Travelinfo

Job Description

Management of SA Sales/Reservations Team:

• Responsible for day – to- day management of staff. (+-15 staff members)
• Assisting staff with all escalated issues.
• Entrenching policy of “never say no” and assisting with making this happen.
• Responsible for staff development and on the job training.
• Responsible for improving staff product knowledge through Educationals, product training etc.
• Hiring of all new staff.
• Performance management of staff.
• Communicating all relevant information to staff through meetings and media.
• Involving staff in improvement of procedures and processes.
• Reinforce the company brand in why and how we go about the business.

Sales responsibility:

• Responsible for driving sales and contributing to the overall reservation sales strategy.
• Authorising or obtaining authorisation for sales deals such as upgrading, up selling, discounting etc to secure sales.
• Allocate bookings in the best possible way to maximise occupancy. This includes the management and control of duplicate bookings, wait lists, allocations, dead beds etc.
• Manage the overall provisional bookings held both within the time allowed and those which have been extended. This is to pick up abnormal trends or anything that is outside of the norms that may impact on other bookings.
• Problem solving and resolving issues which stand in the way of increasing sales.
• Manage capacity and work with other travel shops to ensure capacity utilisation or to identify capacity issues which may impact sales.
• Working with the US and regional teams on sales/conversion/quality/product and capacity matters.
• Building sound relationships with key agents where appropriate.
• Collaborate with marketing to follow through on specials and measure results on uptake.
• Collaborate with marketing on matters such as account allocation, account strategy and market feedback.
• Within the reservation process obtain Originating Agent data to aid/assist marketing efforts.

Maximisation of bed night occupancies/sales:

• Review of occupancy reports and disseminate information to promote lagging sales results within the teams to improve.
• Pushing on specials put out by marketing – this is to be done with the consulting teams.
• Putting forward proposals to improve occupancies.

Maximisation of bed night yield/margins:

• Looking at ways to improve yield which includes capitalising on last minute bookings from internationals which will improve yields.
• Up selling
• Direct business
• Providing excellent service to prevent refunds/discounts due to poor delivery.

Conversion ratios:

• Review reasons as to why bookings cancel and make proposals of how these reasons can be turned around into converted booking.
• Report on stats tracking improvement and trends.
• Escalate trends or booking situations where business cannot be converted due to existing conditions such as allocations.

Service (quality) responsibility:

• Monitor response times and trouble shoot where turnaround times drop off or are not in line with expectation.
• Implement ways of improving efficiencies to enable company to deliver high quality and speedy responses.
• Monitor all information emanating from the department is at the highest level of quality and accuracy such as quotes, invoices, product information, camp information, guest information etc
• Monitor quality of responses and provide training and support where improvements can be made.
• Monitor call intake response times and ensure calls are being handled speedily and efficiently.
• Analyse any feedback from market/clients/staff and address issues by taking action or putting new processes in place.
• Collaborate with Reservations Group Systems Manager on system issues and areas which may require improvement to meet objectives.
• Collaborate with product and put plans in place to make sure consultants fully understand product being sold. This involves exposure to both new and existing product as well as 3rd party product.
• Contact clients telephonically to discuss service levels and any issues arising.

Finance Responsibility:

• Review the TFS report to ensure all bookings are balanced and invoiced out correctly. This is for financial reporting purposes as well as to make sure bookings are properly managed and executed.
• Assist with any financial booking queries
• Assist with debt collection where required

Ad hoc projects as and when required:

• Tasks may be large or small, action to be taken as and when the need arises. May mean working with other departments, regions, changing processes and procedures, updating information, communication, etc.

Availability

Immediately

Salary

Negotiable on experience

Required Qualifications

• Minimum 7 - 10 years Proven management track record in the Travel Industry.
• Preferably have a Reservation sales consultant background.
• Good knowledge of lodge and lodge operations in Botswana, Namibia and SA.
• Sound knowledge of Tour operations - processes and systems.

Location

Cape Town