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OPERATE A COMPUTERISED RESERVATIONS SYSTEM
D1.HFO.CL2.02
D2.TTA.CL2.13
Slide 1
Subject elements
This unit comprises three Elements:
Identify the features offered by a computerised reservations systems
Operate the computerised reservation system
Process reservations’ communications
Slide 2
AssessmentAssessment for this unit may include:
Oral questions
Written questions
Work projects
Workplace observation of practical skills
Practical exercises
Formal report from supervisor
Slide 3
Element 1:Identify the features offered by a computerised reservations systems
Slide 4
Identify the features offered by a computerised reservations systemsPerformance Criteria for this Element are:
Explain the benefits of and barriers to using a computerised reservations system
Identify the businesses that may use a computerised reservation system
Describe the scope of a computerised reservations system
Describe the functions that can be performed on a computerised reservations system
Interpret the screens and displays available within a computerised reservations system
Slide 5
Definitions
What is a CRS?
Computerised reservation system
What is a GDS?
Global distribution system
Slide 6
Importance of a CRS Computerised reservation systems have become an
essential part of any hospitality and tourism organisation
It is a necessary tool to store and access a wide range of information, that can be easily accessed by a range of people in any location
Slide 7
Hospitality CRS
Hospitality computerised reservation systems
A hotel reservation system, also known as a central reservation system (CRS) is a computerized system that stores and distributes information of a hotel, resort, or other lodging facilities
Slide 8
Hospitality CRS
Hospitality computerised reservation systems
What hospitality computerised reservation systems are used in the industry?
Was is their function?
Slide 9
Hospitality CRS
Hotel software system areas
Property management
Accounting
Internet/GDS reservations
Central reservations
Reception
Slide 10
Hospitality CRS
Hotel software system areas
Point of Sale (POS)
Spa, club and golf management
Guest management
Inventory management
Yield/revenue management
Slide 11
Hospitality CRS
Property Management Software (PMS)
One of the major types of hotel software used by the hotel industry is hotel property management software (PMS)
PMS is a comprehensive software package that manages all aspects of hotel operations, which has front desk, and back office modules that handle reservations, guest profile/folio, reporting, night auditing, and housekeeping, accounting, payroll and asset and inventory management
Slide 12
Hospitality CRS
Hotel reservation systems
For reservations, there are two types of hotel software:
A CRS (central reservation system)
An IBE (Internet booking engine) - an IBE allows guests to remotely make reservations accessing the hotel’s website
Slide 13
Hospitality CRSModules in a hospitality CRS
Reservations
Profiles
Groups and blocks
Rate and inventory control
Administration
Reporting
Global distribution interface
PMS interface
Slide 14
Hospitality CRS
Common CRS information
Information commonly stored in a CRS includes
Room types
Rate plans architecture
Room rates and conditions
Room inventories
Generic hotel information
Distribution content
Reservation information
Nearby IATA cities and airports
Slide 15
Tourism CRS The Global Distribution System (GDS) is an e-
commerce tool introduced by airlines to facilitate the booking of flights
By definition a GDS is a computerised reservation system (CRS) in that it enables, for example, travel agencies to place bookings with travel suppliers and their booking systems via a worldwide distribution network
Slide 16
Tourism CRSThere are four major Global Distribution Systems:
Amadeus
Galileo
Sabre
Worldspan
Slide 17
Tourism CRS
Tourism CRS uses
These systems enable travel agencies to:
Search lowest fares for nominated destinations
Automatically re-calculate fares for changed itineraries
Store client data and records
Access world-wide options
Slide 18
Tourism CRSTypes of CRS bookings and reservations
GDS systems are capable of booking:
One way and roundtrip airline seats
Hotel rooms
Rental cars
Tours
Cruises
Slide 19
Tourism CRSTypes of CRS bookings and reservations
GDS systems are capable of booking:
Bus and rail tickets
Insurance
Limousines
Event and theatre tickets
Dining reservations
Slide 20
Information within a CRSInformation contained within a CRS
Destination information
Availability and costs of any product/service
Detailed product and service information
Airfares and airline information
Special offers and packages
Transportation options
Payment options
Health and safety recommendations
Slide 21
Benefits of a CRS Speedier processing of requests and bookings,
ticketing and quotations
Central location of information
Integration with web-based/online booking systems
Allowing multiple uses and multiple sites
Preserving privacy and confidentiality through passwords, operator only designations and system administrator status
Allowing pre-set limits/allocations/changes
Slide 22
Barriers of a CRS Cost of initial establishment
Training of staff
System breakdowns and malfunctions
Need for system back-ups, system maintenance and system updates
Discrepancies occurring between properties using different systems
Operational staff tend to focus on the screen instead of customer
Slide 23
Businesses using a CRS Retail travel agencies
Hotels
Visitor information centres
Airlines
Coach companies
Car rental companies
Entertainment providers
Slide 24
Businesses using a CRS Tour operators and wholesalers
Event coordinators
Tour desk officers
Operations consultants
Owner operators of small tourism businesses
Reservations sales agents
Slide 25
Scope of a CRS
Scope of a computerised reservation system
Scope of a computerised reservations system may be related to:
Industry-wide access and use
Use only within an individual property
Agents
Service providers
Direct customer bookings
Slide 26
CRS functions
Functions performed on a central reservations system
Interrogating and amending existing data
Making reservations, including group, individual, corporate, in-house, commission basis
Amending reservations, such as extending or changing dates, altering flights, changing room numbers
Determining vacancies and current level of availability, including tickets, seats, rooms
Slide 27
CRS functions
Functions performed on a central reservations system
Recording customer details
Recording special request details
Creating internal and management reports
Generating client histories and preferences
Generating mailing lists
Creating marketing information
Preparing limited accounting statements
Slide 28
CRS functions
Functions performed on a Hospitality CRS
What functions or information would be kept for these functions:
Reservations
Profiles
Groups and blocks
Rate and inventory control
Administration
Reporting
Slide 29
CRS functionsFunctions performed on a tourism CRS
Understand system assumptions for a quote
Interpret system codes and abbreviations
Enter the relevant segment, passenger, destination and date details
Create the quote
Search the ‘best fare’ quote
Cancel the quote
Amend the quote
Update the status of the booking
Slide 30
GDS training
Specialised GDS training courses need to be undertaken to attain necessary competencies with individual GDS systems:
What training would operators need to undertake?
What do these need to know?
Slide 31
GDS trainingThese specialised courses relate to the features and functions of the individual system and address topics such as:
Key functions
Encoding and decoding
Status codes
System help facilities
Selling flights
Creating and updating files
E-ticketing
System abbreviations
Slide 32
Understanding CRS screens and displaysInterpret the screens and displays
Regardless of the CRS system used it is important for users to be competent in being able to interpret the screens and displays relating to:
Identifying menus and sub-menus
Identifying information fields
Identifying drop-down menus
Identifying self-populating fields
Slide 33
Understanding CRS screens and displaysInterpret the screens and displays
Identifying multiple choice fields
Identifying mandatory fields
Identifying character limitations within information fields
Using the toolbar menu and using keystrokes to access fields and menus
Slide 34
Understanding CRS screens and displaysInterpret the screens and displays
Differentiating between levels of authorization and access
Creating and using passwords and User Identification to access screens and data
Using system-specific techniques to move between fields and screens
Slide 35
Understanding CRS screens and displaysInterpret screen displays
Prompts
Buttons/tabs
Options
Abbreviations
Acronyms
Questions
Information fields
Dates
Slide 36
Understanding CRS screens and displaysIn-house interpretations of displays
Different establishments to describe and define certain fields with meanings and data, such as:
Dates
Prices
Room types
Room numbers
Packages
particular to their operational needs.
Slide 37
Understanding CRS screens and displaysIn-house interpretations of displays
Systems may have codes to depict various pieces of information such as:
Different revenue stream
Guest type
Marketing information that the property seeks to capture
Payment methods
Booking source
Slide 38
CRS training and support
Need for CRS training and support
In order for any staff using a CRS system to become competent with the software being used in their workplace, they must:
Obtain, read, refer to and use the User’s Guide/Manual for their system
Obtain practical workplace training in the physical operation of the system
Research, understand and utilise the software support provided by the system suppliers
Slide 39
Element 2:Operate the computerised reservation system
Slide 40
Operate the computerised reservation systemPerformance Criteria for this Element are:
Access the computerised reservations system
Investigate information contained within the computerised reservations system
Check whether or not a reservation can be taken on the computerised reservations system
Accept and create a reservation on the computerised reservations system
Slide 41
Operate the computerised reservation systemPerformance Criteria for this Element are:
Retrieve a reservation on the computerised reservations system
Amend a reservation on the computerised reservations system
Print reservation details from the computerised reservations system
Slide 42
Importance of reservations
Role of reservations
The reservations department is a vital link in any hotel operation
The reservations area is where guests have their first contact with an organisation and therefore make their first impressions
Slide 43
Importance of reservations
Role of reservations
Three key roles of reservations is to:
Providing relevant information
Encouraging the sale
Making the booking
Slide 44
PasswordsPasswords and User IDs
Why is it important to have passwords?
How often should they be changed?
How else can you protect the privacy of information on the system when you have ‘logged into the system’?
Slide 45
System information
Investigating information
Investigate information may include:
Applying access codes
Interpreting and using on-screen prompts todetermine required information
Interpreting and applying on-screen abbreviations, acronyms and options
Slide 46
Accessing system information
Investigating information
Using navigation tools such as buttons and tabs
Applying correct date formats within the system
Adhering to system protocols and field size limitations
Completing required fields
Describing the field and menu links
available between screens
Slide 47
Accessing system information
Using system features to access a range of information
Typically a receptionist with responsibility for bookings will repeatedly be involved in:
Checking for room availability on the required dates
Entering the guest and reservation details
Varying the booking as required
Checking the guest in
Posting charges to guest folios
Preparing and presenting guest accounts
Accepting payment
Checking the guest out
Slide 48
Accessing system information
Example – Front Office information that can be accessed
Folio clearance
Night audit information
Room charge update
Rooming rebuild/calendar update
Transaction summary
Internal management reports
Slide 49
Checking reservation availability
The balancing act of reservations
When times are busy, the reservations team must try to fill the hotel whilst:
Filling hotel rooms at competitive rates
Not overbooking the hotel
Generating higher room rates
Slide 50
Checking reservation availability
Importance of checking reservation availability
All booking requests must be checked on the system before they are accepted
Whilst in most cases hotels or other hospitality and tourism businesses will try to find a way to ensure a reservation can be taken, at times however this is not possible
Slide 51
Checking reservation availability
Methods of booking
Requests for bookings can come via the following mediums:
Telephone
Fax
Internet
Face-to-face walk-in enquiries
Slide 52
Checking reservation availability
Sources of bookings
System referrals from other properties in the chain
Travel agents
Tour operators
Airlines
Family and friends of the guests
The guest themselves
Businesses
Groups
Slide 53
Checking reservation availability
Obtaining the basic reservation information
In order to check room availability you must determine:
Date of the first night
Date of the last night
Type of room sought
Name of guest or business seeking accommodation
Identifying if they are a VIP, ‘blocked’ or ‘black listed’
Identification of any other potentially limiting factors
Slide 54
Checking reservation availability
Considerations
Minimum stay lengths/minimum nights
Peak time/prime time
Stops/stop sell
Slide 55
Creating new reservationsInformation to record
Date of arrival
Date of departure
Estimated Time of Arrival (ETA
Estimated Time of Departure (ETD)
Number of nights
Name in full
Personal details
Room type
Number of adults and children
Slide 56
Creating new reservations
Information to record
Passport/ID number
Package type
Room rate
Method of payment
Booking taken by
Notes/comments
Room number
Marketing information
Slide 57
Creating new reservations
Types of reservations
Airline seats
Hotel rooms and accommodation at other facilities
Rental cars and other vehicles
Transportation
Transfers
Entertainment
Tours and cruises
Slide 58
Creating new reservations
Types of reservations
Entrances to tourist attractions, tourism sites or other sites of interest or significance
Travel insurance
Tour guiding services
Activities
Meals
Functions
Special items with customer’s corporate branding
Slide 59
Creating new reservations
Types of reservations
Special events
Venue facilities
Convention facilities
Speaker services
Audio-visual services
Meeting or event equipment
Special event consumable items
Food, beverage and general catering
Slide 60
Creating new reservations
Handling special requests
Disabled room
Room that has a balcony or outside are where people can smoke
Cot or high-chair
Fold-away bed
Champagne and chocolate on arrival or at nominated times
Fresh fruit platter in the room
Flowers
Slide 61
Creating new reservationsHandling special requests
Room facing the ocean or garden or some other identified aspect
Interconnecting rooms
Adjacent rooms
A room located away from the lift
Bed board
Extra clothes hangers
Glass vases
Slide 62
Creating new reservations
Handling special requests
Voltage converters (240 to 220 volt)
Iron and ironing board
Booking in the dining room
Special food and beverages
Mobile phone rental
Slide 63
Retrieving reservations
Reasons to retrieve a reservation
Once a reservation has been made, you may need to retrieve it so as to:
Convert a tentative booking into a confirmed one
Modify the booking in one of many ways as advised by the guest
Add an advanced deposit
Cancel a reservation
Allocate a room
Effect a room change
Slide 64
Amending reservations
Types of amendments
Cancelling the reservation
Changing the date/s
Changing times
Changing customer names
Changing the number of people
Adding children or additional customers
Slide 65
Amending reservations
Types of amendments
Changing seating arrangements
Adding special requests
Seeking a variation in rate
Splitting a reservation
Entering a deposit paid
Slide 66
Amending reservationsTypes of amendments
Changing the itinerary
Adding/deleting products or services
Entering invoice and payment details
Entering ticketing and voucher details
Cross-referencing multiple bookings
Slide 67
Print reservation detailsReasons for printing reservation details
Why does a reservation need to be printed?
Who needs this information?
How do we give confirmation information to customers?
Slide 68
Element 3:Process reservations’ communications
Slide 69
Process reservations’ communications
Performance Criteria for this Element are:
Print reports from the computerised reservations system
Create and process internal communications using the computerised reservations system
Respond to external requests for information using the computerised reservations system
Create and process communications for external consumption
Slide 70
Print reports
Importance of reports
What reports are printed?
What information does it contain?
Who needs this information?
Slide 71
Print reports
Purpose of reports
Reports can be used:
For the purposes of comparing cost from various product suppliers
Determining usage rates for various product suppliers
To help negotiate rates
To determine the currency of information held in the system
Slide 72
Print reports
Categories of reports
Depending on the system being used, it is possible that available reports may include:
Accounting reports
Sales reports
Reservation reports
Slide 73
Print reports
Examples of common reports
Expected arrivals
Reservation
Property forecast
Total booking activity
Stay activity
Monthly booking activity summary
Slide 74
Print reports
Examples of common reports
Daily booking activity summary
Property detail
Property detail - room and rate information
Agent activity
Automatic allotment release
Delivery queue purge
Slide 75
Print reportsExamples of common reports
Guest folios/accounts
Account balance
Future summary period statement
Guest details
Guest revisits
Slide 76
Print reportsExamples of common reports
Occupancy reports
Corporate reports/business reports
Marketing reports
Forward reports/future projections
Mailing list
Guest requests
Slide 77
Create internal communications
Purpose of internal communications
Internal communications may relate to:
Providing designated information, data and statistics to other nominated staff who are linked to the system
Providing system update information to other departments within the enterprise to allow them to plan for changing booking levels
Slide 78
Create internal communicationsPurpose of internal communications
Ensuring only designated material is available and accessed
Ensuring currency and accuracy of material
Requiring confirmation of data sent to others
Slide 79
Create internal communications
Types of internal communications
The possible list of things that may need to passed on to other departments is endless, but traditionally they can be seen to be classified as:
Special requests
Timing details
Special needs
Payment arrangements
Entertainment
Information relating to individual customers
Slide 80
Create internal communications
Communicating details to appropriate departments and colleagues
What information do the following departments need in relation to reservations
Housekeeping
Food and beverage
Front office
Sales and marketing
Car parking
Valet
Slide 81
Create internal communications
Types of internally used generic reports
Arrivals report
Departures report
No show report
Room status report
Special requests report
Occupancy forecast report
Average room rates report
Slide 82
Create internal communications
Types of internally used generic reports
Multiple or double room occupancy report
Guest list by name report
Guest list by room report
Travel agents’ commission report
Special packages report
Market segment report
Rooms out of order report
Slide 83
Create internal communications
Types of internally used generic reports
Daily room revenue summary report
Daily revenue summary report
Weekly trading summary report
Monthly trading summary
Year-to-date report
In-house activity report
Slide 84
Responding to external requests
Besides preparing information for internal purposes, a hospitality or tourism establishment may also prepare and present property information for the advice and consumption of external people such as:
Businesses
Suppliers
Individuals
Slide 85
Responding to external requestsTypes of external communication or requests received
Types of communication or requests received by external persons include:
Booking requests
Confirmed bookings
Mail or emails seeking more information or clarification of product knowledge
Slide 86
Responding to external requestsProduct knowledge information
Room rates
Room types
In-room facilities
Room aspect
Smoking
Slide 87
Responding to external requests
Product knowledge information
Disabled rooms
Establishment facilities
In-house attractions
Local attractions and major events
Physical location of the property
Slide 88
Responding to external requests
Interpreting communications
Whilst the majority of communications will be relatively simple to interpret and understand will be some that present problems or challenges such as:
Information, advice or communications that arrives in a foreign language
Rate queries, currency differences and money-related issues
Requests for interpretation, explanation and applications of industry terminology that others are not familiar with
Information provided in coded or abbreviated format
Slide 89
Responding to external requestsResponses and actions to requests
There are a number of responses or actions that are appropriate for dealing with requests or information received by external people.
In the case of a travel company this can include:
Providing destination and specific product information and advice
Accessing and interpreting product information
Booking hotel rooms
Selling tourism products to the customer
Slide 90
Responding to external requests
Responses and actions to requests
Preparing quotations
Constructing airfares
Booking and coordinating a supplier service for the customer
Issuing customer travel documentation
Issuing crew documentation
Issuing air ticket
Slide 91
Responding to external requests
Responses and actions to requests
Organising functions
Processing and monitoring meeting or event registrations
Purchasing promotional products
Hiring special equipment
Slide 92
Communications for external consumptionInformation for external consumption
Besides handling external requests, reservation staff will also need to produce communications that are used by a wide range of external persons:
What are examples?
Slide 93
Communications for external consumptionProcessing information for external consumption
Primarily, the processing of communications which is to be used by external businesses and individuals involves:
Responding to system-related queries
Accepting, confirming, denying, amending or following-up reservations
Forwarding sub-menu bookings
Translating communications from/into other languages
Converting currencies
Integrating updates from suppliers
Slide 94
Communications for external consumptionProcessing information for external consumption
Negotiating new deals based on new information or emerging trends for listing
Adding distribution channels to the CRS network
Generating invoices, accounts, folios and statements and distributing them as required
Generating and distributing relevant reports to other system users, affiliates, partners or related businesses
Slide 95
