MODULE 3

Front Office Department

LEARNING OUTCOMES:
At the end of this Lesson you are expected to do
the following:
L.O 1 – discuss the two major players in the industry;
L.O 2 – identify and explain the interrelationship of various
departments in the hotel;
L.O 3 – discuss the hotel operating cycle essential in prioritizing
tasks.
L.O 4 – describe the revenue and cost centers of hotels;
L.O 5 – enumerate various rooms in the hotels essential in performing
reservations for the hotel; and
L.O 6 – present an overview of the job positions in a hotel through an
organizational chart.

HPC 2 – Fundamentals of Lodging Operations 1

 What Do You Need To Know?

Lesson 1 – Introduction

The FRONT OFFICE is the “nerve centre” of a hotel. Members of the front-
office staff welcome the guests, carry their luggage, and help them register, give
them their room keys and mail, answer questions about the activities in the hotel
and surrounding area, and finally check them out. In fact, the only direct contact
most guests have with hotel employees, other than in the restaurants, is with
members of the front-office staff.

The front office functions can be divided into five general areas:

1. Reception
2. Bell service
3. Mail and information
4. Concierge
5. Cashiers and night auditors

Two major departments are represented in this list. The employees staffing
the first four areas are in the rooms department. The fifth is the financial area,
where guest charges are accumulated and posted to the bills, and all cash
transactions are consummated. These are all accounting-department functions,
and so the cashiers and night auditors are in that department.

The Front Office function of a Hotel is to act as the public face of the hotel,
primarily by greeting hotel patrons and checking in guests.

It also provides assistance to guests during their stay, completes their

accommodation, food and beverage, accounts and receives payment from guests.

The Front Office Department is typically composed of

1. Reception
2. Reservation
3. Concierge
4. PBX (phone service system)

HPC 2 – Fundamentals of Lodging Operations 2

5. Telephone
Reception

The reception desk is usually the place at which guests from the first
impressions of the hotel. It is also the communication centre for the hotel
operations. The reception desk may comprise of such tasks which are:

1. Cashiering
2. Mail and information
3. Registration
4. Room assignment

The reception desk is located in the busiest area of a hotel’s lobby. The
main financial tasks which are handled by the front office are as follows:

1. Receiving cash payments.

2. Handling guest folios.
3. Verifying checks.
4. Handling foreign currencies /credit cards.

The above is to give an over view of the duties and organization of the front
office department.

Guests who found themselves away from home, in a new environment or

unfamiliar settings are usually anxious to proceed with their business or
vacation plans without delay. They usually want to know or learn the “who, what,
when, where and how” of their new environment. The guests usually request or
ask for information through the door man, switch board operator, front desk or
clerk or cashier, because these employees are the most visible to the guest and
also seem by guests as most knowledgeable.

These employees response to the guests’ requests or questions about

public transport, location of hotel facilities, special events in the community etc.
indicates how well the hotel has prepared the front office for this important vole.

Front office managers must take an active role in gathering information

that will be interest to guests. The relationships the front office manager develops
with the other departmental director’s and their employees are vital to gathering
information for guests.
Developing positive personal relationship is part of the communication process.

HPC 2 – Fundamentals of Lodging Operations 3