Allocation management system, allocation management method, and program

Abstract

The present invention provides an allocation management system with which it is possible to improve the efficiency of room allocation work. The allocation management system includes: a rule-setting unit for setting rule information for allocating a room to a user in a facility having a plurality of rooms, the rule information including at least a priority for a desired condition of the customer; an information acquisition unit for acquiring attribute information indicating the attribute of each of the plurality of rooms and operating information indicating the operating state of each of the plurality of rooms; a use request reception unit for receiving a use request for the facility including a desired condition for the room from a relevant customer who desires to use the facility; and a candidate identification unit for identifying a candidate room which is the candidate to be allocated to the relevant customer, on the basis of the rule information, the attribute information, the operating information, and the customer request.

Description

Allocation management system, allocation management method, and program

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an allocation management system, an allocation management method, and a program.

[0002] Room assignment techniques are known in facilities such as hotels, which assign rooms to guests. As a related technique, Patent Literature 1 (PTL 1) discloses a hotel room reservation system that provides optimized hotel room assignments in response to receiving multiple hard and soft constraints and receiving preferences and room characteristics at the time of reservation. In the system disclosed in Patent Literature 1, hotel-specific settings / configurations for room assignment include user-customizable settings. These settings are used to control hard constraints (e.g., no double bookings) and soft constraints (e.g., a room on the desired floor) in the algorithm.

[0003] Special Publication No. 2022-552028

[0004] When allocating rooms at a facility, there may be a conflict between the customer's requirements and the facility's requirements. For example, suppose a hotel guest requests a room on a high floor. Depending on the check-in and check-out timings of other guests, it may be preferable for the hotel to allocate the guest to a room on a middle or lower floor. In such cases, the customer's requirements and the facility's requirements conflict, so it is necessary to appropriately determine which requirements should be prioritized and adjust the allocation accordingly. For example, in a hotel, if the staff responsible for room allocation makes such an adjustment, it will result in a workload for the staff.

[0005] In view of the above-mentioned problems, an object of the present disclosure is to provide an assignment management system, an assignment management method, and a program that can improve the efficiency of room assignment work.

[0006] The allocation management system according to the present disclosure comprises: a rule setting means for setting rule information for allocating rooms to guests in a facility having a plurality of rooms, the rule information including at least a priority for the desired conditions of the guests; an information acquisition means for acquiring attribute information indicating the attributes of each of the plurality of rooms and operation information indicating the operation status of each of the plurality of rooms; a usage request receiving means for receiving a facility usage request including the desired conditions of the room from a target guest who wishes to use the facility; and a candidate identification means for identifying a candidate room to be allocated to the target guest based on the rule information, the attribute information, the operation information, and the usage request.

[0007] The allocation management method disclosed herein involves setting rule information for allocating rooms to guests in a facility having multiple rooms, the rule information including at least a priority for the guests' desired conditions; acquiring attribute information indicating the attributes of each of the multiple rooms and operation information indicating the operation status of each of the multiple rooms; accepting a facility use request including the desired room conditions from a target guest who wishes to use the facility; and identifying a candidate room to be allocated to the target guest based on the rule information, the attribute information, the operation information, and the use request.

[0008] The program disclosed herein causes a computer to execute the following steps: a rule setting process that sets rule information for allocating rooms to guests in a facility having multiple rooms, the rule information including at least a priority for the guest's desired conditions; an information acquisition process that acquires attribute information indicating the attributes of each of the multiple rooms and operation information indicating the operation status of each of the multiple rooms; a usage request acceptance process that accepts a facility usage request, including the guest's desired room conditions, from a target guest who wishes to use the facility; and a candidate identification process that identifies a candidate room to be allocated to the target guest based on the rule information, the attribute information, the operation information, and the usage request.

[0009] The assignment management system, assignment management method, and program according to the present disclosure can improve the efficiency of room assignment work.

[0010] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an allocation management system according to the present disclosure. FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing processing performed by the allocation management system. FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the allocation management system. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a rule information setting screen. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of a candidate room search screen for searching for candidate rooms. FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of an allocation operation screen for performing a room allocation operation. FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of an allocation operation screen different from the allocation operation screen shown in FIG. 6. FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an example of an allocation operation screen different from the allocation operation screens shown in FIGS. 6 and 7. FIG. 9 is a diagram showing an example of a check-in processing screen for performing processing at check-in. FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a candidate room search screen for searching for candidate rooms. FIG. 11 is a diagram showing an example of a display aspect of a candidate room list. FIG. 12 is a diagram showing an example of an allocation status screen referenced to efficiently accept multiple-night stays. FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of an allocation status screen showing a state after the allocation has been changed from the state of the allocation status screen shown in FIG. 12. FIG. 14 is a flowchart showing processing performed by the allocation management system. FIG. 15 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the allocation management system. FIG. 16 is a flowchart showing the flow of processing after a guest checks out. Fig. 17 is a flowchart showing the process flow when room allocation has been completed in advance. Fig. 18 is a flowchart showing the process flow when room allocation has not been completed. Fig. 19 is a block diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of a computer that realizes an allocation management system or the like.

[0011] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In each drawing, the same or corresponding elements are designated by the same reference numerals. For clarity of explanation, duplicated explanations will be omitted as necessary.

[0012] First Embodiment (Configuration of Allocation Management System 100) An allocation management system 100 according to the present disclosure will be described with reference to Fig. 1. Fig. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the allocation management system 100 according to the present disclosure. The allocation management system 100 includes a rule setting unit 101, an information acquisition unit 102, a usage request acceptance unit 103, and a candidate identification unit 104.

[0013] The rule setting unit 101 sets rule information for allocating rooms to guests in a facility having multiple rooms, the rule information including at least a priority for the guest's desired conditions. The information acquisition unit 102 acquires attribute information indicating the attributes of each of the multiple rooms and operation information indicating the operation status of each of the multiple rooms. The usage request receiving unit 103 receives a facility usage request including the room's desired conditions from a target guest who wishes to use the facility. The candidate identification unit 104 identifies a candidate room to be allocated to the target guest based on the rule information, attribute information, operation information, and usage request.

[0014] The allocation management system 100 includes a processor, memory, and storage device (not shown). The storage device stores a computer program that implements the processing described herein. The processor can load the computer program from the storage device into the memory and execute the computer program. As a result, the processor realizes the functions of a rule setting unit 101, an information acquisition unit 102, a usage request acceptance unit 103, and a candidate identification unit 104.

[0015] Alternatively, the rule setting unit 101, the information acquisition unit 102, the usage request receiving unit 103, and the candidate identification unit 104 may each be realized by dedicated hardware. Furthermore, some or all of the components may be realized by general-purpose or dedicated circuits, processors, etc., or a combination thereof. These may be configured by a single chip, or by multiple chips connected via a bus. Some or all of the components may be realized by a combination of the above-mentioned circuits, etc., and a program.

[0016] (Processing of Allocation Management System 100) Next, processing performed by the allocation management system 100 will be described with reference to Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a flowchart showing processing performed by the allocation management system 100.

[0017] First, the rule setting unit 101 sets rule information (S1). Next, the information acquisition unit 102 acquires attribute information and operation information (S2). Next, the use request acceptance unit 103 accepts a facility use request from a target user (S3). Then, the candidate identification unit 104 identifies a candidate room to be allocated to the target user based on the rule information, attribute information, operation information, and use request (S4).

[0018] As described above, the allocation management system 100 according to the present disclosure can improve the efficiency of room allocation operations.

[0019] Second Embodiment Next, a description will be given of a second embodiment, which is a specific example of the first embodiment described above.

[0020] (Allocation Management System 1) The configuration of the allocation management system 1 will be described with reference to Fig. 3. Fig. 3 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the allocation management system 1. The allocation management system 1 is an example of the allocation management system 100 described above. The allocation management system 1 includes a rule setting unit 11, an information acquisition unit 12, a usage request reception unit 13, a candidate identification unit 14, an operation reception unit 15, an allocation unit 16, a display control unit 17, and a display unit 18.

[0021] The allocation management system 1 is a system that manages room allocation in a facility having multiple rooms. Hereinafter, a facility having multiple rooms may be simply referred to as a "facility." The facility is, for example, an accommodation facility such as a hotel or inn. However, the facility is not limited to this, and may also be a hospital with multiple patient rooms, a restaurant with multiple private rooms, or the like.

[0022] In the following description, a hotel with multiple rooms (guest rooms) is used as an example of a facility. In the following description, a guest is a person staying in a hotel room. A guest may be a person who has made a reservation in advance, or a person who visits the hotel without making a reservation in advance.

[0023] The rule setting unit 11 is an example of the rule setting unit 101 described above. The rule setting unit 11 sets rule information for allocating rooms to guests in a facility having multiple rooms. The rule information includes at least a priority for the guest's desired conditions. The priority for the guest's desired conditions is information indicating the degree of priority to be given to the guest's desired conditions in room allocation.

[0024] The rule information may include a priority for desired conditions of the facility, which indicates the degree of priority to be given to the desired conditions of the facility in room allocation.

[0025] For example, the rule information is composed of a plurality of conditions, including the desired conditions of the guest and the desired conditions of the facility. The priority of the desired conditions of the guest indicates the priority of the desired conditions of the guest among the plurality of conditions. The priority of the desired conditions of the guest corresponds to the degree to which the hotel side accepts the desired conditions of the guest.

[0026] The rule setting unit 11 may group the rule information based on the types of the multiple rules included in the rule information, and set rule information including a priority corresponding to each group.

[0027] Below are examples of groups of desired conditions for customers and groups of desired conditions for facilities, and rules that apply to these desired conditions. The following is just an example, so each desired condition and grouping may be changed as appropriate.

[0028] (Examples of desired conditions of a user) (A1) Desired conditions regarding room specifications If there are desired conditions regarding room specifications, a room that meets the desired conditions will be assigned. Desired conditions regarding room specifications include, for example, a room on a high floor, a corner room, a room with a good view, or a room close to an elevator.

[0029] (A2) Desired conditions for groups If there are desired conditions for groups, rooms that meet the desired conditions are allocated. Desired conditions for groups include, for example, consolidating group guests on the same floor or allocating the same room type.

[0030] (A3) Desired conditions for children If there are desired conditions for children, a room that satisfies the desired conditions is assigned. Desired conditions for children include, for example, integrating children and adults in a group on the same floor.

[0031] (Examples of facility desired conditions) (B1) Desired conditions regarding the presence or absence of arranged items If a customer requests an arranged item, the facility will assign a room in which the arranged item is already prepared. Arranged items refer to equipment that needs to be installed in the room. Arranged items include, for example, an extra bed, a baby bed, or a humidifier. If a customer requests the use of an arranged item, assembling and installing it each time will be a hassle for the staff. Therefore, for example, if a customer the day before used a room in which the arranged item was already installed, the burden on the staff can be reduced by assigning that room to the customer on the day.

[0032] (B2) Desired conditions for room make-up If a room is available that can reduce the workload for room make-up, that room will be assigned. For example, make-up includes changing the room specifications. If a room that does not require changes to the room specifications can be assigned, that room will be assigned. For example, if a room was used with double-type specifications the day before, and there is a guest who requests a double-type room on the day, the double-type room can be assigned to the guest on the day, thereby reducing the effort required to change the room specifications.

[0033] (B3) Desired conditions regarding occupancy rate: Rooms with low occupancy rates are given priority for allocation. This prevents damage to specific rooms and makes it possible to even out damage.

[0034] (B4) Desired conditions for energy saving status: On days when the number of reservations is less than a predetermined number, rooms are allocated to the same floor. This allows, for example, the entire floor to be closed off, thereby contributing to energy saving.

[0035] (B5) Desired conditions for efficient acceptance of consecutive stays: To be able to accept requests for consecutive stays, rooms allocated to guests are consolidated into specific rooms.

[0036] (B6) Desired conditions for resolving overbooking When overbooking occurs and there are no rooms available that meet the room type desired by the customer, the room to be assigned is upgraded to resolve the overbooking.

[0037] (B7) Desired conditions for VIPs (Vital Persons) When allocating a room to a VIP, the room is allocated with priority over other guests.

[0038] For example, the rule setting unit 11 sets priorities for the desired conditions of the customer and the desired conditions of the facility. The priorities may be expressed, for example, as numbers from 0 to 10 or as levels such as "low," "medium," and "high." The priorities are not limited to these, and may be expressed in other ways that indicate degrees.

[0039] For example, the rule setting unit 11 sets priorities corresponding to the groups (A1) to (A3) and (B1) to (B7). For example, the rule setting unit 11 sets the priority for the group of "desired conditions related to room specifications" shown in (A1) to "high." The rule setting unit 11 may set priorities for detailed items in each group. For example, the rule setting unit 11 may set priorities for each of the "room on a high floor," "corner room," "room with a good view," and "room close to an elevator" that belong to the group. Furthermore, the rule setting unit 11 may distinguish between mandatory rules and optional rules when setting rules or priorities.

[0040] By setting a priority for each rule, the rule setting unit 11 can set rules that can be applied even when the desired conditions of a customer and the desired conditions of a facility conflict with each other. Furthermore, when a customer has multiple desired conditions, the multiple desired conditions may conflict with each other. Even in such cases, applicable rules can be set. Furthermore, by using these rules, the allocation unit 16 can allocate rooms in a batch. Specific examples of the processing performed by the rule setting unit 11 will be described later.

[0041] The information acquisition unit 12 is an example of the above-mentioned information acquisition unit 102. The information acquisition unit 12 acquires attribute information indicating the attributes of each of the plurality of rooms and operation information indicating the operation status of each of the plurality of rooms.

[0042] The attribute information is information that indicates the characteristics of a room. Examples of the attribute information include the room specifications, the floor of the room, whether it is a corner room, the view from the room, and whether an elevator is nearby. For example, the information acquisition unit 12 acquires the attribute information from a room information database that is pre-stored in a storage unit (not shown). The room information database may contain information that associates, for example, room numbers, room types, attribute information, and usage fees.

[0043] The operation information is information that indicates the operation status of a room. The operation information includes, for example, information on whether the room is available for allocation. The operation information may be the operation status of the room at the current time, or the operation status of the room during the period when the user wishes to use the facility. An available state for allocation indicates, for example, a state in which the room is vacant and preparations such as cleaning have been completed.

[0044] The operation information may include the cleaning status of the room. The cleaning status may include information on whether the cleaning has been completed or may include information indicating the progress of the cleaning (e.g., "before cleaning," "cleaning in progress," "cleaning completed").

[0045] Although the example in which the information acquiring unit 12 acquires both the attribute information and the operation information has been described above, the present invention is not limited to this. The attribute information and the operation information may be acquired by different functional units.

[0046] The usage request receiving unit 13 is an example of the usage request receiving unit 103 described above. The usage request receiving unit 13 receives a facility usage request, including desired room conditions, from a target customer who wishes to use the facility. The usage request receiving unit 13 receives the usage request, for example, via a predetermined website that accepts hotel reservations. The allocation management system 1 includes a communication unit (not shown) and receives the usage request from the website via a network (not shown). The network is a wired or wireless communication line. The website may be, for example, a website provided by an OTA (Online Travel Agent). The usage request receiving unit 13 may also receive the usage request, which has been received by telephone reservation to the facility, via hotel staff.

[0047] The desired room conditions are, for example, the conditions (A1) to (A3) described above. The use request may include various information necessary for reservation in addition to the desired conditions. For example, the use request may include the date of arrival at the hotel and the date of departure from the hotel.

[0048] The candidate identification unit 14 is an example of the candidate identification unit 104 described above. The candidate identification unit 14 identifies a candidate room that is a candidate to be allocated to a target user based on the rule information, attribute information, operation information, and a usage request. The candidate identification unit 14 outputs information about the identified candidate room to the display control unit 17. As a result, the display control unit 17 displays the information about the candidate room on the display unit 18.

[0049] The candidate identification unit 14 may present the reason for identifying the candidate room. For example, the candidate identification unit 14 may associate the candidate room with the reason for identifying the candidate room and display the associated information on a display screen displayed on the display unit 18. This allows the candidate identification unit 14 to present the candidate room along with the reason for identifying the candidate room to, for example, a hotel staff member. This allows the staff member to understand "why that room was proposed" when allocating a room. This allows the candidate identification unit 14 to increase the staff member's satisfaction. The candidate identification unit 14 may calculate an impact factor and present the candidate room and the reason for identification in further association with the impact factor.

[0050] After allocating a room, the candidate identification unit 14 may suggest changing the allocation. For example, suppose that changing the allocation from an already allocated first room to a second room different from the first room increases the number of acceptable usage requests, including those for consecutive nights. In this case, the candidate identification unit 14 suggests changing the allocation from the first room to the second room. It is preferable that the second room be a room of a higher grade than the first room. This allows the target user to use the upgraded room. Specific examples of the processing performed by the candidate identification unit 14 will be described later.

[0051] The operation reception unit 15 receives an allocation operation for allocating a room to a target guest from an operator via a predetermined operation screen. The operator is a person who operates the allocation management system 1. The operator is, for example, a hotel staff member. A specific example of the processing performed by the operation reception unit 15 will be described later.

[0052] The allocation unit 16 allocates rooms to the target guests based on the candidate rooms identified by the candidate identification unit 14. When there are multiple target guests, the allocation unit 16 may allocate candidate rooms corresponding to each of the multiple target guests. For example, the allocation unit 16 allocates rooms to multiple target guests at once. This allows the allocation unit 16 to perform allocation with fewer operations than if rooms were allocated individually to each of the multiple target guests.

[0053] The allocation unit 16 may allocate a room to the target customer based on an allocation operation received from the operator. A specific example of the process performed by the allocation unit 16 will be described later.

[0054] The display control unit 17 controls the display in the processing related to the allocation management system 1. The display control unit 17 controls the display unit 18 to display various display information related to the processing on the display unit 18. For example, the display control unit 17 causes the display unit 18 to display an operation screen including a candidate room area in which information about candidate rooms is arranged and a target customer area in which information about target customers is arranged. The display control unit 17 may also display a display icon indicating the candidate room.

[0055] The display unit 18 is a display device such as a liquid crystal display. The display unit 18 may be a touch panel having a function of an input unit that receives input from an operator. Therefore, the display unit 18 may have a function of the operation receiving unit 15 that receives allocation operations from the hotel staff.

[0056] The above describes the configuration of the allocation management system 1. The above-described configuration of the allocation management system 1 is merely an example and may be modified as appropriate. For example, when some or all of the components of the allocation management system 1 are realized by multiple information processing devices, circuits, etc., the multiple information processing devices, circuits, etc. may be centrally located or distributed. For example, the information processing devices, circuits, etc. may be realized as a client-server system, a cloud computing system, or the like, in a form in which each is connected via a communication network. Furthermore, the functions of the allocation management system 1 may be provided in a SaaS (Software as a Service) format.

[0057] 3, each functional unit is shown in one allocation management system 1, but this is not limiting. For example, some of the functional units may be provided in an information terminal installed in the hotel, and some may be provided in a predetermined server connected via a network.

[0058] (Specific Example) Next, a specific example of the processing performed by the allocation management system 1 will be described.

[0059] [Rule Setting] Fig. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a rule information setting screen D1. The finger mark shown in Fig. 4 indicates an image of an operation by the operator, and this also applies to the subsequent figures. The rule information setting screen D1 includes a priority P1 and rule information R1. The priority P1 indicates the priority of each rule. As shown by the double arrow in Fig. 4, the operator can change the priority P1 as appropriate. The rule setting unit 11 accepts an operation by the operator and sets rules.

[0060] [Identifying Candidate Rooms (Pre-assignment)] FIGS. 5 to 8 are diagrams showing specific examples of pre-assignment of rooms.

[0061] 5 is a diagram showing an example of a candidate room search screen D2 for searching for candidate rooms. The candidate identification unit 14 identifies candidate rooms via the candidate room search screen D2, for example, several days before check-in or the night before.

[0062] The candidate room search screen D2 includes a display area for desired conditions in the upper section and a display area for the search results for candidate rooms in the lower section. Each desired condition corresponds to a rule for allocating a room. The desired conditions may include the desired conditions of the target user and the desired conditions of the facility.

[0063] The desired conditions of the target customer are, for example, a high floor, a corner room, or the use of an extra bed. The usage request receiving unit 13 acquires the desired conditions of the target customer included in the usage request, for example, via the OTA's website. The usage request receiving unit 13 may automatically extract the desired conditions from a remarks field in a predetermined reservation application form.

[0064] FIG. 5 shows, as an example, the desired conditions of "room specifications," "multiple nights," "VIP," "group," "overbooking," and "items arranged." After checking the checkboxes of the desired conditions, the operator presses the search button b1 to search for candidate rooms that meet the desired conditions. The candidate identification unit 14 identifies candidate rooms based on the rule information, attribute information, operation information, and the desired conditions of the room included in the usage request. This allows the candidate identification unit 14 to identify candidate rooms based on the set rules even when the desired conditions conflict.

[0065] The candidate identification unit 14 outputs information about the identified candidate rooms to the display control unit 17. For example, the candidate identification unit 14 outputs the room numbers of the candidate rooms to the display control unit 17. The candidate identification unit 14 may output the reason for identifying the candidate rooms, the degree of match with the desired conditions of the target user, and the like along with the room numbers. In addition to these, the candidate identification unit 14 may also output the room type, floor, and the like. Here, the candidate identification unit 14 creates a candidate room list L1, which is the search result.

[0066] The display control unit 17 instructs the display unit 18 to display information about the candidate rooms on the candidate room search screen D2. In the example of FIG. 5, the display unit 18 displays a candidate room list L1, which is the search result, in the search result display area. The display control unit 17 may display the candidate rooms in a predetermined order. For example, the display control unit 17 may display the candidate room list L1 in descending order of the degree of match with the desired conditions of the target user. The display control unit 17 may display the candidate room list L1 by including the degree of match.

[0067] The operator may change the preset rules by pressing the rule setting button b2. In response to the pressing of the rule setting button b2, the display control unit 17 causes the display unit 18 to display the rule information setting screen D1 shown in FIG.

[0068] 6 is a diagram showing an example of an allocation operation screen D3 for performing a room allocation operation. The allocation operation screen D3 includes a candidate room list L1 on the left side of the screen and an unallocated guest list L2 on the right side of the screen. The candidate room list L1 is an example of a candidate room area in which information about candidate rooms is arranged. The unallocated guest list L2 is an example of a target guest area in which information about target guests is arranged. Instead of the candidate room list L1 and the unallocated guest list L2, the allocation operation screen D3 may include a candidate room area and a target guest area in a format other than a list format.

[0069] The candidate room list L1 is substantially the same as the candidate room list L1 shown in Figure 5. The unassigned guest list L2 is a list of target guests who have not yet been assigned a room. The unassigned guest list L2 may further narrow down the target guests using predetermined conditions.

[0070] The operator presses the bulk allocation button b3 to allocate rooms all at once. In response to the pressing of the bulk allocation button b3, the allocation unit 16 allocates rooms to multiple target customers all at once. The allocation unit 16 allocates rooms to target customers, for example, starting from the room that is highest in the display order. In this way, the allocation unit 16 allocates rooms in accordance with the rule information. The display control unit 17 may reflect the allocation result in the unallocated customer list L2 and output it to the display unit 18.

[0071] The allocation unit 16 is not limited to batch allocation, and may allocate rooms to target customers individually based on the allocation operation received by the operation reception unit 15.

[0072] 7 is a diagram showing an example of an allocation operation screen D4 as an example of a screen different from the allocation operation screen D3. The operation reception unit 15 receives an allocation operation for associating information about a candidate room arranged in the candidate room list L1 (candidate room area) with information about a target customer arranged in the unallocated customer list L2 (target customer area).

[0073] The candidate room information includes a display icon I1 indicating the candidate room. The operation receiving unit 15 receives, as an assignment operation, a drag-and-drop operation for moving the display icon I1 from the candidate room area to the target guest area.

[0074] 7, the operator moves the display icon I1 from the candidate room list L1 to the unallocated guest list L2 by dragging and dropping, as indicated by the thick solid arrow. The operation accepting unit 15 accepts the drag-and-drop operation by the operator as an allocation operation.

[0075] The allocation unit 16 allocates a room to a target customer based on the allocation operation accepted by the operation acceptance unit 15. In the example of Fig. 7, the allocation unit 16 allocates room 820, which corresponds to the display icon I1, to a target customer whose user name is "Yamada Fushio." Note that the operation acceptance unit 15 may accept an operation to move the display icon representing the user from the unallocated customer list L2 to the display icon I1 in the candidate room list L1 in the opposite direction to the thick solid arrow.

[0076] In this way, the allocation unit 16 can allocate rooms by dragging and dropping using a UI (User Interface) such as the allocation operation screen D4. This allows the operator to intuitively allocate rooms. The operator can also allocate rooms individually. Therefore, the operator may first perform a bulk allocation and then change the allocation individually as needed.

[0077] 8 is a diagram showing an example of an allocation operation screen D5, which is an example of a screen different from the allocation operation screens D3 and D4. The allocation operation screen D5 includes an unallocated customer list L2 and a floor map FM. The floor map FM is a map showing the layout of rooms on each floor.

[0078] As shown by the thick solid arrow in Fig. 8, the operator moves the display icon I2 representing the target customer from the unassigned customer list L2 onto the floor map FM. In the example of Fig. 8, the operation reception unit 15 assigns room 820 on the floor map FM to the target customer whose user name is "Yamada Fushio."

[0079] [Identifying Candidate Rooms (at Check-in)] FIGS. 9 to 11 are diagrams showing specific examples of room allocation at check-in.

[0080] Fig. 9 is a diagram showing an example of a check-in processing screen D11 for performing processing at check-in. The check-in processing screen D11 includes various information related to the target user. For example, the check-in processing screen D11 is configured so that pressing the room number button b4 displays the candidate room search screen D12 shown in Fig. 10. The display control unit 17 displays the candidate room search screen D12 in response to pressing the room number button b4.

[0081] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a candidate room search screen D12 for searching for candidate rooms. Similar to the candidate room search screen D2, the candidate room search screen D12 includes an upper display area for desired conditions and a lower display area for candidate room search results. A candidate room list L11 is an example of the search results. FIG. 10 shows the state before the search results are displayed. When the search button b1 is pressed, the candidate identification unit 14 identifies candidate rooms, creates a candidate room list L11, and outputs it to the display control unit 17. The display control unit 17 displays the candidate room list L11 on the display unit 18.

[0082] 11 is a diagram showing an example of the display mode of the candidate room list L11. The candidate room list L11 includes, for example, room type, cleaning status, room number, and recommendation reason. The recommendation reason is the reason why the candidate room was identified.

[0083] [Improving Efficiency of Accepting Multiple-Night Stays] Fig. 12 is a diagram showing an example of an allocation status screen D21 that is referenced to efficiently accept multiple-night stays. The allocation status screen D21 shows the room allocation status for a specified period. The shaded areas in the figure indicate vacant rooms. Also, G1 to G4 in the figure indicate target users who have made room reservations. In the example of Fig. 12, the allocated rooms are dispersed, so the usage request acceptance unit 13 cannot accept new multiple-night stay reservations.

[0084] Therefore, the candidate identification unit 14 changes the already allocated "standard double" room and "twin" room to a "superior double" room and a "corner twin" room, respectively, as indicated by the thick solid arrows in the figure. In other words, the candidate identification unit 14 changes the already implemented allocation by upgrading the rooms. The candidate identification unit 14 may suggest the change of allocation to the operator by displaying the change of allocation on the display unit 18.

[0085] The display control unit 17 may also display display icons I3 and I4 indicating new reservations for consecutive nights near the allocation status screen D21. The display icons I3 and I4 are strip-shaped display icons indicating five consecutive nights and four consecutive nights, respectively. This allows the operator to intuitively grasp the allocation status and whether or not consecutive nights are available.

[0086] 13 is a diagram showing an example of an allocation status screen D22 showing a state after the allocation has been changed from the state of the allocation status screen D21 shown in FIG. The allocation status screen D22 consolidates the rooms to be allocated compared to the allocation status screen D21. This allows the use request receiving unit 13 to accept more new reservations for consecutive nights. Furthermore, hotels can improve their room occupancy rates by securing vacant rooms of popular room types through upgrades.

[0087] (Processing of Allocation Management System 1) Next, processing performed by the allocation management system 1 will be described with reference to Fig. 14. Fig. 14 is a flowchart showing processing performed by the allocation management system 1. Here, an example will be described in which allocation is performed in advance, rather than at the time of check-in.

[0088] First, the rule setting unit 11 sets rule information (S11). For example, the rule setting unit 11 accepts an input from an operator via a rule information setting screen D1 and sets the rule information.

[0089] Next, the information acquisition unit 12 acquires attribute information and operation information (S12). For example, the information acquisition unit 12 acquires attribute information from a room information database stored in advance in a storage unit (not shown). Furthermore, for example, the information acquisition unit 12 acquires operation information stored in the storage unit and updated as needed from the storage unit. For example, the operation information stored in the storage unit may be updated as needed by a hotel staff member inputting the room operation status into the allocation management system 1. The operation information may include the cleaning status of the room.

[0090] Next, the usage request receiving unit 13 receives a facility usage request from the target user via a predetermined website or the like (S13). The usage request includes the target user's desired room conditions. Next, the candidate identification unit 14 identifies candidate rooms that are candidates to be allocated to the target user based on the rule information, attribute information, operation information, and usage request (S14). For example, the candidate identification unit 14 identifies candidate rooms using a candidate room search screen D2. The candidate identification unit 14 may present the candidate rooms and the reasons for identifying the candidate rooms to the operator in association with each other.

[0091] Next, the display control unit 17 displays an assignment operation screen such as assignment operation screens D3 to D5 on the display unit 18 (S15). The operation reception unit 15 receives an assignment operation from the assignment operation screen operator (S16). For example, the operation reception unit 15 may receive a drag-and-drop operation to move a display icon from the candidate room area to the target customer area as the assignment operation. Then, the assignment unit 16 assigns a room to the target customer based on the candidate rooms and the assignment operation (S17).

[0092] As described above, the allocation management system 1 according to the present disclosure sets rule information including at least a priority for the desired conditions of the user, identifies candidate rooms using the rule information, and presents them to the operator. The allocation management system 1 also allocates rooms in accordance with the candidate rooms and the operator's allocation operation. With this configuration, the allocation management system 1 can improve the efficiency of room allocation operations.

[0093] Third Embodiment Next, a description will be given of a third embodiment, which is a modification of the second embodiment described above.

[0094] (Allocation management system 1a) Fig. 15 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the allocation management system 1a. The allocation management system 1a includes a cleaning management unit 21 in addition to the functional units of the allocation management system 1 of embodiment 2. The following description will focus on the differences from embodiment 2, and will omit explanations of overlapping points as appropriate.

[0095] The cleaning management unit 21 manages the cleaning status of rooms. The cleaning management unit 21 instructs cleaning of rooms that have not been cleaned based on operation information (e.g., information on whether cleaning has been completed) and the status of room allocation to target guests (e.g., whether early check-in has been accepted or whether a specific room type is in short supply). The cleaning management unit 21 updates the operation status.

[0096] (Processing of the allocation management system 1a) The processing of the allocation management system 1a will be described with reference to Figures 16 to 18. Here, the description will focus on the flow of processing related to cleaning. Note that the thin solid line frames shown in Figures 16 to 18 indicate the actions of people, and the thick solid line frames indicate the processing of the allocation management system 1a.

[0097] 16 is a flowchart showing the process flow after a user checks out. First, the user checks out (S101). The allocation management system 1a changes the room operation information (S102). Next, the cleaning staff starts cleaning the checked-out room (S103). When the cleaning staff has completed the cleaning, they report the completion (S104). The cleaning staff updates the operation information (cleaning status) (S105). Then, the allocation management system 1a updates the operation information (S106).

[0098] The allocation unit 16 of the allocation management system 1a also notifies the cleaning staff of the room allocation status (S107). For example, the allocation unit 16 may issue an instruction such as, "Room 102 is an early check-in, so please clean it early." Upon receiving this instruction, the cleaning staff starts cleaning the room (S103).

[0099] Figures 17 and 18 are flowcharts showing the flow of processing after a user checks in. Figure 17 is a flowchart showing the flow of processing when a room has been assigned in advance, and Figure 18 is a flowchart showing the flow of processing when a room has not been assigned.

[0100] First, referring to Figure 17, the process flow when a room has been assigned in advance will be described. First, the guest begins check-in (S201). Next, the hotel staff confirms the room (S202). The hotel staff determines whether or not check-in can be performed. If it is determined that check-in can be performed ("OK" in S202), the hotel staff performs check-in (S203).

[0101] If it is determined that the check-in process is not possible ("NG" in S202), the hotel staff will change the room or instruct the cleaning staff to perform emergency cleaning (S204). If the hotel staff instructs emergency cleaning, the cleaning staff will perform the emergency cleaning (S205).

[0102] Next, referring to FIG. 18 , a processing flow when a room has not yet been assigned will be described. First, a guest begins check-in (S301). The hotel staff assigns a room to the guest using the assignment management system 1a (S302). At this time, the candidate identification unit 14 of the assignment management system 1a identifies candidate rooms and suggests the candidate rooms to the hotel staff (S303). For example, the candidate identification unit 14 presents a room that has been cleaned and is suitable for the guest who has begun checking in. For example, the candidate identification unit 14 may display on the display unit 18, "Room 501 is suitable for this guest."

[0103] Next, the allocation management system 1a updates the operation information (S304). The cleaning management unit 21 of the allocation management system 1a instructs the cleaning staff to clean (S305). For example, if there is a shortage of single-type rooms, the cleaning management unit 21 instructs the cleaning staff to prioritize cleaning of single-type rooms. The cleaning management unit 21 may issue this instruction via, for example, a terminal owned by the cleaning staff. The cleaning staff starts emergency cleaning in accordance with the instruction of the cleaning management unit 21 (S306).

[0104] In this way, the assignment management system 1a can link cleaning work with assignment work. As a result, for example, when there are multiple reservations with the same or similar check-in date or time, the assignment management system 1a can synchronize the timing of cleaning the rooms assigned to these reservations. In addition, the assignment management system 1a can suggest to hotel staff and cleaning staff that rooms that have not been used for a certain period of time be checked for dirt and water.

[0105] Furthermore, the allocation management system 1a can assign another room if cleaning of the assigned room has not been completed, allowing guests to check in smoothly. Furthermore, the allocation management system 1a can instruct that cleaning of the assigned room be given priority, allowing cleaning to be carried out efficiently even when there is little time until check-in.

[0106] The above-described embodiments can be implemented in any combination. For example, the second embodiment and the third embodiment can be implemented in combination.

[0107] <Example of Hardware Configuration> Each functional component of the allocation management system 100, the allocation management system 1, and the allocation management system 1a (hereinafter referred to as "the allocation management system 100, etc.") may be realized by hardware (e.g., a hardwired electronic circuit, etc.) that realizes each functional component, or may be realized by a combination of hardware and software (e.g., a combination of an electronic circuit and a program that controls it, etc.). Below, a case where each functional component of the allocation management system 100, etc. is realized by a combination of hardware and software will be further described.

[0108] 19 is a block diagram illustrating an example of the hardware configuration of a computer 900 that realizes the allocation management system 100, etc. The computer 900 may be a dedicated computer designed to realize the allocation management system 100, etc., or may be a general-purpose computer. The computer 900 may also be a portable computer such as a smartphone or tablet terminal.

[0109] For example, by installing a predetermined application on the computer 900, the functions of the allocation management system 100 and the like are realized on the computer 900. The application is configured by a program for realizing the functional components of the allocation management system 100 and the like.

[0110] The computer 900 has a bus 902, a processor 904, a memory 906, a storage device 908, an input / output interface 910, and a network interface 912. The bus 902 is a data transmission path for the processor 904, the memory 906, the storage device 908, the input / output interface 910, and the network interface 912 to transmit and receive data to and from each other. However, the method of connecting the processor 904 and other components to each other is not limited to a bus connection.

[0111] The processor 904 is a variety of processors, such as a central processing unit (CPU), a graphics processing unit (GPU), a field-programmable gate array (FPGA), or a quantum processor (quantum computer control chip). The memory 906 is a main storage device realized using a random access memory (RAM) or the like. The storage device 908 is an auxiliary storage device realized using a hard disk, a solid state drive (SSD), a memory card, a read only memory (ROM), or the like.

[0112] The input / output interface 910 is an interface for connecting the computer 900 with input / output devices. For example, the input / output interface 910 is connected to an input device such as a keyboard and an output device such as a display device.

[0113] The network interface 912 is an interface for connecting the computer 900 to a network. This network may be a LAN (Local Area Network) or a WAN (Wide Area Network).

[0114] The storage device 908 stores programs (programs that realize the above-mentioned applications) that realize the various functional components of the allocation management system 100, etc. The processor 904 reads these programs into the memory 906 and executes them to realize the various functional components of the allocation management system 100, etc.

[0115] Each processor executes one or more programs, each containing instructions for causing a computer to perform an algorithm. The programs contain instructions (or software code) that, when loaded into a computer, cause the computer to perform one or more functions described in the embodiments. The programs may be stored on various types of non-transitory computer-readable or tangible storage media. By way of example and not limitation, non-transitory computer-readable or tangible storage media include RAM, ROM, flash memory, SSD or other memory technologies, CD-ROM, DVD (Digital Versatile Disc), Blu-ray® disk or other optical disk storage, magnetic cassette, magnetic tape, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices. The programs may also be transmitted over various types of transitory computer-readable or communication media. By way of example and not limitation, transitory computer-readable or communication media include electrical, optical, acoustic, or other forms of propagated signals.

[0116] Although the present disclosure has been described above with reference to the embodiments, the present disclosure is not limited to the above-described embodiments. Various modifications that can be understood by those skilled in the art can be made to the configuration and details of the present disclosure within the scope of the present disclosure. Furthermore, each embodiment can be combined with other embodiments as appropriate.

[0117] Each drawing is merely an example for describing one or more embodiments. Each drawing may not relate only to one particular embodiment, but may also relate to one or more other embodiments. As will be understood by those skilled in the art, various features or steps described with reference to any one drawing can be combined with features or steps shown in one or more other drawings to create, for example, an embodiment not explicitly shown or described. Not all features or steps shown in any one drawing are necessary to describe an exemplary embodiment, and some features or steps may be omitted. The order of steps described in any drawing may be changed as appropriate.

[0118] Some or all of the above embodiments can be described as, but are not limited to, the following supplementary notes. (Supplementary Note 1) An allocation management system comprising: a rule setting means for setting rule information for allocating rooms to customers in a facility having a plurality of rooms, the rule information including at least a priority for the customer's desired conditions; an information acquisition means for acquiring attribute information indicating attributes of each of the plurality of rooms and operation information indicating the operation status of each of the plurality of rooms; a use request receiving means for receiving a facility use request, including the room's desired conditions, from a target customer who wishes to use the facility; and a candidate identification means for identifying a candidate room to be allocated to the target customer based on the rule information, the attribute information, the operation information, and the use request. (Supplementary Note 2) The rule information is made up of a plurality of conditions including the customer's desired conditions and the facility's desired conditions, and the priority for the customer's desired conditions indicates the priority of the customer's desired conditions among the plurality of conditions. (Supplementary Note 3) The allocation management system according to Supplementary Note 1 or 2, wherein the rule setting means groups the rule information based on the types of each of the multiple rules included in the rule information, and sets the rule information including a priority corresponding to each group. (Supplementary Note 4) The allocation management system according to any one of Supplements 1 to 3, wherein the candidate identification means presents the candidate rooms in association with a reason for identifying the candidate rooms. (Supplementary Note 5) The allocation management system according to any one of Supplements 1 to 4, further comprising allocation means for allocating a room to the target customer based on the candidate rooms, wherein if there are multiple target customers, the allocation means allocates candidate rooms corresponding to each of the multiple target customers. (Supplementary Note 6) The allocation management system according to any one of Supplements 1 to 5, further comprising operation reception means for receiving, from an operator via a predetermined operation screen, an allocation operation for allocating a room to the target customer, wherein the allocation means allocates a room to the target customer based on the allocation operation received from the operator.(Supplementary Note 7) The allocation management system according to Supplementary Note 6, wherein the operation screen includes a candidate room area in which information about the candidate rooms is arranged and a target guest area in which information about the target guest is arranged, and the operation accepting means accepts the allocation operation of associating the candidate room information arranged in the candidate room area with the target guest information arranged in the target guest area. (Supplementary Note 8) The allocation management system according to Supplementary Note 7, wherein the candidate room information includes a display icon indicating the candidate room, and the operation accepting means accepts a drag-and-drop operation of moving the display icon from the candidate room area to the target guest area as the allocation operation. (Supplementary Note 9) The allocation management system according to any one of Supplements 1 to 8, wherein the candidate identification means proposes changing the allocation from an already-allocated first room to a second room different from the first room, if changing the allocation from the already-allocated first room to a second room different from the first room will increase the number of acceptable usage requests, including consecutive nights. (Supplementary Note 10) The allocation management system according to any one of Supplementary Notes 1 to 9, wherein the operation information includes a cleaning status of the rooms, and the system further comprises cleaning management means for managing the cleaning status of the rooms, and the cleaning management means instructs cleaning of rooms that have not been cleaned based on the operation information and the status of room allocation to the target customer. (Supplementary Note 11) An allocation management method comprising: setting rule information for allocating rooms to customers in a facility having a plurality of rooms, the rule information including at least a priority for desired conditions of the customers; acquiring attribute information indicating attributes of each of the plurality of rooms and operation information indicating the operation status of each of the plurality of rooms; accepting a facility use request including the desired conditions for a room from a target customer who wishes to use the facility; and identifying a candidate room that is a candidate for allocation to the target customer based on the rule information, the attribute information, the operation information, and the use request.(Supplementary Note 12) A program that causes a computer to execute the following steps: a rule setting process that sets rule information for allocating rooms to customers in a facility having multiple rooms, the rule information including at least a priority for the customer's desired conditions; an information acquisition process that acquires attribute information indicating the attributes of each of the multiple rooms and operation information indicating the operation status of each of the multiple rooms; a usage request acceptance process that accepts a facility usage request, including the desired room conditions, from a target customer who wishes to use the facility; and a candidate identification process that identifies a candidate room to be allocated to the target customer based on the rule information, the attribute information, the operation information, and the usage request.

[0119] Some or all of the elements (e.g., configurations and functions) described in Supplementary Notes 2 to 10 that are dependent on Supplementary Note 1 may also be dependent on Supplementary Notes 11 and 12 in the same dependency relationship as Supplementary Notes 2 to 10. Some or all of the elements described in any Supplementary Note may be applied to various hardware, software, recording means for recording software, systems, and methods.

[0120] 1, 1a, 100 Allocation management system 11 Rule setting unit 12 Information acquisition unit 13 Use request reception unit 14 Candidate identification unit 15 Operation reception unit 16 Allocation unit 17 Display control unit 18 Display unit 21 Cleaning management unit 101 Rule setting unit 102 Information acquisition unit 103 Use request reception unit 104 Candidate identification unit 900 Computer 902 Bus 904 Processor 906 Memory 908 Storage device 910 Input / output interface 912 Network interface b1 Search button b2 Rule setting button b3 Bulk allocation button b4 Room number button D1 Rule information setting screen D2 Candidate room search screen D3 to D5 Allocation operation screen D11 Check-in processing screen D12 Candidate room search screen D21, D22 Allocation status screen FM Floor map I1 to I4 Display icon L1, L11 Candidate room list L2 Unassigned guest list P1 Priority R1 Rule information

Claims

1. An allocation management system comprising: a rule setting means for setting rule information for allocating rooms to customers in a facility having a plurality of rooms, the rule information including at least a priority for the customer's desired conditions; an information acquisition means for acquiring attribute information indicating the attributes of each of the plurality of rooms and operation information indicating the operation status of each of the plurality of rooms; a usage request receiving means for receiving a facility use request, including the desired room conditions, from a target customer who wishes to use the facility; and a candidate identification means for identifying a candidate room that is a candidate for allocation to the target customer based on the rule information, the attribute information, the operation information, and the usage request.

2. The allocation management system described in claim 1, wherein the rule information is composed of a plurality of conditions including the desired conditions of the customer and the desired conditions of the facility, and the priority of the desired conditions of the customer indicates the priority of the desired conditions of the customer among the plurality of conditions.

3. The allocation management system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the rule setting means groups the rule information based on the type of each of the multiple rules included in the rule information, and sets the rule information including a priority corresponding to each group.

4. The allocation management system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the candidate specification means presents the candidate rooms in association with the reasons for specifying the candidate rooms.

5. An allocation management system as described in claim 1 or 2, further comprising an allocation means for allocating rooms to the target customers based on the candidate rooms, wherein when there are multiple target customers, the allocation means allocates candidate rooms corresponding to each of the multiple target customers.

6. An allocation management system as described in claim 1 or 2, further comprising an operation receiving means for receiving an allocation operation for allocating a room to the target customer from an operator via a predetermined operation screen, wherein the allocation means allocates a room to the target customer based on the allocation operation received from the operator.

7. The allocation management system described in claim 6, wherein the operation screen includes a candidate room area in which information about the candidate rooms is placed and a target customer area in which information about the target customers is placed, and the operation receiving means receives the allocation operation that associates the information about the candidate rooms placed in the candidate room area with the information about the target customers placed in the target customer area.

8. The allocation management system of claim 7, wherein the information on the candidate rooms includes a display icon indicating the candidate room, and the operation receiving means receives a drag-and-drop operation to move the display icon from the candidate room area to the target customer area as the allocation operation.

9. The allocation management system of claim 1 or 2, wherein the candidate identification means proposes changing the allocation from an already allocated first room to a second room different from the first room if changing the allocation from the already allocated first room to a second room different from the first room will increase the number of acceptable usage requests, including those for consecutive nights.

10. An allocation management system as described in claim 1 or 2, wherein the operation information includes the cleaning status of the rooms, and further comprising a cleaning management means for managing the cleaning status of the rooms, and the cleaning management means instructs cleaning of rooms that have not been completed based on the operation information and the status of room allocation to the target customers.

11. An allocation management method comprising: setting rule information for allocating rooms to customers in a facility having multiple rooms, the rule information including at least a priority for the customer's desired conditions; acquiring attribute information indicating the attributes of each of the multiple rooms and operation information indicating the operation status of each of the multiple rooms; accepting a facility use request including the room's desired conditions from a target customer who wishes to use the facility; and identifying candidate rooms to be allocated to the target customer based on the rule information, the attribute information, the operation information, and the use request.

12. A program that causes a computer to execute the following steps: a rule setting process that sets rule information for allocating rooms to customers in a facility having multiple rooms, the rule information including at least a priority for the customer's desired conditions; an information acquisition process that acquires attribute information indicating the attributes of each of the multiple rooms and operation information indicating the operation status of each of the multiple rooms; a usage request acceptance process that accepts a facility use request, including the desired room conditions, from a target customer who wishes to use the facility; and a candidate identification process that identifies a candidate room to be allocated to the target customer based on the rule information, the attribute information, the operation information, and the usage request.

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