What's in a day?
This job will keep you on your toes. In most large hotels, your role as reservations manager is closer to that of the rooms division manager. It tends to be operational rather than strategic, although that depends on the setup.
In general, you’ll be creating rate plans, loading rates into the property management system and working with the revenue manager to boost occupancy and the average achieved room rate. You’ll also liaise with the rooms division manager to ensure that on the day occupancy is maximised.
Key responsibilities:
- Liaising with central reservations to communicate new rate plans and promotions
- Liaising with travel agents, the revenue manager and the rooms division manager
- Assisting the sales team in setting their rates
- Maintaining the in-house reservations systems
- Forecasting revenue streams
- In smaller hotels you may be directly involved with room sales
- Managing your team effectively
What sort of hours will I work?
You might work shifts of 8am-9pm, with some weekends – or you might get lucky and work office hours.
What’s the best thing about being a reservations manager?
It’s a fast-paced, satisfying role where you get an overview of how the various parts of the hotel business affect each other. You also get to see the results of your hard work on the figures sheets.
And the worst?
You can’t afford to slip up.
What skills do I need?
- Good communication skills to liaise with other managers and clients
- Computer literacy
- A knowledge of how each department in a hotel affects the business
- A head for figures and commercial awareness
Who would it suit?
You’ll need to be sales driven as well as organised and efficient in order to ensure room rates are updated and sales are maximised. Another vital quality is being able to communicate clearly so your colleagues aren’t floundering in the dark.
What qualifications do I need?
Well, first and foremost you’re going to need experience in central reservation systems and an understanding of hotels, but any business or hospitality management qualifications will get you on the right track.
What sort of salary can I expect?
Jobs advertised on Caterer.com can range from about £22,000 a year, rising to the low £40,000s – often with benefits.
Where can I go from here?
You could move into a more senior sales role, become a revenue manager or perhaps pursue a related operations role.
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