FAQ IX-key
1. What is the IX-key solution?
4. How will I know how to use the IX-editor?
7. Who can I contact if I have problems?
8. How secure is the IX-key system?
9. What security is behind IXeo Interactive Travel?
10. Relationship partners involved?
11. When does IXeo Interactive Travel become involved in the booking?
12. What happens if we want to update our web site with another dynamic provider?
13. Can I also add local destination content in addition to what IX-key provides?
14. Is there any other license fee or costs related to destinations that we should be aware of?
15. Where does the destination content come from and who updates and maintains this?
16. Why is it important for a hotel to provide dynamic packaging for consumers?
18. Does this also apply to a group or a brand of hotels?
19. Are there additional charges for web enhancements or a tailored template?
20. How does the tracking and reporting work?
21. Who is responsible for packaged bookings if something goes wrong?
22. Is the hotel responsible for any liability?
23. Why should a hotel enhance their own portal to provide live bookings?
24. What is the move in buying habits through online bookings?
25. How flexible can a hotel be with adding packages and special offers?
26. If we earn advertising from partners we add into the system can we keep this income 100%?
27. How should we do when the customers asks us about their flight bookings or other
services?
30. What forms of payment are possible through the IX-key product?
31. Which credit cards are accepted?
32. When will the credit card be charged?
33. Where can I subscribe for the IX-key product?
34. Is it possible to change my log-in name?
35. Does IX-key help to promote my hotel?
1. What is the IX-key solution?
The IX-key is a booking portal which can be added to your hotel’s homepage, enabling your customers to mix your product with other services. You can promote your products with local interest, culture, heritage, special events or points of interest and package rooms with flights, excursions, transfers or your own special promotions
The IX-key web solution is a tool which allows your hotel’s portal to tailor your services with other content relevant to your destination and product. You will benefit from following features:
- Drive more business through your own hotel portal with your own dynamic packaging tool
- Take back control of your hotels distribution channels
- Combine your hotel’s products with flights from anywhere to your destination
- Sell at prices you dictate on your own site
- Market packages and promotions direct to consumers
- Become the destination concierge with your hotel as core
- No charge for room bookings by IX-key, regardless of volume
- All optimized for online search engines
- Be in charge of your portal content online
- Image archiving
- Multi currency bookings
- Monitor and track the visitors and their surfing behaviour on every page of your dynamic website
With your registration confirmation you will receive the login data to the IX-editor, a content management system enabling you to choose the colours of your personalised page from a selection of templates provided. You can upload your logo and banners, and also edit descriptions, content and pictures.
4. How will I know how to use the IX-editor?
The IX-editor is easy to use, and you will receive an online guide on how to manage changes. You can either download or print the guide or just open the information boxes while you are working in the system
All you need to do is fill in the questionnaire, and you will receive your login data by e-mail, allowing you a 30 day free trial period. After the trial you will receive the final login data to subscribe.
The first 30 days after registration is free of charge, enabling you to learn more about why the IX-key is the perfect dynamic web solution for you. Once you decide to subscribe you are charged an annual subscription fee based on € 5.- per room per month with a maximum invoicing count of 250 rooms and a minimum annual fee of €2500 for smaller hotels. For room only bookings there are no commissions, transaction fees or charges. The charge is ZERO for transactions or commissions regardless of volume. What remains are charges from your CRS provider.
7. Who can I contact if I have problems?
You can reach us Monday to Friday from 09:00 – 17:00 CET at:
Phone +41 44 914 43 80
Fax +41 44 914 43 88
E-mail: info@ix-key.com
8. How secure is the IX-key system?
The IX-key system is based on proven robust xml technology that has been used by various tour operators and tailored specifically for the IX-key dynamic and fully interactive engine. The system derives from and has been successfully used by both www.ixeo.com as well as www.globalhotelalliance.com. All online bookings are secured with VERISIGN GUARANTEE and provide users with a safe credit card processing environment as well as protection of the consumer’s private details.
9. What security is behind IXeo Interactive Travel?
IXeo is a member of the Swiss Travel Association of Retailers (STAR) and participate in the Swiss Travel Security© fund which insures the security of the refund of payments received by us and for the repatriation of our customers in the event of our insolvency.
IXeo is a certified IATA Electronic Reservation Service Provider (ERSP Code 02-4 0798 5) and guarantees that all airline ticketing through the system will be under full IATA regulations and conditions using at all times only certified IATA travel agencies.
10. Relationship partners involved?
Further companies involved in development and providing content are zts informationssysteme und fulfillment gmbh, Columbus Publishing Ltd. as well as Whatsonwhen Ltd.
11. When does IXeo Interactive Travel become involved in the booking?
IXeo is provides extra services, such as flights, transfers, excursions as well as destination and event content. IXeo is responsible for the fulfilment of all services, however not including your own services provided.
12. What happens if we want to update our web site with another dynamic provider?
You may cancel the portal and have it switched off immediately. If you cancel the contract before its expiry there are no refunds. The general terms & conditions apply.
13. Can I also add local destination content in addition to what IX-key provides?
Yes, you can add local content and other information via the IX-editor.
14. Is there any other license fee or costs related to destinations that we should be aware of?
All licence fees as well as destination and event content are included in the quoted price. There are no extra costs.
15. Where does the destination content come from and who updates and maintains this?
The destination content is provided by IXeo’s partners Columbus Publishing Ltd., while the event content is provided by Whatsonwhen and updated on a monthly, respectively weekly basis.
16. Why is it important for a hotel to provide dynamic packaging for consumers?
Dynamic packaging allows hotels to take back control of their allotments and prices and offer attractive ‘side products’ in combination with their own services. While an airline will offer their flight product to your destination, featuring your hotel along with many others, you may offer your hotel rooms featuring all possible airlines which fly to your destination.
17. Is it also possible to have the IX-key booking engine embedded within our site or have a home page that is delivered entirely by IX-key?
Yes, an embedded version as well as a complete white label solution is possible.
For further information and prices please contact info@ix-key.com.
18. Does this also apply to a group or a brand of hotels?
Yes, a multiple hotel solution, i.e. a version for brands are in development.
For further information and prices please contact info@ix-key.cominfo@ix-key.com
19. Are there additional charges for web enhancements or a tailored template?
For the standard version there are no costs. If you require an individualised/tailored version the costs are subject to development. For further information and prices please contact info@ix-key.com.
20. How does the tracking and reporting work?
After subscription you will receive the login data as well as the link to the IX-statistics login page. You will not only be able to view statistics on number of visitors, their country or areas of origin but also survey the visitor paths of individual visitors, i.e. how they navigate your site, as well as view the overall statistics – a highly valuable tool for defining future or analysing current online marketing campaigns!
21. Who is responsible for packaged bookings if something goes wrong?
IXeo Interactive Travel SA is liable for packaged and additional services, except your hotel’s own packages and products, according to the terms & conditions.
22. Is the hotel responsible for any liability?
You are liable only for any of your hotel’s services or products
23. Why should a hotel enhance their own portal to provide live bookings?
There are many reasons: along with the above listed benefits you will be more flexible in the market, you will be able to sell rooms without paying commissions and be more competitive in the market. You will be more attractive to customers who like all services in one booking process.
24. What is the move in buying habits through online bookings?
There is an explosion on movement in online travel bookings worldwide. Consumers increasingly want to have the ease of purchasing all services on one trustworthy website – all in one booking process. Especially in destinations they haven’t visited before they want to rely on the hotel as a reference.
25. How flexible can a hotel be with adding packages and special offers?
Very flexible! You may describe new packages referring to the corresponding uploaded rate codes at any time in IX-editor. Changes are visible live immediately.
26. If we earn advertising from partners we add into the system can we keep this income 100%?
Yes, all advertising space you provide to your partners is to your own benefit and subject to your negotiation. You may finance the annual fees solely by providing this space to your partners.
27. How should we do when the customers asks us about their flight bookings or other services?
You may refer to our service center from Monday to Friday, 09:00-18:00 CET or contact them at ix.service@ixeo.com or phone +49 7132 384 800 or fax number +49 7132 384 650.
28. Can we share this dynamic packing link to our partners? Can our partners use the link on their site to generate more bookings?
After registration you will receive your link (URL) to your personalised portal. This URL must be posted at least once on your website, but can also be placed on as many external websites as you wish. The more links are placed the more traffic you may generate on your booking portal. You only need one link.
The IX-concierge is a uniquely designed filtering & wizard system, always at the customer’s service. It is a tool designed to help online dynamic bundling of different products. The IX-concierge works in the background as consumers browse the database and start making their choices.
Dynamic content interacts seamlessly in the system. Bundling means literally packaging components of a trip or vacation around what it is the customer really wants. This enables customers to select their preferred flight to the airport closest to your destination, staying at your hotel at a preferred time for a preferred price. In addition, they can then add other services provided.
No matter what service or information the consumer selects, the intuitive concierge will offer all available corresponding services and products, which can also be saved to the travel planner in the MyPlans section
30. What forms of payment are possible through the IX-key product?
Payment follows after the 30 day trial period after subscription and is done by credit card or bank transfer.
31. Which credit cards are accepted?
We accept VISA, MasterCard and American Express.
32. When will the credit card be charged?
Towards the end of the 30 day free trial period you will receive a notification asking if you would like to subscribe for twelve months. After providing your credit card information you will be charged the full amount of the annual subscription fee.
33. Where can I subscribe for the IX-key product?
On www.IX-key.com you can first subscribe under “Sign up” for a 30 days free trial period. If you are satisfied with the unique possibilities of the IX-key you may subscribe for 12 months.
34. Is it possible to change my log-in name?
To change your log-in name please contact us from 9:00 – 17:00 CET at:
Phone +41 44 914 43 80
Fax +41 44 914 43 88
E-mail: info@ix-key.com
35. Does IX-key help to promote my hotel?
Yes, with the IX-key solution you can immediately add numerous features to your website enabling customers to create bespoke packages around your property. You can promote your services and products much more effectively due to new features including flights, excursions, transfers, local interest, culture, heritage, special events or points of interest. In addition, you have the unique opportunity to create special promotion packages for your hotel based on season, local events, special days etc. By branding your IX-key pages with special colours, buttons, your logo, banners and pictures you have a new attractive area representing and promoting your property.
