Application
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 products and services. The unit covers the required computer skills to use all system functions and capabilities and not the related sales skills, which are found in other units.
The unit applies to any tourism, travel, hospitality or event industry sector and any computerised system used to manage international or domestic product sales.
It applies to frontline sales and operations personnel who operate with some level of independence and under limited supervision. This includes travel consultants, inbound tour coordinators, visitor information officers, account managers for professional conference organisers, event coordinators, tour desk officers, operations consultants, and reservations sales agents.
No occupational licensing, certification or specific legislative requirements apply to this unit at the time of publication.
Elements and Performance Criteria
ELEMENTS | PERFORMANCE CRITERIA |
Elements describe the essential outcomes. | Performance criteria describe the performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element. |
1. Access and manipulate system information. | 1.1.Access and interpret system displays. 1.2.Use system features to access a range of information. |
2. Use computer system features to create and administer reservations. | 2.1.Check availability of required product or service according to system functions. 2.2.Create new reservations containing accurate customer details. 2.3.Input customer details in the format required by the system. 2.4.Retrieve bookings using the format required by the system. 2.5.Make and save accurate updates and amendments to reservations. 2.6.Reinstate, duplicate or split reservations as required. 2.7.Save, print and file required reservation details. |
3. Send and receive communications. | 3.1.Create and process accurate communications to industry colleagues using system functions. 3.2.Access and interpret communications from industry colleagues. |
4. Administer sales and operations functions using the system. | 4.1.Use system capabilities to manage the particular sales or operational need. 4.2.Use system capabilities to manage required accounting processes for reservations. 4.3.Produce reports to meet sales and operational needs. 4.4.Minimise use of printed materials and maximise electronic transmission and record keeping to reduce waste. |
Evidence of Performance
Evidence of the ability to complete tasks outlined in elements and performance criteria of this unit in the context of the job role, and:
operate a computerised reservations or operations system to create and administer at least five different product or service reservations or operations from the following list:
accessing product information
booking a supplier service for a customer
constructing airfares
hiring special equipment
issuing air tickets, crew documentation, or customer documentation
planning functions
preparing quotations
processing and monitoring event registrations
providing specific product information and advice for destinations, foods and beverages, or events and functions
purchasing promotional products
selling tourism, hospitality or event products to the customer
demonstrate the correct use of the full range of features when completing each of the above activities
complete activities within commercial time constraints and deadlines determined by the customer or the organisation.
Evidence of Knowledge
Demonstrated knowledge required to complete the tasks outlined in elements and performance criteria of this unit:
specific industry sector:
different types of computer systems used for reservations and operations
products and services controlled by different computer systems
reservations terminology and jargon
role of computerised reservations and operations systems
systems:
any organisation-specific computerised reservations or operations system
industry-wide systems used by agencies when booking supplier services:
computerised reservations systems (CRS)
global distribution systems (GDS)
industry-wide systems used by:
accommodation providers
holiday parks and resorts
inbound tour operators
outbound tour wholesalers
meetings and events management organisations
tour operators
vehicle rental companies
operations-based
property management system (PMS)
reservations-based
types of reservations:
inbound, for the supply of products and services by principals or suppliers:
accommodation providers
airlines
attractions
cruise operators
event staging businesses
function venues
holiday parks and resorts
meeting, conference and exhibition venues
outbound tour wholesalers
restaurants
tour operators
vehicle rental companies
outbound to book supplier service from:
event management companies
inbound tour operators
outbound tour wholesalers
retail travel agencies
customer groups for whom reservations are made:
business travellers
events attendees
groups
inbound tourists
individuals
meetings and conference delegates
tour guides, crew and other touring personnel
tourists travelling domestically or internationally
specific reservations and operations system:
sales, operational and accounting functions that can be controlled by the system
system codes for and requirements to enter and exit a system
reservation and operational jargon and entries, encodes and decodes
mandatory fields
specific formatted entries
system requirements for:
confirming, storing and retrieving reservations or operational data
amending and cancelling reservations
sending and receiving messages
diary entries and use of system-created deadlines for payments and issuing documents
use of the following reports required for product or service reservations or operations specified in performance evidence above:
accounting
business forecasts
cost comparisons for various product suppliers
customer activity
event attendance and registration
reservation activity
sales total and, sales generated by individual staff members and sales mix
specific to a department
usage rates for various product suppliers
used to determine currency of information held in the system
used to negotiate rates
updates and amendments made through computerised reservations or operations systems:
adding additional customers
cancelling a booking
changing an itinerary by adding or deleting products or services
changing customer names, if permitted
cross-referencing multiple bookings
duplicating a booking
entering:
invoicing details
payment details
ticketing or voucher details
reinstating a booking
splitting an existing reservation
accounting processes for which computerised reservation or operations systems are used:
issuing:
credit notes
gift vouchers
internal events or function orders
internal purchase orders
invoices
managing the receipt of customer payments and refunds
reconciling all financial transactions.
Assessment Conditions
Skills must be demonstrated in a tourism, travel, hospitality or events business operation or activity that uses a computerised reservations system to administer sales or operational functions. This can be:
an industry workplace
a simulated industry environment set up for the purposes of assessment.
Assessment must ensure access to:
reservations for products or services for which the computerised reservations or operations system must be used
a computerised reservations or operations system currently used in the tourism, travel, hospitality or event industries to administer sales and operational functions.
Assessors must satisfy the Standards for Registered Training Organisations’ requirements for assessors; and:
have worked in industry for at least three years where they have applied the skills and knowledge of this unit of competency.
Foundation Skills
Foundation skills essential to performance in this unit, but not explicit in the performance criteria are listed here, along with a brief context statement. | |
SKILLS | DESCRIPTION |
Reading skills to: | interpret system codes, abbreviations and complex product information controlled by the system, which can include costs, terms and conditions of sale. |
Writing skills to: | input accurate customer or operational details create accurate and succinct notes for special requests or operational details. |
Numeracy skills to: | manage accounting processes for particular reservations interpret statistical data within various reports. |
Problem-solving skills to: | identify, report or resolve system failures and inaccurate product information. |
Planning and organising skills to: | meet system-created deadlines for payments and issuing documents. |
Technology skills to: | use a computer and keyboard use capabilities and functions of a reservations or operations system. |
Sectors
Tourism
Competency Field
Tourism Sales and Operations