THM201: Front Office Management I

1. THM201: Front Office Management I Check-in and related issues: Lesson Objectives Understand the check in procedure Understand the process of arrival and registration Describe the different methods of registration Describe the ‘room status’ form Be able to allocate room efficiently Understand and be able to explain the different responsibilities once the guest is in residence Be able to explain departure Possible Exam questions

2. Introduction Normally some time passes between the guest making the booking and his actual arrival During which the FO has dealt with hundreds of other guests However, it must still be ready to receive the guest The FO must keep track of the visitor once onsite Therefore a good deal of record keeping must be kept

3. Check-in procedure Guest action Front office task ________________________________________________________ Arrival - Checks booking detail ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Registration - Checks registration - Allocates room and issues key ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Goes to room - Directs guest/ arranges escort - Notifies other departments - Opens bill Uses facilities - Posts charges - Passes mail and messages ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Settles account - Checks and presents bill ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Departs - Notifies other departments - Updates records

4. Arrival and registration The arrivals list Prepared before the guest arrives (24 Hours) Groups may be circulated a week in advance as they require more preparation Copies are circulated to HK, Switchboard, Head Porter, F&B Manager and GM However some guests may turn out to be ‘no-shows’ and some last minute bookings The arrivals list is electronically prepared today, however a manually prepared list is very time consuming

5. Arrival and Registration Registration Guests must be greeted politely And asked to ‘register’ (A request of information) Registration serves three main functions: It satisfies the legal requirements It provides a record of actual arrivals as opposed to bookings and useful for market analysis It helps to confirm the guest’s acceptance of the hotel’s terms and conditions, and is therefore useful in the event of legal proceedings

6. Arrival and Registration Legal requirements Immigration Order of 1972, hotelier must distinguish between non-aliens and aliens. Non-aliens are currently: British passport holders Commonwealth citizens Citizens of the Republic of Ireland Members of NATA armed forces Foreign diplomats, envoys and their staff (this is under the Diplomatic Privileges Act, 1964) An alien must provide the following information (Must hold this for 12 months): The number of his passport Its place of issue Details of his next destination, and if possible his address there Purpose is to enable immigration authorities to keep track

7. Types of register Registration book Advantages: It is compact, relatively cheap and difficult to lose It is hard to alter without detection It records arrivals in chronological order Disadvantages: It is very slow if there are large numbers of guests It lacks confidentiality

8. Types of register Registration Card Same as book but it is more expensive and easier to lose; also cards are more flexible (Groups, coloring) Preregistration: Reduces delay Often completed for groups in advance

9. Types of register Computerized check-in The computer package makes the required preparations It is time efficient It eliminates mistakes

10. Types of register Automated check-in A new development Doesn’t require staff Activated by credit card History is recorded when the booking is made If it’s a ‘chance’ guest which appears if the machine doesn’t recognize the card number than a menu appears listing the available rooms Sophisticated machines offer alternative service such special requests

11. Automated Check-in Advantages: They reduce costs They can increase occupancy and room revenue They increase security They can be moved closer to the customer Disadvantages: Reduction of the ‘hospitality’ Very few hotels have opted for this option internationally

12. Other registration preparation requirements Room status record (pg 41) It is necessary to keep a record of rooms for the following reasons: If occupied by whom, for how long, and for how much If unoccupied, whether it is available for letting, or not yet ready, or unavailable because it has been taken out of service for repairs or redecoration

13. Other registration preparation requirements Room allocation Selectively given to increase occupancy VIPs should be allocated whatever room them want. Otherwise the best available should be allocated Guests with special requirements should be provided accordingly E.g: Disabled facilities Children and babies Elderly Regular guests should be given the room they normally stay in Early bookings and longs stays should also be given priority in respect to the better rooms -Some compromises will have to be made -an experienced receptionist will learn to hold back a proportion of the better rooms - Room usage however, must be utilized as much as possible to maintain (Individual hand out activity sheet: Room Allocation for The Grove Hotel)

14. Room types Single 1. Single bed Double 1. Double sized bed Twin 2. Single bed in large room Triple 3. Single beds (Can be on special request) Superior Suite King Suite Presidential Suite Penthouse

15. Guest in residence Your responsibilities do not end here. Your main ongoing task is to make sure the guests bill is kept up to date. However there are a variety of other services you will be expected to perform: Room change (pg. 13) Key control (pg. 25) Mail Incoming telephone calls (pg. 33) Outgoing telephone calls Safe custody Information (pg. 39-41) Early morning wake-up calls (pg. 29) (Handouts Group Activity)

16. Departures Confirming departures Good practice to confirm departure a night before as guests give little notice of change Additional services An alarm call Assistance with luggage Help with onward travel Complaints for other departments Departure notification Other departments require notification of departures, often notified by departure lists printed/prepared by FO Updating the immediate records Systems Manual (i.e. room rack) or automatic Guest history records Dates Room used Total bill Any special like or dislikes Filing

17. Possible exam questions Explain the check in procedure What is the process of arrival and registration? Explain Describe the different methods of registration Describe the ‘room status’ form Allocate the following rooms on the table provided What are the different responsibilities of FO once the guest is in residence? explain What are the different responsibilities of FO for when the guest is to depart? explain