Front Office Operation Tutorial Notes

not hampered at all. In case of any emergency situation (such as fire or anyaccident) the front office should inform the engineering at once for safetymeasures and to do everything urgently. In any case of emergency the frontoffice can use emergency paging system for necessary announcement so thatthe situation can be tackled successfully without any loss and damage to lifeand property.Co-ordination between Front office and Accounting DepartmentIf any discrepancy arises regarding the credit cards or company accountssettlements—the credit department can make queries in the front office cashto figure out the correct position of the dispute. If the two departmentsmaintain good co-ordination then the discrepancy regarding the settlementsof bills can be reduced to the lowest level. In respect of cash handling whetherlocal currency or foreign currency, the front office should be coordinated bythe chief cashier.Co-ordination between Front office and HR DepartmentPersonnel department/human resource department co-ordinates the frontoffice in case of any misconduct or any activity that violate the house rule orlaw of the property committed by front office staff. They also co-ordinate anykind of cultural event or sport event that takes place in the hotel from timeto time. Front office department co-ordinates with security department allthe time. In case of any theft or law and order situation the front officemanager or the shift duty manager works together with security officer tomaintain the formalities for the incidents or whatsoever. While going onround watch all the parts of the hotel, shift duty manager accompanied bysecurity officer on duty.Those are all in shorts what the front office co-ordinates. Co-ordination andcooperation are not the same terms. Needless to say that cooperation andhelping attitude is an essential quality for all staffs of property. Everydepartment of the hotel must ensure co-ordination among themselves forgreater interest of the hotel and thus, the quality guest service to earn thename and fame for the property. Everyone has to be guided accordingly. 47

13. How a Hotel Receptionist can Perform as a Salesman Whenever a guest or visitor comes to check-in or to inquire about the facilities/services available in your hotel, he/she gets the first contact at the reception desk. Thus, a receptionist always stands the best chance of availing his salesmanship. An appropriate dealing with guest explaining the detail about your hotel, you can play a vital role in salesmanship. Now, to sell your services you have to have detail knowledge of your hotel. The front office can always play an important role inoverall sales of hotel facilities, although the main job of the reception is tosell the rooms. While selling rooms the front office personnel can try to sellrooms with gentle approach by saying some good traits of the room, forinstance: pool view room, away from the noisy elevator foyer, with a pleasantdecor or if there is any special floor with special facility or services or if thereis any late check out facilities or any other facilities. Thus, a receptionist canmake a sale of maximum tariff. After assigning the room the front desk agentcan tell the guest about sauna, message or health club-as the case is mostlikely that the guest has arrived after a long journey. If it is the guest’s firstvisit, he/she should be informed of all other services.Following are the points for the front office staff to intimate the guest as andwhen required.  Room location, outside view, size, type, rate, facilities in the room, ex- mini bar, hot and cold water, channel music, direct overseas dialing, TV with satellite connected channels, temperature control and so on.  Number of outlets, location, types of cuisine, entertainments, timing, buffet/a’la carte, banquet, conference.  Travel agency, Airline office, Bank, Postal service, Health club, Tennis, Squash, Swimming pool, Barter shop, Beauty salon & shop, Pastry shop, shoe shine, Medical center, kiosk and shopping arcade.  Telephone local/ISD, baby sitter, baby cot, laundry, reservation for other hotel, business center service, secretarial service, handicap and so forth. 48

 City tour guide, city map, prayer timing, shopping center of the city, historical places of interest, commercial area, Airline/Railway/ Bus service timing and standard hospitals.Your successful salesmanship depends on your helping attitude and on yourcommunication ability. If you can speak to guest fluently and courteouslyand if you can make an effective approach with a simile-you will succeed inyour salesmanship. Its often very challenging to handle walk in guests.While handling a guest use the following magic approach:  May I help you?  May I suggest/recommend?  Excuse me………  I beg your pardon.  May I request you to……  Just a moment please……  Would you please………A guest in a hotel always tries to contact the front desk personnel for anyproblem or any necessity because the guest thinks that the front desk is theright place for any help or to record any complain. Sometimes guestapproaches for undue privilege too. However, as soon as the front desk agentis intimated about any problem or necessity, the reservation agent will haveto do the needful in the shortest possible time. In this case if it’s the frontoffice matter-the front office do the needful at once, but in case the problemconcerns engineering or the house keeping the front desk personnel will takethe initiative immediately to co-ordinate with the concerned departments toget the service done. Sometime, only in-house co-ordination is not enoughto meet the requirement of guest service, guest may be needed somepersonalized service, which is to be provided from outside organizations, forinstance: the guest reservation officer may be needed to co-ordinate withAirline office, Travel agency, Tourist organization, Rent-a-car, Railway, Postoffice, Courier service, Tourist guide etc. to provide the necessary service. Incase of any guest request or any kind of privilege the guest is seeking is notpossible or available-here the front desk agent has to be very diplomatic tomake the guest understand most politely that the situation prevailing in thehotel do not permit us to meet our requirement and thus, say, “sorry” or“apologize” to the guest. We must maintain quality guest service but inaccordance with the house rule and with the law of the land, that is what wehave to keep in mind. 49

Reception Desk is the Reference PointFor all indicated in the preceding paragraph the reception desk alwaysremains in guest’s mind as a reference point for help. Sometime guest mayask for anything to any staff of the hotel and if the staff is not the person todo that-he/she can simply refer to the front desk for the service asked for.So, for all the service reception is always a reference point.A Short Dialogue with a GuestReceptionist: Good Morning, Sir. How may I help you?Guest (walk in): Do you have any vacant room?Receptionist: Yes, Sir Double or Single?Guest: I need one double.Receptionist: Let me check-if I can….I am sorry, sir. There is no doubleroom vacant at the moment either on the 1st floor or in 2nd floor. But Iwonder if you could wait till the check out time is over…. I may havevacancies then. Could I book one of the rooms for you in advance, sir?Guest: Oh! Yes, I don’t mind waiting for an hour or so. What is your checkout time?Receptionist: It’s 12.00 noon, and it is already quarter past eleven. So youwill have to wait for less than an hour, sir.Guest: How come? My watch shows ten minutes to eleven! That meansthere is more than an hour to go. I am not going to wait……..Receptionist: I am afraid…..your watch is little slow. My watch makes11.20 now. I set the time only a few minutes before you came.Guest: Oh! There is something wrong with my watch. You are right, I willwait for sometime.Receptionist: Thank you sir, would you take a seat on the sofa over there?Guest: OK, but I don’t know anything about the facilities you provide here.Receptionist: Don’t worry about that, sir. Here is a brochure giving allinformation about the hotel.Guest: Thank you, gentleman.Receptionist: You are welcome, sir. 50

14. How Hoteliers Should Handle International CreditCardsAn international credit card is a plastic card issued by a financeestablishment to a person to enable him/her tobuy or settle any bill by signing an imprintedcredit sales slip on the basis of “pay later” uponproducing the sales slip to the credit cardissuing company by the seller. The plastic creditcard contains the name of the card holder,account number, expiry date (printer by a kindof emboss machine) while issuing to theparticular person. However, according to thehistory of the credit cards it has been a verysuccessful system and is very popular now-a-days.It has been very convenient for both the buyer and the seller. The sellerfeels it much more convenient to use the credit card rather than cash. They(seller) try to encourage and motivate customers to use credit cards. Peoplecan buy a thing using his/her credit card without the risk of carrying cashmoney with them. Credit card is very easy to carry in money bag for a largeramount. This is why it is popularly called as “plastic money”. It offers thehighest probability.The credit card holder pays an annual fee to the credit card issuing companyfor membership and the credit issuing company is also getting a smallpercentage of commission from the selling on the transected amount. Thecredit card issuing company is getting revenue as membership fees from thecard holder as well as the commission from the seller merchant. Uponreceiving the charge voucher from seller merchant the total amount isrecovered from the card holder and the seller merchant is being paid afterdeducting the commission amount.There are many international credit card companies, out of them the mostpopular those are accepted in large hotels or properties or organizations are:AMEX (American Express), VISA, MASTER, JCB, DINERS CLUB so on.Credit card accepting formalities are almost same for all the credits cards.While accepting a credit card the front office personnel have to very carefulespecially about three things, such as: 51

 Expiry date of the card  Signature of the credit card holder  Correct charge amount on the charge slipAlthough the hotels pay commission on the charged amount but yet the hotelgets more volume of business by providing the credit card acceptance facility.Normally in every hotel while in the guest is requested to let the front officepersonnel to know the mode of payment of bills. If it is a credit card, animprinted of the credit card has to be taken with the use of an imprintermachine (a kind of machine by which credit card impression is taken in assales slip). The credit card authority supplies this machine and also trainsthe personnel on the method of using and affix the imprinted charge slip withregistration card.Every credit card charge slip consists of 3 pages. After receiving all these newcheck-in card imprints, the front office personnel have to check all these cardwhether these are black listed in the cancellation bulletin or not. If these arefound Ok, just make a small initial on the back of the slip so that whileaccepting the credit card by any cashier, he can understand that this card isnot black listed and is valid. There are some credit card companies who givea floor limit of charge amount that may be U.S. $500-$1000.If all the other aspects of credit card acceptance procedures are OK, you cancharge any amount up to the floor limit. If the amount exceeds the floor limit,you have to get authorization for the charged amount from the respectivelocal credit card authorization center over telephone saying him the detailsof the card and the required amount. If the credit card is found to be OK bythe authorization center for the amount you asked for, they will give you anauthorization/approval code number consisting of some alfa and numericdigit. The code number has to be written in the particular column of thecharge slip. Thus, you can make the transaction successfully. If theauthorization center says, “sorry the card is declined”, you must not acceptthe card. But you can try for any lower amount.However, there are some credit card companies who do not accept anyamount without pre-authorization. That means before accepting any amountyou have to get authorization/approval code from the local credit cardauthorization center. In order to maintain smooth guest handling it is betterto have a pre-authorization. After checking the cancellation bulletin, takeauthorization code (approval code) for the required amount calculation the 52

guest’s room charge as per length of stay and other probable expenses. Butremember, if any card is declined for any amount, you must not accept thecard and that should be intimated to card holder immediately, otherwise theguest may not have enough time to make alternative arrangement forpayment.It is to be mention here that the credit card company regularly issuescancellation bulletin of black listed cards and send it to their enlistedmerchants. So, an update cancellation bulletin will be available at your office.Credit card companies also pay reward to the person who can trace out ablack listed credit card from the cancellation bulletin.While setting any bill by credit cards the front office accountant have tomaintain the following formalities:  Find the credit card imprint attached with the registration card-if not, get a new imprint.  Check whether this card is acceptable in your hotel or not.  Check the expiry date, whether it has expired or not.  Now, politely ask the guest to produce the credit card.  Tally the card number with the imprinted charge slip to check whether this is the right card from the right person and also see whether the impression is clearly visible o not.  Check if there is any alteration on the card.  Write down the date on the right column of the charge slip.  Write the total charged amount in the charge slip on the particular column.  Write the total bill number on the particular column.  Now, ask the guest politely to sign the charge slip.  Compare the card holder’s signature with the signature of the credit card (there is card holder’s signature at the back of the card).  Tear off the card holder’s copy from the charge slip and give it to the guest with the settled bill and keep other two copies with the duplicate bill which is to be produced to the credit department subsequently.  Always remember that a defective or fake card holder tries to make a hurried/quick transaction with an escaping mentality. 53

15. Types of Hotel Room Rates – Ultimate GuideDetermining a standard room rate is one of the challenging and tough jobsfor hotel as designated room rate must be capable of generating revenue andcompensate other costs of the hotel, such as administrative costs, overhead,and utility costs.Room rate could be typically defined as the price or cost that is charged bythe hotel or lodging industry for overnight lodging. Usually, the front officedepartment and the sales and marketing department are responsible forensuring effective room rate according to several market-sensitive aspects.The market sensitive factors basically include:  Expected sale rooms.  Expenses to beat market competition.  Hotel operations.  Tax investment opportunities.  Price sensitivity.  Marketing and sales endeavor.A hotel generally assigns a standard rate for each room category which istermed as the rack rate (a retail rate of guest room). Despite of its highcharge; rack rate does not always ensure profit for the hotel. Rack rate forroom could be varied due to the other room rate schedules along with roomtypes, pattern, and designation.Types of Hotel Room RatesBeside standard rack rate, other room rates are approached or developed inhotel based on certain factors (ex-particular season of room sale, prospectivesales of room etc.) with a view to rule in the geographical market.There are some other common room rates categories which are as follows: 1. Commercial rates: Commercial room rates are given to the business representative of a particular company. These business people are not the frequent guests and occasionally stay in the hotel. These business people often require a special rate as they can generate revenue through their group traveling. In most of the large hotels, frequent guests are awarded with the free room night after staying some consecutive days. 54

2. Government rate: A discount or special rate which is negotiated with government organization for their foreign visitors and traveling official staffs. The federal or state government body developed predetermined rates for their traveling officials to pay back their traveling costs. This reimburses process or the pay back procedure is referred as per diem.3. Corporate rates: Corporate rates are offered to existing business guests of the hotel. Generally two types of business guests stay in the hotel, such as, frequent guests who often visit or stay in the hotel and corporate guests who have given a constant rate.4. Frequent traveler rate: Hotel developed frequent traveler program to offer frequent traveler rate to those who frequently visit the hotel due to repetitive business.5. Military and educational rate: As the name suggests military and educational room rates are specially developed for military personnel and educators. These groups are considered as valuable source of revenue maximization and potential room sales due to their frequent traveling. Special rates are approached to them due to their limited travel expense.6. Family rates: Special room rates are offered at particular season with a view to attract family with their children. The room rates of children are often deducted when family rates are approached.7. Membership rates: Hotel offer membership rate (fifty percent of the rack rate) in order to attract the potential members of large organizations like (AAA) or (AARP).8. Group rates: Group rates are developed for a large number of groups. In this case, the travel agent works as a negotiator between the front office and the group.9. Industry rates: A negotiated special rate for the officials or staffs of the travel industry, for example: travel agents, hoteliers of other hotels etc. are often extended the professional courtesy of discounted rates.10. Half-day rate: Half-day rate room rate is calculated based on duration of guest stay. It is basically developed for those travelers who book room for half day or less. For example, corporate guests often book room for short period of time for business purposes.11. Complimentary rate: Complimentary rates are preserved for the special guests (ex-personnel or member) as fringe benefit. Front office department also could provide complimentary rates to tour directors or tour organizer to establish long term relationship. 55

12. Airline contact rate: Hotel offer discount rate to the airlines crews to generate high volume of business. 13. Travel writer rate: It is the special rate for the travel writer to appreciate them to write quality and resourceful article about the hotel features. 14. Advance purchase rates: Advance purchase rate is the discount rate which is offered according to the number of days of advance booking to encourage the traveler for advance booking. 15. Package rates: Package room rates include goods and services with reasonable room rate during low sales periods. Such packages are often advertised and promoted in order to attract guests.Package rate could be different types. Such as:  American plan: American plan comprises of meal (ex- breakfast and the evening meal) with lucrative room rate. Some resorts offer customized American plan including one meal with the price of a room.  Meeting packages: This package includes coffee breaks, meals, audiovisual equipment with the cost of the meeting room and a sleeping room.  The Continental Plan (CP): Continental plan comprises of continental breakfast and cost of the room.  The All Suite Plan (SP): A comparatively new package rate which includes breakfast and cocktails in the evening with room rate.  Vacation packages: These may combine airline tickets, transportation, local amenities with cost of the room.  Honeymoon package: A honeymoon package comprises of complimentary champagne, a cheese-and-cracker basket, flowers, and a complimentary breakfast.  Other packages rates: some other packages are A “Night on the Town” package (limousine ride and dinner), shopping packages (discount coupons to local shops with foot massage), a concert package (ticket to a show and the compact music disk.)  European plan: Though European meal is often mistaken as the package but In European plan, meals are separately charged from room rates.Establishment of Room RateRoom rates are basically established as part of the reservation process. Thus,the front office personnel must be skilled in assigning a special room rate 56

during the registration process. Minimization and maximization of roomrate depends respectively on the cost structure of the hotel and othercompetitive prices. The front office manager must consult with the hotelowners, general manager, and other department heads in case ofmaximization or minimization of competitor’s room rate.Even, in some special cases the front office manager or personnel ispermissible to minimize the room rate then its standard rate. Front officedepartment usually uses certain methods for establishing the room rate.Such as:  Rule-of-Thumb Method: Under this method room rate rates will be charged $1 for every $1,000 of construction and furnishing costs. Suppose, a new hotel has established where $ 30,000 construction cost has incurred, then under this method room rate will be $30. However, this method is now less applicable comparing to other methods.  Hubbart’s Formula Method: Under this method, room rates are established based on certain factors. For example: operating expenses, revenue generated from other departments of hotel, expected return on investment etc. This method is very effective in determining average room rate. Hubbart’s formula method depends on the front office to provide revenue to pay off operating expenses, overhead, and return on investment.To determine the room rate, Hubbart’s formula method basically applies the following steps: 1. Figure out the expected profit, multiply the expected rate of return on investment with the total invest of the owner. 2. Determine the pretax profit, divide expected profit by 1 and deduct from the tax rate of the hotel. 3. Figure out the fixed charges (ex- interest expense, depreciation, insurance, taxes of property, mortgage etc.) and management fees by subtracting from the pretax profit. 4. Determine operating expenses that are undistributed (ex- data processing, guesstimate administrative and general, human resource, marketing, accounting, utility etc) by subtracting from the fixed charges. 5. Figure out income or loss which is derived from other revenue generated outlets, such as business center, food and beverage centers, telephone center and so on. And add this amount to the undistributed operated expense. 57

6. Add the amounts arrived at step 2, 3, 4 and other operated losses and then deduct it from the amount arrived at step 5, to determine the income from required room department. 7. Calculate the room department revenues by adding the required room department income, direct expenses of payroll and other expenses from room department and other direct expenses. 8. Divide the amount arrived at step 7 by the estimated number of rooms to be sold, to determine the average room rate. Market Tolerance: Market tolerance method is considered as the most time-consuming methods in establishing a hotel’s average daily room rate. But, this method is established by estimating the competitive set (monitor the competitive price of same product) rather than scientifically approached. Management approaches this competitive set by considering the following areas:  Compare the room rate with other competitive rate.  Ensure more return on investment comparing to other hotels.  Determine the occupancy percentage of both own and other comparable industries.  Consider the emerged trend analysis of comparable industries.  Compare maximization and minimization of room rate of other hotel industries in the market.However, these methods for establishing room rate are not standardprocedure or mandatory for each hotel. Room rate must be applied in waythat it can ensure expected rate of investment by the hotel or the hotel owner.Room rate of each category should be considered and approached accordingto the current demand of the market.The responsible personnel must communicate with general manager toensure the effectiveness of room rates with regard to profit and loss of hoteland be aware of competing room rates to achieve competitive advantage.Maximization of Hotel Room RateFront office personnel has very vital role in maximizing the room rate. Tomaximize the room rate a front desk agent can perform the following steps: 58

 Having details information of room rate of each category including ranges of room rate, room furnishings, special features, and arrangement are essential to maximize room rates. Present room rates with lucrative and attractive features of the product. Properly trained in specifying and handling guest’s needs often work as effective tool to maximize room rate. Hiring skilled employees with proper knowledge, education, and attitude and providing an incentive program for them is beneficial in maximizing room rates. 59

16. Foreign Currency Exchange Procedure in HotelHospitality industry deals with guests all over the world. That’s why foreigncurrency transaction in hotel or restaurant is one of the most frequent tasks.The tourism business of any country is the most important source forintegrating foreign currency in the country. Therefore the Governmentclosely monitors all foreign currency that has taken place in the country.Government introduces a strict system of checks and records for the foreigncurrency which is extended by hotels as well.A Hotel has to follow the following steps in order to exchange the foreigncurrency:  A hotel has to obtain a license to exchange foreign currency.  To exchange foreign currency, there has to be authorized personnel to deal foreign exchange transactions. For example the front office cashier.  Foreign exchange is done only in local currency.  The rates of exchange must be exhibited significantly at the exchange point. Central bank governed the exchange rates and the updates the exchange rate on a daily basis.  Hotel will extend foreign currency exchange only for resident guests of the hotel. If the nonresident guests want to exchange foreign currency then they may have to go to exchange bureaus and banks to exchange their currency.Procedures for Accepting Foreign Currency in HotelThe central bank has fixed some actions and procedures which every frontoffice cashier has to follow while receiving foreign exchange. The actions orprocedures which are followed are as follows:  Front office cashier asks the guest for passport and will verify some identification from the passport, for example name and photo, place and date of issue, date of expiry of the passport.  Front office cashier asks the guest for room number to confirm his/her status of being resident.  In case of nonresident guest the front office cashier direct the guest to go to the lobby manager for getting authorization who will only extend this facility to VIPs or regular guests of the hotel. 60

 If the foreign exchange is accepted by the Government then transactions are done in Dollars, Sterling pounds, Euros and Yen.  Front office cashier receive the cash or Travelers Check.  Compute the total amount of local currency to be paid by multiplying the total amount of foreign currency by the exchange rate that is exhibited at the cabin.  Fill the details in the Foreign Exchange Encashment Certificates. The Foreign Exchange Encashment Certificates come in serially numbered books for better control.  Front office cashier request the guest to sign the Travelers Check in case of exchange this check and make sure that the sign is matched with the earlier signature of the guest.  Request the guest to sign the Foreign Exchange Encashment Certificate and compare the sign with passport sign.  Provide the total amount of local currency with the original Foreign Currency Encashment Certificate to the guest.  Affix the second copy of the Foreign Currency Encashment Certificate to the Travelers Check.  Leave the third copy of the certificate in the certificate book.  Fill the details in the Record of Foreign Currency Transacted, which is a control sheet of all foreign currency transactions in a sheet.  Under the Foreign Exchange column, fill the details in the Front Office Cashier’s Report.These are some general procedures which are subjected to change accordingto laws of different countries & states and rules set by particular hotel itself. 61

17. Importance of First Guest ContactGuests are considered as the king ofhotel business. Hotels make profitmostly through selling rooms totheir guests. If a hotel wants tobuild long term relationship withthe potential customers then theguest should be treated with propercare and respect. Only qualitativeservice and good manner will makethe guests to come again in thehotel.Whenever any guest come to a hotelfor the first time then often he/she consider some factors for booking a room.Among many, an excellent manner of the hotel is one of the most importantfactors that a guest looks for during registration for a room. If a guest iscordially welcomed by the hotel then the first impression that is created inthe guest’s mind, impacts a very good effect. Even when a guest receivesqualitative greeting during his/her first contact with the hotel then it can alsoplay a vital role for making a long hotel-guest relationship. So the firstimpression of the guest should be very positive for building a long-termbusiness relationship.First Impression is The Last ImpressionWhen a guest comes for booking a room then the guest has to deal with thefront desk agent and the first contact that a guest makes is with front deskoffice. Not only front desk personnel but all hoteliers should be wellmannered and highly professional with the guest during his or her stay.If a guest is not satisfied at first meeting then he/she will be reluctant to comeback to the same hotel. So the hotel should make all arrangement for guestsatisfaction and to ensure their future business with him or her. If the firstimpression leads a negative effect, then first contact between guest and hotelwill not be fruitful. If the front desk agent does not genially receive the guestthen the guest may lose his or her interest about the hotel service includinghotel accommodation. 62

The negative impression may continue till his/her staying in the hotel. Forexample a gust does not get warm welcome at first contact but during stayingin the hotel though he/she receives good service, the guest will be more proneto find fault with the hotel during his or her visit.When a guest enters to a hotel, he/she will expect to get cordial welcomewhich combines with etiquette and manner. Make best use of widely usedEnglish expressions for proper greeting. But there is no general rule forwelcoming the guest. Different hotels make different arrangement for guest’swelcome. Even different employees have their unique approach for greetingtheir guests. So it could vary from various aspects.Jovial welcome is necessary for building first impression to the guest orestablishing a long continuing relation but sometimes it is also can removeall tiredness of a guest due to journey. There could be several reasons whichcan make a traveler stressed during his/her travel, such as-  Unscheduled journey  Delayed schedules  Lost of luggage  Jet lag due to journey in another country  Lack of proper arrangement of meal  Unfamiliar surroundings in travel destination  Lack of knowledge about travel destination  Unfamiliar public transportation etc.After passing all these trouble if a guest reaches to a hotel and receive a verypleasant greeting with warm welcome then most often the guest becomefresh and forget all tiredness. So the front desk personnel should have thecourtesy to realize the traveler’s inconvenience and always should be readyto receive the guest with greetings.Most of the guests come to the hotel with prior booking but there may alsosome walking guests who come to hotel without prior reservation.Sometimes hotel can provide vacant room to the walking guest. Butsometimes the authority finds no option to provide vacant room due tooverbooking, prepared room or even if the guest comes at before check outtime. If a guest comes to the hotel without reservation and there is no vacantroom then the front desk agent should politely describe the situation andshould help the guest for getting reservation in another hotel by suggestingsome names of nearby hotels. Even if the guest is unaware of the 63

surroundings then if possible the front desk agent should give some contactsnumbers of hotels that he/she could get a reservation.A guest can come to a new city for attending a business meeting, or forsightseeing or for any reason. But whatever the purpose of the travel is, a wellequipped lodging facility is required by every traveler. A guest always firstseeks for a good hotel with qualitative service.So every hotel should ensure the quality service first. The employees shouldbe trained in proper etiquette and manner that they could show friendlybehavior towards the guest and welcome them with pleasant manner.Every hotel should have their own approach to welcome and greet the guestto make first guest contact fruitful for both guest and hotel as the first guestcontact is the way to provide assurance about a well organized lodging facilityand good service. 64

18. Sources of Hotel Guest ReservationIf you are wondering how a guest can book a hotelroom then this particular article is for you. Guestreservation in hotel is done through many sources.Here the term “source” means an individual orgroup or company which takes service from hoteland in reply pay for it. In large hotels reservationagents handle such reservations. In small or midrange hotels a front desk agent has to performguest reservation activities.Some widely used basic sources of hotel guestreservations are:Global Distribution System (GDS)Global Distribution System is a network of sources that bring products andservices geographically available to the consumers from anywhere in theworld. GDS is a very important source of reservation. Some featuredexamples of global distribution are Sabre computer system, Amadeuscomputer system, Galileo central Reservations Systems, Worldspan and theScandinavian Multi Across Reservations for Travel Agents (SMART). Mostof the hotels are connected to one or more of these Global DistributionSystems. From anywhere of the world the traveler can make reservation tothose hotels that have these systems as these systems have computerizednetwork system. The other service provider also can access to these systems.For example Amadeus connect 15000 travel agents and 2 million consumerswith 350 airlines, 40 car rental organization, 25000 hotels, and dozens ofrailways, tour companies, ferries and cruise liners.Tour OperatorsTour operators comprise of package tour programs and sell these packagesin large number all over the world. Tour operators are basically whole sellerswho deal with hotels, surface transporters, airlines, cruise ships, touristoffices and so on. Tour operators cooperate with hotels or airlines in order toinclude their service in their package tour. For example in the news paper wecan read the advertisement “4 days and 3 nights in Bangkok”. As these touroperators make tour package including hotel room charge in their packageso they are also very effective and valuable source of reservation. 65

Travel AgentsTravel agents are the retailers; they receive commission from the touroperator for selling their tour package. Travel agents do many promotionalactivities for selling these travel package. For example travel agentsdistribute posters and brochures with attractive description of the packagefor the citizens. Travel agents also promote personally hotelaccommodations and airline bookings in order to gain discount andcommissions from these hotel and airlines. Travel agents are generallylocated in the prime location which is a convenient place for the traveler. Sotravel agents can easily attract the guests. If anyone wants to reserve a hotelroom then they can reserve through travel agents.When a hotel makes a contact with any travel agent then the hotel usuallyconsider the following practices:  Offer 10% discount on the room rate.  Bookings on American plan will draw a commission on boarding and accommodation charges.  Bookings on European plan will attract a commission on only room rate.  Commission is payable on the entire stay of the guest up to a maximum of 21 days.  If the hotel planning a partnership with the travel agent then the hotel has to fill a questionnaire which is provided by the travel agents.  Travel agents are not allowed to quote rates in excess of rates which are adjusted.  Before reviewing a room tariff, the travel will get at least one month.  If the tour leader will comprises a group of more than 15 members then the hotel provide 1 complementary room and if the tour leader comprises a group of at least 15 members but not less than 10 members then the hotel will provide 50% on the room rate.  Generally hotels operate European plan but if the group is made of more than 15 members then the hotel may accept American bookings.AirlinesAirlines business is very popular among hotels. Because the airlines crewsare regular customer and they can add glory to the hotel atmosphere. Butairlines crews generally stay for short time and hotel always has to givediscount on their stay. 66

Corporate HousesCorporate houses are also a good source of business for the hotel due to theirbetter fund. Corporate houses have to deal with many clients and they alsohave to arrange company training programs and meetings. For this reasonthey contact with a hotel for these purposes. Hotels also prefer this businessdue to their reliability. By dealing with the corporate house the hotel canattract many guests for their hotel and can enhance their business.Hotel WebsitesHotel’s individual websites are one of the easiest and popular sources ofreservation. Hotel established their websites including the full details of theirfeatures with lucrative look. In the hotel website guest will find a reservationform, by filling this form the guests can easily make reservation accordingtheir choice. After filling the reservation form the guests will be confirmedwhether they get booking or not. Some hotel websites are so well organizedthat they can present virtual tour of the hotels.Embassies and ConsulatesDiplomatic officials generally travel throughout the whole year and they haveto stay in the hotel. As diplomatic officials have to contact with embassy andconsulates during their travel so these media can be a good source ofbusiness for the hotels. If the employees of United Nations will visit aparticular city then the local U.N. office will be the source of hotel roombookings. For this reason the hotels which are located at that particular citywant to deal with embassies and consulates.Free Individual Travelers (FITs)Free individual travelers are the guests who directly contact with the hoteland make reservation. They do not depend on any media. They chose hotelon the basis of quality service, image factor, budget and their convenience.Some individual also take suggestion from others for selecting the hotel. Soany hotel tries to attract these travelers through quality service that they willagain come to this hotel. The free individual travelers can book the hotelroom from anywhere in the world. As the website display all details of hotelfeatures so traveler can chose according to his or her convenience.Central Reservation System (CRS) 67

Central reservation offices are the most popular and easier reservationsystems. CRS offer toll free telephone numbers to attract travelers to utilizetheir facility. The central reservation system is the best option particularlyfor the independent operators who have limited capital to run businessworldwide individually. Generally individual operator registers with Non-Affiliate system on a subscription basis for smooth reservation. Major chainhotels have their own CRS that help them to run business in all the locationswhere they have their properties. Also there is referral tie up with somehotels where they have no hotel to run. Thus they can send their guest in nonbusiness areas. A good benefit for independent hotels who are in samereservation system is enjoying inter sell through other businesses like travelagency, car rental etc. For example a travel agency may book hotel room forits client under that particular system.AssociationsThere are many associations in the business world like automobileassociations, free masons, trade associations, hotel federation and so on.These all associations have to arrange business meetings, conferences,conventions throughout the year. For arranging theses meetings,conventions these associations have to book rooms. That’s why thereservation agent or hotels make connection with the associations to gainvolume business. These associations have both local and international officeswhich can operate worldwide business.Government OfficesThough most the government offices have their own guest house. Butsometimes government offices offer hotel accommodation to their high rankofficer. So this media is also a good source of business.Referral HotelsReferral hotels do not involve in chain operation as they are independenthotel. To enhance their hotel business the owners of the referral hotelrecommend each other to attract guests. The airlines who have connectionwith referral hotels, recommend those referral hotels. Most often thepassengers get some recommendation from the crews regarding hotel. 68

19. Reservation & Cancellation Code Used in HotelReservation is a common policy for all hotels from all over the world. Hotelsallow advance bookings from guests with the aim to enhance their occupancypercentage and to achieve the goal of their organization. The policy ofreceiving advanced bookings from guests is referred as reservations. Theduration for holding the reservation in advance booking could be varyaccording to the hotel category and the season, for example a hotel holdreservation for 24 hours where as another hotel hold reservation for 2 days.The reservation procedure follows either manual or computerized systemwhich allows a front desk agent to execute the three foremost steps of areservation, such as checking the room availability, recording thereservation, and retrieving the reservation when it is required. There aremany sources of reservation through which a guest can make a reservationfor booking a room.The common sources of reservation are:  Telephone  Fax  Central reservation systems  Global distribution systems  Travel agencies  Tour operators  The Internet  Hotel websites.etc.Whatever the source of reservation is the front office personnel should keepproper and accurate information (suppose, the arrival date, the duration ofstay, the name of the guest(s), the type of room, departure date) from theguest before confirming a reservation.After the completion of reservation, the process of paying (credit card,previously approved direct billings, etc) for a guaranteed reservation isestablished. If there is sufficient time is available then bank check mayapprove for those guests who wants to pay with check to book a reservation.But whatever the method of payment is, the advance payment must beincluded in the guest folio and the folio should be properly monitored by thefront desk agent.Hotel Guest Reservation Code 69

Reservation codes are provided by the front desk or reservation agentwhich is chronological sequence of alphanumeric combination. Reservationcodes are provided as a reference to those guests who have confirmed orguaranteed reservation. As reservation codes provide the confirmation inadvance booking so it is also termed as confirmation numbers. These codesprovide the confirmation that rooms have been held for a particular date(given by the guest) but with an obligation to pay for at least the first nightin the hotel. The alphanumeric combination of reservation code are preparedin a way which indicate any information related with guest staying such asthe date of arrival, the date of departure, the type of credit card, the creditcard number, the room rate, the type of room, and/or the sequential numberof the reservation to ensure proper reservation process.A guaranteed reservation code will be as follows: 142-TJ-0828-0831-MC-90-Q-23456R  142: the recognition number of the hotel in the chain  TJ: the initials of the reservation agent or front desk agent who accepted the reservation  0828: the date of arrival  0831: the date of departure  MC: the type of credit card (MasterCard)  90: the rate of nightly room is $90  Q: sign of a queen-size bed in the reserved room.  23456R: the sequential reservation numberHowever, if the reservations codes will short then it can easily accommodatein the hotel computer because sometimes the memory of hotel computerdoes not allow for storing large reservation codes.The reservation code should be established that these codes will be able toprovide proper information to the hotel authority to make available room forthe guest. By getting these codes the hotel authority can get the details of aguaranteed accommodation. Sometimes these guest data could beunavailable from computer then the front desk agent can get accommodationinformation from the reservation code.Cancellations 70

Cancellations are made if the guests change his/her travel plan and cancelthe reservation. For cancelling the guest communicates with the centralreservation system or the front office of hotel where the reservation wasmade. All hotels do not follow same cancellation policy, it can differaccording to the cancellation frequency of the hotel or financial position ofthe hotel. Moreover some hotels mention specific time for cancelingreservations like within 24, 48, or 72 hours from reservation time. If a guestwants to get exemption from paying the first night’s room rate then they haveto follow these time table. If the guest has made a cash advance for bookinga room, then a credit balance on the guest folio would have to be developed.Hotel Guest Cancellation CodeIf a guest wants to cancel his/her guaranteed reservation then the front deskagent provides cancellation codes as a reference of his/her cancellation.Cancellation codes provide the assurance that the front desk agent hascanceled the reservation which is requested by the guest. Once cancellationcodes are provided to the guest then the guest is free from any obligationregarding room reservation. Sometimes it happens that a front desk agent ora reservation agent by mistake make charge for a guaranteed reservationwhich has been already canceled by the guest. In this situation the guest canprove as fake charge by showing the reservation codes. Cancellations codespresented in the same manner as reservation codes do. Like reservationcodes cancellation codes are also combination of alphanumeric value whichshown in a chronological manner which is also referred to as cancellationnumbers. Cancellation codes provide the assurance that the front desk agenthas canceled the reservation which is requested by the guest. Oncecancellation codes are provided to the guest then the guest is free from anyobligation regarding room reservation. A cancellation code illustrates theinformation relating to the cancellations including name of hotel andreservation agent, the arrival date, departure date and the sequential numberof the cancellation.A perfect cancellation code will appear as follows: 132-TJ-0309-1001X  132: the recognition number of the hotel in the chain  TJ: the initials of the reservation or front desk agent who accepted the cancellation.  0828: the date of arrival 71

 2002X: the sequential number of the cancellation20. Night Audit in HotelsThe night audit describes itself by its term. Night audit is a financial operation thatis executed at night in a hotel where operational activity runs for 24 X 7 followingthree consecutive work schedules by front office personnel. Due to nature of thework a night audit is stared at the night (the last shift) and finished in the next earlymorning. Night audit is a significant part of the accounting section of a hotel. Thenight audit is the control process where all financial activity (both cash and credit)of guest’s accounts is recorded and balanced. A night auditor is a special desk clerkwho is responsible for performing the process of night audit.The position of night auditor is under department of the front office. Night auditis the team which may consist of individual or group. For example:  The night audit manager.  Two to five auditors (depending on the size of the hotel and the number of ancillary operations).  One or two food/beverage auditors (depending on the number of outlets).The team of night audit falls under the accounting department of the hotel. Thefront desk manager and hotel’s controller get work report from night auditor.Sometimes the night audit team has a dual reporting structure to both accountingand the front office.A night auditor is one of the most important personnels in the hotel. Night auditoris responsible for integrating and recording all cash and credit transactions of theday in a hotel. Basically a night auditor is an accountant who has to be wellinformed about the every details of accounting system and operational activity ofhotel. A night auditor operate the both cash and credit transactions of the daywhich is recorded at the front office and determine the closing balances of the allrevenues outlets. A night auditor has to make corrections and locates errors if thereis any wrong statement in the recording process of the hotel accounting documentswhich is submitted to the night auditor and prepared by the cashier. As the nightauditor works in the night shift then he or she generally has some managementresponsibilities and also may have to act as the manager in the night if themanagers are off at night. For example a night auditor interprets the performanceof all revenue outlets in terms of statistics which is very helpful for management,moreover a night auditor provide reports (consists of operating and marketinginformation) to the management which makes the managerial processsmooth. Before computerization hotels used to assign many night auditors toperform night audit, but today computerized property management systems 72

(PMSs) have made it easier to perform the night audit which also reduced the needof auditors. The all activities and functions of night auditor are performed toprovide the assurance that all accounts of any hotel are recorded and maintainedproperly. Basically in the process of night audit function the following steps areperformed:  Finish the posting that are due and settle the discrepancies of both front desk and other department.  Post room rate with tax after validation.  Make cash receipts for deposit purpose.  Clear all and backup system.  Organize and distribute the night audit reports.  Close the shift by clearing out all other tasks.Complete the outstanding posting means providing an assurance regardingmonetary transactions that all non accounts and guest accounts of hotel haveposted without any discrepancy. The due posting are considered as finished whena particular day’s transactions are reviewed for accuracy. The transactions thatheld in the front desk are included in the front desk accounts. Sometimes a nightauditor is also assigned in operating transactions from other revenue generateoutlets of the property. He/she generally balance the amount of front officeaccounts in opposition to the other departments. If any discrepancies arediscovered then the night auditor corrects it and performs the next task. Mosthotels make their profits through room selling so fair guestroom rates are verynecessary. That’s why to validate the room rates of the guest room is the mostimportant feature of the night audit. After verifying the rates he/she posts eachguestroom with tax. Sometimes the night auditor is also in charge for arrangingcash deposits and reports where the total revenue is checked against the depositedmoney. Then the night auditor clears all backup system and clearing out the day’sactivities at the end of the working day. Finally the night auditor prepares the nightaudit reports which are considered as a snapshot of the operational activities of thepreceding day, as these reports provide a review of the particular day’s activitieswith a close view of the hotel’s operation. The process of night audit is an essentialfor performing the financial activities of a hotel operation. Whether the night auditprocess is performed manually or computerized or through PMS hotel managersrelay upon the accurateness of the documentation prepared by the night auditor. 73

21. Concierge Service in HotelMany wonder what is Hotel Concierge? Oncethe term concierge is used for seniormanagement position. In Some Europeanhotels still the concierge department isconsidered to perform many managerialduties. But in North America, the concept hasbeen developed; the concierge is evolved intogeneral assistance personnel. Some hotel chains have attached a specificroom configuration to the concierge which is referred as concierge floor. Theconcierge floor offers an improved room configuration to hotel guests as wellas access to an exclusive lounge area. In order make access in the conciergelounge; it may require a key of guest room. The concierge employees willperform their duty in the lounge area or they may be located in the lobbyitself. But some hotels require concierge’s presence in both areas.The concierge department is assigned to help the guest during their stayingin the hotel and assists them to resolve any sort of problem. For example theconcierge handles their mail, and pass any special request from guest to thefront desk or other hotel staffs, they also concern about the accommodationproblem.Traditionally the concierge was defined as a castle doorkeeper, who was incharge to ensure that all guests were properly roomed for the night. But todaythe responsibilities for a concierge have been increased in many ways; theyare assigned for every single matter, from picking the guest’s luggage fromtheir arrival place to help them in everything during their stay. But forfulfilling the guests request there is a particular department, the guest servicedepartment which deals with everything that is related to guest’s satisfaction.For example the guest service department concerns with shopping arcadealong with guest’s specialty shops, they provide suggestions for restaurantsthat are off premise, bought tickets for theater, help in making reservationsand so on.The guest services department may comprises of a single person, theconcierge, or all employees of that department of employees including theconcierge assistant, the bellperson, the bell captain, the luggage taker and 74

the doormen. Generally, the concierge has to report to the front officemanager. The concierge assistant, bell captain, and doorman report directlyto the concierge personnel.Duties and Responsibilities of Concierge:  Receive incoming call.  Record messages for guests and passing those messages to the guests.  Handle all guests’ information, mail, parcel, couriers.  Answer any queries regarding hotel amenities and places of tourist interests.  Keep information aids like time-tables, road maps, hotel guide, and so on.  Help guests to confirm airline, bus or train tickets,  Manage box office tickets for cinemas, concerts, special shows etc. for the guests.  Coordinate with the bell boys to page guests in the hotel.  Develop contacts with city services to help guests.The concierge personnel are a very resourceful person for the hotel as wellfor the guests. Concierge personnel have to make contacts with other partiesfor fulfilling the guest’s need, such as tourism companies, event managementcompanies’ etc. He or she is able to provide any information to guests thatare related with hotel. A skilled concierge is required to speak manylanguages so as to overcome the language obstacle with the guests. Even forbuilding the hotel reputation and increasing the number of returning gueststhe concierge play a vital role. The concierge department sets up actions andpolicies for guests and prepares job descriptions and procedures, trainingmanuals, for all concerned sectors who provide guest services, including bellservice, guest paging and package handling, doorman service, guest tour andtravel services, and any other special guest requirements. Sometimes theconcierge also has to perform additional responsibilities, such as helpingguests in fulfilling some guest service that are unscheduled (ex-managingtheater tickets, sightseeing tours or car rentals), cooperating with the seniorassistant front desk manager, the assistant front office manager, and otherdepartments, directing and organizing the guests car parking, andsupervising the laundry manger to provide better laundry and valet service. 75

22. Overbooking in HotelThe term “Overbooking” is a common practice inhotel or resort. Overbooking occurs when morerooms are booked than availability. Overbooking isdone based on estimating the number of no-showreservations, understays, walk-ins and stayovers, inorder to meet 100% occupancy.Overbooking is considered as a complex policy forany hotel which is generally administered by thefront office manager. According to the Americancourts, overbooking is praised as “in many cases, overbooking to overcomethe problem of no-shows and late cancellations may produce advantages byway of operating efficiencies that far compensate the occasionalinconveniences to guests and travelers.” The American courts haveapprehended hotel overbooking as an expected and justifiable practice whichcan compensate the losses that are occurred from no-shows. No-show factorsare determined based on past experience with guests with confirmed orguaranteed reservations generally who did not come.Though the policy of overbooking could bring inconvenient to the guests ortravelers but hotel authority or front office managers do not practiceoverbooking intentionally, they overbooked the room to fulfill the financialobjectives and to make up the losses arises from no shows. According to thearticle, “Coping with no-shows, late cancellations and oversales:American hotels out-do the airlines“ by Rex S. Toh the no-show rateis anywhere between 5 and 15% in most markets. For example: If a hotelusually has hundred confirmed reservations along with six percent no-showrate, it refers that six rooms for per night will be unsold. The average roomrate of $80 will cost for six rooms $480 in revenue. After one year this totalamount will be $146,000 (lost revenue) which will lead the front officemanager to make an insistent occupancy management policy according tothe management of the occupancy categories of guest reservations. Forexample, confirmed reservations, guaranteed reservations, understays,stayovers, and walk-ins. Most of the hoteliers ask for the guest’s guaranteewith a credit card number upon his or her stay and use of different amenitiesand services in the hotel to make sure their purpose of travel. 76

 Confirmed reservations are given to the probable or potential guests who has a booking for lodging which is privileged for a certain time showing the significant factors in no-shows. The hotel authorities are not obliged to hold the reservation for the guests after the specified time (basically 4:00 P.M. or 6:00 P.M. The front office manage personnel must maintain correct records of no-shows for confirmed reservations. Different types of travelers (corporate, group, leisure and so on) may have confirmed reservations. All guests or travelers will have different no-show rates. Such as,business travelers may have a 2% no-show rate. individual travelers could have have a 1% no show rate and so on. Sometimes a complete analysis of each category may suggest methods to reduce no-show rates. Guaranteed reservations are developed for the potential guests who made an agreement with the hotel that he or she will get a room. But this group is a less unstable group as the guest usually give only a credit card number to keep the booking. According to that article, comparing to the 10% no show rate for confirmed reservations, the no- show rate for guaranteed reservations was only 2 percent. To detect this huge difference, the front office manager must inquiry these rates of no-shows. Stayovers include presently registered or reserved guests who want to lengthen their stay ahead of the specified reservation time. By keeping accurate records according to category of traveler could disclose the stayover rate of each category. Such as, a honeymoon couple may want to extend their stay. Likewise, a group of business travelers who come to attend meeting may extend their stay for personal visit for sightseeing. Understays are applied for those guests who arrive on time but check out before their expected date or time of exit. In most cases it happens that leisure travelers do not find their tourist attraction places attractive. It also could be happen to corporate traveler; sometimes a corporate client may have to return to the office earlier due to business emergency. Like stayover accurate record keeping of guests can helps the front office manager to forecast understays. Walk-in guests is treated as welcome part of the hotel market. The policy of Walk-in guests can play a vital role in enhancing daily occupancy percentages in the hotel but when it is applied properly. The front office manager of any hotel must be responsive to the functional activity and tourist attractions or local events, business events plan of other hotels, and other local special events. 77

There are some common factors which can play a vital role in enhancing thequantity guests, for example heavy tourist seasons, special tourist events,conventions, and so on. A front office manager also should be aware of thesebenefit factors. The numbers of Walk-in guests are often high if the personnelkeep excellent collaboration with other personnel of front office of nearbyhotels, who could sent their guests to the hotel if their hotel rooms are totallyreserved. If these occupancy categories are properly specified by assessingthe property management system (PMS) reservation module including thename of the business traveler, individual traveler or group traveler whogenerally booked accommodation for a certain time, then the front officemanager can more precisely forecast management occupancy. 78

23. Typical Telephone Requests by GuestsTelephone operator or front desk agent of anyhotel usually faces some typical request by guestsover telephone that they should handle tactfully.Here are some examples of such typical questionswith some standard responses. The telephoneoperator should carefully observe this responsethat he or she could give good response in case ofany typical guest request.Examples of some requests and response are as follows:  Guest: Good Morning. Could you please connect me to an internal extension number?Front desk agent: “please hold one moment, I am connecting to you. MayI have the telephone number please?” (Repeat the number and say )“Will youlike to stay on the line as I connect or shall I call you back?”  Guest: “Ok I have some inquiry of hotel facilities and timings.”Front desk agent: (give accurate information and say), “The informationmay be found in the house directory in the drawer of your telephoneconsole.”  Guest: “I am new here in this city. I want to know about city facilities and highlights.”Front desk agent: No problem at all sir/ms, I shall connect you to theconcierge/information desk who will give you the required information.  Guest: “I have a complaint of faulty equipment in my room”Front desk agent: (listen to the computer carefully and say), “May I haveyour room number please sir/ms, I will report this problem to thehousekeeping desk who will attend to your problem at the earliest”.  Guest: “I would like to place a wake-up call”. 79

Front desk agent: “Surely sir/ms, may I have your name, room numberand time of the wake-up call?” Repeat the message to confirm.  Guest: “Can I have the correct local time, please?”Front desk agent: “Surely sir/ms, the time is…..”The front deskdepartment is expected to have the correct local time and maintain a clockby which the entire hotel generally adjusts their timing. It is the duty of thefront desk supervisor to ensure that the timing is accurate according to thelocal time.  Guest: “I am having dinner in XYZ restaurant. Please forward my calls to the restaurant as I am expecting an important call right now”.Front desk agent: “Please inform to the captain of the hotel that you areexpecting important call sir/ms”.Beside these typical guest requests, sometimes the front desk agents alsohave to face some unusual and atypical calls which also come from the guests.Here are some of the common unusual requests by guests which have tohandle carefully.  “I am wondering there is a shadow outside my door”  “I am locked inside my bathroom. Please send someone to rescue”  “Oh my God. My bed has caught fire through my cigarette”  “There is a mouse in my room. My kids are afraid of mouse”  “Can you tell me what’s going on in your hotel? The guest in the next room is making too much noise that I cannot sleep properly”  “I was outside my room and housekeeping service was going now. Now I find my wallet and passports are stolen”  “I am feeling very unwell. Do you have any doctor?”  “I could not sleep properly due to loud television sound from next room”In these situations the front desk agent should first provide assurance to theguest that the situation will be solved soon and tell him or her to stay quite.Then the front desk agent should immediately contact with the housekeepingstaff. In such typical situations, the housekeeping department can play a vitalrole. Housekeeping department should check visually and if the situation isserious then the housekeeping staff should seek for additional help fromrespective field. For example, if the problem is related with engineering 80

department then the housekeeping staff should contact with the engineeringdepartment. These types of indications must be recorded in the hotel logbook, maybe it is needed by another front desk agent.The front desk agent should always being polite with the guest whether it istypical questions or it is any unusual calls. He should answer all the questionswith courtesy. The guest should be addressed with Sir or Ms.Here are some common but standard courtesy words which should be usedduring guest-front desk agent conversation:  “How may I help you sir/ms”  “Thank you sir/ms”  “Have a nice day”  “One moment please”  Wishing guest according to the time of the day. For example say good morning between midnight and moon or say good afternoon when the time is between noon and evening. Moreover the term good evening is used when the time is between evening and midnight. Remember the term Good Night is used only if the guest is returning to bed.  If the line is busy then ask the guest to hold or you should call back him or her, don’t forget to ask his name and room number.  If front desk agent is not sure whether the female guest is miss or Mrs. then address her Ms.  If there is any kind of delay then say “sorry for the inconvenience”. 81

24. Hotel Front Office EquipmentToday, you will learn about some equipment used in front office of a hotel.Most of these equipment are common in all hotels.  Adding Machine/Calculator: Minimum of one adding machine for every two Service Associates. Minimum of one printing calculator.  Arrival Bucket: This bucket is located adjacent to the registration area and holds the ore-registration envelope for guests due to arrive today. Dividers, similar to folio bucket, are placed inside in alphabetical order.  Cash Drawer: Two cash drawers per Service Associate’s position.  Credit Card: Imprinter One for each Service Associate’s position.  Folio Printers: These are laser printers dedicated to print guest folios and with multipurpose trays attached to print system generated paid-out and foreign exchange vouchers.  Guest Safety Deposit Box: Safety deposit boxes of varying sizes are located in or adjacent to the front office area. These boxes are for guest use only and are controlled by the Service Associates – Front Desk. Each box has its own key but cannot be opened unless the Service Associate’s guard key is used at the same time. The boxes are controlled through the use of the guest safety deposit box signature card on file.  Key Encoder: Key card issuing machine which should be interfaced with the Fidelio/Opera system (PMS).  Postage Scale: This scale is located in the Concierge area and is used to determine the postage required for letters and small packages which a guest or the hotel wishes to mail.  Registration Card-Buckets: These buckets are used to store in- house guests’ registration cards, supporting documents and credit cards imprints. Each room number to be identified on a thin, plastic divider and placed inside.  Time Stamp: This machine is used to stamp the time and date on all mails, handwritten messages which come to or are used by the Front Desk. There should be a minimum of 1 per Front Desk. 82

25. Hotel Guest Preference ProcedureIn order to provide best possible service to all of ourvaluable guests proper maintenance of guest preferenceis highly essential.Objective:To create a memorable experience for our guests throughpersonalized service by anticipating their needs, likes anddislikes through a process of knowing and collecting theirpreferences.Process: It is a 2-part process: 1. Collection of Guest Preferences 2. Execution of the Preferences1) Collection of Guest Preferences:  Guest History Manager (GHM) champions and drives this process.  Staff are to notice and record guests’ preferences on the Guest Preference Pads.  GHM collects all departments’ Guest Preference Pads and ensure the data are keyed into the system.  GHM shares month end data to recognize and celebrate efforts by departments and individuals.  GHM interviews top departments and individuals’ “secrets” in getting the high quality guests’ preferences.  GHM communicates and shares the “secrets” – best practices.  GHM shares guests’ feedback on how they felt when we anticipate and recognize their needs.  Department managers energize and communicate with all staff to strive to be “top quality collectors”.Methods for Getting Preferences:Staff are to use both listening and observation skills in noting guests’preferences. Examples would be:  Staff through conversing with guest learns that guest is a vegetarian. 83

 Staff notices that guest is left handed while signing documents.2) Execution of Preferences  GHM prints daily Arrival Reports with Remarks, picking up the preferences of guests in Remarks field.  GHM ensures the guest’s preferences are action upon by working with all departments to accord and action on guests’ preferences.  Department briefings are used to highlight such preferences and the actions to take.Classification of Preferences:Preferences are classified into: 1. Local Preferences 2. Global Preferences 3. Distinctive Preferences1) Local Preferences:They are specific only to the particular hotel such as:  Balcony room in east side  Local newspapers  Prefers table 38 in Café Kool  Likes room to be serviced by Mary only2) Global Preferences:These are common items that can be provided across all properties such as:  Golden Circle Preferences:  Amenities  Preferred time of turndown service in hotel  Preferred pillow type3) Distinctive Preferences:These are distinctive information about a guest that pertains to him/heronly. Such information can only be gotten through staff: 84

 Keen observations of guests’ habits  Through conversations with guests  And in recording them on our Guest Preference PadsExamples are:  Mr John Smith is left-handed  Mr Gary Lee is allergic to nuts  Ms Mary Seet likes to drink diet coke  Ms Caremen Coster prefers room temperature of 26 degree Celsius  Mr K.T. Tan likes to listen to flute musicPoints To Consider When Collecting Guests Preferences:When you record a guest’s preference, there are 3 points to consider beforerecording the preference:  Is the Guest Preference Accurate?  Is the Guest Preference Attainable?  Is the Guest Preference Actionable? 85

26. Step by Step Guest Registration at Front Desk (MustRead)Today, we will learn how a front deskagent complete guest registrationprocedure. This tutorial will help you tounderstand guest registrationprocedure step by step.Step by Step Guest RegistrationProcedure:Always remember that guest should beregistered within 10 minutes, with complete information. Greeting should bewarm and personalized.Greet the Guest:  When you see the arrival guest coming in, open the main entrance by using switch beside of the front desk.  Greet with a smile and say:” Good morning/afternoon/evening (according to the right time of the day) Mr. / Ms Patron (guest if known) or sir/ma’am, welcome to XYZ.”  If guest name is not known, ask the guest for their name by saying: “May I have your name please.”Check current day’s check-in list for the guest’s name and retrievethe guest folder:  Open guest folio/file in Comanche system and review file.  Retrieve the Guest Registration Card and key. Guest registration should be complete with guest details at least one day prior to guest arrival.Present the guest registration card and lease agreement (if any):  Show guest where to sign or fill-in those areas requiring information on Registration Card and Lease Agreement, by saying: “Mr/Ms Patron, please check the information and complete these areas and sign here”.  Ask for guest’s business card. If you could get it, guest does not need to fill up the form except signature. 86

 Present pen with back of pen facing the guest.  Do not interrupt guest while they are filling the forms.  When receiving completed form, say: “Thank you Mr/Ms Patron”.  Check that all necessary areas of name, passport number, address & signature are completed accordingly.Request credit card from guest:  Check the payment status. If the company is paying all expenses, it is not necessary to ask for credit card.  Show Invoice if any.  Say: “Mr/Ms ____, may I have your credit card please.”“Thank you.” Receive credit card with both hands.  Charge amount according to guest paperwork.  Take credit card imprint/swipe for incidental charges, if the company is paying the Rent.  Return the credit card to the guest, saying: “Thank you, Mr/Ms _______”  Present the print out of the slip to the guest for signature.  Present a copy of credit card slip & attach to PAID stamped original invoice. And put it in the envelope. Pass it to the guest.  Clip the other signed slip to the copy of Invoice. Attach both to the back of the completed guest registration card.Request passport from guest:  Ask guest for their passport/identity card for photocopying, saying: “Mr/Ms ____, may I have your passport/identity card please.” “Thank you.”  Make a copy of the passport (page with their photograph and personal details as well as the page, if applicable, of their visa for entry into the country).  Check name, passport number, visa details.  Return passport to the guest, saying: “Thank you.”  Clip the copy of the passport/identity card/visa behind the completed guest registration card and behind the credit card slip. This ensures that the property has a photo of the guest for guest security purposes.Outstanding items/Incomplete guest file: 87

 Inform guest by saying: “Mr. /Ms Patron, on review of your file, we have not received your {name of missing document, for example Reservation Confirmation Form etc.}, do you have it available?”  IF DOCUMENT IS NOT AVAILABLE, say: “Mr. /Ms Patron might we follow up with you tomorrow?”  Log into logbook for Front Office Manager to follow-up.Ask guest if they require newspaper service:  Ask: “Mr. / Ms Patron, would you like to subscribe to one of the local newspapers or one of the international papers?”  Provide the appropriate information and rate schedule as requested by the guest.  Say: “Mr. / Ms Patron, the {name of newspaper subscribed} will be delivered to your residence daily. We will bill your account {price of subscription} per month.”Ask guest if they require a car parking space:  Ask: ‘Will you be requiring a car park space?”  If guest requires car park, check availability and ask for the car type to assign inside or outside car park.  If the parking is not available, apologize and advise that we will contact guest as soon as it become available, and note it on the list accordingly.  Prepare the car admission card and advise guest to place it in front of the driver’s seat.Ask guest if they require Broadband Connection (ADSL):  Ask “Will you be requiring Broadband Connection in your apartment?” If guest requires Broadband, provide appropriate information.  Provide the appropriate information and rate schedule as requested by the guest.  If guest requires Broadband, set the hub in the apartment and provide LAN cable. 88

27. What If Guest Don’t Answer Wake Up CallsWaking up the guest is a normal front office task. Earlier, in this free HotelManagement Training Blog, I have written a tutorial on Wake Up CallHandling Procedure in hotel. Today we will learn about some advancedprocedures. As you know, sometimes, some guest may not wake up after yourcall because of tiredness or deep sleep. Now we will learn how to handle suchsituations:Steps:  AM calls the guest and guest answers the phone: When the Assistant Manager receive the information from PABX , Assistant Manager always have to call back to the guest room first before the further action being taken.“Good morning / afternoon /evening. Mr./Ms. XXX. This is your **** wake up call. The weather is warm with a temperature of ** degree. Would you like a reminder wake up call.  Guest didn’t answer AM’S call and AM goes to guest’s room to wake up guest: The AM should go to the guest room immediately if there’s still nobody answering the call from room.  AM goes to guest’s room and standing outside of the door: Ringing the doorbell while greeting the guest. “Good morning.”  AM tell the guest that he is coming to wake him up: “ Mr. xxx, this is the wake up call.”  AM goes into the room when nobody answers after ringing doorbell for 3 times: Opening the door slowly and greeting at the same time, “ Good morning, Mr. xxx.”  Wake up the guest if he is still sleeping: 1. AM standing away from the bed keep calling the guest. “ Good morning, Mr. xxx “ to wake up guest. 2. Wake guest up by shaking him slightly if he couldn’t be waken up by calling him loudly. Shake guest shoulder or arm slightly to wake him up and calling guest name at the same time. “ Mr. XXX, please wake up.  AM left the room if guest wasn’t in the room: Checking the room but found nobody inside.  AM found the room was bolted on the inside: 89

1. Calling the guest’s name while ring the bell and ask operator to keep calling the room at the same time.2. Ask help from engineering to open the door. Engineer will try every way to open the door. Opens the door and wakes guest up:1. AM standing away from the bed keep calling the guest. “ Good morning, Mr. xxx “ to wake up guest.2. Wake guest up by shaking him slightly if he couldn’t be waken up by calling him loudly. Shake guest shoulder or arm slightly to wake him up and calling guest name at the same time. “ Mr. XXX, please wake up.” 90

28. Hotel Safety Box ProcedureSometimes guests travel with somevaluable assets and want to keep thosesafe in hotel’s safety box. Safety Box inhotel gives complete safety options toguests.Hotel Safety Box Procedure:Guests who keep their items/valuables in our Safety Boxes are entrusting thehotel to keep their items/valuables secured and safe. Full compliance to theSafety Box procedures is to be adhered to by all Front Desk staff to ensurethat highest security.The use of Safety Boxes is offered to registered guests of the hotel only. Ifanyone other than registered guests of the hotel wants to use the Safety Boxesthen she/he must have the approval of the General Manager.Safety Box numbers should not be printed on key or tag for security reasons.Guest Opening of Safety Box (1st Time):  When a guest asks for a Safety Box to store his/her items/valuables, guest is to be directed to the Safety Box room.  Guest is to be presented with the Safety Box Record Card to open a new Safety Box for the first time, whereby he/she is requested to fill in: 1. Room Number 2. Passport 3. Nationality 4. Name 5. Address 6. Signature  A suitable Safety Box will be allocated to the guest.  After guest has placed his/her items/valuables in the Safety Box, the Service Associate – Front Desk will lock/secure it with both the guest key and the hotel guard key. The guest key will be given to the guest and guest is to be advised that there is no replacement key and in the 91

event of a lost key, there is a payment (advise the exact sum of the hotel set) required to drill open the lock.  Service Associate – Front Desk is to complete the Safety Box Record Card by filling in: 1. Date 2. Time 3. Issued By 4. Box Number  Service Associate will file the Safety Box Record Card under the assigned Safety Box number index kept in the Safety Box room.Guest Accessing Safety Box:  Direct guest to the Safety Box room.  Present guest an Access Application card for verification to gain access to his/her Safety Box.  Guest is to fill up on the Access Application card: 1. Room Number 2. Guest Name 3. Box Number 4. Guest Signature  The Service Associate – Front Desk is to ensure the details are filled up on the Access Application card and that the guest’s signature on the Access Application card is the same as that of the signature on the Safety Box Record Card. This step is of utmost importance in ensuring the Safety Box is opened for the rightful owner. In the event of any doubt/suspicion, the Service Manager is to be called and consulted upon before opening the Safety Box for the guest.  Open the guest Safety Box with both the hotel guard key and the guest key. Hand the Safety Box to the guest for his/her access.  Once the guest has finished accessing the Safety Box, ensure that the Safety Box is properly locked and the guest key is returned to the guest.  Service Associate – Front Desk is to record the access number (on the Access Application card) at the back section of the Safety Box Record Card followed by the date and time each time the guest has gained access to the Safety Box. 92

29. Making Room Reservation on Telephone (SOP)RequirementRead this Tutorial first: How to take Reservation on phone. This will giveyou more theoretical concept which will be needed to understand thisparticular tutorial.DiscussionFor a front desk agent making proper reservation is the most important job.Generally most of the reservation has been done by phone. Here you willlearn exactly what steps a front desk agent needs to follow to make areservation in phone.Steps You Should Follow  Step-1: Answer the telephone within 3 rings.  Step-2: Greet the guest properly. “Good Morning, Front Desk. This is XXX hotel. How may I assist you?”  Step-3: In this stage be sure about the name and when guest wants to check in and check out. Try to understand this conversation:  Guest: “I want to make a reservation”  Agent: Ok sir. How should I address you?  Guest: I am Robert Temple.  Agent: Ok Mr. Temple, are you our priority Club Member?  (Ask to ensure about guest) Or  “Did you stay here before?”  (If guest says yes then ask following question)  “May I have your previous check in & check out date, please?”  (Ask this question to know what price was offered before and what is guest preference and other information related to that particular guest)  Step-4: After confirming about guest proceed to the next level. In this case, first look for room inventory. You may either find any vacant room or no room for sale. Now, follow these steps in those cases.  If you don’t find any room Available:  Agent: I am terribly sorry, Mr. Temple. All our rooms are booked on XXX date. If you wish then I can put your reservation on waiting list or would you like me to recommend another hotel? 93

 Now if guest want his reservation to be put on waiting list then take full details about the guest and give him a reservation confirmation number.If you find a room Available: Now your approach will be to know which room will best match with guest. Follow these steps: Agent: OK, MR. Temple, will you travel alone or not? (As a agent your duty is to recommend such room which match with guest. If guest travel with family then you cannot recommend him a single room and on the other hand if he comes with a family or friends then you should look for family room or others which is for more than 1 person. Read our Room Types tutorial for clear concept.) Agent: MR. Temple, currently we have deluxe room, suit and studio room to accommodate your family. (If you have different types of rooms vacant then give some options to guest.) Step-5: Try to highlight different features of each type of rooms and their price. If there any is any discounted offer, offer it. Be ready all the time for up selling. Step-6: Make reservation properly. First be sure about guest name. Agent: How should I spell your name sir? Guest: It is R-O-B-E-R-T Robert and Then T-E-M-P-L-E Temple Agent: Is it R-O-B-E-R-T Then T-E-M-P-L-E ? Guest: Yes, you are right. Then politely request him for guaranteed booking. Agent: Mr. Temple as you know our hotel is a busy hotel. So, I would like to recommend you to guarantee your booking as we have very high occupancy rate, you know. Step-7: Explain your procedure for guaranteed reservation. Agent: Mr. Temple I just make your reservation guaranteed. This will ensure your booking. Now, if you do not come on XXX date, without informing us then one night room rate will be charged from your credit card as penalty. But if you like to change your reservation then you have to inform us 24 hours in advance. I guess you understand our policy. Step-8: Get contact details. Agent: May I have your contact number and address, please. Step-9: Offer more services to your guest. 94

 Agent: Mr Temple we are offering more for our guest. Would you like us to arrange pick up service for you in the airport? Guest: Yes, that’s great. Agent: OK sir. For transportation facility, both fax or telephone and credit card guarantees are required. Once we received confirmation from you, our concierge will contact you and make all the arrangements. Step-10: Now you will approach to close down the selling. Repeat all required information to be sure that you have made proper reservation. Agent: So, MR. Temple now I am going to repeat your reservation details. You like to be checking in on XXX and your checking out date is XXX. You preferred non-smoking, twin bedded supreme room for you and your family. Room rent is XXX US$ per night which included complimentary breakfast. You also pay in advanced for transportation service. Your confirmation number is XXX” Guest: Yes, you are right. Step-11: Thanks the guest for his calling and finish the conversation. Agent: Thanks you Mr. Temple for choosing XXX hotel. Certainly you take the right decision. So, Mr Temple see you on XXX. Have a nice day. 95

30. Members of Hotel Front Office DepartmentToday I will share you a short postwhere I would like to introduce all ofyou with the members of Front OfficeDepartment. Let’s learn what are theirresponsibilities: 1. The Front Office Manager is the Head of the Reception, Concierge, Communications Department and the Business Center. 2. Assistant Manager assists the Front Office Manager in supervising all Front Office areas and responsible for all Front Office areas in the absence of the Front Office Manager. Assistant Manager must ensure all reporting and servicing deadlines are met on a timely basis. 3. The Shift leader of Reception is responsible for the operation of the Reception during the shift, and assists Assistant Manager. 4. Front Desk Guest Service Agents are responsible for all areas of the Reception, and are skilled in Reception services, telephone services, cashiering, guest mail and messages and special requests. 5. Communications Agent is responsible for handling external and internal calls from customers and guests. They are also responsible for wake-up calls, timely messaging etc. All calls and requests will be handled in a courteous manner. 6. Concierge Shift leader is responsible for the smooth operation of the Concierge Department. Concierge Shift leader is also responsible for the maintenance of the battery car and all activities during the shift. 7. The Bellmen escorts the guest to the Reception and then to their room. They deliver guest bags and explain the hotel facilities. The Bellmen also delivers items to guest- rooms and offers directions and information about the Hotel. 8. The Business Center Agents are responsible for assisting guests with business requests with high professionalism. 96