MODULE 4

FRONT OFFICE
DEPARTMENT
Topics
INTRODUCTION TO HOTEL FRONT HOTEL GUEST CYCLE
OFFICE DEPARTMENT ༝ Identify the activities in each phase of
༝ Overview of the Front Office the guest cycle
Department ༝ Discuss the sources of reservation and
types of reservation

FUNCTION OF THE FRONT OFFICE

DEPARTMENT DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF
༝ Discuss the key activities of the FRONT OFFICE PERSONNEL
Front Office Department ༝ Identify the key competency-based
profiles of the front office department

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1.
INTRODUCTION TO
HOTEL FRONT
OFFICE
DEPARTMENT
INTRODUCTION
Front Desk is a very important department in the hotel,
making direct contact with guests. The main function of
this department is Reservation, Guest service,
Check-in, Check-out, Telephone, Finance &
Cashiering, Foreign Exchange, Room Assignment,
Inquiry etc.

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INTRODUCTION
The Front Office is also called the nerve centre of a
hotel. It can be defined as a front of the house
department located around the foyer and the lobby area
of a hospitality property. As this department is located
around the foyer area of the hotel and is visible to the
guests, patrons and visitors, they are collectively called
“Front Office”.

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INTRODUCTION
Should guests have any problems or require to
appreciate or comment, they would normally go directly
to the Front Office, because it is convenient to contact
and converse with other departments. Therefore, this
department is the direct delegate to link the work and
report the consequence to other departments.

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INTRODUCTION
This department is one of the major operational and
revenue-producing departments of the hotel which
generates two-thirds of the revenue earned by a hotel
from the sale of the guest rooms. It involves in
providing valuable services to the guests during the
entire guest cycle consisting of Pre-arrival, Arrival,
Occupancy, Departure and Post Departure.

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IMPORTANCE
Traditional Front Office functions include reservation, registration,
room and rate assignment, guest services, room status,
maintenance and settlement of the guest account, and creation of
guest history records.

The Front Office develops and maintains a comprehensive

database of guest information, coordinates guest services, and
ensures guest satisfaction. These functions are accomplished by
personal in diverse areas of Front Office Department

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IMPORTANCE
The front office is also known as the face of the hotel. It
is the first guest contact area and also the nerve centre of
the hotel. All the activities and areas of the front office
are geared towards supporting guest transaction and
services.

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2.
OPERATIONAL
FUNCTIONS OF THE
FRONT OFFICE
DEPARTMENT
FUNCTIONS
Guest Registration: Does all guest registration-related
activities like Check-in, room assignment, welcoming,
room rate etc.

Guest Service: Fulfils any Guest Services related activities.

Guest History and records: Creates and maintains a

guest profile, history, likes and dislikes, collect feedback etc.

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FUNCTIONS
Guest Database: Develops & maintains a Comprehensive
Database of Guest Information

Updates Room Status: responsible to update the correct room

status like EC, DO, DNCO, DND etc.

Reservation: This section is responsible in registering the room

reservation from various sources, with recordings, filing of
reservation records, and revise on the appropriate time to make
sure that guests would have their rooms upon entering the hotel.

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FUNCTIONS
Postage and Parcels: This section is to facilitate guests pertaining to
the posting of letters, telegrams, and parcels.

Telephone: This section is to facilitate guests pertaining to the

telephone both internally and externally, and to wake guests up in the
morning upon request.

Finance and Foreign Exchange: This section relates with the

Accounting Department, through the collection from guests through
their services, and also give the foreign exchange service.

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FUNCTIONS
Inquiry: This section is to answer questions and inquiries of
guests. Therefore, this section would have to be alert with all
the movements of the hotel.

Bell Desk and Concierge: Provide all services related to Bell

desk and Concierge.

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3.

THE HOTEL
GUEST CYCLE
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PRE-ARRIVAL PHASE - Reservation

Guest contact occurs prior to the guest’s arrival in the hotel. Under this
phase, the guest inquires and books a room or a banquet hall in the
hotel. The hotel personnel tries to impress the potential guest’s through
product knowledge of the facilities and services of the hotel, and
outstanding human relation and communication competencies.

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PRE- ARRIVAL PHASE
(RESERVATION)
SOURCES OF RESERVATION
༝ Modes and Types of Reservation
○ Telephone
○ Walk-in
○ Online
༝ Manual Reservation
༝ Computer Reservation System (Fidelio and Opera)

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PRE- ARRIVAL PHASE
(RESERVATION)
TYPES OF RESERVATION
༝ Guaranteed Reservation

The hotel accepts prepayment from the guest and holds the room
whether the guest arrives at the hotel or not.

༝ Non-Guaranteed Reservation

The hotel holds the room for a specified time. After the given
time has expired, the hotel can give the room to another guest.

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PRE- ARRIVAL PHASE
(RESERVATION)
FORMS OF SETTLEMENT

༝ Prepayments
༝ Credit Cards
༝ Send bill arrangements (travel agents, company)

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PRE- ARRIVAL PHASE
(RESERVATION)
TELEPHONE RESERVATION PROCESS

1. Guest calls hotel for reservation.

2. Reservation agent gets personal, arrival and departure
details.
3. Reservation agent checks rooms availability on arrival
date.
4. Reservation agent upsells room and offers best room rate.

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PRE- ARRIVAL PHASE
(RESERVATION)
TELEPHONE RESERVATION PROCESS
5. Reservation agent confirms reservation booking.

6. Reservation agent secures payment method.

7. Reservation agent repeats booking details.

8. Reservation agent asks for other guest request.

9. Reservation agent reminds the guest about cancellation policies

and waits for the guest to put down the phone first.

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ARRIVAL PHASE- Welcoming,Registering, and
Escorting Guest
The first guest contact occurs in this phase. Here, guests are
welcomed to the hotel. Most of the tasks in this phase are
performed by the front office team. This phase is crucial as the
hotel’s first impression is imprinted on the mind of the hotel guest.
A disastrous first impression is hard to recover as guest will have a
notion that all services will be bad from the start

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ARRIVAL PHASE- Welcoming,Registering, and
Escorting Guest
Registering a guest provides the perfect opportunity to exceed
guest expectations. A fast, efficient registration will surely be
appreciated by tired guests. The registration is important since
this will confirm all the necessary details needed by the hotel
to build their guest database.

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ARRIVAL PHASE- Welcoming,Registering, and
Escorting Guest
Escorting the Guest
༝ Front desk agent introduces the bellman to the guest.
༝ Bellman handles and carries luggage according to safety
standards
༝ Bellman escorts and familiarizes guests on hotel facilities
and services.

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ARRIVAL PHASE- Welcoming,Registering, and
Escorting Guest
Escorting the Guest
༝ Bellman opens door, unloads luggage, and checks room
condition and functionality.
༝ Bellman explains room features and inquires about any
guest needs.
༝ Bellman leaves the guest’s room and bids guest goodbye.

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ARRIVAL PHASE- Welcoming,Registering, and
Escorting Guest
After registration, the guests are brought to their room by the
bell service. This is the chance for the bellman to acquaint the
new guests with the facilities and the services offered by the
hotel. In this task, proper handling of luggage and product
knowledge is crucial.

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IN-STAY PHASE
This phase focuses on tasks performed in the entire duration of
the guest’s stay. All services are performed to make the guest’s
stay in the hotel highly satisfying. The hotel’s facilities are
maintained and the guest’s room is well kept to ensure guest
comfort and satisfaction during their stay in the hotel. ¢
Majority of the work are done by the housekeeping team.

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DEPARTURE PHASE
The hotel prepares all necessary requirements to a guest’s
check-out from the property. In this phase, all the guest’s
requirements are settled prior to his/her departure. The billing
is double-checked for accuracy to avoid any guest complaints.
Future bookings are also asked.

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POST DEPARTURE PHASE
Upon guest departure, the hotel’s check any lost items by the
guest. Then all the necessary guest preference during his/her
stay is inputted in the Property Management System.This is
also the phase where administrative work is done

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4.
DUTIES AND
RESPONSIBILITIES
OF FRONT OFFICE
PERSONNEL
“

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FRONT OFFICE MANAGER
༝ Direct and coordinate the activities of the front office
department

༝ Perform the function of a link between the management

and front office employees

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FRONT OFFICE MANAGER
༝ Responsible for hiring, training, supervising and
disciplinary all front desk, reservation, and guest services
staff members in order to maintain the desired standard of
service - prepared the budget for the front office
department

༝ Evaluate the job performance of each front office

employee

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BELL BOY
༝ Handling guest luggage at the time of arrival and
departure
༝ Escorting guests to their rooms on arrival
༝ Familiarizing guests about safety features and in-room
facilities
༝ Locating a guest in a specified area of the hotel
༝ Posting guests mails

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CASHIER
· Receiving payment

· Balancing guest account

· Opening and maintaining the guest folios

· Recording all credit charges in guest folios

· Preparing bills at the time of check-out

· Handling credits/debit/charge cards for the settlement of a guest account

· Administer the safe deposit system

· Handling foreign currency

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DOOR ATTENDANT
· Open the doors of guests’ vehicles on their arrival in the hotel portico

· Help bell boys in lifting luggage

· Open the hotels’ entrance door for guests

· Coordinate with parking attendants for parking guests’ vehicles in the

hotels’ parking area.

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NIGHT AUDITOR
· Preparing the night audit report

· Check-in and check-out guest who arrive or depart after 11.00p.m

· Processing the reservations

· Performing the duties of security guard

· Monitoring fire safety system

· Act as cashier for banquet function

· Performing the duties of manager on duty

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RECEPTIONIST
· Greeting guest

· Handling special request

· Handling check-in and checkout

· Providing information to guest

· Assigning rooms and dispensing guest room keys

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CONCIERGE
· Making reservations for dining in famous restaurant

· Arranging tours, limousine, and entertainment ticket

· Maintaining good relationship with hospitality industry

· Personal helper to VIP

· Obtaining tickets for theatres, musicals etc

· Provide latest information of events

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RESERVATION AGENT
· Handling guaranteed and non-guaranteed reservation

· Up sell accommodation

· Prepared the expected arrival list and the expected departure list every
day

· Prepared a guest folder and to keep the mails and messages of guest
with reservation documents

· Providing management information to others

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TELEPHONE OPERATOR
· Processing all incoming and outgoing calls

· Log all wake-up call on the system

· Answer questions about the hotel’s services and product

· Taking message

· Operating hotel paying system

· Direct incoming calls to the desired extension

· Provide paging services for guest

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Thanks!
Any questions?

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 OUTPUT WORKSHEET
1
Guest Telephone
OUTPUT Reservation
WORKSHEET
OUTPUT WORKSHEET
2
Escorting Guest

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MODULE LESSON 1-4
ASSESSMENT 4

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