really shine in comparison to OTAs, because only you can offer the likes of packages, discounts, upsells and loyalty memberships.

Of course, the perks of drawing in guests through your own booking system don’t end there. You’re going to reap the rewards throughout their stay as well as into the future, when you can reach out with follow-up communications like a request for a review. You could also send a strategically timed invitation in a year’s time to return for another visit at a discount? 

The options are endless, because all of the data is in your hands and all of the loyalty is yours too since you took control of the entire customer journey.

Remember that the goal at the end of the day is less reliance on OTAs and bed banks, more happy guests, and more revenue in your pocket!

Watch Tobi’s Profitroom Talks episodes — 4 short, practical videos where he shares key advice for hotel groups in Africa looking to drive more revenue and improve guest loyalty.

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