Rooms Division
Rooms Division
The Rooms Division is composed of departments and
functions, which play essential roles in providing the
service guests expect during a hotel stay.
A hotel room division is a room specifically divided in a
hotel, it may include housekeeping, concierge, porter
and sometimes front and back office as well.
The structure of the hotel will vary from hotel to hotel. The
variation can be caused by differences in the size of
hotel, types and level of service and the organization of
the management.
The departments are under the control of the Rooms
Division Manager or Manager of Rooms.
Rooms Division Manager
• Responsible to the General Manager for the efficient and
effective leadership and operation of all the rooms
division.
• Room division manager’s knowledge includes a complete
understanding of hotel operations, specifically those
operations involving the front office, housekeeping and
basic accounting procedures.
A rooms division manager has the following duties:
1. Responsible for the supervision of employees engaged in the
operation of the front areas of the hotel;
2. Coordinates with other departments in the hotel and maintains
open communications with them to find better ways to serve the
guests;
3. Maintains responsibility for staffing, purchasing, and budgeting.
4. Supervises the rooms division payroll, availability controls,
and monthly plans.
The rooms division consists of the following
departments:
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Front office
Reservations
Housekeeping
Concierge
Guest services
• Bell service
• Valet
Front Office
• The front office is considered the hub or
nerve center of the hotel. It is the
department that makes a first impression
on the guest and one that the guest relies
on throughout his or her stay for
information and service
The front office operation consists of four primary
activities that are known in the lodging industry by
the following terms:
• Check-in
– Check-in refers to a process by which people
become guests in a lodging establishment.
Check-in takes place in a reception area or
front desk. Here, guests register, are
assigned accommodations, and pick up keys
for these accommodation.
• Information
– The goal of the information activity in a hotel
or motel is to serve the special needs of
guests and employees for information about:
• Guests
• Goods and services
• Check-out
– Check-out refers to a process by which guests
terminate their status as guests of a lodging
establishment. The goal of check out activity in hotels
motels, and other lodging is to accomplish this
process. During check-out , guests surrender the
keys, verify the accuracy of their bills, and settle their
accounts. Guest accounts may be settled in two basic
methods by some form of cash or by credit card.
Front Office Manager (FOM)
• The Front office manager is responsible for
enhancing guest services by constantly
developing services to meet guests needs. e.g.
having a guest service associated greet guests
as they arrive at the hotel, escort them to the
front desk, and then personally allocate the
room and take the guest and luggage to the
room.
Responsibilities:
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Check night clerk report
Review previous night’s occupancy
Review previous night’s average rate
Look over market mix
Check complimentary rooms
Verify group rooms to be picked up for the next thirty
days
• Review arrival and departures for the day
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Review the VIP list and prepare pre-registration
Arrange pre-registration for all arrivals
Attend rooms divisions and operations meetings
Review arrivals and departures for next days
Make staffing adjustments needed for arrivals and
departures
• Review scheduling (done weekly)
• Meet with lead Guest Service Associates (GSAs) (done
daily)
Desk Clerk, Desk Attendant,
Receptionist, or Rooms Agent
• Basic functions:
– Clerk handles rooming and cashiering duties:
• Welcomes and registers arriving guests
• Presents statements and collects payments
A front desk clerk must be able to work under
pressure. Constant interruptions to the actual
work of the front desk occur and employees
are always on stage; therefore, it is necessary
to maintain composure even during moments
of apparent panic.
Responsibilities:
• Displays a friendly and professional manner in all
dealings with guests, patrons, and other employees
• Welcomes and registers hotel guests with an emphasis
on fulfilling their requests
• Follows special handling and credit procedures
• Is familiar with room availability for current and future
dates
• Maximizes revenue and guest satisfaction by means of
selling techniques
• Selects and blocks rooms for arriving guests
• Pre-registers individuals and groups
• Assists in escorting VIP and returns guests to their
rooms
• Work closely with concierge staff to handle guest
luggage and special requests
• Follows through in rooming process by contacting guest
by telephone to ensure satisfaction
• Checks guest out according to set procedures
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Exchanges foreign currency
Issues safety deposit boxes
Post charges to guest accounts
Reconciles all cashier transactions at the close of shift
Coordinates and follows up with the other departments
to handle guests’ special requirements
• Handles and reports guests’ problems and complaints
Night Auditor
• The night auditor waits until the hotel quiets
down at about 1:00 A.M. and then begins the
task of balancing the guest’s accounts
receivables. The other duties include the
following:
– Post any charges that the evening shift was not able
to post
– Pass discrepancies to shift managers in the morning
– Run backup reports so if the computer system
fails the hotel will up-to-date information to
operate a manual system
– Reconcile point of sale and PMS (Property
Management System) to guest accounts
– Complete and distribute the daily report
– Determine areas of the hotel where there
could potentially occur.
Reservations
• The term reservation refes to an arrangement by which
lodging operators hold accommodations for guests who
will be arriving at some later time.
• The reservations department is headed by the
Reservations manager who is the same level as the
Front Office manager and reports directly to the Director
of Rooms Division or the Director of Sales.
Goals of Reservations:
1. To provide assurance to prospective guests
that suitable accommodation will be available to
them at a specific price for a specific period.
2. To ensure that the greatest number of rooms
possible are occupied each day and that the
rates charges for those rooms are the highest
possible.
• A reservation is the first contact for the guest or
person taking the reservation for the guest.
Although the contact may be by telephone, a
distinct impression of the hotel is registered with
the guest. This calls for exceptional telephone
manners and telemarketing skills. The
reservation department generally works from
8:00 A.M. to 6:00 P.M.
Reservations originate from a variety of
sources:
• Telephone to the same property
– Fax
– Letter
– Cable
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Corporate
Travel agents
Internet
Meeting planners
Tour operator
• Referral from another company property
• Airport representatives
• Walk-in
Types of Reservations:
• Confirmed reservation is a reservation made
with sufficient time for a confirmation slip to be
returned to the client by mail or fax.
• Guaranteed reservations refers to a
reservations where the clients pays for the first
night prior to his or her arrival. This may be in
the form of a credit card number or receipt of the
first day’s payment.
• Regular reservation or non-guaranteed
reservation type of reservation not paid in
advance and the room is held until a
specified time (usually 6:00 P.M.) on the
date of arrival.
Yield Management
• In recent years, many hotels have
instituted a reservation system taken from
the airline industry called yield
management. Yield management is the
process of allocating the right type of
capacity to the right kind of customer at
the right price.
It consists of two separate but related parts:
1. Room inventory management is handled by the desk
staff
2. Pricing by the hotel’s management
Although each hotel chain has a different variation of it, the goal is
the same for all – to obtain maximum occupancy at maximum
rates.
Telephone Exchange
• The communication (PABX) includes:
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In-house communication
Guest communications such as pagers and radios
Voice mails
Faxes
Messages
Emergency center
• The telephone exchange section is a vital part of
the smooth running of the hotel. Guests often
have their first contact with the hotel by
telephone. This underlines the importance of
prompt and courteous attention to all calls. It is
also a profit center because hotels generally add
a 50 percent charge to all long-distance calls
placed from guest rooms.
• Communications operates twenty four hours a
day, in much the same way as the front office
does, having three shifts. It is essential that this
section be staffed with people who are trained to
be calm under pressure and who follow
emergency procedures.
Guest Services / Uniformed
Services
• The guest service department or uniformed staff
is headed by a guest services manager who
may also happen to be the bell captain. The
staff consists of door attendants and bell
persons and the concierge – although in some
hotels the concierge reports directly to the front
office manager. People in these positions
usually receive gratuities or tips from guests for
their services.
Door Attendants, Doorman or
Door Person
• Door attendants are the hotel’s unofficial
greeters. Because they have so much
guest contact, they need a pleasant,
outgoing personality.
Responsibilities:
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Greet guests at the hotel front door
Assist in opening / closing automobile doors
Remove luggage from the trunk
Hailing taxis
Keeping the hotel entrance clear of vehicles
Give guests information about the hotel and the
local area in a courteous and friendly way
Bellman or Bell person
• Basic Functions:
– Handles guest’s luggage and
– Escorts guests to their rooms
– Provide information on hotel services and
room amenities
– Maintains the guest luggage storage area
Responsibilities:
• Escort guests to elevators and delivers luggage via
service elevator
• Place luggage in guestroom
• Explain room features to guests, offers ice and asks if
pressing is required
• Explain hotel services and food and beverage outlets
• Transfer guest’s luggage when room change is required
• For checkouts, remove luggage from guestroom via
service elevator
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Assist concierge staff as needed
Remain at lobby post when not otherwise occupied
Relieve door attendant during meal breaks
Deliver guest messages on an hourly schedule
Deliver packages, mail, and flowers to guestrooms
Look after flags as instructed by supervisor
Enter every service provided in a log book
Perform other duties as assigned by concierge
Concierge
• The concierge is a uniformed employee of
the hotel who has her or his own separate
desk in the lobby or on special concierge
floors. The concierge is a separate
department from the front office, room
clerks, and cashiers
Basic function:
• To operate an efficient and effective
concierge department, ensuring a high
degree of guest satisfaction and return, in
an atmosphere of hospitality. Does so in a
dignified, positive, friendly manner and
complete each guest request to the
highest standard.
Responsibilities:
• Conduct himself/herself in a professional manner at all
times, reflecting the high standard of the company.
• Maintain a clean, well-groomed appearance in uniform;
maintain a clean, well-organized work area
• Assist guests at the concierge desk and over the
telephone, prior to arrival, during their stay, and after
departure
• Keep abreast of all events in the hotel by reviewing
memos, messages, special attraction lists, function
sheets, arrival sheets, departure lists, etc.
• Maintain contacts with other businesses in the areas,
including restaurants, airlines, ground transportation ,
agencies, theaters, clubs, entertainment events.
• Maintain contacts with other concierges in the city and
the company. Handle mail, messages, deliveries and
rentals.
• Maintain an inventory of stamps and stationery and
knows postage rates for domestic and foreign
shipments.
• Handle and report guest’s complaints and problems
• Perform secretariat work
• Keep current on all city attractions, transportation
schedules, entertainment calendars, recreational
charters and rentals, and related services to guests
• Arrange and book tours and special attractions
• Arrange services such as babysitting, shipping, courier
dispatches, luggage repairs
• Supply guests with emergency needs for toiletries,
umbrellas, etc.
• Organize and books onward travel arrangements
• Ensure fast and correct service by bell staff
• Ensure fast and correct valet parking
• Maintain a daily log book.
Housekeeping
• The housekeeping department is
responsible for the cleanliness,
appearance, and condition of the entire
hotel. This includes the public areas. It is
the largest department in terms of member
of people employed.
Other functions of the
housekeeping department:
• Efficiently keep as many rooms as possible in a
ready condition
• Give information regarding ready rooms
• Interior decorating and arranging fresh flowers
for VIPs
• Clean guestrooms, public rooms and outside
grounds
• Attend to the special requests of the guests
Executive Housekeeper
• Responsible for maintaining a smooth and
efficient flow of operations of the
housekeeping department
• See to it that housekeeping maintenance
is carried out in accordance with
prescribed standards and policies
Responsibilities:
• Establish goals of his department. Plan activities geared
towards the attainment of these objectives and compare
actual achievement against goals
• Prepare and submits operation budget
• Take corrective action for any problem affecting the
operation in his department. Attend to customer
complaints: coordinate with department: Coordinate with
department concerned for necessary action
• Conduct job orientation and training of housekeeping
personnel
• Call and preside over operational meeting with staff
Checkers or Supervisors
• Basic function:
– Directs and controls rooms keeping activities
– Ensure conformity to prescribed rooms
keeping standards and policies
Responsibilities:
• Conduct rounds and inspection to check
the quality of room make-up
• Check and maintain per stock
• Check the thoroughness of room cleaners,
and efficiency of new electronic devices
Room Attendant
• Basic function:
– Attend to the maintenance and upkeep of all
guestrooms and service areas assigned to
him/her
Responsibilities:
• Look after the maintenance of cleanliness, orderliness,
and sanitation in his assigned guestrooms
• Performs turndown service
• Attend to the needs and additional requests of guests
• Reports and surrender all lost and found items to
supervisor
• Assist in the inventory of guest supplies and linens
Laundry Personnel
• Basic function
– Responsible for washing and drying of guest
laundry and hotel linens such as bed sheets,
pillowcases, towels, table cloths and napkins
Security / Loss Prevention
• The security division is responsible for
maintaining security alarm system and
implementing procedures aimed at
protecting the personal property of guests
and employees and the hotel itself.
Security Officers
• Responsibilities:
– Make regular rounds of the hotel premises including
guest floors, corridors, public and private function
rooms, parking areas, and offices
– Observe suspicious behavior and take appropriate
action, investigating incidents, and coordinate with
local law enforcement agencies.
The End