LESSON 3 – FRONT OFFICE OPERATIONS
prof.ssa Maria Luisa Savi
On completion of this module, YOU will be able to:
•Demonstrate knowledge of the key functional
areas of front office
•Describe the function and activities of the
reservations, reception and cashiers departments
•Analyse guest accounting processes
•Review the use yield management, statistics and
reports within the front office operation
•Explain the importance of security and safety within rooms division including key
legislation for reception operations
•Describe the key features of the communication services available to guests
•Explain the role front office plays in selling hotel services and facilities
ENTERTAINMENT
BAR - RESTAURANT
WELLBEING
COMFORT
LOBBY
RECEPTION
Every area in a hotel is a
nucleus of activities, tasks and
duties
OUTDOOR
HOTEL SECTIONS
1) WELCOME – reception, lobby
• The hall is the welcome area of a hotel.
Here the first encounter with a guest occurs and the guest gets his/her first
opinion about the welcome he/she is going to receive, it doesn’t matter if
It’s a business or leisure stay. It’s a very representative section.
2) ENTERTAINMENT – restaurant and bar
• The restaurant is made up of two sections:
a. In full view of the guests : the lounge. An agreeable, relaxing and cosy
atmosphere.
b. Out of guest’s sight: the professional kitchen, wine cellar, storeroom,
pantry, kitchen staff’s offices and rooms, etc.
• Bar
HOTEL SECTIONS
3) COMFORT – rooms and suites
A room is the heart of the hotel, the place where the guest places all
his/her expectations which will affect the stay satisfaction.
It is the place which conveys comfort and intimacy and which can be
soothing like one’s own home. Like home it reproduces the family spaces
of rest and relax.
4) WELLBEING – gym, sauna etc.
It is a very important area where the guest can be pampered and can
dedicate time for self care and wellness.
5) OUTDOOR - garden, car park
This area is the visiting card of the hotel.
THE PERFECTLY SERVICED HOTEL
1) Lobby
Guests should be greeted on arrival and taken straight to their room and not
have to wait at the check in too long. There should also be plenty of space for
meetings and just sitting and watching the world go by.
When the guests leave, they’ll be able to grab an espresso for that early
Morning dash to the airport.
The lobby has to be discreet and not too public.
The lighting is low and welcoming.
Staff never have casual conversation with each other in front of the guest.
There’s plenty of seating in the lobby for meetings and waiting around.
There’s a good espresso bar for early morning caffeine hits.
There’s a manager around the lobby to deal with problems: he/she’s not hiding
in the back office.
Free wi-fi throughout the hotel. Elevators are silent.
ROOM FLOORS
2) Room floors.
Staff should stop vacuuming as guests pass.
Room service should come on trays not trolleys.
3) Rooms.
Rooms should work as places to relax. There should
be an old-school radio to capture the sound of the city, a wide choice of morning
newspapers , cosy bathrooms, heated floors, soundproof windows that can be
opened for a fresh start of the day. Heated floors keep guests’ toes toasty warm.
There are lots of electrical sockets at the bed but most importantly beside the bed.
An easy to operate TV with a wide range of international channels. An old-school
radio. An alarm clock that can be set by the guest. The furniture is solid wood, no
cheap veneers. Peninsula-style cupboards mean laundry and newspaper can be left
without knocking . There are always fresh flowers in fresh water. An iron and ironing
board are on hand: why wait 24 hours to have a shirt pressed?
The mini-bar is at shoulder height: no crawling on one’s knees for a cold beer.
Windows clean and a balcony where possible makes the difference.
Different cultures have very different notions of what constitutes a good first impression.
Americans generally agree that a big white smile, a firm handshake and a loud, humdinger
of a hello makes unforgettable impact, while the Japanese will bow, wait for someone else to
introduce them and tender a business card before they even open their mouth. Similar
cultural axioms apply to the hotel industry and, unfortunately, the majority of properties get
the subtleties altogether wrong.
One has to wonder whether there should be more efforts made to manage and monitor a
universal ‘first impression manifesto’ that could bring some stateliness to hotel
management the world over. In hospitality first impressions are paramount. Many elements
combine to create a great first impression at any hotel in any location: the cut of a
doorman’s coat or the just-so jaunt of a bell-hop’s hat; the slight resistance of a revolving
door or the proper click on a polished parquet; and most importantly, the airtight attitude of
the staff which should filter down from the general manager’s office and should all unite in
flawless concert.
Of course not all properties are the same, so expectations and mood alter around the art of
arrival. At a grand Hong Kong property the feet should never touch the ground from arrival
at Chek Lap Kok to crossing the threshold, while at a solid Swiss three-star you’re content
to let yourself in late as the key glides into the lock. Everything is well lit and the front door
closes with a reassuring thud.
What the two have in common is that they both work perfectly and respond to
guests’ desires to be public, private or completely invisible.
Hotels should be caring less about creating a ‘home from home’ (who in their right
minds would want to stay in their own house when they’re away?) , and should
concentrate instead on the new and reassuring maxim of ‘comfort comes from
seamless service’. Apply this from the first impression to last and then maybe we can
talk about a block booking.
(from Monocle Feb. 2010)
DISCUSS: what would you like for your stay in a hotel?
A home-like stay?
Something different but exceptional?
THE CHECK IN CHECK LIST
WHY WE ARE ALL IN THE HOSPITALITY BUSINESS AND WHAT WE SHOULD DELIVER
1. A warm, genuine welcome.
2. A sincere smile and piercing eye contact.
3. Refreshments – warm and chilled
4. Speed married with thoroughness.
5. Impeccable manners and diction.
6. Genuine interest and curiosity.
7. Immaculate presentation.
8. Prompt follow-up and execution.
9. A twinkle in your tone.
10. An unswerving sense of dignity.
(from Monocle Feb. 2010)
FRONT OFFICE OPERATIONS
The primary function of the front office is that of a facilitator between the
guest and other departments of the hotel. Another job of Front office desk
is also to support and help in providing services to the guests. The number
of interactions and transactions between the guest and the hotel during a
guest stay, determine the type and nature of front office operations. The
stages of guest stay are:
• pre-arrival
• arrival
• occupancy
• departure
Various trans actions between the guest and the hotel, therefore, depend
upon the stage of the guest stay. The transactions can be best understood
by going through the guest cycle.
FRONT OFFICE OPERATIONS
The Guest Cycle
Transportation
Baggage handling
Reservations
Guest cycle
Bill settlement
Departure
Check out
Pre-arrival
Currency exchange
Doormen & porters
Occupancy
Safe deposits
Arrival
Check in
Registration
Maintaining guests accounts
Room assignment
Mail and information
Issuing of keys
Telephone calls
Baggage handling
Transportation
HOTEL TRANSACTIONS
All these services and transactions are handled by the front
office department.
The functions and services of the front office department can be
differentiated depending upon the area where they are being
performed.
Some of the functions are performed by the reception desk as
front-of-the- house operations and rest are performed as
back-of-the-house operations.
FRONT OFFICE FUNCTIONS
functions
1) Sell guest rooms
Accept reservations
Handle walk-ins
Perform the registration process
2) Provide information on hotel services
Concerning internal hotel operations
About external events and locations
3) Coordinate guest services
Liaison between front and back-of-thehouse areas
Handle guest problems and complaints
4) Chart room status reports
Coordinate room sales and
housekeeping: occupied status
On-change status, out -of-order status
area of operations
FRONT OFFICE FUNCTIONS
functions
5) Maintaining guest accounts
Construction of folio and account
Posting to folios (updating)
Supervision of credit levels
Documentation of guest’s transactions
6) Settlement of guest accounts
Preparation of guest statement
Reconciliation of folio
Perform the checkout procedure
7) Construct guest history file
Record the guest’s personal data for
future references
Front- office activity or back-office activity?
area of operations
FRONT OFFICE FUNCTIONS
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
7)
Sell guest rooms
Provide information on hotel services
Coordinate guest services
Chart room status reports
Maintaining guest accounts
Settlement of guest accounts
Construct guest history file
Front office activity
Front office activity
Front office activity
Back office activity
Back office activity
Front office activity
Back office activity
Front office operations
What is the ‘front office’ ?
When people decide that they want or might want, to stay in a hotel, they may:
● Check out the hotels, and e-mail the reservation department to ask about room rates
and availability.
● Telephone the hotel or switchboard and ask to speak to someone (perhaps in the
reservation department) about room rates and availability, the facilities and
location of the hotel and other information that will help them make the decision to
book.
● Walk in off the street and approach the front desk to ask about room rates and
availability (perhaps test out the friendliness and general ‘look’ of the hotel).
When the guest makes the decision on the exact room to book with the given number of
nights, there may be some follow up correspondence to confirm the booking, give
extra information (such as maps on how to get to the hotel) or make adjustments to
the booking as the guest’s plans change.
When the guest arrives, (s)he will go to a reception desk to register, be allocated a
room & receive a room key (with information about the facilities and service of the
hotel). There may be a porter to help the guest with luggage or to show the room to
the guest.
Front office operations
During the stay, the guest will come to the reception for many reasons; to collect
messages, to leave and pick keys, to know some information, to make a complaint or to
get a problem solved, etc.
The hotel may offer additional service such as currency exchange facilities, or use of an
in-house office facility, restaurant or spa, or an information and reservation/ticketing
service for local attraction and activities. The guest will receive theses by ringing the
hotel switchboard or approaching the front desk.
At the end of stay, guest will handover the key to the reception and will settle the bill.:
help may be required with luggage or onward transport. Even after the departure the
hotel office will keep the guest’s registration details on file for a specific period. (any
other queries or special offers) , so that the guest will arrive back next time.
“First impression will be the last impression” so it’s the job of the front office/reception
to make the guest satisfied.
Front office operations
What is the ‘front office’ ?
In a small hotel, front office functions may be carried out by a single person at a reception area or
front desk: answering the switchboard, taking bookings, welcoming and registration guests,
billing and processing payment and so on. In a large hotel, there may be separate departments
dividing these responsibilities, including:
● Switchboard: taking and routing telephone calls
● Reservation: taking bookings
● Reception (or front office): welcoming and registering guests at the main reception desk
● Concierge / enquiries: answering guests’ and visitors’ questions; handling mail and guest keys;
perhaps also handling car hire, tour booking and entertainment tickets for guests
● Billing office: preparing guests’ accounts and bills
● Cashier: receiving guests’ payments and processing other financial transactions (currency
exchange)
● Uniform staff: luggage porters, lift attendants, doormen, cloakroom attendants, garage
attendants or valet parking etc.
Front office operations
Why are front of house activities important?
Front of house activities are important for several reasons such as:
● Front office may be the first contact a guest or prospective guest has with the hotel (in written,
by telephone or in person)
– Help people decide to whether to choose the hotel (or not!) - winning or losing a prospective
customer;
– Influence everything else they think about the hotel. Due to what psychologists call the 'halo
effect', a good first impression may predispose guests to think well of their rooms, the service
they are given during their stay and so on. A bad first impression may put them on the alert
for other bad 'signals', and incline them to find fault with everything else.
Front office operations
● Front office is the 'service hub' of the hotel: the area where most guest contacts and
transactions take place throughout their stay. Guests' experience of 'hotel service' is, therefore,
mainly shaped by front office personnel and procedures. This is important because the quality
and style of service is a major factor in:
– Providing an enjoyable, relaxing, satisfying experience for guests - which is, after all, the
hotel's raison d'être;
– Helping the hotel 'stand out' from its competitors, which may have similar rooms and
facilities;
– Ensuring that guests will want to return again - and meanwhile, will give a positive report of
the hotel (recommend), to other people. Hotels rely on this positive word of mouth
promotion, and definitely don't want guests spreading negative reports, especially since the
Internet allows them to tell thousands of other travellers (in online hotel review sites or travel
'blogs') when they've had a good - or bad - experience.
● Front office has a special responsibility for dealing with guests' problems and complaints; the
'critical incidents' which can make all the difference between satisfaction and dissatisfaction.
Front office operations
● Front office is the communications hub of the hotel (information is exchanged by and with all
other departments). If reception fails to tell housekeeping to make a room ready for arriving
guests; or fails to relay a guest complaint about faulty air conditioning to the maintenance
department; or fails to make a booking in the hotel restaurant for the guest the system
breaks down, and the guest is not served. Likewise, if reception fails to heed housekeeping's
warning that a room needs repair or redecoration; or fails to add a dinner charge, sent
through from the restaurant, to the guest's bill – the system fails.
● Front office is the administrative hub of the hotel, where reservations are logged, room
allocations are planned, room status is monitored, guest bills are prepared, payments are
processed, records are kept, information displays are maintained; etc. If all these tasks aren't
carried out efficiently, the hotel would simply cease to function.
Organization structure : a small hotel
A typical structure for a small hotel offering both accommodation and catering might be as shown
In Figure 1.1. Staff members are likely to carry out a variety of tasks within their general area:
(e.g.. The restaurant staff will also deliver room service and serve tea and coffee in the lounge;
the receptionist will handle reservations, check-in and check-out, billing, mail and switchboard;
etc. manager and assistant manager will handle a variety of administrative and decision-making
tasks: purchasing, book-keeping, marketing and etc.).
A simple small hotel structure
Manager
Assistant Manager
Reception
Housekeeping
Kitchen
Restaurant
Porters
Organization structure : a larger hotel
In a larger hotel, it is possible to organise staff into more clearly defined departments, each with a supervisor or
department head (in a medium-sized hotel) or a manager (in a large hotel). There will also be more specialised
staff, because the hotel can afford to employ more people – and there will be more work for each person to do.
The main revenue-earning functions of the hotel are generally split into a Rooms Division (responsible for
accommodation) and a Food and Beverages Division (responsible for catering).
In a medium-sized hotel, there might be a manager and one or more assistant managers, who supervise
operations (probably on a shift basis, so that there is some managerial supervision seven days per week).
In a large hotel, there will be a general management
team, responsible for planning and coordinating
the business and operations of the hotel. Unlike the
'hands on' manager of a small hotel, the manager here is
essentially a business manager, responsible for policy,
planning and control: (s)he may only rarely encounter
guests or intervene in day-to-day hotel decisions. The
'duty manager' – as assistant managers at this level are
often called - is the one with hands-on responsibility for
dealing with guests, and resolving problems and queries
referred by front office staff. A number of duty managers
may be employed to cover a 24-hour roster, so there is
always someone available to deal with guest issues.
Organization structure : a larger hotel
General manager
Manager
accounting
sales/
marketing
duty man.
security
food &
beverage
room division
security
front office
reservation
cashier
reception
housekeeping
HR/Personnel
maintenance
kitchen
banqueting
room
service
restaurant
bars
Reservations
Reservations clerks are responsible for taking enquiries from prospective guests, travel agents,
Group or conference organisers and other parties who may wish to reserve accommodation.
Their role is to obtain the information required to make a booking; record that information in
manual or computerised reservation records; monitor the levels of reservations; issue any
documentation to guests to confirm the booking (e.g.. confirmation letters, requests for deposit);
and ensure that reception is Informed of the confirmed reservation details and expected arrivals
for each day.
A reservations manager or supervisor will be in control of the section, organise staff duty rosters,
And make decisions on whether and which bookings should be accepted (if the hotel is fully
booked, or bookings have to be 'juggled' to maximise occupancy).
Advance reservations may be handled by the receptionist in a small hotel, but many hotels will
have a separate reservations desk or department - perhaps in a back office near reception, since
most reservation requests come in by telephone, mail, e-mail or online, rather than via 'walk ins'.
Reception – front desk
'Reception' may be an umbrella term for all front-office functions, but in larger hotels, there is
likely to be a special reception desk.
The main roles of receptionists (or front desk agents) are: taking enquiries and reservation
Requests from 'walk in' Visitors; preparing for the arrival of guests; greeting guests on their
arrival; checking guests in (registering them, allocating suitable rooms and checking methods of
payment); selling the facilities and services of the hotel; responding to guest problems and
queries, or referring them to other departments that can do so; providing information about
Guests to other front office units and departments of the hotel; and maintaining guest records.
The reception desk in a very small hotel may only operate extended business hours (say, 7.30 am
To 8.30 pm) to cover the main peaks of activity. The hotel will often post an 'after hours' contact
Number (or operate an intercom system) to allow late-arriving guests, or guests with problems
during the night, to contact a designated 'on-call' person (often a resident caretaker or manager).
A larger hotel will seek to cover the reception desk on a 24/7 basis, with a permanent night staff
or night shift.