RESERVATIONS

1

Sunil Kumar
Project Fellow
Institute of Hotel and Tourism Management,
MAHARSHI DAYANAND UNIVERSITY,
ROHTAK
Haryana- 124001 Ph. No. 09996000499
email: skihm86@yahoo.com
linkedin:- in.linkedin.com/in/ihmsunilkumar
facebook: www.facebook.com/ihmsunilkumar

webpage: chefsunilkumar.tripod.com
2
RESERVATIONS
Describe the different types of reservations and identify the
information sought during a reservation inquiry and contained in
a reservation record.
Identify major sources of reservations
Describe the process for taking group reservations
Identify the tools managers use to track and control reservations
availability
Describe policies and procedures surrounding the confirmation,
changes, and cancellations of different types of reservations
Explain the functions of typical management reports and
reservations records that can be generated from reservations
data


3
From a guest point of view, what would you
consider the most important function of
the reservations department?
From the hotel manager and/or owner point
of view what is the most important
objective of the reservation process?
Processing Guest Reservations involves:
Matching room request with room availability.
Recording, confirming and maintaining
reservations.
Producing management reports.
Complete room assignments.
Initiate guest accounting and guest history
files.
Fulfill guest special request. All of the above
can all be done with hotels property
management system. page 127
TYPES OF RESERVATIONS
GUARANTEED
Prepayment
Credit card
Advanced deposit
Travel agent
Voucher or MCO
Corporate




NON GUARANTEED
No form of deposit required.
No charge for cancellation.
Will only hold room until cut-off
time, usually 6pm
Can sell room after cut-off time.
Would you accept a non guaranteed
reservation if your hotel was sold out?
Page 132

4
Reservations and Sales
Why is the Sales Department a primary source of reservations for the
hotel?
They focus their efforts on selling to groups
Why did many hotels alter the system for providing sales managers with
financial incentives from room nights sold to total revenue
generated?
Because by measuring total revenue, instead of room nights sold, sales
managers are encouraged to balance room nights sold with rates.
Therefore sustaining a solid rate structure for the period in question.
Why do many hotels bring the reservation manager into the sales
process?
To better collectively plan and control any future business, instead of
reacting to what ever the market provides.
What does the term Group Allocation refer to? Pgs 128-30
5
THE RESERVATION INQUIRY
Vital information that must be collected by
the reservation agent during the
reservation process will include the
following:
Guest name
Address
Telephone number
Company and or travel agent
Date of arrival and departure
Type and number of rooms requested
Room rate and number of people in
party
Method of payment
Any special request
How is THE RESERVATION
RECORD created?

By all information collected
during the reservation
inquiry.
What Are the Seven Basic Steps in
The Reservation Sales Process?
See pgs 133-4
6


CENTRAL RESERVATION SYSTEMS
Affiliate reservation networks:
o Hotel chain reservation
system
o Streamline the processing of
reservations
o Reduce overall cost
o Attract and refer business
o Information sharing

Non Affiliated reservations networks
o Used by independent hotel
operators
o Only accept a limited number of
hotels in geographical area
o Deals directly with public via
toll-free numbers
o Charge a flat fee for
communications equipment and
an additional fee for each
reservation transaction they
process.


Pages134-135
7
TYPES OF RESERVATIONS SYSTEMS
Central Reservations Systems: Hotel
chains, Affiliated and Non Affiliated
Reservations Network
Leading hotels of the World
Preferred Hotels
Distinguished Hotels
See exhibit 1 on pg 133

GDS or Global Distribution Systems: Sabre,
World Span.

Intersell Agencies: handle reservations for
airlines, car rentals and hotels. (All in one
approach)

Property Direct: fax, phone, property to
property, e-mail and internet see exhibits 3,4
and 5 on pages 139-143

Pages 147- 148



Group Reservations: can be done
via:
Guest direct
Meeting planners
Tour operators
Travel agents
Convention and visitor bureaus
What is a group BLOCK?
The term BOOKED refers to?
When do BLOCKED rooms turn
into BOOKED rooms?
The term CUT-OFF DATE means?
The term WASH OR WASH-DOWN
indicates that?
What is Non Group
Displacement?



8
RESERVATION AVAILABILITY
What three things might happen when
processing a reservation request for a
guest or group?
Accepting the reservation request
Suggest alternative room types, dates
and/or rates
Suggest an alternative hotel.

What must managers do to properly
control overbooking?
Following what steps will greatly assist in
avoiding OVERBOOKING?


9
THE RESERVATION RECORD
THE RESERVATION RECORD MUST
INCLUDE ?
The reservation record also.
Initiates the guest cycle
Creates the reservation history files
Generates several important
management reports

GUARANTEED RESERVATIONS require
information relating to method of
payment, such as:
Credit card number.
Prepayment or deposit info.
Corporate or travel agency account info.


A RESERVATION CONFIRMATION
Ensures that the Hotel acknowledges
and verifies you have a room secured
with them.
States the intent of both parties
Confirms important points of the
agreement, (name,dates,rate)

Confirmed Reservations may be either
guaranteed or non-guaranteed. (True
or False?)
Understand the purpose of the following:
1. CONFIRMATION LETTERS
2. CONFIRMATION /CANCELLATION
NUMBERS (how they
work/importance)
3. MODIFYING NON-GUARANTEED
RESERVATIONS PROCESS
4. RESERVATION CANCELLATION
STEPS


10
RESERVATION REPORTS
THE FOUR KEY RESERVATION
MANAGEMENT REPORTS
ARE:
1) RESERVATION
TRANSACTIONS
2) COMMISSIONS AGENT
3) TURNAWAY
4) REVENUE FORECAST
OTHER REPORTS INCLUDE
o Expected Arrivals And
Departure List
o Advanced Deposits Report
o Reservations Histories
Reservations Considerations
Legal Implications. Are there any?
What is a Waiting list?
Package Deals, what do they usually
include?
Some Potential Reservations
Problems:
Error in reservation record
Misunderstandings due to industry
jargon
Miscommunication with external
Res. System/ CRS Failures
Online reservations system failures