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JOB DESCRIPTION HOTEL CENTRAL RESERVATIONIST Department: Central Reservations Position: Central Reservationist Reports To: Central Reservations Manager / Reservations Manager Location: [Hotel Group / Central Reservations Office] Employment Type: Full-Time 1. POSITION PURPOSE The Central Reservationist is responsible for managing accommodation reservations and enquiries across the hotel group's portfolio of properties. The position is responsible for delivering an efficient, professional and personalised reservations service while maximising room revenue and occupancy. The Central Reservationist must have a strong understanding of each property, its facilities, room types, rates, packages and booking policies. The role requires excellent communication, attention to detail and the ability to convert enquiries into confirmed bookings. 2. KEY RESPONSIBILITIES A. Reservations Handle all incoming accommodation reservation enquiries via telephone, email, online channels and other approved communication platforms. Process new reservations accurately and efficiently. Amend; cancel and re-confirm existing reservations. Ensure all reservation details are captured correctly in the PMS. Confirm room availability before accepting bookings. Provide guests with accurate information regarding room types, rates, facilities, inclusions and hotel policies. Issue reservation confirmations and relevant documentation. Ensure special requests are recorded and communicated to the relevant property. Maintain accurate reservation records. 3. CENTRAL RESERVATIONS – MULTI-PROPERTY RESPONSIBILITY Be fully knowledgeable about all properties within the hotel group. Understand the unique selling points, room types, facilities, locations and target markets of each property. Recommend the most appropriate property based on the guest's requirements. Promote alternative properties when the requested hotel is fully booked. Cross-sell accommodation across the group. Identify opportunities to move guests between properties based on availability and commercial requirements. Maintain current knowledge of property availability, restrictions, promotions and special offers. 4. SALES & REVENUE GENERATION Central Reservations is a sales function and not merely an administrative booking office. The Central Reservationist must: Convert enquiries into confirmed reservations. Upsell higher room categories where appropriate. Promote packages, promotions and value-added services. Promote additional nights where appropriate. Identify opportunities for additional revenue. Sell the hotel group's facilities and services. Promote conference, events, restaurant and other facilities when relevant to the enquiry. Recommend alternatives when the preferred dates or room type are unavailable. Work within approved rate structures and revenue-management guidelines. Avoid unauthorised discounting. 5. TELEPHONE RESERVATIONS Answer calls promptly and professionally. Use the approved telephone greeting and reservations procedure. Establish the guest's requirements through effective questioning. Provide clear and accurate information. Quote rates confidently and professionally. Attempt to close the sale on every qualified enquiry. Confirm all booking details before ending the call. Handle difficult or dissatisfied callers professionally. Record relevant information from telephone enquiries. 6. EMAIL & ONLINE ENQUIRIES Respond to reservation enquiries promptly. Provide professional and accurate quotations. Follow up outstanding quotations. Process bookings received through approved online channels. Ensure online reservations are correctly loaded into the PMS. Monitor reservation inboxes and ensure enquiries are not left unattended. Maintain professional written communication at all times. 7. GROUP & CORPORATE RESERVATIONS Assist with corporate accommodation bookings. Process group accommodation enquiries according to hotel procedures. Obtain all required booking information. Ensure group requirements are communicated to the relevant property. Liaise with Sales, Revenue and Operations regarding group bookings. Ensure deposits, payment requirements and cancellation conditions are clearly communicated. Maintain accurate records of group rooming lists and booking information. 8. RATE & INVENTORY MANAGEMENT The Central Reservationist must have a working understanding of: Best Available Rates (BAR). Corporate rates. Government rates. Contracted rates. Package rates. Group rates. Promotional rates. Complimentary and house-use policies. Room-type availability. Minimum-stay requirements. Closed dates and restrictions. Cancellation policies. No-show policies. Deposit requirements. Rates may only be overridden or discounted in accordance with approved authority levels. 9. GUEST SERVICE Provide friendly, professional and personalised service. Establish the guest's needs and expectations. Make appropriate recommendations. Handle special requests professionally. Assist guests with pre-arrival queries. Resolve reservation-related problems promptly. Escalate complaints when required. Maintain a positive attitude and professional telephone manner. Ensure guests receive accurate information before arrival. 10. PRE-ARRIVAL MANAGEMENT Where applicable, Central Reservations should: Review upcoming reservations for accuracy. Ensure special requests are clearly captured. Confirm payment and deposit requirements. Identify VIPs, repeat guests and special occasions. Communicate important guest information to the relevant property. Assist with pre-arrival amendments and requests. Ensure all required guest documentation is complete. 11. CROSS-SELLING & UPSELLING The Central Reservationist is expected to actively identify additional sales opportunities. Examples include: Upgrading room categories. Extending the length of stay. Adding breakfast. Airport transfers. Conference facilities. Restaurant reservations. Special occasion packages. Activities or hotel experiences. Additional rooms for accompanying guests. All upselling must be relevant to the guest and delivered professionally rather than aggressively. 12. RESERVATION ACCURACY The Central Reservationist is responsible for ensuring: Correct guest name and contact details. Correct arrival and departure dates. Correct number of guests. Correct room type. Correct rate. Correct meal plan. Correct payment method. Correct billing instructions. Correct source/market segment. Correct special requests. Correct cancellation and deposit information. Errors that result in guest dissatisfaction, revenue loss or operational problems must be reported immediately. 13. INTERNAL COMMUNICATION Maintain effective communication with: General Managers. Reservations Manager. Revenue Manager. Sales Department. Front Office. Finance. Housekeeping. F&B. Conference & Banqueting. Property-level reservations teams. Ensure all relevant booking information is communicated accurately and timeously. 14. REPORTING & ADMINISTRATION Complete and maintain: Daily reservations reports. Enquiry reports. Conversion reports. Cancellation reports. No-show reports. Outstanding deposit reports. Group booking reports. Booking source information. Reservation correspondence. Any other reports required by management. Ensure all reservations documentation is properly filed and maintained. 15. SALES CONVERSION KPI Central Reservations should be measured on both service and commercial performance . Key KPIs may include: Reservations Number of reservations processed. Reservation accuracy. Response time. Number of enquiries handled. Sales Enquiry-to-booking conversion. Revenue generated. Upselling revenue. Average booking value. Additional room nights generated. Service Telephone answering standards. Email response time. Guest satisfaction. Reservation-related complaints. Revenue ADR achieved. Room-night production. Direct booking contribution. Cancellation levels. Revenue generated through cross-selling. 16. QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE Minimum Requirements: Grade 12 / Matric. Hospitality or Reservations qualification advantageous. Minimum 1–2 years' experience in hotel reservations, front office, customer service or a related hospitality environment. Previous PMS experience preferred. Experience in a central reservations environment advantageous. Experience in a multi-property hotel group advantageous. 17. KNOWLEDGE & SKILLS The successful candidate should possess: Excellent verbal and written communication skills. Strong telephone etiquette. Excellent customer service skills. Strong sales and conversion ability. Attention to detail. Good numerical ability. Good computer literacy. PMS knowledge. Good knowledge of hotel products and services. Ability to work with multiple properties and systems. Strong organisational skills. Ability to multitask. Ability to work under pressure. Good problem-solving skills. 18. PERSONAL ATTRIBUTES The ideal candidate will be: Professional and well presented. Friendly and approachable. Confident. Sales driven. Customer focused. Detail oriented. Organised. Proactive. Reliable. Patient. Positive. A strong communicator. Able to work independently. A team player. Comfortable working towards targets. 19. WORKING HOURS The Central Reservationist may be required to work: Shifts. Weekends. Public holidays. Extended hours during peak periods. Working hours will be determined according to the operational requirements of the central reservations office. 20. AUTHORITY & ACCOUNTABILITY The Central Reservationist is accountable for: Accurate processing of reservations. Maximising conversion of enquiries. Generating direct booking revenue. Providing exceptional guest service. Protecting hotel revenue. Following approved rates and policies. Accurate communication of reservation information. Maintaining confidentiality of guest information. Maintaining professional standards at all times. The Central Reservationist may not provide unauthorised discounts, complimentary services or special concessions outside approved authority levels. 21. GENERAL The employee may be required to perform additional reasonable duties consistent with the position and operational requirements of the hotel group. The Central Reservationist is expected to actively contribute to the commercial success of the hotel group while maintaining the highest standards of guest service, professionalism, accuracy and integrity. Employee: ______________________________ Signature: ______________________________ Date: __________________________________ Manager: _______________________________ Signature: ______________________________ Date: __________________________________
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