Frictionless payments: the invisible ally of your business
Avantio Payments is the module that integrates a payment platform and automates collections. Thanks to an advanced workflow and preconfigurable actions, it ensures secure card transactions for portal bookings, your own website, or manually entered reservations. This allows you to focus on managing your business while the tool takes care of the most delicate part — the payment process.
Key definitions
Avantio Payments (Apay): Avantio’s module that automates payments and manages card transactions for online or manual bookings.
Property Manager (PM): A professional or company that manages tourist accommodations and handles operational, financial, and commercial management.
Payment gateway: A service that encrypts and transmits card data to authorize and complete payments securely.
PSD2 (Payment Services Directive 2): A European regulation that strengthens authentication and security in electronic payments.
Chargeback: A refund requested by a cardholder through their bank for a charge deemed unauthorized, fraudulent, or erroneous.
What is a payment gateway and how does it work?
A payment gateway acts as an intermediary between a buyer and a seller in an online transaction. It securely encrypts and transmits the customer’s card data to authorize the payment and transfer the funds to the merchant.
To connect a payment platform, you need:
A website, where the payment process can be securely integrated.
An integration with a booking engine, allowing payments to be processed directly from the platform.
If you don’t have a website or booking engine, a broker with a secure URL that allows card data to be entered and tokenized safely.
Main advantages
Automation and time savings: Define your payment logic and free your team from manual management, as the system executes payments automatically.
Enhanced security: All card data is stored in encrypted form and is never accessible to staff. It complies with PCI (Payment Card Industry) standards, reducing fraud risks and penalties.
One-click payment link sending: If no card is associated, the system allows you to send a request for the customer to enter their card details and authorize the charge.
Chargeback prevention: A chargeback is a request from a customer to their bank to reverse a transaction they consider unauthorized, duplicated, or fraudulent. For cards from portals like Booking or Vrbo, regulations allow charges to be processed without prior customer authorization, increasing chargeback risks. With the PSD2 configuration (available for European accounts) in Avantio Payments, you can request customer authorization for the charge, strengthening transaction security.
Deposit management: Schedule payments, holds, refunds, and releases of deposits automatically on the same card.
Best practices
Always request PSD2 authorization for recurring guest payments. While not always mandatory, it reduces the risk of disputed transactions.
Attention to detail
Refunds of deposits may take several days to appear in the guest’s account, depending on their bank. Inform your guests of this to prevent unnecessary claims.
Online payment processing flow
To understand how a card or digital wallet transaction works, it’s helpful to review the path the information takes from the moment the guest makes the payment to when the merchant receives confirmation.
As a secure intermediary, the payment gateway minimizes fraud risk by protecting sensitive information and ensuring fast, reliable transactions in digital environments.
The following workflow outlines the parties involved and the validations that ensure a secure operation.
Step-by-step payment processing
Step 1. Select the payment method (customer)
Step 1. Select the payment method (customer)
The guest chooses how to pay for their booking or service:
Credit or debit card.
Digital wallets (Apple Pay, Google Pay, etc.).
Other supported methods.
Step 2. Send data to the system (e-commerce)
Step 2. Send data to the system (e-commerce)
The booking system collects and sends the necessary information to the payment gateway:
Total purchase amount.
Customer details.
Selected payment method.
Step 3. Secure processing (payment gateway)
Step 3. Secure processing (payment gateway)
The payment gateway acts as an intermediary:
Encrypts the transaction data.
Sends it to the card-issuing bank or payment provider.
Step 4. Verify the transaction (issuing bank)
Step 4. Verify the transaction (issuing bank)
The customer’s bank verifies:
Card validity.
Availability of funds.
Customer authentication if required (e.g., via PSD2 or 3DS).
Then it sends the approval or rejection to the payment gateway.
Step 5. Communicate the result (payment gateway)
Step 5. Communicate the result (payment gateway)
The gateway informs the system:
Approved: the purchase continues.
Declined: the customer is asked to choose another payment method.
Step 6. Manage the transaction (merchant)
Step 6. Manage the transaction (merchant)
If the payment is successful:
The purchase is confirmed to the customer.
The delivery or service process begins.
With Avantio Payments, you reduce errors, enhance security, and save valuable time.
Frequently Asked Questions
If a client doesn’t have a website or integration, can they use Apay?
If a client doesn’t have a website or integration, can they use Apay?
No. To correctly use Apay and its workflows (authorization, request new card, change card, etc.), the PM must have a website or integration — essentially, a broker that can generate a secure URL form.
What happens if a payment is declined?
What happens if a payment is declined?
When a payment is rejected, the system displays a notification with the reason (insufficient funds, invalid card, or authentication error). In that case, you can ask the guest to enter a new card or choose an alternative payment method. If the rejection is due to PSD2 or 3DS (3D Secure, the online payment security protocol), the customer will need to authorize it.
How can I send a payment link to a customer?
How can I send a payment link to a customer?
If the booking has no card associated, an email is sent with a secure link. The customer fills in their card details and authorizes the charge directly, enabling safe payments without requesting sensitive data through less secure channels.
Can I manage deposits outside the system?
Can I manage deposits outside the system?
Yes, it’s possible to handle deposits using external tools (by generating links). However, since this operation is managed outside the system, the information will not sync with Avantio and must be updated manually within the system.