Rooms Division
Rooms
Reservation
UniformedServices
Concierge Reception
Telephone
Housekeeping
Laundry
Security Engineering
Reservations
Reservations
• Reservations…– First area of guest contact– A sales position– Telephone skills – Central Reservations System (CRS)
Reservations – Duties and Functions
Maintain a professional appearance
Master hotel information
Answer phones
Handling reservations: Telephone, Email, Letter, Fax, In Person, Computer
Handling changes on reservations
Processing special requests/preferences
Regret over bookings
Standard form letters / sending faxes/emails
Processing travel agency bookings
Dealing with deposit, vouchers and rebates
Interpret room inventory control log
Check and review all next day reservations
Processing hotel special rates and packages plans
Routing instructions
Handling VIP reservations
Concierge &
Uniformed Service
Guest ServicesUniformed Service
• Uniformed Service…– Bell Captain or Guest Services Manager– Door attendants
• Hotel’s unofficial greeters• Luggage
– Bell persons• Escort guests to their rooms
Concierge
• Concierge…– Part of guest/uniformed services– Elevate properties marketable value– Typically in a luxury hotel– Unique requests– Knowledge of city– Several languages preferred
Concierge – Duties and Functions
Maintain a professional appearance
Master hotel information
Remain aware of current and new developments
Attend to VIP guests
Respond to guest complaints
Know city information
Make dinner reservations and give directions
Understand hotel safety and security features
Coordinate babysitters
Answer phones
Duties of aGuest Service Agent
• Guest Service Agent…– 7:00 am - 3:00 pm shift
• Check-outs• Guest inquiries• Room changes• Work with housekeeping
– 3:00 pm - 11:00 pm shift• Check-ins• Reservations
Night Auditor
• Night Auditor…– Closes the books on a daily basis– Posts charges– Balances guest accounts– Completes daily report
Uniformed Services – Duties and Functions
• Maintain a professional appearance• Master hotel information• Answer phones• Greet the guest• Room the guest• Stand at post with excellent appearance• Handle and store luggage • Answer guest inquiries• Assist guest Check-Out• Understands actions taken during emergency• Maintain teamwork• Handle master key• Know local restaurants, tourist attractions• Maintain front of the hotel• Control traffic• Raise, lower flags• Deliver amenity and give-aways• Deliver newspaper/messages
Reception
Reception – Duties and Functions
• Maintain a professional appearance
• Master hotel information
• Answer phones
• Review correspondence daily
• Ensures Reception is aware of special billing arrangements
• Clarifies and checks group information prior to arrivals
• Review and prepare group bill after departures
• Checks that room counts are accurate
• Ensure all Housekeeping information is correct
• Checks on departures, stay-overs, extra departures, VIP arrivals and special requirements
• Checks accuracy of guest folios
• Control stock inventory
• Ensure that Reception and Reservations staff are fully aware of rates, programs and special promotions
• Prepares input for room operation forecast: budget and outlook
• Attends and holds meetings: Operation, Departmental, etc
Reception (Cont...)
• Maintains contacts with other hotels• Interprets and communicates company policy• Monitors general development of hotel business and advises senior management of any
change trends• Carries out departmental induction and training for all new and existing staff• Interviews for selection and appraisal• Carries out disciplinary interviews• Holds problem solving meetings and monitors morale• Prepares time sheets• Prepares duty schedules• Prepares holiday and vacation schedules• Ensures that the following procedures are understood:
o Fire and safetyo Bomb threato Power failureo Medicalo Deatho Contingency plan
Reception (Cont...)
• Handles overbooking situation• Coordinate Out-Of-Order rooms• Routing instructions: groups and individuals • Handling blocking requests and group arrivals• Handling:
o Pre-registered guestso Walks-inso Day-use reservationso Upgradeso Rebates
• Room allocation• Processing arrivals (check in)• Processing departures (check out)• Handling room and rate changes• Dealing with special requests• Handling guest mail and messages• Handling hotel package plans• Handling travel agency booking• Dealing with handicapped guests
Reception (Cont...)
• Dealing with housekeeper’s reports• Handling turn-aways• Preparing night clerks’ report• Checking next day reservations• Handling complaints• Up-selling situations• VIP procedures • Manage room type• Safety-box procedures• Control Reception files• Handling all postings: Banquets, F & B, Health Club, Business Center, etc• Routing instructions• Conduct room inspection
Telephone / Communication
Telephone – Duties and Function
• Maintain a professional appearance• Master hotel information• Answering incoming calls• Answering in-house calls• Routing calls to departments and guests• Making local and long distance calls• Control and monitor telephone system• Handling Wake-Up calls requests• Taking and delivering messages/faxes• Operating bleep system• Emergency procedures:
o Fire and safetyo Bomb threato Power failureo Medicalo Contingency plan
• Handle guest complaint calls
Housekeeping
Housekeeping – Duties and Functions
• Maintain a professional appearance• Master hotel information• Answer phones• Greet the guest• Preparing maid’s cart• Preparing for entering a room• Making beds• Cleaning and arranging tables and drawers• Cleaning windows and mirrors• Cleaning and arranging washbasins• Cleaning bath and shower• Cleaning floor and walls (bathroom)• Cleaning doors• Setting out bathroom (towels, etc)• Vacuuming• Cleaning wardrobes• Filling guest notecase• Conduct light pressing and mending• Shine shoes
Housekeeping (Cont...)• Deliver turn-down service• Inspect coffee/tea tray facilities• Checks fax machines in all suites • Emergency procedures:
o Fire and safetyo Bomb threato Power failureo Medicalo Contingency plan
• Reporting faults• Key procedures• Maid’s room report• Checking maids in and key procedures• Allocating work• Inspecting rooms check-out• Inspecting room served • Preparing maintenance orders• Preparing housekeepers’ reports• Issuing store• Dealing with lost property• Carrying out VIP room checks• Carrying out appraisal interviews
Laundry / Dry Cleaning / Valet / Linen
Contract Laundry Service
• Contract Laundry…– Advantages
• No maintenance costs for equipment• No labor costs for training/staffing• Lower overhead costs of energy/water• Fixed projected expense
Laundry.... – Duties and Functions
• Maintain a professional appearance• Master hotel information• Answer phones• Repairing and maintaining linen• Issuing new linen• Writing off linen• Issue of new and clean uniforms• Withdrawing uniforms• Cleaning of soft furnishing• Checking on deliveries• Distribution of linen• Counting and checking dirty linen• Re-making damaged linen for re-use• Quality inspection of laundry• Stock-taking• Quality inspection of in-use linen and uniforms• Preventing hoarding• Using washing machines• Using dry cleaning machines• Using Processing machines• Folding Laundered linen• Interviewing for selection
Security
Security and Loss Prevention
• Providing guest safety and loss prevention…• Security officers• Equipment• Keys• Safety procedures• Identification procedures• ADA compliance
Security – Duties and Functions
• Maintain a professional appearance• Master hotel information• Answer phones• Maintain key control• Understand and respond to alarm devices• Maintain hotel safety & security• Maintain departmental security and loss control• Handle emergencies• Administer first aid• Patrol hotel property• Write reports• Keep records• Promote guest and employees relations• Knowledge of legal terminology• Check package passes
Trends in Hotel/Rooms Division
• Trends…– Diversity of both guests/workforce– Increase in business travel– Increased need for technology– Continued quest for increase in productivity– Increasing use of yield management– Greening of hotels and guest rooms