Process For Specified Bell Desk Service

( UNIT 6 Chapter 1 Lesson 1 )

Technical terms
• Bell desk– front office department responsible for escorting guests and transporting their
luggage also known as porter service

• Discrepancy report- report of the number of rooms allocated for the guest reflected on
PMS versus the room status report from the housekeeping

• Luggage tag- reference in identifying and securing luggage of guests.

• Paging- bell desks process of calling guests by writing the guests name in board

• Skipper- guests who leaves the hotel establishment without paying or settling his or her
account.

BELL DESK SERVICE

The bell desk serves as an assisting team to the front desk and to the arriving guests. They
provide services such as carrying baggage. Escorting to rooms. And doing any errands the bell
staffs is the one responsible for doing the tasks.

Specific bell desks responsibilities:

The following are the procedures and typical tasks done to the bell staff during the guest cycle.

During Arrival
1. Greet and escort the guest to the front desk according to the industry standard.

2. Open the door for the guest.

3. Unload the luggage from the vehicle and then load them carefully to the trolley

During Departure.
Inform the front desk about the guest’s intention to checkout.

2. Carry luggage and load them to the guest’s vehicle after checkout at the front desk.

3. If a guest wishes to pick up the luggage later after checkout, the bell staff must place the
luggage on the hotel’s luggage storage facility.

4. Confirm the front desk’s discrepancy report by doing physical inspections on the rooms.

HANDLING GUEST LUGGAGE UPON ARRIVAL

Handling guest luggage upon arrival and departure is a difficult task for the bell desk
because it always involves threat on safety, for any lost or damage and threat on the physical
health of the personnel for carrying heavy loads of luggages. To meet guest satisfaction and trust
on bell services, the industry standards on handling guest luggage must be accurately observed
at all times.
Carrying Luggage And Delicate Items
The following is the procedures on carrying luggage and items of guest.

1. Do not force yourself to carry a too heavy luggage. Ask for assistance if necessary.

2. Never put too much pressure on your waist and back when lifting luggages or items.
Avoid excessive twisting and bending.

3. Grab the luggage handle firmly. Bend your knees, keep your back straight and use the leg
muscles to lift the luggage. Carry the luggage close to your body.

4. Start your walk by turning your toes to the desired direction then followed by the entire
body.

PROTOCOLS IN ESCORTING THE GUESTS TO ROOMS

( Unit 6 Chapter 1_ Lesson 2)
TECHNICAL TERMS
• ESCORTING- act of accompanying and providing basic establishment Information
to guest While walking to the located room after check in

• TROLLEY- luggage cart, use for transporting the luggage to Guest room

ESCORT GUEST TO ROOMS

Aside for handling guest luggage, another important responsibility of the bell desk staff
is to escort guest upon arrival. For this reason, the bell desk also plays a vital role in a
building guest, first hand impression of the hotel in terms of quality accommodation
services. A bell staff must always be clean and neat Cheerful, and physically strong to carry
luggage and escort guest to their room.

PROCEDURE IN ESCORTING AND ASSISTING GUEST

Procedure #1 Open the passenger door for the arriving guest specially if the vehicle stop at
the hotel's main door.

Procedure#2 Courteously greet the guest According to the industry standard and offer your
assistance to handle the luggage

Procedure#3 Unload the luggage from the vehicle and ensure the guest that no luggage is
missing. Tag each piece and load them to the trolley properly

Procedure#4 Direct or Guide the guest to the front desk for the registration and check-in
inform the guest that you will take care of his or her luggage

Procedure#5 After check-in at the front desk, the room key or key card will be handed to
you. Room number from the key or card will also be written on each luggage tag

Procedure #6 Tell the guest that you will be assisting him or her to his or her assigned room.
Procedure#7 Direct the guest to elevator and transport his or her luggage using the trolley.
You may introduce the different hotel facilities including the emergency exits to the guest along
the way.

Procedure #8 Show the room to the guest. Demonstrate how to use the room key or key
card. Enter the room ahead of the guest to open the lights.

Procedure #9 Place the luggage inside and ask if the guest need some assistance.

Procedure #10 Explain the different features of the room to the guest.

Procedure #11 Politely thank the guest and leave the guest room.

Procedures for handling group luggage at arrival and

departure
(Unit 6 Chapter 2_Lesson 1)
TECHNICAL TERMS:

 BELL CAPTAIN - supervises the bell staff or porters in bell desk service of hotel
establishment.

 PORTER – another term for bellboy or bell staff

 TOUR GROUP – group of guest checking in that is headed by a leader whose reservation
is prearranged by tour operator or company.

HANDLING GROUP LUGGAGE AT ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE

 Accommodating a group of guest requesting for check-in is really a busy task for the
bell desk. A group of arriving guest would also mean a large number of luggage to be
secured and transported that will increase the risk for damage and disorganization. This
requires the hotel establishment to establish standard procedures for effective handling of
group luggage for a fast and secured bell desk service.

HANDLING GROUP LUGGAGE AT ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE

 The following are the procedures for handling luggage of a group before and during arrival
and during their departure.

BEFORE THE GROUP’S ARRIVAL

Secure A Copy of arrival documents to do all necessary preparations for the group’s arrival.

 Arrival list to assume the particular hours in the shift that will become very busy.

 Room list to determine the rooms allocated for the members of the tour group.

BEFORE THE GROUP’S ARRIVAL

Prepare the luggage tags ahead of time using the information in the room list.

DURING THE GROUP ARRIVAL

1.Help the vehicle operator unload the luggage.

2. Gather the members of the tour group at the reception’s waiting area so that they will not block
the hotel’s door entrance.

3. Verify the number of luggage to the tour leader ensuring that no luggage is missing.

4. Attach the tags on each piece of the luggage, and then arrange them according to room number
while the tour leader is completing the registration and check-in at the front desk.

5. If the guest rooms are ready for occupancy, deliver the luggage at the right building floors and
room numbers then place them at luggage racks. Have an efficient system of delivering luggage
to save time and energy such as planning your trip according to building areas.

6. If the guest rooms are not yet ready for occupancy, then store the luggage in the hotel’s
luggage storage facility. Do the necessary updates on logbook.

DURING THE GROUP DEPARTURE

1. Plan all expected departure by referring to the departure list.
2. Collect the luggage of the group for checkout through the front desk.

3. The tour leader usually gathers the member of the group at the reception during checkout. This
will be the time for the bell staff to collect the luggage from individual room of the group or if they
already brought it to the reception area.

4. Once all luggage are collected to the reception area make sure that the number of luggage will
match with the room list.

5. Give the room list to the bell captain to inspect that all luggage are collected correctly. The bell
captain verifies the number of luggage to the tour leader.

6. Place all luggage requested in the hotel’s luggage storage facility if the group will get it after
checkout. Give the claim stub to the guest.

7. If the group already claimed their luggage at the storage facility, help the vehicle driver in
loading the luggage.

Security Procedures for Luggage Storage Facility

( UNIT 6 CHAPTER 2 LESSON 2 )
Technical Terms
Luggage Storage Facility -where the luggage are temporarily stored upon the request of guest
after check out or during waiting hours. When the room to be occupied is not yet ready.

Luggage Storage Logbook –where the important events and transaction of guest during the day
are recorded by bell staff.

Luggage Storage Facility

A luggage storage facility is used to store the guest luggage on either of the following events:

1. When the guest are waiting for their rooms to be ready during the check in procedure.
2. When the guest need to leave their heavy luggage in hotel after departure for convenience in
travelling then will just claim them later.

Procedure in Storing Luggage in Facility

1. Fill out the luggage tag with the necessary information including the guest name, room number,
contact number, date left, and date to be picked up, write also the number of luggage piece in
each tag using the format below to indicate that the item belong to the same group.

2. After accomplishing the top and bottom part of the luggage tags, string or loop them together.

3. Record the following details in the luggage storage logbook.

- Date -Room number
- Guest name - Contact number
- Luggage tag number
-Date to be picked up - Description of
luggage number

4. Detach the bottom part of the tag and give it to the guest. This will serve as their claim stub.

5. Place the luggage in the storage room safely.

Procedure in Releasing Stored Luggage from the Facility

1. Collect claim stub or the bottom part of the tag from the guest

2. Check for the luggage in the storage room that correspond to the claim stub by looking on
the luggage tag information.

3. Note the date of release in the luggage storage logbook.

4. Detach the tag assist the guest in carrying the luggage.

Dealing with Missing Luggage

The bell desk must secure every luggage at all times to avoid instances of loss or damage. The
acceptance and releasing of luggage must apply with the standard procedures and should be
noted on the luggage storage book. Guest who intend to pick up their luggage must present proof
issued by the bell desk otherwise any undocumented claims will not recognize.

The bell desk must secure every luggage at all times to avoid instances of loss or damage. The
acceptance and releasing of luggage must apply with the standard procedures and should be
noted on the luggage storage book. Guest who intend to pick up their luggage must present proof
issued by the bell desk otherwise any undocumented claims will not recognize.
 FUNCTIONS OF BELL DESK
( Unit 6 Chapter 3 Lesson 1 )
TECHNICAL TERMS
Miscellaneous jobs – number of tasks that hotel staff will perform to satisfy the needed
accommodation of each daily guests.

Wake-up call – telephone service provided by hotel establishment to each guest.

BELL DESK FUNCTIONS

• Bell desk or porter’s station is a small counter in the lobby near the main entrance of the
hotel that is supervised by a bell captain or a lobby supervisor.

• Bell desk provides some security, as they eye out for anything suspicious and report it to
their immediate supervisor. It is staffed throughout the shift to give quality service to each
guest.

• A bell staff, bell boy, or porter must be friendly, professional and with a good welcoming
manner. He must be energetic and a team player because he interacts with the hotel
guests.

DURING GUEST ARRIVAL

Greet and escort the guest to the front desk according to the industry standard.
2. Open the door for the guest.
3. Unload the luggage from the vehicle and load them carefully to the trolley

4. Attach the luggage tags.

5. Inform the front desk about guests with scanty or little baggage they might be “skippers”.
6. Carry luggage and escort to his or her room.
7. Show the room features and how to operate basic room facilities .

DURING GUEST OCCUPANCY

1. If guest requests for change of room, help them transfer his or her luggage.
2. Deliver guest messages received in the front desk.
3. Call the guest’s attention by paging him or her when a phone call is received for a guest at the
front desk.

DURING GUEST DEPARTURE

Inform the front desk about the guest’s intention to checkout.

2. Carry luggage and load them to the guest’s vehicle after checkout at the front desk.
3. If a guest wishes to pick up the luggage later after checkout, the bell staff must place the
luggage on the hotel’s luggage storage facility.
4. Confirm the front desk’s discrepancy report by doing physical inspections on the rooms.

Below are some other tasks that a bell desk may do:
2. Delivery of newspapers
3. Collection of room keys at departure
4. Miscellaneous jobs
5. Wake-up call