Booking Requests
Video Duration: 4 minutes 22 seconds
Responding To Scheme Operator Requests
There are 6 types of messages that can be actioned in the Mailbox:
- Booking Requests
- Quote Requests
- Booking Changes
- Booking Cancellation Requests
- Hire Amendment Requests
- Service Level Failure Notifications
Booking Requests
When a booking request is received, you can open it via the mailbox or task management. The request will contain all the information available from the scheme operator. At the foot of the screen there are options to print, view the Event History, Decline or Accept the booking. If the booking is for a retrospective hire, this will be identified with red text adjacent to the start date and time.
If the Scheme Operator has marked the end location as TBC, no end location information will be provided as this will be updated later.
If you choose to accept the booking, you will be taken to the hire booking response screen where there is the option to make certain amendments before transmitting the response to the scheme operator. You may amend the start and end dates and times, vehicle group, start branch, end branch or the pricing information. You can also provide the expected delivery and collection mileage, although this can be updated later.
The most critical piece of information you need to enter is your Reservation Number. This is your reference for the hire and will be included on all future messages about this booking. Rental Agreement numbers will be loaded separately, so you need to decide what this reference will be and where you will find it from your own system.
Where a requested price differs from your expected tariff charge, you will see a red exclamation symbol next to the charge type. If you would like to update the pricing to reflect your expected tariff charges, select the “your” link above the charges. To change them back, select the “request” link. It is also possible to manually adjust rates prior to accepting the booking.
Additional charges can be included in the booking using the Add Charge link and entering details of the extra items to be charged. These will be highlighted back to the Scheme Operator on a Booking Confirmed with Changes message.
Once happy with the booking information enter your reservation number and select Confirm Acceptance, which will transmit your response to the scheme operator.
It is possible to decline a previously accepted Booking. This can be done by searching for the booking and then choosing the decline option. This should only be done if strictly necessary, as confirmation of the originally accepted booking will have already been sent to the Scheme Operator’s own customer.
Reservation numbers can be corrected once bookings have been accepted. To do this use the Edit Details link from the hire record and enter the correct number. The ability to perform this function requires the applicable user permission and all changes will be tracked in the Event History.
When choosing to decline a booking request you will be asked to enter a reason, which will be transmitted back to the scheme operator. Once you have done this, select Decline Request and you will be taken back to the homepage.
A parallel email alert can be set up to trigger when messages of this type are received – see the section on Supplier Information.