FRONT OFFICE ORGANIZATION

It is the process of understanding the job, dividing the job into small components, groupingresponsibilities & authorities among staff, establishing relationships in the activities and staff for the achievement of common goal. A hotel front desk agent represents the first point of contact with guests and handles all stages of a guest’s stay.


Nearly all activities done by the front office interacting with guests, may it be direct nor indirect. That is why a front office plays an important role in the operation of hotel. During check-in, a front desk agent will verify a guest’s method of payment and types of room the guests are seeking.


The front office could also be called the heart, the hub & nerve center of all guest activities. Hence, the front office department could be said to be the most vital part in the operation of a hotel. Every activities in a hotel starts from the front office since it is where all activities with guests starting from when guests checks-in until check-out are being held.

DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES OF FRONT OFFICE STAFF:

1.FRONT OFFICE MANAGER

 Is in charge of the Front Office Department who allocates the available resources (men, machine, materials & money) of the department to achieve the organizational goals. The basic function of FOM is to supervise all the Front Office personnel & to ensure the proper and smooth operation of the department. FOM reports to the General Manager of the hotel.

Scope of job (Duties & Responsibilities):

  • Directs & coordinates the activities of the FO department.
  •  Perform the function of a link between the management & front office employees.
  • Perform budgeting function.
  • Plan the present & future need of resources.
  • Schedules the tasks of the front office employees.
  • Evaluate the job performance of front office staff & fills their appraisals.
  • Conduct training programs.
  • Resolve guest problems quickly, efficiently & courteously. 
  • Reviews all reports generated by all the sections, included night auditors report.
  • Ensure all SOPs (Standard Operating Procedures) are followed.
  • Maintain coordination & good communication with other departments of the hotel.
  • Conduct regular staff meetings & staff briefing.
  • Resolve employee grievances.
  • Motivate the staff to work in a team to achieve the organization objectives. 
  • Coordinate with the sales & marketing team to ensure maximum sales of hotel rooms.

2.RESERVATION ASSISTANT

He processes the reservation requests that reach the hotel by any mode. He should possess great salesmanship skills by suggesting higher room categories, also selling other hotel services like spas, restaurants etc. to the guest. As we know the reservation section generates the maximum revenue for the hotel, so reservation assistant should understand, anticipate, & influence consumer behavior in order to maximize the profits.

Scope of job (Duties & Responsibilities):

  • To receive & process the reservation requests of future guests.
  • To maintain reservation records by completing reservation forms, sending reservation confirmation letters etc.
  • To process reservations from sales offices, other departments of the hotel, travel agents,tour operators etc.
  • To communicate the reservation information to the reception.
  • To prepare expected arrival & expected departure list every day. 
  • To pre fill the GRC of expected arrivals for the next day (using information collected at the time of reservation from the reservation form), & send to the reception. 
  • To promote good will by being courteous, friendly, & helpful to guests, managers & colleagues.

3.RECEPTIONIST:

Is the first person to come in contact with the guest at the time of their arrival. The basic function of a receptionist is to receive guests and answer their queries.

Scope of job (Duties & Responsibilities):

  • Greet the guest on their arrival.
  • Politely confirm the details of guests with confirmed reservation.
  • Complete the registration formalities of the guest with confirmed reservations.
  • Check the availability of rooms in case of walk ins.
  • Assign rooms & call the bell boy to escort guests to their rooms.
  • Use up selling techniques to sell expensive rooms & also to promote other hotel services.
  • Coordinate room status updates with the house keeping department.
  • Notifying housekeeping of all check outs, late check outs, early check ins & special requests.
  • Process guest check out requests.
  • Post all the credit charges to the guest folios (bills).

4.INFORMATION ASSISTANT:

Provides information to the guest about the hotel’s products &services, nearby food & beverage outlets, places of tourist interest in the city & around, etc. He also handles guest mail, messages & keys.

Scope of job (Duties & Responsibilities):

  • Provide desired information to the guests.
  • Maintain information rack.
  • Handle guest mail.
  • Handle guest messages
  • Guest room keys handling.
  • Coordinate guest room maintenance work with the engineering & maintenance departments. 
  • Assist in guest paging.

5.CASHIER:

During the stay in a hotel, guests may perform various credit & debit transactions with the hotel. At the time of departure, guest settle his bill at cashier. It is essential for the front office cashier is to keep the guest folio updated by posting all credit & debit transactions.


Scope of job (Duties & Responsibilities):

  • Prepare guest bills and present the same for settlement at the time of guest’s departure 
  • Update guests’ credit transactions regularly.
  • Maintain & review guest weekly bills & check not to exceed credit limit.
  • Obtain the house bank/ float (a fixed amount which comprises currency & coins of different denomination to carry out the day’s work) &keep it balanced.
  • Transfer guest balances to other accounts, as required.
  • Handle V.P.O. (Visitor paid out).
  • Settle guest accounts by accepting cash, credit card, travellers cheque, etc.
  • Check the authenticity of currency received.
  • Control safety lockers.
  • Exchange foreign currency according to the daily exchange rate, in strict accordance with the rules & regulation of RBI (Reserve Bank of India).
  • Balance the cash, & close the shift.

5.TELEPHONE OPERATOR:

Telephone operator hardly comes in direct contact with the guest, but they play important role in creating the image of the hotel in the minds of the guests. The basic skills of the good telephone operator include clarity & courteous in their voice, attentiveness &object listening.

Scope of job (Duties & Responsibilities):

The major duties & responsibilities of the telephone operator are as under:
  • Answer all incoming calls
  • Forward incoming calls to the desired extension, which are routed through PBX.
  • Keep track of the guest telephone calls & prepare their bills and post the same to their folios.
  • Provide paging service for the guests & employees.
  • Log all the wake up calls on the system.
  • Answer the queries about the hotel’s services & products.
  • Work as a communication hub during the emergencies.

6.BELL BOY:

Bell boy transport the guest luggage at the time of check-in & check-out. They also escort guest to their rooms and familiarize them with the in-room facilities and services.

Scope of job (Duties & Responsibilities):


  • Handle the guest luggage, i.e.; transport the guest luggage from lobby to the room at the time of check-in, and from the room to the vehicle at the time of departure.
  • Put the luggage tag at the time of guest arrival.
  • Escort guest to their rooms and familiarize them with the use of in-house telephone directory & functions of all the equipment & lighting installed in the room.
  • When collecting the luggage at the time of check-out, take a thorough look of the room to check any loss or damage to the hotel property.
  • Keep the record of the lift luggage rooms.
  • Inform the front desk about the scanty baggage guest at the time of check-in.
  • Perform errands/ sundry guest services like posting of guest mails, making purchases from outside the hotel premises like flowers etc.
  • Assist paging, process of locating the guest within the hotel premises.
  • Distribution of newspapers to the guest rooms & all departments of the hotel.
  • Deliver messages, mail & packages to the guest in their rooms.
Types of Accommodation:

  • Hotel & Motel
  • Inn & Lodgement
  • Lodgement & Homestay
  • Youth Hostel & Caravan Site
  • Camping Ground & Marine Hotel

Hotel Classification:

  • Type of Plan
  1. European Plan
  2. Full American Plan
  3. Modified American Plan
  4. Continental Plan

  • Type of Size
  1. Small Hotel
  2. Average Hotel
  3. Large Hotel

  • Type of Location

  1. Mountain Hotel
  2. Beach Hotel
  3. City Hotel
  4. Resort Hotel
IN CRUX: 
The main task of a Front Office Department is to offer assistance at its best to guests. It essentially check guests in and out, make room reservations and registrations and being available to all guests who need to report a complain or request a service. It is the one of the many departments of the hotel business which directly interacts with the customers when they first arrive at the hotel. Front office staff handles the transactions between the hotel and its guests. The staff receives the guests, handles their requests, and gives a good first impression about the hotel into their minds.

THANK YOU!!






Comments

Post a Comment