Q. Explain the role of computers in the following sections of hotel which can help in providing a better guest experience.
(a) Night Auditing
(b) Reservations
(c) Front Desk
(d) Point of Sale
Ans: Night Auditing: Night auditors use computer software for daily and overall accounting purposes. This includes reviewing the day’s check-ins and check-outs, payments received and owing and complementary given out, to make sure all is in order. Lodging managers also use computers for keeping track of inventory and ordering supplies, to verify conference schedules and to create reports for the higher-ups.
Reservations: Use of computers has made the reservation or booking of rooms easy. It helps the reservation staff to rapidly check the availability of rooms when the guest calls for reserving a room. Reservation staff uses computer software programs to make reservations. Using the program, they determine which rooms and rates are available for a specific night or range of nights.
Front Desk: Front desk personnel use the software to check-in and check-out of guests and to print off bills. Additionally, they may check the computer to see if a room has been cleaned before checking in a guest. Finally, front desk staff enters guest names and mailing addresses into a database to use for future reservations or to send out information.
Point-of-Sale: Hotels that have a restaurant may employ a computerized point of-sale (POS) system/ terminals and registers that control guest checks, kitchen orders, and guest payments. Restaurant staff or stewards enter food and drink orders into the POS system, which prints KOT (kitchen order ticket) for the kitchen and bar staff that they know what to prepare.
Q. Explain etiquette and manners and Calmness and as two significant qualities of front office staff?
Ans: Etiquette and Manners: Etiquette and Manners are the essential quality that every front office staff has to possess whether it is small or large hotel. Guests of all status come to stay in the hotel and they are used to good manners and politeness. Especially the star level hotels are the meeting place of the social elites of the society. All the grace and etiquette associated with good society comes into play. In this level of environment good manners, courtesy and politeness must be maintained in service. Wishing guest as per time of the day and using magic words to satisfy them are important traits of hotel staff.
Calmness: Front office staff should have calmness to take the busy demands of front office operations. Being the nerve centre of the hotel, the front office is constantly in touch with guests and therefore invariably comes under tremendous pressure. The guests always expect personalized, priority treatment and pressure of demand never ceases. Coupled with this there are difficult guests who can unnerve a person.
Q. Explain main functions of the following departments of front office.
(a) Concierge
(b) Cash and Bills
Ans: Concierge
The concept of concierge came from the days of European royalty. The concierge was the castle door keeper in those times. His duty was to ensure that all castle occupants were safe in their rooms at night. The main functions of concierge are as follows:
1. Make reservations for dining in famous restaurants.
2. Obtaining tickets for theatres, musical, sporting events.
3. Arranging for transportation by cars, coaches, buses, trains or airplanes.
4. Providing information on cultural and social events like photo exhibitions, art shows etc.
Cash and Bills
It is also located at front desk and handle by front-office cashier. The main functions of cashier are as follows:
1. The secure payment from the guest.
2. To change foreign currency as per rules and regulation of the hotel.
3. To manage safety deposit locker.
4. To settle guest account while check-out.
5. To balance cash at the close of shift.
6. To complete the guest check-out procedure.