DECEMBER 2014
FRONT OFFICE OPERATIONS & ADMINISTRATION
Instructions to candidates:
a)
Time allowed: Three hours (plus an extra ten minutes’ reading time at the start – do not write anything during
this time)
b)
Answer any FIVE questions
c)
All questions carry equal marks. Marks for each question are shown in [ ]
1.
Front office staff have a legal duty to maintain a record of every room reservation in a hotel.
a) Identify information that front office staff should record on a reservation form.
b) Outline advantages in using a reservation form.
c) Explain why recording information on a computer may be more demanding of front office staff.
[10]
[5]
[5]
2.
Front office staff will use a number of different records for storing information. Examine data that front office
staff will record on EACH of the following documents:
a) Room record card
b) Guest history record
c) Room status record
d) Registration record
e) Arrivals list
[20]
3.
Guests will express frustration at having to wait for their bills to be presented, and preparing the final account
for availability upon demand is essential.
a) State ONE advantage and ONE disadvantage in EACH of the following methods of preparing guests’ bills:
i
Tabular ledger
ii
Electronic billing machine
iii
Computerised system
[6]
b) Discuss guidelines that should be followed by front office staff when accepting travellers’ cheques
from a guest.
[10]
c) Explain the difference between ‘COD’ and ‘VPOs’.
[4]
4.
Caring for the safety and welfare of hotel guests is an important duty of front office staff.
a) Describe the procedure front office staff should take when receiving a bomb warning by telephone.
b) Examine security measures that front office staff should take to reduce the incidence of guests
leaving without paying their bills.
[8]
[12]
5.
Room occupancy is one example of a performance target by which the efficiency of front office staff may be
measured.
a) Examine what action front office staff can take in order to reduce the impact of people who make
bookings but fail to honour them (no-shows).
[10]
b) Explain what overbooking entails and how front office staff should monitor the process.
[5]
c) Discuss why the profit ratio is greater from selling accommodation than that received from selling food
or beverages.
[5]
6.
Being aware of the significant profit that may be generated through group bookings, front office staff will be
encouraged to maximise sales from this important source of income. Examine the use of intermediate
agencies as a means of bringing hotels and customers together.
[20]
7.
A number of hotels are prepared to discount prices and offer attractive packages in order to increase sales
during quiet periods.
a) Discuss the advantages to a hotel of introducing differential room rates compared with seasonal
rates.
[10]
b) Differentiate between an en pension tariff and an inclusive terms tariff.
[10]
continued overleaf
8.
A front office manager may use a number of support documents to help identify attributes amongst job
applicants before employing the most suitable candidate.
a) Prepare a Personal Specification for a Junior Receptionist, indicating sub-headings in the specification,
with ONE example of the essential criteria that may be listed under EACH sub-heading.
[10]
b) Produce a ‘Guest Questionnaire’ suitable for providing information on guests’ opinions on a hotel’s
services, cleanliness and prices.
[10]
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