Reception

Front Office Procedures

Reception
o Central Location

o First point of contact

o Usually operated 24/7

o Preparation and organization is the key

Element 1:

Prepare reception area for guest arrival

Handover

All reception shifts overlap by brief period (15 minutes to ½ hour)

 time to discuss any relevant details for the next shift-time to review
and resolve problems

New staff prepare their area and check personal appearance

For smooth transition from one shift to another

Check reception equipment
Review expected daily guest
movement
Review of expected daily guest movement

ARRIVAL
• Arrival list
alphabetical listing of expected arrivals
Time of arrival
Type of room
Rate quoted
Special requests
Payment details
Review of expected daily guest movement

GROUP ARRIVALS
Lots of people and lots of luggage
Room allocation
Check on arrival time
Prepare room keys
Meal vouchers and restaurant requirements
Mail
Prepare group rooming lists or registration cards
Welcome brochure and group itinerary
Review of expected daily guest movement
STAY OVER ROOMS
 some guest request for extensions

Need to contact the guest

Extends the stay if possible

May have to find another hotel or room type

May have to do room inspections

Review of expected daily guest movement
Early Departures:

• When a guest leaves before their due date

• Departure changes are usually captured at check-in time

• Housekeeping notice a “checked out” room

• PMS system will pick this up quickly

• Reduces our occupancy figure

 Allocation of Room in
accordance with special
requests
• Room allocation

• Group Room allocation

• Room rates
Follow-up on uncertain arrivals and
reservations
Compile arrivals lists
 Distribute arrivals list as required
• Staffing levels
• Planning daily tasks
• Determine the level of service
• Order of servicing rooms
• Guest count
• Special requests
Monitor guests Arrival and take appropriate
action
• Inform colleagues
• Prepare for major guest movement
• Special requests
• Follow up with VIPs
• Meetings
Element 2: Perform Check-in
Functions
 Welcome Guest in Arrival

• Professional
• Welcoming
• Sincere • S – sincere
• Friendly • M- merry
• Polite • I – interested
• Body Language • L –lovely to look at, and
• E- enthusiastically given
Determine if the guest has reservation and
confirm and explain reservation details
Determine if guest is a walk-in and identify
room available
Decline a guest if appropriate
Complete guest reservation process
Issue keys and vouchers as required
 Follow internal accounting
protocols and applying discounts
to guests
Explain room and house facilities and
services to guests
Monitor guests’ arrival and take
appropriate action as required
Element 3: Perform ‘during
stay’ functions
Process room change requests
Process extensions to stays
Process variations in room rate
Process upgrades
Process special request
Process guest charges
Respond to guest queries
Element 4:
Perform Check out functions
Maintain and prepare guest
accounts
Prepare and review departures lists
Present the accounts to guests
Process payments and refunds and
issue receipts
Distribute departure list as required
Assist guest on departure request
Element 5: Prepare front office
records and reports
Prepare and update front
office records
Generate internal reports as
required
Facilitate night audit activities
Role Play:

• Working in groups of 3
• 1 Guest, 1 staff member, 1 observer
 Scenario: Hotel is fully booked and Mr. or Ms. Armstrong come to the desk
and want an extension.
Reception staff – need to discuss that there are no rooms and we will have to
make a booking somewhere else. Think about the questions you will need to
ask
Activity:
• The guests are: Mr. & Mrs. Dowell, Mr. & Mrs. Grannon,
Mr. & Mrs. McGhee, Mr. & Mrs. Collins all wanting queen-size rooms
• The following guests are sharing twin rooms: Ms. Gjeci with Ms.
Dietritch, Ms. Parks with Ms Schuler, Mr. Baker with
Mr. Frost, and Mr. Kerr with Mr. Craven
• There is one triple room; Ms. Hudson with Ms. Van Dorske and Ms.
Shady
Role play
• Body language – role play to students a greeting with you arms
folded. Discuss how this felt
• Talk to the guest but don’t look at them