Duty Manager

You are the first voice many people hear or the first face they see when they want to book a accommodation and holiday with us. 

Your friendliness, professionalism and outstanding customer service will form their all-important first impression. 
Your role is to make sure your team responds to all enquiries and booking requests effectively - to explain why our holidays, accommodation are so outstanding and to help us to maximise our sales. You need to be results-driven, alert to opportunities to get visitors doing more, up-selling where appropriate and closing the sale.

You will be responsible that your team will also need to complete the relevant records in the computer system and administer bookings right through to the visitor’s arrival. Your customer service skills must always leave a great impression and add to the outback pioneering experience!

Your role will also include additional responsibilities such as being on duty when checking guests in, organising special VIP’s Meet & Greet’s for holiday guests, suppliers and other business to business relationships.  You are responsible for undertaking administration tasks, such as reporting, Quality Control and contact person for our reservations system, staying in contact with agents.

You will manage key enquiries on the ground and respond to any emerging requests while using your people skills to make sure they have a great outback pioneering experience!

Your role will also include all liaison with your team members to deliver the group experience effectively and profitably, plus providing data and feedback to higher management to help develop even better guest experiences.

You are responsible for the day-to-day operation of The Staging Post, being ultimately accountable to the property owners for the implementation of their policies, procedures, goals and objectives.  

Main responsibilities and activities:

• Help reservation staff to answer phones, respond to email booking enquiries, and to walk-in visitors at the booking office if required while managing the team. Our target time for responses is:
• Help clients make the best selection accommodation.
• Make the most of sales opportunities across experiences and accommodation and close sales effectively.
• Ensure team is current with any special deals.
• Ensure team follows the set procedures for recording enquiries, booking details and payments.
• Maintain relationships with customers, handle upscaled confirmations and give them confidence that all is taken care of for them. 
• Support team if required with other booking, administration and special assigned tasks.
• Allocate general tasks to caretaker, Quality Control staff or housekeeping. 
• Report all complaints or difficulties to higher management.
• Keep up-to-date with our product range, our brochures and what is on the website. It is also important to keep abreast of our competitors’ and partners’ products.
• Follow Outback Pioneers Code of Conduct Book and other relevant professional standards.
• Contribute to a cooperative, flexible and supportive team environment, helping out where necessary to make sure results are achieved and customers happy.
• Live the Outback Pioneers brand values to help enhance customers’ experiences and team effectiveness.
• Keep a proactive approach in communicating with other team members to keep the operation going smooth and tasks done. 
• Inform relevant team members of the group needs well in advance and coordinate planning, especially if you are requesting anything outside normal itineraries. Brief the team regularly by adjusting the run sheet on when groups are expected and the numbers.
• Prepare and manage group arrivals, making sure they are met at the airport, station or when their coach arrives.
• Manage check-ins for groups and manage any group events such as introduction or safety briefings.  They may be delegated when you are not available. 
• Check special dietary requirements catered for and inform team of any special needs.
• Respond to ongoing requests during the group’s stay.
• Weekly property reports.             
• Oversee stock levels, stock quality and rotation and use by dates every second day. 

• Oversee the front office areas are clean and tidy at all times.

• Accommodation sales to ensure rooms are utilized to their maximum capacity. 

• Maintain online listings and 3rd party booking website listings to include agreed offers with management.

Core competencies:

• Outstanding customer service skills
• Highly motivated and results-driven approach 
• Excellent written and spoken English with good grammar and spelling
• Exceptional attention to detail
• Strong communication and people-handling skills - ability to unpack a customer’s needs and interests
• Friendly sales skills - ability to encourage and close a sale
• Conflict resolution and negotiation skills
• Ability to work on own initiative within procedural guidelines
• Ability to quickly learn the product range and the main features of each product
• Computer competency and ability to learn our reservation system
• A genuine interest in Outback Queensland and willingness to increase knowledge of the region and its heritage
• Good organisational and administration skills with ability to prioritise and manage workload efficiently.
• Exceptional attention to detail in organising all aspects of a group’s experience
• Good management, administration and record keeping skills with ability to prioritise and manage workload efficiently
• Good liaison skills to work with team to bring together all the elements of a group experience
• Keep in close contact with accounts administration about accounts payable and accounts receivable for accommodation including corporate client accounts and online reservations systems and walk outs.
• Keep expenditure for The Staging Post within budget guidelines.
• Ensure correct procedures, rates and sales techniques are followed and strive to meet agreed KPI’s & goals. 
• Ensure the provisions of policies and procedures are followed at all times.
• Ensure the Property’s high standard of appearance is maintained at all times.
• Oversee the Property work areas (eg Laundry, chemical, linen rooms and plant and equipment areas) are in a clean and orderly condition at all times.
• Monitor, identify and meet the needs of customers.
• Maintain a warm, friendly environment.

Qualifications and experience:

• High school qualifications in literacy and numeracy subjects
• Previous experience the tourism industry
• Tourism qualifications or experience in the tourism industry is a strong advantage.
• On the job training will be provided in computer reservations system, daily operations, accommodation management, tour and sales techniques.