AutoClerk And Best Western s Reservation Payment Processing

AutoClerk And Best Western s Reservation Payment Processing

Table of Contents TABLE OF CONTENTS... 2 COPYRIGHT INFORMATION... 3 1. BRIEF OVERVIEW... 4 2. SETTING UP CLEAR COMMERCE FOR YOUR PROPERTY... 4 3. AUTOCLERK S INTERACTION WITH RP... 4 4. CHECKING IN A RP RESERVATION... 6 5. CHECKING OUT A RP RESERVATION... 6 6. AUTOCLERK REPORTS... 11 7. TROUBLESHOOTING... 11 MULTIPLE RESERVATIONS... 11 MODIFYING A RP RESERVATION; CHECKIN OR INHOUSE FOLIO... 12 Adding Information in AutoClerk to a Reservation or Folio... 12 Shortening Length of Stay... 12 Extending Length of Stay... 13 Cancelling a RP Reservation... 13 Refunding a Clear Commerce Reservation Deposit... 14 8. PHONE SUPPORT... 15 Doc. Version 1.0 2

Copyright Information Copyright February 2011 AutoClerk and Best Western s Reservation Payment Processing All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, or otherwise without prior written permission of AutoClerk. AutoClerk, Inc. Address: 936 Dewing Ave., Suite G, Lafayette, CA 94549 Phone: 925.284.1005 Fax: 925.284.3423 URL: www.autoclerk.com Doc. Version 1.0 3

1. Brief Overview Best Western s Reservation Payment processing (RP) is a new program for reservations booked online. Best Western is working with a company called, Clear Commerce. This working relationship allows Best Western to immediately charge and deposit monies for the properties on non-cancellable CC-Full Pay (credit card full pay) and CC-Deposit (credit card deposit) guaranteed reservations as well as any reservation not booked directly at the property that is past its cancel-by time. This means that all RP reservations are past the cancel-by time. 2. Setting Up Clear Commerce for Your Property 1. Clear Commerce is not automatically setup in AutoClerk. First, contact your Best Western representative. Your representative can help you set up the Clear Commerce and Best Western sides. The setup process includes designating a Rate Plan and establishing a Clear Commerce account. 2. Once you have setup the Clear Commerce and Best Western portions, you need to make a few changes in AutoClerk. You need to set up a specific payment transaction code in ACConfig for the Clear Commerce transactions. In our test property, and throughout this document, we used CC BWI CC. If all your payment codes are currently in use, contact AutoClerk, for help. 3. AutoClerk s Interaction with RP RP reservations/bookings may be made through a third-party source, through the Best Western website, and/or through Best Western directly. 1. When your hotel receives a RP reservation, that day s M1 Bank Deposit shows the monies collected in the Advance Deposit Ledger. You can identify the payment by the transaction code you setup for these payment transactions. Figure 1 shows the code BWI CC in a red box. Figure 1: Example of Bank Deposit with RP Transaction Code Doc. Version 1.0 4

2. An example of a RP reservation in AutoClerk is shown in Figure 2. Note the Pay Type field displays the RP transaction code, BWI CC. No credit card information is transmitted to the property when the RP reservation is transmitted by Best Western. Therefore, no credit card information is available for viewing a RP reservation in AutoClerk. In place of credit card information, the user is provided a token number. The token is a 16-digit, alphanumeric Clear Commerce transaction ID. This ID is constructed from a prefix of BWI followed by a randomly generated 13-digit number. For example: BWI#############. In order to see an untruncated token, the user who is logged onto AutoClerk must have View CC rights in AutoClerk. Management can use the 16-digit number token at the Clear Commerce Storefront to issue refunds. The Guarantee status is a Deposit. The Cancellation policy is 01Y (1 year) for this particular rate plan and reservation. The Advance Deposit amount posted to the reservation is displayed. The deposit amount may include local sales tax (ES) as built at Best Western. This is handled on a property-by-property basis. If your property has built your taxes at Best Western, then the online payment (Advance Deposit) includes taxes; otherwise, the amount does not include taxes. The amount does not include any additional changes posted by the hotel for its guests, for example, a safe deposit fee. Doc. Version 1.0 5

Figure 2: Clear Commerce Pay Type and Token ID 4. Checking In a RP Reservation Depending on how your hotel is set up at Best Western, additional taxes and fees may need to be obtained at check in. In the event these charges aren t covered in the reservation s deposit, you need to get an additional form of payment and/or credit card for additional authorization. If you don t, the guest might checkout while still owing a balance on their folio. Review your hotel s specific policies as to whether you need to open additional folios to accommodate the extra charges or the new form of payment. 5. Checking Out a RP Reservation The user should always view the folio of a guest before processing payment and checking the guest out of AutoClerk. This is especially true if the guest has a credit balance as a result of a RP reservation. The credit balance could be a result of the guest checking out early or a change in room type which changed the rate. 1. Click on the Checkout icon. The checkout screen opens. 2. Select the guest s room from the drop down. The guest s open folio(s) appears. 3. Click on Folio Display to view the folio. Doc. Version 1.0 6

4. A RP reservation will show an applied advance deposit from the account code setup specifically for Clear Commerce transactions. Figure 3 shows a guest s folio balance of $0.00, since the RP deposit matched the room and tax posted with no additional charges. Figure 3: RP Folio 5. If the guest has a credit balance, the monies are going to be refunded, and the guest had a RP reservation, you must process the refund within AutoClerk using the Clear Commerce transaction code. In addition, the actual funds must be credited to the guest using the Clear Commerce Storefront. Figure 4 shows the folio of a guest who has a RP reservation and is checking out early. The refund is posted to the Clear Commerce transaction code. Doc. Version 1.0 7

Figure 4: RP Early Checkout Folio Pre-Posting 6. Figure 5 shows the folio after the AutoClerk side is reconciled. Doc. Version 1.0 8

Figure 5: RP Early Checkout Folio 7. Figure 6 shows the pop-up the user receives reminding them that the guest s refund of actual monies must be done through the Clear Commerce Storefront. Doc. Version 1.0 9

Figure 6: Early Checkout Refund Warning 8. Depending on your hotel s policy, this refund information should be given to management to complete the guest s refund through the Clear Commerce Storefront. Remember, refunding the credit to the guest using the transaction code in AutoClerk for Clear Commerce does not refund monies to the guest. It only brings the folio balance to $0.00, so it can be checked out of AutoClerk. 9. There are times when the guest is owed a credit for their RP deposit but also has accrued charges such as phone calls, parking, and/or restaurant charges. If a credit card was taken at checkin, the user should change the form of payment to the Clear Commerce transaction type to refund any credits owed to the guest. Remember this does not credit the guest s RP deposit. Management must the credit the guest s account using the Clear Commerce Storefront. Doc. Version 1.0 10

6. AutoClerk Reports The following reports are available in AutoClerk: General Reports (G) Bank Deposit (B): This report now includes all postings to the Clear Commerce transaction code. For example, Clear Commerce codes associated with reservations (Advance Deposit Ledger activity) as well as user activity (refunds for shortened stays). General Reports (G) Transaction Reports (T) Detail for a specific transaction (D): When generating this report, choose Non Rev. Then, using the Transaction drop-down menu, choose the Pay Type for your Clear Commerce pre-paid transactions. This is a specific report that lists all the pre-paid transactions used for Clear Commerce type reservations. General Reports (G) Guest Reports (G) CRS Prepaid Deposit M (M): By default, this report shows inhouse guests only. Select Options (O) to specify a date range; choose to include Reservations, Inhouse Guests, and/or History records. Reservations (R) Advance Deposits (A) Advance Deposit Report (A): All RP reservations are listed in the new BW Paid section. It includes the token information, the amount posted, reservation status, and other reservation information. Reservations (R) Advance Deposits (A) Cancelled Reservations with Deposits Report (C): This report allows you to see if you have any RP reservations, which were cancelled, but for which you still need to handle the deposit. Utilities (U) BW CRS Utilities (C) CRS Prepaid Deposit Unusual Activities Report: This report displays unusual activity, such as someone paying for three nights and leaving after two nights. It is divided into sections for Reservations, Inhouse Guests, and Checked-Out Guests. 7. Troubleshooting This section provides details related with troubleshooting RP reservations and transactions. Multiple Reservations The following section contains examples of multiple RP reservations. 1. In the first example, a hotel receives multiple RP reservations for one guest, Mr. Smith. 2. Mr. Smith s reservation shows he purchased two rooms for the same rate. Therefore, the RP Deposit is split evenly between the two reservations, as shown Doc. Version 1.0 11

in Figure 7. If a RP reservation is for multiple rooms, the total settlement amount (Advance Deposit) is broken out evenly among the number of total legs. Figure 7: RP Deposit for One Guest, Same Room Rate Modifying a RP Reservation; Checkin or Inhouse Folio This sections details AutoClerk pop-up windows and procedures when modifying RP reservations during checkin or once inhouse. Adding Information in AutoClerk to a Reservation or Folio 1. If you are adding information, such as assigning a room number or entering a special request, this does not affect the stay. 2. Therefore, these types of modifications do not affect the deposit taken and the user does not see a pop-up window. Shortening Length of Stay 1. In this next example, Mr. Louis has a reservation for 7 nights, but he only needs to stay for 4 nights. 2. When you shorten the stay to 4 nights, you see an AutoClerk Confirm box, as shown in Figure 8. 3. Click the Yes button. Figure 8: AutoClerk Confirm For Modifying Stay 4. The next box to appear is shown in Figure 9. 5. Click the OK button. Figure 9: AutoClerk Confirm For Refunding and Posting Doc. Version 1.0 12

Extending Length of Stay 1. In our example, Mr. Gibb booked for 1 night, but he needs to stay 2 nights. When you extend his stay, the AutoClerk Confirm box opens, as shown in Figure 10. 2. Click the Yes button. Figure 10: Extending Length of Stay 3. An AutoClerk Confirmation box opens, as shown in Figure 11, confirming that an extended stay requires additional funds. Click the OK button. Figure 11: AutoClerk Confirm for Collecting Additional Funds 4. Depending on your hotel s policy, you may need to ask the guest for a credit card number to post an additional deposit or get additional authorization if inhouse. Cancelling a RP Reservation 1. Rate plans have different cancellation policies. For example, Internet Only (IO) has a cancel policy of 24 hours. Because reservations with a RP deposit are always past cancel-by time, they are not cancellable by Best Western International. If a guest calls Best Western International to cancel their reservation, they will be referred back to the hotel property at which their reservation exists. Accepting the cancellation and refunding monies collected on a RP reservation is determined by your hotel policies. When you cancel a RP reservation, the AutoClerk Confirm box appears, as shown in Figure 12. 2. Click the Yes button. Doc. Version 1.0 13

Figure 12: AutoClerk Confirm for Cancelling a Reservation 3. The AutoClerk box opens as shown in Figure 13. 4. Click the OK button. Figure 13: AutoClerk Confirm Refund a Deposit 5. Another AutoClerk Confirm box opens, as shown in Figure 14. Click the Yes button. Figure 14: AutoClerk Confirm Cancel Reservation 6. An AutoClerk Confirm box appears confirming the cancellation. Refunding a Clear Commerce Reservation Deposit 1. To refund a RP deposit, select Reservations (R) Advance Deposit (A) Post an Advance Deposit or Refund (P). The Post Advance Deposit to reservation screen appears as shown in Figure 15. 2. Use the property-defined transaction code for RP deposits. 3. Post the amount you wish to refund as a negative amount. 4. If you refund a RP deposit in AutoClerk, this does not refund the monies to the guest s credit card. It only zeros out the advance deposit amount on the reservation. To ensure the guest receives the refund on their credit card, you must also perform a refund to the guest s credit card using the Clear Commerce Storefront. Doc. Version 1.0 14

5. You will need the BWI token from the reservation to refund the deposit on the Clear Commerce Storefront. If the reservation has been cancelled in AutoClerk, you can still view the reservation information, including the token on the Cancelled Reservations with Deposits Report as discussed earlier in this document. Figure 15: Refunding a Clear Commerce Deposit in AutoClerk 8. Phone Support 1. If you have problems with the Clear Commerce Storefront, you need to contact Clear Commerce or your Best Western representative. AutoClerk is not able to assist you with the Clear Commerce Storefront. 2. However, if you have a problem with a RP transaction in AutoClerk; please call our support staff for assistance (925) 284-1005, Option 1. Doc. Version 1.0 15