FDX Software Update - October 2024

Hello everyone!

Below is our final year end status update that explains all of the newest features, as well as the work we are planning for early next year! All features listed below are now available to all hosts.

2024 End of Year Update

LocalOTA Activity Marketing Network

Allow your guests to reserve discounted activities and restaurants directly from your website! Activities and restaurants can opt-in to our local activity network at a 10% or more discount. They will then be displayed across our travel network in all relevant locations, such as the search map, booking confirmations, pre-arrival emails, Welcome Display System, MyTrips and more. The functionality is similar to Groupon, where the guest can "claim" a coupon and receive a QR Code. When they arrive at the activity or restaurant location, the business can scan the QR Code (or manually enter the passcode) and redeem the coupon for the guest and provide the discounted value. The best part is that you, the host, don't actually need to do anything to utilize this system as everything is handled behind the scenes for you and we automatically share the generated revenue with you! Also, your guests interact directly with the remote business and you do not handle any funds or transactions. You can read more about how the system works here:

LocalOTA Activity Network

Guest Welcome System

This is a visual system within a business that assists the guest upon arrival as well as throughout their stay. This system can be viewed by the guest through a television screen (similar to what you will find at a Marriot or Hyatt hotel when you walk in the room and the tv is on), tablet, or through a provided QR Code. Once they have scanned the code, they can then download the app for easy access even on the go!

The system has multiple different templates (and we can create more upon request), so you can use different styles depending on where you are placing your display. All templates focus on a QR Code that the guest can scan that takes them to the MyTrips ecosystem where they can interact with their reservation, purchase extras, etc, as well as search the nearby area for activities, restaurants and discounts. You can read more about how the system works here:

Guest Welcome Display

MyTrips Travel Group Invitations

This helps guests before and during their stay, allows you to collect more email addresses for future email marketing, and helps advertise local activities and restaurants.

Unit "How To" Digital Guides

You can now create digital documents that will be accessible by your guests upon arrival, directly through the MyTrips itinerary system. You can create global, property wide how-to's, as well as ones for individual units / rooms. This is a great way to replace the physical guides that currently reside at your property, or if you have any complicated functionality in your unit, such as difficult to light fireplace's, how to operate a spa, etc, and easy way to inform your guest on how operate that item. This will help cut down on phone calls post arrival!

Points of Interest

This system allows you to create unique locations on your map that are not included in your property, but are helpful for your guests to know about. For example, for any host that has enabled this system in Big Bear, CA, we have already created Snow Summit and Bear Mountain for you. We have also created a handful of trail entrance hiking locations. If there are any POI's that you would like added, feel free to let us know and we can add them for you. Or you can add them yourself. Please contact us if you would like this feature enabled.

Guest Content - there is also the option to allow your guests to directly add points of interest, add images and comments to already existing POI's, as well as vote on images and comments from other guests. This is an optional feature and is not required for the POI system to be enabled for your website. Please let us know if you would like this feature enabled as well.

You can see the POI system in action using the link below:

Points of Interest Demo

Housekeeping & Maintenance

We have expanded our housekeeping system to allow housekeepers to "start" a cleaning and then specify when it is completed. If there is a problem with the unit, they can request maintenance (which will be linked to the cleaning) as well as take pictures directly on the cleaning for future reference. This information is shared directly with the host and is also visible when the host goes to write a reservation for the guest. As always, we highly recommend at least providing a star rating for guests as this helps all hosts in our ecosystem when dealing with future reservations.

We now have a maintenance system! Not only can housekeepers create maintenance requests, but so can any employee. The request can then be started, stopped, and completed as well as have photos and notes attached. If created by a housekeeper, any notes that were written for the cleaning will also be displayed in the maintenance request to easily share information back and forth.

Reservation Documents & Images

There is now a "documents" section in each reservation. Hosts can take pictures while in the reservation and link the photo directly to the reservation for easy storage and retrieval. They can also upload existing files from their device. You will also be able to see the guest ID and selfie (if taken by the guest). You can use this feature for many things, such as storing pictures of problems the guest encountered or created, storing the guest ID on arrival, storing the signed agreement after the guest signs it and more. However, please do NOT take pictures of credit cards using this system. That is a violation of PCI compliance and can result in penalties ranging from $5,000 to $100,000 per month until the merchant is in compliance. Please also do not store credit card numbers in notes as that is also considered a violation and will result in the penalties mentioned.

Vimeo Videos

You can now add Vimeo videos to both your general business page as well as individual properties / rooms. We require the Vimeo platform due to Youtube ad & monetization policies. Vimeo does offer a free version of their service that should be more than enough for most businesses.

Vimeo Demo

Matterport 3D Spaces

We now support 3D walkthrough's of your business, property or rooms! This is a paid 3rd party service, which means you will need to sign up on the Matterport website and create your spaces. You can then link your spaces to our system and we will display them alongside your images and videos. Matterport offers a forever free option for one property to get started!

Matterport Website

3D Walkthrough Demo

New Amenities

We have added in a lot of new amenities due to new integration support and customer requirements. Here are the newest additions:

Supermarket, Utensils Plates Cups, Smoke Detector, Carbon Monoxide Detector, Entertainment Area, Golf Course, Pub, Bus Or Train Station, Naturist, Shower, Accessible Bathroom, Pillow Menu, Extra Bed On Demand, Bluetooth Speaker, Turndown Service, Hydro-massage Bath, 220v Power Supply, Pay Per View, Toiletries, Bathrobes, Laundry Service, Slippers, Plug Adaptor, Towel Menu, Medical Services, Solarium, Car Park, Badminton, Putting Green, Day-care Center, Car Hire Services, Parking - Secure, Multilingual Staff, Golf Practice Facility, Pool - Snack Bar, Luggage Room, Show Cooking, Pool - Swim Up Bar, Projector, 24h Dining, Rooftop Bar, Conference Hostess, Secretarial Service, Cloakroom, Photocopier, BBQ Facilities, BBQ, Printer, Ski Storage, Paddle Tennis, Towels And Bed Linen - Paid, Room Without Windows, Sun Terrace, Steam Bath, Bicycle Hire Service, Billiards, Phone In Bathroom, Oxygen Enrichment, Soundproof Room, Bicycle Storage, Trouser Press, Mark-up Mirror, Parties Not Allowed, Set Menu Dinner, Early Bird Breakfast, Late Riser Breakfast, Hot Breakfast, Brunch, Gluten Free Meals, Vegetarian Meals, A La Carte Breakfast, Gala Dinner, Halal Meals, Kosher Meals, Breakfast Buffet, Continental Breakfast, Vegan Meals, Breakfast, Buffet Lunch, A La Carte Lunch, Set Menu Lunch, Buffet Dinner, A La Carte Dinner

Another helpful feature when updating amenities is that you can right click on the name of the amenity and specify if it should be included for all of your units. This can save a lot of time when you're setting up!

2025 Features Roadmap

We are working on some very big features planned for release in 2025! Here are a few large ticket items:

Digital Document Signatures (E-Signatures)

You'll be able to create as many documents and agreements as you like and request guests to sign them before arrival. They can also be able to be emailed to one or more guests manually by the host if needed. This will allow you to fully automated the check-in process!

Viator Activity Platform Integration (TripAdvisor's activity network)

This will allow your guests to book local activities directly through your website via TripAdvisor's activity network. We will then share part of the commission with you and deduct it from your monthly bill, bringing value to your guests and saving you money! There is nothing that you will need to do to utilize this system other than opt-in.

Automated Pricing

We plan on integrating with a 3rd party provider that will connect us to multiple automated pricing systems. Here are the current options available:

 - PricePoint
 - rategenie
 - elastic hotel
 - room price genie

SMS Integration

This is a critical feature for us. However, we are still investigating the best software provider that meets all of our needs, as well as our host's needs for both ease of use and cost.



That's it for our newsletter! It has been a really big year feature-wise and we're really proud of all the new additions that we launched. AND we're excited to see you utilize all of these new tools to add value to your guest experience and streamline your day to day business operations!

As always, if you have any questions, or want to discuss these features, or have features you would like to see added to the roadmap, please reach out to us at [email protected].

Thanks,

FrontDesk Express Staff