Unit of competency details

Unit descriptor 

This unit describes the performance outcomes, skills and knowledge required to use a computerised reservations or operations system to create, maintain and administer bookings for a range of products and services in tourism, hospitality or events. It requires the ability to use the system capabilities to fulfil a range of sales and operational functions.

The unit concentrates on the specific computer skills required to apply many tourism operational functions. This unit does not cover specific core sales and operational skills which are fully covered in other individual units, such as SITTTSL005A Sell tourism products and services, SITTTSL006B Prepare quotations and SITTTSL009B Process travel-related documentation.

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 and operational function for a diverse range of domestic and international tourism and hospitality products and services and applies to the full range of industry sectors.

These industry sectors use a diverse range of computerised systems to manage reservations, operations and sales administration functions, so the system will vary depending upon the organisation and industry sector.

This unit covers the use of the industry-wide systems known as computerised or centralised reservations system (CRS) and global distribution system (GDS) commonly used by retail travel agencies when booking a supplier's service. It covers systems used by accommodation providers and tour operators when receiving and processing reservations for the supply of their product or service. It also covers other industry-wide systems used by inbound tour operators, outbound tour wholesalers and meetings and events management organisations. It can equally apply to any organisation-based computerised reservations or operations system.

The unit applies to frontline sales and operations personnel who operate with some level of autonomy or under limited supervision and guidance from others. It is undertaken by a diverse range of people such as retail travel consultants, corporate consultants, inbound tour coordinators, visitor information officers, account managers for professional conference organisers, event coordinators, tour desk officers, operations consultants, reservations sales agents and owner-operators of small tourism businesses.

The range and complexity of products and services and the particular reservations or operations system will vary according to the industry sector. Because of the broad industry application of this unit, it is critical that training and assessment is specifically tailored. Training and assessment programs must be contextualised to meet the requirements of the specific industry sector and specific computerised systems and must allow for learners who have moved from one computer system to another to participate in retraining.

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

Access and manipulate system information.

1.1

Access and interpret system  displays.

1.2

Use all system features to access a range of information .

2

Create and process reservations.

2.1

Check availability of required booking according to system functions and requirements.

2.2

Create new reservations  containing accurate customer details and full requirements according to system procedures and features.

2.3

Input all customer details in the format required by the computer system.

2.4

Retrieve bookings as required, using the format required by the computer system.

2.5

Make accurate updates and amendments to reservations  and store as required.

2.6

Download and file any required reservation details.

3

Send and receive communications.

3.1

Create and process accurate communications to industry colleagues  using the required features of the system.

3.2

Access and interpret communications from industry colleagues at the appropriate time.

4

Administer sales and operations functions using the system.

4.1

Use the system capabilities  to meet the particular sales or operational need .

4.2

Use the system capabilities to manage all required accounting processes that relate to a particular file , customer or reservation .

4.3

Produce reports  to meet sales and operational needs.

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:

• basic computer and keyboarding skills
• literacy skills to read and interpret complex product information controlled by the system which can include costs, terms and conditions of their sale; read, interpret and use system codes
• writing skills to input reservation or operational data accurately
• numeracy skills to interpret statistical data within the various reports produced and manage the accounting processes that relate to a particular file, customer or reservation.

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

• role of computerised reservations and operations systems within the tourism and hospitality industry
• range of products and services controlled by the computer system
• range of sales, operational and accounting functions that can be controlled by the system
• procedures and codes required to enter and exit a system
• common computerised reservation and operational entries, including encodes and decodes
• mandatory fields
• requirements for specific formatted entries
• procedures for confirming, storing and retrieving reservations or operational data
• procedures for amending and cancelling reservations
• procedures for sending and receiving messages.

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 use the features of a computerised reservations or operations system correctly and efficiently
• ability to accurately operate a computer reservations system to make and process bookings in response to multiple customer requests covering a range of tourism products and services, ideally as a component of integrated work activity
• ability to use a full range of system administrative capabilities relevant to the job role
• project or work activities that show the candidates' ability to operate a computerised reservation or operations system used within the particular industry sector in which they are working or seeking work
• completion of reservation or operational activities within typical workplace time constraints.

Context of and specific resources for assessment 

Assessment must ensure:

• demonstration of skills within a fully equipped industry-realistic office environment using appropriate computers, printers, information programs and publications
• access to a computerised reservations or operations system currently used in the tourism or hospitality industry to control the agent to supplier booking function or  an organisation-based computerised reservations system that controls the supplier's reservations or operations function.

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:

• evaluation of integrated activities completed by the candidate, including sourcing information on destinations, accessing product information, selling products, providing quotations and issuing documents and air tickets
• direct observation of the candidate using the various features of a computerised reservations or operations system to book, retrieve and amend a series of bookings
• case studies to assess ability to complete the booking process using a computerised reservations or operations system for different tourism products, services and customers
• use of emulator reservations programs to assess candidate's ability to use all the functions of a computerised reservations system in simulator mode
• evaluation of booking data generated by the candidate in response to different customer situations
• written and oral questioning or interview to test knowledge of the role of computerised reservations or operations systems within the 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.

This unit underpins effective performance in a range of sales and operational activities and combined assessment with any related Tourism Sales and Operations units is strongly recommended, for example:

SITTTSL001A Operate an online information system

SITTTSL002A Access and interpret product information

SITTTSL006B Prepare quotations

SITTTSL007B Receive and process reservations

SITTTSL008B Book and coordinate supplier services

SITTTSL009B Process travel-related documentation

SITTTSL011A Maintain a product inventory.

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.

System  may be:

• industry wide
• organisation-specific
• CRS
• GDS
• reservations-based
• operations-based.

Information  may include:

• costs of any tourism product or service, such as tours, hotels and rental cars
• airfares
• airport taxes
• availability of products or services
• size of vehicles
• touring inclusions
• product information
• product rules
• payment requirements
• health
• customs and immigration
• general industry information.

Reservations :

• can be made for the diverse range of products and services  offered within the tourism industry, including:

• airline seats
• hotel rooms and other accommodation
• rental cars and other vehicles
• transportation
• transfers
• entertainment
• tours
• cruises
• entrance to attractions or sites
• travel insurance
• tour guiding services
• activities
• meals
• functions
• special items with customer's corporate branding
• special events
• venue facilities
• convention facilities
• speaker services
• audiovisual services
• meeting or event equipment
• special event consumable items
• food, beverage and catering

• may be created for:

• groups
• individuals
• tour guides, crew and other touring personnel
• domestic tourists
• outbound tourists
• inbound tourists
• meetings and conference delegates
• events attendees.

Updates and amendments to reservations  may involve:

• adding additional customers
• splitting an existing reservation
• cancelling a booking
• changing an itinerary by adding or deleting products or services
• changing customer names, if permitted
• cross-referencing multiple bookings
• entering invoicing details
• entering payment details
• entering ticketing or voucher details.

Industry colleagues  may include:

• any product or service supplier with whom the reservation is being made, such as airline and rental car company
• other organisation departments needing access to reservations or operations information.

System capabilities  may relate to:

• sales management functions
• operational management functions.

Particular sales or operational need  may include:

• providing destination and specific product information and advice
• accessing and interpreting product information
• selling tourism products to the customer
• preparing quotations
• constructing airfares
• booking and coordinating a supplier service for the customer
• issuing customer travel documentation
• issuing crew documentation, e.g. operational or technical itineraries
• issuing air tickets
• organising functions
• processing and monitoring meeting or event registrations
• purchasing promotional products
• hiring special equipment.

Accounting processes that relate to a particular file , customer or reservation  may include:

• processing financial transactions
• issuing invoices
• issuing credit notes
• managing the receipt of customer payments and refunds
• reconciling all financial transactions
• managing the application of transaction fees.

Reports  may be:

• paper-based or electronically transmitted materials
• specific to a department
• cover the whole organisation
• relate to sales generated by individual staff members
• accounting reports
• sales reports
• reservation reports
• cost comparisons for various product suppliers
• usage rates for various product suppliers
• used to negotiate rates
• used to determine currency of information held in the system.

Sector 

Tourism

Competency field 

Tourism Sales and Operations