Application
Many tourism, hospitality and event organisations make these business to business supply bookings for products on behalf of their customer. For example, the booking may be from a retail travel agency to a tour wholesaler, from an inbound tour operator to a coach company and from a tour wholesaler to a hotel.
The unit applies to frontline operations personnel who operate with some level of independence and under limited supervision. This includes retail travel consultants, corporate consultants, inbound tour coordinators, visitor information officers, account managers for professional conference organisers, event coordinators, tour guides, banquet coordinators or managers, hotel guest relations officers, tour desk officers, and operations coordinators.
Prerequisites
Not applicable.
Elements and Performance Criteria
Elements describe the essential outcomes of a unit of competency. | Performance criteria describe the performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element. Where bold italicised text is used, further information is detailed in the required skills and knowledge section and the range statement. Assessment of performance is to be consistent with the evidence guide. |
1. Administer customer file and identify booking requirements. | 1.1 Interpret existing or create new records of customer booking requirements. 1.2 Prepare and issue customer documents. 1.3 Accurately update the financial status of customer records. 1.4 Identify all supplier services required by the customer. 1.5 Identify details of specific products and services confirmed to the customer. 1.6 Where no specific product or service has been confirmed select appropriate suppliers to ensure customer needs and quoted prices are met. 1.7 Select suppliers according to negotiated arrangements to maximise the profitability of the sale. |
2. Request products and services. | 2.1 Request products and services from suppliers using the appropriate method. 2.2 Provide full details of the required booking to ensure the customer receives the correct product or service. 2.3 Request return confirmation of the booking from the supplier. 2.4 Make requests for multiple services in the most practical sequence. 2.5 Identify flow on impacts and book alternative dates and products when desired products are unavailable. |
3. Record requests and confirmations. | 3.1 File records of all bookings made, including requests and confirmations according to system or procedural requirements. 3.2 Monitor files to ensure that all confirmations are received and follow up outstanding confirmations. 3.3 Note and schedule future action to be taken for the bookings. |
4. Update and finalise bookings. | 4.1 Make and record necessary amendments or adjustments to bookings. 4.2 Action supplier payments within the designated deadline. 4.3 Advise suppliers of final customer details and booking requirements. 4.4 Minimise use of printed materials and maximise electronic transmission and record keeping to reduce waste. |
Required Skills
Required skills |
communication skills to discuss bookings with suppliers initiative and enterprise skills to book the most cost effective supplier literacy skills to: read and interpret customer files, customer requests, customer quotations, complex product and costing information, supplier confirmations and any applicable conditions write customer documents, clear and succinct product bookings and file notes numeracy skills to: interpret quotations supplied to the customer interpret costs confirmed by the supplier create and maintain financial documentation to administer bookings planning and organising skills to book services in correct customer file sequence according to the earliest service date for customers problem-solving skills to identify flow technology skills to use calculators, computers and printers for the booking of supplier services. |
Required knowledge |
for the specific industry sector and organisation: different types of reservations and operations systems used to administer the booking of supplier services booking systems and procedures features of products sold sources of product information sources of negotiated cost of supply, contractual arrangements and preferred supplier arrangements relationship between the organisation and the supplier formats for and inclusions of supplier booking requests verbal and written use of the 24 industry terminology and common abbreviations used in bookings and confirmations primary components of consumer protection laws that relate to the provision of products and services, specifically organisational responsibility to supply products as described and to substitute suitable products when unable. |
Evidence Required
The evidence guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge, range statement and the Assessment Guidelines for the Training Package. | |
Overview of assessment | |
Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit | Evidence of the ability to: accurately process multiple bookings covering a diverse range of tourism, hospitality or event products and services from initial requests to finalisation of the bookings keep accurate records of bookings and confirmations integrate, into booking activities knowledge of booking systems and procedures demonstrate knowledge of the primary components of consumer protection laws that relate to the provision of products and services complete supplier bookings within commercial time constraints and deadlines determined by the customer and the organisation. |
Context of and specific resources for assessment | Assessment must ensure use of: a real or simulated tourism, hospitality or event business operation or activity which books supplier services a real or simulated tourism, hospitality or event industry environment; for example: a reservations area or call centre a retail shopfront or mobile sales situation for the retail travel sector an office environment as defined in the Assessment Guidelines computers, printers and software programs currently used by tourism, hospitality or event industry operators to book supplier services current product information found within brochures, product manuals, supplier information kits, information databases and computerised reservations systems operational documentation, e.g. details of supplier contracts and customer files current plain English regulatory documents distributed by government consumer protection regulators. |
Method of assessment | A range of assessment methods should be used to assess practical skills and knowledge. The following examples are appropriate for this unit: projects and activities that allow assessment of the individual’s ability to: complete the booking process for different products and services book supplier services in response to particular customer requests or for a series of customer files review of documents prepared by the individual: supplier service requests and amendments customer confirmation letters invoices customer files written or oral questioning to assess knowledge of: the 24-hour clock booking procedures primary components of consumer protection laws that relate to the provision of products and services review of portfolios of evidence and third |
Guidance information for assessment | The assessor should design integrated assessment activities to holistically assess this unit with other units relevant to the industry sector, workplace and job role, for example: SITTTSL201 Operate an online information system SITTTSL304 Prepare quotations SITTTSL308 Use a computerised reservations or operations system SITXEVT401 Plan in-house events or functions SITXEVT503 Manage event staging components. |
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, if used in the performance criteria, is detailed below. Essential operating conditions that may be present with training and assessment (depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts) may also be included. | |
Documents issued to customers may include: | confirmation letters credit notes information packs invoices paper-based or electronically transmitted materials receipts. |
To | checking that the customer has fully paid generating and issuing invoices and credit notes for changed arrangements receiving, processing and recording payments. |
Supplier services cover a broad range of products and services including: | accommodation activities airline flights charter flights cruises entertainment entrance to attractions or sites event management services food, beverage and catering functions meals meeting or event equipment speaker services special event consumable items special items with customer corporate branding technical equipment and services: audio-visual pyrotechnics rigging sound and lighting special effects stage design and construction venue styling tour guiding services tours transfers transportation vehicle rental venue hire. |
Suppliers | external internal; department to department. |
Service requests and return confirmations may be communicated via: | Centralised Reservations System (CRS) fax Global Distribution System (GDS) Internet and intranet telephone. |
Full details may include: | any pre customer details date, time and location of commencement and conclusion of service nature of service to be provided special requests or requirements. |
A booking may be made for: | a single product or service conferences events groups incentive tours inclusive tours or optional tours individuals meetings multiple products and services making up a complete package or itinerary one series tours. |
Return confirmation of the supply may include: | cost date, time and location of commencement and conclusion of service payment method and deadline special requests. |
Amendments or adjustments to bookings may include: | cancellation of booking change of date or time change of location of commencement and conclusion of service reduction or increase in number of bookings held. |
Actioning supplier payments | issuing a Miscellaneous Charges Order (MCO) issuing internal events orders requesting payment from the accounts department, e.g. cheque requisition or purchase order self sending payment by cheque or electronic transmission. |
Final customer details may include: | arrival and departure times and flights (or any other form of transportation) details of tour guides, tour managers and crew accompanying customers final: names or name list numbers for a group booking operational or service requirements rooming list. |
Sectors
Tourism
Employability Skills
This unit contains employability skills.
Licensing Information
No licensing, legislative, regulatory or certification requirements apply to this unit at the time of endorsement.