DEALING

WITH CUSTOMERS

FRONT OFFICE SERVICES NCII

@richeljoynavarrete-panim
Objectives:
At the end of this unit, you should be
able to:
• Explain the guest cycle;
• Promote Products and Services to
Guests;
• Identify how to handle guest
complaints.
 THE GUEST CYCLE
Refers to flow of operations that occur in a hotel from
when a guest chooses a hotel, to checking out.
https://www.researchgate.net/figure/The-Expanded-Guest-Cycle-with-
Technologies_fig1_344753638

THE
GUEST
CYCLE
PRE-ARRIVAL STAGE

is a crucial stage of the guest cycle for

establishments since this is where the
guest decides what hotel to choose.
PRE-ARRIVAL STAGE
The factors that are commonly considered by guests when choosing a
tourism establishment are:

• Previous experiences with the establishment

• The establishment’s advertisements
• Recommendations from travel agents, friends, or business
associates
• The establishment’s location
• The establishment’s name or the name of the hotel chain
operation
PRE-ARRIVAL STAGE
Another consideration considered by a guest is the ease of making
hotel reservations. Thus, if a FO staff or the hotel’s system is
incompetent when receiving reservation requests, guests might be
turned off to stay at your establishment.

How a front office reservation agent also describes the hotel’s

services and amenities is crucial to getting reservations.

The agent must be quick, accurate, detailed, and polite when

responding to callers’ requests and
queries.
 ARRIVAL STAGE
The arrival stage focuses on the check-in
activities of the guest.

It includes:
• Registering the guest
• Assigning a room and rate (for walk-in guests)
• Determining methods of payment (for walk-in guests)
• Identifying a departure date
• Escorting or directing the guest to the room
• Club membership
 OCCUPANCY STAGE
When the guest arrives at the room and accepts it, the occupancy
stage begins. The occupancy stage is considered as the center of
front office activity. The front office plays a major role during a
guest’s stay at the
hotel.

For example, the front office is the one who provides information and supplies
when the guest requests it. It is
the main source of service that the hotel supplies. The FO staff should perform
these tasks well because this will
determine whether a guest will repeat his/her stay at the hotel.
OCCUPANCY STAGE
Some of the services that a guest may acquire during his/her lodging
are:

• Purchase of food and beverages

• Use of telephone
• Gift shop purchases
• Laundry Services
• Inquiries
 OCCUPANCY STAGE
Some of the services that a guest may acquire during his/her lodging
are:

• Purchase of food and beverages

• Use of telephone
• Gift shop purchases
• Laundry Services
• Inquiries

These transactions should be well recorded and processed according to the FO posting and
auditing procedures. Preparing a guest folio and conducting night audit will be discussed in
Module 2: Providing Front Office Services,
Unit 3: Evaluating Front Office Financial Activities.
 DEPARTURE STAGE
is the final stage of the guest cycle and involves the guest’s check-out
process.

When checking out:

• the guest vacates the room
• receives a statement of account for settlement,
• returns the room keys,
• leaves the hotel.
 DEPARTURE STAGE
When settling the guest’s account,

When checking out:

• Confirm whether the guest would pay by cash or by
credit card.
• Account balances should be checked for error before
the guest leaves the hotel.

There are instances were late charges occur. These are charges that
were not posted to the guest folio until after the guest has already
checked out.
DEPARTURE STAGE

When the room is already vacated,

• the guestroom’s room status is changed

• the housekeeping department is notified.
DEPARTURE STAGE
Finally, the departure stage is when the front office staff determines
whether the guest was satisfied with their
service.

• The front office staff must not forget to ask for guests’
feedback, may be verbal or written, to assess the quality of the
hotel services they experienced.
• At this stage, the front office may also encourage the guest to
acquire the hotel’s services once again. This could be the
beginnings of a guest history record.
 A guest history record
Contains the personal and financial information of
guests that would help in the development of the
hotel’s marketing strategies.

With this, the hotel’s services may also be customized according

to the client’s needs.
Here are sample mock
conversation scenarios between a
guest and the front office staff,
covering different stages of the
hotel cycle:
1. Pre-Arrival:
• Scenario: A guest calls to inquire
about room availability, rates, and
possible amenities before making a
reservation.
 • 1. PRE- ARRIVAL
Front Office Response:
⚬ Agent: "Thank you for calling [Hotel Name], this is [Agent
Name]. How may I assist you today?"
⚬ Guest: "I'm planning a trip and wanted to check if you have
rooms available for the dates [dates]."
⚬ Agent: "Certainly! We do have availability for those dates. Our
standard rooms start at $X per night. Would you like more
information about our amenities or any special requests?"
2. Arrival:
• Scenario: A guest arrives at the hotel and has a specific
room preference or request.
2. Arrival:
• Scenario: A guest arrives at the hotel and has a specific
room preference or request.
Front Office Response:
• Agent: "Welcome to [Hotel Name]! My name is [Agent
Name]. How may I assist you during your check-in?"
• Guest: "I prefer a room with a view, is that possible?"
• Agent: "Certainly! We have a few rooms with a great
view available. I'll make sure to assign you one of those.
Is there anything else you'd like assistance with, such as
information about our facilities?"
3. Guest Stay:
• Scenario: The guest calls the front office to request
additional amenities or report a minor issue in the room.
Front Office Response:
• Agent: "Good [morning/afternoon/evening], this is [Agent
Name] at [Hotel Name]. How may I assist you during your
stay?"
• Guest: "I noticed a small issue in my room, and I was
wondering if someone could take a look?"
• Agent: "I apologize for any inconvenience. We'll send
someone to your room right away. In the meantime, is
there anything else you need or any other way we can
make your stay more comfortable?"
4. Departure:
• Scenario: The guest is checking out and has questions
about the final bill or wants information on local
attractions before leaving
Front Office Response:
• Agent: "Good [morning/afternoon/evening]. This is [Agent
Name]. How was your stay with us?"
• Guest: "It was great, thank you! Can you please provide
me with the final bill and any additional details?"
• Agent: "Of course! I'll be happy to assist you with that.
Additionally, if you have any questions about local
attractions or need assistance with transportation, feel free
to ask."
5. Post Departure:
• Scenario: The guest emails the hotel with feedback or a
special request after their departure.
Front Office Response:
• Email Subject: "Thank You for Staying at [Hotel
Name]"
• Agent: "Dear [Guest Name], Thank you for choosing
[Hotel Name]. We hope you had a pleasant stay. We
appreciate your feedback and are here to assist with any
additional requests or comments you may have. Please
let us know how we can continue to exceed your
expectations. Best regards, [Agent Name]"
 Salford & Co.

Thank You
FOR YOUR ATTENTION

www.reallygreatsite.com
Here are sample mock
conversation scenarios between a
guest and the front office staff,
covering different stages of the
hotel cycle:
Scenario 1: The Business Traveler
Guest (GT): Hello, I have a reservation under the name Smith for
the next three nights.
Front Desk Staff (FDS): Welcome, Mr. Smith! We have you in our
system for a deluxe room. Is there anything specific you would
like for your stay?
GT: Yes, I'll need a quiet room with a good Wi-Fi connection. I
have a presentation to prepare for tomorrow.
Scenario 2: The Vacationing Family
Guest (GF): Hi there! We're the Johnson family. We've booked a
family suite for a week.
FDS: Welcome, Johnson family! We hope you have a fantastic
stay. Is there anything special you'd like assistance with during
your time here?
GF: Yes, we're looking for family-friendly activities in the area.
Any recommendations?
Scenario 3: The Honeymooners
Guest (GH): Good evening! We're Mr. and Mrs. Anderson. It's our
honeymoon, and we're so excited!
FDS: Congratulations! We're thrilled to have you with us. We've
upgraded your room to a suite for a more romantic experience.
Any special requests for your stay?
GH: Thank you! A bottle of champagne in the room would be
perfect.
Scenario 4: The International Tourist
Guest (GI): Hi, I'm checking in. My name is Kim, and I'm visiting
from South Korea.
FDS: Welcome, Kim! We're delighted to have you. Do you have
any questions about the local area or need assistance with
transportation?
GI: Yes, I'm not familiar with the city. Can you recommend a good
place to try local cuisine?
Scenario 5: The Event Attendee
Guest (GE): Good afternoon! I'm here for the conference. My
name is Patel.
FDS: Welcome, Mr. Patel! We have a dedicated area for
conference attendees. Will you need any assistance with
transportation to the conference venue or information about the
event schedule?
GE: Yes, I'd appreciate some details about the shuttle service to
the conference center.
Here are scenarios with different types of
toxic guests:
Scenario 1: The Complainer
Front Desk Staff (FDS): Good afternoon! How may I assist you
today?
Toxic Guest (TG): This place is a disaster! I can't believe I have
to stay here.
FDS: I'm sorry to hear you're feeling that way. I'd like to help.
Can you please share specific concerns so I can address them
for you?
TG: Everything is terrible - the room, the service, the amenities.
FDS: I apologize for your dissatisfaction. We take feedback
seriously. Let me address your concerns one by one. If there's
something specific you'd like us to focus on first, please let me
know.
Scenario 2: The Demanding Guest

FDS: Good evening! Welcome to our hotel. How can I assist

you?

Toxic Guest (TG): I demand an immediate room upgrade and

complimentary services. I deserve the best treatment.

FDS: I understand you have high expectations, and we want to

ensure you have a pleasant stay. Let me check the availability
for room upgrades, and we can discuss how we can make your
stay more enjoyable.
Scenario 2: The Demanding Guest

FDS: Good evening! Welcome to our hotel. How can I assist

you?

Toxic Guest (TG): I demand an immediate room upgrade and

complimentary services. I deserve the best treatment.

FDS: I understand you have high expectations, and we want to

ensure you have a pleasant stay. Let me check the availability
for room upgrades, and we can discuss how we can make your
stay more enjoyable.
Scenario 3: The Confrontational Guest

FDS: Hello! How may I help you today?

Toxic Guest (TG): Your staff is useless, and this place is a

joke.

FDS: I'm sorry to hear you feel that way. I want to address
your concerns. Can you please provide more details about
the issues you've encountered so I can assist you better?
Scenario 4: The Manipulative Guest

FDS: Good morning! How can I assist you during your

stay?

Toxic Guest (TG): I'm sure you can do better for me. Maybe
if I mention this on social media, your hotel's reputation will
suffer.

FDS: I'm sorry to hear you're not satisfied. Our goal is to

make your stay enjoyable. Let me do my best to address
your concerns directly. If there's anything specific you'd
like us to focus on, please let me know.