This document provides an overview of front office management in the hotel industry. It begins by outlining the key learning objectives, which are to understand the organizational structure of hotels and the role of the front office. It then discusses the organizational structure in more detail, explaining the roles of the general manager and other departments that interact with the front office like food and beverage, housekeeping, and security. Next, it outlines typical staff positions in the front office like front desk agents, cashiers, and reservation agents. It concludes by describing the basic responsibilities of the front office and explaining front-house and back-house operations.
This document provides an overview of front office management in the hotel industry. It begins by outlining the key learning objectives, which are to understand the organizational structure of hotels and the role of the front office. It then discusses the organizational structure in more detail, explaining the roles of the general manager and other departments that interact with the front office like food and beverage, housekeeping, and security. Next, it outlines typical staff positions in the front office like front desk agents, cashiers, and reservation agents. It concludes by describing the basic responsibilities of the front office and explaining front-house and back-house operations.
This document provides an overview of front office management in the hotel industry. It begins by outlining the key learning objectives, which are to understand the organizational structure of hotels and the role of the front office. It then discusses the organizational structure in more detail, explaining the roles of the general manager and other departments that interact with the front office like food and beverage, housekeeping, and security. Next, it outlines typical staff positions in the front office like front desk agents, cashiers, and reservation agents. It concludes by describing the basic responsibilities of the front office and explaining front-house and back-house operations.
This document provides an overview of front office management in the hotel industry. It begins by outlining the key learning objectives, which are to understand the organizational structure of hotels and the role of the front office. It then discusses the organizational structure in more detail, explaining the roles of the general manager and other departments that interact with the front office like food and beverage, housekeeping, and security. Next, it outlines typical staff positions in the front office like front desk agents, cashiers, and reservation agents. It concludes by describing the basic responsibilities of the front office and explaining front-house and back-house operations.
At the end of this chapter the students will be able:
✓ Understand the Organizational Structure of a Hotel
✓ Link between hotel size/type and its organization
✓ Understand the role of the Front Office
✓ Importance of the Front Office (F.O.)
✓ Relationship between F.O. and other departments
✓ Organizational Structure of the Front Office
✓ Identify Job Titles and their roles
UNIT TOPIC
a. Introduction to Front Office Management
b. Front Office Department
c. The Organizational Structure
d. Typical Staff Position under the Rooms Division Department
e. Basic Responsibilities of Front Office Department
f. Front Office Operations
g. Front-House Operations
h. Back-House Operations INTRODUCTION TO FRONT OFFICE MANAGEMENT PURSER’S DESK INTRODUCTION TO FRONT OFFICE MANAGEMENT Every multi-departmental physical business needs to have a front office or reception to receive the visitors. Front Office Department is the face and as well as the voice of a business. Regardless of the star rating of the hotel or the hotel type, the hotel has a front office as its most visible department. For a business such as hospitality, the front office department comes with an aspect of elevating customer experience with the business. Front Office department is a common link between the customers and the business. FRONT OFFICE DEPARTMENT FRONT OFFICE DEPARTMENT 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. The staff of this department is very visible to the guests. Front office staff handles the transactions between the hotel and its guests. The staff receives the guests, handles their requests, and strikes the first impression about the hotel into their minds THE ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE THE ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE The General Manager (GM) The “Boss” of an individual hotel Responsible for everything in the hotel Supervises and controls all the departments From Host to Executive Was “Mine Host” interacting with guests GM was the “Face” and “Soul” of the hotel Now an Executive dealing with business issues THE ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE (GENERAL MANAGER) Barely sees the guest or most employees Average tenure in a given hotel is relatively short Role of Support Departments is increasing Legal, Human Resources, Technology (MIS), Marketing issues Understanding of business issues is critical THE ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE Food and Beverage (F&B) Department Deals with: Production and service of food and beverages Needs to work in close coordination with F.O. Headed by Food and Beverage Manager Service and Production are two sub- departments Service - Supervises restaurant, banquet, and bar Managers Food production is headed by a “Chef” THE ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE
Hotel Manager/Resident Manager/House
Manager/Rooms Division Manager/Guest Services Manager Responsible for all operating departments except Food & Beverage Reports to GM Career stepping stone to GM THE ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE
Housekeeping Department (HK) Responsible for general cleanliness of guestrooms, corridors and public spaces Headed by Executive Housekeeper (EHK) Coordination between FO and HK is essential HK handles linen, uniforms, laundry, Lost & Found THE ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE Security Department Deals with: Safety, fire control & prevention, loss- control, accidents, death, suicides, crimes, scams, drunks, prostitutes, drugs, etc. Serves as deterrent, then restraint, rarely as police force Should be an iron hand in a velvet glove Now high-priority and extensively staffed Liability issues Increased crime in hotels Provision of electronic locks, in-room safes, better lighting THE ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE
Other Departments Facilities maintenance, shops, doctor, pool, spa, golf, etc. Depends on size and complexity of the operation TYPICAL STAFF POSITIONS UNDER THE ROOMS DIVISION DEPARTMENT
Front Desk Agent: Registers guests, and maintains
room availability information TYPICAL STAFF POSITIONS UNDER THE ROOMS DIVISION DEPARTMENT
Cashier: Maintains and settles guest folios, and
properly checks out guests. TYPICAL STAFF POSITIONS UNDER THE ROOMS DIVISION DEPARTMENT
Night Auditor: Controls the job of the Accounts
Receivable Clerk, and prepares daily reports to management (ex: Occupancy Report and Revenue Report). TYPICAL STAFF POSITIONS UNDER THE ROOMS DIVISION DEPARTMENT
Mail & Information Clerk: Takes Messages, provides
Directions to Guests, and maintains Mail. Telephone Operator: Manages the Switchboard and coordinates Wake-up Calls. TYPICAL STAFF POSITIONS UNDER THE ROOMS DIVISION DEPARTMENT
Reservation Agent: Responds to Reservation
Requests and creates Reservation Records. TYPICAL STAFF POSITIONS UNDER THE ROOMS DIVISION DEPARTMENT
Uniformed Service Agent: Handles Guest Luggage,
escorts Guests to their Rooms, and assists guests for any bit of information requested. TYPICAL STAFF POSITIONS UNDER THE ROOMS DIVISION DEPARTMENT
Concierge TYPICAL STAFF POSITIONS UNDER THE ROOMS DIVISION DEPARTMENT
Bell Boy BASIC RESPONSIBILITIES OF FRONT OFFICE DEPARTMENT Following are the most basic responsibilities a front office can handle. Creating guest database Handling guest accounts Coordinating guest service Trying to sell a service Ensuring guest satisfaction Handling in-house communication through PBX FRONT OFFICE OPERATIONS FRONT-HOUSE OPERATION
There are two categories of Front Office
Operations Front-House Operation
These operations are visible to the guests of the hotel. The
guests can interact and see these operations, hence, the name Front-House operations. Few of these operations include: Interacting with the guests to handle request for an accommodation. Checking accommodation availability and assigning it to the guest. Collecting detail information while guest registration. Creating a guest’s account with the FO accounting system. Issuing accommodation keys to the guest. Settling guest payment at the time of check-out. BACK-HOUSE OPERATION Front Office staff conducts these operations in the absence of the guests or when the guest’s involvement is not required. These operations involve activities such as: Determining the type of guest (fresh/repeat) by checking the database. Ensuring preferences of the guest to give a personal touch to the service. Maintaining guest’s account with the accounting system. Preparing the guest’s bill. Collecting the balance amount of guest bills. Generating reports. IMPORTANCE OF FRONT OFFICE
The Front Office is also called the nerve center The Front Office develops and maintains a of a hotel. It can be defined as a front of the housing comprehensive database of guest information, department located around the foyer and the lobby coordinates guest services, and ensures guest area of a hospitality property. As this department is satisfaction. These functions are accomplished by located around the foyer area of the hotel and is personal in diverse areas of Front Office visible to the guests, patrons and visitors, they are Department. In order to carry out its mission, goals collectively called “Front Office”. and objectives, every company shall build a formal structure depicting different hierarchy of management, supervision, and employee (staff) levels. IMPORTANCE OF FRONT OFFICE
This very structure is referred to as an organization The Front office is the part of a company structure. Moreover, the organization structure that comes in contact with clients, such as the shows reporting relationships, the span of marketing, sales, and service departments. It management, and staff/line functions. The is the equivalent of Purser’s office onboard organization structure for the front office Cruise Ships. department differs as per the size of the hotel. In this session the building structure of the front office taken into consideration like the lobby, the desk. Even the room number and the different beds and baths size is being discussed. REFERENCES
www.waseantourism.com www.tesda.gov.ph https://setupmyhotel.com/train-my-hotel- staff/front-office-training/743-front-office- introduction-operations-functions.html https://www.tutorialspoint.com/front_office_ma nagement/front_office_management_introducti on.htm DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? THANK YOU FOR LISTENING!
