PROVIDE ACCOMMODATION

RECEPTION SERVICES
D1.HFO.CL2.03

Slide 1
Element 1: Prepare reception
area for guest arrival

Slide 2
1.1 Prepare reception area for service
Reception is:
 Central location
 First point of contact
 Usually operates 24/7
 Preparation and organization is the key

3
1.1 Prepare reception area for
service
Handover:

All reception shifts overlap by brief period (15

minutes to ½ hour) – this briefing allows:
 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

Handover can be verbal, written or in

form of reports

Slide 4
1.2 Check reception equipment
 Is everything working as intended?
 Are you familiar with how all the equipment
works?
 Do you know how to fix “minor” faults and
problems ?
 Do you have back up supplies?
 Paper/paper rolls

 Forms

 Vouchers

 Printer ribbons

 Pens, paper and relevant stationery

Slide 5
1.2 Check reception equipment

Class activity:

 Discuss the type of equipment found on a

front desk

 List the purpose of this equipment

 Find brand names for this equipment

6
1.3 Review expected daily
guest movement
Reasons for the review – to:
 Review and ensure bookings are correct
 Ensure right room is allocated to guest
 Facilitate coordination of work with other
departments
 Make sure VIP guests are properly taken care of
 Confirm airport transfer and pick-up arrangements
 Inform Housekeeping to make up rooms if there
are any early departures
 Advise housekeeping or minibar staff to check
the minibar in certain rooms
Slide 7
1.3 Review expected daily
guest movement
Arrivals:
 Arrivals list
 Alphabetical listing of expected arrivals

 Time of arrival

 Type of room

 Rate quoted

 Special requests

 Payment details

Slide 8
1.3 Review 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
Slide 9
1.3 Review expected daily guest
movement
Stay over rooms:
Guests who stay longer than their departure date
 Some guests request extensions
 Need to contact the guest
 Extend the stay if possible
 May have to find another hotel or room type
 May have to do room inspections
 Could only be a “late check-out”
 Affects occupancy levels – may lead to
being overbooked
Slide 10
1.3 Review expected daily guest
movement
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
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1.3 Review 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

Slide 12
1.3 Review expected daily
guest movement

Groups and individual guest movement:

 Changes in the group allocation

 Advance notice given by tour company

 Group may be charged for the room/guest

 Additions to the group

 Effects occupancy level

Slide 13
1.4 Allocation of room in
accordance with special requests
Guests request certain rooms and expect them:

Reception need to ensure these requests are allocated:

 Simple requests such as
 Non Smoking rooms

 Specific views, ocean, pool, golf course

 Suites, family rooms, penthouse

 Specific requests, low floor, near the lifts, away from

the lifts
 Business women’s floor

Cont’
Slide 14
1.4 Allocation of room in
accordance with special
requests
 Challenging requests:

 Hotel hampers or gifts, fruit, flowers,

chocolates
 Full bar set up

 Open connection room doors

 Change Duvet [Doona] to blankets

 Remove all alcohol from the room – for religious

reasons
 Insert a board under the mattress for guest with
bad back
Slide 15
1.4 Allocation of room in
accordance with special requests

Activity:

 Prepare a list of all the special requests you

can think of

 Decide which department needs to be involved

in achieving this request

 Discuss with the class

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1.4 Allocation of room in
accordance with special requests
Room allocation
Rooms are allocated:
 As soon as the reservation is made for limited
types
 Suites, the Penthouse suite, Family rooms
 Room number is blocked onto the reservation
 Morning of arrival
 Individual rooms
 Groups and tour guests
 Usually done by the reception supervisor
 Rooms numbers are manually recorded on the
registration card or assigned in the computer Slide 17
1.4 Allocation of room in
accordance with special requests
Group room allocation:
 Discounted rate – don’t receive the best
rooms in the hotel
 Rooms should be close together and on the
same floor if possible
 Tour Leader – different floor – unless the
groups have language difficulties
 Check all the rooms are ready
when the groups arrives
 It is difficult to move group and tour guests

Slide 18
1.4 Allocation of room in
accordance with special requests
Room Rates:
 Room rates reflect the type of room the guest has
requested
 Standard, deluxe, king-size, poolside, ocean view

 Discounted rates usually reflect the type of

business
 Corporate rate

 Convention rate

 Air crew rate

 Government rate

 Industry rate etc.

Slide 19
1.4 Allocation of room in
accordance with special requests
Activity:
The William Angliss Tour group are coming to
your hotel. The tour leader is Linda Wilson who
requires a queen-size room.

 The tour checks in on the 15th next month for

2 nights

 Please prepare a Group Rooming list – for all

these guests, include the arrival and
departure dates, and allocate rooms to all
the guest. Record any special request
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1.4 Allocation of room in
accordance with special requests
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
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1.5 Follow-up on uncertain
arrivals and reservations
Mainly during full house occupancy:
 Non-guaranteed reservations
 Deposits
 Not yet received
 Only partially paid
 Reservations past the specified arrival time
 Contact the guest to see if they are still
coming
 Wait list guests
 Potential room sales to other guests if you
contact them in time
Slide 22
1.6 Compile arrivals lists
Arrivals List provides information such as :
 Alphabetical listing of guests arriving on that
date
 Departure date
 ETA – estimated time of arrival
 Number of guests
 Room type and rate quoted
 Status of reservation - guaranteed or non-
guaranteed
 Special requests
 VIP status (if any)
 Complimentary guests are also included
Slide 23
1.7:Distribute arrivals list as
required
Housekeeping:
 Staffing levels
 Planning daily tasks
 Determine the level of service
 Order of servicing rooms
 Guest count
 Special requests

Slide 24
1.7:Distribute arrivals list as
required
Concierge:

 Staffing levels

 Group arrivals

 Organizing luggage storage

Slide 25
1.7:Distribute arrivals list as
required
Porters:

 Planning daily tasks

 Arrival time

 Sorting luggage

Slide 26
1.7:Distribute arrivals list as
required
Security:
 VIPs – David Beckham arriving
 Requires additional security
 Escort a VIP to their room

Food and Beverage:

 Special requests
 Restaurant use
 Groups and tour arrangements

Cont’
Slide 27
1.7:Distribute arrivals list as
required
Management:
 Notification of VIPs
 Recognize famous names and make a VIP

Laundry:
 Staffing
 Planning

Kitchen:
 Food orders and staffing

Slide 28
 1.8 Monitor guests arrival and
take appropriate action
 Inform colleagues
 Prepare for major guest movement
 Special requests
 Follow up with VIPs
 Meetings

Slide 29
Element 2: Perform check-in
functions

Slide 30
2.1 Welcome guests on arrival

Professional welcome:
 Professional
 Welcoming
 Sincere
 Friendly
 Polite
 Body language

Slide 31
2.1 Welcome guests on arrival

Activity:

 Discuss types of greeting phrases – both

formal and suitable informal greetings

Discuss the local greeting phrases for each

country

Discuss Body Language

Slide 32
2.2 Determine if the guest has a
reservation and confirm and
explain reservation details
Guests with Reservations:
 Confirm reservation details
 Name

 Length of stay

 Method of payment

 Special requests

 Rate

 Vouchers
Slide 33
2.3 Determine if guest is a walk-
in and identify if room is available
Guest without a reservation:
 Determine the guests needs
 Check availability
 Ask method of payment
 Mention the policy and procedures about
payment methods

Slide 34
2.4 Decline a guest if
appropriate
 Check the “black list”

 Review hotel policies

 Recommend another venue

 Full occupancy – no rooms

Slide 35
2.4 Decline a guest if
appropriate
Activity:

Working in pairs role play the following:

 One student is the guest and one the staff member
 Guests requests a room for the night – no reservation
 Staff member – ask questions to determine the request
 Student (decide what you want) and inform the staff
member.
 Staff member :Your hotel is fully booked and you need
to tell the guest you are unable to accommodate them.
 How do you say this ? What questions do you need to
ask?

Slide 36
2.5 Complete guest registration
process
Process a check- in:

 Proof of identity

 Complete the registration card

 Obtain the signature

Slide 37
2.6 Issue keys and vouchers as
required
Key cards and keys:
 Energy saving
 Security

Vouchers:
 As a form of payment from travel agents
 Exchanged for services such as a
“complimentary drink”

Slide 38
2.6 Issue keys and vouchers as
required
Activity:
 Write down the dialogue you would use to
check-in a guest with a reservation
Use
words for both the guest and the staff
member
 Start from when the guest walks up to the
front desk
 Offer them a voucher for a complimentary
drink

Slide 39
2.7 Follow internal accounting
protocols
 Credit cards and credit limits
 EFTPOS
 Cash
 Travel cards/traveller’s cheques
 Personal cheques
 Direct billing/charging
 Deposits
 Receipts

Slide 40
Applying discounts to guests

Room Rates:
 Rack rate
 Corporate rate
 Conference/convention rate
 Industry rate
 Negotiated rate
 Groups and tours rate
 Package rate

Slide 41
2.8 Explain room and house
facilities and services to guests
 Safe deposit boxes/in room safe
 Room facilities
 Hotel facilities
 Local attractions

Slide 42
2.8 Explain room and house
facilities and services to guests
Selling techniques:

 Suggestive selling

 Describing

 Explaining

 Up-selling

 Cross-selling

Slide 43
2.8 Explain room and house
facilities and services to guests

Activity:

 Describe the features of each of the

following rooms

 Room A

 Room B

 Room C

 Room D

Cont’ Slide 44
2.8 Explain room and house
facilities and services to guests
Activity:

Which room would you sell to the following guests

and why?
 A Corporate Business person who wants to have
meetings in their room
 A couple who want a special weekend away
together
 Two friends who want a inexpensive room so they
can catch an early morning Bus interstate
 A parent and child who have tickets
to a baseball match
Slide 45
 Room A

Room
B
 Lounge & Bedroom
Room C

Room D

Slide 47
2.9 Arrange for porter services
Porters:
 Carry guest luggage
 Escort guests to room
 Discuss in room equipment
 Deliver messages
 Arrange taxis and parking
 Store guest luggage

Slide 48
2.10 Implement standard house
protocols for problem situation
 Overbooking

 Room not ready

 Black listed guests

 No reservation to be found

49
2.11 Monitor guests’ arrival and
take appropriate action as required

Monitor and check arrivals:

 Identify no shows

 Types of reservations

 Notify wait list guests

 Check for accuracy

 Follow standard procedures

50
Element 3: Perform ‘during
stay’ functions

51
3.1 Process room change
requests
 Establish what is wrong with the room

 Check availability

 Advise guest

 Move the guest

 Change status of room

 Update folio – room number and/or room rate

52
3.2 Process extensions to stays

 Extended stays

 Check availability

 Check in takes priority over extensions

 Regular guests

 Rate charged

 Re-room the guest

53
 3.3 Process variations to guest
numbers
 Guest numbers

 Check against housekeeping reports

 Evening “turn down” service

 Update records

 Update rates

54
3.4 Process variations in room
rate
 Different rates for different market of guests

 Hotels offer different rates at different times

of the year

 Rates are used to attract business

 Discounts enable the hotels to compete

55
3.5 Process upgrades

Putting a guest into a better room than they are

paying for:
 Use suites during full house situations
 Compensation for a ‘bad’ experience
 Offering free accommodation
 Discounting rooms

56
3.6 Process special requests
 Special requests – requested by guests

 Special requests – offered by the hotel

 Special request – paid for by guests

57
3.6 Process special requests
Activity:

What special requests would be needed for the

following and who would need to be advised:
 Mr. and Mrs. Todd arrive today - they have a
baby and a small child
 Ms. Wilson is staying at your hotel to do
business in your city. She will be wanting to
interview staff while she is here
 A guest is staying with you to present a new
range of luggage to clients. They need to
catch a flight out at 19.00hrs the next day

58
3.7 Process guest charges
Point of sale charges:
 Guest identification
 Signature

Manual charging back to their room:

 Guest identification
 Room number
 Print name
 Signature

59
3.8 Respond to guest queries
 Know all about your property

 Give good service

 What if you don’t know? Find out!

 Involve other departments

60
Element 4: Perform check-out
functions

61
4.1 Maintain and prepare guest
accounts
Seeking information on departing guests:
 Room number
 Breakfast
 Mini bar

Check for accuracy:

 Supporting documentation
 Signatures

62
4.2 Prepare and review departures
lists

 Express check outs

 Group check outs

 Early departures

 Late check outs

63
4.3 Present the accounts to
guests
Generate the account:
 Check guest details

Explain the account:

 Other charges

Present the account:

 Print a new account

64
4.4 Process payments and
refunds and issue receipts
Process payments:
 Acceptable methods of payments
 Foreign exchange

Issue Receipts:
 Process refunds
 Foreign exchange

Obtain the key:

 Actual keys - not key cards

65
4.4 Process payments and
refunds and issue receipts
Activity: Role play – Process a check out:
 1 guest and 1 staff member
 Guest approaches the desk to check out
 Staff member –
 Greet the guest
 Request room number and room key
 Ask the guest if there are any other charges (check
these have been posted, or post them if necessary)
 Print the account(s)
 Present the account(s) and ask the guest to check
the charges
 Process method of payment
 Farewell guest
 Guest acts out according to the process
 Swap roles 66
4.5 Process express check
outs
 What is an express check out?

 Who uses it?

 How is it done?

67
4.6 Process group check-outs
 Group master account
 Individual accounts
 Extra charges

 Group luggage collection

 Luggage storage

68
4.7 Distribute departures list
as required
 Housekeeping
 Concierge and porters
 Security
 Management
 Maintenance

69
4.8 Assist guest with on
departure requests
 Forwarding addresses
 Less and less today with email and texting

 Call a taxi or transport

 Provide lost and found services
 Organize a porter
 Make another booking

70
Element 5: Prepare front office
records and reports

71
5.1 Prepare and update front
office records
 Update availability/charts
 Room allocation
 Bookings diary
 Changing rooms
 Alter rate
 Modify departure dates/times
 Guest history

72
5.2 Generate internal reports as
required
 Information reports:
 Other departments

 Back up for operations

 managers

 Analytical/statistical reports:
 Managers

 Supervisors

73
5.3 Facilitate night audit activities

 Features of night audit

 Purpose of night audit

 Daily reports and records

74
Thank you

75