17Managing Recurring Events
Managing Recurring Events
This chapter describes the procedures that sales managers and event managers perform to create and add details to a recurring event, using Siebel Hospitality software. It includes the following topics:
About Recurring Events
Recurring events are a repeating series of events that take place at specified time intervals, but that are associated with only one opportunity. For example, a meeting that is held every month for a year, or a room block for an airline crew, are recurring events. There are two types of recurring events in Siebel Hospitality as follows:
Ordinary Recurring Events. These are repeating events that take place at a given property at regular time intervals, for example, a meeting on the first Monday of every month at a specific property.
Circular Tours. These are repeating events that take place at different properties in the chain of properties owned by a company.
Recurring events can be created for both participating and nonparticipating properties.
Process of Creating Recurring Events
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 create recurring events, perform the following tasks:
Creating Recurring Events
Recurring events are created in much the same manner as ordinary opportunities. The recurring series of events is represented by one parent opportunity. However, because each event in the series takes place at a different time than other events, the opportunity is divided into a number of subopportunities that represent each individual event.
This topic includes the following topics and is a step in Process of Creating Recurring Events:
Creating the Recurring Event Opportunity
A recurring event opportunity is created in the same manner as other opportunities. However, when you create a recurring opportunity, you cannot select a property, create a function agenda, or create a room block for that opportunity. However, you can perform these operations for the subopportunities of the recurring opportunity. Also, you cannot generate a quote for the opportunity. Instead, you must generate quotes for the subopportunities of that opportunity.
This task is a step in Creating Recurring Events.
To create a recurring event opportunity
Navigate to the Opportunities screen, then the List view.
In the Opportunities list, create a new record, and select Recurring for the Relationship Type of the record.
Complete the remaining fields, and save the record.
For more information on these fields, see Creating Event Opportunities.
Creating Subopportunities for Event Opportunities
After the recurring event opportunity has been created, you add subopportunities that represent each individual event in the series of events.
When you have created the subopportunities, you can provide more detailed information, for example, notes, activities, contact information, and so on, about these opportunities. For more information, see Capturing Hospitality Opportunities
This task is a step in Process of Creating Recurring Events.
To create subopportunities for an event opportunity
Create an opportunity as described in Creating the Recurring Event Opportunity.
Click the link in the Name field, and then click the Sub Opportunities view tab.
In the Sub Opportunities list, create a new record.
The Name, Opportunity #, Arrival Date, Sales Stage, and Relationship type fields are automatically populated.
Change the Name, Arrival Date, # of Nights, and Projected Property fields as required.
Scroll down to the Room Block Items list, and create room blocks and line items as necessary by performing the following steps.
Complete the Room Blocks field to create a Room Block.
Complete the remainder of the fields to create a line item for the room block.
(Optional) To view the standard layout for Room Blocks, click the link in the Name field of the subopportunity, and then click the Room Blocks tab.
You can enter information in this view if needed.
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.
Setting the Recurrence for Subopportunities
When you have created a subopportunity that contains Room Block Info, Room Block Items, and a Function Agenda, you can set the recurrence for this subopportunity. By setting the recurrence, all the individual events in the series are created in the Sub Opportunities list.
This task is a step in Process of Creating Recurring Events.
To set the recurrence for subopportunities
Create a subopportunity as described in Creating Subopportunities for Event Opportunities.
In the Sub Opportunities list, select the subopportunity, and click Recurrence.
The Recurrence view appears.
In the drop-down list, select how often the event is to occur.
Available options are Daily, Weekly, Monthly, or Yearly.
In the Recurrence Pattern form, fill in the appropriate recurrence pattern details.
If you selected a yearly recurrence, select either the By Date check box or By Day, Week #, and Month check box, and complete the necessary fields.
In the Range of Recurrence form, fill in the Arrival Date, and perform one of the following steps to indicate whether you want the recurring events to end by Date or by Occurrence:
To end the recurring events by Date, specify the date on which the series of events ends.
To end the recurring Events by Occurrence, specify the number of recurring events that are in the series of events.
Click OK.
The new recurring opportunities are populated to the Sub Opportunities list. The name of each recurring opportunity is automatically populated with a number. Each of these numbers are part of a continuing series. For example, if three recurring opportunities have been created, the names of the opportunities might be as follows: 296-41527311, 296-41527312, and 296-41527313.
Generating Quotes for Recurring Events
Quotes cannot be generated from parent recurring opportunities. Quotes can be generated, however, for individual events in a series of recurring events.
After all the individual quotes are generated, you can create an aggregate quote for the parent recurring opportunity. The aggregate quote, which is compiled from the Aggregate Quotes view, provides revenue and other details for an entire set of subquotes. The aggregate quote is compiled from all projected properties, and as the name suggests, it aggregates totals from all quotes regardless of the property where the events are to take place.
Quotes might be generated for a number of different properties before customers decide which property is most suitable to their requirements. When bidding competitively against other properties for an opportunity, it might be necessary for a sales representative from a particular property to see an aggregate quote for a recurring event if the entire recurring event were to take place at the sales representative’s property. These types of quotes are called What-If Aggregate Quotes and can be generated by a sales representative when necessary. When you generate a What-If Aggregate quote, the projected property for each quote does not change.
This topic contains the following topics and is a step in Process of Creating Recurring Events:
Generating Quotes for Subopportunities
Subopportunity quotes must be generated before aggregate quotes can be compiled. The subopportunity quotes can be modified after they have been generated.
When you have generated a subopportunity quote, you can provide more details about the quote, for example, revenue estimates, macro estimates, function agenda, room block information, and so on, about these quotes. For more information, see Managing Property-Specific Event Quotes
This task is a step in Process of Creating Recurring Events.
To generate quotes for subopportunities
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 Sub Opportunities view tab, and in the Sub Opportunities list, select one or more opportunities for which to generate quotes.
Click Create Quote.
One or more quotes are created, and the Sub Opportunity Quotes view is displayed, showing the property and quote associated with the subopportunity.
Note: You can add other properties to the list of properties and generate quotes for these properties also.
Compiling Aggregate Quotes for Recurring Events
An aggregate quote is one that provides summary details of all subopportunity details for the recurring event. When an aggregate quote is complied in the Aggregate Quotes view, the aggregate property quotes for that aggregate quote, and related quotes for the aggregate property quotes are also displayed in the Aggregate Quote view.
Before an aggregate quote can be compiled, subopportunity quotes for the recurring event must be generated.
When you compile an aggregate quote, the following things can occur:
If there is no aggregate quote for the recurring event, then a new aggregate quote is complied, as well as any related property quotes and their related quotes.
If an aggregate quote exists, and values at the lowest level (such as sleeping room and function agenda) have changed, then the quote is updated with the latest values.
If an aggregate quote exists, and new subopportunity quotes have been generated for new properties, then the aggregate quote and aggregate property quotes are refreshed to reflect the changes.
When you have created an aggregate quote, you can view more detailed information about this quote through the Aggregate Quotes screen.
There are three lists in the Aggregate Quotes screen as follows:
Aggregate Quotes - Total. This list provides the total aggregate quote for all properties. Only one quote can exist in this list.
Aggregate Quotes - Property. This list provides the total aggregate quote for each property. There can only be one quote for each property in this list. The aggregate quote for each property totals all the quotes for events that are to be carried out at that property.
Related Quotes. This is a list of all the quotes for a particular property in the series of recurring events. If you select the aggregate quote for a property in the Aggregate Quote - Property list, you can see all the quotes related to that property in this list.
This task is a step in Process of Creating Recurring Events.
To compile an aggregate quote for a recurring event
Generate quotes for the subopportunities of the recurring event as described in Generating Quotes for Subopportunities.
Click the Aggregate Quotes view tab.
From the Aggregate Quotes view, click Aggregate Quote.
The aggregate quote (Aggregate Quote - Total) is compiled, as are aggregate quotes for all properties (Aggregate Quote - Property) associated with the recurring event.
To review all information associated with the aggregate quote, such as Functions, Room Blocks, Property Quotes, and related quotes, click the link in the Quote Name field.
The Aggregate Quotes screen appears, where you can review the information.
Compiling What-If Aggregate Quotes for Recurring Events
What-If aggregate quotes allow you to create an aggregate quote for one property. This method is typically used when a number of different properties are competing for the same opportunity, and a sales representative or sales manager for a property wants to see whether the value of the opportunity for the property was involved. This information can then be used in competitive bidding to show a customer that a certain property is less expensive than another property. You can compile what-if aggregate quotes for an unlimited number of properties.
This task is a step in Process of Creating Recurring Events.
To compile a what-if aggregate quote for a recurring event
Generate quotes for the subopportunities of the recurring event as described in Generating Quotes for Subopportunities.
Click the Aggregate Quotes view tab, and then click the Aggregate Quote (What If) link.
Click the Aggregate Quote button.
If a number of different properties are associated with the subopportunities of the recurring event, then a dialog box appears, instructing you to select a property.
Select the required property for the what-if aggregate quote, and click OK.
The what-if aggregate quote is compiled and appears in the list, as do the related quotes for the property.
Completing an Aggregate Quote Evaluation
Using the Aggregate Quote screen, Evaluation view, the sales representative documents the revenue information that the revenue manager considers when making the decision to approve or reject the quote for the event. The evaluation form typically provides the following information:
Incremental revenue sources that can result from the group or event. The sales representative can enter more than one incremental revenue source.
Notes on potential future business that can result from the event.
Commission information. More than one commission can be entered.
The date by which the evaluation must be completed so that the sales representative can respond to the customer.
The sales manager’s comments.
This task is a step in Process of Creating Recurring Events.
To complete an aggregate quote evaluation
Navigate to the Opportunities screen, then the List view.
In the Opportunities list, query for and select the required opportunity.
Click the link in the Name field, and then click the Aggregate Quotes view tab.
In the Aggregate Quotes - Total list, click the link in the Quote Name field.
The Aggregate Quotes screen is displayed.
Click the Evaluations view tab, and complete the fields.
For more information about the fields on the Evaluations view, see Completing the Revenue Evaluation Form.
Overriding the Prices of All Rooms for an Aggregate Quote
A sales representative can create a price override that mass-updates all rates for all room types available at all properties. This means that at whatever property the recurring event occurs, the same rate can be offered to the customer for sleeping rooms.
This task is a step in Process of Creating Recurring Events.
To override the prices of all rooms for an aggregate quote
Navigate to the Aggregate Quotes screen, then the Aggregate Quotes view.
In the Aggregate Quote list, query for and select the required aggregate quote.
Click the link in the Name field, and then click the Room Blocks view tab.
In the Aggregate Quote form menu, choose Price Override.
The Price Override dialog box is displayed.
Do the following:
In the Negotiation Rate field, enter the rate to apply to the rooms.
(Optional) To apply the rate to a specific type of room, select a room type from the Room Type selection dialog box.
(Optional) To apply the rate to a specific property, select the property in the Property field.
(optional) To apply the rate to all occupancy types for the room, click the Occupancy field.
The rate is applied to the sleeping rooms and displayed in the Discount Price field of the Room Blocks Line Items list.
Changing the Projected Property for a Subopportunity Quote
In the Aggregate Quote screen, All Quotes view, the sales representative can change the projected property for a subopportunity quote. This can be useful if the customer wants to change one of the events to a different property.
This task is a step in Process of Creating Recurring Events.
To change the projected property for a subopportunity quote
Navigate to the Aggregate Quote screen, then the Aggregate Quote view.
In the Aggregate Quote list, query for and select the required aggregate quote.
Click the link in the Name field, and then click the All Quotes view tab.
In the All Quotes list, select the required quote.
In the Aggregate Quote form menu, choose Change Projected property.
The Change Property dialog box is displayed with a list of all properties that are related to this Aggregate quote.
In the Change Projected Property dialog box, select the property to associate with the quote, and click Select.
The quote is now associated with the new property.
Submitting an Aggregate Quote for Evaluation
An aggregate quote is automatically submitted to the designated revenue manager for review when the sales representative resets the value in the Status field of the evaluation form.
The status of the quote evaluation changes as the revenue management evaluation progresses through various stages. For more information about the Evaluation statuses, see Submitting a Quote for Revenue Evaluation.
When the sales representative changes the status of an aggregate quote, then this change is replicated in all of the subopportunity quotes. The aggregate quote is also displayed in the Evaluations screen at this stage, as are all subopportunity quotes associated with the aggregate quote. The sales manager can access the evaluation in the Evaluation screen list. After the evaluation is submitted, the evaluation form and the quote cannot be modified by the sales representative.
After the aggregate quote has been submitted, it can be evaluated in the same manner as other quotes. For more information, see Evaluating the Event Quote.
This task is a step in Process of Creating Recurring Events.
To submit an aggregate quote for evaluation
Navigate to the Aggregate Quote screen, then the Aggregate Quote view.
In the Aggregate Quote list, query for and select the required aggregate quote.
Click the link in the Name field, and then click the Evaluation view tab.
In the Aggregate Quote Evaluation form, set the value in the Evaluation Status field to Submitted.