Reservation Agent

Manage and coordinate day to day pre-arrival room assignments in suites, pre-arrival requests, connecting rooms, specific preferences and room inventory as it pertains to the pre-arrivals and revenue maximization.  Strategic fulfillment in revenue enhancements such as Nor1, stay enhancements among others. Performs colleague tasks to ensure product quality standards are met and that optimum service is provided to hotel guests according to hotel and company business objectives.

At InterContinental Hotels & Resorts^® we want our guests to feel special, cosmopolitan and In the Know, which means we need you to:

• Be charming by being approachable, having confidence and showing respect.
• Stay in the moment by understanding and anticipating guests’ needs, being attentive and taking ownership of getting things done.
• Make it memorable by being knowledgeable, sharing stories and showing your style to create moments that make people feel special.

FINANCIAL RETURNS

• Efficient arrival room assignments, with emphasis in balancing room inventory respecting guests confirmed reservations and delivering IHG One Rewards high tiered member upgrade benefits where applicable and in line with guidelines provided by IHG One Rewards members benefits standards and as directed by the Director of Revenue and Director of Rooms Division, specific to occupancy levels, in line with the day’s arrivals and departure patterns. 
• Manage 3^rd party OTA portals including but not limited to: Expedia, Booking.com, Agoda, Hopper, Sertifi “Opera Status”; ensuring the Virtual CC is secured, deposit made, routing in place and reservation notes in place.
• Review seasonal promotions and flag Front Office for any special handling of such reservations to include discounts, rebates and or credits, etc.
• Work closely with Event Managers and Accounting AR billing team as it pertains to group earned comp’s per concession ensuring the comps are delivered based on the group’s productivity according to contract.

PEOPLE

• Interact with other departments:
  • Front Office Managers – provide direct support in the daily execution of inventory controls, group pre-key, room blocks, specialty suites and room assignments, fulfilling or declining pre-arrival Nor1 requests that provides the most business and service advantage. Entering billing notes and alerts, set up routing and flagging FO leadership if an identified oversell in room type is identified.
  • Sales & Marketing Team – works closely with groups, showrooms, VIP sites, special needs, flags S&M team if PM is not set up properly, pre-arrivals guests’ requests, etc.
  • Housekeeping – closely coordinates VIP sites, show rooms, dropped rooms and closed floors on low occupancy, maintenance schedule based on occupancy, groups, VIPs, special needs such as recliners, etc.
  • 3^rd party / OTA – assists Front Office and liaise with BT team with post stay payment collection where applicable, particularly failed CC from the BT account. 

GUEST EXPERIENCE

• Ensure the front office team delivers the promised service by matching confirmed reserved rooms with products delivered by efficient room inventory controls with high level of attention to detail and personalized guest preferences delivery.
• Ensure billing or payment preferences with our OTA and 3^rd party partners are fulfilled, thereby minimizing guest after stay complaints. 
• Identify service failures as it pertains to guests reservation to avoid developing a chronic issue such as missed delivery of discounts, contracted tax exemptions, part of package benefits such as breakfast, parking, stay credit among others.
• Monitor OTA Expedia and Booking.com portals.  Responds to guest pre-arrival requests to stay preferences and assist the Front Office leadership team respond to in-stay and post stay reviews to ensure the hotel’s engagement level remains high to keep the hotel a preferred destination for OTA reservations.

RESPONSIBLITIES

• Review daily room type availability in Opera vs actual reservations and balance any room type oversell ensuring the premium rooms are sold at its optimal rate.
• Pre-block VIP suite group contracted concessions, guests who are paying for the premium room at its BFR or near BFR rates, flag if a conflict is noted, such as overlapping reservations, day-use, sites, etc.
• Review daily arrival reports forwarded by Front Office, actioning missed special needs room assignments such as accessibility requirements, special arrangements (near or away from elevators, etc) or guest pre-arrival requests 
• Review OOO / OS rooms on shoulder occupancy dates 80% and on projected near or sell-out dates, coordinate with MOD and adjust room inventory based on return of the OOO rooms
• Spot any reservations booked as ROH (Run of House) such as Opaque OTAs: Priceline / Hotwire and switch over room type to whichever room type is plentiful, example switch kings to double queens if kings are short
• Anticipate potential room turn issues such as flipping a large suite (Presidential / Grand Suite) and alert Housekeeping for such tight turns as a consequence of late check outs or day use.
• Flag Director of Rooms and or Director of Front Office for any room turn challenges such as a group block contracted for late checkout on a near sell-out or sell out date. 
• Work with Housekeeping on show rooms for site visits and coordinate with Front Office if such rooms are to be used to an arriving guest. 
• Coordinate with Sales and Event managers the release of scheduled site rooms in the event the same rooms will be utilized as a sleeping room for an arrival guest/s
• Review room routings for group blocks with R/T or special billing arrangements.
• Monitor group rooms on queue and prioritize and rush clean the room ensuring timely turn of the room and contacting the guest as and when the room turns ready.
• Coordinates with Front Office Managers, Reservations and Housekeeping leadership for any potential issues that prevents timely room turn
• Review one month occupancy outlook and spot for potential overbooking and or specialty suites (Presidential and Grand suites) conflict or overbooking.
• Review OXI for hung up reservations or not crossing over into PMS, act on hung up reservations to ensure accuracy of room count.
• Performs other related Reservation tasks as assigned or needed.

This job is a supervisory role in the Reservations Department in a full-service, luxury, resort, or major flagship hotel, which may include multiple sites and facilities, a number of major outlets, high volume of catering and convention facilities, and a large number of VIP and key guests. 

High School / Diploma or equivalent, plus Front Desk experience, preferably in a hotel of similar size and complexity. Some college preferred.  Must speak fluent English.  Other languages preferred.

This job requires ability to perform the following:

• Carrying or lifting items weighing up to 50 pounds and pushing and or pulling approximately 200 pounds
• Frequently standing up and moving about the facility
• Frequently handling objects and equipment to maintain the facility
• Frequently bending, stooping, and kneeling

Other:

• Communication skills are utilized a significant amount of time when interacting with others; demonstrated ability to interact with guests, employees and third parties that reflects highly on the hotel, the brand, and the Company.
• Reading and writing abilities are utilized often when completing paperwork and management reports, interpreting results, giving and receiving instructions, and training 
• Mathematical skills, including basic math, budgeting, profit/loss concepts, percentages, and variances are utilized frequently.
• Problem solving, reasoning, motivating, organizational and training abilities are used often. 
• May be required to work nights, weekends, and/or holidays.

WHAT WE OFFER:

We give our people everything they need to succeed. From a competitive salary that rewards all your hard work to a wide range of benefits designed to help you live your best work life – including an impressive room discount and some of the best training in the business.

The hourly pay rate for this Hourly role is $19.00. This rate is only applicable for jobs to be performed in Houston, Texas.

This is the starting rate we in good faith believe we would pay for this role at the time of this posting. We may pay more or less than the posted rate, and the rate may be modified in the future. An employee’s pay position within the pay range will be based on several factors including, but limited to, relevant education, qualifications, certifications, experience, skills, seniority, geographic location, performance, shift, travel requirements, sales or revenue-based metrics, and business or organizational needs.

We offer a comprehensive package of benefits including paid time off, medical/dental/vision insurance, 401k, and many other benefits to eligible full-time employees.

You can apply for this role through the link below (or through the internal career site if you are a current employee).

Remarks: No amount of pay is considered wages or compensation until earned, vested, and determinable. The amount and availability of any bonus, commission, or any other form of compensation that are allocable to a particular employee remains in the Company's sole discretion unless and until paid and may be modified at the Company’s sole discretion, consistent with the law.

Our mission is to welcome everyone and create inclusive teams where we celebrate difference and encourage colleagues to bring their whole selves to work. IHG Hotels & Resorts provides equal employment opportunities to applicants and employees without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, or disability. We promote a culture of trust, support, and acceptance by always welcoming different backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives.

IHG Hotels & Resorts gives every member of the team the room they need to belong, grow and make a difference in a collaborative environment. We know that to work well, we need to feel well – both inside and outside of work – and through our myWellbeing framework, we are committed to supporting wellbeing in your health, lifestyle, and workplace.  So, join us and you’ll become part of our ever-growing global family.

At IHG Hotels & Resorts, we’ve made a promise. As one of the world’s leading hotel groups, we’re here to deliver True Hospitality for Good. Making our guests and colleagues feel welcome, cared for, recognized and respected – wherever they are in the world. Want to be part of the journey?