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Front Office LessonPROGRAMME NATIONAL DIPLOMA CATERING AND HOTEL MANAGEMENT COURSE CODE 124: FRONT OFFICE OPERATIONS On completion of this course the student should be able to understand the relationship of thefront office department with other departments within the organisation, the value, attributes,social skills and the functions of the front office and its employees. The course is designed alsoto teach the checking procedures and the various records for registration, the communicationprocesses in hospitality organisations and the importance of the telephone as a means of communication. LECTURE TITLE Front Office – Introduction 1. INTRODUCTION The FRONT OFFICE is the ―nerve centre‖ of a hotel. Members of the front -office staff welcome the guests, carry their luggage, and help them register, give them their roomkeys and mail, answer questions about the activities in the hotel and surrounding area,and finally check them out. In fact, the only direct contact most guests have with hotelemployees, other than in the restaurants, is with members of the front-office staff.The front office functions can be divided into five general areas: 1. Reception2. Bell service3. Mail and information4. Concierge5. Cashiers and night auditorsTwo major departments are represented in this list. The employees staffing the first fourareas are in the rooms department. The fifth is the financial area, where guest charges areaccumulated and posted to the bills, and all cash transactions are consummated. These areall accounting-department functions, and so the cashiers and night auditors are in thatdepartment.The Front Office function of a Hotel is to act as the public face of the hotel, primarily bygreeting hotel patrons and checking in guests.It also provides assistance to guests during their stay, completes their accommodation,food and beverage, accounts and receives payment from guests.The Front Office Department is typically composed of 1. Reception2. Reservation3. Concierge4. PBX (phone service system)5. Telephone Reception The reception desk is usually the place at which guests from the first impressions of thehotel. It is also the communication centre for the hotel operations. The reception desk may comprise of such tasks which are:-1. Cashiering 2. Mail and information3. Registration4. Room assignment The reception desk is located in the busiest area of a hotel‘s lobby. The main financial tasks which are handled by the front office are as follows:-1. Receiving cash payments.2. Handling guest folios.3. Verifying checks.4. Handling foreign currencies /credit cards.The above is to give an over view of the duties and organization of the front officedepartment.Guests who found themselves away from home, in a new environment or unfamiliarsettings are usually anxious to proceed with their business or vacation plans withoutdel ay. They usually want to know or learn the ―who, what, when, where and how‖ of their new environment. The guests usually request or ask for information through thedoor man, switch board operator, front desk or clerk or cashier, because these employeesare the most visible to the guest and also seem by guests as most knowledgeable. These employees response to the guests‘ requests or questions about public transport, location of hotel facilities, special events in the community etc. indicates how well thehotel has prepared the front office for this important vole.Front office managers must take an active role in gathering information that will beinterest to guests.The relationships the front office manager develops with the other departmentaldirect or‘s and their employees are vital to gathering information for guests. Developing positive personal relationship is part of the communication process. QUESTIONS 1- Explain why the front office is called the nerve centre and ‗focal point‘ of all activities in the establishment. PROGRAMME NATIONAL DIPLOMA CATERING AND HOTEL MANAGEMENT. COURSE CODE 124: FRONT OFFICE OPERATIONS On completion of this course the student should be able to understand the relationship of thefront office department with other departments within the organisation, the value, attributes,social skills and the functions of the front office and its employees. The course is designed alsoto teach the checking procedures and the various records for registration, the communicationprocesses in hospitality organisations and the importance of the telephone as a means of communication. LECTURE TITLE · Interrelationship of the front office with other departments 2.1 The front office interaction and relationship with other departments. The front office staff interacts with all departments of the hotel, including marketing andsales, housekeeping, food and beverage, banquet, controller maintenance, security andhuman resources.
