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Manual Operations Guide
California State University Chico
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choiceADVANTAGE
Manual Operations
And
Emergency Procedures
Guide
March 2011
TABLE OF CONTENTS
- WELCOME
- INTRODUCTION.......................................................................................................................................................................
- PREPARE FOR THE UNEXPECTED
- PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE
- EMERGENCY PHONE NUMBERS AND CONTACT INFORMATION
- EMERGENCY EQUIPMENT RECOMMENDATION
- SPECIAL NEEDS GUESTS
- REPORTS
- FORM RECOMMENDATIONS
- CREDIT CARDS
- OPERATING MANUALLY
- IMMEDIATE RESPONSE
- CONTINUING MANUAL OPERATIONS
- Making a Reservation
- Checking in a Guest
- Posting Charges and Payments
- Shift Processing
- Night Audit
- RESTORING SERVICE
- CHOICEADVANTAGE RECOVERY PLAN
- Powering Up From a Power Failure
- CHOICEADVANTAGE RECOVERY PLAN
- EMERGENCY FORMS
- ATTACHMENT 1: EMERGENCY CONTACT INFORMATION FORM
- ATTACHMENT 2: REGISTRATION FORM
- ATTACHMENT 3: FOLIO FORM
- ATTACHMENT 4: AVAILABILITY FORM
- ATTACHMENT 5: ROOM RACK FORM
- ATTACHMENT 6: HOUSEKEEPING REPORT FORM................................................................................................................
- ATTACHMENT 7: IN HOUSE LIST / BALANCE SHEET FORM
- ATTACHMENT 8: DAILY POSTING LOG FORM
INTRODUCTION.......................................................................................................................................................................
Planned and unplanned power outages, equipment malfunctions, or other events can affect the operations at your hotel. The Manual Operations Guide is designed to assist you in developing and implementing your own procedures for manually operating your hotel if your computer systems are not functioning. This Guide contains the following sections:
Prepare for the Unexpected. A description of suggested activities you can perform: Once - the day you receive this Guide Each day - printed reports to assist you in continuing operations Periodically - drills, inventory to ensure you are prepared for the unexpected
Operating Manually. A description of manual operating processes you may need to perform in the event your computer system is inoperable for several hours or several days due to: An extended power outage A loss of phone service Connection problem Satellite or internet service outage Computer hardware failure (server or workstations)
Restoring Service. Suggestions on how to restore your computer system when it becomes operational again.
Emergency Forms. Examples of forms that you may use at your property when your computer system is not functioning.
PREPARE FOR THE UNEXPECTED
The key to a successful transition to manual operations in the event of an emergency is planning for the unexpected. Preparing forms, reports, and procedures in advance will ease the transition from computer operations to manual operations for your hotel. This section provides suggestions for planning and preparing for the unexpected. Everything listed in this section should be done upon receiving this Guide, except for the Reports section which should be completed daily.
Use this section to develop your hotel’s contingency plan for emergencies. For each section, ask yourself the following questions: What is the importance of this item to hotel operations? Who is responsible for this item and can we operate manually if necessary? When is this item operational? When should I check it? How does this item work? How often should I check it? Where is this item located? Is it secure? Where are instructions, manuals, backups, support numbers, etc. stored? If it is a system and it is unavailable, do I have a manual means of operation? And always ask, “How are my guests affected and how can I minimize any negative impact?”
PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE
Preventive maintenance will reduce (but not eliminate) the likelihood of your computer equipment failing. Keep your equipment clean from dust, and ensure that it is in a well- ventilated area to avoid overheating.
EMERGENCY PHONE NUMBERS AND CONTACT INFORMATION
Keep a current list of phone numbers for all agencies you would need to contact if your computer equipment fails for any reason. Complete the Emergency Contact Information form (page 16) and place it in a location readily available to your staff.
Keep the following in mind when filling out the Emergency Contact Information form:
Locate and verify all telephone numbers.
Obtain secondary, problem-escalation telephone numbers.
Review with hotel staff the procedures for calling Property Support. Staff will need to know your property code when calling Property Support.
Include phone numbers for your general manager, property management company, and other agencies specific to your property.
SPECIAL NEEDS GUESTS
Have a system in place to identify and take action to assist guests who are:
Handicapped/hearing impaired
Choice Privileges Program members
REPORTS
To ensure your hotel can transition quickly to manual operations, you should run these reports several times every day:
Report Name Report Category Account Balance Report Emergency Reports Arrival List Emergency Reports Departure List Emergency Reports In House List Emergency Reports Vacant Room List Emergency Reports 10 Day Availability Reservation Reports
FORM RECOMMENDATIONS
To ensure your hotel can transition quickly to manual operations, you should maintain a supply of the following manual forms in your Emergency Box. Examples of these forms are provided beginning on page 15 of this Guide (Emergency Forms). You can make copies of these forms or create your own forms as needed for your property:
- Emergency Contact Information Form
- Registration Form
- Folio Form
- Availability Form
- Room Rack Form
- Housekeeping Form
- In House List/Balance Sheet Form
- Daily Posting Log Form
CREDIT CARDS
Verify with your credit card provider the procedures required for manual (telephone or paper) approvals on credit card transactions during a phone, power, or equipment outage. Develop a hotel policy and procedure for the front desk and other outlets to use in the event of a credit card system failure. In the event that no approval system is available (for example, during a telephone system failure) this procedure should anticipate requirements for local credit card approval, such as two forms of identification. Additionally, know the procedure that is recommended by your credit card provider to be used in the event that only one of the steps in the current transmission fails.
a. Retrieve the In House List / Balance Sheet form.
b. Retrieve the most recent In House List Report.
c. Using the In House List Report and your current registration cards, complete the In House List / Balance Sheet form to bring your hotel to its current occupancy status. Use this form to keep a record of your In House guests.
d. Retrieve the Room Rack form. Write the names of every in-house guest in the appropriate room box, including their departure dates and method of payment.
e. Using the Vacant Room List from your Emergency Reports, color code all clean rooms with a highlighter, and put an “X” in those room blocks that are out of order. Use this Room Rack as a guide when checking in future arrivals and walk-ins. If you have “special needs” guests, you may want to color code or set aside specific rooms for those guests.
f. Retrieve the Availability form and the 10 - Day Availability Report. Write the figures from the 10 -Day Availability Report onto the Availability form. Update this form every time you walk a guest in, or make a reservation until the system is restored.
g. Retrieve the Arrival List Report. Use this information to determine the reservations you are expecting until the system is restored. Using this list, complete a Registration and a Folio form for any reservations that have not arrived.
- After following these guidelines, your hotel should be ready for manual operations. Refer to the next section for additional instructions.
CONTINUING MANUAL OPERATIONS
Remember that each property is unique and that these steps are a general guide to manual operations. This section provides suggestions for daily Front Desk operations.
Making a Reservation
Before making any reservation, consult the Availability form (the one you completed in the last section) to ensure that you have room availability for the dates of the requested reservation.
Use the Registration and Folio forms to record the reservation information. This will also reduce the duplication of paperwork when the guest checks in.
Provide the guest with their confirmation number. Develop a procedure for consistent manual confirmations and numbering.
Always update the Availability form after confirming a reservation.
Checking in a Guest
To check in a guest with a reservation, access the Registration and Folio forms previously completed for the guest. If the guest is a walk-in, have them also complete a Registration form and a Folio form. In both cases, have the guest verify all information and sign the forms.
If the guest is paying with a credit card, call your credit card processor or card center (use the phone numbers that you listed on the Emergency Contact Information form) to get a phone authorization for room charges and incidentals per hotel policy. Remember to write the amount authorized and the authorization code on the guest’s Registration and Folio forms.
Write down any cash payments made by the guest on the guest’s Registration and Folio forms. Record the amount paid on the Daily Posting Log form. If the guest has an advanced deposit, refer to the Account Balance Report to verify the amount and write it on the Registration and Folio forms.
Assign a room using the Room Rack form as a guide. Write the name of the guest and his/her departure date on the Room Rack form**.**
Complete the check-in as you normally would.
After the guest departs the desk area, transfer all information to the In House List / Balance Sheet form**.**
Posting Charges and Payments
Post all payments and charges (telephone, fax, movies, laundry/valet, miscellaneous, etc.) to the Registration and Folio forms. Be sure to calculate the current balance.
Additionally, record all charges and payments on the Daily Posting Log form. This form will be used later to balance your shift.
Shift Processing
Count your cash drawer and verify that the amount is correct.
Use the Room Rack form to check for expected Departures, Arrivals, In-House status, and rooms to sell.
Continue normal day-to-day shift activities (check-ins, check-outs, reservations, postings) using all appropriate manual forms.
Night Audit
- Count your cash drawer and verify that the amount is correct.
RESTORING SERVICE
CHOICEADVANTAGE RECOVERY PLAN
After your computer is operational again, you will need to restart your computer systems and restore the information you recorded manually to choiceADVANTAGE. This section provides recommendations for powering your system up from a power failure.
Powering Up From a Power Failure
If you are preparing to recover your system after a power failure or outage, follow these procedures:
When your power is restored, turn on your computers and ensure that you can connect to Internet Explorer and choiceADVANTAGE.
Verify the system date and time. Place the mouse pointer over the time display located in the bottom right-hand corner of the monitor. The date will display. Verify that this is the current date and time.
After restoring power to all workstations, verify that all necessary hardware accessories and software applications are running such as printers, modems, virus protection, AdWare, and any applicable interfaces.
Call Property Support ( 800 -528-3118) to do the following:
a. Inform Property Support that power has been restored, your computers are powered up, and the Auto-Audit needs to be turned back on. b. If your property has been placed on fax delivery for CRS messages and reservations, inform Property Support that you need to be switched back to your regular delivery process.
- After choiceADVANTAGE is up and running, perform the following:
a. Perform a test of the system interfaces such as POS, telephone switch, call accounting, etc. b. Test your communication lines for both telephone and data communications.
Note: Immediately report problems to the appropriate vendor. For example - contact your local telephone company if the problem appears to be the telephone trunk lines. For POS problems, contact your POS vendor. If any problems arise with choiceADVANTAGE or ChoiceCentral, contact Property Support (800) 528- 3118.
- Begin data entry of past and present guest accounts, including Accounts Receivable and Groups.
a. Transfer data from your manual forms to choiceADVANTAGE.
b. Enter all guest information and other data one day at a time. If your system has been out of operation for more than one business day, begin with information from the first business day that you began collecting manual data. If you have obtained manual credit card authorizations, be sure to enter this data into choiceADVANTAGE so that your batches will balance with each night audit that is run. Make sure you enter the authorization numbers and amounts before you run Night Audit to avoid over-authorizing guest credit cards.
c. After data has been entered for each business day, you must run the Night Audit. Contact Property Support for assistance in running Night Audit before midnight.
Note: Verify that all information is current and correct. Check for possible duplicate reservations and ensure you are in balance (including credit cards).
d. Run the Night Audit. Call Property Support for assistance in running Night Audit before midnight. Inform Property Support if there are any discrepancies. Follow the Night Audit checklist located in Online Help.
e. Contact Property Support for assistance with running repeat Night Audits. Repeat the Night Audit, entering data and performing the Night Audit function one day at a time, until choiceADVANTAGE catches up to the current business date. The choiceADVANTAGE system business date is located at the top of each screen.
- Perform credit card batch settlements:
a. In the event of an extended power outage, credit cards may need to be batched (settled).
b. If the situation requires a batch settlement, check with Property Support.
c. Batches must be researched for possible duplication and/or missing transactions.
d. It is your responsibility to perform all adjustments and postings. Property Support will not settle your batches.
e. If a current batch needs to be deleted or moved to History, Property Support will not be able to perform this task for you.
f. To settle your credit cards, follow your normal procedure.
ATTACHMENT 1: EMERGENCY CONTACT INFORMATION FORM
Emergency Contact Information
Management Name Phone Number Location General Manager Cell Phone General Manager Home AGM or FOM Home Auditor Home
Utilities Phone Number Notes Electric Company Gas Company Water Company Telephone Company
Choice Phone Number Property Support 1- 800-528- Inventory Control 1- 800-638-
Vendor Name System Phone Number Notes Call Accounting PBX Movies Keys System POS VoiceMail Internet Service Provider Competitors Phone Number Notes
Credit Cards Merchant Number Authorization Phone Number
Contact Person Visa MasterCard Discover Diners Club American Express JCB Shift4 Support 1- 866-974- Other Important Numbers
Phone Number Notes
Police Fire
ATTACHMENT 2: REGISTRATION FORM
ATTACHMENT 3: FOLIO FORM
ATTACHMENT 5: ROOM RACK FORM
ROOM RACK BUSINESS DATE Room # Room Type Clean
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Manual Operations Guide
University: California State University Chico
