FRONT OFFICE

DEPARTEMENT
Front Office Department
Definition
 The front office department is the most visible department in
a hotel.
 The focal point of activity within the front office is the rec
eption desk.
 The reception desk is usually the place in which gues
t make the first impression of the hotel.
 It is as communication center of the hotel.
 It is the first and last point of guest contact with the
hotel.
 It is also the communication centre for the hotel ope
ration.
 The reception desk includes front office cashier, infor
mation, and registration section.
DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES OF
FRONT OFFICE STAFF
1. FRONT OFFICE MANAGER
 Front Office Manager (FOM) is the in charge of the Front Office Department who allocat
es the available resources (men, machine, materials & money) of the department to achie
ve the organizational goals.
 The basic function of FOM is to supervise all the Front Office personnel & to ensure the
proper and smooth operation of the department. FOM reports to the General Manager
of the hotel.
 Scope of job (Duties & Responsibilities):
1. Directs & coordinates the activities of the FO department.
2. Perform the function of a link between the management & front office employees.
3. Perform budgeting function.
4. Plan the present & future need of resources.
5. Schedules the tasks of the front office employees.
6. Evaluate the job performance of front office staff & fills their appraisals.
7. Conduct training programs.
8. Resolve guest problems quickly, efficiently & courteously.
9. Reviews all reports generated by all the sections, included night auditors report.
10. Ensure all SOPs (Standard Operating Procedures) are followed.
11. Maintain coordination & good communication with other departments of the hotel.
12. Conduct regular staff meetings & staff briefing.
13. Resolve employee grievances.
14. Motivate the staff to work in a team to achieve the organization objectives.
15. Coordinate with the sales & marketing team to ensure maximum sales of hotel room.
2. RESERVATION ASSISTANT

 She/he processes the reservation requests that reach the hotel by a

ny mode.
 She/He should possess great sales man ship skills by suggesting hi
gher room categories, & also selling other hotel services like spa
s, restaurants etc. to the guest.
 As we know the reservation section generates the maximum re
venue for the hotel, so reservation assistant should understand, an
ticipate, & influence consumer behavior in order to maximize the
profits.
 Scope of job (Duties & Responsibilities):

1. To receive & process the reservation requests of future guests.

2. To maintain reservation records by completing reservation forms, sen
ding reservation confirmation letters etc.
3. To process reservations from sales offices, other departments of the ho
tel, travel agents, tour operators etc.
4. To communicate the reservation information to the reception.
5. To prepare expected arrival & expected departure list every day.
6. To prefill the GRC of expected arrivals for the next day (using informa-tio
n collected at the time of reservation from the reservation form), & send
to the reception.
7. To promote good will by being courteous, friendly, & helpful to guests, m
anagers & colleagues.
3. RECEPTIONIST
 Is the first person to come in contact with the guest at the time of their arrival.
 The basic function of a receptionist is to receive guests and answer their queries.
 Scope of job (Duties & Responsibilities):

1. Greet the guest on their arrival.

2. Politely confirm the details of guests with confirmed reservation.
3. Complete the registration formalities of the guest with confirmed reservations.
4. Check the availability of rooms in case of walk ins.
5. Assign rooms & call the bell boy to escort guests to their rooms.
6. Use upselling techniques to sell expensive rooms & also to promote other hotel se
rvices.
7. Coordinate room status updates with the house keeping department. 
8. Notifying housekeeping of all check outs, late check outs, early check in, special re
quests.
9. Process guest check out requests.
10. Post all the credit charges to the guest folios (bills).
4. INFORMATION ASSISTANT
 provides information to the guest about the hotel’s products & services, nearby foo
d & beverage outlets, places of tourist interest in the city & around, etc.
 She/he also handles guest mail, messages & keys.
 Scope of job (Duties & Responsibilities):
1. Provide desired information to the guests.
2. Maintain information rack.
3. Handle guest mail.
4. Handle guest messages
5. Guest room keys handling.
6. Coordinate guest room maintenance work
with the engineering & maintenance
departments.
7. Assist in guest paging.
5. CASHIER
 During the stay in a hotel, guests may perform various credit & debit transactions with
the hotel. At the time of departure, guest settle his bill at cashier. It is essential for the f
ront office cashier is to keep the guest folio updated by posting all credit & debit transa
ctions.
  Scope of job (Duties & Responsibilities):

1. Prepare guest bills and present the same for settlement at the time of guest’s departure
2. Update guests’ credit transactions regularly.
3. Maintain & review guest weekly bills & check not to exceed credit limit.
4. Obtain the house bank/ float (a fixed amount which comprises currency & coins of diff
erent denomination to carry out the day’s work) & keep it balanced.
5. Transfer guest balances to other accounts, as required.
6. Handle V.P.O. (Visitor paid out).
7. Settle guest accounts by accepting cash, credit card, travellers cheque, etc.
8. Check the authenticity of currency received.
9. Control safety lockers.
10. Exchange foreign currency according to the daily exchange rate, in strict accordance wit
h the rules & regulation of RBI (Reserve Bank of India).
11. Balance the cash, & close the shift.
6. TELEPHONE OPERATOR
 Telephone operator hardly comes in direct contact with the guest, but they play important rol
e in creating the image of the hotel in the minds of the guests.
 The basic skills of the good telephone operator include clarity & courteous in their voice, atte
ntiveness &object listening.

 Scope of job (Duties & Responsibilities):

1. Answer all incoming calls.
2. Forward incoming calls to the desired extension, which are
routed through PBX.
3. Keep track of the guest telephone calls & prepare their bills
and post the same to their folios.
4. Provide paging service for the guests & employees.
5. Log all the wake up calls on the system.
6. Answer the queries about the hotel’s services & products.
7. Work as a communication hub during the emergencies .
7. BELL BOY
 Bell boy transport the guest luggage at the time of check-in & check-out.
 They also escort guest to their rooms and familiarize them with the in-room facilities and
services.
  Scope of job (Duties & Responsibilities):
1. Handle the guest luggage, i.e.; transport the guest luggage from lobby to the room at the tim
e of check-in, and from the room to the vehicle at the time of departure.
2. Put the luggage tag at the time of guest arrival.
3. Escort guest to their rooms and familiarize them with the use of in-house telephone dire
ctory & functions of all the equipment & lighting installed in the room.
4. When collecting the luggage at the time of check-out, take a thorough look of the room to c
heck any loss or damage to the hotel property.
5. Keep the record of the lift luggage rooms.
6. Inform the front desk about the scanty baggage guest at the time of check-in.
7. Perform errands/ sundry guest services like posting of guest mails, making purchases fro
m outside the hotel premises like flowers etc.
8. Assist paging, process of locating the guest within the hotel premises.
9. Distribution of newspapers to the guest rooms & all departments of the hotel.
10. Deliver messages, mail & packages to the guest in their rooms.
8. Executive Lounge Manager
 Executive Lounge Manager work area: executive lounge, executive rooms.
 Ensure the highest satisfaction of guests and staff according to service standards in acc
ordance with the provisions on the executive floor and responsible for all aspects of th
e executive on the executive floor.
 Scope of job (Duties & Responsibilities):

1. Ensure that the schedule is well defined.

2. Ensure that reports and correspondence for departments are met precisely an
d thoroughly.
3. Ensure that guest data is always updated.
4. Supervise and order goods on the executive floor.
5. Assist in efficient team building with attention to welfare, safety, training and st
aff development.
6. Carry out employee evaluations and review the overall performance, discuss a
ppeals and areas for improvement.
7. Ensure that staff are adequately informed of the hotel's policies regarding fire, h
ealth, benefits and security.
8. Study and evaluate operational and standard procedures in the executive lo
unge and provide suggestions for necessary changes.
9. Business Centre Supervisor
 Work area Business Center Supervisor: business center area.
 Organize and directs all aspects of the functioning of the business cen
ter to achieve the highest satisfaction of the guests.
  Scope of job (Duties & Responsibilities):

1. Supervise staff to ensure maximum guest satisfaction through self-esteem an

d warm and appropriate attention.
2. Organize and provide good direction for overall as well as daily execution and a
dministration for all parts of the business center
3. Provides an assessment of the performance, discipline and efficiency of all em
ployees under its supervision and initiative to take action when necessary
4. Continually controlling and analyzing, the expenses of the department's daily ex
penses to ensure that expenditures do not exceed the budget.
10. Door Man/Door Girl
 Door Man / Door Girl work area: lobby, front lobby area.
 Door Man / Door Girl employment summary: welcome guests by opening door of
hotel door or lobby door.

 Scope of job (Duties & Responsibilities):

1. Welcoming and opening the guest car door.
2. Greet each guest who comes with a friendly
and smile.
3. Greet and open the hotel lobby door for
guests entering or outside the lobby.
 THANK
YOU

Any question