Lecture 2 FRONT OFFICE FUNCTIONS - THE ROOMS DIVISION
Download as PPT, PDF14 likes6,052 views
The document discusses the various departments within the rooms division of a hotel, including reservations, concierge, reception, housekeeping, telephone/communications, laundry/dry cleaning, and security. It provides an overview of the key duties and functions of each department, such as greeting guests, room assignments, cleaning rooms, handling reservations and messages, and ensuring guest safety. It also briefly mentions some current trends in the hotel industry like increasing diversity, use of technology, and sustainability practices.
Lecture 2 FRONT OFFICE FUNCTIONS - THE ROOMS DIVISION
- 2. Rooms Reservation Concierge Reception Housekeeping Security Engineering Uniformed Telephone Laundry Services
- 3. Reservations
- 4. Reservations • Reservations… – First area of guest contact – A sales position – Telephone skills – Central Reservations System (CRS)
- 5. Reservations – Duties and Functions • Maintain a professional appearance • Master hotel information • Answer phones • Handling reservations: Telephone, Email, Letter, Fax, In Person, Computer • Handling changes on reservations • Processing special requests/preferences • Regret over bookings • Standard form letters / sending faxes/emails • Processing travel agency bookings • Dealing with deposit, vouchers and rebates • Interpret room inventory control log • Check and review all next day reservations • Processing hotel special rates and packages plans • Routing instructions • Handling VIP reservations
- 6. Concierge & Uniformed Service
- 7. Guest Services Uniformed Service • Uniformed Service… – Bell Captain or Guest Services Manager – Door attendants • Hotel’s unofficial greeters • Luggage – Bell persons • Escort guests to their rooms
- 8. Concierge • Concierge… – Part of guest/uniformed services – Elevate properties marketable value – Typically in a luxury hotel – Unique requests – Knowledge of city – Several languages preferred
- 9. Concierge – Duties and Functions • Maintain a professional appearance • Master hotel information • Remain aware of current and new developments • Attend to VIP guests • Respond to guest complaints • Know city information • Make dinner reservations and give directions • Understand hotel safety and security features • Coordinate babysitters • Answer phones
- 10. Duties of a Guest Service Agent • Guest Service Agent… – 7:00 am - 3:00 pm shift • Check-outs • Guest inquiries • Room changes • Work with housekeeping – 3:00 pm - 11:00 pm shift • Check-ins • Reservations
- 11. Night Auditor • Night Auditor… – Closes the books on a daily basis – Posts charges – Balances guest accounts – Completes daily report
- 12. Uniformed Services – Duties and Functions • Maintain a professional appearance • Master hotel information • Answer phones • Greet the guest • Room the guest • Stand at post with excellent appearance • Handle and store luggage • Answer guest inquiries • Assist guest Check-Out • Understands actions taken during emergency • Maintain teamwork • Handle master key • Know local restaurants, tourist attractions • Maintain front of the hotel • Control traffic • Raise, lower flags • Deliver amenity and give-aways • Deliver newspaper/messages
- 13. Reception
- 14. Reception – Duties and Functions • Maintain a professional appearance • Master hotel information • Answer phones • Review correspondence daily • Ensures Reception is aware of special billing arrangements • Clarifies and checks group information prior to arrivals • Review and prepare group bill after departures • Checks that room counts are accurate • Ensure all Housekeeping information is correct • Checks on departures, stay-overs, extra departures, VIP arrivals and special requirements • Checks accuracy of guest folios • Control stock inventory • Ensure that Reception and Reservations staff are fully aware of rates, programs and special promotions • Prepares input for room operation forecast: budget and outlook • Attends and holds meetings: Operation, Departmental, etc
- 15. Reception (Cont...) • Maintains contacts with other hotels • Interprets and communicates company policy • Monitors general development of hotel business and advises senior management of any change trends • Carries out departmental induction and training for all new and existing staff • Interviews for selection and appraisal • Carries out disciplinary interviews • Holds problem solving meetings and monitors morale • Prepares time sheets • Prepares duty schedules • Prepares holiday and vacation schedules • Ensures that the following procedures are understood: o Fire and safety o Bomb threat o Power failure o Medical o Death o Contingency plan
- 16. Reception (Cont...) • Handles overbooking situation • Coordinate Out-Of-Order rooms • Routing instructions: groups and individuals • Handling blocking requests and group arrivals • Handling: o Pre-registered guests o Walks-ins o Day-use reservations o Upgrades o Rebates • Room allocation • Processing arrivals (check in) • Processing departures (check out) • Handling room and rate changes • Dealing with special requests • Handling guest mail and messages • Handling hotel package plans • Handling travel agency booking • Dealing with handicapped guests
- 17. Reception (Cont...) • Dealing with housekeeper’s reports • Handling turn-aways • Preparing night clerks’ report • Checking next day reservations • Handling complaints • Up-selling situations • VIP procedures • Manage room type • Safety-box procedures • Control Reception files • Handling all postings: Banquets, F & B, Health Club, Business Center, etc • Routing instructions • Conduct room inspection
- 19. Telephone – Duties and Function • Maintain a professional appearance • Master hotel information • Answering incoming calls • Answering in-house calls • Routing calls to departments and guests • Making local and long distance calls • Control and monitor telephone system • Handling Wake-Up calls requests • Taking and delivering messages/faxes • Operating bleep system • Emergency procedures: o Fire and safety o Bomb threat o Power failure o Medical o Contingency plan • Handle guest complaint calls
- 20. Housekeeping
- 21. Housekeeping – Duties and Functions • Maintain a professional appearance • Master hotel information • Answer phones • Greet the guest • Preparing maid’s cart • Preparing for entering a room • Making beds • Cleaning and arranging tables and drawers • Cleaning windows and mirrors • Cleaning and arranging washbasins • Cleaning bath and shower • Cleaning floor and walls (bathroom) • Cleaning doors • Setting out bathroom (towels, etc) • Vacuuming • Cleaning wardrobes • Filling guest notecase • Conduct light pressing and mending • Shine shoes
- 22. Housekeeping (Cont...) • Deliver turn-down service • Inspect coffee/tea tray facilities • Checks fax machines in all suites • Emergency procedures: o Fire and safety o Bomb threat o Power failure o Medical o Contingency plan • Reporting faults • Key procedures • Maid’s room report • Checking maids in and key procedures • Allocating work • Inspecting rooms check-out • Inspecting room served • Preparing maintenance orders • Preparing housekeepers’ reports • Issuing store • Dealing with lost property • Carrying out VIP room checks • Carrying out appraisal interviews
- 23. Laundry / Dry Cleaning / Valet / Linen
- 24. Contract Laundry Service • Contract Laundry… – Advantages • No maintenance costs for equipment • No labor costs for training/staffing • Lower overhead costs of energy/water • Fixed projected expense
- 25. Laundry.... – Duties and Functions • Maintain a professional appearance • Master hotel information • Answer phones • Repairing and maintaining linen • Issuing new linen • Writing off linen • Issue of new and clean uniforms • Withdrawing uniforms • Cleaning of soft furnishing • Checking on deliveries • Distribution of linen • Counting and checking dirty linen • Re-making damaged linen for re-use • Quality inspection of laundry • Stock-taking • Quality inspection of in-use linen and uniforms • Preventing hoarding • Using washing machines • Using dry cleaning machines • Using Processing machines • Folding Laundered linen • Interviewing for selection
- 26. Security
- 27. Security and Loss Prevention • Providing guest safety and loss prevention… • Security officers • Equipment • Keys • Safety procedures • Identification procedures • ADA compliance
- 28. Security – Duties and Functions • Maintain a professional appearance • Master hotel information • Answer phones • Maintain key control • Understand and respond to alarm devices • Maintain hotel safety & security • Maintain departmental security and loss control • Handle emergencies • Administer first aid • Patrol hotel property • Write reports • Keep records • Promote guest and employees relations • Knowledge of legal terminology • Check package passes
- 29. Trends in Hotel/Rooms Division • Trends… – Diversity of both guests/workforce – Increase in business travel – Increased need for technology – Continued quest for increase in productivity – Increasing use of yield management – Greening of hotels and guest rooms