Application
This unit describes a key sales and operational function for a diverse range of domestic and international tourism and hospitality products and services and applies to the full range of industry sectors. The tourism or hospitality organisation could be a principal (the supplier) or an agent quoting on products and services on behalf of the principal. The unit has particular application to those personnel who sell as a key focus of their job role. It applies to frontline sales or operations personnel who operate with some level of autonomy or under limited supervision and guidance from others. It is undertaken by a diverse range of people such as retail travel consultants, corporate consultants, inbound tour coordinators, visitor information officers, account managers for professional conference organisers, event coordinators, tour guides, restaurant managers, banquet coordinators or managers, resort activities coordinators, tour desk officers, reservations sales agents and owner-operators of small tourism businesses. The range of products and services and complexity of quotations will vary according to the industry sector. Because of the broad industry application of this unit, it is critical that assessment is contextualised to meet the requirements of the specific industry sector, local tourism industry operations and the particular needs of the job role. | |
Prerequisites
This unit must be assessed after the following prerequisite unit: SITTTSL002A Access and interpret product information. | |
Elements and Performance Criteria
ELEMENT | PERFORMANCE CRITERIA | ||
1 | Calculate costs of products and services. | 1.1 | Create records to administer the customer's details and requirements. |
1.2 | Source and accurately select and interpret product and costing information required to prepare the quotation. | ||
1.3 | If required, negotiate costs with suppliers according to commercial agreements and relationships, and within scope of individual responsibility. | ||
1.4 | Calculate commissions or mark-up nett costs according to organisation procedures and requirements to determine a profitable selling price. | ||
1.5 | Accurately calculate any additional taxes, special fees and other charges. | ||
1.6 | Accurately calculate any required currency conversions. | ||
1.7 | Accurately calculate the final cost to the customer. | ||
1.8 | Check all calculations against all product and service components. | ||
1.9 | Keep detailed and legible records of the method of calculation, according to organisation formats. | ||
2 | Provide quotations to customer. | 2.1 | Prepare the quotation to reflect all inclusions required by the customer. |
2.2 | Promptly provide accurate quotation to the customer according to organisation procedures and formats. | ||
2.3 | Offer secondary quotations with options, as appropriate. | ||
2.4 | Ensure all quotations include accurate details of the cost of product and service provision and the conditions and limitations of the quotation. | ||
2.5 | Record all details of the quotation accurately and legibly and keep on file according to organisation procedures. | ||
2.6 | Minimise use of printed materials and maximise electronic transmission and filing of all documents to reduce waste and negative environmental impacts. | ||
3 | Update and amend quotations. | 3.1 | Adjust and update quotations to take account of changed requests or arrangements. |
3.2 | Provide the most up-to-date quotation to customers inclusive of new conditions and limitations. | ||
3.3 | Record all details of adjusted quotations and keep on file according to organisation procedures. |
Required Skills
This section describes the essential skills and knowledge and their level, required for this unit. |
The following skills must be assessed as part of this unit: literacy skills to read and interpret documents such as customer files, customer requests and complex product costing information writing skills to create customer files and document complex customer requests, complex costings and complex written quotations, including the conditions specifically applicable to the quotation numeracy skills to calculate complex costing components. |
The following knowledge must be assessed as part of this unit: key principles and elements of calculating costs and components of quotations product knowledge appropriate to the specific tourism or hospitality industry sector and the products included in the quotation negotiated cost of supply, contractual arrangements and preferred supplier arrangements in place industry commission and mark-up procedures appropriate to the specific industry sector quotation systems and procedures appropriate to the specific industry sector broad and working knowledge of legal and consumer protection issues that relate to providing quotations and to the products covered by the quotation. |
Evidence Required
The evidence guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge, the range statement and the Assessment Guidelines for this Training Package. | |
Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit | Evidence of the following is essential: ability to prepare and provide multiple accurate quotations in response to multiple customer requests covering a range of tourism products and services and ideally as a component of integrated work activity knowledge of industry practices in relation to commissions, mark-up and fees |
project or work activities that show the candidates' ability to prepare quotations within the context of the particular industry sector in which they are working or seeking work; for those undertaking generic pre-employment training, assessment must cover a range of industry contexts to allow for a broad range of vocational outcomes completion of quotations within typical workplace time constraints and the deadlines determined by the customer and the organisation. | |
Context of and specific resources for assessment | Assessment must ensure: demonstration of skills within a fully equipped industry-realistic office environment using appropriate computers, printers, information programs, publications and software programs currently used in the tourism industry to assist the quotations function or demonstration within the applicable sales environment for the sector e.g. a conference venue for the Events sector or touring environment for the Guiding and Tour Operations sectors use of relevant and current product information to support the quotation process, e.g. brochures, timetables, tariffs and product sales kits use of a full range of operational documentation, e.g. details of supplier contracts and customer files. |
Methods of assessment | A range of assessment methods should be used to assess practical skills and knowledge. The following examples are appropriate for this unit: evaluation of integrated activities completed by the candidate, including sourcing information on destinations, selling products and issuing documents evaluation of a range of quotations prepared by the candidate case studies to assess ability to provide accurate quotations in response to particular customer requests or for a series of customer files written and oral questioning or interview to test knowledge of the principles that underpin quotation procedures and the consumer protection regulations that would apply review of portfolios of evidence and third-party workplace reports of on-the-job performance by the candidate. Holistic assessment with other units relevant to the industry sector, workplace and job role is recommended, for example: SITTTSL005A Sell tourism products and services SITTTSL007B Receive and process reservations SITTTSL010B Control reservations or operations using a computerised system. |
Assessing employability skills | Employability skills are integral to effective performance in the workplace and are broadly consistent across industry sectors. How these skills are applied varies between occupations and qualifications due to the different work functions and contexts. Employability skills embedded in this unit should be assessed holistically with other relevant units that make up the skill set or qualification and in the context of the job role. |
Range Statement
The range statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that may affect performance. Bold italicised wording in the performance criteria is detailed below. | |
Customer records may be: | a computer file a manual file. |
Quotations: | may be for a broad range of products and services, including: single product or service multiple products and services making up a complete itinerary inclusive products or optional touring products groups individuals one-off touring arrangements series tours incentive tours meetings conferences |
may be prepared: manually using a computer may be provided by: telephone verbally in a face-to-face context fax email or other electronic transmission internal communication. | |
Special fees and charges may include: | service fee transaction fee itinerary preparation fee visa and passport handling fee loyalty program (e.g. frequent flyer) redemption fee product booking fee amendment fee cancellation fee reconfirmation fee courier fee credit card fee communication fee. |
Some examples of products and services included in quotations are: | domestic products and services international products and services transportation transfers accommodation entertainment tours cruises entrance to attractions or sites tour guiding services activities meals functions special items with customer's corporate branding venue hire speaker services audiovisual services meeting or event equipment special event consumable items catering. |
Conditions and limitations of the quotation (initial and subsequent) may include: | inclusions exclusions cost of items that are subject to availability prices subject to change inclusion of fees, taxes and levies general conditions and rules payment requirements date of current quotation life and expiry date of quotation changes of conditions of pre-existing quotation or booking changes to provision of pre-existing booking legislative requirements such as cooling-off period after acceptance of quotation methods of customer accepting quotation. |
Sectors
Sector | Tourism |
Competency Field
Tourism Sales and Operations | |
Employability Skills
The required outcomes described in this unit of competency contain applicable facets of employability skills. The Employability Skills Summary of the qualification in which this unit is packaged will assist in identifying employability skills requirements. | |
Licensing Information
Not applicable.