front office

ESCOLA SUPERIOR DE TURISMO E HOTELARIA

Abstract

The main purpose of hotel organizations are that increase therate of room occupancy,achive customer satisfaction and finallyget high profit margine.For that,each departments in hotelorganizations are very important because of customersatisfaction.Each departmants should work compatibletogether.The communication in between departments should bevery clear.Front Office Department is in very important pointfor this communication.Front Office Departmant should achivecommunication that between department for success of hotelorganizations.On the other hand Room Division is the mostimportant renevue department for hotel organizations.The mainpurposes of this study are that analyze of room division andshow the place of the room division in hotel organizations.

Room Division-Accommodatiom Management1


Introduction

Hotel is the transient home away from home.Hotel industry is ahospitality industry.Of course, hospitality is not free,but ispaid for,where the payment depends on the comforts and servicesprovided for.Payment also depends on the fancy and economicaffordability of the customer.The hospitality industry isnowadays a global industry,and is considered as an importantemployer in countries world-wide.It now has attained a muchhigher status in society and demands high standards of workethics and efficiency from its employees.Employmentopportunities are many,and is now sought by a vast majority ofpeople.

The hospitality industry is part of a larger enterprise knownas the travel and tourism industry.It is one of the oldestindustries in the world.In earlydays,traders,explorers,missionaries and pilgrims needed a breakin their journeys requiring food,shelter and rest.People openedtheir homes and kitchens to these weary travellers,and anindustry was born.Although accommodation today is varied andtheir services have changed and expanded over the ages,onething about the hospitality industry has remained thesame,guests are always welcome!From a friendly greeting at thedoor,room service,breakfast,to a host of facilities' thehospitality industry offers travellers a home away from home.

Hospitality is defined as “the friendly reception and treatmentof strangers".For most people, hospitality means entertainingguests with courtesy and warmth.Hospitality is also an industry



made up of businesses that provide lodging,food and otherservices to travellers.The main components of this industry arehotels,motels,inns,resorts and restaurants.In a broad sense,thehospitality industry might refer to any group engaged intourism,entertainment,transportation or lodging includingcruise lines,airlines,railways,car rental companies and touroperators.

At the hub of the hotel world is the reception desk where mostguest transactions take place.It is here that the guest isreceived,registered and assigned aroom.Information,mail,messages,complaints and room accounts areall dealt with here.Therefore,to a large extent,the receptionteam is the key to an enjoyable and problem-free stay for thehotel guest.It is also the centre of attraction and moneygeneration for the establishment.

The front office department is the nerve centre,the hub and theheart of the hotel.Front office personnel have more contactwith guests than staffs in other departments.This is thedepartment where the guest first checks in and finally checksout of the hotel.

The front office is the main communication centre.As it is themajor revenue generating department,it is equipped with staffsof good quality and personality.

The front office is the show window and hence it is furnishedand maintained with good furnitures and fittings.Front officeis well designed in an orderly manner.Regardless of how thehotel is organized, the front office is always an essential“focal point”.

Housekeeping is an important and integral part of the guestexperience and satisfaction.Other things such as security areimportant,but what guests really want is to feel at home,tofeelcomfortable. Although the staff providing this service donot necessarily interact directly with the public,the quality



of their work is critical in shaping guests’ pleasant memoriesof their stay.

The impact of the housekeeping function on the success of ahotel’s operations cannot be underestimated,since large revenuefor hotel industry is generated mainly from the sale of rooms.

Good housekeeping is the foundation of good infectionprevention.The general cleanliness and hygiene of a facilityare vital to the health and safety of guests,staff,andvisitors.Pleasant work environment contributes to staffmembers' satisfaction,making them to be more productive.A morepleasant environment improves guest satisfaction and canincrease guest’s use of services and frequent visits.



HOSPITALTY INDUSTRY

The hospitality industry consists of broad category of fields withinthe service industry that includes lodging,restaurants, eventplanning,theme parks,transportation,cruise line,and additionalfields within the tourism industry.The hospitality industry is aseveral billion dollar industry that mostly depends on theavailability of leisure time and disposable income.A hospitalityunit such as a restaurant,hotel,or even an amusement park consistsof multiple groups such as facility maintenance, direct operations(servers,housekeepers,porters,kitchen workers,bartenders,etc.),management, marketing,and human resources.

The hospitality industry covers a wide range of organizationsoffering food service and accommodation.The industry is divided intosectors according to the skill-sets required for the workinvolved.Sectors include accommodation,food and beverage,meeting andevents, gaming, entertainment and recreation,tourism services,andvisitor information.

History of Hospitality Industy

The roots of the lodging industry are known to lie back in the firstcentury and the first otel like facilities were built by Romans andancient Greeks. From the first centry to Middle Ages there had beenmany kinds of lodging facilities built and operated.

Hotel visitors were started to be registered for the first time in15th century France, hotel facilities were first classifiedaccording to their service standarts and tariffs were applied in17th century.

After the industrial revolution in 18th century,hotel investmentswere increasing all over the world. As opposed to traditionalarchitectural structure of European and Asian lodgingfacilities,enhanced services and modern design was favored inAmerican hotels. .


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bartender

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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tourism_industry

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cruise_line

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transportation

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theme_parks

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Event_planning

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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Restaurants

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lodging

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Service_industry


Late 19th century was the start of a new era for hotel services as aresult of electricity use in buildings. Middle East became a newmarket for the industry as well as a capital resource centre withthe increasing dependence on petrol and expanding air traffic.

Economic development and technologic improvements in 20th centuryhad a positive effect on the hospitality industry which led tobetter service quality and professionalized market players.At theend of the century,hotel markets were fully controlled by theinvestors and the development was driven by profit expectations andcustomer needs, rather than arcitetural concerns.

The economic downturn at the beginning of 21st century together withthe affects of terrorist attacks in USA led the internationallodging industry shrink for two years.However,the industry rapidlyrecovered and kept growing from 2003 to mid 2008.

Hotels

A hotel usually offers guests a full range of accommodations andservices,which may include reservations,suites,public dining andbanquet facilities,lounge and entertainment areas,room service,cable television,personal computers,business services,meetingrooms,specialty shops,personal services,valet,laundry,haircare,swimming pool and other recreational activities,gaming/casinooperations,ground transportation to and from an airport,andconcierge services.The size of the property can range from 20 tomore than 2,000 rooms.Hotels are found in center-city,suburban,andairport locations.Guest stays can be overnight or long-term,as muchas several weeks in length.Propertiessometimes specialize incatering to particular markets,such as conventions orgambling.Casino hotels usually take a secondary role to the casinooperation,where the emphasisis on profitable gamingoperations.Marriott’s hotels operated as JW Marriott Hotels &Resortsand Renaissance Hotels,as well as Hyatt Hotels & Resorts brandsoperated as Hyatt Regency,Grand Hyatt,and Park Hyatt Hotels,areexamples in this category.



Classification System in Europa

Hotel Classification Systems

The grouping together of hotels providing a given range of servicesand facilities is an inexact science.The distinction betweenavailability and quality is often blurred.

Early hotels and inns were little more than an available bed andsomething barely palatable to eat.The emergence of tourism in thelatter half of the 19 th century brought with it an improvement ofthe standards of the early inns.Some pressure was placed on thesefacilities to offer some minimum standards where the consumer wasable to identify a property with specific amenities.The ratingsystem emerged out of efforts by the Automobile and cycling clubs inEurope, who in their tour books displayed hotels, which theyrecommended to their membership,based on the guaranteed facilitieswhich these hotels/inns offered.

This led to the establishment of rating systems such as theAutomobile Association (AA) and its American counterpart the (AAA)and the Michellin tyre company’s – Michellin Red Guide and othermobile guides.

After World War II National Tourist Boards began to consider someform of hotel registration/classification system.There was somedifficulty in doing so.By 1970 only five European countries hadnational classification systems,by 1980 this number increased to 22European countries and 60 countries worldwide.

The criteria applied by the classification systems were, and stillare not uniformed.There were various meanings attached toregistration,classification and grading.

Registration:Form of licensing which,may or may not demand a minimumstandard.Signifies some conformation with health fire safetylegislation.Implies a minimum criteria.

Classification:Separation of different types and ranges ofaccommodation into several categories based on a range ofcriteria.Hotel accommodations can allow for five to seven categoriesto be applied.Other forms of accommodation e.g.motels,guesthouses



and self catering apartments seldom justify more than two or threeclasses.

Grading:Often combine with classification,this is a qualityassessment awarding a symbol to denote an above average service toan accommodation facility.E.g Green globe classification systems forenvironment.

Popular Classification Systems

Official Hotel and Resort Guide (OHRG)

Travel Industry classification system ratings are deemed as beingcomparable around the world, making it easier for professionals inthe travel trade.

Ten Quality levels which can be divided as follows;

Deluxe:Super Deluxe,Deluxe, Moderate Deluxe,

First Class:Superior First Class,First Class,Limited Service FirstClass,Moderate First class

Tourist:Superior tourist class,tourist class,moderate tourist class

These rating combine two elements

1.Quality of quest accommodations

a.Room size,quality of furnishings

2.Extent of hotel facilities

a.Number and size of public rooms and meeting facilities

AA rating system (British System)

This system focuses on a consumer’s perspective on accommodationproperties.The objective was to introduce a classification systemeasily understood by the consumer.This system is part of thedescription of properties seen in travel books.The American versionis the AAA system.

Minimum Requirements for AA Recognition;



One Star Hotels

Hotels in this classification are likely to be small andindependently owned,with a family atmosphere. Services may beprovided by the owner and family on an informal basis.There may be alimited range of facilities and meals may be fairly simple.Lunch,forexample,may not be served.Some bedrooms may not have en suitebath/shower rooms.Maintenance,cleanliness and comfortshould,however, always be of an acceptable standard.

Two Star Hotels

In this classification hotels will typically be small to mediumsized and offer more extensive facilities than at the one starlevel.Some business hotels come into the two star classification andguests can expect comfortable,well equipped,overnightaccommodation,usually with an en-suite bath/shower room.Receptionand other staff will aim for a more professional presentation thanat the one star level, and offer a wider range of straightforwardservices,including food and drink.

Three Star Hotels

At this level,hotels are usually of a size to support higherstaffing levels,and a significantly greater quality and range offacilities than at the lower star classifications.Reception and theother public rooms will be more spacious and the restaurant willnormally also cater for nonresidents.All bedrooms will have fully ensuite bath and shower rooms and offer a good standard of comfort andequipment, such as a hair dryer,direct dial telephone,toiletries inthe bathroom.Some room service can be expected,and some provisionfor business travelers.

Four Star Hotels

Expectations at this level include a degree of luxury as well asquality in the furnishings,decor and equipment, in every area of thehotel.Bedrooms will also usually offer more space than at the lowerstar levels,and well designed,coordinated furnishings and decor.The



en-suite bathrooms will have both bath and fixed shower.There willbe a high enough ratio of staff to guests to provide services likeporterage,24-hour room service,laundry and dry-cleaning.Therestaurant will demonstrate a serious approach to its cuisine.

Five Star Hotels

Here you should find spacious and luxurious accommodation throughoutthe hotel,matching the best international standards Interior designshould impress with its quality and attention to detail,comfort andelegance.Furnishings should be immaculate.Services should beformal,well supervised and flawless in attention to guests'needs,without being intrusive.The restaurant will demonstrate a highlevel of technical skill,producing dishes to the highestinternational standards.Staff will be knowledgeable,helpful,wellversed in all aspects of customer care,combining efficiency withcourtesy.

Red Star Awards

AA star classifications are usually depicted in black on signs andin the AA's guides and electronic products.However,at each of thefive classification levels,the AA recognizes exceptional quality ofaccommodation and hospitality by awarding Red Stars for excellence.Ahotel with Red Stars,therefore,has been judged to be the best in itsstar classification and recognizes that the hotel offers outstandinglevels of comfort,hospitality and customer care.

Country House Hotels

Country House Hotels offer a relaxed,informal atmosphere, with anemphasis on personal welcome. They are usually,but not always,in asecluded or rural setting and should offer peace and quietregardless of location.

Town House Accommodation

This classification denotes small,personally run hotels which afforda high degree of privacy, concentrate on luxuriously furnishedbedrooms and suites,with high-quality room service rather than thepublic rooms or formal dining rooms usually associated with hotels,but they are usually in areas well served by restaurants.All fallwithin the Four or Five Star classification.



Travel Accommodation (Lodges)

This classification denotes budget accommodation,suitable for anovernight stay usually in purpose-built units close to main roadsand motorways,often forming part of motorway service areas.Theyprovide consistent levels of accommodation and service,matchingtoday's expectations.

Guesthouse/Private Hotels

The term guest-house can lead to some confusion,particularly whenmany include the word hotel in their name.For AA purposes,small andprivate hotels are included in this category when they cannot offerall the services required for the AA hotel star rating system.Theterm does not imply that guesthouses are inferior to hotels,justthat they are different.Many,indeed,offer a very high standard ofaccommodation.

It is not unusual to be offered en suite bathrooms,for instance,orto find a direct-dial telephone and a colour television in yourroom.Some guest-houses offer bed and breakfast only,so guests mustgo out for the evening meal.These facilities should state clearly ifthere are any restrictions to your access to the house, and whetherthey offer any meals.This should be communicated to the customerwhen booking.

Farmhouse

Farmhouse accommodation is particularly noted for being relativelyinexpensive and cosy,with good home-cooking where appropriate.Someare working farms,Guest are at times allowed to participate or viewfarm activities,there are cases where guest accommodation is run asa separate concern from the farm,and visitors are discouraged fromventuring on to the working land.Standards will varyconsiderably,Some of farmhouses are grand ex-manor houses furnishedwith antiques and offering a stylish way of life,whereas othersoffer more simply furnished accommodation,and in others guests mayhave to share the family bathroom and sitting/dining room.

Pubs and Inns

We all know what we can expect to find in a traditional inn a cosybar,a convivial atmosphere,decent beer and pub



food.Nevertheless,there are a few extra criteria which must be metfor the AA classification:breakfast is a must,in a suitablebreakfast room, and the inn should also serve at least light mealsduring licensing hours.A number of small,fully licensed hotels areclassified as inns,and the character of the properties will varyaccording to whether they are traditional country inns or largerestablishments in towns.

AA Rosette Awards

The AA makes annual rosette awards on a rising scale of one to fivefor the quality of food served in restaurants and hotelrestaurants.Only those offering the highest international standardsof cuisine and service will merit the AA's top awards of four orfive rosettes.

Outstanding Quality (5 and 4 Rosettes)

Five rosettes is the supreme accolade, made to chefs at the very topof their profession.This award recognizes superlative standards ofcuisine at an international level,evident at every visit in everyelement of the meal.Creativity,skill and attention to detail willproduce dishes cooked to perfection, with intense,exciting flavoursin harmonious combinations and faultless presentation.Menus may beinnovative or classical,and may use luxury ingredients likelobster,truffles,foie gras,etc…often in unexpected combinations andwith secret ingredients that add an extra dimension of taste andinterest.

At this level,cuisine should be innovative,daring,highlyaccomplished and achieve a noteworthy standard ofconsistency,accuracy and flair throughout all the elements of themealExcitement, vibrancy and superb technical skill will be thekeynotes.

High Quality

Only cooking of the highest national standard receives three or morerosettes.Menus will be imaginative;dishes should be accuratelycooked,demonstrate well developed technical skills and a high degreeof flair in their composition.Ingredients will be first-class,usually from a range of specialist suppliers, including local



produce only if its quality is excellent.Most itemsbreads,pastries,pasta,petits fours will be made in the kitchens,butif any are bought in,for example,breads,the quality will beexcellent.

Good Quality (2 and 1 Rosettes)

Two rosettes denote cooking that displays a high degree ofcompetence on the part of the chef.The menus should include someimaginative dishes,making use of very good raw ingredients,as wellas some tried and tested favourites.Flavours should be well balancedand complement or contrast with one another,not over-dominate.Onerosette denotes simple,carefully prepared food,based on goodquality,fresh ingredients,cooked in such a way as to emphasizehonest flavours.Sauces and desserts will be home-made and thecooking will equate to first-class home cooking.

Hotel Organization

In order to carry out its mission,global and departmental goals andobjectives,every company shall build a formal structure depictingdifferent hierarchy of management, supervision,and employee(staff)levels.This very structure is refereed to as organizationchart.Moreover,the organization chart shows reporting relationshipsspan of management,and staff/line functions.

There are two types of relationships that might exist between anytwo functions at any organization chart.These are;

1-Solid Lines:This kind of relationship shows Direct LineAccountability.To illustrate,if position A and B are linked with asolid line,it means (for example) that A shall report to B,that Bshall tell A what to do,when to do,and how to it.Lastly,B shall beliable (i.e. responsible) for A.

2-Dotted Lines:This kind of relationship entitles both positionslinked with dotted lines to have a high degree of Cooperation andCommunication but not direct line accountability.Usually in thehotel industry, where the sole aim is to satisfy guests,positions,whatsoever level in the hierarchy they occupy,shallcoordinate jointly their efforts so as to provide quality, standard



product to their customers.Therefore,examples of dotted lines arenumerous in hotel organization charts.

Every organization chart shall be flexible,to reflect the ever-changing environmental dynamics and, hence be able to survive.Inaccordance,organization charts shall be reviewed periodically inorder to determine whether the actual organization still match theenvironment needs (i.e. guests,employees, technology,competitor'sneeds…) or not.A SWOT analysis (i.e.: Strengths,Weaknesses,Opportunities,and Threats) shall be a good start to initiate achange in the organization chart or not. Last but not least,it is ofextreme importance that there are no 2 hotels having exactly thesame organization chart,and that a hotel might have an organizationchart change over time.For, organization charts shall be tailored tofit the needs of each individual property.

Hotel Departments:

1-Rooms Division:

In a statistics conducted by the U.S. Lodging Industry in 1995,ithas been shown that the majority of hotels revenues (60.2 %) aregenerated from Rooms Division Department under the form of roomsales. This very department provides the services guests expectduring their stay in the Hotel.Lastly, the Rooms Division Departmentis typically composed of five different departments:

-Front Office

-Reservation

-Housekeeping

-Uniformed Services

-Telephone

Beneath is a brief description of the different departmentsdecomposing the Rooms Division Department,along with their relatedmain responsibilities:

2. Food & Beverage Department:



According to U.S. Lodging 1995 statistics,F&B Department constitutesthe second largest revenue generator of a typical hotel with anaverage of 23.1 for Food sales,and 8.6 % for Beverage sales.In afive-star hotel,Food and Beverage outlets might have the followingforms:

-Quick Service

-Table Service

-Specialty Restaurants

-Coffee Shops

-Bars

-Lounges

-Clubs

-Banquets

-Catering Functions Wedding,Birthdays…

3-Sales&Marketing Division:

A typical hotel should usually have Sales & Marketingdivision.However, if the staff size, volume business,hotelsize,expected group arrivals is low enough, the hotel might havemarketing staff placed under the reservation department (i.e.No needfor a Sales & Marketing Division).

A typical Sales & Marketing Division is composed of four differentdepartments:

-Sales

-Convention Services

-Advertising

-Public Relations

4-Accounting Division:



The Accounting Division monitors the financial activities of theproperty.Some of the activities that are undertaken in theAccounting Division are listed below:

-Pays outstanding invoices

-Distributes unpaid statements

-Collects amounts owed

-Processes payroll

-Accumulates operating data

-Compiles financial reports

-Makes bank deposits

-Secures cash loans

-Performs other control and processing functions

5-Engineering and Maintenance Division:

This very department maintains the property's structure and groundsas well as electrical and mechanical equipment.Some hotels mighthave this very division under different names,such as maintenancedivision,property operation and maintenance department…

6-Security Division:

Security division personnel are usually screened from in-housepersonnel,security officers or retired police officers,acrosscertain physical skills, and prior experience.

Some of the functions of the security division are listed below:

-Patrols the property

-Monitors supervision equipment

-Ensures safety and security of guests, visitors, and employees

7-Human Resources Division:

Some of the duties of the human resources division are listed below:

-Responsible for external & internal recruitmentRoom Division-Accommodatiom Management

16


-Calculates employees' salaries, compensation, and tax withholding…

-Administrates employees' paperwork, monitors attendance…

-Maintains good relations with Labor Unions

-Ensures employees' safety and working conditions

8-Other Divisions:

All the above mentioned departments and/or divisions should exist ina typical five-star hotel;however there might be some revenuegenerators that are specific to certain hotels but not existing inothers. Below is a list of some possible extra or other divisionsthat might exist in a hotel:

-Retail Outlets (i.e.: Shops rented to outsiders or managed by thehotel)

-Recreation Facilities (ex: Fitness Center,Tennis Courts,and CinemaSaloons…)

-Conference Centers

-Casinos

Organizatin of Front Office Department

The front office has the following functions:

- Sells guestrooms

- Registers guests, assigns guestrooms

- Processes future room reservations

- Coordinates guest service

- Provides information

- Maintains accurate room status information

- Manages all guest accounts and credit limits

- Produces guest account statements

- Completes a financial settlement with each guest upon departure.


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The front office is the most visible department in a hotel and thefront desk typically occupies a prominent place in the hotel’slobby.Guests come to the front desk to register,to receive roomassignments,inquire about available services,facilities and the cityor surrounding area;and to check out.Since the front office may bethe only contact a guest has with the hotel it is essential that thestaff of the front office is organized,competent,and courteous.Thefront desk often serves as the focal point for guest requestsregarding housekeeping, engineering, and information.Other servicesprovided by the front office of a hotel handling guest and housemail, messaging services for the guest, and departing the guest fromthe hotel. Front office cashiers post charges and payments to guestaccounts,all of which are later verified during anaccount auditingprocedure.Front desk personnel also may verifyoutstanding accounts receivable,and produce daily reports formanagement.

Front Office Department Organization Chart


Front OfficeManager

Ass.Front OfficeSecrate

Ass.Manager

GuestRelationsOfficer

ChiefConcierge

Ass.Chief

Concierge

BellBoy

ValetParkingAttenda

AirportSupervis

or

AirportRepresentative

SeniorReception

Reception

Ass.Recep.Supervisor

ReceptionSupervisor

Ass.Telephone

TelephoneOperator

Telephone

Reservations

Reservations Clerk

Reservations Manager

http://hotelmule.com/wiki/Auditing

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The Front Office organization chart is designed according to functions. This chart clearly defines the control and also providesguests with more specialized attention.Typical positions and functions under the Front Office Department are:

1.Front Desk Agent:Registers guests,and maintains room availability information

2.Reservation Agent:Responds to reservation requests and creates reservation records

3.Cashier:Closes guest folios, and properly checks out the guests.

4.Uniformed Bell Service Agent:Handles guest luggage,escorts guests to their rooms,and assists guests for any bit of information requested.

5.Switchboard Operator:Manages the switchboard and coordinates wake-up calls.

6.Night Auditor:Controls the job of the accounts receivable clerk,and prepares daily reports to the management.

FrontOffice Location in the Hotel


1

2

1

2


1-Front Desk

2-Elevator

3-Main Entrance

Front office staff have a clear view of persons entering the lobby from the street entrance or elevator.

Reservation Departments

Reservation

The main function of the reservation process is to match room requests with room availability.Below is the detailed process of reservation:

a-Conduct the reservation inquiry

b-Determine room and rate availability

c-Create the reservation record

d-Confirm the reservation record

e-Maintain the reservation record

f-Produce reservation reports

1-Reservation and Sales:


3 3

1

2

3


Prior to Computerization era,the main function of the ReservationProcess is only to determine Basic Room Availability.That is tosay,the reservation clerk can only tell the potential guest that aroom is reserved for him/her.However,the reservation clerk can nottell you the type of the room,rate honored…Nowadays, with the wideuse of reservation software package programs,it is now possible toreserve a room by room type,rate,and to accommodate all the possiblespecial requests of the guest. Therefore,the selling functionshifted from the front office to the reservation department.Hence,projections of Room Revenues and Profitability Analysis became oneof the basic functions of the Reservation Department.

In parallel,reservation department and reservation agents shouldhave sales goals to achieve which might focus on number of roomnights,average room rate,and/or booked room revenue.

Different types of Guests1. Free Independent Traveler (FIT) 2. Foreign Free Independent Traveler (FF-IT) 3. Company volume guaranteed rate (CVGR) 4. Company Guaranteed rate (CGR) 5. Group inclusive tour (GIT) 6. Single lady (SL)

Customer Segment Strategies

Segmenting is essential to nearly any marketing scheme.Segmenting isthe concept of dividing your potential customers into groups of similar populations.Once a firm has decided on its target segments it can devise separate marketing strategies to maximize the effectiveness of its marketing scheme.This in turn will maximize thereturn on the project.There are five major strategies used to determine customer segments.

Behavior Segmentation

The behavior segmentation strategy uses differences in consumer behavior to separate potential customers.This includes lifestyle, purchasing tendencies and usage tendencies.One example of this strategy is an advertiser using segmentation to advertise the release of a clothing line in a fashion magazine but not an



automobile magazine.Obviously, the fashion magazine will bring a greater customer response in this case.

Benefit Segmentation

Beneft segmentation is one of the most commonly used types of segmentation.It identifies the different benefits a product offers,then targets different marketing strategies against the different benefits.Take a Ferrari, for example.Two of the benefits associated with Ferraris are status and performance.The advertiser can position the Ferrari in both the status and performance market segments differently,and in doing so will gain a greater response than they would were they to take a single more generic maket position.

Demographic Segmentation

Demographic segmentation is the most commonly used type of segmentation strategies.There are two main factors that contribute to this:demographic information is the most easily collected data, and the needs and wants of consumers usually correlate directly withtheir demographic group.Age and life stage are two examples of demographics used in segmentation.Obviously denture adhesives are most effectively advertised to the senior demographic,and minivans are best advertised to families.

Geographic Segmentation

Geographic segmentation involves separating customers based in theirgeographic location or region. This can be anything as small as a city or neighborhood to something as large as a country or region.Factors in geographic segmentation include the likes of population density,total population and climate.In a more populationdense area,ceteris parabus,advertising will be more effective.Similarly,in a northern climate,wood stoves will be much more effectively advertised than in a southern or tropic climate.

Psychographic Segmentation

Psychographic segmentation is used to target a very specific customer segment.Different types of psychographic segments include personality,social class and lifestyle preferences.A specific segment is those who are environmentally inclined.These people are



more likely to buy fuel-efficient cars and all natural products,suchas organic foods.

2-Types of Reservations:

a-Guaranteed Reservation:

Insures that the hotel will hold a room for the guest until aspecific time following the guest’s scheduled arrival date[i.e.Check-out time or start of the hotel’s day Shift or any timethe lodging property chooses].On return,the guest shall guaranteehis/her reservation of room unless reservation is properlycanceled.In order to guarantee a reservation,guests might opt forone of the following methods:

a-Prepayment guaranteed reservation

b-Credit card guaranteed reservation

c-Advance deposit or partial payment

d-Travel agent guaranteed reservation

e-Voucher or Miscellaneous Charge Order (MCO)

f-Corporate guaranteed reservation

b-Non-guaranteed Reservation:

Insures that the hotel agrees to hold a room for the guest until a stated reservation cancellation hour (Usually 6 p.m.) on the day of arrival.

Reservation agents shall make sure to encourage their guests to guarantee their reservations especially in the high season.

3-Reservation Inquiry:

Guests can communicate their reservation inquiries in person,over the telephone,via mail,through facsimile,telex,e-mail…Moreover,reservation inquiries can be made through a Central Reservation System or an Intersell Agency.



While getting a reservation inquiry,the reservation agent shall obtain the following guest-related information:

a-Guest’s name,address and telephone number

b-Company or travel agency name

c-Date of arrival and departure

d-Type and number of rooms requested

e-Desired room rate

f-Number of people in the group, if applicable

g-Method of payment and/or guarantee

h-Any other special requests

Most of the above mentioned information is used to create a reservation record.

4-Sources of Reservations:

1-Central Reservation Systems

2-Intersell Agencies

3-Property Direct Reservation System

5-Group Reservations:

Conducting a reservation request for a group shall be treated differently than accommodating a reservation of individual guests (i.e.Frequent Independent Traveler).The main reason is that individual reservation requests are treated by the reservation department,while group reservations are initiated by the Sales & Marketing division,and finalized through a careful coordination of the reservation from one hand and the marketing from the other.

Below is a detailed procedure of how group reservation,in a typical hotel,is conducted:

1-A group representative,a member of the travel agency or the tour operator,not individuals,shall communicate group reservations' request to the hotel's marketing department



2-Upon availability,the hotel's reservation department shall block the requested number of rooms for this very group

3-The Hotel shall give a deadline for the group,in order to receive their final list.That deadline is called Cut-off Date

4-After receiving the final list,the reservation department shall change the desired number of rooms' status from blocked to booked (or reserved) rooms, and release the remaining rooms (if any left) as vacant

5-If the hotel did not receive the final list by the cut-off date then the reservation department has all the right to cancel the group reservation and release all the initially booked rooms into vacant rooms. However,management shall use this right with precautions especially when it comes to groups reserving from travelagencies and tour operators of which the hotel is frequently operating.

6-Reservation Availability:

After receiving a reservation request,the hotel might accept it,as it is,if there is room availability.If not, the reservation department should suggest alternative room types,dates,and/or rates,to the potential guest.If,however,he potential guest insists on his/her previous request,the hotel should suggest an alternative hotel.That's one of the main reasons why we need to maintain good relation-ships with nearby competing Hotels.

The reservation department should always compare historical reservation volumes against actual arrivals.The main reason is to cope with overbooking,which a situation occurring when the total number of rooms reserved for a certain period of time exceeds the total number of rooms available for sale,for the same period of time.

In order to cope with the overbooking problem,some statistical and historical data should be stored and processed by the hotel and should be continuously updated.Such data should include:

a) Number of rooms reserved for a specific date



b) Number of rooms occupied by stayovers (for a certain specific date)

c) Forecasted no-shows percentage

d) Forecasted understays percentage

e) Forecasted overstays percentage

f) Forecasted cancellation percentage

g) Number of out of order rooms for a specific date

7-Equipment Tracking Room Availability:

In order to function properly,the reservation department shallmaintain control books,wall charts, and/or a computerized system.Whatsoever system chosen,the reservation department shall maintainand update that system to include any reservation transaction (i.e.whether a reservation,cancellation, modification…).Below is adescription of the three commonly used sets of equipment to trackroom availability under the manual,semi-automated and fully-automated systems:

a-Control books:

Control books are standard three-ring,loose-leaf binders with atally Page assigned to each day of the year.Under this verysystem,when a potential guest calls to have a reservation,thereservation clerk shall check the cells corresponding to rooms.Ifthere is an empty cell for all the length of stay of the guest thenthe reservation clerk mark it as X (i.e. reserved).If the guest isexpected to continue staying the next day,then the reservation clerkshall mark the next day's respective room cell as O (i.e.Stayover).Lastly,the reservation clerk is encouraged to use colorswhile updating information or the cells on the control book.

b-Wall charts:

These are charts stapled on the wall depicting days of the monthversus hotel rooms.Moreover,upon need and convenience,these chartsmight be customized to track appropriate room Numbers,rates,and



codes,hence,is advantageous to control books.Moreover,in this verysystem,different colors are used to differentiate between differentreservation transactions, types of guest reserving…Lastly,wallcharts eliminates the erasures and rewriting associated with controlbook,hence lees errors might occur.

c-Computerized systems:

Computerized systems are by far the best systems that track roomavailability.In fact,these very systems control room availabilitydata and automatically generate many reservation-related reports inan accurate manner. Moreover,computerized systems can itemize roomavailability for future periods by open dates,closed dates,versusspecial event dates.Lastly,this very system can forecast roomavailability for any reservation horizon needed in the future.

In the case of non-availability of room type,the system can furthersuggest alternative room types, rates,or even other nearby hotels.

8-Reservation Record:Each reservation department shall prepare a reservation record,whichdepicts the various personal and financial data of guests,for eachreservation transaction. The aim is to identify guests and theiroccupancy needs before guest’s arrival.Moreover,the hotel canpersonalize or customize guest services and better schedule staffaccordingly In order to create a reservation record, the following items areneeded:

-Guest name (and group name,if applicable)-Guest’s home or billing address-Guest’s telephone number,including area code-Name,address,and telephone number of guest’s company,if appropriate-Name of and pertinent information about the person making thereservation,if not the guest -Number of people in the group,and perhaps ages of any children-Arrival date and time-Number of nights required or expected departure date,dependingon how the system is programmed-Reservation type (Guaranteed versus Non-guaranteed)-Special requirements (i.e.infant,disabled guest,or no-smokingaccommodation)



-Additional information,if needed (i.e.late arrival,method oftransportation,flight number, room preferences…)

At the reservation process,reservation agents shall keep inmind that a rate quoted and confirmed must behonored.Moreover,reservation clerks should be aware of thefollowing:

-Supplementary charges for extra services or amenities-Minimum stay requirements in effect for dates requested-Special promotions in effect for dates requested-Applicable currency exchange rates,if quoting rates to aninternational tourist-Applicable room tax percentages-Applicable service charges or gratuities

9-Reservation Confirmation:The hotel should communicate guests by telephone,telex,mail,ore-mail a Letter of Confirmation,which confirms the importantpoints of the reservation agreement.This very letter might beshown at the registration process in order to accelerate thepace of registration and prove that the guest has the right tohave a room at the hotel.The Hotel shall send a confirmation letter to all reservedpotential guests, whether their reservations are guaranteed ornon-guaranteed.Below are the main points that should becommunicated in a confirmation letter:

-Name and address of the guest-Date and time of arrival-Room type and rate-Length of stay-Number of persons in a group, if any-Reservation type (guaranteed or not)-Special requests,if any

10-Reservation Reports:In the reservation department,the widely used management reservationreports include:a-Reservation transaction reportb-Commission agent reportc-Turnaway report (sometimes called the refusal report)



d-Revenue forecast report

11-Expected Arrival,Stayover,and Departure Lists:On a daily basis,the reservation department shall prepare theexpected arrival,stayover,and departures lists and communicate themto the front office department.

Arrival List: List of the names,and surnames along with respectiveroom number of the guests who are expected to arrive the next day.

Stayover List: List of the names,and surnames along with respectiveroom number of the guests who are expected to continue occupy theirrooms the next day.

Departure List:List of the names,and surnames along with respectiveroom number of the guests who are expected to depart the next day.

Potential Reservation Problems:

While processing reservations,reservation clerks might be faced withlot of problems.Below is a tentative categorization of 4 main commonproblems that might be encountered:

1-Errors in a reservation record:

a-Record a wrong arrival or departure date

b- Misspell the guest’s name or reverse it

c-Reserve for the caller instead of the guest

2- Misunderstandings due to industry jargon:

a-Confirmed versus guaranteed reservation

b-Double room versus 2 beds

c-Connecting rooms versus adjacent rooms

3-Miscommunications with external reservation systems:

a-Book a guest in the wrong hotel

b-Book a guest in the wrong city [ex: Pasadena, California versus Pasadena, Texas]

4-Central reservation system failures:Room Division-Accommodatiom Management

29


a-Fail to update central reservation system concerning room availability or to communicate rate changes in real time

b-Delays in communicating reservation requests

c-Equipment used may become technologically obsolete or inoperable

Overbooking

One of the central concepts in Revenue Management is overbooking.Thepractice of overbooking can be defined as confirming more reservations than the hotels’ availablephysical capacity to provide the service.Hence,the objective ofoverbooking is to improve the expected profit and instead of selling each room once,profitcan be increased by selling it several times.

In terms of the hospitality industry,the profitability of hotels is largely dependent on theirutilization of capacity.Conversely,demand for rooms and extensions of stay are veryunstable and are hard to predict.Hoteliers are challenged by how todetermine the occupation of rooms for customers who are financially unequal andmeanwhile– maintain a stable rate of demand given the hard to predict circumstanc.This is all possible utilizing overbooking,whichenables proper allocation ofresources and optimization of sales.

However,maximizing the number of sold rooms per night cannot be easily accomplished.One of the most challenging tasks of the hotel operation management is to deal with theunpredictable nature of the customers, because not all booked reservations will turn into real service consumption.To this end overbooking may entail a companyfromthe hospitality industry not being able to serve all its customers properly because oflower number of initially expected people that donot appear as agreed. In this respect,overbooking may have both positive and negative impact.On the one hand,it may result in refusal to provide a service,but on the other,it can also take the form of compensation for those bookers,who cannot received the valuepackage they have agreed on and paid for.

Therefore hotels adopt overbooking in order to protect against losses with no-shows and tooffset the effect of cancellations and shortened stays.



Impacts of overbooking on hotels operation management

Apart from the opportunity of the hotel to minimize the effect of reservation uncertaintiesthere are possibilities the number of cancellations and no shows to be less then the numberof overbookings, then some of the clients will not be accommodated and should be walkedto other hotels.

Thus, if a hotel decides to employ overbooking in its operations it should manages carefullynot only the opportunity cost of the unsold room but also the overbooking costs foralternative hotel accommodation and transportation that the hotel has to pay in order tocompensate a customer in case of overbooking.

Besides the evident financial costs occurring in case of walking a guest having already booked,“costs the lost hotel’s goodwill and reputation and the risks of dissatisfaction,loss of trust,loss of future customer loyalty are much more expensive for the hotel”.

Overbooking Control:

Encompasses sales of rooms exceeding the maximum availablenumber of rooms to offset for no shows and cancellations. However, there are some risksassociated with overbooking as it may result in grievancesfrom unsatisfied customers whohave received an inappropriate room. In such cases hoteliers offer compensations and fringebenefits .According to Vinod (1992) Revenue Management can bring 20% ofthe total revenues.

Forecasting

Forecasting Room Availability

Forecasting room availability is forecasting the number of rooms available for sale on any future date.This type of forecasting helpsmanage the reservation process,guides the front office staff for an effective rooms management and can be used as an occupancy forecast,which is,further,useful in attempting to schedule the necessary number of employees for an expected volume of business.



In order to forecasting room availability,the following data are needed;

-Number of expected room arrivals

-Number of expected room walk-ins

- Number of expected room stayovers

- Number of expected room no-shows

- Number of expected room cancellation

- Number of expected room understays

- Number of expected room check-outs

- Number of expected room overstays

Forecast Formula

Total number of guest rooms

-Number of out of order rooms

-Number of stayovers rooms

-Number of reserved rooms

+Number of no-show rooms

+Number of cancellation rooms

+Number of check-out rooms

+Number of understay rooms

-Number of overstay rooms

=Number of rooms available for sale

Forecast Sales Example

Product Resort Entity

Month Occ_Rate Forecast Sales



Standart room

Tahoe Jan 90% 65,705

View room Tahoe Jan 87% 69,231Premier room Tahoe Jan 80% 50,400Standart room

Tahoe Feb 92% 67,166

View room Tahoe Feb 87% 69,231Premier room Tahoe Feb 77% 49,510Standart room

Tahoe Mar 87% 63,515

View room Tahoe Mar 83% 66,048Premier room Tahoe Mar 75% 47,250

Farecast Sales = ((Units * Occ_Rate) * Price/Unit)* 30 days.

Hospitality Distribution Channels

In hospitality,particularly in the lodging industry,the traditionalmain distribution channels were the call center andthe travel agencies.Over time, other channels were created.For themost part,these new channels acted as intermediaries between theproperty and the global distribution system (GDS)/travelagent.The advent of the Internet led to profound changes inhospitality distribution.New business models were created,as well asonline-based reservations networks,which allowed worldwide exposureto products while avoiding intermediaries such as the GDSs.Fordetail on this important and complex matter in today’s hospitalityenvironment see the section on ‘Internet Channels.’An overview ofthe various channels is presented next.

Call center

This is a central location phone bank,also called centralreservation office (CRO).In its simplest form, it consists of atelephone and a reservation agent.Generally,call centers have theability to place multiple reservations at the same time throughcentral computer reservation systems(CRSs),usually through an 800number.Hotel companies may have call centers that serve manydifferent properties within the corporation.Airlines and carrental companies usually have one centralized call center in each ofthe different countries where they operate,all interlinked throughthe CRSs.Centralized call centers have the advantage of providing


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consistent service and decreasing the company’s costs,such asmanagement and training.Multi-branded companies, however,may havedifferent call centers and, in some cases,different CRSs withintheir system, mostly due to mergers and acquisitions.

The term ‘CRS reservations’ is sometimes used to refer to thereservations originating from the call center,even though the CRSserves as an intermediary between most other channels and theproperty management system.There are companies that provide thirdparty call centers,which may handle all incoming calls oroverflowing calls in periods of high demand. They may also providecentral reservation services for companies that do not have theirown CRS.

These are technologies that allow worldwide realtime distribution.Aglobal distribution system (GDS) contains a database withinformation on travel products(air, hotel,rental car, etc.),such asschedules,prices,availability, and descriptions.Users are able toaccess information as well as book and/or purchase the hospitalityproducts.As explained by Burns (2000),‘The GDS originated as privatenetworks listing only air flights for use by travel agents.Inthe . . . years since their inception,they have grown to serve aworldwide clientele who use nearly 500,000 access points with a fullarray of travel services.The four major GDS systems areSabre,Galileo/Apollo,Amadeus, and Worldspan.Those systems,however,were built on older technological platforms and do notinterface directly with most property management systems(PMSs).Intermediaries, the switching companies,provide interfacesbetween the suppliers and the GDSs.The supplier pays fees perreservation to a GDS and to the switching companies.Becauseaccessing information from a GDS requires a physical GDS terminaland specific training in codes and search techniques,the GDSs areusually used by travel agents and not by the end consumer.Someoperators used the term GDS to refer to the travel agents,mostlybecause they used to be the main users of the GDSs.

Travel agents

Travel agents act as intermediaries between the customer and thesupplier.The role of the travel agent is to provide information to


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the customer as well as to effectuate the booking and purchase ofthe hospitality product.Examples of travel agents are CarlsonTravel,Thomas Cook,and International Leisure Corporation.They accessrates and place reservations in a variety of ways.The most common isthrough a global distribution system (GDS).Travel agents may alsocontact a property directly,through wholesalers,or by accessing theInternet. The traditional travel agents are also referred to as‘brickand- mortar’ travel agents.Travel agents typically work oncommission,i.e.,they sell rooms at a negotiated rate or at theprevailing rate,and receive a percentage of the sale from thesuppliers.

Meeting planners,group TA,corporate TA

Meeting planners and group travel agents,also simply called ‘thirdparties’ or ‘third party meeting planners,are companies thatspecialize in providing business travel services,such as meetingplanning,incentive travel,andconvention services.Their roles mayoverlap,but generally these third parties prescreen hotels,negotiaterates,and organize events,working with travel agents or acting asspecialized travel agents in order to cater to corporate grouptravel needs.Examples of third parties areCarlson Marketing Group,PGI HRT,and Krisam.Corporate travel agentsperform similar roles,but they are part of a corporation Americanand attend exclusively to the corporation needs.

These agencies promote tourism in certain geographic areas.They maybe sponsored by the state or constitute business associations withthe common goal of providing information and promoting travel incertain regions.Tourist agencies advertise resources,touristattractions, and help customers to plan their trips providingmaps,guides,and effectuating bookings,generally though destinationmanagement systems (DMSs).They are usually located either instrategic target markets or in entrance or strategic points.

Tour operators and wholesalers

According to Lewis and Chambers (1999),tour operators andwholesalers differ from the previous channels in that they takenominal possession, or secure an allotment, of the suppliers


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inventory to sell to the public.Wholesalers,also calledconsolidators,can often negotiate for deeply discounted ratesbecause they buy large volumes or have access to a surplus inventoryof deeply discounted tickets and hotel rooms that they are free tosell at slightly marked-up prices.Their advance purchase agreementsfor hotel rooms also mean that consolidators are often able toprovide inventory when other resources list products as sold out.Thewholesalers obtain rates and availability directly from the supplierand create packages withdifferent accommodation and transportation options,such asairlines,cruise lines,railroads,car rentals,and bus companies,whichare sold directly to the consumer or through travel agents.Examplesof wholesalers are America West, GoGo Tours, and Mark Travel.Touroperators offer discounted packages,which may include meals andtours,and may specialize in certain markets ordestinations.Motorcoach tours are typical tour operator products.TheJapanese Tourist Bureau ( JTB) is an example of a tour operator.

Representation companies

These companies act as sales organizations,representing hotelsthrough their sales force,the representatives,in regional officeslocated in different geographical areas Representation companieseliminate the supplier’s need for establishing sales offices incertain markets. European Hotels Representation and David GreenOrganization are examples of representation companies.A special caseof representatives are the ‘junket reps, individuals who have acasino clientele and work with casinos that arepromoting gambling trips.Junket reps are particularly active ininternational markets.

Internet channels

These channels involve the online dispersal and purchase of travelproducts,and include Internet counterparts of the traditionalchannels.These companies interact with the customer in differentways,forming complex and dynamic distribution arrangements.Theonline reservation environment has two major players:hotel companiesand third party travel companies.Most dot-commers currently use theso-called ‘merchant model, which consists of a certain mark-up overrates to sell rooms in lieu of commissions and fixed fees used in


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traditional GDS-based channels.Internet channels also use innovativesales strategies,such as ‘name your own price auctions’ and opaquemodels.For further details see ‘Internet Channels.’

Property Management System

What is a property management system?A property management system is software used to automate the operations of a hotel.It is the hub of a property's operations-processing reservations, check-ins and check-outs.It keeps track of how many rooms you have left to sell and at what rate. It handles front office accounting, marketing as well as interfacing to other systems such as phone,reservations,restaurant and pay-per-view movies.

AutoClerk's and Lodgical Solution's hotel management systems are thoughtfully designed to help you meet daily challenges of operating your hotel or hotel chain.We give you the powerful technological tools you need to help make informed decisions about every aspect of your organization,resulting in lower costs, better guest services, more accurate inventory,and best of all,a better experience for your guest.

Property Management Systems in Hotel

Physical Structure and Positioning of the Front Desk

This project shows the layout of a computerized front Office,While manual equipment is still being used in some independent properties,the computerized system has become the system of choice, primarily because of the needs of guests,management,and owners.

Guest First Impression

The front desk has always held a pivotal position of importance inthe lodging operation.It is one of the best points of contact withthe guest,and,as such,its ambience sets the tone for thehotel.Neatness orderliness,attractiveness,quality,andprofessionalism are just a few of the impressions that the frontdesk should convey to a guest.The guest wants to feelimportant,safe,and in the hands of professionals. The impression thephysical layout of the desk creates will assist the front office in


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creating a positive image for the operation.Providing hospitality tothe guest and promoting in-house salesare of great importance to thecontinued nancial success of the operation.To provide an environmentfor these objectives to be met,a well-planned physical arrangementof the front desk is important.

The layout of computerized equipment centers on guest service and employee efficiency

1.Monitor and Screen 6.Time Clock

2.Cash Drawer 7.Call Accounting

3.Folio Bucket 8.Emergency Mgmt./Security

4.Printer 9.Display Panel

5.Key Drawer

Creating a Balance between Guest Flow and Employee Work

EquipmentThe front desk should be positioned so that it accommodates theguest while enabling employees to work efficiently.Guests who waitin line for ten minutes only to be told they are in the wrong linewill have a negative impression.Likewise,a desk clerk who has towait to use a printer or share a computer terminal will not be asefficient as possible.As you become familiar with the practice ofprocessing guests at the front desk,you will see how easy it is toplan a layout of the physical equipment needed.

Guest safety


8

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The main entrance of the building and the location of the elevatorusually determine the position of the front desk.The front deskclerk and the night auditor must be able to see anyone who entersthe hotel,to ensure a safe environment for the guest.

Positioning the front desk on the same side as the main entrance andthe elevator is not recommended. Figure 4-2 shows a few arrangementsthat allow entrances to be monitored.In all three settings,the frontdesk clerk has a view of who is coming into the hotel.

Selecting a Property Mnagement System

This section focuses on the components that should be included whendeciding to adopt a PMS.The decision-making process begins withunderstanding the importance of aneeds analysis performed by a teamof front-line staff members.The needs analysisshould focus on theflow of the guests through the hotel and interdepartmentalcommunication needs.A review of administrative paperwork produced bymanagement in allareas of the hotel is also a consideration.Aftermanagement has gathered relevant data concerning operationalneeds,it must objectively determine whether a computer will helpimprove guest service.Other important concepts covered here includesoftwareselection considerations and computer hardware terminology.Areview of how peopleinteract with computers and how a hotel mustmake provisions while hardware is being installed is alsooffered.The importance of computer training and planning abackuppower source for continued computer operation is reviewed.Theoften overlooked maintenanceagreement and the important financialpayback complete the discussion of selecting a PMS.

Importance of a Needs Analysis

Selecting new equipment for a hotel property is best done after aneeds analysis is performed.A needs analysis indicates the flow ofinformation and services of a specificproperty to determine whetherthe new equipment—in this case,computers—canimprove the flow.Thebottlenecks that occur at registration or the lack ofinformationfrom the housekeeping department on the occupancy statusof a room can be alleviatedby the use of computers at the frontdesk.Only after the completion of an operationalflow analysis cancomputer applications be developed to improve the situation.



The importance of needs analysis can be most clearly seen when youconsider whatcan go wrong if such an analysis is not made.The firstarea of concern for property owners and managers is cost,bothinitially and over the long term.As the technology hasevolved andthe equipment become more common,the cost of computerizing a hotelhasdecreased and the payback period has shortened. However,even withthese lower costs,installing and operating a PMS is notinexpensive,and the cost of installing and operatinga system thatdoes not meet the specific needs of a particular property isexorbitant.

A system that works well for one downtown hotel may not meet theneeds of a downtownhotel in another city or of a motel in the samearea.All the technological gadgetryin the world will not impress aguest if the equipment fails to deliver service.The systemmust meetthe needs of the staff as well as the guests.An inappropriate PMSwill produced control reports that are not useful to management;thefunctions of such software therefore are limited,and the cost of thesystem exceeds its value.For example,a hotel ownerwho believes thata PMS will speed registrations and decides to purchase a systemthatdoes not allow housekeeping staff to input room status from theguest room phone willbe disappointed.Procedure for Performing a Needs Analysis

The following list shows the procedure for performing a needs analysis.

1. Select a team to analyze needs.

2. Analyze guests through the lodging property.

-Reservations-Registration-Guest accounting-Checkout-Night audit-Guest history

3. Analyze the information from other departments to the front office.



4. Analyze the administrative paperwork produced in other departments.

5. Review the information gathered in steps 2, 3, and 4.

6. Evaluate the needs that have been identified—such as control reports,communication,and administrative paperwork produced in otherdepartments—in terms of importance.

7. Combine needs to determine desired applications.Property Management Systems

Marketing and Sales -Client,Direct mail,Meeting room information est history,Travel agent

Night Audit -Room and tax posting ,Various operational reports

Accounting -Accounts payable,Payroll,Accounts receivable,Profit-and-loss statement,General ledger,Balance sheet

Human Resources Man. -Personnel les,Time and attendance,Electronicmail

Reservation -Room availability,Yield managementFront Desk -Check-in,Guest credit audit,Room

status,Advancedeposits,Postings to guest accounts,Cashier

Call Accounting -Guest information,Phone call postingHousekeeping -Room statusMaintenance -Work ordersFood and Beverage -Point-of-sale,Inventory,Menu

portability,Recipes

Service Quality

Service quality is the result of the comparison that customers makebetween their expectationsabout a service and their perception ofthe way the service has been performed.Anumber of experts defineservice quality differently.

Parasuraman et al.(1985) define it as the differences betweencustomers,expectation of servicesand their perceived service. If theexpectation is greater than the service performance,perceivedquality is less than satisfactory and hence,customer



dissatisfaction occurs.Lewis and Mitchell(1990),Dotchin and Oakland(1994),and Asubonteng et al.(1996) define service quality astheextent to which a service meets customers,need and expectation.

SERVQUAL DIMENSIONS

Previously, Parasuraman et al.(1985) identify ten determinants formeasuring service qualitywhich aretangibility,reliability,responsiveness,communication,access,competence,courtesy,credibility,security,and understanding/knowledge ofcustomers.Later these ten dimensions were further purified anddeveloped into five dimensions i.e.tangibility,reliability,responsiveness,assurance and empathy to measure servicequality,SERVQUAL (Parasuraman et al., 1988).These five dimensionsidentified as follows:

Tangibility

The physical evidence of front office staff is including apersonality and appearance of personnel,tools,and equipment used toprovide the service.For example,some hotel chains(e.g.Hilton,Mandarin,Sheraton,and Hyatt) consciously ensure thattheir properties are conformed toglobal standards of facilitieswherever they are located(Nankervis, 1995). However,theresearcher,inthis study,is focusing on how welldressed the front office staffare.

Reliability

The ability involves performing the promised service dependably andaccurately.It includes doing it right the first time,which is one ofthe most important servicecomponents for customers.Reliability alsoextends to provide services when promised andmaintain error-freerecords.The following examples present the reliability factor.

Responsiveness

The front office staffs are willing to help customers and provideprompt service to customerssuch as quick service,professionalism inhandling and recovering from mistakes.It has been saidthat .Todayluxury is time1.Consequently,service providers,ability to provideservices in atimely manner is a critical component of servicequality for many guests.



Assurance

Assurance refers to the knowledge and courtesy of employees andtheir ability to convey trustand confidence includingcompetence,courtesy,credibility and security.

-Competence means possession of the required skills and knowledge toperform the services. Itinvolves knowledge and skill of the contactpersonnel,knowledge and skill of operational supportpersonnel,research capability of the organization.

-Courtesy involves politeness,respect,consideration,and friendlinessof contact personnel.

-Credibility involves trust worthiness,believability,honesty;itinvolves having the customer best interest at heart.Contributing tocredibility is company reputation, personal characteristics of thecontact personnel.The degree of hard sell involved in interactionwith the customer.

-Security refers to the freedom from danger,risk or doubt. Itinvolves physical safety, financialsecurity and confidentiality.

Empathy

Empathy refers to the provision of caring and individualizedattention to customers includingaccess, communication andunderstanding the customers.

-Access involves approach,ability and ease of contact.It means theservice is easily accessible by telephone;waiting time to receiveservice is not extensive,hours of operation are convenientandlocation of service facility is convenient.

-Communication means keeping customers informed in language they canunderstand.It means listening to customers,adjusting its languagefor different consumers and speaking simplyand plainly with anovice.It also involves explaining the service itself, explaininghow much theservice will cost,and assuring the customer that aproblem will be handled.

-Understanding the customers means making the effort to understandthe customers need. Itincludes learning the customers specific



requirements,providing individualized attention,recognizing theregular custom.

Effective Interdepartmental Communications in Hotel

Role of the Front Office in Interdepartmental Communications

The front office plays a pivotal role in delivering hospitality toguests.It sets the stage for a pleasant or an unpleasantvisit.Guests,often in an unfamiliar setting and anxious to proceedwith their business or vacation plans, are eager to learn the who,what,when,where,and how of their new environment.These employees arebelieved to have their manager on the pulse of the organization andthe community.Their responses to the guests’ requests forinformation on public transportation, location of hotel facilities,special events in the community,and the like indicate how well thehotel has prepared the front office staff for this importantrole.Front office managers must take an active role in gatheringinformation that will be of interest to guests.They must also beactive in developing procedures for the front office to disbursethis information.The relationships the front office manager developswith the other department directors and their employees are vital togathering information for guests.Developing positive personalrelationships is part of the communication process,but it cannot berelied on to ensure that accurate and current information has beenrelayed. How does the front office manager encourage effectiveinterdepartmental communication (communication between departments)?This chapter provides some background for you as you begin yourprofessional career.It is also important to note thatintradepartmental communication (communication inside adepartment)is applicable to this discussion.

The front office is at the center of this diagram to illustrate themany interdepartmental lines of communication that exist.These linesare based on the direction each department has been given to providehospitality in the form of clean rooms,properly operatingequipment,safe environment,well-prepared food andbeverages,efficient table service, professional organization anddelivery of service for a scheduled function as well as accurateaccounting of guest charges,and the like.These general objectiveshelp department directors organize their operations and meet the


http://hotel-front-office-operation.blogspot.com/2009/04/effective-interdepartmental.html


overall goal of delivering professional hospitality.However,inreality, it requires constant effort to manage the details ofemployees,materials,procedures,and communication skills to produceacceptable products andservices.

Front Office Interaction with Other Departments in the Hotel

The front office staff interacts with all departments of the hotel,including marketing and sales,housekeeping,food andbeverage,banquet,controller,maintenance,security,and humanresources.These departments view the front office as a communicationliaison in providing guest services.Each of the departments has aunique communication link with the front office staff.

Marketing and Sales Department

The marketing and sales department relies on the front office toprovide data on guest histories,details concerning each guest’svisit.Some of the information gathered is based on zip code,frequency of visits, corporate affiliation, special needs, andreservations for sleeping rooms.It is also the front office’s job tomake a good .impression on the public,to relay messages,and to meetthe requests of guests who are using the hotel for meetings,seminars, and banquets.The guest history is a valuable resource formarketing and sales,which use the guest registration information totarget marketing campaigns, develop promotions,prepare mailinglabels,and select appropriate advertising media.The front officestaff must make every effort to keep this database current andaccurate.The process of completing the booking of a special function(such as a wedding reception,convention,or seminar)depends on theavailability of sleeping rooms for guests.The marketing and salesexecutives may have to check the lists of available roomsthree,six,or even twelve months in the future to be sure the hotelcan accommodate the expected number of guests.A database ofavailable rooms is maintained in the property management system bythe front office.A guest contact with the marketing and salesdepartment is usually through the hotel’s switchboard.A competentswitchboard operator who is friendly and knowledgeable about hoteloperations and personnel will make a good impression,conveying tothe prospective client that this hotel is competent.When the guestfinally arrives for the function and contact with the hotel is



usually through the front office staff.The front office manager whomakes the effort to determine which banquet supervisor is in chargeand communicates that information to the desk clerk on dutydemonstrates to the public that this hotel is dedicated to providinghospitality.

Housekeeping Department

Housekeeping and the front office communicate with each other abouthousekeeping room status, the report on the availability of therooms for immediate guest occupancy.Housekeeping room status can bedescribed in the following communication terms:

-Available Clean,or Ready—room is ready to be occupied

-Occupied—guest or guests are already occupying a room

-Stay over—guest will not be checking out of a room on the currentday

-Dirty or On-Change—guest has checked out of the room,but thehousekeeping staff has not released the room for occupancy

-Out-of-Order—room is not available for occupancy because of amechanical malfunction

Housekeeping and the front office also communicate on the details ofpotential house keeping count (a report of the number of guestsregistered in the hotel),security concerns,and requests foramenities (personal toiletry items such asshampoo,toothpaste,mouthwash,and electrical equipment)These issuesare of immediate concern to the guest as well as to supervisors inthe hotel.Reporting of room status is handled on a face-to-face basis in ahotel that does not use a property management system (PMS).Thebihourly or hourly visits of the housekeeper to the front deskclerk are a familiar scene in such a hotel.The official reporting ofroom status at the end of the day is accomplished with ahousekeeper’s room report—a report prepared by the housekeeper thatlists the guest room occupancy status as vacant, occupied, or out-of-order.Sometimes even regular reporting of room status is notadequate, as guests may be anxiously awaiting the opportunity tooccupy a room.On these occasions,the front desk clerk will have to



telephone the floor supervisor to determine when the servicing of aroom will be completed.The housekeeper relies on the room salesprojections—a weekly report prepared and distributed by the frontoffice manager that indicates the number ofdepartures,arrivals,walk-ins,stopovers,and no-shows—to scheduleemployees.Timely distribution of the room sales projections assiststhe executive housekeeper in planning employee personal leaves andvacation days.

The front desk also relies on housekeeping personnel to report anyunusual circumstances that may indicate a violation of security forthe guests.For example,if a maid or houseman notices obviously noregistered guests on a floor,are exit that has been propped open,orsounds of a domestic disturbance in a guest room,he or she mustreport these potential security violations to the front office.Thefront office staff,in turn,will relay the problem to the proper in-house or civil authority.The front office manager may want to directthe front desk clerks and switchboard operators to call floorsupervisors on a regular basis to check activity on the guest doors.

Guest requests for additional or special amenities and guest roomsupplies may be initiated at the front desk.The prompt relay ofrequests for extra blankets,towels,soap,and shampoo to housekeepingis essential.This is hospitality at its best.

F&B Department

Communication between the food and beverage department and the frontoffice is also essential. Some of this communication is conveyed byrelaying messages and providing accurate information on transfers,which are forms used to communicate a charge to a guest’saccount.Communication activities also include reporting predictedhouse counts,an estimate of the number of guests expected toregister based on previous occupancy activities,and processingrequests for paid-outs,forms used to indicate the amounts of moniespaid out of the cashier’s drawer on behalf of a guest or an employeeof the hotel.These vital services help an overworked food andbeverage manager,restaurant manager,or banquet captain meet thedemands of the public.Incoming messages for the food and beveragemanager and executive chef from vendors and other industryrepresentatives are important to the business operation of the food



and beverage department.If the switchboard operator is giveninstructions on screening callers (such as times when the executivechef cannot be disturbed because of a busy workload or staffmeetings,or vendors in whom the chef is not interested),theimportant messages will receive top priority.

In a hotel that has point-of-sale terminals,computerized cashregisters that interface with a property managementsystem,information on guest charges is automatically posted to aguest’s folio,his or her record of charges and payments.When a hoteldoes not have point-of-sale terminals that interface with PMS point-of-sale terminals, the desk clerk is responsible for postingaccurate charges on the guest folio and relies on transfer slips.Inaddition,the night auditor’s job is made easier if the transfer slipis accurately prepared and posted.The front office manager shouldwork with the food and beverage director in developing standardoperating procedures and methods to complete the transfer ofcharges.The supervisors in the food and beverage department rely onthe predicted house count prepared by the front office manager toschedule employees and predict sales.For example,the restaurantsupervisor working the breakfast shift will want to know how manyguests will be in the hotel so he or she can determine how manyservers to schedule for breakfast service. Timely and accuratepreparation of this communication tool assists in staffing controland sales predictions.Authorized members of the food and beveragedepartment will occasionally ask the front office for cash, in theform of a paid-out, to purchase last-minute items for a banquet,thelounge,or the restaurant or to take advantage of other unplannedopportunities to promote hospitality. Specific guidelines concerningcash limits,turnaround time,prior approval,authorized signatures,andthe general manager and front office manager develop purchasereceipts.These guidelines help to maintain control of paid-outs.

Housekeeping Department

The Housekeeping Department is one of the busiest sections in thehotel as far as the variety of functions performed,and number ofstaff working.It is usually situated at the laundry room or anyother convenient place close to Housekeeping Supplies.TheHousekeeping Department is responsible for:



-Neatness and Cleanliness of all guest rooms and most public areas

-Maintenance of recycled and non-recycled cleaning inventories

Some of the above mentioned functions might however be leased to aconcessionaire.In this case,hotel shall still have a housekeepingdepartment but to a minimum number of staff!The HousekeepingDepartment is headed by an Executive Housekeeper (sometimes referredto as Housekeeping Manager).

The procedure of cleaning guest rooms by the housekeeping departmentcan be summarized in the following way:

1-Checkout clerk (or cashier) contacts the Housekeeping Departmentthat a room became vacant and needs cleaning!

2-Housekeeping Department updates the room status from occupied toon-change and sends a room maid to clean the room

3-Room maid cleans the room and contacts the housekeeping departmentback about the latest status and condition of the room (especiallyfor out-of-order and out-of-service!)

4-If the room is Out Of Order for any reason (i.e.Room isextensively dirty,or needs repair!),then the Housekeeping Departmentdeducts that room from those available for sale,until eitherscheduled to be extensively cleaned or post to the confirmation fromthe Maintenance Department that the deficiency was repaired!

5-Housekeeping Department sends their inspectors to check whetherthe stated room has been cleaned to the hotel standards or not!

6-If the room is cleaned to hotel’s standards,the HousekeepingDepartment shall update the room status from On-Change to Clean andAvailable for Sale and communicate this to the Front OfficeDepartment!

7-If the room is not cleaned to hotel standards, inspectorscommunicate to the Housekeeping Department that the room shall becleaned again!

Relationship Between Housekeeping and Other Departments


ENGINEERINGFRONT OFFICEF&B


Personnel

Housekeeping co-ordinates with the Personnel Department for therecruitment of housekeeping staff, salaryadministration,indiscipline,grievance procedures,identity cards forstaff,induction, transfers,promotions and exit formalities.

Purchase

The Purchase Department procures out-of-stock items for Housekeepingsuch as guest supplies kept in rooms,stationery,linen of varioustypes,detergents,etc…

Engineering

The Housekeeping Department and the Engineering Departmentliterally control about 90% of the energy consumed in a hotel.Thetwo departments can create a synergetic effect to increaseoperational efficiency and better control of energy consumption.Aclose co-ordination is necessary with Engineering which actuallycarries out the task of fixing out-of-order furniture andfixtures.As Housekeeping personnel are constantly spread throughoutthe hotel,checking on various things,they originate maintenanceorders for the Engineering Department to attend to.The maintenance


SECURITY LAUNDRY

STORES PERSONNEL PURCHASE

HOUSEKEEPING


orders could cover a number of duties such as fused bulbs,brokenfurniture,plumbing not functioning in guest rooms or publicbathrooms,air-conditioning not working,broken fixtures,etc.To beable to ‘clear’ a room for sale to the Front Office,it is necessarythat all malfunctioning items in a guest room are attended topromptly by Engineering.Hence close co-ordination / co-operation isnecessary. Housekeeping would also hand over rooms to Engineeringfor major repairs or renovation.The latest trend among both largeand small hotels is to have one manager in charge of bothengineering and housekeeping.

Laundry

This is a department that can enhance the quality of housekeepingservices.The responsibility of laundry to housekeeping is two-fold:

-To wash and dry clean linen and staff uniforms to a very highstandard of cleanliness.

-To supply clean uniforms and linen to Housekeeping on time.

Housekeeping has to ensure that clean linen is issued to guestrooms,restaurants,health clubs, etc.as this directly reflects thequality and image of the establishment.If these are not received ontime from the laundry,rooms would not be ready or restaurantswould not open,etc.The coordination becomes crucial in view of thelarge volume of linen and uniforms that is involved.

F&B

The restaurants and banquets constantly require clean tableclothes,napkins,etc.Their staff,as well as those in thekitchen,require clean uniforms- the former because they are in guestcontact and the latter due to strict standards of hygiene requiredin the kitchens by most governments.

Security

The guest room is the most private place and a hotel goes to greatlengths to ensure guest privacy and security.However,a guest cantake advantage of this privacy by gambling,smuggling,etc.Housekeeping has to be alert to these goin on and seek the securitydepartment’s intervention,if necessary.



Stores

Larger hotels have a House-keeping Store that stockshousekeeping linen and supplies independently.Smaller hotels maystock them in the general store except for linen which should beissued to the housekeeping department.The coordination with thestores would ensure the availability of day-to-day requirements forhousekeeping.

Front Office

The main two important areas where collaboration is vital betweenthe Housekeeping and Front Office Department are listed below:

1-Have always clean rooms for expected arrivals and stayovers

2-Satisfy special guest needs as far as amenities and facilitiesrequested in their rooms are concerned

1-Cleaning and Inspection Process:

The Room Status for each room determines how mucheffort,time,labor,and hence scheduled staff is needed by theHousekeeping Department on any shift.

The Housekeeping Department shall first clean rooms for expectedarrivals first,then stayover rooms and eventually vacant rooms!Thereason is that rooms for new arrivals takes more time to be cleanedto hotel standards again and that guests might come any time torequest their rooms even before the pre-determined beginning ofcheck-in time!

That’s why;the Housekeeping Department shall be communicated fromthe reservation department on a daily basis ExpectedArrival,Stayover,and Departure Lists to be able to schedule theoptimum number of room maids and inspectors for the expectedbusiness volume!

Moreover,bearing in mind the cleaning procedure of guest roomsexplained above,there should be a communication between the FrontOffice Department and Housekeeping Department to be able tocommunicate the recent room status of each room!This communicationis vital because nobody would like to make a guest wait in the lobby



because his/her room is not yet clean or due to the fact that theHousekeeping Department did not communicate on real time the statusto the Front Office!Lastly,the Housekeeping Department shall ensurethat every room maid shall use efficiently most of his valuable timein cleaning not in going back and forth in the corridors!

Yet, since some hotels might operate under the manual or Semi-automated systems,some delays and hence,problems might occur!Toillustrate,let’s consider the guest room cleaning process along withthe different operating modes under which a hotel might operate:

a-Manual System:

Under this very system,due to the fact that room maids shall firstclean rooms for new arrival,then stayover rooms and at last vacantrooms,these very cleaning personnel have two ways to do it:

-Post to cleaning each room,go to the Housekeeping Department,informthem about the status and then come back to clean the next room.Thiswould solve the potential problem that a guest might be waiting fora clean room due to a communication of the housekeeping departmentnot in real tome! However this would decrease the number of roomscleaned and inspected by room maids and inspectors,which would meanhigher housekeeping labor costs!

-Post to cleaning certain category of rooms, and/or all rooms, roommaids inform the Housekeeping Department,and then inspectors wouldinspect all rooms,at the same time,inform the department about therecent statuses!!This would increase maids’ and inspectors’efficiency but would cause guests waiting in the lobby to beescorted to their rooms!

b-Semi-automated System:

Under this very system,room maids and inspectors might use either aphone machine situated at the center of each corridor,or pagers andbeepers to communicate the recent room status.This proved to beefficient as to minimize labor cost and the time that a guest spendson the lobby waiting to be escorted to his/her room! However,thismight create some problems:

-Upon the usage of beepers,the Housekeeping Department doesn’t knowexactly which room is cleaned or inspected,therefore will spend



needless time to be certain which would put more stress on Check-inpersonnel to convince a waiting guest in the lobby area!

-Guests tend to be both not at ease and dissatisfied seeing hotelpersonnel in their rooms using pagers and might think that somethingwrong happened in their rooms!

c-Fully Automated System

This is the best system,which eliminates nearly all time lossesspent by room maids and inspectors,to inform the HousekeepingDepartment and the time needed to be spent needlessly at the lobbyarea!

Under this very system,each room maid and inspector, prior to thefulfillment of his or her duties in the room,can send a codedmessage from the guest’s room telephone to the HousekeepingDepartment. Later an electronic message can be send automatically tocheck-in personnel confirming that the room is cleaned to standardsand waiting for the next arrival!

2. Room Status Report:

The Front Office and the Housekeeping Department shall prepare atthe same time,as frequent as needed by management,their room statusreports, which lists,according to each department,the recent roomstatus of each room in the hotel.Later,these two reports shall becross-referenced and compared to detect room status discrepanciesand correct them as soon as possible in order to maximize roomrevenue,detect skippers before it is too late…

In the manual systemroom status reports shall be reconciled at leasteach hour.This very frequency might increase as the business volumeincreases (i.e.in the high season)!

In the semi-automated system,reconciliation shall be at least onceper shift (preferably at the beginning of each shift)!

Lastly under the fully automated system,since housekeeping and frontoffice department’s communication is ensured electronically on real



time,reconciliation needs to be done only at the night shift by thenight auditor!

3. Room Guest Needs Satisfaction:

If at the reservation or registration process,guests havecommunicated certain specific needs related to certain specificamenities and/or facilities that needed to be provided in theroom,then the Front Office Department shall communicate thisdirectly to the Housekeeping Department or indirectly to theConcierge who shall further communicate this to the HousekeepingDepartment and follow up to ensure the actual provision in a timelyand accurate manner!

Importance of Housekeeping

-Housekeeping is the department that deals essentially withcleanliness and all ancillary service attached to that.

-The standard plays an important role in the reputation of thehotels.One feels comfortable only in the environment which is cleanand well ordered, so cleanliness is important for health foremostalso for well being.

-Accommodation in hotels tend to be the largest part of the hotel,itis the most revenue generating department,the housekeepingdepartment takes care of all rooms is often largest department inhotels.

-The rooms in hotels are offered as accommodation to travelers/guestas individual units of bedroom. Some interconnected rooms are alsomade which will be helpful to the guest and families. Many hotelsoffer suits to the guest.

-Hotel offer laundry,dry leaning facilities for guest clothes,shoepolishing facilities also.

-Hotel aims to make environment comfortable and offer specialisedservice to the guest.

-Hotel offer guest the choice of specialty restaurant,coffeeshop.The bar also sells liquors which generate the revenue of the



hotel.They are available in banqueting,meeting and private partyfacilities.

-Revenue can be generated from conferencing,meeting,seminar etc.

-These days shopping arcade also found in hotels.

-A health club is a part of facilities of most large hotelsespecially resort hotels this also include swimming pool and spafacilities.

-Hotels try to make the ambiance as pleasant as possible by nicecolour scheme,attractive furnishing and a well kept efficient staff.

-House keeping is the department determine to a large extent whetherguests are happy during stay and in turn mankind they return to thehotel.

-The fine accommodation and service are provided to the guest sothey are pleased with the hotel.The guest satisfaction is itsprimary object and the hygiene factor must always be present in thehotel.

In hotels major part of revenue comes from rooms,rooms which is notsold on any night losses revenue forever and reason for pooroccupancy can be anything like hygiene factor,cleanliness,lack ofmodernizing etc.hence main purpose is to improve whole appeal of theroom.A guest spend more time alone in his room than any other partof the hotel,so he can check up the cleanliness he wishes to as someof the guest are more health conscious these days.

He may check up dusting,in-depth cleaning and losses confidence ifproperly not done e.g.If drawers are not cleaned he may generallywon't feel like putting his clothes down.Decent room supplies areservice like quick laundry and dry cleaning service shows guest thathotel is considering his comfort and wishes to please him. not onlythis from the cleanliness of lobby, public area,restaurant,cloakrooms,the state and cleanliness of uniform the guest can judgea lot about hotel.It can be positive or negative judgement we canconclude that housekeeping department contributes greatly to allguest impression of the hotel.



Conclusion

In this report,room division had analyzed.The major departments inthe rooms division are Front Office and Housekeeping.A few hotel mayalso include security.Especially,Front Office department andHousekeeping department had examined thoroughly in this report.

The main purpose of hotel organizations are that increase the rateof room occupancyrate,achive customer satisfaction and finally gethigh profit margine.For that,each departments in hotel organizationsare very important to succeed organization.Some departments worksfor financing goals of organization(marketing&sales,purchase,banquetetc…) and some departments works for customer satisfaction.But alldepartment has that goals.

Room Division is the most important revenue center for hotelorganization.The main goal of hotel organizations sells room.Otheractivities like food and beverage are fringe benefits.In this stepFront Office department firstly should sell rooms(up-selling) afterthat they should sell other departments products(cross-selling).

Front Office departmant is heart of the hotelorganization.Interdepartmental communication is very important forsuccees of hotel organization.In this step Front Office departmenthas huge responsibility.Because Front Office department is focalpoint for all departments.

On the other hand,Front Office department is very important forcustomer satisfaction.When customer comes to hotel,firstly theyencourter with Front Office department.It is first impression forthem.And this impression is very important for customer thinks.Afterthis step if customers have a problem,they call to receptionfirstly.If they wants to know something about hotel or



environment,they ask to recepcion.For this reasons,Front Officepersonnel should know duty and responsibilities.They should knoweverythink about hotel and environment and they should informcustomer.

Housekeeping department the most vital department in a hotel.Housekeeping is the department that deals essentially withcleanliness and all ancillary service attached to that.Housekeepingdepartmant has highest impact on customers.AndCleanliness is the keyto success of organization.Because customers wants clean and tidyroom.On the other hand Housekeeping department is largest departmentin terms of people.For this reasons Housekeeping department isimportant for organizations.

Finally,room division is very important for hotel organizations.Soroom division managers and personnels should beexperienced,knowledgeable and smiling.First of all they should knowhuman relationship.If hotel organizations wants to succeed,theyshould give importance to Front Office department.

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