•

Session 3

1. A case study in reservations using manual forms

2. Practical-Reservations on Fidelio.

3. Presentation on Reservations.
Reservations . . .

The most important outcome of the

reservations process is having a
guestroom ready & waiting when
a guest arrives.This guest room
should not be just any room, but
the room that meets the needs
the guest expressed during the
reservations process.
 The Reservation Process

• Inquiry Creation of record

Determination
of availability

Confirmation Maintain the Production of

of reservation reservation record reservation reports
 Reservations in most hotels is a part of
Sales
Now
Initially 1. Integral part of Sales, both rooms
and banquets
1. Part of Front Office 2. Training in Sales & Mktg.
3. Focus is on Goals & Targets,
keeping in mind co. projections
4. Detailed tracking & Reporting of
2. Only keeping trends. Both Micro and Macro
Analysis
track of bookings 5. Forecasting & Strategies
and handling room
position.

AUTOMATED HIGHLY AUTOMATED

 The Sales Approach
• Features and benefits at the touch of a button.
• Most staff have now been trained in up selling.
• Concept of having revenue managers to maximize
revenue from every sellable room keeping in mind
projected occupancies.
• Product knowledge can facilitate instant customisation of
services.
• Rooms & rates can be viewed for the specific period in
question to close sales on the spot.

• Requests for specific room types, locations, special

features can be acknowledged and confirmed.
 Manual vs Automated Systems

The Non - Automated reservations

• Furnishing details of room availability

The Automated Reservations

• Product features
• Benefits
• Acknowledgement of special requests
• MIS
•Yield Management
• Sales Strategies of Companies
 GUARANTEED NON - GUARANTEED

Prepayment
Advance Credit Card
Deposit
Inter-Hotel
Voucher

Travel Corporate
Agent Voucher / MCO
 Guaranteed VS Non-guaranteed
reservations.
Guarantee what is not…for money or for life!

Guaranteed Non guaranteed

reservations are held reservations are held
by the hotel until check until stated time of
out time the next day arrival or the
from scheduled arrival. cancellation hour.

The guest has a liability to

pay or make good any And there is no liability
damages. on the part of the
guest or the hotel.
 THE RESERVATION SOURCES

FIT ➟ Central Reservation

Systems
CONTRACT - Affiliate
GROUP - Non- Affiliate

➟ Intersell Agencies

➟ Property Direct
- FIT
Airlines as a source of reservations….. - Travel Agents
• Crew - Corporate
• Layovers - Airlines
• Frequent Flyer Clubs
 Reservations in hotels for Affiliate and
Non-Affiliate Hotels

• Chain Hotels • Independent or Non-

• Economy of Scale chain Hotels
• Referrals to sister • Broader reach for
hotels each hotel at less
• Group Information cost -- economy of
Exchange (even scale
Guest History) • Advertising Pool for
• May offer overflow the Network
business to other Participating Hotels
hotels
 Central Reservations Systems
• Affiliate reservation networks like the Taj
Groups TRNs
• Non Affiliate Networks like RESNET or
such independent networking bodies for
independent properties.
• Global distribution systems
• Airline reservation networks and hospitality
interfaces.eg. makemytrip.com
 What do they do ?
• Open to business round the clock and may
use toll free lines (800 or 1600 lines) Taj
toll free no.1600111825
• Exchange room availability information
and process reservation data with member
properties.
• Provide infrastructure and equipment for
common systems.
• Serve as info disseminators, accounting
transfer systems & communication
networks.
 Central Reservation System

EARLIER at the Taj

• All reservations received through TRN
were communicated by fax or telephone
• Time consuming and cumbersome
• TRN did not have a clear picture of the
occupancy position of various hotels
 Central Reservation System
TODAY at the Taj
• CRS connects TRN offices to Hotel Reservation
Systems
• Reservations made by the TRN automatically are
updated on the hotel Reservation System
• TRN gets an update of the sold out dates of the
hotel
 Global Distribution System

Taj Group of Hotels associated with 4 GDS

companies:
• UA – Apollo/Galileo (United Airlines)
• 1A – Amadeus (Air France/Lufthansa)
• AA – Sabre (American Airlines)
• TW – Worldspan (Trans World Airlines)
 Global Distribution System
• Taj also utilized services of UTELL
• ANASAZI came in the picture and acted as a
central system to streamline all GDS bookings

TAJ

2 ANASAZI

AA 3
UTELL 4
5
 Global Distribution System
• ANASAZI took over UTELL and REZ Solutions was
formed
• www.netrez.com
• Each hotel has a unique ID and password
• 60% of bookings worldwide are through GDS
TAJ

REZSolutions

AA 6
UA 7
 Other sources include...
INTERSELL AGENCIES PROPERTY
which handle more than DIRECT
one product line and channels request for
provide related services accommodations,
to common end users or monitor central
a variety of diverse end reservation systems
users. and maintain
dynamically updated
room availability
status.
RESERVATION
ENQUIRY
Reservation Enquiry . . .
This Process involves the guest calling up for
information regarding the hotel. He or She may
then immediately or after comparison with
GATHER others
DATA decide to book a room. MODES
Name, Address, Telephone Number, [Co. / TA
name],Date of Arrival, Date of Departure, Type
& 1.
In Person
number of rooms requested. 2.
Telephone
3. Mail
ESTABLISH 4. Facsimile
Room Rate, Number of Pax, Settlement method,(Fax)
Special Requests 5. Telex
6. E-mail
HOW IS AVAILABILITY IN A
HOTEL DETERMINED
 Determination of Availability
• Control Book / Chart System
Reservation Tally 06/01

Doubles Suites Reservation Tally 07/01

101 105 106 305 210 401 501
110 131 151 Doubles Suites
101 105 106 305 210 401 501
110 131 151
Twins
102 104 106 121 122 123
107 122 135 140 181 Twins
201 202 203 205 206 102 104 106 121 122 123
107 122 135 140 181
201 202 203 205 206
 Determination of Availability
• Diary System / Wall Chart / Whitney Racks /
Density Charts / Control Books

• Computerized Systems
- Creation of record
- Daily Arrival, Departure, Stayover Reports
- Room and rate alternatives
- Special Events & Sold out Positions
- This can be done at the touch of a button
 CREATION OF
RESERVATION RECORD

Reservation Slip
 The Reservation Record

Guest Details
• Creation of Reservation Record

Guaranteed Reservation
Credit Card Information: Company, Number,
Expiration date
Prepayment or deposit Information

Corporate or Travel Agency Account Information

The Reservation Form or the first step to
The Guest History System?
• Guest Name
• Home or billing address
• Telephone,fax,email
• Booker contact data
• Commercial Information
• Duration of stay
• Reservation types
• Special requirements eg
disabled, infants, non-smoking,
elderly, etc.
• Additional Information late
arrival etc.
CONFIRMATION OF THE
RESERVATION

CONFIRMED
Reservation Confirmation

Confirmation Letters
36014PM514

Confirmation / Cancellation Numbers

 GUARANTEED BOOKINGS VS NON
GUARANTEED BOOKINGS
Why guaranteed is confirmed but confirmed is not guaranteed ...

Why confirm a booking when the guest is going to

be at your property anyway since he said he is on
his way?
• States intents of both parties - confirms points of
agreement and reduces ambiguity.

• The letter of confirmation may act as a binding factor for

some critical criteria not met in the process and thereby
provide the property the benefit of arbitration.
Guaranteed Reservation would also involve some form of
financial commitment from the guest . . .
Credit Card information, Pre-payment or advance deposit,
Corporate or Travel Agency guarantees.
 MAINTENANCE OF
RESERVATION RECORD

CONFIRMED
 Reservation Maintenance

AMMENDMENT CANCELLATION
Cut-off •Authorization
• Name Change
Date • Reason
• Date Change
• Room Type • Alternative
• Special Request • Guaranteed
• Guarantee Method
Cancellation Procedure

A c c e s s R e c o r d

v e r i f y D a t a

P r o c e s s R e q u e s t

L o g C h a n g e s

G i v e N E W T r a n s a c t i o n N o

F i l e d o c u m e n t s
 Policies & Procedures
Cancellation and Amendments
• Cancel reservation on system
• Log cancellation number
• Return deposit if under deposit control time
• In case of corporate guarantee, request written
documentation after assigning cancellation number
and updating records
 Policies & Procedures
Cancelled reservations
• Obtain guests name, address, identification
• Clarify and cross check details of booking
• Assign new status
• Ensure property is protected against loss
• Follow property guidelines for records
• Ask caller if alternatives desired
 Policies & Procedures
Non guaranteed reservations
• Change to guaranteed
• Obtain details of source of guarantee
• Establish credit & guarantee
• Assign new guarantee number
• Change status and alter the record
THE RESERVATION RECORDS
• Correspondence Files
• Waitlisted Bookings
• Group Cancellations
• FIT Cancellations
• Corporate Credit List
• Travel Agents Credit List
 SOME REPORTS
• Reservation Transaction Report
• Commission Agent Report
• Turn-away / refusals Report
• Revenue Forecast Report
• Expected Arrival & Departure Lists
• Deposit Security & Trend Analysis
MIS From Reservation Activity
 Transaction Logs / Reports
 Commission Agents Reports
 Turnaway Reports
 Revenue Forecast Report
 Arrival Lists
 Feeder City Analysis
 Source Code Analysis
 Market Segment Analysis
 Business Break up Reports
 Guest Status Reports
 Nationality Break up
 Commercial Account Categorization

CUSTOMISED REPORTS
 Legal Implications
• Legal agreement, written or oral; may
constitute a contract, standing instructions
or agreement between two or more
beneficiaries.
• Formal agreement of property specific
policies supporting reservation activities for
consumers or end users.
• Supports professional business environment
 Group Reservations
• Involves intermediaries like the wholesaler,
retailer, reservation network and handling
agent in addition to the hotel.
• Group Blocks : Contracts specifying exact
dates, accommodations and rates involved
• Tour groups : Research reliability and past
performances.
 Potential Reservation Problems
• Errors in reservation record…
Always verify information entered by reciting
information back to caller
• Avoid jargon…
Always understand what the guest needs, explain
what term means, repeat and confirm.
• Miscommunications at external reservation levels
have to be rectified at once
• Always try and maintain a 100% confirmation for
all reservations.
THANK
YOU