UNIT 1

OVERVIEW
OF
Front Office
 The Room Office and the Front office
• In a hotel or resort, there is a designated unit ( for small hotels) or department (for large
hotels) that attends to all services governing room bookings and rooms maintenance. Large
hotels call it to ROOMS DIVISION. Under it are departments for Room Sales and
Reservations. Front Office Operations and Housekeeping. The Front Office attends to room
bookings, registrations of hotel guests, guest relations assistance and other related
matters. The Housekeeping Section is responsible for maintaining the cleanliness,
orderliness and maintenance of guestrooms and public areas. It also provides linens and
laundry service. The Room Sales handles room reservations and sales. In smaller hotels
and lodging houses, the room sale and hotels, this job is outsourced to another company.

• The Front Office is a very critical service unit because the first contact of guests and
prospective patrons in the hotel are the Front Office personnel. It is from this first contact
that the guest makes his first and oftentimes lasting impression about the hotel. The way
patrons are initially received and treated by the Front Office staff will condition their
disposition to other hotel services. If they begin their stay with a favorable impression
because of the front office hospitality, they will most likely come back and patronize other
hotel services.
 ORGANIZATIONAL SET UP OF THE FRONT OFFICE
• The organizational set up of The Front Office varies among different hotels. Among medium and large hotels with
voluminous transactions, there is a very a specialized division of labor in the Front Office. There is a separate sections
handling each area of operations, under the command of the department sections head., i.e., front desk, manager or
supervisor, sales/reservations manager or supervisor, bell captain etc. The various units include:
• Front 3. Bell Service which responsible for
1. Front Desk that looks after 2. Reservation Section which
escorting guests during check in and
the registration of hotel guests handles inquiries and
check out, for attending to guest
and serves as communication reservations for room
luggage and for doing errands for
and information center. bookings;
the Front desk

5. Front Office Cashiering looks

4. Telephone Exchange operates the switchboard of the Telephone after the preparation of the
Communication System to include: answering calls, receiving and bills and the settlement of the
disseminating messages, giving information to callers through the guest account.
phone, placing and receiving long distance and overseas calls,
screening class, attending wake up call requests and other related
matters.
 6. Concierge/ Guest’s Relations
Assistances is the section that attends
to various form of guest services like 8. Business Center handles
tour and travel assistance, directions 7. Airport/Transport Assistance handles specials services like
to point of interest, confirmation of the transport of guests to and form at the computer service, fax, email
airline tickets, booking for cultural airport or other terminal. xerox, souvenir items etc.
shows, car hire and other services of
this kind.

In smaller establishments with fewer rooms and less transactions to attend to, the
organizational chart can be simplified to save on labor cost. This may involve the merging of
related functions. A desk clerk also serves as the information and guest relations clerk; the
bellboy is also the doorman. The duties of a telephone operator are handled by the desk
clerk if there are limited class to attend to. Where there are very few guests, some hotels
resort to having an on call bellboy who may come from the rank of room attendants
 Front Office Organization
For Large Hotels
ROOMS DIVISION DIRECTOR

Telephone Chief Airport/ Concierge/

Front Office Reservation Bell Service
Exchange Transport Guest Relations
Manager Manager Manager Assistance
Manager Manager

Concierge
Desk Info Reservation Doorman Telephone Airport/ Clerk
Clerk Clerk Operator Transport
Representative
Business
Bellman
Ctr. Clerk
 For Medium Sized Hotels
FRONT OFFICE MANAGER

Telephone Chief Airport/ Concierge/

Front Office Reservation Bell Service
Exchange Transport Guest Relations
Manager Manager Manager Assistance
Manager Manager

Concierge
Desk Info Reservation Doorman Telephone Airport/ Clerk
Clerk Clerk Operator Transport
Representative
Business
Bellman Ctr. Clerk
 Fig2. Sample Organization of Front in
Small Lodging Establishment

Sales & Guest Relation Front Office Cashier

Senior Desk Clerk
Officer
Telephone Operator
Sales & Reservation
Bellboy Clerk
Driver/ Airport Rep.

Desk Clerk Business Center Clerk

 JOB DESCRIPTION OF FRONT OFFICE
PERSONNEL
Front Office Manager
Basic Function: Plans, organizes, directs and controls all areas of Front Office operations.

Specific Duties:
1. Prepares forecast of room occupancy; monitors actual occupancy; against forecast, prepares and submits
daily occupancy report;
2. Prepares budget for front office operations;
3. Monitors the performance of Front office staff and calls their attention regarding their performance
deficiencies.
4. Personally meets and attends to VIP’S and other important guests;
5. Attends to guest’s complaints, inquiries and requests;
6. Records in a logbook all critical incidents and complaints of the guests;
7. Coordinates with Security/Admission Office in the investigation of losses and other security matters;
8. Checks rooms that are prepared for VIP’S;
9. Coordinates with Housekeepers for reparation of rooms blocked for very important persons (VIP’S);
10. Oversees the implementation of Front Office policies and procedures;
11. Checks guest folio or master folio and insures that all information are properly documented .e bills, credit
limit, etc.
12. Calls for and presides over operations meetings among his/her staff;
13. Receives and acts on reported critical incidents regarding occupancy, out of orders rooms, etc.
14. Coordinates with other departments regarding arrangements for VIP’s and tour groups; and
15. Performs other related duties as maybe assigned by the superior.
FRONT DESK SUPERVISOR
Basic Function: Oversees Front Desk operations, particularly the handling of
registration of guests.

Specific Duties
1. Gives instruction to the desk clerk regarding arrangement of bookings,
blocking of guestrooms and other front desk activities;
2. Assists the desk clerk in attending to the registration of house guests with
special booking arrangement.
3. Checks the daily arrival list and sees to it that the rooms assigned to those on
the list are made up and set up as indicated in the instructions of the booking
reservations clerk;
4. Attends to the registration and reception of VIP’s and other guests with
special booking arrangement;
5. Assigns rooms for house use and other in house activities;
6. Checks bookings and reservations requiring room allocation;
7. Coordinates with the Housekeeping Office for the preparation of check out
rooms for immediate occupancy; and
8. Checks and updates reservations chart and room status Bulletin; reconciles it
with the room status report of Housekeeping;
RESERVATIONS CLERK

Basic Function: attends to room and sales reservations.

Specific Duties:
1. Attends to inquiries on room rates and bookings;
2. Receives processes and confirms room reservations;
3. Maintain and updates reservations rack;
4. Files reservation cards according to arrival date;
5. Prepares Daily Arrival List prior to arrival list;
6. Reconfirms arrival of guests in arrival list;
7. Conducts show room to prospective patrons;
8. Makes follow up of client accounts as well as “no show” bookings;
9. Goes on sale blitz and implements marketing strategies; and
10.Performs other duties as maybe assigned by his/her superior.
DESK CLERK
Basic Function: Attends to the registration of guests and provides information assistance.
Specific Duties
1. Allocates rooms for incoming arrivals, check -ins special request rooms and VIP’s;
2. Checks whether special requirements of guests are prepared prior to their arrival;
3. Updates data in the rooms status indicator or room status chart;
4. Attends to guests registration;
5. Reviews all the names on record, evaluates double bookings, makes – up, necessary
cancellation/corrections;
6. Checks with bookings parties the status “ no show” bookings, makes follow up, logs down
any cancellation and informs Housekeeping Unit;
7. Prepares guest folio of guests who are about to check out;
8. Attends to inquiries at the Front Desk;
9. Receives and secures guests key;
10.Receives mails, messages and packages of guests and makes sure that they are property
received by concerned guests.
11.In the absence of a telephone operator, receives all incoming calls, including long distance
and overseas calls; attends to wake up call requests;
12.In the absence of a Front office Cashier, preparing billing of a guest account and processes
all payments;
13.Attends to the guest complains and request, endorses them to the right person or
department when such action is called for;
14.Conducts briefing/orientation to groups regarding their room and meal arrangements;
15.Coordinates with the Housekeeping Unit for the reconciliation of room status, in executing
room transfer and in preparing special amenities for VIP’s
DOORMAN/BELLBOY
Basic Function: Assists/escorts guests during check in and check out and runs
errand for the Front desk.
Specific Duties:
1. Welcome and greets incoming guests, open the door of their vehicle, unloads
their luggage and leads them to the Front desk for registration;
2. Receives rooming instructions from the desk clerk and escorts the guest
toward his room;
3. Orients the guest about facilities and amenities in the room and informs him of
house services facilities;
4. Responds to desk clerk’s call for guest assistance including the delivery of
guests mails, FAX, packages and messages;
5. Assists the guest upon checkout, carries his luggage, leads him to the Front
Desk for clearance and for bill settlement and finally escorts him towards his
vehicle;
6. Assists a guest when a room transfer service is called for;
7. Attends to the safe and proper storage of guest valuables in the bell station;
8. Prepares errand report and other reports as maybe required by his superior,
maintain a logbook of critical incidents and complaints;
9. Attends to guests inquiries, request and complaints and
10. Performs other related duties as maybe assigned by superior.
AIRPORT/TRANSPORT REPRESENTATIVE

Basic Function: Transports guests to and from the airport/other

terminal; sells hotel services to prospective patrons at the airport.
Specifies Duets:
1. Checks availability and condition of vehicles to transport guests;
2. Looks after the preventive and corrective maintenance of vehicles;
3. fetches arriving guests, welcome them and brings them to the
hotel;
4. Scouts for possible prospects or patrons at the airport and other
terminal and offers them accommodation in the hotel;
5. Coordinates with tour and travel assistance to guests if assigned to
do so; Prepares and updates daily tour itineraries of guests; and
6. Performs other duties as maybe assigned by superior.
GUEST RELATIONS/CONCIERGE OFFICER

Basic Function: Attends to any requests for guest assistance especially for VIP’s
(very important persons)
Specific Duties
1. Coordinates with the front desk regarding arrangement for arrival of VIP’s and
special groups with special arrangements;
2. Personally welcome and receives guests, especially VIP’s;
3. Maintains logbook and record of VIP arrivals;
4. Attends to guests with special problems and concerns like lost passport, lost
tickets, airline booking, tour and travel assistances;
5. Conducts show room of room facilities to interested patrons;
6. Assists in sales and marketing activities;
7. Provides orientation to groups with special arrangements;
8. Coordinates with travel agencies for tour and travel itineraries of guests;
9. Performs other tasks related to guest relation assistance.
TELEPHONE OPERATOR
Basic Function: Attends all incoming and outgoing calls in the Telephone
Exchange Section.
Specific Duties
1. Answers all incoming calls in accordance with standard procedures;
2. Receives and disseminates messages received by phone;
3. Transfer calls to guest after screening their calls;
4. Attends to emergency calls in accordance with prescribed procedures;
5. Attends to wake up call requests of guests;
6. Processes all along distance and oversees calls;
7. Prepares charges for long distance/oversees calls and endorses them to
the Front Office cashier for inclusion in room charges;
8. Responds to inquiries received by the phone;
9. Receives updates of events in the hotel for proper dissemination when
an inquiry is received;
10.Receives and acts on customer complaints received by phone; and
11.Performs other duties as maybe assigned by superior.
FRONT OFFICE CASHIER
Basic function: attends to the settlement of guest’s bill.
Specific Duties
1. Prepares billing statement for guests and receives payments;
2. Receives bill of guests from the various outlets and enters them into the guest
folio for updating of charges;
3. Keep track of consumption of guests and make sure they do not exceed;
4. Checks credit status of guests who are booking on charges, makes sure their
account is active, not cancelled nor suspended;
5. Check and verifies the validity of credit cards and other credit accounts of guests
before proceeding to any credit transactions;
6. Communicates with various outlets regarding the account of status of guests,
particularly indicating those on cash basis and are not given signing privilege as
well as those with signing privilege;
7. Prepares daily cashier’s report;
8. Receives and accounts for change fund; and
9. Performs other duties as maybe assigned by superior.
BUSINESS CENTER CLERK

Basic Function; Attends to service requests of guests at the Business Center

Specific Duties:
1. Sets up the business center, insures that all forms and paraphernalia are in place
in prior to opening;
2. Checks and maintains the working condition of fax, zerox, internet connections,
etc at the business center;
3. Attends to service request of guests for computer with cashiering procedures;
4. Attends to bill settlement in accordance with cashiering procedures;
5. Performs other related functions as maybe assigned by superior.
 SEQUENCE OF FRONT OFFICE SERVICE
RECIEVENG/PROCESSING & DOCUMENTING GUEST’S RESERVATION Reservation Clerk

WELCOMING /GREETING THE GUEST’S OPENING THE DOOR OF HIS VECHILE;

Doorman/bellboy
UNLOADING HIS LUGGAGE

ATTENDING TO GUEST REGISTRATION Desk clerk

SETTLEMENT OF GUESTS‘S BILL Front Office Cashier

ESCORTING GUEST TO HIS ROOM, CARRYING HIS LUGGAGE, EXPLAINING ROOM Bellboy
FACILITIES

UPDATING ROOM STATUS; PREPARING GUEST FOLIO Desk clerk

 ATTENDING TO ALL SERVICE REQUESTS OF GUESTS, EXTENDING VARIOUS FORMS OF
Desk clerk
ASSISTANCE LIKE WAKE UP CALLS, DELIVERY OF MESSAGE, ETC

UPDATING GUEST ACCOUNT, PRERAPING BILLING STATEMENT SETTLEMENT OF BALANCE Cashier

UPDATING GUESTS FOR CHECK OUT Bellboys and

housekeeping staff

SETTING BILLS, GIVING CLEARANCE FOR CHECK OUT Cashier

BIDDING GOODBYE; THANKING THE GUEST FOR PATRONAGE All Staff