1. determine the type of guest (new/returning) by checking the database. 2. ensure preferences of the guest to give a personal touch to the service. 3. issue accommodation keys to the guest. 4. maintain guest’s account with the accounting system. 5. interact with the guests to handle request for an accommodation. 6. create a guest’s account with the FO accounting system. 7. prepare the guest’s bill. 8. reports 9. collect detail information while guest registration. 10. check accommodation availability and assigning it to the guest 11. settle guest payment at the time of check-out.

1. BO 2. BO 3. FO 4. BO 5. FO 6. FO 7. BO 8. BO 9. FO 10. BO 11. FO

FOOM- Prelims Flashcards by Martina Raine A. Jacob

in the hotel industry, this includes the work of:

processing reserving accommodations
registration of guests upon arrival
maintaining accurate guest accounts with the hotel
night auditing
coordination with various
other departments for providing delightful guest services

front office operation management

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the main department of the hotel business which directly interacts with the customers or guests when they first arrive at the hotel.

front office department

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staffs are very visible to guests

front office department

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the control center/ nerve center of the hotel
provides 24-hr service towards handling guests

front office department

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handles the transactions between the hotel and its guests
strikes the first impression

front office staff

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front office personnel should always (3):

carry a smile
alert
accommodating at all times

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TRUE/ FALSE: it is very important that the front desk staff all necessary information related not only inside but also outside of the hotel.

TRUE

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TRUE/ FALSE: the front desk is commonly not manned 24 hours a day.

FALSE

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morning shift:
mid shift:
afternoon shift:
night shift:

M: 6AM- 2PM
MD: 10AM- 6PM
A: 2PM- 10PM
N: 10PM- 6AM

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basic responsibilities of the front office department:

create guest database
coordinate guest service
sell a service
ensure guest satisfaction
exchange foreign currency
handle complaints

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primary responsibility of the front office department:

ensure smooth operation at the front desk area

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two (2) categories of front office operation:

front- house operations
back- house operations

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these operations are visible to the guests of the hotel
guests can interact and see these operations

front-house operations

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these operations are conducted in the absence of the guests or when the guest’s involvement is not required
separate office is situated just at the back of the front desk

back-house operations

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determine the type of guest (new/returning) by checking the database.
ensure preferences of the guest to give a personal touch to the service.
issue accommodation keys to the guest.
maintain guest’s account with the accounting system.
interact with the guests to handle request for an accommodation.
create a guest’s account with the FO accounting system.
prepare the guest’s bill.
reports
collect detail information while guest registration.
check accommodation availability and assigning it to the guest
settle guest payment at the time of check-out.

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the stage when the customer is planning to avail an accommodation in the hotel
the customer tries to find out more information about the hotel by visiting its website

pre-arrival stage

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during the pre-arrival stage, the customer or the potential guest inquires about the availability of the desired type of accommodation and its amenities via ___ or ___

telephone call
e-mail

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TRUE/ FALSE:
at the guest end, the front office accounting system captures the guest’s information such as name, age, contact numbers, probable duration of stay for room reservation and so on.

FALSE (guest- hotel)

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the front office reception staff receives the guest in the reception
the porters bring in the guest luggage
a GRC is given
the clerk registers the guest in the database, creating a guest record and a guest account along with it

arrival stage

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For the guest with confirmed reservation, the front office clerk hands over a ____ to the guest and requests the guest to fill in personal information regarding their stay in the hotel.

Guest Registration Card (GRC)

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the clerk hands over a welcome kit and keys of the accommodation
after the procedure of registration, the guest can start occupying the accommodation.

arrival stage

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a front office accounting system is responsible for tracking guest charges from the hotel restaurants, room service, bar, or any outgoing telephone calls made via the hotel’s communication systems
front office staff is responsible to manage and issue the right keys of the accommodations to the right guests

occupancy stage

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on guests’ request, the staff also makes arrangement for transportation, babysitting, or local touring while the guest is staying in the hotel

occupancy stage

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the front office accounting system ensures payment for goods and services provided
if a guest’s bill is not completely paid, the balance is transferred from guest to non-guest records. when this occurs, collection becomes the responsibility of the back office accounting division

departure stage

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if a guest’s bill is not completely paid during their departure, the balance is transferred from guest to non-guest records. when this occurs, collection becomes the responsibility of the ____.

back office accounting division

- the front office staff thanks the guest for giving an opportunity to serve and arrange for handling luggage - in addition, if the guest requires airport or other drop service, the front office bell desk fulfills it

departure stage

- provides a clear picture of the lines of authority and the channels of communication within the department - not only provides for a systematic direction of orders but also protects employees from being over directed - it shows that each employee should take orders only from the person directly above him/her

the front office department organizational chart

in a large hotel, the FO department is headed by the ___ and is assisted by the respective reservation manager, front desk manager, and revenue manager

FO director

in a large hotel, the FO department is headed by the FO director and is assisted by these three (3):

reservation manager front desk manager revenue manager

TRUE/ FALSE: the FO department organizational chart must be posted in an area, so that all Front Office staff can see where they fit into the overall organization of the department.

TRUE

Ideally, the organization chart needs to be placed on the ____ and the ___.

FO notice board BOH area

Directly supervises all front office personnel and ensures proper completion of all front office duties.

FO manager

Responsible to assist the Front office manager in his day to operations and also take charge when FOM is not available.

Assistant FO manager

directly supervises the reception, concierge, telephone, travel desk and the bell desk

duty manager

Responsible for all the guest relations related activities in the hotel.

guest relations manager

Responsible for all reservations related tasks.

reservation manager

responsible for managing the hotels online inventory, website, online travel agents, etc.

revenue manager

Registers guests, and maintains room availability information.

front desk agent

Maintains and settles guest folios, and properly checks out guests.

cashier

Controls the job of the Accounts Receivable Clerk, and prepares daily reports to management ex. Occupancy Report and Revenue Report

night auditor

takes messages, provides directions to guests, and maintains mail

mail & information clerk

Responsible to assist guests by booking tours, making theatre and restaurant reservations, etc.

concierge

Manages the Switchboard and coordinates Wake-up Calls.

telephone operator

Responds to reservation requests and creates reservation records.

reservation agents

Responsible to oversee and assists the duties and tasks of the respective staff work.

supervisors

Handles Guest Luggage, escorts Guests to their Rooms, and assists guests for any bit of information requested.

bellman

qualities of a good FO employee:

- warm personality - immediate attention - poise under pressure - desire to be helpful - ability to listen - desire to be liked - speak positive

seven (7) selection of FO staff:

1. general appearance 2. mental alertness 3. evidence of emotional stability 4. administrative qualities 5. flexibility 6. professional attitude towards job 7. professional demeanor

general appearance of a FO staff:

- always carry a smile - with good health - pleasant voice and ability to listen - good attention - care to body cleanliness - friendly

mental alertness of a FO staff:

- carry on logical conversation and reasoning - make clear and concise statement - meet difficulties intelligently

professional attitude of a FO staff:

- report to work on time - positive attitude - recognize positive and negative aspects of the job - sensitive to guest's needs - has sense of humor - responds and speaks intelligently - creative

professional demeanor of a FO staff:

- projects maturity - appears to be business-like - courteous - maintains control in difficult situations

four (4) hotel classifications

1. hotel size 2. location 3. service level 4. independent hotel ratings

four (4) hotel sizes

small: 1- 50 sleeping rooms medium: 151- 400 large: 401- 1,500 mega: 1,501- and over

four (4) hotel locations:

1. downtown 2. resort 3. airport 4. suburban

- these location type applies to hotels located in dense urban area - doesn’t necessarily mean the city center, but most often does - are located in the center of a city’s business district, the “heart of the corporate structure" in any given city - these areas often include a convention center

downtown

TRUE/ FALSE: Hotels that have large clusters of corporate structures or office parks surrounding them can be considered suburban location types regardless of exactly where in the city they are located.

FALSE (suburban- downtown)

- can be located near some sort of special attraction that attracts guests for a reason other than the hotel itself - an ocean, natural wonder, mountain, amusement park or golf course can be that attraction

resort

TRUE/ FALSE: Hotels that create their own special attraction can also be considered resorts. Health spas, private golf and/or tennis facilities, and another unique signature attraction created by the hotel itself.

TRUE

- the easiest to identify - commonly provide complimentary shuttle service to and from the airport to make it convenient for the traveler - the hours of operation in the restaurants, lounges, and other facilities may be longer that at other location types in order to accommodate those travelers dealing with changes in time zones and jet lag

airport

- these are generally considered to be those that do not fit into the other three location types - not located on the downtown area or near airports - have no special attractions to qualify them as resorts - common on major roadways and near small office complexes

suburban

three (3) hotel service levels:

1. full-service 2. limited service level 3. mid-market service level

Hotels that provide their guests with services, amenities, and facilities that they want or need to complete a total hotel experience.

full-service level

services under full-service level includes:

- on-site restaurants - room service - meeting space - business center - gift shop - lounge - shuttle service

- hotels that typically do not offer services under full-service level - most notable differences are lack of food and beverage outlets and no meeting space on site - do offer a quality room and a good night's sleep for a fair price

limited service level

- hotel listed as a combination of both the limited and full- service hotel classification because these hotels can vary from one place to another - in one location, one may find a full-service mid-market brand hotel; in another, the same brand may be of limited service.

mid-market service level

enumerate the independent hotel ratings

1- star 2- star 3-star 4- star 5-star

- must be clean comfortable but not luxurious - offers a minimum of service - might not have a 24-hour front desk, phone, or housekeeping services, and there may be or may not be a restaurant

1-star lodging establishments

- may include better quality furniture, larger rooms, a restaurant, television in each guest room, direct dial phones, room service and recreational facilities such as a swimming pool - luxury lacking, but cleanliness and comfort are essential

2-star lodging establishments

offers all of the services of one- and two-star establishment and has expanded upon these services so that one or more are truly outstanding

3-star lodging

- have rooms that are larger than average - furniture is of high quality - personnel are well trained, courteous, and eager to provide customers with everything they need - guest complaints are minimal - lodging in this establishment should be a memorable experience

4-star establishments

- describes as the best - a superior restaurant is required - twice daily housekeeping services is standard - lobbies are comfortable and aesthetically attractive - the exterior is attractive and well maintained - a key factor: guest is made to feel like a VIP at all times by every employee of the establishment

5- star facilities

TRUE/ FALSE: Many hotels invest in room designs. They do this with the understanding that an appealing room invites a return visit.

TRUE

this is understood to be the main source of for sale at any hotel establishment

hotel sleeping rooms

TRUE/ FALSE: Each hotel has no limit on the number of sleeping rooms it can sell. Therefore, hotel owners and managers continue to strive to maintain and enhance high level of quality standards.

FALSE (has no limit- has a limit)

These are an ongoing process in all hotels. Those who do not do this may suffer in the long run and may encounter more expenses.

repairs and renovations

four (4) common room types

single room double room twin room triple room

- based on the intended number of occupants - set the foundation of specific room rates covered later

room types

this is understood to be based on one occupant which is the single occupant

standard room type

designated for one person

single room

- contains one king-size/ queen-sized bed - designed for 2 persons

double room

- with 2 single beds - designed for 2 persons

twin room

contains 3 single beds or a standard room with an additional single bed

triple room

it is a special type of room

suite

six (6) types of suite room

1. standard suite 2. deluxe suite 3. executive suite 4. presidential suite 5. PWD room 6. connecting room

- also named junior suite/ family suite - it contains a living room, a bedroom, a shower/bath, a toilet, and comfortable furniture

standard suite

usually bigger in room size and is newer in facilities than a Standard Suite

deluxe suite

- usually contains a spacious bedroom with one king-size bed, an elegant living room, and a large bathroom with additional facilities such as a whirlpool bath and an additional toilet -the area is usually twice as large as a Standard Suite

executive suite

- usually has 7-8 rooms, including the president's bedroom, first- lady's bedroom, a shower/bath, two toilets, a parlor, boardroom, guard's station, study, kitchenette, a dining room, and a room for receiving guest - the best accommodation in a hotel

presidential suite

designed to be PWD-friendly

PWD room

made up of 2 or more seperate but adjoining rooms, which are connected by a door

connecting room

- ensuring that rooms are properly designated by their current status, and assigned a new status as it changes

room status reconciliation

the ones who maintain each room status by coordinating with each other to make sure that rooms are assigned, cleaned, and assigned again to maximize room revenue, while avoiding a miss assignment

front office and housekeeping departments

room status reconciliation (3)

a. state of occupancy b. state of cleanliness c. state of exception

three (3) states of occupancy

- occupied - vacant - vacant ready

applies to a room that has been assigned to a guest and that guest has checked in already

occupied

the guest has checked out of the room

vacant

room is available for new occupancy

vacant ready

two (2) state of cleanliness

- dirty - clean

room has not yet been cleaned by housekeeping

dirty

room has been cleaned but still needs verification by executive housekeeper/ supervisor before releasing to guest

clean

room was removed from inventory for a specific reason (repairs or renovation)

out of order

the life cycle of a guest room

room status

describing the status of a guest room requires determining its ___ for new occupancy

readiness

- to determine a room's state of occupancy and state of cleanliness, this is assigned - combines both occupancy and cleanliness information

room status code

nine (9) basic room status codes

VD VC VCI DUE OUT OD OC OOO OOS TOUCH UP

the guest has checked out, room can now be cleaned

VD (vacant dirty)

room has been cleaned, awaiting a supervisor's check

VC (vacant clean)

room is now ready for occupancy

VCI (vacant clean inspected)

guest is due to check out this morning, but hasn't yet

DUE OUT

applies to during the stay, the room requires servicing

OD (occupied dirty)

applies to during the stay, the room has been serviced

OOC (occupied clean)

room is taken out of inventory due to some issue

OOO (out of order)

room is temporarily out of use, but could be sold for that evening

OOS (out of service)

room needs light replenishment, often due to a room move or viewing

TOUCH UP

TRUE/ FALSE: The individual room rates within the rate structure are allocated a value based on certain characteristics.

TRUE

- the term used to specify the rate threshold within overall structure - defines what position a specific rate will take within the overall rate hierarchy - allows any hotelier to get a good idea as to a rate's value in relation to the other rates

room rate designation

TRUE/ FALSE: understanding each of the different rate designations within the structure is crucial in minimizing overall room revenue. Hotel managers must continually review the rate designation they incorporate within a hotel's rate structure.

FALSE (minimizing- maximizing)

TRUE/ FALSE: room rate designation does not specify an actual dollar value; it simply classifies all the rates within the rate structure

FALSE (classifies- ranks)

eight (8) common room rate designations

1. rack rate 2. corporate rate 3. government rate 4. seasonal rate 5. industry rate 6. walk-in rate 7. advance purchase rates 8. half-day rates

- understood to be the highest published rate a hotel can charge for a specific room - can differ between room types, configuration and designation

rack rate

- designed to promote the corporate market segment - offered generally to any guest who knows to ask for it - reflects a 10% to 20% discount off of the rack rate

corporate rate

federal and/or state governmental agencies set predetermined rates that they will reimburse their traveling employees for

government rate

- resorts and other location types that see a fluctuation in demand due to weather - the operation of a nearby attraction will vary their rates accordingly

seasonal rate

- those who work in the travel industry (travel agents, employees from other hotels, meeting planners, etc.) are often extended the professional courtesy of discounted rates - can vary from 30% to 50% off rack rate (depending on the location and seasonality factors)

industry rate

- this type of rate designation may vary from night to night - this is a hotel guest who arrives without a reservation

walk- in rate

this is a hotel guest who arrives without a reservation

walk- ins

offers a greater discount based on the number of days in advance it is booked

advance purchase rates

- these rooms are often utilized for just a few hours to conduct interviews and small conferences - the room is not used for the entire night - this rate is based on half the value of the rack rate

half- day rates

occupancy rate measurement- formula

ORM= OR/ TRO - OOO (100)

this is done daily to monitor the performance rating of the hotel (the higher the occupancy rates, the better)

occupancy rate measurement

FOOM- Prelims Flashcards

(131 cards)