The Booking Call Standard
Five steps that take a caller from “do you have availability?” to a confirmed stay. Most callers have already decided to come and are waiting to be asked.
- Who
- Reservations agents and the reservations manager
- When
- Every call that asks about availability or a price
- You need
- Live availability, room sizes and photos, outlet opening hours
- Measured by
- Purpose of the trip asked before any rate
- One room described in three specifics
- The booking asked for before the close
5 steps
01
Ask why
Before you quote anything, ask what brings the guest. A wedding weekend, a hospital appointment and a board meeting need different rooms, times and tone. Ask one open question, then listen.
Say this
“Of course. May I ask what brings you to us in June: a holiday, work, or something to celebrate?”
Common mistake Typing the dates and reading out a price. The caller is now comparing numbers, and you have given them nothing else.
02
Describe one room
Choose the room that fits what you just heard and describe it with three specifics: the view, the size in square metres, the light or the bed. Offer one room first, and two more only if asked.
Say this
“For a quiet week I’d suggest the garden junior suite: 48 square metres, a terrace, and morning sun until eleven.”
Common mistake Reading all seven room types off the screen. The caller can picture none of them and picks the cheapest.
03
Add one thing
Add one detail of the stay beyond the room, chosen for this caller: the pool hours for a family, the meeting room for work, the terrace restaurant for an anniversary. One detail, not the brochure.
Say this
“With two children you’ll like that the pool is heated and open until eight, and lunch is served beside it.”
Common mistake Listing every facility in the hotel. By the fourth one the caller has stopped listening and is waiting for the price.
04
Ask for it
Once the rate and terms are given, ask for the booking in plain words. If the caller hesitates, ask what is holding them back, answer that one point, then ask once more. Never a third time.
Say this
“Shall I reserve the garden suite for you now, Mrs Tanaka? I can hold it while we talk.”
Common mistake “Let me know if you’d like to go ahead.” The caller says thank you, hangs up, and books with whoever asked.
05
Read it back
Before the close, read back the surname letter by letter, the dates with weekdays, the room, the rate and the email address. Give the confirmation number slowly and ask the caller to repeat it.
Say this
“That’s T-A-N-A-K-A, arriving Friday 12 June, leaving Monday 15. Your confirmation number is 48213.”
Common mistake Reading dates as numbers only. “The twelfth” sounds right to everyone; “Thursday the twelfth” is when the guest says no.
Your Three Rooms
Every agent should describe the three most-booked rooms without the screen, for the caller in front of them. Fill this in for your own hotel this week.
The room most guests book
- Room name and size
- Three specifics
- Who it suits
- One line to say
The room one step up
- Room name and size
- Three specifics
- Who it suits
- One line to say
The suite worth the story
- Room name and size
- Three specifics
- Who it suits
- One line to say
Fill in one room per briefing on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. On Thursday each agent describes all three aloud in under 20 seconds each. Redo the card whenever rooms are renovated or renamed.
The Standards Library.
No. 09 · Reservations
The Email Reply Standard
Five steps for answering a written enquiry within two hours. The guest who emails has often written to several hotels, and books with the first full answer.
No. 10 · Reservations
The Confirmation Standard
Five steps for a confirmation sent the same day and a check before arrival. One wrong letter in a surname follows the guest from the airport sign to the bill.