How to manage group reservations in the hotel?

What is the difference between group booking and individual booking?

In individual reservations, the room, guest, price and payment conditions are often clear in a single record. In group reservations, first a main contract or group card is formed; the room unit and room type distribution is blocked, guest names and accurate accommodation details can be completed later.

This structure should be considered at two levels. The main group record carries the shared dates, the agreed price, the payment plan and the contact person. The sub-reservations indicate the guest of each room, the stay date, the room type and personal requests. The separation of the room-based information with the shared information prevents the misapplication of the changes to the whole group.

• Group main record: agreement, total contribution, payment and contact information
• Sub reservation: guest based on room, date, number of people and special request
• Operation summary: arrival program, luggage, meeting and collective entry notes

How to identify allotment and cut-off?

Allotment is a container allocated to a group for certain dates and rooms types. It does not have to be the same number every day; for example, the first night 18, the second night 24, the last night may require 10 rooms. Therefore, not only the total number of rooms, but the distribution based on the night and room type should be recorded.

Cut-off is the last date to determine which date the unused container will be reopened to general sale. When this date arrives, the system or authorized user must check the number of rooms that are confirmed; the unidentified or ungarant rooms must be reduced according to agreement. If the automatic release is used, the pre-transaction warning, the post-transaction record and, if necessary, the authorized approval must be provided.

• Blocking Beginning and End
• Room Type and Separated Set for Every Night
• Cut-off date, release rule and authorized
• In the event of increase or decrease, the price will be re-approved or not approved.

What information should the Rooming list contain?

The Rooming list indicates which guests of the group will stay at which dates and in which room order. At least ad-soyad, entry-out date, number of people, room type and if there is room sharing information must be included. Identity or personal data with special qualification should not be added to the list; the necessary information must only be shared with authorized persons and on a secure channel.

The multiplication of the list between the e-mail add-ons increases the risk of processing an older version. Use the version number, send time and confirmation status instead of file name or message order. Compare the list with the last list transferred to PMS with the list that the sales team approved is the same, by room number and night sum.

• The list, the time of delivery and the person who sends
• Guest name, stay dates, number of people and room type
• Operational details such as shared room matching, child age or bed arrangement
• Unfinished lines and their last notification date

How do you distinguish price, payment and folio instructions?

What should be clearly written when defining the group price: the penses such as breakfast, taxes, meeting package, transfer or extra bed should be displayed separately. If single and double use, different types of rooms or additional nights do not use the same price, all conditions should be linked to a separate price plan or an open rule.

The payment instructions also do not have the expression “the agent will pay” enough. What penny will go to the main folio, which one will go to the guest folio; deposit, credit limit, payment end date and authorized confirmation information must be indicated.

• The room, pension and organization fees to be transferred to the main folio
• The guest will pay for a minibar, room service or personal expenses
• Deposit amount, payment date and remaining balance
• Free room, guide room or registration for a special price

What are the check-in prior to check-in?

A day before the mass arrival, sales, reservations, front office and floor services must progress through the same current summary. Compare the sub reservations in PMS with the last number of rooms; determine the room type upgrades, early entrances, accessible room needs and the guests requested to stay together.

Pre-preparing the room keys can increase the speed; but confirming the room number without the last room status can create a new confusion. The bus's arrival time, baggage flow and method of identification processing should be clear; in case of change, the person meeting the group and who the reception will reach should be known.

• Combin the blockage and subbooking sum with the Rooming list sum.
• Check the number of rooms ready, the room type distribution and early entrance terms.
• Identify the responsible for the key, welcome, luggage and identity registration steps.
• Enter the final decision time for the missing name, payment guarantee or special request.

How do changes and cancellations be followed?

A change in date, change in name or cancellation of a room may affect both the group sum and the availability of the hotel. First record the resource request, then update the relevant subbooking and re-calculate the group's night-based sum. If the change is paid, specify in the transaction note which contract article or approval is based on.

Oral requests may be fast but do not leave any traces. Complete the changes that come with the phone with a short written confirmation; keep the old and new values in the PMS transaction history. So sales, receipt and accounting do not work with different versions of the same demand.

Watching group reservations in a single stream with RoomFollow

The main need in group management is not to lose the link between the main agreement and the room-based transactions. In RoomFollow, when the group or company connection, reservations, room plan, folio and transaction history are traced on the same hotel data; the impact of the change of content on the sale, the operation of the room assignment and the payment instructions on the folio is easier to check.

Defining Cut-off, cancellation, payment and data sharing rules according to your hotel’s contract and procedure; match the authority and approval flow in the system with these rules.

Group booking checklist

You can simplify the list below according to the size of the group and the range of services. The goal is not to produce additional documents, but to collect open decisions that affect a lot of rooms in one place.

• The group code, contact person, dates and night-based contents have been confirmed.
• Contracting price, including services, cancellation and cut-off conditions were recorded.
• The Rooming list version matched the reservations and night sums in PMS.
• The deadline was determined with the responsible for missing names, room sharing and special requests.
• The main folio, personal spending, deposit and credit instructions were clarified.
• The arrival time, the ready room plan, the keys, the luggage and the welcome stream were shared.
• The last minute changes are determined by who will be approved and how to record.