JPH10312414A - Front job support system in hotel - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve service and to acquire many users of a hotel by enabling special service for a member as saving manpower of a front job in the hotel. SOLUTION: A new room key card is not issued for the user of the hotel having a member's card and whose reservation of stay is completed based on a member's number by a card issuing machine 15 and the member's card is used as the room key card. Then, when the member's card is inserted into an automatic check-in/check-out device 21, a reception work to return the member's card to the user after it is rewritten to a condition effective as a room key by referring to reservation information and customer information based on the member's number is performed at the check-in and on the other hand, adjustment work is performed by referring to the customer information based on the member's number at check-out by the automatic check in/check-out device 21.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a hotel front service support system for automating a hotel front service to save labor.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In the hotel business, a reservation management business for managing reservation information, a customer management business for managing information of a guest who stays, and a check-in business for checking accommodation reservations and starting accommodation. There are services such as check-out services for reimbursement of accommodation contents, and it is required that these services be automated to save labor.

[0003] Therefore, a system has been proposed which comprehensively manages the various business contents as described above and supports a hotel front business. In this system, check-in /
By automating the check-out work and using it together with the reservation / customer management work, the front-office work is saved. In the system, at the time of check-in, the guest receives a room key card in which the room number is recorded at the front desk but the room key is still invalid as the room key, and inserts the room key card into the terminal to insert the terminal key into the terminal. The check-in operation is performed with reference to the display section of.
Then, on the terminal side, based on the room number recorded on the room key card, the terminal automatically performs the receiving operation by referring to the reservation information and customer information managed by the higher-level device, and executes the room key card. And rewrite it to a valid state as a room key before returning it to the guest.

On the other hand, at the time of check-out, the guest
The user inserts the room key card into the terminal and performs a checkout operation while referring to the display unit of the terminal. Then, on the terminal side, based on the room number recorded on the room key card, the payment operation is automatically performed by referring to the customer information managed by the host device.

[0005]

By the way, in the above-mentioned conventional hotel front service support system, a room key card is issued to all the guests to provide the same service. Members (hereinafter,
It is desired to improve the service and provide a large number of hotel users on a regular basis by providing a special service to such members.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and enables a special service to be provided to members while saving labor in hotel front operations.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a hotel front service support system that contributes to improving services for members and eventually acquiring many hotel users.

[0007]

To achieve the above object, a hotel front service support system (Claim 1) of the present invention is connected to a card issuing machine for issuing a room key card in which a room number is recorded. And a front terminal device that manages reservation information and customer information and, when a room key card is inserted, refers to the reservation information and customer information based on the room number at the time of check-in, and the room key card is valid as a room key. A system that includes an automatic check-in / check-out device that performs a check-out operation by referring to customer information based on the room number at the time of check-out, while performing a reception operation of rewriting and returning to a predetermined member. A membership card that issues a membership card with a membership number recorded to the hotel user who has performed the registration process For hotel users who have a membership card issued by the membership card issuing means and have completed a hotel reservation based on the membership number, a new room key card is issued by a card issuing machine. Is issued, the member card is used as a room key card, and when the automatic check-in / check-out device inserts the member card, the check-in refers to the reservation information and customer information based on the member number at the time of check-in. It is characterized by performing a reception business of rewriting a member card to a valid state as a room key and then returning it, while performing checkout operation by referring to customer information based on the member number at the time of checkout.

[0008] At this time, the automatic check-in / check-out device rewrites the room key card into an invalid state as a room key after performing the settlement operation, and collects the room key card. After rewriting to an invalid state, it is returned to the hotel user who is a member (claim 2). Also, the automatic check-in / check-out device changes the usage fee charged to the hotel user who inserted the card according to whether the inserted card is a room key card or a membership card. (Claim 3).

With the above-described configuration, in the hotel front service support system of the present invention (claim 1), a hotel user (member) who has previously performed a member registration process and has a member card can use the member card. If you have made a reservation based on the membership number recorded in the hotel, you can insert the membership card directly into the automatic check-in / check-out device without performing a procedure such as issuing a room key card at the hotel reception. Check-in processing can be performed. That is, the member does not need to perform any procedures at the front desk, and can provide a special service to the member while saving labor in the hotel front operation.

[0010] Also, at the time of check-out, the member card can be re-used many times by rewriting the member card as a room key to an invalid state and returning it to the member. Item 2). Further, the hotel user who has inserted the membership card, that is, the member, can be charged at a different accommodation fee (for example, a reduced service fee) from the ordinary hotel user who has inserted the room key card, A special service can be provided to the user (claim 3).

[0011]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a hotel front service support system as one embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, the hotel front service support system of this embodiment comprises a hotel front system 10 and a customer. And an operation-type terminal 20.

The hotel front system 10 includes a host computer 11, a front terminal (front terminal device) 1
2, a reservation management database 13, a customer management database 14, and a card issuing machine 15. The customer operation type terminal 20 is for performing a check-in operation and a check-out operation by a user's own operation. In the present embodiment, an automatic check-in / check-out machine described later with reference to FIG. (Automatic check-in / check-out device) 21.

The host computer 11 is connected to the front terminal 12 and the automatic check-in / check-out machine 21 via a line, and is for managing the entire system in its entirety. In addition, the automatic check-in / check-out machine 21 can be directly connected to the computer serving as the front terminal 12 for operation.

The front terminal 12 manages reservation information of customers (hotel users and members) by using a reservation management database 13, manages information of customers staying by using a customer management database 14, and issues a card. Machine 1
5 is controlled. The card issuing machine 15
A room key card with the room number recorded is issued as an invalid room key to ordinary hotel users, and the registered contents such as membership numbers are recorded for hotel users who have performed the prescribed membership registration process It also functions as a member card issuing means for issuing the membership card.

As the member card, for example, a plastic card used for a cash card or the like, a paper card, a PET card used for a prepaid card or the like can be used. Further, in this embodiment, the room key card and the member card are issued by the same card issuing machine 15, but the card issuing machine for issuing the room key card and the card issuing machine for issuing the member card are separately provided. You may comprise as a thing.

One of the important features of the present embodiment is that, as will be described later with reference to FIG. 3, the user has a membership card issued by the card issuing machine 15 and completes the accommodation reservation based on the membership number. For the hotel user (that is, the member) who is doing so, the member card is used as a room key card without issuing a new room key card by the card issuing machine 15. is there.

The automatic check-in / check-out machine 21 of the present embodiment reads data (room number or member number) of a room key card or a member card inserted by a customer, and reads the contents thereof into the host computer 1.
1 or the front terminal 12 to control the cash unit (see reference numerals 27 and 28 in FIG. 2) based on an instruction from the host computer 11 or the front terminal 12 to perform hotel reception / payment operations. .

More specifically, when the room key card or the membership card is inserted, the automatic check-in / check-out machine 21 of this embodiment
Refer to the reservation information and customer information based on the room number or member number recorded on the card, rewrite the room key card or member card as a valid state as a room key and then return it, while checking When the customer goes out, the customer is referred to the customer information based on the room number or the member number to perform the settlement.

At this time, after the automatic check-in / check-out machine 21 performs the settlement operation, the room key card is rewritten as an invalid state as the room key and then collected, while the member card is collected as the room key. It is configured to be rewritten to an invalid state and then returned to the hotel user who is a member. Further, the automatic check-in / check-out machine 21 of the present embodiment receives a notification from the host computer 11 or the front terminal 12 depending on whether the inserted card is a room key card or a membership card, and It is configured to have a function of changing a usage fee charged to a hotel user who has inserted a card.

Here, a detailed configuration of the automatic check-in / check-out machine 21 of the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. As shown in FIG. 2, the automatic check-in / check-out machine 21 of the present embodiment includes a main control unit 22, a display unit 23, a key input unit 24, a card processing unit 25, a receipt printing unit 26, a bill handling unit. (Cash unit) 27, coin handling unit (cash unit) 28, and power supply unit 29.

The main control unit 22 controls the automatic check-in /
A CPU 30 for overall management and control of the entire checkout machine 21 and includes a CPU 30 for performing various processes, a memory 31 for holding various programs and data and also functioning as a work area, and a screen control unit 32 , A key input control unit 33, a mechanical unit control unit 34 and a line control unit 35.

The screen control unit 32 controls a display state of the display unit 23 described later, and a key input control unit 33
Is key operation information from a key input unit 24 (operation information by customer; mostly reservation confirmation information and fee confirmation information)
Is to be reflected in the capture control. The mechanical unit control unit 34 controls operations of various mechanical units, for example, a card processing unit 25, a receipt printing unit 26, a bill handling unit 27, and a coin handling unit 28, which will be described later. The line control unit 35 controls the line with the host computer 11 or the front terminal 12.

The display unit 23 is controlled by the screen control unit 32 to display a guidance screen for the customer. The key input unit 24 is configured as a touch panel overlaid on the display unit 23. To make the customer who has referred to the guide screen perform a key input operation. The card processing unit 25 has a function of reading the room number or member number recorded on the inserted room key card or member card, and a function of rewriting the valid / invalid state of the function as a room key. After the checkout operation is completed at the time of check-out, the room key card is collected and the member card is returned.

The receipt printing unit 26 prints and issues a receipt for the amount of money received from a customer, and the banknote handling unit 27 and the coin handling unit 28 perform cash deposit / withdrawal. For handling bills and coins, respectively. The power supply unit 29 supplies power to each part of the automatic check-in / check-out machine 21 of the present embodiment.

Next, the operation of the system of the present embodiment configured as described above will be described with reference to FIGS. Operations at the front desk include a reservation management operation, a customer management operation, a check-in operation, and a check-out operation, which will be described later. The reservation management service is for managing hotel reservations, and although not shown, receives reservations from customers by a reservation means such as telephone or verbal, inputs from the front terminal 12, and inputs the reservation management database. 13 is performed. For customers (members) who have registered as members in advance, their membership numbers are also input at the time of reservation.

The customer management service is for managing customer information, and records and manages the reservation information input in the reservation management service as customer information. This customer information is also registered in the customer management database 14 using the front terminal 12, and the information is edited and the like. Further, a characteristic feature of the customer management business of the present embodiment is a business of registering a hotel accommodation member. This member registration business is positioned as being included in the customer management business. A customer who has performed a predetermined member registration process is registered as a member, and a special service is provided to the member.

In the customer management operation, when a request to become a member is received from a customer, the member is registered by operating the front terminal 12, and the information is registered in the customer management database 14, and the registered contents are registered. The card issuing device 15 issues the membership card (member number, etc.) and passes it to the customer. Check-in work is usually a work to confirm the reservation at the front desk and hand over the room key,
In the present embodiment, this is performed by the customer inserting and operating a room key card or a membership card in the automatic check-in / check-out machine 21.

Here, the check-in procedure in the present embodiment will be described with reference to the flowchart (steps S1 to S5) shown in FIG. In the case of a normal customer (NO route from step S1), the customer confirms a reservation / enters an inn book at the front desk (step S2), and then invalidates the room issued by the card issuing machine 15. A key card (unregistered card) is received (step S3). Next, the room key card is inserted into the automatic check-in / check-out machine 21, and the room key card is rewritten from an invalid state to a valid state by paying a deposit (step S4). As a result, the customer can unlock the assigned room key using the room key card, and can use the room.

On the other hand, if the customer has a membership card issued by the card issuing machine 15 and has completed accommodation reservation based on the membership number (YES route from step S1), a new card is issued by the card issuing machine 15 at the front desk. Without issuing a room key card, the member is caused to perform a check-in process using the member card as a room key card (step S5). That is, the member card issued in the customer management business (member registration business) becomes the room key card as it is, and the member inserts the member card into the automatic check-in / check-out machine 21, pays the advance payment, and changes the member card. The invalid state is rewritten to the valid state (step S4). This allows this customer to
The assigned room key can be unlocked using the member card, and the room can be used.

Therefore, the member does not need to perform a procedure such as confirmation of reservation at the front desk or receipt of a room key card which is required for a normal customer, and the check-in process is directly performed by the automatic check-in / check-out machine 21. Can be performed. The check-in processing operation of the automatic check-in / check-out machine 21 will be described later with reference to FIGS.

In the check-out operation, usually, the amount of money used is settled at the front desk. In this embodiment, as in the case of check-in, the customer inputs a room key card or a check-in key to the automatic check-in / check-out machine 21. It is performed by inserting and operating a membership card. Here, the flowchart shown in FIG.
The checkout procedure in the present embodiment will be described with reference to 14).

During the check-out process, the customer automatically checks in / checks in the room key card or the membership card.
Insert it into the checkout machine 21. At this time, after referring to the room information (customer information) in the customer management database 14 based on the room number or the member number read from the card, the usage fee is adjusted (the difference from the advance payment) based on the information. Then, the card is rewritten from the valid state to the invalid state (step S11).

After performing such a settlement operation, if the customer is a normal hotel user (from step S12 to N)
O route; that is, if the card is a room key card), the room key card is collected (step S13). On the other hand, when the customer is a member (step S1)
From 2 to YES route; that is, when the card is a member card), the member card rewritten to the invalid state is returned to the member (step S14).

Therefore, at the time of checkout, the member card can be reused as a room key card by rewriting the member card as a room key card by rewriting it to an invalid state as a room key and returning it to the member. become. In addition, automatic check-in / check-out machine 2
7 and 8 show the check-in processing operation in
Will be described later with reference to FIG.

Next, referring to the flowcharts (steps S21 to S39) shown in FIG. 5 and FIG.
Will be described. When the power is turned on, the automatic check-in / check-out machine 21 checks the operation of each of the units 22 to 29 in the apparatus (step S21). If an error is found at that time (YES from step S22). Route), a pause screen is displayed on the display unit 23, and a loop state is set (step S2).
3). If there is no error (NO route from step S22), a user waiting screen is displayed to wait for the customer (step S24).

When the room key card or the member card is inserted (the insertion route from step S25), the room number or the member number is read (step S2).
6), and transmits the information to the host computer 11 or the front terminal 12 (step S27). The host computer 11 or the front terminal 12 confirms the reservation information based on the room number or the member number (step S28).

The result of the confirmation of the reservation information is NG (No Goo
If d) (NO route from step S29),
In the automatic check-in / check-out machine 21, the reservation N
G is displayed on the display unit 23 (step S3
3), return the card (step S35), and return to step S24. On the other hand, when the result of the confirmation of the reservation information is OK (YES route from step S29), the information such as the name of the reservation person, the staying period, and the charge from the host computer 11 or the front terminal 12 are automatically checked in / out. The information is transmitted (downloaded) to the user 21 (step S30), and the information is displayed on the display unit 23 to ask the user for confirmation (step S31).

If the result of the user's confirmation is NG (NO route from step S32), the display unit 23
, A guide is displayed to go to the front, and then the card is returned (step S35), and the process returns to step S24. On the other hand, if the result of the confirmation by the user is OK (YES route from step S32), deposit processing of the advance receipt is performed using the bill handling unit 27 and the coin handling unit 28 (step S36). If a change is required in the deposit result, the change is refunded to the user using the bill handling unit 27 and the coin handling unit 28 (step S37).

When the payment is determined as described above, the contents of the room key card or the membership card are rewritten by the card processing unit 25 to make the room key valid (step S38), and the card is used by the user (customer). (Step S39) and then Step S2
Return to 4. In the present embodiment, when the user is a normal customer and when the user is a member, the type of the user is determined from the contents of the card key even when using the same type of room, and the usage fee is determined. A change is made (setting of a discount rate), and in step S30, the contents are notified from the host computer 11 or the front terminal 12 to the automatic check-in / check-out machine 21. As a result, in the automatic check-in / check-out machine 21, the hotel user who has inserted the member card, that is, the member, has a different room charge (for example, a reduced service charge) than the normal hotel user who has inserted the room key card. ) Can be made.

Finally, referring to the flowcharts (steps S41 to S61) shown in FIG. 7 and FIG.
1 will be described. When the power is turned on, the automatic check-in / check-out machine 21 checks the operation of each of the units 22 to 29 in the apparatus (step S41). If an error is found at that time (YES from step S42). Route), a pause screen is displayed on the display unit 23, and a loop state is set (step S4).
3). If there is no error (NO route from step S42), a user waiting screen is displayed to wait for the customer (step S24).

When the room key card or the member card is inserted (the insertion route from step S45), the room number or the member number is read (step S4).
6) The information such as the room number or member number recorded in the card is transmitted to the host computer 11 or the front terminal 12 (step S47). The host computer 11 or the front terminal 12 adjusts the advance payment and the usage fee such as the accommodation charge and the telephone charge based on the room number or the member number, determines the adjustment amount (step S48), and stores the adjustment amount in the host. It is downloaded from the computer 11 or the front terminal 12 to the automatic check-in / check-out device 21 (step S49).

Then, the automatic check-in / check-out machine 21 displays information such as the settlement amount from the host computer 11 or the front terminal 12 on the display unit 23, and requests the customer to confirm the display contents (step). S50). If the result of the check is NG (NO route from step S51), guidance is displayed on the display unit 23 so as to go to the front (step S5).
2) Return to step S44.

On the other hand, if the result of checking the settlement amount is OK (YES route from step S51), the process proceeds to the settlement process. At this time, if there is a shortage (payment amount) (YES route from step S52), the banknote handling unit 27 and the coin handling unit 28 are used to perform the shortage deposit process (step S54). If a change occurs in the gold depositing process, the change is refunded to the user using the banknote handling unit 27 and the coin handling unit 28 (step S55).
If there is no shortage (NO route from step S52),
If you want to generate a refund by settlement, the banknote handling unit 2
The refund is refunded using the coin 7 and the coin handling unit 28 (step S56).

Next, the contents of the room key card or the membership card are rewritten by the card processing unit 25, and the card is invalidated as the room key (step S57). If the card is a member card (YES in step S58). In the case of the route; that is, when the customer is a member), the member card is returned to the customer (step S59). On the other hand, if the card is not a membership card (NO route from step S58; that is, if the customer is a normal hotel user), the room key card rewritten to an invalid state is collected (step S60). Finally, the receipt is printed and issued by the receipt printing unit 26 (step S61), and the process returns to step S44.

As described above, according to the hotel front service support system as one embodiment of the present invention, while saving labor in the hotel front service, special registration is performed for members who carry out registration processing in advance and possess a membership card. Services to members, improving services for members,
As a result, there is an advantage that it greatly contributes to the acquisition of a large number of hotel users.

It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and can be variously modified and implemented without departing from the present invention and its gist.

[0047]

As described above in detail, according to the hotel front service support system of the present invention (claim 1), a member who has performed a predetermined member registration process in advance and has a member card can receive a hotel card. This eliminates the need for procedures such as issuing a room key card at the reception desk, so that special services can be provided to members while saving labor on hotel front operations. This has the effect of greatly contributing to the acquisition of users.

Also, at the time of check-out, the member card is rewritten to an invalid state as a room key and then returned to the member, so that the member card can be reused many times. (2), which contributes to the improvement of the service for, and the acquisition of a large number of hotel users. In addition, members who have inserted a membership card will be charged at a different room rate from ordinary hotel users who have inserted a room key card,
A special service can be provided to the member, which contributes to the improvement of the service to the member and the acquisition of a large number of hotel users (claim 3).

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a hotel front service support system as one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a detailed configuration of an automatic check-in / check-out machine according to the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating a check-in procedure according to the embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating a checkout procedure according to the embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart for explaining a check-in processing operation of the automatic check-in / check-out machine in the embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart for explaining a check-in processing operation of the automatic check-in / check-out machine in the embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart for explaining a check-out processing operation of the automatic check-in / check-out machine in the embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart for explaining a check-out processing operation of the automatic check-in / check-out machine in the embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

10 Hotel Front System 11 Host Computer 12 Front Terminal (Front Terminal Device) 13 Reservation Management Database 14 Customer Management Database 15 Card Issuing Machine (Member Card Issuing Means) 20 Customer Operated Terminal 21 Automatic Check-in / Check-out Machine (Automatic Check-in) / Checkout device) 22 Main control unit 23 Display unit 24 Key input unit 25 Card processing unit 26 Receipt printing unit 27 Banknote handling unit 28 Coin handling unit 29 Power supply unit 30 CPU 31 Memory 32 Screen control unit 33 Key input control unit 34 Mechanical unit control unit 35 Line control unit

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A card issuing machine for issuing a room key card in which a room number is recorded, a front terminal device for managing reservation information and customer information, and a check when the room key card is inserted. At the time of check-in, the room key card is referred to the reservation information and customer information based on the room number, and the room key card is rewritten as a valid state as a room key. In a hotel front service support system including an automatic check-in / check-out device for performing a checkout operation by referring to the customer information, a member number is recorded for a hotel user who has performed a predetermined member registration process. A member card issuing means for issuing a membership card is provided, and the member card issuance means is issued by the member card issuing means. For a hotel user who has obtained the membership card and has completed the hotel reservation based on the membership number, the card issuing machine will not issue a new room key card and the member card will not be issued. The automatic check-in / check-out device is used as a room key card, and when the member card is inserted, at the time of check-in, the member information is referred to the reservation information and the customer information based on the member number, and the member card is inserted into the room. A hotel front service support system, wherein a reception service for rewriting the key as a valid state and returning the key is performed, and at the time of check-out, the customer information is referred to based on the member number to perform a payment operation. 2. The automatic check-in / check-out device, after performing the settlement operation, rewrites the room key card as an invalid state as a room key and then recovers the room key card. 2. The hotel front service support system according to claim 1, wherein the key is rewritten to an invalid state and then returned to a member hotel user. 3. The automatic check-in / check-out device bills a hotel user who has inserted the card according to whether the inserted card is the room key card or the membership card. 3. The hotel front service support system according to claim 1, wherein the usage fee is changed.