EP3 — Standard Operating Procedures for Room Inventory Control

EP3 — Standard Operating Procedures for Room Inventory Control

Introduction

Even the best technology fails without structured operating discipline.

SOPs ensure every department touches inventory in a controlled, predictable manner.

Core SOP Framework

1. Assign a Room Inventory Controller (RIC)
   Only one role has authority to:

• Open/close sales
• Adjust allocations
• Approve overrides

2. PMS as the Only Source of Truth
   No confirmation outside PMS is valid.
   No Excel, no email, no verbal room holds.
3. Group Booking Confirmation Protocol

Step 1: Sales submits request in CRS
Step 2: RIC verifies and locks inventory
Step 3: System issues confirmation ID

Without confirmation ID → no booking exists.

4. Daily Inventory Reconciliation

Every morning:

• PMS vs CRS vs Channel Manager
• Arrival vs room readiness
• Group pick-up verification

15 minutes daily prevents 90% of issues.

5. Peak Season Zero Overbooking Rule

During high season:

• No manual overbooking
• No override without escalation
• Sister hotels used as alternatives

EP3 Conclusion

Technology controls data.
SOP controls people.
Both are required for zero overbooking.