Questions for Customer

[Emma-Jane]

Here are some ideas about what we should be asking Peter about the specification!

It is a combination of Valerie's ideas and my own, so feel free to add any on guys, and i'll have a list properly prepared for the meeting tomorrow....

1. What is meant be "other" and "group" accomodation? Are there "dorm" type rooms available for large groups?

2. Can clients opt-out of a meal package?

3. Clarify which facilites are shared by all grades and which facilities are specific to each grade.

4. Is a deposit optional or mandatory?

5. Is the bill printable and paid on departure?

6. What "additional" facilities are available? Are these general hotel facilities or room specific facilities?

7. Is dicsount offered at a set percentage rate or other? eg Special offers

8. Staffing - is the timetable printable?
how far in advance is it generated?
how easy is it to modify it?
how many staff members are there?
are there different levels of staff? eg managers, supervisors etc. If so, will they have different levels of authority on the system?
are staff set to work in a specific department? eg Restaurant, reception? Or are they trained to do all roles?
are holiday contstraints on staff? should they be included?
is there a current roster?
how is staff overspill handled?
are staff details kept on a database?
is the staffing pattern determined from historical data?

9. How is statistical information gained, stored and displayed? eg is particular information taken at booking? How long is it stored for and where should it be stored?

10. What is meant by the "current situation"?

11. What is the current marketing strategy?

12. Marketing - what are "permitted slack" periods and when are they?
are special offers available during slack periods?
if so, what kind of promotions should be run?
are promotional materials to be given out to clients during busier periods to encourage them to return during slack periods?

13. Do booking, marketing and staffing all have the same weighting?

14. Is the booking system primarily web-based? Will there be a system for staff allow staff to enter/modify bookings?

As you can see there is quite alot that needs to be clarified before we can start figuring out how the system works!!

[Val]

Thats great Emma. Would be great if you guys could post your thoughts too!

[Richard]

"14. Is the booking system primarily web-based? Will there be a system for staff allow staff to enter/modify bookings?"

yeah and also will there be multiple access to the database? Will there be only one computer disposing of the software or multiple computer accessing the database at the same time?

Do they dispose of any server capable of running MySql / PostgreSql / *insert here any free/open source database engine* ? Or do we have en embed one into our software or use a file based database (Sqlite for example)?

That's all for the moment. More coming soon (or not).

[Pip]

Here are some ideas about what we should be asking Peter about the specification!

It is a combination of Valerie's ideas and my own, so feel free to add any on guys, and I'll have a list properly prepared for the meeting tomorrow....

1. What is meant be "other" and "group" accommodation? Are there "dorm" type rooms available for large groups?
Only hotel rooms with possibility of upgrading to chalets

2. Can clients opt-out of a meal package?
Yes flexibility, options to not take package

3. Clarify which facilities are shared by all grades and which facilities are specific to each grade.
Main shared thing is dining room / bar. Moving towards all en suite (all superior). Non superior is not necessarily ensuite

4. Is a deposit optional or mandatory?
Optional for returning customer or through travel agent. Just over web, take cards over web
Paypal

5. Is the bill printable and paid on departure?
Printable and paid on departure

6. What "additional" facilities are available? Are these general hotel facilities or room specific facilities?


7. Is discount offered at a set percentage rate or other? E.g. Special offers
Discounts implemented manually. Allows certain levels of staff to override any offers. No limits to managers settings of price

8. Staffing - is the timetable printable?
Yes. Individual and printed up one for everybody
how far in advance is it generated?
2 weeks
how easy is it to modify it?
Supervisors upwards
how many staff members are there?
10 chambers maids, 1 housekeeping supervisor 2 barmen
are there different levels of staff? e.g. managers, supervisors etc. If so, will they have different levels of authority on the system?
Manager, Duty manager, supervisor
are staff set to work in a specific department? e.g. Restaurant, reception? Or are they trained to do all roles?

are holiday constraints on staff? should they be included?

is there a current roster?

how is staff overspill handled?


are staff details kept on a database?
contact details
is the staffing pattern determined from historical data?
Auto generate the shizzle

9. How is statistical information gained, stored and displayed? e.g. is particular information taken at booking? How long is it stored for and where should it be stored?
keep all information on customers, delete least recent first. Show charts for times of year, meals eaten etc

[Val]

My additions to Pips post: (I cant edit his one so its sorta doubled)

General

The hotel is called the "King Hotel" and is an elegant establishment based on the coast of Newhaven. It is 2/3 star rating but is trying to go upmarket - it is hoped the implementation of our software will aid this process.

It is primarily a resort for holidays but also accomodates for other periods like weekends and so forth. There are a significant number of business users ("personal service guaranteed"). Staff is important - needs managed well. Prediciting the level of staffing is very important.

The website is to be the source of advertising and also the interface for booking. The staffing interface will be separate.

The software should be easily extendible incase in the future the proprietor wishes to add extension to his business - eg a bunk house, new dorms and so forth. All parts of the software are equally important.

1. What is meant be "other" and "group" accommodation? Are there "dorm" type rooms available for large groups?
Only hotel rooms with possibility of upgrading to chalets (chalets are not implemented yet)

2. Can clients opt-out of a meal package?
Yes flexibility, options to not take package. The meals are to be made to seem such a good deal people wouldnt say no. Non residents can also use the restaurant.

3. Clarify which facilities are shared by all grades and which facilities are specific to each grade.
Main shared thing is dining room / bar. Moving towards all en suite (all superior). Non superior is not necessarily ensuite (there are discounts for people who do not get the en suite in non superior rooms).

4. Is a deposit optional or mandatory?
Optional for returning customer or through travel agent. If people just come in off the street, it would be manadatory. However, a lot of this is down to the discretion of the manager. Just over web, take cards over web or Paypal. Can also pay by cheque.

5. Is the bill printable and paid on departure?
Printable and paid on departure

6. What "additional" facilities are available? Are these general hotel facilities or room specific facilities?


7. Is discount offered at a set percentage rate or other? E.g. Special offers
Discounts implemented manually. Allows certain levels of staff to override any offers. No limits to managers settings of price . Christmas, New Year etc there are deals available.
In general - these deals are highlighted when they are needed and overriding of the system must be possible. Use the booking info to generate promotions. Be able to provide lower prices late on in the week to encourage bookings etc etc. Always an option for manager override.
There must be a way to record that a discount was given.

8. Staffing - is the timetable printable?
Yes. General timetable with everyone but also individual timetables for people.

Full-time/Part-time (non overspill) staff should have their rotas auto generated by the system. The system should flag up warnings when staff is low but bookings are high.

how far in advance is it generated?
2 weeks

how easy is it to modify it?
Supervisors upwards

how many staff members are there?
10 chambers maids, 1 housekeeping supervisor 2 barmen

are there different levels of staff? e.g. managers, supervisors etc. If so, will they have different levels of authority on the system?
Manager, Duty manager, supervisor

There should be a manual entry option for overspill staff.

are staff set to work in a specific department? e.g. Restaurant, reception? Or are they trained to do all roles?

are holiday constraints on staff? should they be included?

is there a current roster?

how is staff overspill handled?

are staff details kept on a database?
contact details
is the staffing pattern determined from historical data?
Auto generate the shizzle

9. How is statistical information gained, stored and displayed? e.g. is particular information taken at booking? How long is it stored for and where should it be stored?
keep all information on customers, delete least recent first. Show charts for times of year, meals eaten, occupancy levels etc. This information is primarily permanent, but should be easily deletable when needed.

[Pip]

Lol yeh sorry val not much effort went into my online post as it was just my garbled notes posted then and there urs are slightly more legible