1. BeDS has been designed to provide an easily accessible, country (or maybe even world) wide online community of BedPosts Guests to whom signed up BedPosts Club members can deliver deals, in exchange for direct bookings, in accordance with the Closed Group criteria as defined by The Office of Fair Trading on 20th December 2013.
2. OBAs charge high commissions. Bookings made directly with the Accommodation Providers (APs) are commission free, which means that APs can pass some of the commission they save, on to their customers by way of special discounts, including lower room prices.
3. APs who do not use OBAs, will not save commission charges by joining this scheme, although they will benefit from the additional work that this scheme will generate if enough APs take part. Discounts are not limited to accommodation rates, they could include for example 2 for 1 entry fees to attractions etc which would qualify as a valid discount.
4. The scheme expects that you will all use this opportunity to contact past guests, notifying them about your entry into this scheme in the hope that they ask to sign up to BeDS Closed Groups to access BedPosts deals. A standard template email to send to past guests will be provided, should you wish to use it.
5. In order to join the scheme Guests will need to enter their contact details into a database maintained on the BedPosts website, from where they will gain access to all the deals available at any one time under the scheme. You will need to keep your own deals details up to date. If guests are persuaded to check the BP website for deals on BedPosts as well as looking for rooms on the websites of online agents, they will see that booking direct is simply “good economics”. Just think how many more guests will be channelled towards BedPosts when this message gets out.
6. This scheme is limited to APs who belong to the BedPosts Business Club, are you a member yet?

If you are an AP who does not use online agents, you are probably finding it harder and harder to get yourself found in online Search, unless you spend a lot of money on Adwords etc., and if you are an AP who does use online agents, you are probably being found, but paying out a lot of money for the privilege of bookings through online agents. There is an annual payment of £50 to belong to the BedPosts Business Club, which brings in other benefits as well as being a member of BeDS. How far does £50 get you on Adwords and how quickly is £50 gobbled up in commissions?

Don't forget too that you will benefit from access to all the guests that join the BEDS scheme, as your guest today stays with your colleague tomorrow, and as another BEDS guest books with you. The more accommodation providers that enter this scheme, the bigger the pool of BEDS guests and the more work for all.

To find out what other benefits are available to BedPosts Business Club Members take a look here http://www.bedposts.org.uk/club/benefits.htm

What are you waiting for? How often will £50 save you money in the long run and enable you to access other facilities too, and don't forget, as more BedPosts forum users join the Club, there will be money in the kitty, when the kitty grows, new and different schemes will also become affordable. You are not giving £50 to the Club, you are giving it to yourself and your business, oh and don't forget to offset it against tax.

• Upgrade (only £50 p.a. per business) from free-to-join member to Club Class (through login if not logged in now) or
• Join as a free member (you are an independent accommodation provider - not part of a chain)