Reservations Sales Specialist (Manila Office)

ROLE PURPOSE:

As a reservation sales specialist for IHG hotels, your primary role is to manage guest reservations and inquiries, ensuring exceptional service and accuracy. You utilize strong communication skills and attention to detail to assist guests in planning their stays with personalized recommendations, creating seamless booking experiences. As a key customer touchpoint, you embody the IHG brand experience, educating guests about our brands and products. You are empowered to make creative decisions based on tools and market insights to meet guests' unique travel needs, driving revenue and customer loyalty, while continuously seeking personal and professional development in this dynamic role.

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES:

• Manage incoming reservation requests through phone, email, or online platforms by offering details on room availability, pricing, packages, and amenities. Assist guests in securing reservations tailored to their preferences and needs. Reservations are coming from worldwide, including the Americas, Middle East, Asia, and Europe.
• Answer phone or non-phone guest interactions and sell hotel rooms for all IHG properties across various regions.
• Provide an industry-leading reservation solution in English and one or more language for all contacts. 
• Consistently meet or exceed defined performance expectations (revenue, conversion, quality, partner offers, guest satisfaction, etc.) as set by management despite difficulties or obstacles.
• Establish and maintain positive and meaningful relationships with IHG members and guests in a way that will build loyalty.
• Adheres to all departmental procedures, including the privacy and confidentiality of guest information, reservation processes, and compliance with service quality standards.
• Must demonstrate schedule flexibility to accommodate the demands of a 24/7 operation. This includes the ability to work in a rotating shift environment, covering both night and day shifts as assigned within a designated duration.
• Describe room features and hotel amenities to guests. Verify availability of room types, rates, and capacity before confirming a reservation. Explain guarantee and cancellation policies to callers.
• Inform guests about room features and hotel amenities. Check the availability of room types, rates, and clarify cancellation policies prior to confirming a reservation. 
• Use our IHG sales approach during the reservation process, such as making a personalized call to gather comprehensive guest information and proposing alternative dates or other IHG hotels if the desired room is unavailable.
• Issue a confirmation or cancellation number and communicate this information clearly to guests.
• Determine guest reservation requirements by asking open-ended questions to gather all essential information, including their enrollment in the IHG One Rewards loyalty program.
• Conduct self with a high level of integrity.
• Strong collaboration skills for working closely with internal teams.

KEY REQUIREMENTS:

Physical Requirements: 

• Office Location: 27th Floor, RCBC Plaza Tower 2, 6819 Ayala Avenue, corner Sen. Gil Puyat, Makati City 1200
• Majority of work is performed remotely. When needed and based on business needs, onsite work can be required occasionally.
• To be considered for this role, applicants must be at least 18 years old and open to working flexibly whether graveyard shifts, including weekends and holidays, as part of our 24/7 support team.

Education: Some secondary school, high school diploma preferred but not required

Experience: Previous call center experience in a sales capacity (non-scripted environment) or other call handling experience preferred. Hotel/travel experience desired.

Technical Skills: 

• Strong customer service and sales skills, with the ability to balance sales with positive quest experience
• Strong understanding of sales processes, strategies and techniques
• Excellent bilingual communication skills – listening, written, verbal
• Social intelligence – empathy, self-awareness, cultural sensitivity  
• Ability to customize generic information
• Strong web-based navigation skills
• Ability to embrace technological and organizational changes
• Embrace evolving call and contact types, adopt new tools and processes; 
• Efficient and accurate data capture  
• Ability to use tools and resources to represent the geographical needs of the caller.   
• Basic software and hardware trouble shooting 

• Effective and efficient use of online communication tools and other systems application.