Reservations Manager Project Consultant

Lynne Wicks

Address: ** * ******** ******, ****, Windhoek

Telephone: +264 (0-81-303-**** (cell)

Email: *******@*******.***

Career Summary

Ultimate Safaris – DMC & Lodge/Camp Owners

Project Consultant – June 2020 – current

At Ultimate Safaris I currently work as a project consultant, taking the lead in coordinating departments and resources to increase operations efficiency through various projects.

Current projects include:

Creating reservations systems and manuals to create consistency and streamline the reservations department and training staff.

Managing the transfer from one property management system to another.

Managing the integration and set up between the property management system and the (Pastel) Accounting software.

Private Safaris DMC– Windhoek

Reservations Manager – June 2017 to June 2019

Managing the reservations team who offered guided or self-drive group and individual tours of Namibia and Botswana to mostly international clients including car hire, accommodation and activities, my role was to mentor, supervise and train the team to offer excellent service to our clients and travellers in such a way that the company reached strategic and financial goals. The team collaboratively nearly managed to triple turnover.

Detailed Reporting analysis and managing aspects of sales, margins and profitability through compiling spreadsheets and analyzing trends to ensure we were in line with yield management strategy.

Manage financial queries from both internal and external finance departments

Account set up and management through overseeing agent relationships and improving effective communication channels to ensure sales agreement terms were adhered to including turnaround times and individual format requirements.

Oversee brochure quotes made up of various tours for international agents to offer travelers

Building relationships with our suppliers, negotiating commission structure and payment terms and managing any disputes

Managing client disputes and customer relations with agents and direct clients

Liaising between Cape Town head office functions and implementing within the Namibian reservations team.

Overseeing the Namibian office migration to Tourplan – (Reservations Software) and assisting IT with the Namibian portion of online integration.

Responsible for HR functions such as recruitment, training, assessment and personnel development

Markets Worked in: Germany, UK, Switzerland, USA, Netherlands, Australia and Russia

Blue Views/Zambezi Queen, Cape Town

Apr 2009 to Sep 2015

Various positions

I worked directly with the owner of Blue Views and the Zambezi Queen who ran both businesses out of his Cape Town office where the management team overlapped taking care of both entities. The Zambezi Queen is a world-class river boat offering luxury safaris on the Chobe River. Blue Views is an expanding business made up of 18 luxurious five-star accommodation options in the Camps Bay area of Cape Town.

General Manager - Blue Views Responsible for the overall operational and financial functions of the property group based in Camps Bay reporting directly to the owner. This included the HR of management of a staff of 30.

Creating the Sales and operations budgets in collaboration with various HOD’s. Continuous control, analysis and weekly and monthly budget reporting. Chairing all budget related meetings.

Yield management through target yield formulation and implementation and follow up of strategy success with respective HOD’s

Involved with the expansion strategy including the launch of a new 9 room property South Beach on the Camps Bay Beach front. (Cape Town)

Overseeing the Online Reservations and full Reservation Function and Control

General Administration of all insurances, utilities and property management.

Oversee the Debtors and Creditors Functions including Online (OTA) revenue and payment management

and Bank Reconciliations

General bookkeeping and Vat Calculation for various CC’s in Pastel

Collaborate with the marketing manager on various projects and to ensure that revenue management strategies were executed and managed by the reservations team.

Marketing Manager - Zambezi Queen/Blue Views

The main responsibility was to grow the client base and manage sales revenue in line with the companies ‘strategic objectives through the proactive building of relationships and communication through various online channels and sales calls.

Online Marketing management and OTA set up and management of online rates and special offers

Representing both properties at national and international trade shows strengthening relationships with existing business and exposing new agents to the properties

Creating and sending out Newsletters and Managing communication of any special offers or updates and management of contact database.

Responding to online and direct guest comments and reviews

Revenue and Rate Management including involvement with rates increases and special offers

On-going and month end sales and yield reporting in excel

Sales calls and commission negotiations with agents on at least an annual basis

Overseeing reservations functions and correspondence layout and template usage

Reservations Manager - Zambezi Queen/Blue Views

General Reservations Set Up and Administration for the Zambezi Queen from launch

Full Reservations function for Blue Views for short and long-term rentals including contract

Management. Initiation and transfer to paperless reservations.

Guest and agent correspondence, follow up and pre trip engagement with clients

Invoicing of all bookings, payment reconciliation, management of deposits and applicable cancelation fees

Weekly sales reports in excel

Reporting on Blue Views Property Maintenance and management of housekeeping schedules.

Previous Roles

Hospitality Consultant – Nox Rentals – 2009

Assistant Manager – Ricks Café American - 2008

Assistant Lodge Manager – Sanbona Wildlife Reserve - 2007

Education and Qualifications

CIMA

BCom

Currently studying towards an Advanced Diploma in Management Accounting

Financial Management - UNISA

NQF 7

Tourism Distribution – UNISA

Matric certificate

Union High School - Matriculation with Exemption

Key Skills - I.T.:

Microsoft Office, (Word, Excel, PowerPoint)

Property Management / Reservations Systems - Guesthouse Manager, Semper, Tourplan, Tourwriter

Pastel Accounting - Intermediate user

Set Up experience with OTA’s (Nightsbridge, Booking.com, Booking Button, Expedia, Agoda)

Languages:

English and Afrikaans (Fluent)

Personal Details

Driver’s Licence:

Code 8

Nationality:

South African – Domicile Status in Namibia

Date of Birth:

5 September 1983

Interests:

Hiking, Photography, Cooking

REFERENCES ARE AVAILABLE ON REQUEST.

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