FEDERA TECHNICAL AND

VOCATION INSTITUTE
DEPARTMENT OF HOTEL AND TOURISM MGT

HOTEL OPERATION LEVEL II

 FRONT OFFICE
Unit of competency: Provide Accommodation reception service
Module title: Providing Accommodation reception service
Module code:CTH HOP2 06 0212
LO1:Prepare for guest arrival
LO1: Prepare for guest arrival

 NTRODUCTION:

 This learning out comes provides trainees with the

knowledge skill and attitude required to prepare
for the guest arrival.
Define front office

 The Front Office in a hotel is the department

responsible for the sale of hotel rooms through
systematic methods of reservation, followed by
registration and assigning rooms to customers
Front Office Functions

 Front office functions include reservations, registration,

room and rate assignment, check-in, guest services, room
status, maintenance and settlement of guest accounts and
creation of guest history records.
FRONT OFFICE ORGANISATION

 The front office department of a hotel comprises of various

sections.
Conti--
The following are the sections of the front office department
 Reservation Section
 Front Desk Section
 Uniformed Service Staff (Bell Desk)
 Business Centers serve
 Cashiering Section
 Communication and Telephone Section
 Front Office Organization Chart
Front Desk
 Agent Front Office Manager/Lobby
 Manager
 Switchboard
 Operator
 Front Office Cashier
 Night
 Auditor
 Uniformed
 Staff
 RESPONSIBILITIES OF FRONT OFFICE STAFF

Front Office Manager

 Front Office manager must be a skilled planner who
channelizes the various resources viz. people, money, time,
work methods, materials, energy and equipment to suit the
objectives of the property
Conti--
Front Desk Agent
Also designated, as Receptionist or Front office Assistant in
some hotels, is the first person a guest sees on entering the
property and the last person the guest sees on leaving.
Basic Function: To assist guests in all front office-related
functions in an efficient, courteous, and professional manner
that maintains high standards of service and hospitality.
Conti--
Duties and Responsibilities:
Register guests and assign rooms; accommodate
special requests, if possible.
Assist in pre-registration and blocking of rooms for
reservations.
Conti--
Know room status, locations, types and rates.
Coordinate rooms’ status with housekeeping
department; notify all check-outs, early check-ins,
special requests etc.
Handle issuing and closing of safe deposit boxes for
the guests.
Reservation Agent

Normally found in larger hotels, in smaller hotels

Front office agent handles this job.
Basic Function: To handle all future reservations,
matching the needs of the guests with the hotel.
Conti--
Duties and Responsibilities:
Process reservations by mail, telephone, telex,
cable, fax or central reservation system referral.
Process reservations from the sales office, other
hotel departments and travel agents.
Switchboard Operator

They are heard by the guest but are rarely seen.

They represent the hotel through their voice on the phone.

They build a very significant image of the hotel to a

prospective guest.

 The work has drastically changed due to the electronic age,

but the basic voice assistance is always a warm welcome.
Conti--
Basic Function: Receives and directs incoming and
outgoing calls to individual guests, staff, or departments.
Duties and Responsibilities:
Answer incoming calls.
Direct calls to guestrooms, staff, or departments through
the switchboard or PBX system.
Front Office Cashier

Basic Function: Guest accounting tasks

require efficiency and accuracy.
The tasks of the front office cashier center on
the guest accounting cycle.
The front office cashiers post revenue center
charges to guest accounts.
Conti--
 Thehotel’s revenue centers
communicate information on charge
purchases to the front desk.
 Cashiers then post these charges to
guest accounts to ensure that the
charges will be settled at checkout.
Duties and Responsibilities:

Operate front office posting equipment/ system.

Obtain the house bank and keep it balanced.

Take departmental readings at the beginning of the shift.

Post charges to guest accounts.

Handle Paid-outs (VPO).

Transfer guest balances to other accounts as required.

Bell Service Staff

 Basic Functions: Basic Functions: Meeting, greeting

and escorting guests to their rooms and also the
reverse of it i.e. escorting guests from their rooms to
the front desk, to their means of transport etc.
 They also act as the eyes and ears of the hotels
Conti--
They are strategically stationed and also make trips
to many floors and rooms.
 Work closely with the front desk staff, room
service employees and other hotel personnel in
providing guest assistance with luggage,
transportation and miscellaneous needs.
 Concierge
Basic Functions: They are specialized in assisting the guest –
regardless of whether inquiries concern in-hotel or off-premises
attractions, facilities, services, or activities.
 Must provide concise and accurate directions; make
reservations for flights, theater or special events, obtain tickets,
organize special functions such as VIP cocktail receptions and
arrange for secretarial services, if needed.
Night Auditor

 Basic Functions: Must be skilled record keeper since

the job requires him to track room revenues,
occupancy percentages, and other front office
operating statistics and prepare a summary of the
financial performance for the day.
 He is basically an employee of the accounts division.
Conti--
 Has to verify all account postings and balances
made during the day by front desk cashiers and
agents
Guest Cycle:
 Per-Arrival === Arrival ===
Occupancy == Departure
Guest Accounting:

Establishment of credits= posting

charges= Night auditing = settlement of
accounts
Conti--
Below is a description of the activities undertaken
at each stage of the guest cycle
Pre-arrival:

At the Pre-arrival stage, the hotel must create for

every potential guest a reservation Record.
 Doing this initiates the hotel guest cycle.
Reservation records help personalize guest services
and appropriately schedule needed staff and
facilities.
 2. Arrival:
At the arrival stage, registration and rooming functions
takes place and the hotel establishes business relation-ship
with the guest.

3. Occupancy:

At the occupancy stage, the front office department shall

coordinate guest services in a timely and accurate manner.
4. Departure:

 At the departure stage, the guest shall be walked out

of the hotel.
 Moreover, front office clerks shall create guest history
record.
 Finally, cashiers shall settle guest account outstanding
balances (i.e. balance the Guest account to 0)
Conti--
 In general, a proper checkout occurs when the guest:
a) Vacates the room
b) Receives an accurate settlement of the guest account
 c) Returns room keys
d) Leaves the hotel
Front Office Systems:
Manual, Semi-manual and CRM

Guest Cycle under Non-automated systems:

 Pre-arrival activities:

At the pre-arrival stage, reservation requests should be introduced in a

loose-leaf notebook or index card. Initiate pre-registration activities
 Arrival activities:
At the arrival stage, guests shall either sign a page in the registration book or fill
manually a registration record.
Occupancy activities

 Under the occupancy activities, registration

records shall be prepared with multi-copies.
 In fact, one copy shall be distributed to
room rack, another stamped to the guest
folio, and another given to switchboard
operators and a final copy handed to the
uniformed service personnel
Departure activities:

 At departure stage, cashiers should settle each

guest account’s outstanding balance and get
room keys back from guests.
 Lastly, these very rack slips of departed guests

shall be filed in a cardboard box serve as a guest

history record
Thank you attention!!!