PROVIDE ACCOMMODATION
RECEPTION SERVICES
D1.HFO.CL2.03
Slide 1
Element 1: Prepare reception area
for guest arrival
Slide 2
1.1 Prepare reception area for service
Reception is:

Central location

First point of contact

Usually operates 24/7

Preparation and organization is the key
3
1.1 Prepare reception area for service
Handover:
All reception shifts overlap by brief period (15 minutes to ½ hour)
– this briefing allows:

Time to discuss any relevant details for the next shift – time
to review and resolve problems

New staff prepare their area and check personal appearance

For smooth transition from one
shift to another
Handover can be verbal, written or in
form of reports
Slide 4
1.2 Check reception equipment

Is everything working as intended?

Are you familiar with how all the equipment works?

Do you know how to fix “minor” faults and problems ?

Do you have back up supplies?
 Paper/paper rolls
 Forms
 Vouchers
 Printer ribbons
 Pens, paper and relevant stationery
Slide 5
1.2 Check reception equipment
Class activity:

Discuss the type of equipment found on a front desk

List the purpose of this equipment

Find brand names for this equipment
6
1.3 Review expected daily guest
movement
Reasons for the review – to:

Review and ensure bookings are correct

Ensure right room is allocated to guest

Facilitate coordination of work with other departments

Make sure VIP guests are properly taken care of

Confirm airport transfer and pick-up arrangements

Inform Housekeeping to make up rooms if there are any
early departures

Advise housekeeping or minibar staff to check the minibar
in certain rooms
Slide 7
1.3 Review expected daily guest
movement
Arrivals:

Arrivals list
 Alphabetical listing of expected arrivals
 Time of arrival
 Type of room
 Rate quoted
 Special requests
 Payment details
Slide 8
1.3 Review expected daily guest
movement
Group arrivals:

Lots of people and lots of luggage

Room allocation

Check on arrival time

Prepare room keys

Meal vouchers and restaurant requirements

Mail

Prepare group rooming lists or registration cards

Welcome brochure and group itinerary
Slide 9
1.3 Review expected daily guest
movement
Stay over rooms:
Guests who stay longer than their departure date

Some guests request extensions

Need to contact the guest

Extend the stay if possible

May have to find another hotel or room type

May have to do room inspections

Could only be a “late check-out”

Affects occupancy levels – may lead to
being overbooked
Slide 10
1.3 Review expected daily guest
movement
Role Play:

Working in groups of 3

1 Guest, 1 staff member, 1 observer
 Scenario: Hotel is fully booked and Mr. or Ms.
Armstrong come to the desk and want an extension.
Reception staff – need to discuss that there are no
rooms and we will have to make a booking
somewhere else. Think about the questions you will
need to ask
11
1.3 Review expected daily guest
movement
Early Departures:

When a guest leaves before their due date

Departure changes are usually captured at check-in
time

Housekeeping notice a “checked out” room

PMS system will pick this up quickly

Reduces our occupancy figure
Slide 12
1.3 Review expected daily guest
movement
Groups and individual guest movement:

Changes in the group allocation

Advance notice given by tour company

Group may be charged for the room/guest

Additions to the group

Effects occupancy level
Slide 13
1.4 Allocation of room in
accordance with special requests
Guests request certain rooms and expect them:
Reception need to ensure these requests are allocated:

Simple requests such as
 Non Smoking rooms
 Specific views, ocean, pool, golf course
 Suites, family rooms, penthouse
 Specific requests, low floor, near the lifts, away from the lifts
 Business women’s floor
Cont’
Slide 14
1.4 Allocation of room in accordance
with special requests

Challenging requests:
 Hotel hampers or gifts, fruit, flowers, chocolates
 Full bar set up
 Open connection room doors
 Change Duvet [Doona] to blankets
 Remove all alcohol from the room – for religious reasons
 Insert a board under the mattress for guest with bad back
Slide 15
1.4 Allocation of room in
accordance with special requests
Activity:

Prepare a list of all the special requests you can think of

Decide which department needs to be involved in
achieving this request

Discuss with the class
16
1.4 Allocation of room in accordance
with special requests
Room allocation
Rooms are allocated:

As soon as the reservation is made for limited types
 Suites, the Penthouse suite, Family rooms
 Room number is blocked onto the reservation

Morning of arrival
 Individual rooms
 Groups and tour guests
 Usually done by the reception supervisor
 Rooms numbers are manually recorded on the
registration card or assigned in the computer
Slide 17
1.4 Allocation of room in accordance
with special requests
Group room allocation:

Discounted rate – don’t receive the best rooms in the
hotel

Rooms should be close together and on the same floor
if possible

Tour Leader – different floor – unless the groups have
language difficulties

Check all the rooms are ready
when the groups arrives

It is difficult to move group and tour guests
Slide 18
1.4 Allocation of room in accordance
with special requests
Room Rates:

Room rates reflect the type of room the guest has
requested
 Standard, deluxe, king-size, poolside, ocean view

Discounted rates usually reflect the type of business
 Corporate rate
 Convention rate
 Air crew rate
 Government rate
 Industry rate etc.
Slide 19
1.4 Allocation of room in accordance
with special requests
Activity:
The William Angliss Tour group are coming to your hotel.
The tour leader is Linda Wilson who requires a queen-size
room.

The tour checks in on the 15th next month for 2 nights

Please prepare a Group Rooming list – for all these
guests, include the arrival and departure dates, and
allocate rooms to all the guest. Record any special
request information and who it would go to
Cont’
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1.4 Allocation of room in accordance
with special requests
Activity:

The guests are: Mr. & Mrs. Dowell, Mr. & Mrs. Grannon,
Mr. & Mrs. McGhee, Mr. & Mrs. Collins all wanting queensize rooms

The following guests are sharing twin rooms: Ms. Gjeci
with Ms. Dietritch, Ms. Parks with Ms Schuler, Mr. Baker
with
Mr. Frost, and Mr. Kerr with Mr. Craven

There is one triple room; Ms. Hudson with Ms. Van Dorske
and Ms. Shady
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1.5 Follow-up on uncertain arrivals
and reservations
Mainly during full house occupancy:

Non-guaranteed reservations

Deposits
 Not yet received
 Only partially paid

Reservations past the specified arrival time
 Contact the guest to see if they are still coming
 Wait list guests
 Potential room sales to other guests if you contact
them in time
Slide 22
1.6 Compile arrivals lists
Arrivals List provides information such as :

Alphabetical listing of guests arriving on that date

Departure date

ETA – estimated time of arrival

Number of guests

Room type and rate quoted

Status of reservation - guaranteed or non-guaranteed

Special requests

VIP status (if any)

Complimentary guests are also included
Slide 23
1.7:Distribute arrivals list as required
Housekeeping:

Staffing levels

Planning daily tasks

Determine the level of service

Order of servicing rooms

Guest count

Special requests
Slide 24
1.7:Distribute arrivals list as required
Concierge:

Staffing levels

Group arrivals

Organizing luggage storage
Slide 25
1.7:Distribute arrivals list as required
Porters:

Planning daily tasks

Arrival time

Sorting luggage
Slide 26
1.7:Distribute arrivals list as required
Security:

VIPs – David Beckham arriving


Requires additional security
Escort a VIP to their room
Food and Beverage:

Special requests

Restaurant use

Groups and tour arrangements
Cont’
Slide 27
1.7:Distribute arrivals list as required
Management:

Notification of VIPs

Recognize famous names and make a VIP
Laundry:

Staffing

Planning
Kitchen:

Food orders and staffing
Slide 28
1.8 Monitor guests arrival and take
appropriate action

Inform colleagues

Prepare for major guest movement

Special requests

Follow up with VIPs

Meetings
Slide 29
Element 2: Perform check-in functions
Slide 30
2.1 Welcome guests on arrival
Professional welcome:

Professional

Welcoming

Sincere

Friendly

Polite

Body language
Slide 31
2.1 Welcome guests on arrival
Activity:

Discuss types of greeting phrases – both formal and
suitable informal greetings

Discuss the local greeting phrases for each country

Discuss Body Language
Slide 32
2.2 Determine if the guest has a
reservation and confirm and explain
reservation details
Guests with Reservations:

Confirm reservation details
 Name
 Length of stay
 Method of payment
 Special requests
 Rate
 Vouchers
Slide 33
2.3 Determine if guest is a walk-in and
identify if room is available
Guest without a reservation:

Determine the guests needs

Check availability

Ask method of payment
 Mention the policy and procedures about payment
methods
Slide 34
2.4 Decline a guest if appropriate

Check the “black list”

Review hotel policies

Recommend another venue

Full occupancy – no rooms
Slide 35
2.4 Decline a guest if appropriate
Activity:
Working in pairs role play the following:

One student is the guest and one the staff member

Guests requests a room for the night – no reservation

Staff member – ask questions to determine the request

Student (decide what you want) and inform the staff
member.

Staff member :Your hotel is fully booked and you need to tell
the guest you are unable to accommodate them.
 How do you say this ? What questions do you need to
ask?
Slide 36
2.5 Complete guest registration
process
Process a check- in:

Proof of identity

Complete the registration card

Obtain the signature
Slide 37
2.6 Issue keys and vouchers as
required
Key cards and keys:

Energy saving

Security
Vouchers:

As a form of payment from travel agents

Exchanged for services such as a “complimentary
drink”
Slide 38
2.6 Issue keys and vouchers as
required
Activity:

Write down the dialogue you would use to check-in a
guest with a reservation

Use words for both the guest and the staff member

Start from when the guest walks up to the front desk

Offer them a voucher for a complimentary drink
Slide 39
2.7 Follow internal accounting
protocols

Credit cards and credit limits

EFTPOS

Cash

Travel cards/traveller’s cheques

Personal cheques

Direct billing/charging

Deposits

Receipts
Slide 40
Applying discounts to guests
Room Rates:

Rack rate

Corporate rate

Conference/convention rate

Industry rate

Negotiated rate

Groups and tours rate

Package rate
Slide 41
2.8 Explain room and house facilities
and services to guests

Safe deposit boxes/in room safe

Room facilities

Hotel facilities

Local attractions
Slide 42
2.8 Explain room and house facilities
and services to guests
Selling techniques:

Suggestive selling

Describing

Explaining

Up-selling

Cross-selling
Slide 43
2.8 Explain room and house
facilities and services to guests
Activity:

Describe the features of each of the following rooms

Room A

Room B

Room C

Room D
Cont’
Slide 44
2.8 Explain room and house
facilities and services to guests
Activity:
Which room would you sell to the following guests and why?

A Corporate Business person who wants to have meetings in
their room

A couple who want a special weekend away together

Two friends who want a inexpensive room so they can catch
an early morning Bus interstate

A parent and child who have tickets
to a baseball match
Slide 45
Room A
Room B
Lounge & Bedroom Room C
Room D
Slide 47
2.9 Arrange for porter services
Porters:

Carry guest luggage

Escort guests to room

Discuss in room equipment

Deliver messages

Arrange taxis and parking

Store guest luggage
Slide 48
2.10 Implement standard house
protocols for problem situation

Overbooking

Room not ready

Black listed guests

No reservation to be found
49
2.11 Monitor guests’ arrival and take
appropriate action as required
Monitor and check arrivals:

Identify no shows

Types of reservations

Notify wait list guests

Check for accuracy

Follow standard procedures
50
Element 3: Perform ‘during stay’
functions
51
3.1 Process room change requests

Establish what is wrong with the room

Check availability

Advise guest

Move the guest

Change status of room

Update folio – room number and/or room rate
52
3.2 Process extensions to stays

Extended stays
 Check availability
 Check in takes priority over extensions
 Regular guests
 Rate charged
 Re-room the guest
53
3.3 Process variations to guest
numbers

Guest numbers
 Check against housekeeping reports
 Evening “turn down” service
 Update records
 Update rates
54
3.4 Process variations in room rate

Different rates for different market of guests

Hotels offer different rates at different times of the year

Rates are used to attract business

Discounts enable the hotels to compete
55
3.5 Process upgrades
Putting a guest into a better room than they are paying for:

Use suites during full house situations

Compensation for a ‘bad’ experience

Offering free accommodation

Discounting rooms
56
3.6 Process special requests

Special requests – requested by guests

Special requests – offered by the hotel

Special request – paid for by guests
57
3.6 Process special requests
Activity:
What special requests would be needed for the
following and who would need to be advised:

Mr. and Mrs. Todd arrive today - they have a baby and a
small child

Ms. Wilson is staying at your hotel to do business in your
city. She will be wanting to interview staff while she is
here

A guest is staying with you to present a new range of
luggage to clients. They need to catch a flight out at
19.00hrs the next day
58
3.7 Process guest charges
Point of sale charges:

Guest identification

Signature
Manual charging back to their room:

Guest identification

Room number

Print name

Signature
59
3.8 Respond to guest queries

Know all about your property

Give good service

What if you don’t know? Find out!

Involve other departments
60
Element 4: Perform check-out functions
61
4.1 Maintain and prepare guest
accounts
Seeking information on departing guests:

Room number

Breakfast

Mini bar
Check for accuracy:

Supporting documentation

Signatures
62
4.2 Prepare and review departures lists

Express check outs

Group check outs

Early departures

Late check outs
63
4.3 Present the accounts to guests
Generate the account:

Check guest details
Explain the account:

Other charges
Present the account:

Print a new account
64
4.4 Process payments and refunds
and issue receipts
Process payments:

Acceptable methods of payments

Foreign exchange
Issue Receipts:

Process refunds

Foreign exchange
Obtain the key:

Actual keys - not key cards
65
4.4 Process payments and refunds
and issue receipts
Activity: Role play – Process a check out:
 1 guest and 1 staff member
 Guest approaches the desk to check out
 Staff member –
 Greet the guest
 Request room number and room key
 Ask the guest if there are any other charges (check these have
been posted, or post them if necessary)
 Print the account(s)
 Present the account(s) and ask the guest to check the charges
 Process method of payment
 Farewell guest
 Guest acts out according to the process
 Swap roles
66
4.5 Process express check outs

What is an express check out?

Who uses it?

How is it done?
67
4.6 Process group check-outs

Group master account

Individual accounts
 Extra charges

Group luggage collection
 Luggage storage
68
4.7 Distribute departures list as
required

Housekeeping

Concierge and porters

Security

Management

Maintenance
69
4.8 Assist guest with on departure
requests

Forwarding addresses
 Less and less today with email and texting

Call a taxi or transport

Provide lost and found services

Organize a porter

Make another booking
70
Element 5: Prepare front office records
and reports
71
5.1 Prepare and update front office
records

Update availability/charts

Room allocation

Bookings diary

Changing rooms

Alter rate

Modify departure dates/times

Guest history
72
5.2 Generate internal reports as
required

Information reports:
 Other departments
 Back up for operations
 managers

Analytical/statistical reports:
 Managers
 Supervisors
73
5.3 Facilitate night audit activities

Features of night audit

Purpose of night audit

Daily reports and records
74
Thank you
75