Res Queue Management
Overview
The Res Queue management screen allows Softrip users to manage and automate the mass communication of reservation-related information and documents to their passengers/travel agents via email. The two main areas that define how a queue will be processed are as follows:
The types of bookings that go on the queue
The communication schedule.
Users can choose to fully automate a queue, fully manage it manually, or handle queues in both ways. When fully automated, the bookings are added to the queue and sent via email by the system without any user interaction. If managing manually, a user will add bookings to a queue and send the emails, all through the screen's UI. Adding bookings to the queue only and not auto-sending provides users with the opportunity to manually manage the queue and bookings prior to sending information to their passengers or travel agents.
The other options are as follows:
Automate the addition of the bookings but manually send the emails
Manually add bookings but automate the sending of email.
Users can access “Res queue Management” under the Softrip Operations menu.
Examples of Queues:
There is no limit to the number of queues that can be created in Operations and the type of queues to be created can be determined by the business based on their business model.
Below is a list of some standard queues and their use:
Invoices
Invoice queues are set up so that a copy of a booking invoice will automatically send to a passenger or travel agent once a booking is created.
The invoice can be automatically attached to the queue so that when the e-mail is generated to the correspondent, a copy of the booking invoice is always attached to the e-mail.
Note: Users should ensure that their invoice is set-up to their liking and all relevant rule text is added under the appropriate booking rules.
See the Booking Rules- Invoices and Documents article for more information.
Documents
Document queues are set up so that a copy of the booking’s documents will be automatically sent to a passenger or travel agent.
The documents report can be added to the queue so that the most current document associated to the booking will attach to the email at all times. Typically, the document queue is set up to automatically send the email once a booking is paid in full.
Note: Users should ensure that their document is set-up to their liking and all rule text is added under the appropriate booking rules.
See the Booking Rules- Invoices and Documents article for more information.
Final Payment Reminders
Final payment queues are designed to send notifications to customers that a final payment on a booking is due soon.
This queue is typically set to send once a day continuously until the final payment is made on the booking.
Deposit Reminders
The deposit reminder queue is designed to send notifications to customers that a deposit on a booking is due soon.
Getting Started:
Before setting up queues, it is important to understand that the queue set-up is a joint effort between the Business and Softrip. There is a general workflow that is followed when queues are being set up and each area comes with its' own set of tasks and responsibilities.
Outlined below is the general workflow for setting-up queues:
Identifying Responsibilities:
As queues are being set-up, each domain (Softrip or the Business) has its’ own set of responsibilities to focus on. Below is the lay out of responsibilities and an overall explanation of how each task is accomplished.
Task: Identify Queue Needs
Who is responsible? Business
Action: The Business will identify the types of queues needed in order to support their day to day operations. To do this, it is important to look at the types of processes that currently exist within a business and how a specific queue or automated communication may potentially help streamline that process. Once identified, users will document the requirements and submit the request to Softrip.
Task: Create the Booking Rules associated to the queue
Who is reponsible? Softrip
Action: Once the Customer submits the parameters for the queue, Softrip will inject those parameters into a booking rule. These parameters or “booking rules” will be associated to the queue.
The types of parameters that can be set are the following:
Invoices should be sent:
Once a booking is made
Once the reservation status is equal to either Quote or Active
Automatically
One time only
The invoice queue should run:
Every day at 9:00 AM
Once daily
Note: There are certain types of queues that a user may set-up on their own. These types of queues typically do not have multiple parameters that are required to be validated against in order for the queue to send.
Task: Create Queues in Res queue Management and customize email message
Who is responsible? Business
Action: Once the queues are identified, users will need to access the res queue management screen.
Within the res queue management screen, users can enter a shell of a queue. This means that users will access the res queue screen, enter the name of the queue, and begin customizing the body of the email.
Task: Identify who will receive the email notification sent from the queue
Who is reponsible? Business
Action: In the res queue management screen, there is an area that allows users to identify where the email will be delivered.
Example: Any lead passenger should receive the documents sent directly to their email address.
For more information, review the correspondence settings paragraphs below.
Note: Because queues are designed to send email notifications, reminders, documents, and invoices to either passengers or travel agents, it is important to obtain an email address at all times.
Task: Test the Queue
Who is responsible? Business
Action: Once a queue is created, it is the responsibility of that business to test the queue.
Overall process:
Softrip will initially set the queue to “queue only”. Once set to queue only, users will be able to access the res queue management screen, view the bookings that are sitting on the queue, and verify if the booking details match the parameters/booking rules associated to the queue.
Once verified and given the green light from the business, Softrip will move forward with setting the queue to auto send if that is desired function of the queue.
Queue Rules
The queue rules are set up by Softrip based on the parameters that were given by the business/users. These parameters are what drive the queue functionality. The parameters that are provided to Softrip must be verifiable data within the Softrip application.
Examples of Verifiable Data
Departure date of the booking
The creation date of the booking
If money has been received on the booking
If money is still owed on the booking
... and more
Below are some examples of parameters that may be provided to Softrip:
Parameter: Run queue daily at 9:00 AM EST
Use Case: Users can submit this as a request if they want their queue to process on a daily basis and they want the process time to start at 9:00 AM EST.
Running a queue once daily is useful for queues such as deposit and final payment reminders.
Parameter: Run queue every hour
Use Case: Users have the option to run a queue more than once a day. This is typical for queues where users may want to ensure that all bookings are being captured throughout the day that may be relevant to the queue. This type of parameter may be used by customers for queues such as the invoice and document queues.
Parameter: Only send when all services on the booking are confirmed
Use Case: When this parameter is submitted, any booking that has services that are on request will not appear on the queue. This is particularly helpful for the documents queue to ensure that the customers/contacts/passengers are not receiving an itinerary displaying services that may not be available.
Parameter: Send 7 days prior to the departure date
Use Case: This parameter is used if the information and/or attachment should be sent to customers seven (7) days before the departure date.
Additional Notes
It is often suggested that each queue should have at least one if not multiple parameters associated to it in order to ensure the most accurate results.
Users can determine any number of parameters to apply to one single queue.
Parameters are submitted to and verified by Softrip to determine feasibility.
Parameters are applied to the overall queue and cannot be set or changed per booking.
Auto Queue vs Queue Only
Queue Only
If the queue is set to process only, then the Softrip application will gather the appropriate bookings based on the parameters set and will display each reservation on the appropriate queue.
Users will then need to manage the queue manually.
Process only queues allow users to run a “Quality Check” on bookings before they are sent to the customer/contact/passenger.
Users can also choose to set-up a "process only" queue in order to use the res queue screen for internal purposes only, helping to divide work amongst the staff.
All new queues will be set to “process only” initially for testing purposes.
Auto Send
If a queue is set to auto send, then bookings will first be quickly processed through the queue and then an email will be automatically sent to the customer.
Once users confirm that the queue set-up is correct, Softrip will set the queue to auto send if the customer wants the queue to send an email automatically.
Auto sending queues provides great automation for users who are working within the Softrip application. When a queue is set to auto send, there is no requirement for users to manually work within the queue as the queue will run itself.
Creating a New Queue
Once in the res queue management screen, users can access the “create queue” option at the bottom of the screen.
Note: This is a different process than most other Softrip screens. Typically, users will select the plus (+) symbol to create new content. The plus (+) symbol on the res queue management screen allows users to manually search for and add existing bookings to a queue.
There are multiple queue tabs available for users to manage in res queue management. The queue tabs are as follows:
Reservations on Queue
Email Setup (With Attach.)
Email Setup (No Attach.)
Queue Settings
Within each queue tab, there are different fields that users can customize and manage on their own without the aide of Softrip.
Queue Settings:
The queue settings tab is the area where users can label the queue, add additional descriptions, and set the correspondence types.
Defining the fields
Code
The code field allows users to enter a unique code or label that identifies the queue.
Example
Invoice Queue Code: INVOICE
Need Flight Information for Transfers Queue Code: NEED FLIGHT TIMES
Description
The description field is for internal users, allowing users to enter a few details relating to the queue.
Example
The invoice queue is designed to send an invoice to the passengers once a booking is created.
Queue Status
Users can either set the queue to active or loading.
Events/Actions
The events and actions section of the queue displays the booking rules that are associated to the queue. Users can view the booking rules in the Product system by selecting the "view/edit" button. By doing this, the booking rules screen in Product will open in another tab.
Review the Queue Rules section of the article for more information.
Events
Events display how and when the reservations get queued to the specified queue.
This is set up in Softrip Product > Booking rules > Rule Type = “V” for Event
Actions
Actions display when the specified queue is scheduled to auto process. This is set up in:
Softrip Product > Booking rules > Rule Type = “S” for Scheduled Action
Note: Users have the opportunity to identify specific to identify bookings to never add to certain queues.
This can be handled either directly in reservations from the Action Tool Bar or Softrip offers a rule under Product Bookings rules that will never add a booking to a specific queue once the booking is finalized. This booking rule is IGNOREQUEUES.
Under the "ignorequeues" rule text, users will either enter EXCEPTIONS: INVOICE, NEED FLIGHT TIMES etc. or ALL.
Then, users will use the "filter tab" under the booking rule to identify the appropriate values required to ensure bookings that fall under those values will never run through the listed queues.
Survey ID
If surveys are set-up with Softrip, users can add the Survey ID in this field.
Note: Surveys can be created by Softrip through a formal Programming Requset. For more details, please contact Softrip.
Remove res from queue when “Received”
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If users select this option, the bookings will be removed from the queues. This applies even if a reservation has been sent manually from the reservation screen or it has been sent from the queue.
Render Documents per room
This checkbox is only used if there are multiple rooms that exist under one booking number and users would like each room within that booking to have their own set of documents. Additional set-up is required from Softrip.
Correspondence Settings
The correspondence settings allows users to choose who the queue will be sent to by setting the correspondence types. There are eight (8) different options that users can choose from under the correspondence settings. Each option selected will send to the email address that is associated to that particular contact, whether it be the travel agent, lead passengers, or all travelers. Users also have the option to CC additional individuals.
Corresponding Types
Correspondence type Set on Reservation
The queue will be sent to the email address of the correspondent that is selected on the reservation. Users will have the option to choose from either the customer, contact, or lead passenger, although the default is "contact."
For more information, view the "correspondence type on a reservation" paragraph.
Each Passenger with an Email Address
If there are multiple passengers on a reservation, then each passenger that is on the reservation and also has an email address will receive an email when a queue is processed.
Lead Passenger
Selecting a lead passenger on a specific queue will always send an email to the lead passenger on the reservation.
Main Contact on Reservation
If main contact is selected, then the main contact on the reservation will receive an email from the queue.
The main contact can either be a travel agent or it can be the same as the lead passenger on the booking.
IATA/Customer on Reservation
If there is an email address associated to the customer, and the reservation is booked under a customer, then the queue email will be sent to the customer's email address.
Created by User ID (If Internal User)
Designed mainly to be used for internal queues, the email will be delivered to the email address associated to the internal user that created the reservation.
Main Contact and Lead Passenger
If the main contact on a reservation is different than the lead passenger, then the queue will send to both the main contact and the lead passenger.
Each Passenger (Send to an internal Email Address)
Correspondence Type set on Reservation:
The first option for users to choose from is to send the email to the correspondence type set on the reservation. The correspondence type set on a reservation can be chosen, managed, and updated in the reservation system.
Each booking has three different correspondences to choose from: contact, customer, lead passenger. By default, the correspondence will be set to "contact" on the passenger page while confirming a booking.
The correspondence type on each booking can be updated within the booking on the booking header. When the correspondence type is changed on the header, the details of the contact, customer, or lead passenger will display so that users can verify the email address that the email from the queue will be sent to.
In the example above, the correspondence type is set to "contact." The email address associated to the contact is oztest@test.com. Any time this particular booking runs through any queue, and, the correspondence type under the correspondence settings in the Operations res queue management screen is set to "correspondence type set on reservation," the email will be sent to oztest@test.com.
In the below example, the correspondence type was updated to display "customer." The email address associated to the customer (the travel agency) is rfeidler@softrip.com. Now, all emails sent from the queue on this particular booking will be sent to rfeidler@softrip.com
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Customizing the body of the email:
There are multiple opportunities for users to customize the body of the email that is sent to the correspondence selected on the queue. These options include entering freeform text, adding placeholders, and customizing the formatting. These customizations will display on the email that is sent from the queue.
Body of the email:
Users can enter freeform text into the “body” field. This type of information can vary and will be what is displayed to the customer when an e-mail from the queue is received.
Placeholders:
Placeholders can be added to the body of the email in order to personalize the message. Softrip provides a list of placeholders that can be inserted into the body of the email.
Format customization:
The format of the emails can also be customized. This includes formatting such as the font size, bolding, adding hyperlinks, adding bullet points and much more.
Once the email is delivered to the correspondent from the queue, the updates made will appear in the email.
Attaching Reports:
Certain queues may require additional attachments to go along with the correspondence. The first type of attachment that Softrip supports is attaching an existing Softrip report to the queue. The second type of attachment Softrip supports is auxiliary attachments.
If an attachment should be included in an email, then users should work within the "Email Setup (With Attach.)" tab. If an attachment should not be included in an email, then users should work within the Email Setup (No Attach.) tab.
Note: It is not necessary to customize the email in both the email setup with attach and email setup no attach tab when setting up a queue. Users will first need to determine if an attachment will be added to email on the queue and then make the updates within the appropriate tab.
Attaching Softrip Reports:
Users can choose any number of Softrip reports to attach to the queue. In doing this, when customers receive the email, the report will always be attached for the customers to view.
This is typically used for invoices and documents, but it is not limited to these two types of queues.
Users can also set conditions in which these reports can be attached
Aux. Attachments:
Users also have the option to add additional attachments to the queue. These additional attachments will stem from files that are saved locally on a user’s machine. Similar to attaching reports, additional parameters can be applied to the aux. attachments.
Users also have the opportunity to add conditions around when the report should attach to a queue. Conditions are available under both the STN Reports option and the Aux reports option.
Example
Users can attach a Softrip report to a queue and either have the report attach at all times or users can select conditions as to when the report should attach or be ignored.
To put this into play, a Business decide to may set-up a queue that will sent an email any time there is a custom group created. However, this business has a specific custom report that they designed with the help of Softrip that is only associated to "elite groups".
Within the organization, there is only one "operator" (internal user) that works with Elite Groups.
Users can choose to only attach that Custom Report onto that queue if the "operator" is equal to the value entered into that screen.
Manually Adding Reservations to the queue:
Users have the option to manually add reservations to existing queues. Although it is not necessary to manually add bookings to any queue, Softrip provides this option to users.
Bookings may need to be manually added to a queue for a variety of reasons. For example, based on the parameter set on the queue itself, a booking may not typically run through a specific queue. However, they may be information or documentation on that queue that may be relevant to that specific booking. Users can search for that particular booking and add it to the queue so that the information will be sent to the correspondent.
To manually add a booking to an existing queue, follow the steps below.
Access the queue.
Select the plus (+) sign.
Once the search screen opens, enter search parameters.
Once the appropriate bookings appear, users can select the bookings and add them to the queue.
Right click options:
Once a queue is accessed, users have a few different right click options available to them.