Stories you may like
What is a reservationist?
A reservationist is someone who works in customer service and takes reservations for customers. They typically work at a front desk of an office or company in a customer-facing position. They assist customers over the phone and in person, answering their questions and organizing their travel or reservation plans. Reservationists usually work for the following types of businesses:
- Hotels
- Resorts
- Airlines
- Restaurants
- Cruise lines
- Medical offices
- Transportation companies
Some private corporations have in-house reservationists who make travel arrangements for members of the company. This can be especially helpful for corporations where employees often travel for work.
What does a reservationist do?
Take reservations
The most important duty of a reservationist is to make and maintain reservations for customers. They can take these reservations over the phone, in person or over email, depending on the policy of the company for which they work. Regardless of how they interact with the customer, they always present a friendly and helpful demeanor so that customers feel comfortable speaking with them. If there's a problem with a reservation or a customer, it's the reservationist's job to try to resolve the issue.
Answer customer questions
It's the reservationist's job to know the details of the business they work for so they can answer customers' questions accurately. Customers may contact a reservationist to find information about rates, availability or the quality of their company's services. When answering these questions, reservationists typically need to recall information quickly and be able to multitask to provide excellent customer service. For example, they might look up information about a reservation while speaking to someone in person.
Organize bookings
Reservationists also organize and manage bookings for an organization. For example, a reservationist at a restaurant may monitor how many reservations they've made regarding how many open tables there are. Meanwhile, a corporate reservationist may manage flight details, passport information and costs.
Accept payments
Reservationists are responsible for accurately taking payment information and keeping it safe. Taking reservations often requires customers to provide a deposit or payment before a business can hold a reservation, and preservationists typically use payment systems to record and accept these payments. Employers may also provide training on how to use these payment systems.
How to become a reservationist
Here are a few steps you can follow to become a reservationist:
1. Get a high school diploma
Some employers require reservationists to have a high school diploma or general education diploma (GED). Getting your diploma can show you have time management skills, basic math skills and problem-solving skills. You may not need a diploma to get a job as a reservationist if you can demonstrate these skills in another way, like through references from previous work experiences. However, having a diploma may make you eligible for more opportunities, so consider earning yours to potentially advance in your reservationist career.
2. Gain experience in customer service
Many reservationists work in customer service positions to develop skills and experience in solving customer concerns. You might consider working an entry-level customer service job in one of the following industries:
- Guest services
- Travel
- Hospitality
- Food service
- Retail
These industries require you to interact with customers, answer their questions and help them solve problems, all of which are tasks reservationists handle as well. This experience can train you in how to work with customers and create your own organizational processes. While working in these types of positions, you may also learn some common computer systems many companies use to organize customer information.
3. Create a strong resume
Once you've gained customer service experience, you can begin constructing your resume to highlight your qualifications for a reservationist position. List your experiences in chronological order, with your most recent employment at the top. Try to showcase the experiences that have taught you how to work with customers and make organized plans, and consider using statistics or other quantifiable evidence of your skills. You can also highlight your skills by listing them at the top of your resume so that a hiring manager can easily find them.
4. Apply for jobs
Look for reservationist jobs in your area and begin applying. If you have a network of customer service professionals from previous experiences, you might ask them if they're aware of any open positions. You can also search online for open positions. When applying for jobs, send your resume, cover letter and references to hiring managers. You can create customized application materials for each job you apply to by incorporating qualifications and skills from the job posting that apply to you.
Reservationist skills
Here are some skills that successful reservationists often use:
Communication
Communication is an important skill for a reservationist because they use it to work with customers, employers and coworkers. They share different deals and reservation packages with customers, and they need to provide clear and accurate information to ensure clients make the correct reservation. They also need to communicate those reservations with the rest of the staff so that the business can make preparations for guests.
Organization
Reservationists use organization skills to manage multiple reservations, as well as customer information required for those reservations. They may need to organize names, times, dates and credit card information, depending on the organization for which they work. Additionally, they often work with multiple clients and schedules, so they need organizational skills to remember different customers' preferences, previous reservations and contact information.
Computer skills
Many organizations keep their reservations in computer systems to help with organization. Using these systems requires basic computer skills, like understanding how computer programs work and being able to use email and scheduling systems. Mastering these computer programs can help reservationists use technology to potentially make scheduling and reservations easier to manage.
Customer service
Reservationists need customer service skills when making reservations, answering questions and working with customers. Customer service includes speaking with customers, being empathetic to their situations and trying to help them get the experience they want. Reservationists can use customer service skills to negotiate a solution to a customer's problem and ensure the customer continues to use their service.
Multitasking
Reservationists often work with multiple reservations at a time and need to be able to multitask. For example, they work at a front desk or call center and speak with a customer while determining the logistics of a reservation on a computer or in a booking system. It can be helpful for them to maintain a positive demeanor while working quickly to create reservations successfully and resolve any issues.
Work environment for a reservationist
The work environment of a reservationist depends on their organization. For example, working in a hotel or in the food service industry means working in a customer-facing position. These reservationists may have a dress code that matches the formality of the organization and spend most of their workday standing on their feet. In contrast, other reservationists work for travel companies or airlines and handle reservations over the phone in an office setting. Regardless of where they work, reservationists often work in shifts to ensure there's always someone present to service customers' needs.
Job outlook for a reservationist
Reservationists work in a variety of industries, so the job outlook for a reservationist position depends on the industry. However, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, information clerks have a growth rate of 2% between 2020 and 2030. This is less than the average growth rate for all other occupations, which indicates there may be little employment growth for reservationists as well since these positions are similar.
User's Comments
No comments there.