What is a Multi-agent portal?
A multi-agent portal is a platform that allows you to provide a secure website for booking agents. Agents can log in to the website to quote and book listings for guests at discounted rates. You can configure specific rates, descriptions, and listings for each agent, giving you total flexibility to cater to the agreements made with each agent.
How does it work?
Creating an agent portal involves a few steps:
We will handle the bulk of the work. We will set up the agent website and create the agent connections.
You'll need to enable the listings and rates for each agent. This can be done from your CiiRUS account.
You'll need to create the agent credentials for each agent.
You'll need to purchase a new domain or subdomain for the agent portal and obtain an SSL certificate. We'll help you with this process.
Creating the agent connections
Once the agent portal has been completed by the website team, we will create CiiRUS accounts for each individual agent. These accounts will be used to connect the agents to the backend of the system. The agent's will never have to log in to these accounts, but you can use them to create their usernames and passwords.
The best way to let us know which agent's need creating is to populate the Excel file attached below. This file contains a list of fields that you need to fill in, such as the agent's name, email address, and phone number. Once you have filled in the file, you can submit it by creating a ticket in the CiiRUS Help Center.
Creating agent's username & password
Once the accounts are connected, you'll need to log in to each corresponding agent's CiiRUS account using the login details that we'll provide you. Once you are logged in, you'll need to configure the agent's username and password for the portal.
After logging into the agent's CiiRUS account, follow these steps:
Websites
General Settings
Restrict Website Access
Enable the 'Require logon to website' setting
Enter your desired username and password
Click the "Save" button
This is what the agent will use when they login to the portal:
Enable the listings for each agent
To enable the applicable listings, you need to decide which listings you want each agent to be able to view and book within their portal. You can also assign a different or discounted rate set for each agent.To enable your listings from your CiiRUS account, follow these steps:
Connections
Inventory Share
Share Listings to Agents
From this screen:
Select the applicable agent
Select "Add Listings" located above the grid > Choose the applicable listings to enable
From the grid, specify all details within each column
Enable the checkbox within the "Enable Listing" column
Click the "Save" icon above the grid
When configuring your listings from the grid, you can do the following:
Choose a different rate set for the agent. This means that the agent will see a different set of rates than the general public.
Send the floor rates (wholesale rate). This means that the agent will see the lowest possible rate that you are willing to accept for the unit.
Send a different description set or terms. This means that the agent will see a different description of the property and different terms and conditions than the general public.
Enable the listings in the agent's account
But wait, there's more... After you add and enable the listings from your CiiRUS account, there is one more step. You need to login to the agent's CiiRUS account to enable the listings for them.
To do, login to the agent's CiiRUS account and go to:
Connections
Inventory Share
Get Listings from Suppliers
Select the supplier from the dropdown
Enable the checkbox within the "Enable to Website" column
Click the "Save" icon
That's it!
The agent will now be able to log in to their own portal and see the listings and pricing that you have enabled for them. When a booking is placed through the agent portal, it will land in your CiiRUS system as an agent booking. You can then manage the booking as you would any other booking.