What is the difference between an integrated Channel Manager and a Third Party Channel Manager | People Behind Avantio

Behind Avantio there are over 120 professionals from more than 23 countries. We offer vacation rental technology solutions in +6 languages and we are present all over the globe. In order to celebrate our employees, we are proud to launch the “People behind Avantio” section in which we will shed the spotlight on our colleagues. 

This month you will be able to get to know Matt, Avantio’s Connectivity Specialist. He joined Avntio in 2017 and has since helped us to improve the Channel Manager, so that our clients can fully benefit from this tool. Take a look below to see how he feels about working in Avantio and what motivates him in his day-to-day tasks.

How long have you been working with Avantio in the connectivity department?

Matt: Although the connectivity department (as part of the support/onboarding team) is relatively new, I have worked directly with the Channel Manager for 4 years. Starting with the creation of the onboarding documentation and training calls, I now have a greater technical knowledge which enables me to detect errors and resolve issues quickly and this is a big part of what we now do in the connectivity team.

What do you enjoy the most about working in this area?

Matt: I really enjoy the variation. Working with our English speaking clients all over the world means that I must have a good understanding of different regulations and ways of working. Each training call is different and requires a broad knowledge to ensure the connection process to our partner channels is as smooth as possible. This can be challenging but always a worthwhile learning experience.

Tell us a bit about the connectivity area that you work in? What are your daily tasks?

Matt: As part of the connectivity team, we are responsible for providing comprehensive training of the Channel Manager and a detailed follow up to ensure that the connection process is as smooth and successful as possible. This entails detailed preparation prior to the training and a good explanation of the differences between each channel and the compatible information synchronised. It is important for the client to get the most out of using our Channel Manager so we work hard to optimise listings as best possible which will result in an increased amount of bookings.

Outside of the initial training, we work closely with the support team to resolve issues quickly through tickets and work directly with the technical teams when new connections and channel updates are developed. This can mean an additional activation call with existing clients to explain new features and best practices.

What are the challenges that you face in this area?

Matt: Our system, channel connections and local restrictions are always changing and improving so it is important that we understand how these changes will impact the connections. New features and updates must be documented clearly so our clients and support teams are fully aware and understand how to configure specific settings in the VRMS, the Channel Manager or sometimes directly in the portals. Keeping on top of the documented information available on our support pages can be challenging whilst training new clients and resolving tickets at the same time.

What are the advantages of having an integrated channel manager over a non-integrated one?

Matt: There are a number of advantages when working directly with a PMS that has an integrated channel manager.

Firstly, when working with a fully integrated channel manager, we can understand exactly where the configured information is being sent to each channel. Our VRMS has been built, and subsequently updated, with the channels in mind. Therefore, when a new feature is made available from a portal, we can quickly add the feature in the VRMS and map it correctly to each channel rather than waiting for a third party system to make the update.

Additionally, if or when an error occurs, we can identify whether it is coming from our side or that of the channel. Using a non-integrated channel manager would mean another party is involved so queries or issues would take longer to identify and resolve. Our support teams also have a great knowledge of our system so enquiries can be answered quickly and with the confidence that our system works in a certain way.

Developing our own channel manager means that we are responsible for the connections so it is in our best interest to ensure that the synchronisation is working consistently and efficiently and this will benefit all of our clients and partner portals. Ensuring that we have the most up to date connection for each channel allows greater optimisation and compatibility, which will result in more bookings for our clients.

Furthermore, the speed of the connections and synchronisations can be controlled by us so, again, we do not need to rely on another system to update the property information, rates and availability at the desired speed. A delay here can result in overbookings if the calendar availability has not been updated quickly enough so it is important for us to know how and when the synchronisation is being made to each connected channel.

Finally, our clients can take confidence in knowing that they will receive a comprehensive training of both the VRMS and our channel manager from within the team. From the first training call, our onboarding team will ensure that the configured property information is compatible with all of our partner portals and that rates, availability and listing data will be synchronised as expected. This is further enhanced by our channel training where we complete the activation together with each client.

Thank you Matt! It is a pleasure to have you in our team 😉