Reservations Agent

JOB DESCRIPTION

Position Title: Reservations Agent

Department: Revenue Management

Reports to: Reservations & Revenue Manager / Strategic Director of Sales & Revenue

Nature of the Job

Basic Purpose & Objective of the Position

Responsible for responding to guest and customer inquiries so to create strong relationships as well as acts as a liaison for the hotel and meeting planner(s) for all groups into the hotel. To maximize hotel revenue and occupancy by selling rooms availability/rates to incoming callers and to convert potential sales into reservation bookings, while providing exceptional customer service. Responsible for a high level of communication as a primary point of contact for the hotel with groups, third parties and internal stake holders

Main Duties

Customer Services

• Delivers the brand promise and provides exceptional guest service at all times.
• Welcome and acknowledge all guests according to company standards; anticipate and address guests' service needs; thank guests with genuine appreciation.
• Monitor guest satisfaction regularly and resolve any outstanding issues to ensure future business and answer questions about property facilities/services and room accommodations.
• Assumes the responsibility to notice when the guest is not satisfied and uses their best judgment as to when it is appropriate to use the 100% Guest Satisfaction Guarantee.
• Listens, apologizes with empathy, finds a solution and follows through when resolving guest problems.
• Gives personal attention, takes personal responsibility and uses teamwork when providing guest service.
• Develop and maintain positive working relationships with others; support team to reach common goals; listen and respond appropriately to the concerns of other employees.
• Maintains positive guest and colleague interactions with good working relationships.

Financial

Operational

• Answer phone calls in a professional, courteous and efficient manner using appropriate greeting and professional language.
• Daily review reservation in-box, voicemails process all reservation requests, changes, and cancellations and respond to all inquiries professionally and efficiently to influence current occupancy levels or levels of demand.
• Ensure bookings are guaranteed and no show charges/late cancellation charges are applied where appropriate.
• Manage and/or create group blocks or master accounts with accuracy in the system as well as manage telephone, fax and e-mail inquiries in a prompt and professional manner and in accordance with company standards ensuring accuracy and attention to detail at all times.
• Possesses complete understanding and effective execution of all current and future Reservations systems. Includes PMS (Opera), and INFOR knowledge preferred, IDeaS, Synxis, Delphi Sales & Catering or any new tools or reports developed.
• Work closely to keep a high level of communication with; Event Managers, Front Office Team, Finance Team, Revenue Team and Third Parties (travel agents, wholesalers, OTAs.
• On a daily basis, review House occupancy and adhere to stop sell and critical dates. Balance room types and inventory as required by the DORM/Reservations Manager.
• Understand seasonal and historical trends/demands and work within them to ensure maximum occupancy and average room rates/ revenue.
• Enters group rooming lists data timely and produces pick up report for meeting planner in addition to keep Sales Manager and MSE informed of pick up.
• Monitor Rooming List due dates and Group cut off dates and take appropriate timely action and maintain straight line availability at all times.
• Set up group billing, routing instructions and ensure room types and suites are allocated and protected appropriately base on booking recap with contract and group resume.
• Attends weekly Resume, Pick-up review, and Precon meetings and provides updated pick up for the groups arriving, billing, routing instructions for the meeting planner and MSE.
• Identify contacts and/or sales leads that have a high potential to maximize revenue and ensure that these clients are followed up with appropriately.
• Maintain a thorough understanding of hotel facilities and procedures, and contribute to a culture of high quality standards for relationship building, customer service, selling techniques, and billing and processing contracts.
• Respond to any challenges found for accommodating rooming requests by communicating with appropriate individual or department.
• Perform periodic audits for accuracy from all channels of Reservations as needed.
• Produce daily, weekly, monthly and quarterly reports as required.
• Speak with others using clear and professional language; prepare and review written documents accurately and completely; answer telephones using appropriate etiquette

People Development

• Supports Swire Hotels’ cultural and people development implementations and characteristics.
• Promote awareness of brand image internally and externally.

Other Duties

• Attends and contributes to all training sessions and meetings as required.
• Exercises responsible behavior at all times and positively representing the hotel team and Swire Hotels.
• Maintains strong, professional relationship with relevant representatives from competitor hotels, business partners and other organizations.
• Reads the hotel's Employee Handbook and have an understanding of and adheres to the hotel's rules and regulations and in particular, the policies and procedures relating to computer resources, fire, hygiene, health and safety.
• Ensures high standards of personal presentation and grooming.
• Responds to changes within the Revenue and Sales and Marketing Departments, as dictated by the industry, company and hotel.
• Carries out any other reasonable duties and responsibilities as assigned.

Skills, Qualifications and Experience Requirements

• Bachelor’s Degree preferred.
• Bilingual; Spanish and English preferred.
• Must be organized with the ability to handle multiple tasks.
• Required to work weekends, and/or holidays.
• Possess high level of verbal and written communication skills.
• Effective time management skills and multitasking capabilities.
• Work hours flexibility including; late afternoon, weekends and bank holidays
• Presentable, fun, well-organized and with multi-tasking capability.
• Ability to give high priority to customer service.
• Flexible and dedicated team player.