What is GPS Link
GPS Link connects Group Productivity Solution with a hotel chain’s central reservation system, enabling a reservation made in the GPS booking engine to be sent to the hotel’s property management system (PMS) and directly into your group block. The PMS automatically sends back a confirmation number instantly. Likewise, whenever a reservation modification or cancellation request comes in, that modification is sent to the PMS, and the PMS sends back confirmation of the change.
Watch our webinar explaining how GPS Link works.
Watch our webinar explaining how GPS Link works.
Benefits of GPS Link
Since this process is completely automated, it’s incredibly fast. Guests have confirmation numbers within a few minutes. With a process that fast, the work of managing room lists is reduced dramatically.
GPS Link also improves integrity in room list management because it requires no human intervention. Hotels that are connected to GPS Link do not have to manually enter reservations into their PMS and paste confirmation numbers into the Rooming List App in GPS, so there’s no opportunity for human error in the process.
Best of all, GPS Link improves overall service to your guests by eliminating the confirmation wait time for reservations and modifications as well as the potential for errors.
GPS Link also improves integrity in room list management because it requires no human intervention. Hotels that are connected to GPS Link do not have to manually enter reservations into their PMS and paste confirmation numbers into the Rooming List App in GPS, so there’s no opportunity for human error in the process.
Best of all, GPS Link improves overall service to your guests by eliminating the confirmation wait time for reservations and modifications as well as the potential for errors.
The Hotel Process
Hotels connected to GPS Link are trained by their corporate headquarters on how to configure their connections for each event. However, if a hotel runs into issues, please direct them to this Troubleshooting page.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is GPS Link?
- This is technology that enables reservations to flow effortlessly from the booking engine directly into your hotel’s room block
- What hotel chains are currently using GPS Link?
- Wyndham Hotels and Resorts
- Choice Hotels
- What does the hotel have to do to use GPS Link?
- After the contract is accepted, an email with instructions and a link will be sent to the reservations contact on the RFP. That link takes them to a page where they can configure the connection.
- Each chain has slightly different requirements. See GPS Link Hotel Process for more information.
- How can you tell if a hotel is GPS Link-capable?
- GPS Link-capable hotels are indicated by a GPS Link logo along side the hotel name on the Send RFP, Compare Bids, and Rooms Overview page. You can sort by GPS Link hotels, too, by clicking the column header on the Send RFP page.
- How can you tell if the connection is ready?
- If the connection is ready, the GPS Link logo will show in color. If the connection is not ready, the logo is grayed out.
- How can I add rooms to the room block?
- Call the hotel and request the increased room block.
- Once you have confirmation that the block is updated in their system, update the block in GPS.
- NOTE: If the GPS and Hotel room blocks don’t match, the reservation will error out. On the rooming list, you’ll see a red error message for each reservation that couldn’t be made.
- Contact the hotel to confirm the block change is updated in their system.
- Click “Clear error message” (in the same row of that reservation) and GPS will resend.
- How do you add a new room type?
- On the Rooms Manager > Manage Block & Rate tab, click the ‘Add a Room Type for this property’ link. This will trigger an email to the hotel with a link for them to configure the new room type.
- Any reservations made in this new room type will stay pending confirmation until the hotel configuration is complete. Once complete, reservations will be sent through automatically.
- Will hotels with reservations in the system be switched over to GPS link?
- No. Any events with reservations will need to follow the current process using the Room List app.
- What if someone books with the hotel directly? Will that reservation show in the rooming list?
- No, currently GPS Link is only one-way, sending from GPS to the hotel’s PMS. Reservations booked, cancelled, or modified directly with the hotel will not update the rooming list in GPS.
- Will Wyndham and Choice hotels be required to use GPS Link?
- Yes. Global Sales for each chain has made that clear in their training.
- How can guests make changes to their reservation?
- The existing modification and cancellation links found on the guest confirmation receipt and booking links will work with GPS Link.
- Can I still edit room descriptions (for display on our public sites)?
- Yes, GPS Link will send any changes to the room description to the hotel’s PMS.
- Will these reservations go into the room block automatically?
- Yes, reservations will flow automatically into your room block and the correct room type. The block for that room type will automatically decrement on the hotel side.
- How does this work with pickup, reconciliation, and invoicing?
- The process will remain the same. You likely will find more accuracy as we’ve removed the manual element.
- Is it possible to also be able to turn off the GPS link?
- GPS Link is off until the hotel configures the connection. If you would rather have a manual process, simply ask the hotel not to configure their connection. NOTE: Once the first reservation is made for that room block, you will not be able to turn on GPS Link for that hotel.
- GPS Link is off until the hotel configures the connection. If you would rather have a manual process, simply ask the hotel not to configure their connection. NOTE: Once the first reservation is made for that room block, you will not be able to turn on GPS Link for that hotel.
Related page: GPS Link Hotel Process