ASSIGNMENT

ON

Case study

Course name; Front office Operation & Reservation

Course code: THM 312

SUBMITTED TO:

Abdullah Al Muneem

Assistant Professor

Department of Tourism & Hospitality Management

University of Dhaka

Submitted by:

Rakib sikdar

Id: 16

Section: B

Batch: 11th
 Chapter: 1

Case: 1

Question 1: How could the general manager at the Merrimack have made Jeff’s
transition into his new job easier?

Ans: Training made Jeff’s transition into his new job easier because that is an essential
to the job.
Question-2: What step jeff have taken to make a smoother transition to the new job?

Ans: The steps could Jeff have taken to make a smoother transition to the new job to
ensure that he was trained in his own position.
Question -3: What advice might jeff’s friend have to help him make this a successful
career move?

Ans: Guest satisfaction is main purpose of a hotel. Guest will be satisfied by service of a
hotel which is determined by hotel staff behavior. So create a strong relationship
between each department of a hotel is the way of satisfied guest. Jeff’s friend might tell
him to do this for successful career move.
Case: 2

Question:1 What criteria should christoff consider when selecting a manager to head up
the interval ownership business unit?

Ans: Christoff should consider someone who has experience with interval ownership
business unit.
Question: 2 Based on developed in discussion question #1, what are the strengths and
weaknesses of each applicant?

Ans: Micah Thompson strength is having sales and marketing skills but his weakness is
thinking that his job is similar to managing a hotel. Elena Ramirez’s strength is dealing
with individual owners and understanding their unique needs but his weakness is that
she has dealt with 400 owners while the job may call for managing 10000 owners. Earl
Jackson strength is having 10 years experience with at interval ownership unit but his
weakness is not having evidence of hotel experience.
Question: 3 Which applicant should christoff hire? Why?

Ans: Christoff should hire Elena Ramirez. Because she has experience with having strong
working relationships with individual owners. She also has experience with another
resort condominium as a ‘’Relations manager”. For this reason Christoff should hire
Elena Ramirez.
Case: 3

Question: 1 What were the main expectation of Mr. And Mrs. Wade?

Ans: Their main expectation were a hot tub for two and quaint lodge.
Question: 2 When and how were this expectation formed?

Ans: These expectations were formed when Mr. and Mrs Wade called for their
reservation for celebrating their twentieth anniversary.
Question:3 If you were the MOD, would you have gone to all that trouble to help the
wades?

Ans: If I were MOD, I would have gone to all that trouble to help the wades. Customer
satisfaction is main purpose. As Mr. and Mrs. Wades celebrate their special moments
but didn’t get as they want. For this reason I would have gone to help them as I were
MOD.
Question:4 Was Mary right in trying to find the wades a substitute room in the resort?

Ans: Yes, Mary was right in trying to find the Wades a substitute room in the resort
because she still tried to keep their business.
Question:5 Should the MOD have refunded deposit in this case?

Ans: The MOD should refund the deposit because they were misled by the reservation
agent and once again it is a special occasion for the wades.
 Chapter-2

Case: 1

Question:1 What are the problems that each department experience because of poor
communication among the executive staff?

Ans: Because of poor communication among executive staff each department could face
problems of low quality services, guest dissatisfaction, facing more guest complaints,
high cost, problems in handling an issue/ situation, clear problem identification, less
repeat customer etc. Guest check in and checkout will be affected if front office would
not inform about room status. Also housekeeping could face problem which room is
vacant and which one need to clean up. Also guest order for food or other things could
not be meet if communication among departments is poor. Also sales & reservation
department always need to update front office about guest information so front office
could assign specific room. Otherwise guest will be not interested. Without the exact
information from other department specific department can’t help guest.
Question:2 What recommendations can ken make to each of the resort’s department
heads to help them work together as a team?

Ans: To make hotel all department work as a team ken could make a group or a specific
team which could work for a single interest. in this regard ken could suggest his
executive to make good relation between them, Facing every issue together, informing
other department before making a decision.
Questions:3 What actions should ken take if his department heads, after a suitable
period of time, don’t seem to be coming together as a team?

Ans: After all if executive and staff not work as team, ken could set up the relation
between inter-departments and assign which time which departments need to work as
a team. And which situation needs to handle with help of each-other. Besides he can
assign task to solve by their executive by team. After making a team, ken could lead
them. And he can every-time observe team work progress.
Question: 4 What can ken show sunnyvale’s owner in the next 90 days to demonstrate
that the resort is making progress?

Ans: To show kennyvale resort owner about the progress after 90 days ken could show
the team work result, guest satisfaction, increased revenue, room sales, revenue, staff
activeness, improvement in inter-departmental communication, modification on policy
and strategy, improvement on hotel rating position, enhancement on service quality in
every department, daily report or monthly report etc. When owner could see the daily
activities of the staff he could understand the progress.
 Chapter: 3

Case: 1

Question:1 What steps could the staff at Gordon sumners hotel have taken to improve
their service?

Ans: There is a problem in food and beverage department in the hotel. They stopped
serving breakfast at 9:45”.Gordon Sumner’s went there after 9:45” for breakfast but he
didn’t get food. From their guest became dissatisfied. To improve their service they
need to serve breakfast within 11:30”.
Question:2 What factors were out of freddie bulsara’s control? How could he have
prepared for problems?

Ans: Dancers had already been given permission to check out late and the wolves
arrived early were out of Freddie Bulsara’s control. He could prepared for problems by
making wolves early arrival and put every part of the booking arrangements in writing.
Question:3 What might reg dwight’s list of affected areas and guest wants/ needs
include?

Ans: Reg Dwight’s list of affected areas included Front Desk, Food and Beverage,
Housekeeping, Sales. Guest wants/needs are medical attention, best care in a time of
high stress, laundry service.
Case: 2

Question:1 In order to make clear to your front office staff the value of an individual
customer, how could you calculate the revenue a frequent customer may generate over
long period of time?

Ans: The revenue of a frequent customer that generate over a long period can be
measured through calculating guest folio of several time check in. This kind of guest
come again and again so property could make money with this guest every-time they
have vacation and arrived at the hotel. Moreover this guest are satisfied guest so they
don’t be economical to spend much. Thus way this guest could add more revenue by
taking all the department services.
Question:2 Family reunions are big business. as front office manager, how would you
work with the sales department to ensure quality service for group business?

Ans: To ensure quality service for group business front office could work with sales
department. Normally a hotel reservation made by sales department who firstly see the
guest requirement for stay and the services they may need at he/she time of stay. After
arrival guest is handover to the front office staff they will provide the services
accordingly what the get information from sales department. Here its important to
communicate with hotel front office and sale department otherwise he can’t concern
about guest need. If front office can’t know guest requirement, they can’t provide the
service well. In case of group guest individual guest may have different requirement that
hotel can provide if they know well about guest need. Otherwise big revenue will be
disrupted for hotel. This is why front office needs to communicate well with sales
department for a quality service.
 Chapter: 4

Case: 1

Question:1 What kind of information does sarah need from other departments at her
hotel that will enable her to work better with the central reservations office?

Ans: Sarah needs information about daily updates and changes going on everyday in
hotel from other departments at her hotel that will enable her to work better with the
central reservations office.
Question:2 As the reservations manager, what might Sarah do to improve the
effectiveness of her property’s work with central reservations?

Ans: To improve the effectiveness of her property’s work with the central reservations
she needs to give more updated information to her reservation center so she can sell
more rooms.
Case: 2

Question: 1 What were the expectations of the guests?

Ans: The guest expected a room with two double beds and ocean view.
Question: 2 What other options might Sasha have considered in this case?

Ans: Make a mistake on his reservation process Sasha might need to consider this.
Case: 3

Question:1 Which guests would you walk to another hotel

Ans: The guest I would walk to another hotel that are walk in guest.
Question:2 What would be a guest-friendly way to walk guests?

Ans: Make reservation for walk guest would be a friendly way to walk guests.
Question:3 What are the costs of walking a guest?

Ans: The cost of walking a guest covers the overnight lodging expenses, taxi fare and a
couple of phone calls for the guest.
 Chapter: 5

Case: 1

Question: 1 What suggestions do you have for the front desk manager?

Ans: There was only one front desk agent. When guest reached hotel front desk agent
did not make eye contact with them. And also he didn’t explain details about brochures.
This was the problem of front desk. For this I would suggest the front desk to make eye
contact with guest, give them priority, and show them amicable behavior.
Question: 2 How many department did john interact with during the arrival stage?

Ans: There was two department, Front Desk and Housekeeping John had interact during
arrival stage.
Question: 3 Why would the owners hire john to check out the property?

Ans: The owners hire John to checkout the property because John face some problem
and wasn’t treated well. There is a scope to get bad reviews. So the owners try to note
those report.
Case: 2

Question:1 What are some ways Keith can train his front desk agents to be salespeople?

Ans: Keith needs to train his front desk agents in the arts of upselling and suggestive.
Question:2 What types of incentive plans might Keith put in place to encourage his front
desk agents to sell?

Ans: Keith can use performance appraisal, give them motivation, and trained them for
their work to encourage his front desk agents to sell.
Case:3

Question:1 Did clarice use good business sense or was she just being nice?

Ans: Clarice use good business sense. Because he try to help guest by providing
information which they need.
Question:2 Should the manager have been called to help with this decision?

Ans: Yes, the manager have been called to help with this decision. Because the
supervisor didn’t want to sell the room below rack rate. But Clarice sells the room below
rack rate.
 Chapter: 6

Case: 1

Question:1 What went right with the Nichols’s stay? What went wrong? Was the overall
impression they received of the hotel good or bad?

Ans: The room was absent of DO NOT DISTURB sign and housekeeping was knocked that
is not right thing done by hotel with Mr. Nicholas stay. The wrong hotel did that is
incorrect bill of guest folio. But the overall impression of guest by hotel to guest was
good.
Question: 2 How did the general manager do at responding to Mr. Nichols’s feedback?

Ans: General Manager Tom Girard response to Mr. Nicholas was really good and
appreciating. As manager listen to Mr. Nicholas problem and try to sort out every issue
within shorter period as he could.
Question: 3 How should the GM relay the Nichols’s feedback to his department heads
and staff? Should a property offer a 100 percent guest-satisfaction guarantee? If so,
how should it be implemented?

Ans: It’s obvious that service feedback always could be get from who received it.
Nicholas stay at hotel and received its service so he gave feedback from his real
experience. Moreover, he didn’t make any noise or get dissatisfied with the service. He
not only gave good feedback but also bad feedback. 100% guarantee to satisfy a guest is
impossible.
Question: 4 How can the Simpson hotel’s staff develop a process for improving
communication, quality control, and accountability-ultimately for improving guest
service?

Ans: To improve guest service Simpson hotel staff could improve communication by
mobile, direct contact also listen to the guest carefully. And for quality control hotel
needs to make all the services available for every guest and solve every issue very soon.
In terms of the guest folio staff should know well from every department about guest
received services/consumption. A perfect doing of these things could help improving
guest services.
Case: 2

Question:1 What non-verbal message is drew sending to arriving guests?

Ans: He will assist guest if guest pay this staff a good tip in spite of giving 15% gratuity
with their bill.
Question:2 When Jim interacts with the guests waiting for luggage assistance, what will
be his greatest communications challenges?

Ans : Jim could see angry face or could rebuke by guest. Guest could be neglecting his
service.
Question:3 How would you suggest Drew and the other bell attendants behave during
this vital arrival stage of the guest cycle?

Ans: The work of bell attendant must be done accordingly at the time guest arrive hotel.
During vital arrival stage bell attendant should work together at the same time to help
huge arrival guest. Bell attendant has not to perform his job all the time. He found idle
most of the time.
Question:4 Was the MOD acting appropriately toward the bell attendants? How else
could he have communicated with them that could have been more effective?

Ans: The MOD (Manager on Duty) acted appropriately. This is a good responsibility of a
manager to conduct his staff when he is not doing his job accurately. Moreover,
manager should inform bell attendant that ‘you are being paid every month for your job
o you don’t need to seek tip for your service. Manager could threat his staff about to
lose job.
Case: 3

Question: 1 how should the work associated with the problems outlined in the case be
delegated among the staff on duty? Who should do what?

Ans: The problem outlined on the case is really critical. To associate with the problem
management of the hotel should be concern and sort out the issues front office
manager could help general manager. To solve these issues front office may change the
room for the guest who needs to change most importantly. Another thing front office
could do is solving the problem with what things the hotel have. Moreover, manager
could offer additional service that could satisfy the guest or could compensate their
needs.
Question: 2 who is the most important guest in this group? What steps would you take
in order to meet that person’s needs?

Ans: The guest who needs 24 hours oxygen support is important guest in this group
from my view. To solve his issue hotel could search oxygen tank from local area
immediately as its going to be finished soon. Stuff could manage the tank from its
property or find it from outside the property.
Question;3 if you were in the morning shift, what do you think your morning would be
like following a night such as this described in this case?

Ans: Yes, may be some of these guest will make words about their previous night stay.
So many complaints will be described by guest and they may be disappointed with this
property services. Front office manager may don’t face such critical guest problem
solving issue in the morning.
Question: 4 are room moves really necessary, or do they just result in more work for
everyone?

Ans: No, as this a group guest, changing room may create problem among other guests
of the group. The hotel actually tries fulfilling its guest needs so guest could be satisfy or
not dissatisfied. But what they do changing room is of a guest helping another guest to
manage oxygen tank is really good and it may result positive to guest mind.
 Chapter: 7

Case: 1

Question:1 What evidence can Steve share with the corporate legal department that
would support a recommendation either to settle for 25000 dollar or to take the case to
court?

Ans: As there has no written evidence of the incidents. Steve asked legal department to
solve the problem to the court. Also previous GM didn’t keep any record regarding this
because he doesn’t feel the problem belonging to the hotel.
Question:2 What steps can Steve and his staff take to effectively reduce the number of
security incidents at the royal court, while still working to keep expenses to a minimum?

Ans: Steve could employee security staff for his hotel. Along with this he could set up
camera on all parts of hotel’s surveillance. Moreover his property staff could keep
records all the incident happen weekly or daily. There could have separate officers to
solve these issues.
Case: 2

Question:1 In addition to the things Phil mentioned to Doug , what other things can
Doug do to promote a good relationship with his local police department?

Ans: He could offer free night stay for local police or discount rate for them.
Question:2 The” domestic situation” that occurred at Phil’s hotel could have turned out
much worse. What are some of the things that could have gone wrong, had it been
handled less effectively by hotel staff members?

Ans: Hotel staff members face different problem daily on their workplace some of these
things are alcohol fuelled domestic violence, verbal abuse etc these matters should be
handle effectively by hotel staff.
Question:3 Despite Phil’s advice to Doug about establishing a good working relationship
with the police, and despite Phil’s wish to preserve his relationship with his own local
police force, Phil turned down lieutenant foster’s request for information about a man
wanted by the FBI. Why did Phil refuse to give foster all of the information he wanted?

Ans: As lieutenant came hotel without any official warren paper from the court. A hotel
staff couldn’t provide info without order direct from the court or law.
Case: 3

Question: 1 how should the manager on Duty (MOD) have approached the irate guest?

Ans: Manager should approach irate cordially and ask in good manner what the problem
is and how could they serve him/her.
Question: 2 what steps would you have taken to gather the relevant information from
the guest?

Ans: To get relevant information from guest i should listen him/her clearly some
important questions that could really find out the information i need.
Question: 3 would you have called the police?

Ans: Not first but if need i must call.

Question: 4 is the property following a good procedure for storing and protecting guest
valuables?

Ans: Definitely, they followed up good procedures.

 Chapter: 8

Case: 1

Question:1 What ideas would you suggest to facilitate a more effective processing of
guest and non-guest charge vouchers? How might the daily audit be aided by such
changes? Is the accumulated-postings routine for non-guest accounts an effective plan?

Ans: Cash would be more effective to facilitate. So accountants could be easily making
the trial balance pass to the auditor. Yes, accumulated posting routine for non-guest
accounts would be an effective plan.
Question:2 What could be done to improve the hotel’s billing of non-guest accounts?
What could be done to improve collection of outstanding balances?

Ans: Make the entire department bill separately for non-guest account. It should also be
separate from hotel guest account. To improve collection of outstanding balances hotel
could make good relation and settle all the account with Credit Card Company.
Question:3 What are the advantage and disadvantage to having a high volume of non-
guest accounts? what about the cost of carrying and collecting outstanding balances?
How might the hotel’s cash flow be affected by such transactions?

Ans: The advantages and disadvantage of having high volume of non-guest accounts:
non-guest account is sponsor by the hotel which could work as promotion.

It could useful to run business easily as its given to local people too. But it could reduce
hotel income. The carrying and collecting cost of outstanding balances can always be
pain but in my eyes is a wonderful thing. Since i feel that it benefits just to build the
relationship. They pay back is like extra money in hotel’s pocket (as hotel thought this
money is lost) once they back hotel to pay back. However hotel needs to do something
to improve the rates. By this hotel cash flow increases but when it’s a lose there have a
down pace of cash flow.
 Chapter: 9

Case: 1

Question:1 Identify which departments must be involved in the actual problem

resolution.

Ans: Front office department involved in the actual problem resolution.

Question:2 Write an action plan describing what each department must do to resolve
the problem. Be sure to include employee training, updating, departmental procedures,
and specific accountabilities for ensuring the work is done properly.

Ans: Here front office and accounting department will concern. Front office should sell
in cash mostly and accounting department tries resolving issue with Credit Card
Company. Hotel must train up its employee about credit card legality, card expiration
check and other thing also accounting department must know how to collect receivables
shortly.
Question: 3 Since the front office computer system is not scheduled to be installed for
some time, what can hotel managers do now, with what they currently have to work
with, to solve the guest comment card complaints?

Ans: Hotel managers need to get all info through other department and inform it
directly to the concern department, in this regard hotel manager need to visit other
department physically and know customer complaints.
Case: 2

Question: 1 Is matt prepared for this level of responsibilities after five days of training?

Ans: Yes, Matt is prepared for this level of responsibilities after five days of training.
Question: 2 How can matt’s supervisor show his support for this action to solve the
problem?

Ans: Matt supervisor could support him by allowing borrow the company sedan for the
day for Mr. Nauman.
Question:3 What else could matt do to solve this problem?

Ans: Matt could borrow a car from car Rental Company and convince the guest to
attend the meeting as guest gets informed about the problem already.
 Chapter: 11

Case: 1

Question: 1 Was Mr. Bradley correct in discussing the arbitrary variations in room rates
and the shortcomings of the hotel’s daily report with Mr. Dailey?

Ans: Yes, Mr. Bradley was correct in discussing with general manager Mr. Dailey
Question:2 What information do you think the front office auditor most likely relied on
to determine the room rate discrepancies? What key information may have been
omitted from the daily report operations?

Ans: To determine room discrepancies front office auditor most likely to relay on
accurate room status. Number and types of room remain for sale. Reconcile
housekeeping and front office report. The key information those may omitted from daily
reports:

An occupied room may show unoccupied and vice versa.

Guest may leave hotel without checkout.

A room may have double booking.

Cashier may not have properly closed the guest folio.

Question:3 Should a front office manager have front office audit experience? What are
the advantages and disadvantages of such experience to the front office manager?

Ans: Yes, front office manager should have front office audit experience. So he/ she
could follow all the required info for the front office report. But knowing criteria of
auditing he may try conceal smartly.
Question:4 Develop a daily report format for the Macasa Deville showing all the
information Mr. Dailey should receive.

Ans: Daily report for mecasa deville summarize a day and provide revenues, receivables,
operating statistics and cash transactions list related to front office.
Question:5 Briefly discuss the front office auditor’s role in providing both daily financial
information and overall information about the hotel’s performance. What makes this
information so important to management?

Ans: The front office auditor role in providing both daily financial and overall
information about hotel performance along with the information that make
management so important: the front office auditor see the financial reports of all
departments from accounting department. Auditors look into daily guest room sold and
guest folio. Auditors assemble all the information about financial and overall
information from all other department. They sum up the whole scenario in a single view.
Sorting out in a distributable manner. So general manager and other department use
them in performing hotel operation.

As the information collected by auditing from the whole view of front office operation
and it could use by any other people. Until it has been sorted in a usable way, row data
has no value.
 Chapter; 13

Case: 1

Question:1 How can the management team address the problem of low ADR?

Ans: To address the problem of low ADR management team could apply some strategy
such as providing some extra services better than competitor, making more
advertisement about the property to attract more guests. Along with these property
staff could make the guest satisfied with their services. Bottom line they need to be
competitively advance to improve their low ADR
Question:2 What are some ways Jodie could make employees like Jack and Tracey more
familiar and comfortable with the revenue management program?

Ans: The ways by which Jodie could make employees like jack and tracey more familiar
and comfortable with the revenue management program: a) comprehensive training
about revenue management, b) introducing hotel own revenue management program
c) informing revenue policy of the hotel,
Question: 3 What selling skills should training focus on for that hearthstone suites hotel
staff?

Ans: The selling skills should training focus on for the heartstone suites hotel staffs are:
a) selling more rooms with a suitable price, b) making more advertising about the hotel
services, c) attracting guest telling about competitive advancement and higher guest
services, d) collecting more reservation e) focusing on guest needs and requirements.
Question:4 How can the hearthstone suites hotel regain some of the commercial
business it has lost?

Ans: After the emerge of Fairmont hotel heartstone suite hotel lost its business. The
problem may occur because of competitor and Fairmont hotel may providing more
services and guest may more satisfied with their services. To regain heartstone suite
hotel may do competitively more advance, Provide more services, cost reducing, selling
more rooms, giving best room rate, modify hotel policy etc.