Front Office Operation

Front Office Operations Adam Fikis workweek 6 Reservations * Definition An discernment reached between a supplier and a goer or travel agent or a clerical or electronic process whereby a seat, a direction, a station or other accommodation is withdrawn from sale and set forth for the use of a specific person, often on payment of a deposit. Reservations Outcomes * Guest Perspective * Having a knob path ready and waiting when they arrive * Should non be just some(prenominal) way of life, but the room that best meets the node needs expressed during the makings process. * Hotel Perspective The reservations process should provide the highest occupancy and the room revenue possible. Reservation and Sales * Before Automation * agents focused on room availability information. * Not able to identify room type. * Agents would educate down special beg on the reservation. * Certain bedding type, smoking, non-smoking, scenic overhear * Front desk fulfill such request at the time of check-in. * At the same time agents were responsible for maximizing occupancy & revenue * Incentives were provided to conduct higher priced rooms during check-in. After Automation * Agents can review room and rate information for specific watchs * Request for specific room types, location, and special features can be immediately ack directlyledged and quickly confirmed as a part of the reservations process. * Agent create an image of the hotel to the callers * Reservations agents atomic number 18 not order takers and are trained in sales techniques. * Reservation now is viewed as part of sales department. Role of the Sales Department in Reservations * Primary Source of Reservations host Sales Managers or Representatives create meeting reservations * Corporations, trade associations or SMERF(Sports, Military, Educational, Religious, Fraternal) * Actual reservations may go the reservations department by phone, fax, website etc. * Sales business leader originated the sale * Sales Department in addition generate sales from other markets * Transient, incarnate, Leisure etc. * A study function of the Sales department is to acquainted(predicate)ise local businesses and travel agencies about(predicate) the benefits and features of the situation. * Depending on the type of hotel Sales Managers maybe assigned to work with travel agencies, Internet websites, and other reservations dispersal outlets * Distribution channels should be familiar with the hotels characteristics and surrounding areas * To create a positive impression of the property and the travel destination * Sales Managers are often provided with financial or other incentives for meeting or exceeding their sales goals. * Sales objectives and incentives (including promotions) are now related to revenue rather than room sales as previously done in the past.Types of Reservations * Guaranteed Reservations (A guaranteed reservation assures the guest that the hotel volition adhesive friction a room until a specific time of the day succeeding(a) the guests scheduled arrival date. ) * Prepayment * A room reservation in which guests, prior to their arrival, provide payment for their rooms. Sometimes referred to as an innovational deposit reservation. * Credit simple machineds * Reservations are secured by a impute card number. In exchange for your card number, the hotel promises to piddle a room for you no matter when you show up on the day. Advance Deposits * Requires that the guest pays the hotel a specified descend prior to arrival, usually large lavish to cover 1 nights room and taxes. * pop off Agent * Travelers pay the style in advance for transportation and room charges and the agency in turn guarantees the reservation. * Corporate * A corporation entering into an agreement with an hotel, which states that they will accept financial responsibility for any no-shows travelers the corporation is sponsoring. * coupon / Miscellaneous Charge Order (MCO) * Guest pr epays an amount to the agency.The agency in the first placehand the Voucher/MCO to the hotel as proof of payment and guarantee that the prepaid amount will be sent to the property when the voucher is returned to the travel agency. * Non-Guaranteed * Hotel agrees to enclose a room for the guest until a stated reservations cancellation hour * usually 400 p. m. or 600 p. m. * Does not guarantee the property will receive payment for no-show * The room is released back into the generally fund if guest does not arrive by stated time. Reservation query / Sources spot Direct * Telephone * Mail * Traditional / Electronic * Property Web Site * Property to Property * Faxes * TDD (telecommunications device for the deaf) * Through a central reservation frame * Affiliate organisation * A hotel reservations system in which all participating properties are contractually related * Non-Affiliate System * Subscription system designed to connect independent and non-chain properties * normally assumes responsibility for publicizing * Only accepts certain quality or limited number of hotels in an rea to keep price of their service high * Examples Hazelton Toronto & Chateau Bonne Entente (Leading Hotels of the World) * Preferred Hotels & Resorts (Soho metropolitan -Toronto) * Distinguished Hotels & Resorts (Le Grand Lodge Mont-Tremblant) * Cluster Reservations Office * Chains that have several properties in a geographic area may take to establish a single reservations or cluster office * corresponding to hotel chain reservations system, but serves only a specific location sooner of the entire company. All reservation enquiries are channeled through cluster office * Room rates and availability can be coordinated * tag selling of other cluster properties * Global Distribution Systems (GDS) * Support the distribution of airline tickets, car rentals, hotel inventories with service providers, suppliers & intermediaries. * SABRE, GALILEO, WORLDSPAN, AMADEUS * Inter-sell Agen cies * A reservations systems contracted to handle bookings for to a greater extent than one product line. It is like a One Stop wander or One call does it all. Handles booking for * Airline companies * Car agencies & lodging properties * Internet Distribution Systems (IDS) * A process by which Hospitality, Travel & Tourism companies offer on-line reservations services via the internet. Group Reservations & Terms * Usually involve(s) a variety of contacts * In some instances (guests, meeting planners, CVB(Convention & Visitors Bureau), travel agents, stay operator, hotel sales staff etc. ) * Block An agreed number of rooms is set aside If sufficient rooms are available * A Group Block must be monitored by reservation charabanc * Special identification code / Reservations Card * Given to prospective guests to harbour rooms within the groups assigned block * board reserved for specific guests are referred to as booked * If the group take away rooms from transient(non-group) Res. Manager must advise G. Manager. This is called NON-GROUP DISPLACEMENT. * Wash use up reducing Block based on the groups score * Cut-off date A pre-determined date when the hotel stops accepting reservations for the group * Group Resume * Summary of group activities, billing instructions, arrival / departure patterns * trace attendees and recreational / entertainment activities * Usually stored at the front desk * Group centre * states the number of rooms and quoted rate * states arrival, departure, and special consideration such as complimentary room Reservation Records Identify guests and their occupancy needs before their arrival * Allows the hotel to personalize / customize guest services * Guest denote (group name if applicable) * Guests home or billing address, think and email details * Guests company name and address, if any * Number of people and children * Room rate & type * Arrival date and time * Expected departure date * Method of guarantee (if any) * Corporate / Travel Agency Account Information * Special requests (Cribs, Smoking / Non-Smoking rooms, children, incapacitate etc. Reservation Confirmation / Cancellation * When the hotel acknowledges and verifies a guest room request and personal information by phone, fax, (e)mailing a letter of confirmation. They generally implicate the following * Name & address of guest * Date and arrival time * Room type and rate * Length of stay * Number of person(s) in party * Reservations classification (guarantee/non-guarantee) * Reservations cancellation / confirmation number * Special requests, if any