HPC 9 Module 6 IT in Reservations and Rooms PDF

UNIVERSITY OF RIZAL SYSTEM Province of Rizal Unit 2 Hospitality business tools and technologies UNIT 6 INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY IN RESERVATIONS AND ROOMS Leaning Objectives: Discuss the functions of Reserva...

UNIVERSITY OF RIZAL SYSTEM Province of Rizal Unit 2 Hospitality business tools and technologies UNIT 6 INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY IN RESERVATIONS AND ROOMS Leaning Objectives: Discuss the functions of Reservation module Explain the Central reservation System Itemize the information normally stored in them Discussion Introduction Computerized front office applications consist of a series of software programs (or modules) including: reservations, room’s management and guest accounting functions. Online hotel reservations are becoming a very popular method for booking hotel rooms. Travelers can book rooms from home by using online security to protect their privacy and financial information and by using several online travel agents to compare prices and facilities at different hotels. Prior to the Internet, travelers could write, telephone the hotel directly, or use a travel agent to make a reservation. Nowadays, online travel agents have pictures of hotels and rooms, information on prices and deals, and even information on local resorts. Many also allow reviews of the traveler to be recorded with the online travel agent. Online hotel reservations are also helpful for making last minute travel arrangements. Hotels may drop the price of a room if some rooms are still available. Hotel Reservation Systems Hotel reservations systems, commonly known as a central reservation system (CRS) are a computerized system that stores and distributes information of a hotel, resort, or other lodging facilities. A Central Reservation System is a tool to reach the Global Distribution Systems as well as Internet Distribution Systems from one single system,  UNIVERSITY OF RIZAL SYSTEM Province of Rizal namely a central reservation system. A CRS is mainly an assistance for hoteliers to manage all of their online marketing and sales, where they can upload their rates and availabilities to be seen by all sales channels that are using a CRS. Sales channels may include conventional travel agencies as well as online travel agencies. A hotelier using a central reservation system eases his/her tasks for online distribution, because a CRS does everything to distribute hotel information to the sales channels instead of the hotelier. Information commonly stored in a CRS are: Room Types Rate plans architecture Room Rates and conditions (guarantee, deposit, customized cancellation rules, minimum length of stay, maximum length of stay, closed to arrival, arrival not allowed, departure not allowed...) Room inventories Generic hotel information (address, phone number, fax number) Distribution content (descriptions, amenities, pictures, videos, local attractions...) are stored in the CRS or in a Content Management System. Reservation information Geocode information Nearby IATA cities and airports Roles of Reservation Systems: Selling individual reservations Selling group reservations Displaying room availability and guest lists Tracking advance deposits Tracking travel agent bookings and commissions Generating confirmation slips and various reservation reports  UNIVERSITY OF RIZAL SYSTEM Province of Rizal FRONT OFFICE APPLICATIONS A. Front Office System Guest registration Room status and Retrieve reservation housekeeping management Assign a room room discrepancy report Collect payment room status report Front office Cashiering and guest check-out Telephone services generate folios Phone calls post transactions Wake up call B. Reservation module A reservation module enables a hotel to rapidly process room requests and generate timely and accurate rooms, revenue, and forecasting reports. Reservations received at a central reservations site can be processed, confirmed, and communicated to the destination property before the receptionists finish talking with the caller on the telephone. When the destination property uses a PMS, the reservation module receives data directly from the central (or global) reservation system, and in-house reservation records, files, and revenue forecasts are immediately updated. Functions of Reservation module 1. Reservation Inquiry This inquiry typically collects the following data: Date of arrival Type and number of rooms requested Number of room nights Room rate code (standard, special, package, etc.)  UNIVERSITY OF RIZAL SYSTEM Province of Rizal Number of persons in party The receptionist enters the data through a computer terminal according to rapidly defined inquiry procedures. Once the inquiry is matched with rooms availability data, the PMS assigns and blocks a room, thus removing it from the availability file. 2. Determination of availability Once entered, the reservation inquiry is compared to rooms availability data according to a predetermined system algorithm. The algorithm is a computer- based formula designed to sell rooms in a specified pattern (by zone, floor, block, etc). Processing a reservation request may result in one of several system- generated responses appearing on the display screen: Acceptance or rejection of the reservation request Suggestion of alternative room types or rate Suggestion of alternative hotel properties 3. Creation of the reservation record Once the reservation request has been processed and the room blocked, the system requires that the receptionist completes the reservation record by collecting and entering necessary data, such as: Guest’s personal data (name, address, telephone number) Time of arrival Reservation classification (confirmed, guaranteed) Confirmation number Caller data (agency or secretary) Special requirements 4. Confirmation of the reservation PMS can automatically generate letter of confirmation on the day a reservation request is processed. Information can be retrieved from the reservation record and printed on a specially designed hotel form.  UNIVERSITY OF RIZAL SYSTEM Province of Rizal 5. Maintenance of the reservation record Reservation records are stored in an electronic file and commonly segmented by date of arrival, group name, and guest name. File organization and the method of file retrieval are critical to an effective reservation module because callers frequently update, alter, cancel, or confirm their reservation. For example, if a caller requests a cancellation, the receptionist must be able to quickly access the correct reservation record, verify its contents, and process the cancellation. Reservation record data can be: Printed onto pre-registration cards to facilitate faster check-in procedures. Used as the basis for printing in-house guest folio and gust information lists Transferred to commission agent files for later processing Formatted for eventual inclusion in a guest history file. Reservation Details  UNIVERSITY OF RIZAL SYSTEM Province of Rizal 6. Generation of reports Similar to many computer applications, the number and type of reports available through a reservation module are functions of the user’s needs, software capability, and database contents. A computer-generated rooms availability report lists, by room type, the number of rooms available each day. Rooms Management Module Rooms management module maintains up-to-date information on the status of rooms, assists in the assignment of rooms during registration, and helps coordinate many guest services. Rooms management modules perform the following functions: Identify current room status Assist in assigning rooms to guests at check-in Provide in-house guest information  UNIVERSITY OF RIZAL SYSTEM Province of Rizal Organize housekeeping activities Provide supplementary services Generate useful reports for management Rooms management module alerts front desk employees of the status of each room, just as room racks do in non-automated operations. A front desk employee simply enters the room’s number, and the current status of the room is displayed immediately on the terminal’s screen. Once a room becomes clean and ready for occupancy, housekeeping staff change the room’s status through a terminal in their work area, and the information is immediately communicated to terminals at the front desk. The hotel property management system (PMS) routes data through the rooms management module and, thereby, helps coordinate the sale of rooms. Computer-based hotel technology is capable of instantly updating the housekeeping status of rooms, which enables front desk employees to make quick and accurate room assignments to guests at the time of check-in. Guest Account Module Guest Accounting module processes and monitors financial transactions that occur between guests and the hotel. When remote electronic cash registers (ECR) or POS, situated at various revenue centers throughout the hotel are interfaced with a guest accounting module, guest charges are communicated to the front desk and automatically posted to the appropriate electronic guest folio.  UNIVERSITY OF RIZAL SYSTEM Province of Rizal Learning Activities Watch https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T7vYIg2uXAM ASSIGNMENT Discuss the functions of the reservation module Explain the central reservation system and itemize the information normally stored in them. Self -Assessment Question 1.a computerized system that stores and distributes information of a hotel, resort, or other lodging facilities. 2.a tool to reach the Global Distribution Systems as well as Internet Distribution Systems from one single system 3. reservation modules that enable hotels rapidly process room requests and generate timely and accurate rooms, revenue, and forecasting reports The functions of Reservation module