Design and Implementation of a Computerized Hotel Business Billing System. (a Case Study of Modotel Hotel Limited Enugu)
CHAPTER ONE
PURPOSE OF STUDY
The main aim of this study is design a computerized reservation entry and guest billing system for timely services. In hotel services, time is of essence.
Another objective of is to design a computerized system which will ensure that the program carries provisions for different tariffs, locations and individual guest preferences. The computer will select the best available rooms for particular reservation or offer an alternative, if the preferred room is already taken or is not yet ready. The program will be flexible enough to ensure that any special request by a guest can be catered for.
CHAPTER TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW
INTRODUCTION
A lot of reference and research works have been carried out in a friendly manner. Literature, journals and computer dictionaries have been uncovered based on this project topic
According to COLIN DIX and CHRIS BAIRD (1988)
“Room status handled by computer is accurate, and both easily and quickly displayed. Details of each room are stored with the memory and as a guest register; the guest list is immediately updated, while that particular room is removed from the list of those which are available for letting. Because the system is so accurate, there is little chance of two people being given the same room”.
They also started that “a hotel which operates computerised system will ensure that the program carries provision for different tariff, locations and individual guest preference. The computer will select the best available room for a particular reservation or offer alternatives, if the preferred room is already taken or not yet ready. It is essential that the programme is flexible enough to ensure that any special request by guest can be catered for”.
They further said that: “A system of departmental notifications and records has to be kept to ensure that the needs of the guest and management are satisfied. In a hotel where computer is in use these notifications and records pose no problem at all. A computer system will usually include a facility to exempt a guest from constantly registering at a hotel. The system may automatically transfer booking details into a registration document, or may be a storage system for those guests who have stayed in the hotel before. This means that on a return visit by a guest, the computer will search the files and reproduce the registration details. A computer may be programmed with details of any undesirable guest who may have caused problem in the past, or been black listed”.
ANN THUNHUST (1990) from her own point of view stated that “many establishments now use computer system with all the advantage it brings like speed, reliability and versatility. As soon as the reservation details are entered, the computer will check room availability and if the requirements can be met, it records the booking in its memory”.
CHAPTER THREE
DESCRIPTION OF THE EXISTING SYSTEM
Description and analysis of the existing system of the existing system is a stage of the study work that involves the gathering of facts about the current system.
Here, the author is concerned with what is actually happening in the existing system as well as what should happen to the hotels practice and policy.
INVESTIGATION
Investigation in this case, consists of facts finding, findings analysis and facts recordings.
FACTS FINDING
The collection of adequate facts about the existing system is often helpful in revealing both its strengths and weaknesses. To achieve this aim, the following techniques, among others, were employed in the course of gathering facts.
INTERVIEW: The author embarked upon face to face communication with the hotels personnel and customers in Modotel Hotel Limited. Questions relevant to the topic were asked and appropriate answers were given. These answer form the basic work of the research.
OBSERVATION: By observation, it means that the author was watching and recording the phenomena as they occurred. These methods help her to witness the flow of transaction between the guests and the front officers.
CHAPTER FOUR
DESIGN OF THE NEW SYSTEM
The modular programming approach is used, this system with modules streamlined to performing specific functions. The modules are:
- EQUIRY: this is the module that will display the types of rooms in the hotel amount payable for each per night and amount to be deposited for each type of room per night.
- OPENING A FILE FOR NEW GUESTS:This is the module that create file for new guests as they arrive in the reception section of the front office.
- VUEWURG IF GVEST FERALLS: this module displays the details of each guest on the screen.
- UPDATING OF GUEST FILE:This module helps to update guest files.
- FINAL BILL OUTPUT PROGRAM:This program computes and outputs guest final bill for the guest verify and pay due and balance issued if any.
CHAPTER FIVE
IMPLEMENTATION
In this chapter, I am concern with the actual implementation of the newly design system with the use of a programming language.
In this implementation, direct cut over is not going to be make use of parallel cut over. Is both the old and the new system will be work in parallel to each other to ensure that all necessary correction are being made.
CHAPTER SIX
DOCUMENTATION
The operational manual for user consumption on the stop of running program is detailed in this chapter. This provides a step wine guide on how the program can be used effectively.
LANGUAGE USED
The language used in the development of these programs is the visual BASIC language.CHAPTER SEVEN
RECOMMENDATION AND CONCLUSION
RECOMMENDATIONS
The author recommendation that;-
- I) the front office of the hotel should have links with airlines network travel agents and hotel booking agents through computer to make advance booking faster and simpler through computer terminals.
- II) The front office department should also have a local area network system to ensure adequate information flow within the department and the management and other branches of the hotel.
- the various personnel at the front should be trained or re-educated on the proper operation of the new system.
- And finally, maintenance and repair of computer should be done by professionals and adequate security and control measures be introduced.
CONCLUSION
Computer as an electronic device can be used in allocation of rooms reservation of rooms and computing of guests bill.
Therefore, the author concludes that if the new system is effectively implemented by the front office of the hotel, it with eliminate the tedious work which are associated with the making up of accounts re-registering of their constant guests and assigning the same room to more than one guest.
The new system will improve efficiency and provide more reliable and faster means of processing data.
And also promote the way in which rooms are located and reserved since the old system is too slow in accomplishing all those.
The author advice is that computer not be seen or made to appear as a threat to the employees but rather as a design to assist man in his work.
REFERENCES:
- ANDESON, RG. (1979) MANAGEMENT CONCEPT TECHNIGUES
- AND CASES JULAB PUBLISHERS LIMITED IBADAN. PAGES 4133.
- ANDRENS’S (1993) HOTEL FRONT OFFICE TRAINING MCGRAN HILL PUBLISHING COMPANY LIMITED 11TH EDITION, pages 24-25
- BEAVIS,J,R.S. MEDLIKS (1990) THE BUSINESS OF HOTELS. FAKENLEN PRESS LINUTED. FAKENLEN NORFOLK, ISTEDITION, pages 144-1447.
- DIX, C.L,BAIRD C (1990) FRONT OFFICE OPERATIONS,PITMAN PUBLISHING 128 LONG ACRE, LONDON WXZE, pages 27,33,-34,41,50,60,61,66,88.
- EVANS J.(1974) CATERING IN SCHOOL AND COLLEGES. JENKINS PRESS, LODON IST EDITION, pages 48.
- HAITER,R. (1994) SATIETY IN CATERING A GUIDE FOR SUPER VISORS AND MANA GERS,PRINTED IN GREAT BRITAN BY SCOTPRIN G LTD, MUSSEL BURGHT,PAGES 96.
- KIN TON, R, CESSRANI, V. (1994) THE THEORY OF CATERING, PRINTED BR BITER AND TANNER LIMITED 7TH EDITION PAGE 81.
- PAIGE, G.J. (1984) HOW TO BE A SUCCESSFUL HOTEL RECEPTIONIST,PRINTED BR MACKAYS OF CHATHAM,2ND EDTION PAGES 122,144,164.
- THUNDURST.A (1990) FRONT OF HOUSE OPREATION MACMILAD PRESS LIMITED 1ST EDITION PAGES 23,27,37,82,99,12 AND 115.