Rate Classes

This module is used for:

Building/Removing New Rate Classes	Defining Terms and Conditions
Selecting Blacked Out Weeks and Class Capacity Limits	Setting Expiration Dates
Selecting User Access	Setting Available Sales Proposal Options by Rate Class
Managing Rate Curves	Adding/Deleting Forecast Combinations

Stations

Select the station to be used.

Rate Classes

The application is delivered with a Standard Rate Class. The Class Index is defined as 100. To create additional classes use the Standard Class as a template. Therefore, all the general terms and conditions need to be correct in the Standard Class before duplicating and editing to create other rate classes. After duplication, ensure that all the defined combinations are correct and that any not desired are removed.

Class Options

This module is used for defining terms and conditions, blacked out weeks, class capacity limits, expiration dates, user access, and specific sales proposal settings by rate class.

Build a Rate Class

1. Click on the Rate Classes tab. Highlight the Standard Class, then click on New.

2. Select the new Class Index. To create a rate class that is 15% higher than the Standard Class, type 115 over the 100 in the Class Index box. If creating a rate class 10% less than the Standard Class, type 90.

3. Click on Class Options, and name the rate class in the Rate Class Description box. Decide who will have access under User Access and take the check out of the box next to any users that do not need access to the class. Managers might not want general users to be privy to a National Class or perhaps some other highly discounted class.

4. If it’s a discounted class and want to limit the capacity change the Class Capacity limit from 100% to 70%. This will ensure sellers can never access dayparts with that rate class, when a demand level of 70% has been reached.

5. To set the Expiration (In days) fill in the Minimum and Maximum appropriately. Minimum refers to lead-time (amount of days before the client can get on the air). Maximum should be the number of days after which rates quoted and the proposal expires.

6. If Blacked Out Weeks are needed (possibly for a discount rate class), then click on the Select Blacked Out Weeks button and select weeks from the calendar that is displayed.

7. Enter all the Applicable Terms and Conditions that gives definition to the new rate class. This section of the screen functions as a word processor.

Additional Features, Tips, and Shortcuts… Premium rate classes should contain terms and conditions favorable to the customer.

Discounted rate classes should contain terms and conditions favorable to the station.

Users can be restricted to only the forecast combinations available for a particular rate class. Use this for rate classes that offer discounts under a strict set of terms and conditions. This prevents ‘cherry picking’ of end of week and prime times.

Multi-Station Proposals

One rate class per station may be designated as a Multi-Station Rate Class. When a designated Multi-Station Rate Class is saved, a prompt appears asking if the class should be available for single station as well as multi-station use. The prompt provides a facility for the class to appear for single station use and multi-station proposals.

Only stations that have a designated Multi-Station Rate Class will appear as selections in the Sales Proposal module when operating in multi-station mode.

There can only be one designated multi-station rate class per station.

Time Segments Additional Features, Tips, and Shortcuts…<P> This window is where the management of rate curves takes place. Options that are available under Time Segment Options include:

Apply Status Rate Factors	Base Rates Rate Ceilings
Locked Rates Maximum Ads	Apply Status

If you change the yes to no in Update Selected Cells, it is possible to make a specific time segment unavailable for this specific rate class. This might be used in a discount rate class to make prime dayparts unavailable.

Rate Factors

In this manner the pricing for a specific daypart may be adjusted by a percentage for the entire year Example: Your morning drive is taking off because of a new morning show. You want to increase this drive time but do not want to affect other dayparts. If you wished to increase the rate by 20% then change the drop down menu from Apply Status to Rate Factors and change the 100% to 120%. Reducing the rate for a specific daypart is done in the same manner, using 100% as the beginning rate. To lower the rate by 5%, you would change the 100% to 95%.

Base Rates

When setting base rates, the important thing to remember is that this will apply throughout the entire year. So if a base rate is set in November it could possibly shut off demand in January. A better choice may be rate factors. Base rates are usually the option used during the political season, to ensure that no ads are sold lower than the political rates.

Rate Ceilings

This option is used when the top of the rate curve starts to shut off demand. When setting a rate ceiling, this will be the top dollar amount that will be charged for that daypart throughout the year.

Locked Rates

This will lock the rate for a specific daypart throughout the year. This is used primarily for political rates. Before using this option in other areas, please consult your Maxagrid Representative.

Maximum Ads

This is the limit of ads that can be scheduled per daypart for each proposal.

Additional Features, Tips, and Shortcuts…

When using the Time Segment Options to adjust rates, that adjustment will only take place in the specific rate class that is being accessed at that time. To make the same adjustment across all classes, each class will have to be selected and changes will be made to each rate class independently.

Pricing keyed to demand may be viewed by clicking on Rate Curve Details. This includes the original rate curve, seasonal demand, demand level at which the displayed value is represented, rate factors, base rates, rate ceilings and locked rates which effect this daypart.

Clicking on Flight Details will provide information for the flight that has been specified on either the Rate Class tab or the Forecast Combinations tab.

Before making any adjustments in this area please speak to your designated Maxagrid Representative. While appearing to work well for in the near future, adjustments to rate curves need to be analyzed for their long-term effect on station revenues.

Forecast Combinations In this module edit, add, delete, sort and move defined combinations.

Add a Forecast Combination

1. Click on New. A red line will pop up. Double click on the word ‘New’ in the red line. When it changes to blue, type in the new definition, i.e., Mon-Wed 6a-10p.
2. Highlight all the cells that contribute to this combination.
3. Click on Save.

Note:If there is a change or adjustment by mistake, and don’t want it to save, click on Close and there is a menu saying ‘Changes Not Saved?’ Click OK and your original setting will be restored. Delete a Forecast Combination Highlight desired definition. Click on the Delete button, then click on Save.

Move a Forecast Combination Up or Down in the Order Highlight the combination you want to move up or down. Click on the Move button, and use the arrow keys on the keyboard to move the definition up or down in the desired order. A mouse cannot be used to move the combination. Click on Save.

Additional Features, Tips, and Shortcuts… Click on the word Time, on the upper left hand corner of grid. Click it once to highlight all cells, click it again to un-highlight all cells.

Click on Mon, Tues, Wed or any other day of the week, located at the top of the column. Click it once to highlight all day, click it again to un-highlight all cells for that day.

Click on a daypart definition, i.e., 10a-3p. Click it once to highlight all seven days of this daypart, click it again to un-highlight all cells for that daypart.

Daypart cells can also be highlighted or un-highlighted by clicking on actual cell.