This document provides an introduction to front office departments in hotels. It describes the key functions of front office which include communication and accounting. It also outlines the organizational structure of front office departments and job responsibilities of front office personnel such as the front office manager, receptionist, bell boy, and others. Finally, it discusses the different stages of the guest cycle in a hotel from pre-arrival to departure.

1. INTRODUCTION TO
FRONT OFFICE
DEPARTMENT
CHAPTER 1
1

2. CHAPTER FOCUS POINT
 Describe the significant of front office in
tourism and hospitality business
 Construct front office organizational chart
line within a hotel or any tourism and
hospitality business
 Explain personnel job specification,
responsibilities among position,
departments and division within a hotel
 Describe the activities in each guest cycle
stage of a hotel 2

3. INTRODUCTION OF
FRONT OFFICE
DEPARTMENT
3

4.  Most important department in the hotel
- nerve for hotel operation
- Interface between a hotel and its guest
 Guest makes first contact with FO department
 First place that can makes guest develop an
impression about the level of
service, standard, facilities and hospitality of the
hotel.
FRONT OFFICE DEPARTMENT
4

5.  Communication and Accounting are the
most important functions of the front desk
operation.
 Accounting procedure involve
- settlement of the guest bills
- accepted advance booking of hotel rooms
- settle bills at the time of check-out
5
FRONT OFFICE DEPARTMENT

6.  Effective Communication with
- guest
* processing the guest reservation
* handling the guest reception
* fulfill the guest inquiry usage in the hotel
such as internet facilities, safe deposit
* check-in and check out the guest
- other departments of the hotel etc.
* maintaining the room status 6
FRONT OFFICE DEPARTMENT

7. FRONT OFFICE DEPARTMENT
 FO department operates 24 hours a day
 Three main shifts in FO department
Morning – day shift
7.00 a.m – 3.00 p.m
Day – evening shift
3.00 p.m – 11.00 p.m
Night shift
11.00 p.m – 7.00 p.m
7

8. FRONT OFFICE
ORGANIZATIONAL
CHART
8

9. ORGANIZATIONAL CHART
 Organization structure of FO department
varies
 It is depends on the size and style of operation
of the hotel
 It can be categorized into
- Small sized hotel
- Medium sized hotel
- Large sized hotel
( Refer to the Figure 1.1, 1.2 and 1.3 for
organizational structure of FO department)
9

10. DUTIES OF FRONT
OFFICE PERSONNEL
10
DUTIES OF FRONT
OFFICE PERSONNEL

11. DUTIES OF FRONT OFFICE
PERSONNEL
FRONT
OFFICE
PERSONNEL
CASHIER
RESERVATIONS
AGENT
NIGHT
AUDITOR
TELEPHONE
OPERATOR
CONCIERGE
RECEPTIONIST
FRONT OFFICE
MANAGER
BELL BOY
DOOR
ATTENDANT
11
1
2
3
4 5
6
7
8
9

12.  FRONT OFFICE MANAGER
- Direct and coordinate the activities of the front office
department
- Perform the function of a link between the management
and front office employees
- responsible for hiring, training, supervising and
disciplinary all front desk, reservation, and guest services
staff members in order to maintain the desired standard of
service
- prepared the budget for the front office department
- evaluate the job performance of each front office
employee
12
DUTIES OF FRONT OFFICE
PERSONNEL

13.  BELL BOY
- Handling guest luggage at the time of arrival
and departure
- Escorting guests to their rooms on arrival
- Familiarizing guests about safety features and
in-room facilities
- Locating a guest in a specified area of the hotel
- Posting guests mails
- Providing information to guests about hotel
facilities and services when asked. 13
DUTIES OF FRONT OFFICE
PERSONNEL

14.  CASHIER
* Receiving payment
* Balancing guest account
* Opening and maintaining the guest folios
* Recording all credit charges in guest folios
* Preparing bills at the time of check-out
* Handling credits/debit/charge cards for the
settlement of a guest account
* Administer the safe deposit system
* Handling foreign currency 14
DUTIES OF FRONT OFFICE
PERSONNEL

15.  DOOR ATTENDANT
* Open the doors of guests’ vehicles on their
arrival in the hotel portico
* Help bell boys in lifting luggage
* Open the hotels’ entrance door for guests
* Coordinate with parking attendants for parking
guests’ vehicles in the hotels’ parking area.
15
DUTIES OF FRONT OFFICE
PERSONNEL

16.  NIGHT AUDIT
* Preparing the night audit report
* Check-in and check-out guest who arrive or
depart after 11.00p.m
* processing the reservations
* performing the duties of security guard
* monitoring fire safety system
* Act as cashier for banquet function
* performing the duties of manager on duty
16
DUTIES OF FRONT OFFICE
PERSONNEL

17.  RECEPTIONIST
* greeting guest
* handling special request
* handling check-in and check-out
* providing information to guest
* assigning rooms and dispensing guest room
keys
17
DUTIES OF FRONT OFFICE
PERSONNEL

18.  CONCIERGE
* Making reservations for dining in famous
restaurant
* Arranging tours, limousine, and entertainment
ticket
* Maintaining good relationship with hospitality
industry
* Personal helper to VIP
* Obtaining tickets for theatres, musicals etc
* Provide latest information of events 18
DUTIES OF FRONT OFFICE
PERSONNEL

19.  RESERVATION AGENT
* Handling guaranteed and non-guaranteed
reservation
* up sell accommodation
* Prepared the expected arrival list and the expected
departure list every day
* Prepared a guest folder and to keep the
mails and messages of guest with reservation doc
* Providing management information to other
department 19
DUTIES OF FRONT OFFICE
PERSONNEL

20. DUTIES OF FRONT OFFICE
PERSONNEL
20
 TELEPHONE OPERATOR
* processing all incoming and outgoing calls
* log all wake-up call on the system
* Answer questions about the hotel’s services
and product
* taking message
* operating hotel paying system
* direct incoming calls to the desired extension
* provide paging services for guest and employee

21. 21
GUEST CYCLE
STAGE

22. 22
GUEST CYCLE STAGE
GUEST CYCLE
STAGE
PRE-ARRIVAL
ARRIVAL
IN-HOUSE
DEPARTURE

23.  PRE-ARRIVAL
* Reservations
 ARRIVAL
* Registration
* Room assignment
* Issuance of room key
* Baggage handling
23
GUEST CYCLE STAGE

24.  IN-HOUSE
* Mail and message handling
* Maintenance of guest account
* Paging and travel assistance
* Safe deposit, currency exchange
 DEPARTURE
* Preparing the guest bill
* Settlement of guest account
* Transportation
* Future reservation 24
GUEST CYCLE STAGE