Layout and Sections of Front Office

Function Areas The front office personnel perform the following functions: Sell hotel rooms to guests Accept advance booking of hotel rooms Receive and register guests when they arrive at the hotel and assign them rooms Maintain accurate room status information. Maintain guest accounts and monitor credit Handle guests’ demands and complaints. Prepare account statements of guests. Settle bills at the time of check-out. Coordinate guest services like mails and messages, safety deposit lockers, handling of room keys, making sundry payments on behalf of guests Provide information about the hotel’s facilities and services

Function Areas Selling of Rooms Settling of Bills Receive & Register Guest Information Front Office Functions Maintai n Room Status Guest Services Create Folio Maintain the Guest Folios Handling Guest Complaints

Sections of Front Office

Sections of Front Office Reservation Reception Information Desk Cash and Bills Travel Desk Communication Section Uniformed Services Bell Desk Concierge

Reservation The reservation section of the front office department of a hotel is responsible for receiving and processing reservation queries. Through Telephones Mails Letters Fax

Layout of the Reservation Section

Reception Functions of Reception : The following functions are performed by the reception section of a hotel: Receiving and welcoming guests. Completing the registration formalities. Assigning the room. Sending arrival notification slips to the concerned departments.

In a hotel Guest Desk Clerk Front Desk Suitcase

Information Desk Functions of Information Desk : Some of the functions of the information desk are as under: Maintaining resident guest rack. Handling guest room keys. Co-ordinating guest mails, fax, couriers, parcels, etc. Providing information to guests regarding hotel facilities and services, city information, etc. Handling guests messages. Paging

Cash and Bills Functions of the Cash and Bills Section :This section performs the following tasks: Opening and maintaining of guest folios. Posting room charges in guest folios. Recording all credit charges in guest folios. Maintaining a record of the cash received from guests. Preparing bills at the time of check-out. Receiving cash/TC/demand draft for account settlement. Handling credit/debit/charge cards for the settlement of a guest account. Organizing foreign currency exchange for the settlement of a guest account.

Travel Desk Functions of Travel Desk :The travel desk performs the following tasks: Arranging pick-up and drop services for guests at the time of their arrival and departure. Providing vehicles on request to guests at pre-determined rates Making travel arrangements like railway reservation/air-tickets Organizing half-day or full-day sightseeing Arranging for guides who can communicate in the guest’s language

Communication Section Functions of Communication Desk : The duties of the telephone operator include: Answering incoming calls. Directing calls to guest rooms through the switchboard/EPABX Providing information on guest services Processing guest wake-up calls Answering inquiries about hotel facilities and events Protecting guests’ privacy Coordinating emergency communication

Uniformed Services The uniformed services in the hotel include : Bell Desk Concierge

Bell Desk The bell desk is located very close to the main entrance of the hotel. This section is headed by a bell captain, who leads a team of bell boys and page boys. Functions of bell desk :The bell desk is responsible for the following tasks: Handling guest luggage at the time of arrival and departure Escorting guests to their rooms on arrival. Familiarizing guests about safety features and in-room facilities. Making sundry purchases for the guest. At request keeps guest luggage in the left luggage room

Concierge Functions of concierge : The concierge provides the following services to guests: Making reservations for dining in famous restaurants. Obtaining tickets for theatres, musicals, sporting events Arranging for transportation by limousine, car, coaches, buses, airplanes, or trains. Providing information on cultural and social events like photo exhibitions, art shows etc.

FRONT OFFICE AND THE LOBBY LAYOUT OF THE FRONT OFFICE AND THE LOBBY

Layout of Front Office

HOTEL PORTICO

THE FRONT DESK This is where the guests register, request information and service, relate complaints, settle their accounts, and check out.

Front Desk Design Prominently located in the hotel lobby Counter design should match the design of lobby, E.g. ‘L’ shape, straight shape, curve shape (semicircular or circular) etc. A typical front desk surface is a counter approximately three-and-a-half feet high and two- and-a-half feet deep

Front Office Equipment

FRONT OFFICE COUNTER OR DESK. BELL DESK OR CONCIERGE DESK. LOBBY DESK. TRAVEL COUNTER OR DESK. KEY & MAIL RACK {SEMI-AUTOMATIC & NON-AUTOMATIC SYSTEM}. MAIL SORTING RACK {NON-AUTOMATIC & SEMI-AUTOMATIC SYSTEM}. GUEST HISTORY FILING CABINET {SEMI-AUTOMATIC & NON-AUTOMATIC SYSTEM}. RESERVATION FILING CABINET {SEMI-AUTOMATIC & NON-AUTOMATIC SYSTEM}. PAGE BOARD {ALL SYSTEMS}. SAFE DEPOSIT LOCKERS {ALL SYSTEMS}. GUEST REGISTRATION CARD HOLDERS - FOLIO TRAYS OR FOLIO BUCKETS {ALL SYSTEMS}. TYPE WRITER {SEMI-AUTOMATIC & NON-AUTOMATIC SYSTEM}.

BULLETIN BOARD {ALL SYSTEMS}. PHOTOCOPY MACHINE. CASHIER WELL & BUCKET {SEMI-AUTOMATIC & NON-AUTOMATIC SYSTEM}. TELEPHONES {ALL SYSTEMS}. BILLING MACHINE & POSTING MACHINE {SEMI-AUTOMATIC & NON-AUTOMATIC SYSTEM}. DATE & TIME PUNCHING MACHINE {SEMI-AUTOMATIC & NON-AUTOMATIC SYSTEM}. FAX MACHINES {ALL SYSTEMS}. BAGGAGE X-RAY SCANNING MACHINE POSTAL WEIGHING SCALE. LUGGAGE TROLLEY OR BELL HOP TROLLEYS. COMPUTER SYSTEM HARDWARE. VOUCHER RACK. Credit card/ Debit card MAGNETIC STRIP READER KEY CARD MACHINES.

Interdepartmental Communication Housekeeping Food and Beverage Department Sales and Marketing Department Engineering and Maintenance Security Finance Controller Human Resource Banquets

Interdepartmental Communication