Unit of competency details

Unit descriptor 

This unit describes the performance outcomes, skills and knowledge required to receive and process reservations for a tourism or hospitality product or service offered for sale to agents or direct to the consumer. It requires the ability to determine the availability of the product or service, offer alternatives, accurately record the reservation details and administer the reservation through to finalisation. This unit does not cover specific selling skills required by reservations or call centre staff, nor does it cover the use of a computerised reservation system to manage reservations. These skills are covered by SITTTSL005A Sell tourism products and services and SITTTSL010B Control reservations or operations using a computerised system.

No licensing, legislative, regulatory or certification requirements apply to this unit at the time of endorsement.

Application of the unit 

This unit describes a key sales function for a diverse range of domestic and international tourism and hospitality products and services. It applies to those tourism operators who act as principal (the supplier) and who receive and process reservations for the supply of their product or service. This would include airlines, car rental companies, hotels, motels, bed and breakfasts or other accommodation providers, tour operators of any type, outbound tour wholesalers and attractions and theme parks. Reservations personnel may be involved in a direct selling role to the consumer but are very often engaged in selling to some sort of tourism industry agent.

Reservations are processed for a particular product or service or for a whole product range and would normally be processed and managed within a computerised system but some small business operators would use a manual system.

This unit applies to those frontline sales personnel who operate with some level of autonomy or under limited supervision and guidance from others and is undertaken by people such as reservations sales agents, reservations consultants, call centre consultants, booking officers and owner-operators of small tourism businesses.

Prerequisite units 

Nil

Employability skills 

The required outcomes described in this unit of competency contain applicable facets of employability skills. The Employability Skills Summary of the qualification in which this unit is packaged will assist in identifying employability skills requirements.

Elements describe the essential outcomes of a unit of competency.

Performance criteria describe the required performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element. Where bold italicised  text is used, further information is detailed in the required skills and knowledge and/or the range statement. Assessment of performance is to be consistent with the evidence guide.

ELEMENT 

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA 

1

Receive reservation request.

1.1

Determine the availability of the requested reservation and advise this to customer .

1.2

Offer alternatives if the requested booking is not available, including waitlist options.

1.3

Answer enquiries regarding costs and other product features.

2

Record details of reservation.

2.1

Accurately record customer details  against their reservation  in a manner that ensures correct interpretation by others who may access the reservations details.

2.2

Check for and make use of customer profile  or history, if available, and use information to assist in making the reservation and enhancing customer service.

2.3

Clearly record any special requests according to organisation requirements.

2.4

Confirm all details of the booking with the customer and ensure that they understand and agree to all details.

2.5

File the reservation in a manner that ensures easy access by others and according to organisation procedures.

2.6

Prepare and issue documents  and other material to the customer according to requirements of the specific reservation.

3

Update reservations.

3.1

Update the financial status of the reservation  accurately and according to organisation procedures.

3.2

Receive, process and record any amendments to or cancellations of reservations according to customer request and organisation procedures.

4

Advise others on reservation details.

4.1

Communicate general and specific customer requirements and reservation details  to appropriate departments and colleagues.

4.2

Compile and provide accurate and relevant reservation statistics on request.

5

Minimise waste of printed materials.

5.1

Minimise use of printed materials and maximise electronic transmission and filing of all documents to reduce waste and negative environmental impacts.

REQUIRED SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE 

This section describes the essential skills and knowledge and their level, required for this unit.

The following skills must be assessed as part of this unit:

• verbal and written use of the 24-hour clock and ability to translate for customers
• verbal and written use of reservation jargon, system and product codes
• literacy skills to read and interpret reservation information such as customer files, customer requests and complex product and costing information
• writing skills to create customer files and succinctly document complex customer requests and any conditions specifically applicable to reservations
• numeracy skills to prepare and present reservation statistics.

The following knowledge must be assessed as part of this unit:

• in-depth product knowledge appropriate to the specific industry sector and product being sold
• reservations and bookings terminology
• relationships between different sectors of the tourism industry that relate to reservations, including sources of reservations
• working knowledge of the principles underpinning the particular reservations system in use.

EVIDENCE GUIDE 

The evidence guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge, the range statement and the Assessment Guidelines for this Training Package.

Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit 

Evidence of the following is essential:

• ability to make accurate reservations according to established systems and procedures and within typical workplace time constraints
• ability to receive and process multiple reservations in response to multiple customer requests covering a range of tourism products and services and ideally as a component of integrated work activity
• understanding of the different sources of reservations and the industry interrelationships that apply

• project or work activities that show the candidates' ability to receive and process reservations within the context of the particular industry sector in which they are working or seeking work; for those undertaking generic pre-employment training, assessment must cover a range of industry contexts to allow for a broad range of vocational outcomes.

Context of and specific resources for assessment 

Assessment must ensure:

• demonstration of skills within a fully equipped industry-realistic office environment using appropriate telephones, computers and printers
• access to a computerised or manual reservations system currently used by tourism and hospitality industry operators to control the reservations function for the supply of their product or service
• use of industry-current reservations documentation.

Methods of assessment 

A range of assessment methods should be used to assess practical skills and knowledge. The following examples are appropriate for this unit:

• direct observation of the candidate receiving and processing reservations
• evaluation of integrated activities completed by the candidate, including sourcing information on products, selling products, providing quotations and issuing documents
• evaluation of reservations documentation and booking data generated by the candidate
• activities to assess ability to process differing types of reservations, including booking, retrieving and amending a series of bookings
• written and oral questioning or interview to test knowledge of the principles underpinning reservations procedures and the relationships between different sectors of the tourism industry
• review of portfolios of evidence and third-party workplace reports of on-the-job performance by the candidate.

Holistic assessment with other units relevant to the industry sector, workplace and job role is recommended, for example:

• SITTTSL005A Sell tourism products and services
• SITTTSL006B Prepare quotations
• SITTTSL010B Control reservations or operations using a computerised system.

Assessing employability skills 

Employability skills are integral to effective performance in the workplace and are broadly consistent across industry sectors. How these skills are applied varies between occupations and qualifications due to the different work functions and contexts.

Employability skills embedded in this unit should be assessed holistically with other relevant units that make up the skill set or qualification and in the context of the job role.

RANGE STATEMENT 

The range statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that may affect performance. Bold italicised wording in the performance criteria is detailed below.

Customers  may be:

• industry customers, e.g. retail travel consultants and inbound tour companies or operators
• end users of the service, i.e. the consumer.

Customer details  may be recorded using:

• a computer file
• a manual file.

Reservation :

• may be made by:

• phone
• facsimile
• mail
• face-to-face
• internet

• may be for:

• individuals
• groups
• VIPs
• conference delegates.

Customer profiles  may include:

• full name and title
• address
• phone, fax, email and other communication methods
• special requirements
• amount of business generated by the customer
• usual method of payment.

Documents issued to customers  may include:

• paper-based or electronically transmitted materials
• invoices
• credit notes
• receipts
• service vouchers
• confirmation letters
• information packs.

Updating the financial status of the reservation  may include:

• receiving, processing and recording payments
• generating and issuing invoices and credit notes for changed reservations
• checking and recording that the reservation has been fully paid.

General and specific customer requirements and reservation details  may include:

• special requests
• timing details
• special needs
• payment arrangements
• information of a style of customer, e.g. special interest group or VIP status
• details of other services being used.

Sector 

Tourism

Competency field 

Tourism Sales and Operations