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OPERATIONAL DEPARTMENTS

FRONT OFFICE

INTRODUCTION

The front office in a hotel is the department responsible for the
sale of hotel rooms through systematic methods of reservation, followed
by registration and assigning rooms to customers.

The front office is primarily responsible for the selling of the
rooms. Besides rooms and sales, the front office is also responsible for
accepting reservation, registering arrivals, handling keys and mail,
dealing with messages, maintaining statistical information and preparing
for guests on their departures. The front office also provides information
on the services of the hotel, tourist attractions, travel conditions and also
directs bell boys, porters and services to guest rooms. In addition, this
office maintains guest accounts and prepares their bills. Many hotels
maintain reliable guest history files.

The front-office desk should be attractive and well designed for the
guest to form a good impression. It is generally situated at or near the
main entrance of the hotel. It must be spacious to accommodate the guest
while checking in a nicely furnished lounge close by for the guest to sit
and wait while the formalities are being dealt with are completed.

The front office department is the most visible department in a
hotel. The focal point of activity within the front office is the reception
desk. The reception desk is usually the place at which guests from their
first important impressions of the hotel. It is also the communication
centre for the hotel's operation.

The reception desk may comprise: cashiering; mail and
information; registration; and room assignment. There may be separate
desks, or all tasks could be performed at one counter (sometimes known
as multi skill). The reception desk is located in the busiest area of a
hotel's lobby. The main financial tasks which are handled by front office
staff include: receiving cash payments; handling guest folios; verifying
chouse; and handling foreign currency and credit cards.

The front office is in “The Chancery Pavilion” holds prime
importance in view of the basic nature of a hotel. Front office has a
complimentary role of image-building, which is the first and last point of
contact of every guest.

FRONT – 0FFICE HIERARCHY

Front Office Manager

Assistance F.O Manager Lobby Manager

GRE

Bell Captain

Bell Boy

Trainees

Telephone Operator Reservation Asst. Receptionist F.O. Cashier Night Auditor

The main records of the room sales in the front office are:

 Reservation Form

 Registration Card

 Daily Arrival List

 Reservation Chart

 Hotel Register

 Reception Room Status Board

 Guest Index

Following is a brief description of report/ formats and terms

frequently used in front office department.

Arrival List

The arrival list gives summary information of the entire guest who
is expected to check it on a particular date.

 Number of Visitors

 Name of the guest

 Total No. of people occupying the room (pax)

 Guest Address/Travel agents Name

 Rate

 Billing Instruction

 Special Request

The group arrival list is also attached to the F.I.T. arrival list to give
a summary of all the arrivals for the day.

All staff members should read the arrival list, first thing when they
come on shift.

Reservation

The reservation of accommodation is made by the reservation
section of the front office. Inquiries are received in person through
Telephone, Telegrams, Telex, Letter or block booking list etc.

Thus the main sources of Reservations are:

 Telephone

 Mail

 Telegram

 Person

 Travel Agencies

 Hotel Representatives

 Airlines

 Referrals from other hotels

The Procedure

 Receipt of booking requests by :

Letter: Check the chart. If accommodation is available, mark off on the
chart. Head-up copy letter with guest's name and date of arrival in capital
letters, Confirmation should go out on the same day, as a request was
received, if possible.

Telex: Use the Same principle. Start with reservation card, mark chart
and reply by telex.

Telephone/In Person: Check chart, Create and advise caller to confirm
if time allows or ask for deposit.

Every morning or on the previous evening, take out and study the
day's arrival, correspondence, check details against cards.

Put the registration card in the front of the drawer marked "In-
house file".

Write-up the rooming list, previous nights guests should be brought
forward. Enter today's arrival in pencil, showing number of persons,
room-rate, and departure day.

Upon arrival of the guest (individual or group), they should each
complete a registration Card.

The name(s) etc., on the rooming list should be inked in red.

Make-up the bill folio's, which must be typed showing as much
details as possible. Add full details of account before it goes to ledger.

File registration card in alphabetical order in-house file drawer. In
the absence of Whitney slip system; these cards can be placed in a rack.
This will show which rooms are let, Vacant and which is expected to be
let that day.

Type up the Whitney Slips and distribute to telephone and porters.

RECEPTION

The reception area is the registration desk. Guests, on arrivals are
greeted by room desk/receptionists and receive the first impression of the
hotel, its staff and its service.

'C' form is used for registration of the foreign guest.

Check-In and Check-Out

The Check-in and Departure register is a formal record and control
on all arrivals and departures. The main information recorded is:

o Surname/First Name (Name of guest)
o Designation
o Check-in/out Date
o Room number
o Number of Pax
o Purpose of Visit
o Nationality etc.
o Rate
o Billing Instruction
o Arrived from/Proceeding to
o Guest Signature
o Manager Signature

Suppose the guest is foreigner, following details should be filled in
the registration card.

 The Passport Number

 Date of Issue

 Place of Issue

 Date of entry to India

 Purpose of Visit

 Duration of Stay

 Registration Certificate Details

Departure

A guest departure is the most critical phase of the guest cycle. On
receiving the intimation of the guest to check-out from the hotel from the
lobby captain or the guest himself, the customers bill is updated. The bill
is presented to the guest for settlement.

Mail

The mail received is sent to the respective mail and key rack or in
the appropriate box or Index. For special mail, special records are
maintained. The mail is put in the respective pigeon holes of the key and
mail rack or sent through the bell boy to the guest room. For the guest yet
to arrive, the mail is kept in different sections marked alphabetically. The
mail of the guest who has already left the hotel is directed as per the
instructions of the mail forwarding card.

Keys

All keys are at the key rack handed over to the guest on arrival or
when they are asked for.

Complaints

Complaints are received from the guests and concerned
departments are informed accordingly. A patient hearing is given to the
guests and adequate action taken to satisfy them. General complaints and
suggestions are conveyed to the management and complaints regarding
food service and bar service, are conveyed to the management through
the front office manager.

Billing

On registration of a guest, a guest account is opened. It will record
all charges and credits pertaining to the guest's use of the hotel facilities
and services. They include room charges, restaurants, beverages,
Laundry, Valet, Paid out and rebates. All Checks made by different
departments to guests are collected and sent to the bill section by name of
Vouchers. The guest account system has:

 Guest Bills

 Duplicate bill or Visitor ledgers

 Vouchers from Sales Outlets

 Daily Summary with:

a) Sales Ledger

b) Cash book and
c) Receipt book

Handling Cash and Credit

Collection of cash and credit for services rendered by the hotel is
most important for the hotels cash flow, its ability to pay its employees
and creditors. The cashier must scrutinize personal checks ad deal with
foreign currencies either in cash or in the form of traveler chouse.

Audit

The daily audit is done at midnight to ensure that all postings have
been made correctly and that all guest accounts are up-dated. Different
reports regarding the average rate, percentage occupancy, departmental
revenues and their relationship to forecasts, are prepared and sent to the
management and departmental heads.

CURRENCY EXCHANGE (FOREX)

There are certain rules that the hotel company has to follow when
handling the foreign exchange. Foreign currencies can only be purchased
but not sold by the hotel; this states that only rupees can be given in
exchange of foreign currency and not only other currency for any
purpose.

Currency has to be exchanged at the daily quoted rate by the
reserve bank of India. A detailed record to be maintained for all the
money exchanged. This would involve the name of the foreign guest, his
nationality, passport number and the currency exchanged and duration of
stay in the country.

In Encashment Certificate the following information should be filled.

 Room Number and Date

 Guest or Client Name

 Passport Number

 Nationality

 Details of foreign currency Notes/Coins/Travelers cheques
purchased (Indicating clearly notes and travelers cheques
separately)
 Details of Adjustment made towards settlement of bills for services

rendered.
 Net amount payable

 Guest Signature/Manager's Signature

 The bill Number

The following currency can be exchanged at the Hotel

 US Dollars

 Australian Dollars (Euro)

 Sterling Pound

 Canadian Dollar

 Deutsch mark

 Swiss francs

 French francs

 Yen etc.

The Front Office Manager

The front office manager must have organizing and administrative
ability. He must have knowledge of manners, customs, tastes and ways of
life of the main tourist generating countries and must have knowledge of
the regulations governing foreign exchange transactions, organization of
the hotel, hotel accounting, hygiene and safety regulations and relative
labor legislation.

The duties and responsibilities of front office manager are:

 To be responsible for the different services of his department.

 To draw up the safety roasters and supervise discipline, conduct

and appearance of his staff.
 To be responsible for reservation, planning and for all operations

concerning allocation of rooms.
 To be responsible for ensuring a good relationship between the

guest and the hotel staff.
 To be responsible for maintaining co-ordination with other

departments of the hotel.
 To exercise control over reservation.

 To Schedule the duty roasters and ascertain the reason behind

determining the manpower, strength of the department.
 To Co-ordinate sales promotion, banquets and house-keeping

departments to have all accommodation ready for conventions and
parties.
 To liaison with travel agents, airlines and other business potential.

Reception/ Asst. Receptionist

A receptionist must have good general education and through
knowledge of the organization of the hotel, guest billing, posting
machines, labour legislations and foreign languages.

There are three main aspects of the job of the receptionist:

Public Relation: This involves good service and goodwill sales of
Selling Room: It involves the reasons of accomplishing these aims.

Technical: It involves the reasons of accomplishing these aims.

The Lobby

The lobby is an area located immediately upon entry into the hotel
building. It is well furnished with seating arrangements and is a meeting
place, common to all quests.

The main functions of this department are:

To guide the guest to reception for registration
To carry guest luggage
To look after guest cars
To look after their personal jobs.

HOUSE KEEPING

The House-Keeping operation has the main task of keeping the
hotel rooms and public areas clean and attractive. House-Keeping is one
of the most vital and interesting departments in many aspects. The work
of a housekeeping department in a hotel varies considerably according to
the type and size of the hotel.

The house-keeping department takes pride in keeping the hotel
clean and comfortable.

The executive Housekeeper also investigates periodic storing,
cleaning or redecoration which is found to be necessary; she maintains
exact records showing when any given area was last decorated and where
it is next scheduled for decoration.

The different areas which come under the direct supervision of the
executive housekeeper are:

 Guest Rooms

 Lobby

 Public Areas

 Offices

 Stairways/Cases

 Windows

 Stores, Concessions and other leased areas

The important functions of a house keeping department are grouped as:

 Cleaning and Maintenance

 Training of Personnel

 Preparation of Schedules and reports

 Supplies and equipment

 To provide uniform to the staff

 To provide guest rooms linen

 Cleaning and shampooing of carpets in public area

 Polishing of furniture's and fixtures

 Maintaining the garden of the hotel

 Stock taking and inventory controls

 Preparing room reporting and maintaining all document and files

 Pest control

 Lost and found

 To clean the rooms immediately after guest checks-out of the

rooms, after taking from front -office

Otherfunctions

 Flowers and floral decorations and arrangement

 Attending complaints and requests of guests

 Attending to lost properties

 First-aid to guests and staff

This department ensures that the amenities and bedrooms used by
guests are maintained at a high standard. It has to work most closely with
the front office. The house-keeping department must be informed as soon
as guests check-out and in-turn must notify the front office immediately
when a vacated room is ready for occupancy. The house-keeping office
notifies floor house-keepers of all vacated rooms and the floor house-
keeper will inform the executive house-keeping officer as soon as rooms
are cleaned and inspected for re-letting.

The lobby is the most important public area in the hotel. Room
guests, visitors and the general public all assemble and pass through the
lobby. Without the constant attention in picking up loose papers, cigarette
stubs and other litter and cleaning the ashtray and sand jars.

Cleaning and Maintenance

Cleaning and maintenance of the areas under its supervision is the
primary function of the housekeeping department. The guest rooms
require cleaning, changing of the linen, and making up the beds which are
done by the maids. The day-maid services and cleans the guest rooms.
The housemen thoroughly clean bath rooms, wash the tiles, and floor
fixtures.

Each maid is given a cart to carry her supplies. These carts are in
front of the door, behind which the maid is working or where the maid's
card is on the door handle. They are visible to every guest. Each morning
these carts are cleaned before being equipped with linens and other
supplies. These carts and supplies are kept under the charge of maids
closed on every floor. The floor closet contains sheets, pillow cases, bath

towels, wash clothes, bath mats, and reserve for mattress pads,
bedspreads, blankets and shower curtains to replace what has been
stained, soiled or damaged. Other items required for equipping the hotel
are : glasses, toilet issues, facial tissues, shoe shine cloths, soap, ashtrays,
matches, guest stationery, envelops, post cards, pens, telephone, memo
pads, laundry lists, guest laundry bags, room service memos, do not
disturb card, and clothes hangers.

The maid is required to inspect each room in her section for
vacancies in the morning and afternoon, and prepare a room report. A
guest house-keeping procedure requires that a check-out be served first
unless a guest requires early service.

Housemen give each room a general cleaning periodically i.e., the
period depends upon the hotel's policy. It involves a through cleaning of
the room and everything in it. It includes high wall dusting, cleaning the
tiles in the bathroom, washing pictures and vacuuming the drapes, blinds,
sofas, cushions and mattresses as well as the carpets. Housemen also
carry furniture to and from the store room and from the guest room to
another. They also help in setting up a banquet room from dances,
meetings, etc. and strip the room after the function in over.

Supplies and Equipment

All guest supplies should be properly placed in each room. The
items of guest supplies in each room are listed below:

Bedroom Doors:

 Fire Notice/Room Rate Card

 Two Breakfast Order Cards

 One 'Do Not Disturb' Card

Dressing Table Top:

 One Comment Card

 One Hotel Service Directory

 One Room Service Menu

 One Ashtray and matches

Dressing table drawer:

 The stationery kit (containing 4 sheets of papers, 2 envelops, 2 post

cards)
 Two shoe shine cloths

 One laundry list/dry-cleaning list

 One room service menu

 One mending kit

Wardrobe:
 Twelve coat hangers with bar

 Two laundry bags

Bedside Unit:

 One ashtray

 Telephone

 Note pad and ball pen

 Luggage racks -two

One top of Television:

 One restaurant card and Mini bar menu.

Wash Hands Basin:

 One box cleaning tissues

 Two toilet rolls (one in holder/one reserve)

 One bar soap in bath soap holder

 Two bar soaps on the basin

 Two glasses in cling wrap

 Ashtray

 Waste bin under basin

W.C. Unit:
 Two sanitary bags

Twin Rooms:

 Two bath towels

 Two hand towels

 Face towels

 One bath mat

Linen Room

This room supplies linens to the F&B departments and all other
departments, collects soiled linen and issues fresh linen with the
requisition slip. Linen rooms provides following linens to the department.

Staff Uniforms
F&B Linen
Guest room and bathroom linen
Guest Dress material etc.

LOST AND FOUND SECTION

If any guest valuable is lost or found, it is reported to
Housekeeping control desk. The supervisor enters the details in the lost
and found slip. The name of the founder is also entered in the slip. If the
address is available a letter is sent to the guests. The article is kept for 3
months or one year. If it is valuable and still if there is no claims then it is
auctioned or given to the finder.

House-Keeper's Report

The actual assignment of rooms is made by housekeeper on the
basis of the current status of room, which is obtained from the maids
moving report. The housekeeper's report is made on a simple pre-printed
sheet listing the room numbers by section or floor with a space for the
code. Which is taken in the evening to know the status about the room, a
housekeeper's discrepancy report is also prepared which is signed by the
reception and night auditor.

Register's maintained in the Housekeeping Department

Room occupancy report
Duty roaster file
Log book
Lost and found
Room status report
Carpet shampoo Register
Room Checklists file

HIERARCHY OF HOUSE-KEEPING DEPARTMENT

Executive housekeeper

Desk Control Supervisor

Housekeeping Supervisor

Floor Supervisor

Linen Room Supervisor

Horticulturist/Florist

Room Attendant

Tailor/Upholsters

Housemen

Attendants/Gardeners

House-keeping Department Co-ordinates with the following
departments

Food & Beverage
Purchases
Front-Office
Maintenance
Stores
Personnel
Security

FOOD AND BEVERAGE PRODUCTION

Food & Beverage production is one of the most important
departments in the hotel. Since time in memory, eating food has been the
most important activity of human beings. The art of cooking is very
ancient and the first cook was a primitive man accidental discovery of fire
and burnt foods characterized the origin of cooking.

The kitchen is a place where raw materials are made in to right
quality and best standard of food for current number at correct time.

Hierarchy of Food and Beverage Production

Executive Chef

Sous Chef

Chef de Partie

Commi I

Commi II

Commi III

Rules followed by the kitchen staff of the Resort standardized
recipes are followed:

1. No staff meals are allowed inside the kitchen
2. Over production and under production is avoided
3. Kitchen consumption register are maintained
4. Requisitions are done accordance with need
5. Inventory control is maintained

Forms and formats used in kitchen

Requisitions order form
Daily food portion sheet i.e. no. of portion of food sold
Pastry register
Duty roaster
KOT (Kitchen Order Ticket)
IDT (Inter Departmental Transfar)

The Duties of Executive Chef include:

 Food cost control techniques

 Use of kitchen equipments

 Hygiene and sanitation

 Preparation of Standard Recipes

 Performance appraisal of kitchen staff

 Kitchen staff problems and disciplinary action

 Maintenance of files and formats

 Co-ordination with service outlets

 Co-ordination with kitchen stewarding for supplies and

maintenance of equipments
 Organization of kitchen operations and delegation of duties to the

staff Menu planning in consultation with F & B Manager
 Drawing up of duty roasters

 Staff and scheduling

 Testing of new food items

 Control of received merchandise

 Supervising food preparation

 Encourage the staff

 To ensure that required kitchen profit target is attained

 To advise management on purchase of kitchen equipment

requirement Check weight and quality of goods on arrival
 Organize and conduct training

 To provide management with full information on the efficiency of

kitchen operation.

Sous Chef

Sous means "under" in French and the Sous Chef is the second
chef in command of the kitchen. The assistant head chef understudies the
Head Chef in all his duties. It is the Sous Chef who calls up the order
from the kitchen and supervises the service. He is mainly responsible for
the efficient day-to-day functioning of the kitchen.

He reports to the executive chef.

Some of the major duties of a Sous Chef are:

 Co-operation with the Executive Chef

 Menu planning

 Direct supervision of kitchen practical activities

 Direct supervision of service during meal service

Chef de parties

'Partie' is a French word meaning 'part' (of a whole) or section.
The different sections in the kitchen there is a chef-de-parties supervise
their respective section. Each Chef-de-partie is assisted according to the
production load.

Commis

They are directly under the chef-de-parties. They are named as
Commi I, II, III; they have to attend the daily briefing by the Sous Chef.
Their work is decided amongst themselves by the chef-de-parties their
work includes getting the raw material, issues from the stores, do the
mise-en-place, prepare the dish against K.O.T.

Flow of work in kitchen

Indent is made to get the raw materials issued from the stores
Raw material is brought to the kitchen
All the mise-en-place is done required for the dish to be cooked
Dish is cooked
The waiter places an order by giving the K.O.T
The order is prepared and portioned accordingly and is given to the waiter
The K.O.T is put in a box, which is locked. The F & B control department
daily removes it

The various sections of kitchen

Indian Section
Continental Section
Pantry Section
Roast Section
Garde Manager
Soup Section
South Indian Section

Continental Section
This section prepares authentic continental dishes.

Indian Section
Indian section caters delicious Indian dishes

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