GROUP BOOKINGS

Objectives   The Business Blocks class should familiarize the users with the concepts of how groups are handled by opera and various steps/tasks involved in the creation of groups and allotments in the system. This should be done in a sequential order, to ensure the users understand the flow of group information

Learning Outcome At the end of the session users will be able to create block headers, allocate room availability to a block, enter a rooming list and create tour series. They will have a good understanding of the information flow from receiving the initial group request to checking in the group.

Groups & Blocks The Groups features are a convenient way to handle allotments and reservations for multiple guests arriving at the property. Opera offers two different methods for handling group reservations - as Blocks or as Groups

GROUPS BLOCK (continued) Blocks support more detailed planning for handling the group, particularly larger groups — including the specification of room types, rates, events, function spaces, and the cutoff and shoulder dates associated with the Block Opera also handles Tour Series for those block reservations that will be returning to the property multiple times with the same reservation

Before confirming Rooms Check availability and identify room types that have several rooms available and avoid suites

Concept discussion(class discusion) Discuss the concept of block allocation from ‘house availability’ Concept of a block ‘header’ Concept of ‘pickup’

Business Block Search Searching based on search criteria Advance button to display additional search criterion. Use of filter to create user defined searches Explanation of search grid Discuss group profile once again as refresher Come back to buttons Group Reports can be accessed from search screen Right click context menu – give a brief at this point

Block Header / Detail Screen Use of different types of profile on block header and contact profile for productivity Default block code creation Start Date does not need to match arrival date of group – is the arrival date of the 1st guest to arrive Importance of Market & source for statistics Status Flow Cut off Date / Days Follow up and decision dates Inventory control Group MUST have an owner Rate code is not mandatory Cover Details tab and more tab

Create a new block header

Notes Select different note types Can have many different notes for same block OK/ Save and Close As per reservation and profile screen

Block Header Options Add PM Can add an additional pseudo room to the reservation for use when you need more than one rooming list template or more than one pseudo room

Attachment Same as Profile -> option -> attachment Copy Creates copy of block header (not attached reservations) Option to copy Room Block, Events & spaces, copy booking notes and event notes. Option to keep same group profile. Define New Block code and date.   Status of copied block will be as defined in app setting

Create Master Concept of Master blocks and sub bookings under master block. No need to go into details as we will cover details later at the end.

Waitlist Using the Waitlist feature, you can take all their reservation details for a potential guest even though you can’t accept the reservation due to availability limitations.  

Tour Series (continued) Show standard Tour Series. Changes that are made to either the original booking or one of the copies will only affect that particular booking, To show tour series create 1st block header Must choose an end date that is on the same day as the start date The block code will be the original code plus #1, i.e. the 3rd series for 1101PAN will be 1101PAN#3 The block header name will be Tour-name of group

Custom tour series Gives more flexibility, as can choose own block codes and arrival dates Will still name block header name as Tour – name of group

If the occupancy situation changes and you find that you can accept the reservation, the reservation transferred from the waitlist to an active reservation.

Tour Series Tour Series Handling is set to M (changes will affect master and sub for the whole tour) Highlight behaviour when app setting for Block -> Tour Series Handling is set to S (changes will affect only on copied sub bookings)

Deposits and Cancellations Reservation handling features include automatic rules based calculation of deposits and integrated collections routines, including deposit requirement enforcement when making reservations, transfer of deposits to other reservations, and cancellation and early departure Penalties.

Confirmation Letters As part of the reservation process, or as a separate activity after the reservation has been made, you can prepare customized and personalized confirmation letters and send them to guests and/or to the contacts, businesses, and travel agents associated with the reservation via regular mail (in printed form), or directly from the application via email or fax. Confirmation letters can be personalized for any language and can include details merged from the reservation.