Introduction
E-Commerce Transaction Broker is the Third-Party Agent who process of trading or exchanging of products, services and information using electronic data transmission via computer networks including internet and World Wide Web. The focus is on digitally enabled commercial transactions between and among businesses and individuals. There are 4 different types of E-Commerce Transaction namely: Business-to-Business (B2B), Business-to-Consumer (B2C), Consumer-to-Consumer (C2C) and Consumer-to-Business (C2B).
Hotel Reservation Process is used to be done using only Business-to-consumer (B2C) Model. In the past, a phone call has to be made to one specific hotel in order to make a reservation. Consumers made calls to several desired hotels and enquired on the room rates, availability and its amenities before confirming the room reservations. They have to do tonage of researches before deciding to book which hotels, resulting consumers to undergo such a time-consuming and tiring process in order to go for a holiday.
Technologies have been improving promptly over the years. Now, with the accessibility of internet, making hotel room reservations are no longer that troublesome. Info-Communication Technologies have contributed the ease of travelling, credits to the ability of Hotel Rooms Pre-Reservations through network. Travellers are allowed to plan their trips and budgets to have an enjoyable and memorable holiday.
Hotels Rooms Providers (Suppliers) would provide a percentage of rooms available for online reservations. The website would advertise these hotels with rates, amenities, accessibilities, places of attractions as well as its' environment. The details of the hotels in the area, where the travellers (Consumers) planned to visit, give them a sense of security before travelling abroad. At least, they know that the exacted location of the hotel, where they are gong to stay in, is not located in a deserted area. The website also provides travellers with reviews, feedbacks, services provided and ratings of the hotels. This greatly provides the convenience to the busy travellers.
Besides, the website comprised with a function of synchronizing its budget hotels, mid-range hotels and luxury hotels to meet the travellers' needs and budget. Travellers are given chances to plan on how much they are willing to spend on accommodations, sight-seeing and other expenses -- giving themselves more choices to pick as compared to the past. They may now choose and select the right hotel that they are most comfortable with without any hesitation. Info-communiation technologies have added an extra edge to travelling and allowed travellers to create a memorable holiday trip. The current Hotels Room Reservation presented 2 transaction Models -- Business to Consumer Model and Business to Business Model. Business to Business Model is the back-end transaction model which aids the hotels to be more efficient. It helps the hotel to minimise its operating costs and maximise its profit.
What is ICT?
ICT is an acronym that stands for Information and Communication Technology. It is a general technical term that supported organizational activities through capturing, processing and transmitting information for communication. For example, emails, video conferencing, mobile phones and Starhub Cable TV. The growth and development of ICT has becoming part of our everyday essential needs and also helps the economic growth by increasing productivity. The ICT evolution results the new society to move from “spaces of places” to “spaces of flows” and helps individuals, businesses or organisations to get information easily and swiftly.
Advantages of ICT
Communication technology has eliminated distance as a disadvantage factor for many types of work in many situations. The growth and development of Information Technology Systems enable information to be shared among individuals, businesses and organisations more accurately and globally, becoming more competitive and effective. IT helps everyone to save costs and increases productivity which results in rise of profits.
Disadvantages of ICT
Sometimes, there may have some faulty happens. For example, Internet Server down for service randomly, resulting users unable access to a website. Crimes may happen too. For example, online hackers – Online Credit Card theft tends to pray on online shoppers or send viruses attack through the network, stealing confidential information or causing files in the computer to damage. Strong Security System (Eg: Verisign, Truste) needed to protect consumers’ confidential information, preventing hackers from retrieving theirs' information. Thus, there is a need to heavily invest to maintain the security and control. The use of ICT also may results in many online addictors fully depending on network.
Case Study – HolidayInn.Com
Business-to-Consumer transaction model provides convenience to everyone. For Example, Online travel agencies (E-Commerce Transaction Brokers) provide stand for business to illustrate full details of their hotels amenities, environment and accessibilities and for consumers to share their opinions on several hotels listed in the website. Consumers are welcomed to read the reviews and make any comparison of the available hotels before any reservation. These websites offer trusted hotel packages, travel guides, recommendations and comments from travellers and so forth. Thus, there’s no longer a need for consumers to make overseas phone calls to enquire about the hotels. Reservations of hotel rooms can be done immediately. Mode of payment can be done through electronic means by the use of I-Banking and Credit Cards such as VISA and MasterCard. ICT operates hotel businesses 24/7 and transmits hotels information to everyone, assisting consumers to make hotel rooms reservations anytime, anywhere.
Everyone loves to travel. One would prefer to choose a website which they are familiar with and easy to deal with for rooms reservations. Thus, HolidayInn.com is chosen as it presents people’s travelling ideal holiday purpose. Holiday Inn is nothing but is a brand of hotels, forming part of the InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG). Holiday Inn is the first franchised hotel learns to create the guests’ interest by knowing what they needs and owners’ desire. They present family-friendly hotel accommodations and services at best prices. You are able to find one accommodation out here that are alike to your own comfortable home.
HolidayInn.com has a network system that linked up all relevant websites that work under IHG group. It works as if the parent hotel chain of IHG has linked up to other hotels (Eg: Crown Plaza) under them apart from Holiday Inn, providing wide choices for customers to choose from.
There are several amenities available at consumers’ preferences. Some hotels are actually kids-friendly, which means that business associates are able to bring their family along when they are on trips. If they want to make a room reservation that offers the best rate, they are able to select the preferred check in/out dates. The system will generate a list of availabe hotels for them to choose which hotel rate closes to their budget. It is a great convenience for guests to be able to book online as they are able to get confirmation as soon as credit card details are approved. This lessen the Hassels to call/email the reservation department for confirmation and sometimes, worrying that the reservation officers did not process the booking.
HolidayInn does advertise other branches of Hotels under the same group. It provides well written description of other hotels’ amenities and information. Location is the essential factor that all travellers look into. For all guests’ convenience, it even links with the google map, displaying its locations as well as its accessibility. B2B Transactions links google map to HolidayInn, assisting HolidayInn to boost its business.
Consumers who registered as the members of HolidayInn are able to enjoy special rates for every stay when making rooms reservations online. The system greatly reduces the effort of consumers re-entering their private information, taking the risk that information may leaked out to hackers. In addition, the data processing has becoming simple for hotel management as well as consumers because the system can actually capture past transactions/records of the consumers, determine if they are regulars.
HolidayInn.com is instilled with advanced sercurity technology which ensures the optimal security for credit cards transactions. As the Personal details of every consumer and their modes of payment information are ultimately confidential, their information is secured by Mcafee and Truste throughout the entire process of transactions. Mcafee offers anti-virus and computer software security to prevent hackers or virus attack. Truste’s mission is to advance its privacy and provides trust in the networked world. To show the commitment to consumers’ privacy, HolidayInn, in fact is InterContinental Hotels Group has agreed to reveal the information practices and have privacy practices monitored for compliance by Truste. ICT evolution has been improving tremendously. Consumers are getting busier. The introduction of app applications by itunes allows consumers to use technologies such as Iphones, Ipad and even Itouch to make rooms reservations. They are also able to access the information through “spaces of flows” to make rooms reservations using android smartphones (Eg: HTC).
HolidayInn.com is a B2C transaction broker that links consumers to hotel accommodation and is a B2B transaction broker that links to google as well as its main branch (IHG). Globalisation network has truly enabled people around the world to book the choice of their room easily. With the help of Info-Communication Technologies, Information is easily accessible and transaction can be done through spaces of flows for consumers, allowing rooms reservations to be done immediately.
Conclusion
The rise of e-commerce transactions have resulted Hotels Rooms Reservations to be so convenient, efficient and effective to everyone. Hence, we can conclude that the modern technologies that available nowadays enable many things that are tedious to be done in the past, can be arranged and done effectively anytime, anywhere. The society has moved from Industrial revolution to Information age. Info-Communication Technology has truly successfully brought the society activities to move from “spaces of places” to “spaces of flow”. It allows businesses to minimise operating costs, to operate in a more effective and efficient way and also expanding its targeting audience to increase the sales and profitability.
