FRONT OFFICE BASICS

DESINGED BY, ,MR.SUNIL KUMAR LECTURER

Front office operations

The front office functions: 1- Reservation 2- Registration - Roo! an" Rate assign!ent #- $uest service %- Roo! status &- 'aintenance an" Sett(e!ent of guest accounts )- Creation of guest histor* recor"s The front office "eve(ops an" !aintains a co!prehensive "ata +ase of guest infor!ation, coor"inate guest service, an" ensure guest satisfaction-

Organi.ation
/arge hote( organi.e the front office accor"ing to function, 0ith "ifferent e!p(o*ees han"(ing separate area-

1or2 shifts
The 0or2(oa" for the front office e!p(o*ees is #3-hour 0ee2(* in !ost hote(s4a* shift ) A-'- 5 6-'Evening shift 6-'- 5 11 6-'Night shift 11 6-'- 5 ) A-'-

7o+ 4escription
7o+ "escription is (ist of a(( the tas2s that co!pose a 0or2 position 7o+ "escriptions inc(u"e: 1-Out(ine reporting re(ationships 2-Responsi+i(ities -1or2ing con"itions #-E8uip!ent an" !ateria(s to +e use" %-Other i!portant infor!ation specific to the p(ace of e!p(o*ees-

7o+ 4escription
To +e !ost effective: 7-4- shou(" +e custo!i.e" to the operationa( proce"ures of a specific (o"ging propert* 7-4- shou(" +e tas2 oriente", the* shou(" +e 0ritten for a position, not for a particu(ar e!p(o*ee 7-4- 0i(( +eco!e "ate an" inappropriate as 0or2 assign!ents change, so the* shou(" +e revie0e" at (east once a *ear for possi+(e revision E!p(o*ees shou(" +e invo(ve" in 0riting an" revising their 9o+ "escriptions 1ritten 7-4- can !ini!i.e e!p(o*ee an:iet* +* specif*ing the chain of co!!an" an" the responsi+i(ities of the 9o+-

7o+ 4escription
1e((-0ritten 7o+ 4escription can +e use": In eva(uation 9o+ perfor!ance As an ai" in training or retraining e!p(o*ees To prevent unnecessar* "up(ication of "uties To ensure that each 9o+ tas2 is perfor!e" To "eter!ine appropriate staffing (eve(s-

7o+ 4escription

Fina((* each e!p(o*ee in the front office "epart!ent shou(" +e given a cop* of the 7-4- for his;her position, even +efore an e!p(o*!ent-

7o+ specification

Roo! 4ivision
Roo! "ivision is the !ost i!portant "epart!ent in the hote( in the ter! of provi"ing 8ua(it* guest service, +ecause this "ivision has a high "egree of guest contact- An" create the i!pression of a 8ua(it* e:perience for the guest- The roo! "ivision prepares its pro"uct <guest roo!= for the guest to sta*- For e:a!p(e if the guest roo! "oes not !eet the guest e:pectation, then there is a (ac2 of 8ua(it* 0i(( +e perceive" +* the guestRoo! "ivision consists >ouse2eeping Reservations Front office ?nifor!e" service <+e(( captain inc(u"e :+e(( staff, va(et par2ing personne(, "oorpersons= Transportation 6rivate +ranch e:change <6B@=- s0itch+oar";te(ephone operators Concierges <!a2ing reservation on air(ine, arrange +a+*sitter, an* other services out of the hote( 0hich it can he(p the guest=

12#%&)-

Roo! 4ivision
12#%The structure of the roo! "ivision is var* fro! hote( to hote( an" the variations co!e fro! the "ifferences in the: The si.e of the hote( T*pe of the service an" /eve( of the service provi"e" +* "ifferent hote(s The geographic (ocation /oca( 0or2force s2i(( (eve(s The organi.ation preferences of !anage!ent

The three !a9or su+"epart!ents in the roo! "ivision: 1- securit* 2- Front office <F-O-= - house2eeping <>-A-= These su+"epart!ents co!e un"er the contro( of the roo! "ivision !anager-

Roo! 4ivision
The "uties of roo! "ivision !anager: 1- Responsi+(e for the supervision of e!p(o*ees engage" in the operation of the front area of the hote( 2- Coor"inates 0ith other "epart!ents in the hote( an" !aintains open co!!unication 0ith the! to goo" service for the guest - 'aintains responsi+i(it* for staffing, purchasing, an" +u"geting#- supervises the roo! "ivision pa*ro((, avai(a+i(it* contro( an" !onth(* p(ans %- 4eve(ops gui"e(ine an" stan"ers operating proce"ures to carr* out the po(icies of the roo! "ivision &- Create p(ans to !a:i!i.e the average "ai(* rate an" percentage of occupanc* )- >an"(ess custo!er co!p(aints an" suggestions B- Sta* up to "ate 0ith events ta2ing p(ace in the !ar2et, in the !ar2et seg!ents, an" in the co!petition-

Front office
Front office "epart!ent inc(u"e front "es2, reservation, 6B@, unifor!e" service, concierges Each of these area is i!portant in create a positive e:perience for the guest of the hote( Each of these area create an environ!enta( that 0i(( provi"e the highest (eve( of guest services-

Front office
12#%The "uties of front office !anager: Supervise the "epart!ent 'onitor guest service assists the roo! "ivision !anager in co!pi(ing infor!ation for reports Assists in the training of front office e!p(o*ees6repares the "ai(* pa*ro(( report, CI6 roo! assign!ents !"#$%, an" out of or"er roo!s report&- Assists the R4' in the for!u(ation an" i!p(e!entation of front office po(icies an" proce"ures)- 6repare the 0ee2(* sche"u(e of e!p(o*ees B- Revie0s an" approves &'( )*%#a(( roo! !ove an" roo! rate changes D- >an"(ess guest co!p(ains an" fo((o0s the! up to re"uce future co!p(ains 13- Assists the R4' in forecasting roo! avai(a+i(it* to ensure that the opti!a( (eve( of occupanc* is attaine" -

Front 4es2
Open 2# hours per "a* , ) "a* in the 0ee2 , an" &% "a*s in the *ear- An" this is the center of the hote( The p(ace 0here the guest get the infor!ation, to get he(p, register !ost of their co!p(ains It is the front "es2 !anager function 0hich inc(u"e chec2-in an" chec2-out proce"ures-

Front office operations

There are four stage for guest c*c(e: 1- 6re-Arriva( 2- Arriva( - Occupanc* #- 4eparture

6re-Arriva(
The guest chooses the hote( "uring the pre-arriva( stageThere are !an* factors 0hich can affecte" on the choice of hote(: 1-6revious e:periences 0ith the hote(2-A"vertise!ents-Co!pan* trave( po(ic*#-Reco!!en"ation fro! trave( agents%-Frien"s&-Business associates)-The hote(Es (ocation or reputationB-Fre8uent trave(er progra!sD-6reconceptions +ase" upon the hote(Es na!e or chain13-Roo! rate11-The guest "ecision !a* +e inf(uence +* the ease of !a2ing reservations12->o0 the gent "escri+es the hote( an" its faci(ities-

Arriva( Stage
This stage inc(u"e : 1- Registration2- Roo!ing functionsThe +usiness re(ationship start fro! this stage +et0een the guest an" the hote( through the front officeThe responsi+i(it* of the front office staffEs: 1- c(arif* the nature of the guest-hote( re(ationship2- !onitor the financia( transactions !+,-+et0een the hote( an" the guest- the front office staffEs shou(" +e "eter!ine the guestEs reservation status +efore +eginning pre-registration process-

Arriva( stage
The front office agent !ust +e fa!i(iar To sa(e successfu((* 0ith: 1-The hote( roo! t*pe 2-Rate -$uest service Be a+(e to "escri+e the! in a positive !anner-

Arriva( stage
$athering a(( the i!portant infor!ation in "etai( at the ti!e of reservation an" registration enhances the front office a+i(it* to satisf* specia( guest nee"s At chec2 out the guest registration recor"er !a* +eco!e the pri!ar* "ata source for creating a guest histor* recor" 0hich recor" a(( the persona( an" financia( infor!ation a+out the hote( guest 0hich it can he(p the hote( in the !ar2eting an" sa(es efforts

occupanc* stage
As the center of hote( activit* Coor"inating guest service is responsi+i(it* of the front "es2 a!ong !an* servicesThe front "es2 staff shou(" respon" to re8uests in a ti!e(* an" accurate 0a* to !a:i!i.e guest satisfactionThe !a9or of front office o+9ective to encourage repeat visitsConstructive co!!unication +et0een the front office an" other "epart!ent;"ivisions 0ith the guestthe hote( !ust +e a0are a+out the co!p(ains in or"er to reso(ve itThe front office Shou(" carefu((* atten" to guest concerns an" tr* see2 a satisfactor* reso(ution as 8uic2(* as possi+(eSecurit* is another pri!ar* front office concern "uring occupanc* stageCariet* of transactions "uring the occupanc* stage affect guest an" hote( financia( accounts

Occupanc* stage
Roo! rate of the guest roo! is the (argest sing(e charge in the guest fo(io, an" a(( the e:penses can +e charge" to a guest account as service purchase" fro! the hote( restaurant, roo! service "epart!ent, te(ephone +i((, transportation, gift shop, an" other revenue out(ets

4eparture
$uest service an" guest account aspects of the guest c*c(e, an" the fina( e(e!ent of guest service is processing the guest out of the hote( an" create a guest histor* fi(e The sett(e!ent of guest account is the fina( e(e!ent of guest accounting <that is +ringing the account to a .ero +a(ance=

4eparture
Chec2 out: 1-The guest vacates the roo! 2-Receives an accurate state!ent of the sett(e" account-Returns the roo! 2e*s #-/eaves the hote( The front office s*ste! auto!atica((* up"ates the roo!Es avai(a+i(it* status

4eparture
4uring chec2 out the front office staffEs shou(" "eter!ine 0hether the guest 0as satisfie" 0ith the sta* an" encourage the guest to return to the hote( or the another propert* in the chain 'ore infor!ation a+out the guest it can he(p the !anage!ent to "eve(op !ar2eting strategies to increase +usiness a positive i!pression a+out the hote(: it i!portant to for the custo!ers to (eave the hote( 0ith goo" i!pression an" affect ho0 the* ta(2 a+out the hote( to the others !ore over it can "eter!ining if the guest return to the hote( in the future or not-

4eparture
6ropert* !anage!ent s*ste!: use registration recor"s to auto!atica((* construct a guest histor* fi(e A guest histor* fi(e: is a co((ection of guest histor* recor"s

4eparture
The purpose of account sett(e!ent is Co((ect !one* "ue the hote( prior)./0 to guest "eparture, "epen"ing on the guestEs cre"it arrange!ents- The guest 0i(( pa* cash or +* cre"it car" Account +a(ances shou(" +e verifie" an" errors correcte" +efore the guest (eave the hote( 'a* +e the pro+(e! occur in the guest account sett(e!ent for e:a!p(e 0hen the charges are not poste" to the guestEs account unti( after the guest chec2s out- These charges are ca((e" late

4uties of front office personne(

1e 0i(( e:a!ine the "uties of each section in the front office: 1- The reservation office 2- Reception<the front "es2= - 'ai( an" infor!ation #- Te(ephone %- $uest re(ation offices &- Front office cashier )- Business centre B- Night au"itor

The reservation office

Staff in the reservation office inc(u"e The reservation !anager The reservation c(er2s 4uties of the reservation !anager inc(u"e:
1- The reservation !anager 0i(( +e in contro( of the section2- Organi.e the staff "ut* rotas - Esta+(ish an" !aintain high stan"ar"s of 0or2 #- 'a2e "ecision, 0hether +oo2ings shou(" +e accepte" or not

The reservation office <conEt=

Reception<The Front 4es2=

The staff in the front "es2 section or <Reception= inc(u"e: 1-The reception !anager or front "es2 !anager2-The reception supervisor or front "es2 supervisor-Senior receptionists an" receptionists or reception c(er2sFagents-

Reception<The Front 4es2=

In genera( the front "es2 contro((e" +* the front "es2 !anager The "ut* of front "es2 !anager to achieves the !a:i!u! revenue an" highest (eve( of roo! occupanc* possi+(e The responsi+i(it* of reception !anager to !onitor an" !otivate their staff an" !aintain a high profi(e 0ith the guests This is he(ps to ensure that a 8ua(it* service is +eing given +* the front office "epart!ent in particu(ar an" the hote( in genera(-

Reception<front "es2=
The responsi+i(ities of the reception supervisor :
1- $uarantee the s!ooth running of the front "es22- The * organi.e the "ut* rotas- >an"(e co!p(ains or "ifficu(t custo!ers 0hich a receptionist !a* not +e a+(e to "ea( 0ith#- The "ut* of the front "es2 supervisor to notification an" greeting of i!portant guests <CI6s=-

Reception<front "es2=
The responsi+i(ities of senior receptionist is: 1-The senior receptionist is in charge of each shift of staff2-The responsi+i(ities of senior reception 0i(( assigning roo! to guests-4ea(ing 0ith group arriva(s#->an"(ing guestsE i!!e"iate pro+(e!s or 8ueries-

Reception<front "es2=
The responsi+i(ities of receptionists or front "es2 c(er2sFagent:
1- 6repare for the guests arriva( 2- $reet the guests 0hen the* arriva( - Chec2 the guests into the hote( #- Assign suita+(e roo!s an" chec2 the guests !etho" of pa*!ent %- The* 2eep a recor" of the status of each roo! in the hote(-