Guestline launch new Alternative Payment Methods (APMs) to boost direct channel revenues
The new APMs align with local, consumer purchasing preferences
Guestline offers alternative forms and methods of payment (also known as APMs) that are popular and widespread amongst guests to further streamline the checkout experience and drive direct revenue.
The new APMs, available as a payment method on Guestline’s Direct Booking Manager, PayLink and GuestStay include: WeChat Pay, iDEAL, Sofort, Giropay, Bancontact, PostFinance and UnionPay. For more details on each of these APMs, please click here.
With over half of all online transactions (globally) expected to be made using alternative payment methods by 2021* hoteliers can ill afford to ignore them!
Build trust and improve conversions
‘Providing customers with convenient payment methods is essential and these new APMS will not only enhance the guest experience, but they will increase online conversions, bookings and upsell revenue. Offering the consumer’s preferred payment method on your online booking platform also helps hotels build trust with their potential bookers as they’ll be familiar with and comfortable using them.
The hotel’s payment processes need to reflect the changing needs of the guest and cater for the relevant and local payment methods – all whilst streamlining and improving the guest experience and ATMs enable this’ commented James Surridge, Senior Product Manager at Guestline.
What is an APM?
An Alternative Payment Method is a way of paying for goods or services outside of the mainstream credit card schemes, like Visa, MasterCard, or American Express. As guests increase their means of paying via online banking, digital wallets, and smartphones, APMs are increasing in popularity.
APMs fall into 3 categories - Bank Transfers (online banding), wallet-based solutions (in-person transactions using a mobile device, and digital wallets for paying online) and Cash-in APMs (Prepaid cards and Prepay accounts).
Which one is right for my hotel?
Online transactions made using APMs are on the rise and if you’re planning to attract overseas guests, then localised payment methods are crucial to help boost ancillary revenues and direct channel conversions. You might want to think about offering an APM that is most widely used in that country, that people are regularly pay with, to broaden your international appeal. In China for example, guests are comfortable paying with Alipay and WeChat Pay with only around 5 percent of all online payments in this market being made with credit cards.
Fancy being one of the first to use APMs?
Guestline empowers hoteliers with a transparent and secure omni-channel payment solution, GuestPay and offers the most current and relevant APMs to match their guest preferences wherever they are based. For more information on GuestPay and to sign up as one of our first hoteliers to offer these new APMs, please fill out the form below -
[Please note that depending on the currencies they support, not all APMs are available in all regions]
"Broaden your international appeal & cater for the relevant and local payment methods"
"Hotels will be able to increase online conversions, bookings and upsell revenue"
"We offer the most current and relevant APMs to match your guest preferences wherever they are based"