Alpine Academy Admin / Reservations

JOB DESCRIPTION FOR ADMIN/RESERVATIONS STAFF

POSITION TITLE: Admin/Reservations Staff
REPORTS TO: Evergreen Alpine Academy Director
DEPARTMENT: Evergreen Alpine Academy (EAA)

POSITION SUMMARY:

Evergreen Alpine Academy (EAA) is based in Hakuba valley, in the Nagano Prefecture of Japan. The Admin/Reservations positions involve the entire guest service experience from initial contact and enquiries, bookings, payments, registration and follow up. The position will require communication with guests by way of email, phone and face-to-face. Applicants will be having strong customer service skills to assist guests with the set up and planning of their tours as well as coordinating with our guiding team and managers to organize daily tour operations. This position will work within the framework of our alpine academy operations at Evergreen Alpine Academy (EAA)

POSITION DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES:
• Provide an exceptionally high level of customer service to all guests via face to face, written and phone communication
• Responding to all guest enquiries and queries in a timely and friendly manner including email, phone and face to face
• Take and input bookings into the booking system. Creating reservations and scheduling of EAA for guests
• Retailing EAA programs and EOC programs
• Schedule guides & vehicles for tours
• Take payments for tours (point of sale)
• Communicate with trainers in the field
• Accurately gauge guests’ expectations and ability levels
• Assist with any emergencies an office support capacity
• Maintain a safe and tidy workplace/office
• Resolving complaint escalation
• Managing the daily motivation and focus of the team
• Organize workflow and ensure that staff understand their duties or delegated tasks
• Monitor employee productivity and provide constructive feedback and coaching
• Ensuring all tasks of the day are completed by the team in a timely and cohesive manner
• Supporting the team to perform to the best of their ability
• Induction training of staff at the beginning of the season
• Process registrations through third party companies, such as CASI or CSIA
• Continuing the education of staff and assisting them to develop professionally throughout the season
• Opening and closing duties of the office, including end of day cash and credit card reconciliation
• Working at either our Happo One or Tsugaike mountain location, in a busy, fast paced, team environment

ADDITIONAL DUTIES
Due to the many variables that affect business operations, occasionally, employees may be asked to perform other duties or assist in efforts outside their primary area of responsibility, when management staff deems it necessary. This may include performing in any subordinate position.

SUPERVISORY DUTIES: If the Admin/Reservations Staff is highly experienced and highly trained, they may be requested to do; booking system training, scheduling training, daily transaction training, emergency response training, customer service training

GENERAL DUTIES: Prepare the office and daily schedule for tour operations. Reply to emails and any enquiries in a timely fashion. Input tours, confirm bookings and send invoices out for tours. Communicate and coordinate with guests to set up their requested tours.

Daily:
• Snow clearing
• Tidying up front and back of office space
• Replacing and or fixing and purchasing office materials
• Assisting with staff accommodation and personal room clean-up /maintenance
• Picking up and dropping off guests at locations within Hakuba/Nagano
• Providing information to our guiding staff regarding guest’s situations or guests conditions/sentiment/feelings/feedback.
• Ensure tasks and duties are performed in compliance with accepted work-safe practices, procedures, and legislated health and safety standards of Japan
• Be proficient in base communication and safety response protocols/procedures
• Verify status of any work-related accidents immediately, and ensure proper documentation protocols are in place and completed in a timely manner
• Advise EAA Director, immediately if a staffing issue may cause interruption of service
• Work to continually note improvable areas of operational aspects; communication, recruitment, training, performance reviews, record keeping, safety practices, staff accommodations, Etc.
• Ensuring staff and each desk are set up ready for guest arrival.
• Communicate any updates/messages to staff
• Work to expedite guest arrival and booking experience
• Retail any product of EOC
• Assist staff with performing day to day duties and retailing lessons, including problem solving and complaint resolution
• Ensuring guests are directed to line up in a timely and clear manner
• Assist EAA Managers and staff in day to day planning, bookkeeping, scheduling, logistics and worker relations
• Maintain and update online/shared documents/Roomboss
• Enter data and keep accurate records.
• Ensure employees have full knowledge of safety protocols, regarding the handling of hazardous materials, and guidelines dictated by the Manufacturer
• Be available to assist in after-hours crisis situations, should one arise
• Monitoring lunch and ride breaks
• Supervising end of day closing procedures, including office pack down, tidying, cash reconciliations and set up for the following day. Supervising bathroom checks throughout the day and creating a roster to evenly spread bathroom cleaning. Monitoring restock of kerosene
• Present a tidy and groomed appearance at all times
• Show enthusiasm for their job and understand the computers, phones, copy machines, radio’s and company software applications they use.
• Check lift status on resorts.
• Assist guides with rental returns if needed
• Turn off lights and heaters.

Weekly:
• Ensure all necessary paper work is complete and correctly archived
• Ordering of stock and cleaning supplies as required
• Ensure office areas remain clean and tidy
• Monitor snow removal around the office when necessary and request assistance as needed
• Monitor bookings ahead of time and report trends or upcoming busy periods that may affect staffing needs to EAA Director and Guest Services Manager.
• Participating in weekly meetings with both the EAA Team to ensure consistent communication
• Monitoring staff training and development
• Submit any transaction reports or schedule reports/payroll reports as requested. Verify payments and or cancellations. Check availability for tours, guide allotment and vehicle use.
• Support editing Website when is needed.
• Registration of participants in courses with third parties

Monthly:
• Assist EAA Director with scheduling and staff allotment to match business levels
• Monitor communications from HR, Payroll, and accounting. Distribute as directed
• Provide coaching and professional development of the staff throughout the season
• Create and send invoices to guests/booking agents
Seasonal:
• Work to update staff policies, procedures, staff engagement events, recognition programs, and benefit systems
• Work to update & implement a cultural awareness program to be included with employee education actions.
• Assist Guest Services Manager to implement mid-season performance reviews for staff. Encouraging workers to find ways to excel at the duties they have been hired to perform, and make accepted goals for the second part of the season. This is a positive experience, and should give workers tangible ways to maintain or improve performance.
• Assist in end of season ‘summarization’ of the office and office pack downs
• Work to update necessary manuals, Occupational Health & Safety information, and distribution/ trainings
• Complete report of courses participants

PREREQUISITES:
• Ability to work legally in Japan: Work visa or Working Holiday Visa for Japan
• Native English & Chinese Level of reading, writing and speaking
• Typing Skills & Computer skills (word, excel, booking system)
• Customer Service work experience (reservations, tourism, bookings, travel, accommodation)
• Efficient basic accounting/calculation skills (daily transactions in/out)
• Japanese Driver’s License or International Driver’s License

FAVORABLE QUALIFICATIONS/ASSETS (not pre-requisites but valuable assets/experience):
• Japanese speaking, writing, reading ability
• Customer service experience or retail experience
• Tour Company Reservations experience
• CASI or CSIA Level 1 or above