This document discusses front-of-the-house management at resorts. It covers the organization of resorts, responsibilities of reservations and reception departments, guest activities, importance of guest relations, and how property management systems have improved operations. The document provides details on reservations processes, guest profiles, forecasting, check-in procedures, and common guest charges.

1. Chapter 8
Front-of-the-House
Management
World of Resorts: From Development to Management
Third Edition
(424TXT or 424CIN)
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2. Competencies for
Front-of-the-House Management
1. Explain how resorts are typically organized.
2. Describe the responsibilities and components of a
reservations department.
3. Describe the functions and components of a reception
center.
4. Discuss property management systems and how they
have improved resort management.
5. Summarize the importance of guest relations to resorts.
6. Outline typical guest activities and services found at
resorts.
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3. Resort Organizational Design
• Front-of-the-house
• Heart-of-the-house
• Outdoors operation
• Condominiums
• Corporate
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4. Reservations Department
Responsibilities
• Handling direct reservation requests
• Running the resort’s reservation system
• Collecting and holding advance deposits
• Processing individual and group reservations
• Refunding deposits/reselling the spaces involved
• Flagging exceptional issues
• Referencing guest history files
• Tracing occupancy by market segments and
providing the resort’s executive committee with
accurate rooms sales forecast information
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5. Sources of Advance Room Sales
• In-house reservations services
• Direct guest contacts
• Central or corporate reservations systems
• Resort’s sales staff
• Non-affiliate central reservations systems
• Travel agents/tour operators
• Internet and automated reservations systems
• Hotel representatives
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6. Types of Reservations
• Guaranteed
• Non-guaranteed
• Confirmed
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7. Types of Guaranteed Reservations
• Prepayment-guaranteed
• Payment card–guaranteed
• Advance deposit
• Travel agent–guaranteed
• Corporate
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8. Common CRS Sales Interfaces
• Interactive travel services (ITS)
• Central reservations centers
• In-house reservations modules
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9. Advantages of Computerized
Reservations
• Facilitates rapid access to reservations records for
modifications
• Provides detailed guest information prior to registration
• Establishes a monitoring file for pre-arrival transactions
• Enhances subsequent registration and account creation
procedures
• Enables more reliable revenue and occupancy
forecasting
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10. Three Elements of the
Reservations Process
1. Reservation confirmation
2. Preparation of the guest folio (account)
3. Preparation of the guest history file
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11. Essential Reservation Information
• Arrival date and time
• Number of nights and departure date
• Number of persons in the party
• Accommodation type requested
• Rate quoted
• Identification of guest (name, address, etc.)
• Reservation stipulation (non-guaranteed,
guaranteed, or advance-deposit)
• Special requests
• Affiliation and discounts
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12. Uses for Guest History Files
• Accounting follow-ups
• Reservation and marketing follow-ups
• Security follow-ups
• ADA compliance
• Personalized guest service
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13. Rooms Forecast Data
• Number of individual guest arrivals/departures
• Number of group arrivals/departures
• Number of rooms that will be occupied
• Number of reservations expected
• Number of guests on each meal plan
• Number of guests on inclusive package plans, by type
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14. Reception Center Functions
• Reception
• Registration
• Rooming and related services; bell desk
• Guest mail and messages; room key control
• Processing of vouchers for charges/credits in each
guest folio/account
• Reviewing rooms revenue as part of the night audit
• Information distribution—house counts, rooms
occupied, etc.—to operating departments
• Coordination with other departments
• Assisting departing guests
• Concierge services
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15. The Check-In Process
• Greeting guests
• Identification of guests
• Verification and payment card imprint
• Room assignment
• Continuing guest service
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16. Common Guest Charges
1. Room charge, meal plan charges, sales tax, and room
tax
2. Restaurant, room service, and bar checks signed by
guests
3. Departmental vouchers for guest services
4. Departmental vouchers related to hotel payment cards
used in recreation facilities on the resort grounds
5. Paid-out vouchers for services paid for by the hotel on
behalf of the guest, cash advances to guests, and
miscellaneous paid outs
6. Charge vouchers generated by usage of major
payment cards
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17. Advantages of a PMS
• Improved accuracy and efficiency of room sales,
reservations, and accounting of revenues
• Improved operational efficiency (elimination of
repetitive tasks, current information readily accessible)
• Improved guest service (accurate and fast dissemination
of guest information)
• Improved internal operational controls (standardization)
• Improved internal efficiencies/elimination of outside
service bureau costs
• Improved ability to handle the logistics of multiple
operations (timeshare, vacation club, and condotel
rooms)
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18. PMS Capabilities/Uses
• Managing room inventory
• Handling reservations
• Checking guests in
• Assigning rooms
• Accommodating in-house guest needs
• Posting guest charges, making adjustments
• Checking guests out
• Handling all billing and accounting needs
• Assisting sales and marketing
• Handling back-of-the-house accounting activities
• Generating standardized reports
• Creating customized reports with built-in report writers
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19. Guest Relations
• Pre-arrival mailings
• All staff members are responsible
• Moments of truth
• In-room “expressions” from management
(flowers, wine, etc.)
• Concierges
• Reservations issues
• Damaged/lost guest property
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20. Recreation and Social Activities
Personnel
• Social director
• Games instructor
• Teen activities director
• Children’s director/counselor
• Entertainment director
• Dance instructor
• Music instructor
• Artist-in-residence
• Health and fitness expert
• Directors or professionals of golf, tennis, etc.
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21. Typical Daytime Resort
Recreational/Social Activities
• Sports tournaments and competitions
• Pool parties
• Property tours
• Local tours
• Fashion shows
• Arts and crafts demonstrations
• Food demonstrations
• Picnics or barbecues
• Meal transfers among outlets within the resort
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22. Typical Evening Resort
Recreational/Social Activities
• Welcome receptions/farewell parties
• Cocktail parties
• Theme dinners
• Dancing and dance exhibitions
• Bingo
• Movies
• Musicales
• Talent nights
• Bridge tournaments
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23. Guest Services
• Travel and transportation desk
• Shops and offices
• Concessions
• Safe-deposit boxes
• Packing and mailing service
• Medical services
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