Reception week 6 and 7

Dear readers.

I really do love the set up in reception and the work you do there but I'm not sorry to say it's finally coming to an end. Almost week 9 and we received two new skill students for the last three weeks. After this course I will be going to accommodation where a new journey starts.

Module 1:Security practices
Each and every morning and afternoon it's the same process to go fetch the floats and ATM out of the outside safe. This is also one of the first lessons we learn to the new students because it's the easiest and it has to be done everyday. It's also important to make sure that the float you receive has enough small change because that can become a problem later in the day.

Module 2: Customer care
I booked a lot of activities these past weeks and I showed Sulize how to do the evaluation forms on the computer. These forms are done so we can hear the guests enquiries and find solutions to the problems they have encountered whilst on our farm. We had a very busy weekend with the fun run we had and so we had to be on top of our game to handle everything smoothly. The second year open day was also on Saturday and so I was not in the office to help but Jay-Dee could do everything and he knew what to do. We prepared for the arrivals beforehand so the check in and check out can occur swiftly. 

Module 6: General reception procedures
A staff member asked me to type out his CV for him and so I did. When printing or copying something for another department we must remember to write how much paper it was, single or double sided and for which department so we can see where the paper goes every month and we then have control over the budget. In reception the thing you learn each day is patience... I say this because some days the system is so slow on the computer or it keeps kicking you off and then you need to do everything over. A key check also needs to be done every day to see which keys are needed and so we can have control over the fact that guests maby forgot to hand them in. 

Module 9: Guest accounting procedures
When a guest decides that the breakages needs to be taken off the authorization we had done on their arrival, we do an authorization override.The money will then be taken via speed point and then rung up on the system. We don't need the guests signature but we do need their permission. I also made a very big mistake by letting one guest run a tab with us in their room number. Sondela does not allow it at all but luckily she paid everything on departure and everything was okay. Now I know never to do it again but if we don't make mistakes how are we going to learn? Another problem that occurs now and again is people that do the deposit with the card and they don't understand the process, we explain to them that it is only an authorization and we don't take the money out of the account at all. We only block R200 and when we cancel it on departure that money will then be usable after 7 working days. As easy as it sounds, some people just don't understand.


Each day is flowing into one, or it only feels that way because we do the same things everyday. I am very happy and comfortable with the practical part of reception but I seriously need to write my tests and receive class. We set up a blog roster for us as well so we have an hour a week to catch up with our blogs and files. I must say I am interested in reception because I like the things we do and the way things flow into one big circle but my passion is wildlife and the outdoors.    
Until next time, thank you for visiting my office! 

Reception week 4 and 5

Dear readers.

It really is sad to have to work with three guys instead of the two girls I'm used to but in real life this happens many times. This prepares me to be able to work with anyone that comes my way and work in a team despite our differences. These past two weeks weren't exactly sunshine and roses because the boys need to catch up but it's going great.

Module 1: Security at work.
I still fetch the ATM sometimes in the morning or go put it away in the afternoons. This is done to keep our floats safe ant the ATM safe from theft.

Module 2: Customer care.
We did a lot of activity bookings because it was a long weekend and the reserve was full. There were times that we had to tell the guests everything is full and they can not take part in the specific activity. The entertainment manager had to make provision for this situation because the guests got angry with the wrong people. This weekend though they are making plans to do more activities and satisfy the guests needs.

Module 4: Safe practices.
The floats are put away in a safe but what happens to the money made during the day? We do a cash up at the and of each day with our own tills and then count the money and fill in a form designed specifically for this task. This is then made a copy of and the activity slips and credit card slips are made copies of. The copies are stapled together and the originals are put in a seal bag. This bag is then dropped in a safe with the other two bags and this will be counted by another person that works with the money and she then tells us what must be found or changed.

Module 6: General reception procedures.
These past two weeks I did the guest evaluations once a week and Nico helped me with the typing so he could see how to do the job. The follow up calls Jay-Dee did for the first time and I filled in the feedback on the evaluations list and printed it for Elsie. This list will then go on to management and they will discuss it and then decide what to do to better the companies service and quality. I made a huge mistake with the bookings and had to fix it very quickly! I booked 17 horses at once when there is only 10 available on one go. So I went to the guests where they stayed and talked to them about the situation. Luckily they were very calm and friendly about the whole thing so it could be sorted out quickly and without pain. I consider myself very lucky  and it will never happen again! Elsie let us go on a wildlife center tour as guests to do research for guests. The point of this is to see things out of the guests point of view so we can tell them what to expect when going on a specific activity. I personally love it because we get a bit of time out of the office and we get to experience Sondela as guests!

Module 7: General front office procedures.
I did my first cash sale this week! On the system you go to cash sales and then type in the misc charge. Post the money and it's done, as easy as that. This is done when an owner wants to buy something like wood in my case. His house number does not show on UniRes and so this is how to do a sale to him.

Module 8: Advance reservation procedure.
I was sent to the town office for the day to learn everything there is to know about reservations. Daleen helped me understand the procedure and explained everything there was to know about it. I shadowed her for the day and filled in questions in my workbook. I did not make a reservation on my own though but I do understand everything and Elsie needed me in reception on the count of the boys don't know anything yet.

Module 9: Guest accounting procedure.
Another thing I learn't these past two weeks is how to charge a guest the breakages from their credit card authorization. Press 00 and choose purchase, then swipe the supervisors card and enter the pin. Then enter the card number from the authorization and write SOF on the line where the guest should sign meaning sign on behalf of the guest. This can only be done with the permission from the card holder and will only be done if the guest does not wish to pay cash for the breakages.     

Module 10: Selling and marketing techniques.
because of the long weekend and the fact that the reserve is full they tried to have more things for the guests to do. The feeding tours at the wildlife center were full so they opened separate lion feedings for guests to take part in. This helped us give the guests something to take part in and make more money. The guests were happy and we were safe to say the least. We then introduced them to a wildlife center tour and interested them in the lion feeding. This is called up selling, when you get the guest to take more then they originally wanted to. 

The rest of the time we work on our files and get all the jobs done that needs to be done. I am very glad that I got class for the first time in my course but those boys need to learn some respect...