15Capturing Hospitality Opportunities
Capturing Hospitality Opportunities
This chapter describes the procedures that sales managers and event managers perform to create and add details to an event opportunity, using Siebel Hospitality software. It includes the following topics:
Scenario for Capturing Hospitality Opportunities
This scenario provides an example of a process performed by an events sales representative to create and add details to opportunities. Your company might follow a different process according to its business requirements.
A customer contacts an event sales representative at the National Sales Organization Center to discuss holding an event at a hotel property. The event customer provides some generic information about the type of functions that are contemplated and the room blocks that are required to support the functions of the event. The customer specifies some property preferences and details the payment method. In addition, the event customer wants the property to provide free transportation for event attendees from the airport to the property.
The sales representative captures this information as an opportunity and then performs an assessment of the opportunity so that each participating property can determine the value of the opportunity.
Process of Capturing Hospitality Opportunities
This topic lists the tasks typically performed by hospitality sales representatives when creating an opportunity for an event. Your company might follow a different process according to its business requirements.
To capture opportunities for an event, perform the following tasks:
Creating Event Opportunities
An opportunity can be created from a number of screens. For example, in addition to using the Opportunity screens and views, you can create opportunities from the Accounts and Contacts screens by clicking the Opportunities view tab associated with those screens.
For example, suppose you select an opportunity with an associated sales team that does not include you. The selected opportunity has an associated room block, which in turn has room block line items. If you change the Arrival Date of the opportunity, you cannot access the functionality for selecting Update Dates or Update Day Numbers to specify how to apply the change to associated records. Consequently, the change to the Arrival Date is not propagated to the Date fields on the room block line items.
This task is a step in Process of Capturing Hospitality Opportunities.
To create an event opportunity
Navigate to the Opportunities screen.
From the Opportunities Home view, complete the fields in the Add form, and then click Add & Go.
Click the More Info view tab and perform the following actions.
Complete the fields in the Key Information section.
Some fields are described in the following table.
Field Comments Name
The opportunity name.
Projected Property
The property that is most likely to win the bid in the case of more than one property bid. If the property is flagged, the property is associated with the estimated revenue for the opportunity when the quote is generated.
You can choose a nonparticipating property for the opportunity if necessary.
Revenue
Read only. The total rolled up amount from the projected property revenue.
Currency
The currency used for the opportunity transaction.
Business Type
Indicates whether the opportunity is group or local. A local opportunity typically does not require sleeping rooms.
Sales Status
Read only. When the opportunity record is created, the status is automatically set to Prospect.
Peak # Function Spaces
The number of function spaces required for this opportunity.
Peak # Rooms
The number of rooms required for this opportunity.
Complete the fields in the Arrival Information section.
Some fields are described in the following table.
Field Comments Arrival Date
The date and time the event begins on the property.
# of Nights
A value can be entered, or the value can be calculated from the arrival and departure dates.
Departure Date
You can enter the date of departure, or it can be calculated from entries in the Arrival date and # of Days fields.
Decision Date
The date when the customer must make a decision about the terms of the event. Managers can reference this date when developing revenue forecasts or releasing inventory.
Complete the fields in the Account and Contact Information section.
Some fields are described in the following table.
Field Comments Account
The account associated with the opportunity function. A new account can be added, but existing account information cannot be edited from this view.
Intermediary Account
The intermediary account that brought the business to the property.
First Name, Last Name
Name of the account contact. Select the Primary check box if the individual is the primary contact for the event. Click the Contract check box to include the contact as the primary contact in the event contract record.
Complete the fields in the General Information section.
Some fields are described in the following table.
Field Comments Description
A text description of the opportunity.
Post as Name
The name that appears on the customer documents and announcement boards.
Parking Code
The contractual terms for guest parking, which might include a parking fee or valet services.
Sales Team
Members of the sales organization involved in the event sale. The default is the user ID of the opportunity creator.
Opportunity #
A unique identifier for the opportunity.
Complete the fields in the Dates section.
Some fields are described in the following table.
Field Comments Alternate Dates
Alternate dates for the event opportunity in case the desired dates cannot be booked.
Preferred Dates
The preferred dates for the event. These dates are entered for informational purposes, until dates can be set at the function and function agenda levels.
Complete the fields in the Tracking Information section.
Some fields are described in the following table.
Field Comments Sales Status Date
Date of the last status change.
Reason Won/Lost
The reason the opportunity was lost. Examples are Price, Relationship, Terms, Property Physical Attributes, Lost to Competition, and so on.
Note: Values are only available for selection if the Sales Status is set to Lost/Turndown.Originating Property
The property originally requested by the customer. This field is used when the original customer request cannot be fulfilled and another property is selected.
Complete the fields in the Capacity Requirements section.
Some fields are described in the following table.
Field Comments Total # Nights
Read only. The total number of nights allocated to the opportunity.
Peak # Attendees
The maximum number of attendees expected for the event.
Complete the fields in the Classification Information section.
Some fields are described in the following table.
Field Comments Opportunity Type
Means of classifying the opportunity, for example, Board Meeting, Job Fair, Bar/Bat Mitzvah, and so on.
Group Type
An additional classification means for the opportunity group.
Opportunity Market
Specifies whether or not the sales representative is selling within his or her assigned territory (In Market) or outside of it (Out of Market).
Opportunity Segment
Default value is the market segment value, but the value can be changed to reflect a different user segment.
For example, a corporate account is typically associated with a corporate segment. However, if the corporation holds a social function, the segmentation attributes might be different (social segment rather than corporate segment).
Complete the fields in the Influence Mechanism section.
Some fields are described in the following table.
Field Comments External Event
Another external event that is a compelling factor for the new opportunity. An example would be a scheduled sports event in the area.
Lead Source
The source of the opportunity. Options include Convention & Visitors Bureau, Direct Response, EBC, Field Sales, Inquiry, and so on.
Complete the fields in the Qualification Information section.
Some fields are described in the following table.
Field Comments Opportunity Overview
An overview of the opportunity provided by the sales representative.
Customer Needs/Objectives
Key factors that the client must consider when selecting the property. For example, a new product release function might have special requirements.
Concession
Any concessions that the property must make. For example, if the customer requires free transportation to and from an airport, record that fact here.
Competitor
The name of any other company that is also competing for the opportunity.
Budget Considerations
Details the amount that the client generally spends on an event and the amount spent on the last event.
History
Comments on the previous history of this customer.
Complete the fields in the Manager Information section.
Some fields are described in the following table.
Field Comments Sales Manager
The name of the sales manager for the opportunity. The person who creates the opportunity is the sales manager for this opportunity by default, but this value can be changed if necessary.
When a quote is generated, the name of the Sales Manager is transferred to the quote. Similarly, when the quote becomes an order, the name of the Sales Manager is transferred to the order.
Event Manager
The name of the event manager for this opportunity.
When a quote is generated, the name of the Event Manager is transferred to the quote. Similarly, when the quote becomes an order, the name of the Event Manager is transferred to the order.
Complete the fields in the Relationship Information section.
Some fields are described in the following table.
Field Comments Relationship Type
The type of relationship between the opportunity and other opportunities.
Affiliate Accounts
The affiliate account for this opportunity. For more information about affiliate relationships, see Assigning Host and Affiliate Relationships to Opportunities.
Parent Opportunity
The parent opportunity.
Specifying Sleeping Room Rates for an Opportunity
When you create an opportunity, one of the fields that you must complete is the Opportunity Segment field. This field is important for determining the sleeping room costs to be applied to the opportunity. In this field, you can specify that the opportunity is part of the government segment. If you do this, government rates are applied to the sleeping room. If you do not specify a government rate, then ordinary sleeping room rates are applied to the sleeping rooms for the opportunity.
To specify the sleeping room rates for an opportunity
Navigate to the Opportunities screen, then the List view.
In the Opportunities list, query for and select the required opportunity.
Click the Show More button on the opportunity form.
Scroll down to the Classification Information section of the form, and in the Opportunity Segment Field, do one of the following:
To apply government sleeping room rates to the sleeping rooms for the opportunity, select Federal Government, Government Contractor, International Government, Local Government, or State Government.
To apply regular sleeping room rates to the sleeping rooms for the opportunity, select any option other than Federal Government, Government Contractor, International Government, Local Government, or State Government.
The appropriate government rate is applied to the sleeping rooms associated with the opportunity.
Adding a Function Agenda and Line Items to an Event Opportunity
After an opportunity is created, the event sales representative can enter the proposed agenda and line item information for the opportunity using the Opportunity screen, Function Agenda view, and Agenda Line Items subview.
Because this activity occurs at the beginning of a sales stage, event sales associates typically have not yet identified the specific function space or catering items that must be quoted. However, they can enter sample agenda items and subfunctions, the estimated capacity (how many individuals are planning to attend the event), and general catering requirements for each of the functions planned for the event.
This topic includes the following topics and is a step in Process of Capturing Hospitality Opportunities.
Adding a Function Agenda to an Event Opportunity
The Functions Agenda view includes special functionality buttons that you can use to build function hierarchies and to flag functions that are to be bypassed during the availability check. For more information, see Organizing Functions with the Function Agenda Buttons.
This task is a step in Adding a Function Agenda and Line Items to an Event Opportunity.
To add a function agenda to an event opportunity
Navigate to the Opportunities screen, then the List view.
In the Opportunities list, query for and select the required opportunity.
In the Opportunity record, click the link in the Opportunity Name field.
In the Function Agenda list, create a new record, and complete the fields.
Note: Enter values in the Room Area, or Setup Style and Expected Attendees fields (or enter information in all three fields). If you specify a setup style and do not provide a value for Expected Attendees, an error occurs during the quote generation process.The following table describes some of the fields.
Field Comments Day #
The day number of the function.
Date
The date of the function.
Day
Automatically calculated from the date.
Function Type
The type of function that is planned. Options include Keynote Address, Lecture, Panel Discussion, Roundtable, Seminar, Workshop, Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Breakout, Entertainment, Exhibition, Offsite, and 24 Hour Hold.
Function Name
The name of the function. The default is the function type, but the name can be changed.
Start Time
The start time of the function.
Duration (mins)
The duration of the function.
End Time
The end time of the function. The user can specify a start time and an end time and the duration is automatically calculated.
Meal Period
If there is to be a meal provided with the function, select the appropriate meal period, for example, dinner, lunch, and so on.
Setup Style
The setup style for the function. Setup styles that have been defined as universally available appear in the list. For more information about setup styles, see Setting Up Function Spaces, Sleeping Rooms, and Suites and Defining Day Parts, Status Indicators, and Setup Style Translations.
Expected Attendees
The expected number of attendees for the function, from the estimates provided by the customer.
Projected
The number of attendees the sales representative actually expects to attend the function. This value is used when projecting revenue.
Room Area
Function space size. The room area that the customer wants for the function space, stated in square feet. The user can change any default value that appears in this field. If the value is entered in square meters, the value is automatically converted.
Spacious Set
When this flag is selected, the expected number of attendees is multiplied by 1.5, and the result number is used in the best fit and next fit calculation. As a default, the check box is not selected. The multiplier can be changed during configuration using Siebel Tools.
Flow
This flag is used to indicate to the property operations staff if the customers are arriving all at once (check box not selected) or in a flow (check box selected).
Noise
This flag is used to indicate that the function is expected to generate noise that might inconvenience other guests at the property.
Bypass
If the check box is selected, the best-fit process with availability check is bypassed.
Best Fit Suite Only
If this flag is selected, then the best-fit algorithm is only applied to function space of type suite.
Room Area (Sq. m)
The room area specified by the customer for the function in square meters. The user can specify a value either in square feet or square meters, and the other value is calculated.
Feature
Choose a Product Feature if applicable. For more information about Product Features, see Siebel Product Administration Guide.
Detail
Select this check box to indicate that this function contains smaller subfunctions, and if the subfunctions will possibly contain smaller breakout functions (breakout functions are children of subfunctions and grandchildren of functions).
Sometimes, when the function is booked by a customer, details of subfunctions and breakout functions might not be known at the time that the function is booked. If you select this check box:
You can create subfunctions for the function, and further break out functions for the subfunction.
The Day #, Date, Start Time, Duration, and End Time fields become read only.
For subfunctions and breakout functions, the Date is the same as for the parent function, and the Start and End times occur within the Start and End times for the parent function.
Adding Line Items to a Function Agenda
The Function Agenda line Items list provides the details such as service and products required for each function on the agenda.
This task is a step in Adding a Function Agenda and Line Items to an Event Opportunity.
To add line items to a function agenda
Navigate to the Opportunities screen, then the List view.
In the Opportunities list, select the opportunity, and click the link in the Opportunity Name field.
In the Function Agenda list, select the function agenda record.
Scroll down to the Agenda Line Items list, and add a record.
Complete the fields, and save the record.
The following table describes some of the fields.
Field Comments Item
Select the agenda line item product name, such as coffee, soft drinks, and a table.
Product Type
This field is automatically populated with a value of Generic when the Item field is completed. This is because at the opportunity stage, only generic products can be selected. The generic products are mapped to specific products when a quote is generated.
UoM
Unit of measure for the product, for example, one gallon of coffee.
Service Start
Service start time of catered products. The default is the function start time, but the user can change this value.
Quantity
Quantity of items calculated from the unit of measure (UoM).
Description
A description of the function agenda line item.
Organizing Functions with the Function Agenda Buttons
Using function agenda buttons, you can copy existing functions for an event opportunity and edit the details, as well as create a hierarchy of nested functions within functions. The Bypass button allows you to skip automatic availability checks for the selected function.
This task is a step in Adding a Function Agenda and Line Items to an Event Opportunity.
Creating a Hierarchy of Opportunity Functions
You can build a three-level hierarchy of parent functions, subfunctions, and child subfunctions. To build a hierarchy of opportunity functions, follow this procedure.
To create a hierarchy of opportunity functions
Navigate to the Opportunities screen, then the Opportunities List view.
In the Opportunities list, query for an opportunity.
In the Opportunities record, click the link in the Opportunity Name field.
In the Function Agenda list, add a function record, and complete the fields.
Some fields are described in the following table.
Field Comments Function Type
Select 24 Hour Hold to make the record a space hold function.
Function Space
Select a function space to associate with the function. Available function spaces for subfunctions are constrained to subdivisions of the parent function space.
Detail
Select to indicate the detailed parent function.
Note: For functions for which the Detail check box is not selected, you can define only one hierarchical level, for example, function, then subfunction.Build a hierarchy of function, subfunction, and child subfunction records using the following methods:
Click the Move up and Move down buttons to position a function under the detailed function record. Click the Demote one level button once to indent the function under the primary function and make it a subfunction. Click the Demote one level button twice to indent the function under a subfunction and make it a child subfunction.
Select the primary function and click the Sub Function button to build a hierarchy of subfunctions under the detailed function in the Create Agenda Sub Function dialog box. Select a subfunction and click the Sub Function button to add a child subfunction under the current subfunction in the Create Agenda Sub Function dialog box.
For more information about building a hierarchy of subfunctions and child subfunctions under a detailed function, see Detailing a Function.
Copying to Create Multiple Related Functions
The Copy function speeds up the event agenda creation process by allowing the user to reuse the work completed for previous functions. If another function has many of the same characteristics as the new function, the user can duplicate a function and then edit it to reflect the new function's unique requirements. For example, you can keep some function line items, add new line items, and delete line items that do not apply.
The user can select multiple function records and create multiple copies of a selected function, and then associate subfunctions and line items across a selected date range.
To copy a single function
Navigate to the Opportunities screen, then the List view.
In the Opportunities list, query for the opportunity record.
In the Opportunity record, click the link in the Opportunity Name field.
In the Function Agenda list, select the required function, and click Copy.
In the Copy Function form, complete the fields, and then click Copy.
In the Copy Function form, if you select the subfunction check box, then the subfunctions are automatically copied. If the subfunction check box is not selected, then only the function and the line items associated with the function are copied.
If you then select the Line Item check box, the line items associated with the original function are copied to the new function. By default, the subfunction and line item flags are selected, and the function is associated with the original opportunity for the function. You can select another opportunity if necessary.
You can also create multiple records by selecting a value greater than 1 in the #of Copies/Day field. You can also change the function timing by changing the values in the Start From (date), Duration, Start Time or # of Days fields.
If you change the start time of the function, then the start times of all line items that are copied are also changed.
To copy multiple functions at the same time
Navigate to the Opportunities screen, then the List view.
In the Opportunities list, query for and select the required opportunity record.
In the Opportunity record, click the link in the Opportunity Name field.
In the Function Agenda list, select the functions:
To choose contiguous functions, select the first function, press SHIFT, and then select the last function to be copied.
To choose nonadjacent functions, select the first function, press CTRL, and then select another function.
Click Copy, complete the fields in the Copy Function form, and then click Copy again.
Update the fields in the new record.
Skipping Availability Checks for Functions
In the Function Agenda view, you can use Bypass to skip the availability process at the individual function level. Bypassing a function causes the following:
The function space room rental is not determined or reserved for the function.
The required threshold is not calculated for the function.
The required threshold for the quote is not calculated.
If generic products have been mapped to specific products, such as specific catering items, the correct product prices appear.
Adding Room Block Information to an Event Opportunity
Entering general room block information in the Opportunity screen, Room Block view associates the Room Block Line Items with the opportunity. Room Block information can also be entered and refined after a quote is created for the opportunity. For more information, see Managing Event Room Block Information in Quotes.
This topic includes the following topics and is a step in Process of Capturing Hospitality Opportunities:
Capturing Room Block Information with Rapid Room Block
When creating an opportunity with a customer, a sales representative might want to fill out room block information without keeping the customer supplying details on the phone for a long time. A sales representative can use Rapid Room Block for fast entry of room block information.
This task is a step in Adding Room Block Information to an Event Opportunity.
To capture room block information with Rapid Room Block
When you have created an opportunity, click the link in the # of Nights field. The Rapid Room Blocks view tab is displayed.
In the Rapid Room Blocks list, create a new room block.
For more information on how to create a new room block, see Adding Room Blocks to an Opportunity.
In the Rapid Room Blocks list, click Create.
The Rapid Room Blocks list is automatically populated with a record for each generic room type at the property. For each room type, there is a field for each day for which the rooms are blocked. In this field, you can specify the number of rooms of that type required for that day.
Note: You can only use the Create button once to create the initial record. After you have used the button to create the initial record, it becomes unavailable for use.For each required room type, enter the amount of rooms to be reserved for each night of the room block, and save each record.
When you have entered the information for each room block using Rapid Room Block, click the Room Block view tab.
The room block information entered using Rapid Room Block automatically appears in this view, where it can be further modified if necessary.
Adding Room Block Information to an Opportunity
Before creating room blocks, a sales representative can add general information that applies to all room blocks. This information gives details on the percentages of room types, their price offsets, and the commission amounts applied to the room blocks.
This task is a step in Adding Room Block Information to an Event Opportunity.
To add room block information to an opportunity
Navigate to the Opportunities screen, then the List view.
In the Opportunities list, query for and select the required opportunity record.
In the Opportunity record, click the link in the Opportunity # field.
Click the Room Block Info view tab, and complete the fields in the form.
The following table describes the fields.
Field Comments Single %
The percentage of single rooms in the total room blocks.
Double %
The percentage of double rooms in the total room blocks.
Triple %
The percentage of triple rooms in the total room blocks.
Quadruple %
The percentage of quadruple rooms in the total room blocks.
Single Price Offset
The price offset that can be applied to single rooms.
Double Price Offset
The price offset that can be applied to double rooms.
Triple Price Offset
The price offset that can be applied to triple rooms.
Quadruple Price Offset
The price offset that can be applied to quadruple rooms.
Commission Amount
The commission amount specified for the group room block.
Commission %
The commission percent applied to the group room block. You can specify either a Commission Amount or a Commission %, but not both.
Room Notes
Special requests such as room rates and other room block details.
Adding Room Blocks to an Opportunity
A room block is a collection of room block items, and corresponds primarily to one billing item. When making a group reservation, a customer might want to specify billing methods and rates for different parts of the group. To satisfy these requirements, you can create a number of different room blocks (with a number of room block line items attached) as part of the same opportunity.
This task is a step in Adding Room Block Information to an Event Opportunity.
To add a room block to an opportunity
Navigate to the Opportunities screen, then the List view.
In the Opportunities list, query for and select the required opportunity record.
In the Opportunity record, click the link in the Opportunity # field.
Click the Room Blocks view tab.
In the Room Blocks list, create a new record, and complete the fields.
The following table describes some of the fields.
Field Comments Name
The name for the room block.
Date Created
The date on which the room block was created.
Created By
The User Id of the user who created this room block.
Billing Method
Choose an appropriate method from the list.
Reservation Method
Choose the method by which the room block was reserved. The methods are as follows:
Rooming List. A list of rooms required is sent to the property by the event organizers.
Individual Reservations. Each individual attending the event is responsible for calling the hotel to make a room reservation.
Reservation Cards. A number of reservation cards for the property were completed and sent in to the property.
Housing Agency. An intermediate agency handles the booking of room blocks for the group.
Reservation Type
Choose one of the following reservation types for the room block:
GTDC. The reservation for an individual is guaranteed for arrival by the attendees’ company. No-shows are charged for the reservation.
GTDI. The reservation is guaranteed by the individual attending the event (usually by a credit card). If the reservation is not cancelled within a predefined period of time, the individual is charged for the reservation.
NGTD. The reservation for an individual is not guaranteed and the reservation is released for sale by 6 P.M. on the specified date of arrival.
Cutoff Date
The deadline to reserve the rooms. If the customer has not reserved the rooms by this date, the revenue manager can release the space for use by other groups.
Housing Restriction
Select this check box if there is a housing restriction for this room block.
Housing Company Name
Select the housing company for this room block.
Sequence #
Defines where this room block appears in the list of room blocks in the quote.
Note: In the Room Block Line Items list, you might only have one record with the same Room Type and Day #.
Adding Room Block Line Items to an Opportunity
The following procedure details how to add room block line items to an opportunity.
This task is a step in Adding Room Block Information to an Event Opportunity.
To add room block line items to an opportunity
Navigate to the Opportunities screen, then the List view.
In the Opportunities list, query for and select the required opportunity record.
In the Opportunity record, click the link in the Opportunity # field.
Click the Room Blocks view tab, and select the room block to which to add line items.
Scroll down to the Room Block Line Items list, create a record, and complete the fields.
Note: If a room block has not yet been created, you can click New in the Room Block Line Items view to create a default room block with which the new line item is associated. Clicking this button can help to speed up data entry.The following table describes some of the fields.
Field Comments Date
Date of the room block.
Day #
Day number associated with the room block line item.
Day
Automatically calculated based upon the date. This field is read only.
Room Type
Room types for each room block line item.
Contracted
The number of rooms for a particular room type, according to the contract.
Projected
The number of rooms for a particular room type that the sales user thinks could actually be used.
Blocked
The number of rooms for a particular room type that the sales user would actually block to account for cancellations and so on.
Complimentary
The number of complimentary rooms for each room block line item.
After the Room Block Line Items list, view the Totals row, which shows the total number of room blocks from all room block line items.
Copying Room Block Line Items
Sales representatives can copy room block line items when necessary.
This task is a step in Adding Room Block Information to an Event Opportunity.
To copy room block line items
Navigate to the Room Block Line Items view.
In the Room Block Line Items list, select the room block item.
Click Copy.
Modify the values in the Copy Room Block dialog box, and then click Copy again.
Selecting Properties for an Event Opportunity
After an opportunity is created for an event, the event sales representative selects one or more appropriate properties, and then generates a quote for each property.
The customer might be interested in reserving a specific property for the event, or the customer might have general requirements that must be met by the property. If only general attributes are specified by the customer, then the sales representative searches for a property that meets the requirements. The sales representative can use the Property Locator and the Property Screen to locate an appropriate property. If an appropriate property is identified, the sales representative can add the property to the Opportunity Properties list.
To select properties for an event, you can do the following:
This task is a step in Process of Capturing Hospitality Opportunities.
Searching for Properties for an Opportunity
The Property Locator can be used to find properties in a particular region or area. The Property Locator is available from the Property screen. When you search for a property in the Property Locator, you must enter address details in the search fields. You can also enter other details about the property, such as market segment, brand, or facilities information. However, the Property Locator is primarily a tool for locating properties in a particular area or region. When you have used the Property Locator to find a list of possible properties, you can choose the appropriate property using the Properties list.
This task is a step in Selecting Properties for an Event Opportunity.
To search for properties for an opportunity
Navigate to the Property screen, then the Property Locator view.
Enter details in the search fields, making sure that you enter information in either the City and State fields, or in the Zip Code field, and click Search.
The following table describes some of the fields.
Field Comments Name
The name of the property for which you are searching.
Property Type
Select the required properties type if it is known.
CRS Code
Select the Central Reservation System code of the property, if it is known.
Market Tier
Select the market segment in which the required properties are classified.
Brand
Select the brand of the required properties.
Service Level
The level of service offered by the properties.
Weekend-Weekday
Indicates whether or not weekend-weekday pricing is to be used at the required properties.
Pool
Indicates if there is a pool at the required properties.
Golf
Indicates if there are golfing facilities available at the required properties.
Beach Nearby
Indicates if there is a beach near the required properties.
City
Indicates the city in which the required properties are located.
State
Indicates the state in which the required properties are located.
Country
Indicates the country in which the required properties are located.
Province
Indicates the province in which the required properties are located.
Zip Code
Indicates the zip code for the required properties.
Distance In
Indicates whether the search range is measured in miles or kilometers.
Search Range
Indicates the maximum distance from the ZIP code or city the required properties can be located.
Business Center
Indicates if there is a business center at the required properties.
Restaurant
Indicates if there is a restaurant at the required properties.
Nearest Airport
Indicates the airport nearest to the required properties.
If there are properties matching the criteria specified, these properties are displayed in the Properties list. If there are no properties matching the criteria specified, an error message is displayed informing you to refine your search.
Identifying a Property for an Opportunity
When you have narrowed the list of properties to properties in a specific area, you can use the Property screen to decide on the appropriate property or properties to use for the opportunity.
This task is a step in Selecting Properties for an Event Opportunity.
To identify a property for an opportunity
Do one of the following:
Use the Property Locator to find a list of properties in a specific area, as described in Searching for Properties for an Opportunity.
Navigate to the Properties screen, then the Properties view, and query for properties.
For each property potential in the list, click the link in the Property Name field.
Using the view tabs, determine whether or not the property is appropriate for the opportunity in terms of facilities, sleeping room availability, neighborhood, and so on.
If you decide that the property is appropriate for the opportunity, you can add it to the opportunity.
Adding a Property to an Opportunity
The following predictor details how to add a property to an opportunity. When the sales representative navigates to the Opportunity screen, Properties view, there are a number of buttons that can be used when working with properties, as follows:
Query. Use this button to perform an attribute search on property records already added to the Property list. Property attributes include CRS Code, Brand, City, State, # of Guest Rooms, and so on.
New. Use this button to access the Property Search list, where you can perform an attribute search for a list of properties, and then add the properties to the list.
Create Quote. Use this button to create a quote for each selected property. After a quote is created, the Opportunity Quotes view appears. For more information, see Generating an Event Quote.
Bypass.Select Bypass for a property record to skip the availability check when the quote is created.
Bypass is both a button and a check box field. You can manually select a Bypass check box, or select multiple property records and click the Bypass button to flag all selected records for bypass.
This task is a step in Selecting Properties for an Event Opportunity.
To add a property to an opportunity
Navigate to the Opportunities screen, then the List view.
In the Opportunities list, query for and select the required opportunity.
In the Opportunity record, click the link in the Opportunity Name field.
Click the Properties view tab.
In the Properties list, create a new record, and from the Add Properties list, query for properties meeting the desired criteria.
In the Add Properties list, select all relevant properties, and then click OK.
In the Properties list, select the Primary check box to designate the primary property.
Applying an Event Template to an Opportunity
After an opportunity has been created, you can apply an event template or the format of an existing opportunity to the new opportunity to define standard information about that opportunity. For example, you can apply an event template for weddings, where there are a number of standard functions and room blocks that are used for the wedding. Using event templates can reduce the amount of time it takes to create the opportunity.
When you apply an event template to an opportunity, you overwrite the existing information in the opportunity with information contained in the template. For information about creating an event template, see Defining Event Templates.
This topic is a step in Process of Capturing Hospitality Opportunities.
To apply an event template to an opportunity
Navigate to the Opportunities screen, then the List view.
In the Opportunities list, query for and select the opportunity.
Click the menu button, and select Apply Event Template.
In the Pick Event Template/Opportunity dialog box, complete the fields, and click OK.
The following table describes some of the fields.
Field Comments Template/Opportunity
Provides a list of all generic event templates and existing opportunities that can be applied as a template to the new opportunity.
Arrival Date
Specify an arrival date for the event.
Header
Select to overwrite the information in the More Info form and the Room Block Info view with the information contained in the template.
Functions
Select to copy all functions in the template to the new opportunity.
Sub Functions
Select to copy all subfunctions in the template to the new opportunity.
Line Items
Select to copy all line items for functions and subfunctions in the template to the new opportunity.
Room Block Line Items
Select to copy all sleeping room blocks in the template to the new opportunity.
Histories
Select to copy all historical records associated with the event template from the template to the opportunity.
Properties
Select to copy all property information from the template to the opportunity.
Creating an Event Template from an Opportunity
If the information defined in an opportunity can be used as an event template, you can create a template from that opportunity.
To create an event template from an opportunity
Navigate to the Opportunities screen, then the List view.
In the Opportunities list, query for and select the required opportunity.
Click the menu button, and select Create Generic Template.
The template appears in the Generic list in the Event Templates screen.
Adding Details to an Event Opportunity
Although an event opportunity might not have many details specified (such as the actual dates for the event and the anticipated attendance), there are other details, such as event preparation activities, and preliminary documents and notes, that you can associate with the opportunity for assessment by the event planning team.
This topic includes the following topics and is a step in Process of Capturing Hospitality Opportunities.
Modifying the Opportunity Arrival Date
If necessary, you can change the arrival and departure date information for an event opportunity, or delete the arrival date. When you change the arrival date for an event opportunity, you can control how the dates of associated functions and room blocks change.
This task is a step in Adding Details to an Event Opportunity.
Changing the Opportunity Arrival Date
To change the arrival date for an event opportunity, follow this procedure.
To change the opportunity arrival date
Navigate to the Opportunities screen, then the Opportunities List view.
In the Opportunities list, query for the opportunity whose arrival date you want to change.
Proceed to one of the steps described in the following table.
To... Go To... Automatically shift the dates of associated functions and room blocks by the same number of days as the opportunity arrival date
Step 4
Control how the dates of associated functions and room blocks are shifted when you shift the opportunity arrival date
Step 5
To shift function and room block dates the same as the opportunity, perform the following steps.
In the Arrival Date field, select a new date.
Siebel Hospitality shifts the dates for the associated functions and room blocks by the same number of days as the new arrival date you entered for the opportunity. The day estimates under the Macro Estimates view also change according to the change to the function dates.
Note: This default behavior can be changed through the business component user properties Shift Functions and Shift RoomBlocks.Go to Step 6.
To control the function and room block date shifts, perform the following steps.
Do one of the following.
Click Modify Arrival Date.
Click Menu and choose Modify Arrival Date.
The Enter/Change Arrival Date dialog box appears.
In the Enter/Change Arrival Date dialog box, complete the fields.
Some fields are described in the table that follows.
Option Comments Arrival Date
Enter a new arrival date for the opportunity.
Shift Functions
Indicates whether to shift function dates according to the change to the arrival date of the opportunity.
When selected (default), shifts the dates for the associated functions by the same number of days as the new arrival date you entered for the opportunity. The day estimates under the Macro Estimates view also change in this way.
When cleared, retains the original dates of associated functions. Changes the values in the Day Number fields of the functions to reflect the new relationship between the opportunity arrival date and the function dates.
The Day Number field value is the day number in relation to the arrival date, where the arrival date is equal to a value of 1. For example, if you change the arrival date of an opportunity from June 4 to June 2, but retain June 4 as the date for associated functions and room blocks, the Day Number field values of the functions change from 1 to 3.
Shift Room Blocks
Indicates whether to shift room block dates according to the change to the arrival date of the opportunity.
When selected (default), shifts the dates of associated room blocks to the same date as the new arrival date for the opportunity.
When cleared, retains the original dates of associated room blocks. Changes the values in the Day Number fields of the room blocks to reflect the new relationship between the opportunity arrival date and the room block dates.
The Day Number field value is the day number in relation to the arrival date, where the arrival date is equal to a value of 1. For example, if you change the arrival date of an opportunity from June 4 to June 2, but retain June 4 as the date for associated functions and room blocks, the Day Number field values of the room blocks change from 1 to 3.
Click OK to confirm the date changes and close the dialog box.
To verify the changes to functions and room blocks, perform the following steps.
Click the link in the Opportunity Name field of the current opportunity.
Click the Function Agenda view tab.
In the functions list, check the values in the Day # and Date fields.
Click the Room Blocks view tab.
In the Room Block Line Items list, check the values in the Day # and Date fields.
Note: If subopportunities are associated with an opportunity whose arrival date is changed, the arrival dates of the subopportunities change by the same number of days. The dates of functions and sleeping rooms associated with the subopportunities also shift according to how you shift the dates of functions and sleeping rooms associated with the parent opportunity. However, this default behavior can be changed through the Shift SubOpportunities user property.
Deleting the Opportunity Arrival Date
To delete the arrival date for an opportunity, follow this procedure.
To delete the opportunity arrival date
In the Opportunities list, query for an opportunity whose arrival date you want to remove.
Delete the date in the Arrival Date field.
The dates of the associated functions and room blocks are also deleted, but the relative day numbers stay the same. For example, the arrival date for an opportunity is 1/1/11 and an associated function day number is 3, which is 1/3/11. If you delete the arrival date from the opportunity record, the 1/3/11 date is deleted from the function record, but the function remains scheduled for day 3.
The arrival dates of associated subopportunities, the dates of associated subopportunity functions, and the dates of associated subopportunity room blocks are not deleted.
Adding Activities to an Event Opportunity
You can associate activities with the opportunity record using the Activities view. For more information about activities, see Siebel Applications Administration Guide.
This task is a step in Adding Details to an Event Opportunity.
To add activities to an event opportunity
Navigate to the Opportunities screen, then the List view.
In the Opportunities list, query for and select the opportunity.
In the Opportunity record, click the link in the Opportunity Name field.
Click the Activities view tab.
In the Activities list, add a record, and complete the fields.
Repeat this step for each activity.
Adding Attachments to an Event Opportunity
As part of creating a history of event details, sales representatives and event managers can attach files such as contracts or maps of exhibition displays to the opportunity. The Attachments list for Siebel Hospitality uses standard Siebel fields and procedures for attachments. For more information about attachments, see Siebel Fundamentals.
This task is a step in Adding Details to an Event Opportunity.
To add an attachment to an event opportunity
Navigate to the Opportunities screen, then the List view.
In the Opportunities list, query for and select the opportunity.
In the Opportunity record, click the link in the Opportunity Name field.
Click the Attachments view tab.
In the Attachments list, click either New File or New URL.
Associate the file with the opportunity record.
To view an attachment to an event opportunity
Navigate to the Opportunities screen, then the List view.
In the Opportunities list, query for the opportunity.
In the Opportunity record, click the link in the Opportunity Name field.
Click the Attachments view tab.
In the Attachments list, select the attachment record, and click the link in the Name field.
From the File Download dialog box, choose one of the following alternatives:
Open this file from its current location.
Save this file to disk.
Click OK.
Adding Notes to an Event Opportunity
Sales team members can add text notes to the opportunity, using the Notes view. Notes can be designated as private (accessible only by the creator) or public (accessible by the entire events planning team).
This task is a step in Adding Details to an Event Opportunity.
To add notes to an event opportunity
Navigate to the Opportunities screen, then the List view.
In the Opportunities list, query for and select the opportunity.
In the Opportunity record, click the link in the Opportunity Name field.
Click the Notes view tab, and then click the Public Notes or Private Notes link.
In the Notes list, add a record, and, in the Description field, add the note text.
Click Check Spelling to verify spelling in the field.
Adding Billing Information to an Event Opportunity
In the Opportunity Billing Information view, the sales representative can enter information about an account that is different from the primary account that is used for event billing purposes. This view is also used to enter related information such as the deposit fee for a particular property, cancellation fee, tax exemptions, and so on.
This task is a step in Process of Capturing Hospitality Opportunities.
To add billing information to an event opportunity
Navigate to the Opportunities screen, then the List view.
In the Opportunities list, query for and select the opportunity record.
In the Opportunity record, click the link in the Opportunity Name field.
Click the Billing Information view tab, and complete the fields in the form.
The following table describes some of the fields.
Field Comments Account
The account associated with the billing. For more information, see About Bill-to Information in Event Planning.
Contact
The primary person associated with the account.
Cancel Fee Amount
The amount applied if there is a cancellation. Enter a value in this field or the Cancel Fee % field.
Cancel Fee %
The percentage amount that is applied if a cancellation occurs. Enter a value in this field or in the Cancel Fee Amount field.
Deposit Amount
Sum of money used to secure the event. Click the single select button to complete the Amount Received, Deposit Due, and Deposit Date.
Amount Received
The amount of the deposit received.
Deposit Due
The date on which the deposit is due.
Deposit Date
The date on which the deposit is received. This value is automatically populated when the Deposit received flag is set.
Deposit Received
A check box flag that when selected indicates the deposit has been received.
Tax Exempt
If the check box is selected, it indicates tax exempt status for the account selected in the Account field.
Tax Exempt Approved
If selected, it indicates the tax exempt status is approved for the event.
County Tax Exempt #
County Tax Exempt number.
City Tax Exempt #
The City Tax Exempt number.
State Tax Exempt #
State Tax Exempt number.
County Applicable
The county for which taxes are exempt.
City Applicable
The applicable city for taxation.
State Applicable
Indicates the applicable state for taxation.
About Bill-to Information in Event Planning
The bill-to information is automatically transferred to the quote and can be used during other stages of the event planning. When an order is created for an event, the default value of the bill-to information of the order is the bill-to information of the event. The user can manually change the bill-to information if, for example, a function is billed to a different company, or the contact for a bill changes. Bill-to information is also referenced when generating an Event Check.
Recording Deposits for an Event
During the event sales process, the customer might be required to pay one or more deposits that are applied to the final cost of the event. For example, the deposit might include $750 due with the signed contract, the contracted deposit might be payable at the time of a signed agreement, with 50 percent of the estimated balance due 30 days before the event, and the balance due 72 hours before the event.
In a typical scenario, the sales representative records the amount of the deposit, and when it is due. When the customer remits the first deposit payment, the sales representative records the amount received, the date it is received, and completes the turnover process to Event Management. As additional deposit funds are remitted by the customer, the Event Manager revisits the Billing Information view, records the latest deposit, and the date received. This process continues until all of the deposits are received. The last deposit recorded appears in the Billing Information form field.
This task is a step in Process of Capturing Hospitality Opportunities.
To record deposits for an event
Navigate to the Opportunities screen, then the List view.
From the Opportunities list, query for and select the opportunity record.
In the Opportunity record, click the link in the Opportunity Name field.
From the Opportunity form, click the Billing Information view tab.
In the Deposit Information section, click the single select button in the Deposit Amount field.
From the Deposit dialog box, create a new record, complete the fields, and click Save.
Repeat this procedure to record each deposit payment.
Adding Macro Estimates to an Event Opportunity
At an early stage in the process of making a sale, a sales representative typically tries to find out how much the customer is willing to spend for the full event and also how much the customer is willing to spend for each day during the event. The sales representative can either estimate the amount from previous experience or can talk to the customer to get approximate values. Estimates are based on the expected revenue and number of attendees for a particular revenue category.
The information entered at the opportunity stage is passed to the quote when it is generated. The Macro Estimates are relevant until more detail becomes available either from average values or actual line items. However, if these details do not become available, it is possible for the sales representative to use the macro estimates instead of revenue estimates for the quote.
Macro estimates can be added for both participating and nonparticipating properties.
This task is a step in Process of Capturing Hospitality Opportunities.
To add macro estimates to an event opportunity
Navigate to the Opportunities screen, then the List view.
In the Opportunities list, query for and select the opportunity.
In the Opportunity record, click the link in the Opportunity Name field.
Click the Macro Estimates view tab.
Perform whichever of the following tasks is appropriate for your requirements:
To add all revenue categories to the Macro Estimates list, click Populate.
To add a specific category to the Macro Estimates list, create a new record, and select a revenue category in the Revenue Category field.
The Parent Revenue Categories for each Revenue Category is populated to the Parent Revenue Category field.
Enter a Total Revenue estimate for the opportunity, and an estimate for the Total Expected Employees.
The Total Revenue - Per Person is automatically calculated when these two fields are completed.
When you are satisfied with the Total Revenue and Total Expected Employees values, click Allocate.
The day estimates for the category are generated and displayed in the Day Estimates list. The number of days for each opportunity is equal to the number of nights plus one day, because, for example, an opportunity that is booked for four nights spans five days in total.
The following two fields are automatically populated:
Calculated Average Check. The average cost to be spent on the selected category on each day of the opportunity. This field is calculated as follows:
Calculated Average Check = Total Revenue/(# of Nights +1)
Note: This figure is rounded to the nearest unit of currency.Calculated Total Revenue. The sum of the average costs for each day of the opportunity. This field is calculated as follows:
Calculated Total Revenue = Sum of all Day Estimates Revenue field
(Optional) Scroll down to the Day Estimates list to make any desired changes to the existing estimates.
The values are rolled up to the macro estimate for the revenue category.
Adding an Assessment to an Event Opportunity
The sales associate can use the Assessment view to perform an assessment of the opportunity so that each participating property can view the value of the opportunity.
This task is a step in Process of Capturing Hospitality Opportunities.
To add an assessment to an event opportunity
Navigate to the Opportunities screen, then the List view.
In the Opportunities list, query for and select the opportunity.
In the Opportunity record, click the link in the Opportunity Name field.
Click the Assessments view tab.
In the Assessments list, create a new record.
In the new record, select a predefined assessment template from the list in the Template Name field.
For more information about creating assessment templates with predefined attributes, see Siebel Applications Administration Guide.
Scroll down to the Assessment Attributes list, and then rate each attribute by completing the Value field for each attribute in the list.
The scores are automatically calculated and appear in the Assessment Score and Percentage fields in the Assessment record.
(Optional) In the Assessment record, change the Assessment Name.
Capturing Event Opportunity Information
Sales users can capture high-level information about an event opportunity using the Opportunity Capture view.
The Capture view helps the user specify the following opportunity information from one location:
Property information
Macro Revenue Estimates
Function Agenda information
Room Block information
This task is a step in Process of Capturing Hospitality Opportunities.
To capture event opportunity information
Navigate to the Opportunities screen, then the List view.
In the Opportunities list, query for and select the opportunity.
In the Opportunity record, click the link in the Opportunity Name field.
Click the Capture view tab.
In the Properties list, create a new record and complete the fields.
In the Dates list, create new records for one or more sets of arrival and departure dates for the selected property.
You can create multiple arrival and departure date records for each of multiple properties in an opportunity.
In the RB list, click Create to create a new Room Block:
In the Room Block dialog box, create a new record and complete the fields.
For each required room type, enter the number of rooms required for each night.
Note: You can only create room blocks line items from this list if you have not already created room blocks. The Create button is unavailable if you have already created room blocks.You can click the link in the Rooms field to navigate to the Opportunity Room Blocks view.
In the Functions list, create a new agenda record, and complete the fields.
Click Copy to duplicate and modify existing agenda items.
Click the link in the Day # field to navigate to the Opportunity Function Agenda view.
For a parent function, click Sub Function to add subfunctions under the function.
In the Macro Est list, create a new record, select a category, and complete the fields.
Assigning Host and Affiliate Relationships to Opportunities
A host-affiliate relationship for opportunities is a relationship where one company (the host) handles an entire event and then other companies (the affiliates) do individual parts of the event. For example, a company might decide to host an event at a property, and might ask another company to take part in one of the events. In general, the host would perform the following duties:
Determining the affiliates for the functions
Booking function space and hotel rooms, and then allocating the space and rooms to the affiliates
Booking all inventory, and later distributing this inventory to the affiliates
Negotiating a deal with the hotel chain to get a special rate, which cannot be extended to the affiliates
Host opportunities are represented by one parent opportunity. Affiliate opportunities associated with this opportunity are created as subopportunities of the host opportunity. Host opportunities and affiliate opportunities can be associated with nonparticipating properties.
This topic includes the following topics and is a step in Process of Capturing Hospitality Opportunities.
Creating a Host Opportunity
The host opportunity is created from the Opportunities list in the same manner as other opportunities.
This task is a step in Assigning Host and Affiliate Relationships to Opportunities.
To create a host opportunity
Navigate to the Opportunities screen, then the List view.
In the Opportunities list, create a new record, and set the Relationship Type field of the record to Host.
Complete the remaining fields, and then save the record.
For more information on these fields, see Creating Event Opportunities.
Associating Affiliate Accounts with a Host Opportunity
Affiliate accounts are added using the Affiliate Accounts view. From this view, you can specify the affiliate accounts, contacts, and other information associated with the opportunity.
This task is a step in Assigning Host and Affiliate Relationships to Opportunities.
To associate an affiliate account with a host opportunity
Create a host opportunity, as described in Creating a Host Opportunity.
Click the link in the Opportunity Name field, and then click the Affiliate Accounts view tab.
In the Affiliate Accounts list, create a new record, complete the fields, and then save the record.
The following table describes some of the fields.
Field Comments Primary
Select this check box if the account is the primary affiliate account for the opportunity.
Account
Select an account to be affiliated with the opportunity from the drop-down list.
Last Name
Select a contact from the drop-down list.
First Name
This field is automatically populated when the Last Name field is completed.
Status
Select the status of the affiliate.
Role
Select the role of the affiliate account.
Code
Enter a code for the affiliate if necessary.
Peak # Attendees
The peak number of affiliate attendees.
Rate
Enter details of the rate at which sleeping rooms and functions spaces can be offered.
Function Space Requirement
Enter details about function space requirements for the affiliate.
Sleeping Room Requirement
Enter details about sleeping room requirements for the affiliate.
Work Phone #
This field is automatically populated when the Last Name field is completed.
Creating an Affiliate Opportunity
When you have created the host opportunity, and added affiliate accounts, you can then create affiliate opportunities.
This task is a step in Assigning Host and Affiliate Relationships to Opportunities.
To create an affiliate opportunity
Create an opportunity as described in Creating a Host Opportunity.
Click the link in the Name field, and then click the Affiliate Opportunities view tab.
In the Affiliate Opportunities list, create a new record, complete the fields, and save the record.
For more information about these fields, see Creating Event Opportunities.
Scroll down to the Room Block Items list, and create new records as necessary.
For more information about Room Blocks, see Adding Room Block Information to an Event Opportunity.
In the Agenda Functions list, create new records as necessary.
For more information about Function Agendas, see Adding a Function Agenda and Line Items to an Event Opportunity.
Viewing Opportunity Details with the Opportunity Explorer
The Opportunity Explorer can be used to view details about all opportunities in Siebel Hospitality. However, it can be especially useful when dealing with recurring events and host-affiliate opportunities. The Opportunity Explorer allows you to view details about an opportunity by selecting the opportunity in an explorer window and then using the folders in the explorer window to view the details.
This task is a step in Process of Capturing Hospitality Opportunities.
To view opportunity details with the Opportunity Explorer
Navigate to the Opportunities screen, then the Opportunity Explorer view.
In the Opportunities list, query for and select the opportunity record in the Explorer pane on the side of the screen.
Use the opportunity subfolders to review the opportunity details.
Analyzing Opportunities with Charts
You can analyze opportunities using a variety of different chart formats including pie charts and bar charts. Opportunities at all stages can be viewed as charts. This includes definite, lost/turndown, canceled, T1/T2, prospect, actualized, recurring and host/affiliate opportunities.
This task is a step in Process of Capturing Hospitality Opportunities.
To analyze opportunities with charts
Navigate to the Opportunities screen, then the List view.
In the Opportunities list, query for the opportunities to analyze in a chart.
Click the Opportunity Charts link.
In the Select Chart drop-down list, select the chart type to view.
In the Chart Format drop-down list, select the format in which to view the analysis.
The chart appears in the format that you selected.