Departments In The Front Office Tourism Essay

A receptionist is an employee working at the front desk area. The work is usually at the waiting area such as a lobby of an organization or business. A receptionist is important in all kind of hotel because they are the first people to receive the guest at the hotel. Receptionist main responsibility is to greet the incoming visitors and the calls. In both large and medium hotel the receptionists must use the computer to key in the customer data .A receptionist have to arrange the guest room and must arrange an employee to help the guest to transport the luggage of the guest to their room. If the guest has any concerns, complaint, or any special request they can speak with the receptionist by telephone provided in the room or even by see them at the front desk.

A front desk manager has many duties to perform. The front office manager also has to arrange duties and shifts to the hotel staff. Other than that if any important guest arrived to the hotel the manager also must come and greet the guest so show the respect. Sometimes the manager may receive any important letter or process any advance registration payment so that the account won¿½t miss up. The front desk manager also has to make sure all his employees are fully trained and able to take charge on their duties.

Assistant of the front office is under the front office manager. Assistant front office has to take in charge of take care day to day operation of the hotel front office. Other than that, the assistant must ensure the work is completed fully. Sometimes the assistant must prepare and conduct front desk meeting and to resolve issues. Assistant must also arrange a small meeting regarding the shifts so that is any one has problem in the shift they can give reason and change the shifts. Lastly the assistant must take full responsible for correcting customer service problems.

1.2.3 TASK AND RESPONSIBILITY OF FRONT DESK REPRESENTATIVE

The front desk job is a critical role in a company. Generally, front desk employees are the first person customers or clients speak to or interact with. Other than that, they also has to answer enquires regarding hotel services, register by letter, by telephone and by a guest. More than that, they must provide information regarding the services to the guest and respond to the guest complaints. The most important thing of front desk is they have to know how to use a computer because they have to key in the guest detail in the computer system. Sometimes the main important thing is they must cooperate with other department to make their job done by easily.

1.2.4 TASK AND RESPONSIBILITY OF THE NIGHT AUDITOR

Night auditor job is to deal with the financial transaction. They will do their duties at night because at night the hotel generally will less busy. Night auditors shifts mostly are around 11 P.M. to 7 A.M. Night auditors mostly will verify daily hotel transaction to generate summary data for the night audit report. The night auditors will calculate the total charges owed by the hotel payment received from the guest on that particular day. This report will be kept safe so that when the hotel needs the night auditors will show to them and make sure the accounts are perfect.

1.2.5 TASK AND RESPONSIBILITY OF CASHIER

Cashier also is important in the front desk operation. Cashier is responsible to take the payment from customer, and giving receipts. Cashiers may also require assisting other member of the front desk staff to performance of their duties. Sometimes the cashier also must help to perfume the front office duties like example the front desk staff are responsible for greeting the guest arrivals, checking the reservation, and registering the guest, while the cashier are responsible for receiving for receiving the payment on check out. The cashiers are responsible for calculating the charges and presenting the guest check regarding the bills. Sometimes some cashiers have to taking care the safe deposit box in which guest store jewelry or valuable things. Like example the guest must pay the cash regarding the hotel bill to the cashier when the check out time. Although the cashier is working under the front office department they are also considered to be the member of the accounting department.

1.2.6 TASK AND RESPONSIBILITY OF RESERVATIONIST

A hotel reservations agent is an important part of hotel operations. They handling advance room request. Guests will receive their first impression of the hotel service at the reservationist. They also must have a good knowledge of the room rates, and the hotel policies. They also must help the customer that call by phone calls to get the room price and reserve room for the guest the primary duty of a reservations agent is to rent hotel rooms to the guests. The reservationist must follow all the guideline given by the manager and must make sure job done carefully and make sure the hotel get a good profit.

1.2.7 TASK AND RESPONSIBILITY OF TELEPHONE OPERATOR

All types of hotel now days have arranged call centre because to handle the guest bookings, reservation and customer care. Telephone operator are also important in the hotel industry because, they will operate the telephone calls and they must answer the call with a good manner way. The telephone operator must be really knowledge of all the facilities in the hotel. The most important thing all the information given must be strictly confidential.

1.3 CONCLUSION

All departments in the front office such as Front Office Manager, Assistant Front Office manager, Front Desk Representative, Night Auditor ,Cashier ,Reservationist and telephone operator are very important to the hotel because the job is divided into many categories and this can make the hotel work done by easily. Each department has its own-own task to be done. Without the entire department above the hotel cannot maintain the hotel in good way because each department helps the growth of the hotel to reach a good profit. This main point can create a good environment to the hotel surrounding.

1.4 BIBLIOGRAPHY

Monday, January 18th, 2010, Assistant Front Office Manager Job description

http://www.humanresources.hrvinet.com/assistant-front-office-manager-job-description

Copyright ¿½ 1999-2011 Demand Media, Inc, Front Desk Manager Job Description

http://www.ehow.com/about_6077703_front-desk-manager-job-description.html

Copyright¿½1999-2011Demand Media, Inc, Front Desk Job Descriptions http://www.ehow.com/facts_5199640_front-desk-job-descriptions.html

Copyright¿½2011WebFinance, cashier

http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/cashier.html

Copyright ¿½ 1999-2011 Demand Media, Inc, Hotel Reservationist Job Description

http://www.ehow.com/facts_5527328_hotel-reservationist-job-description.html#ixzz1CMloSffo

Copyright ¿½ 2011, TELEPHONE OPERATOR HOTEL INDUSTRY

http://www.jobstreet.com.my/jobs/2009/6/default/10/843444.htm?fr=J

Select Communication inc. Alberta Canada, Receptionist Duties

http://www.select-answering-service.com/receptionist-duties.html

Copyright ¿½ 2011 Yahoo! Inc, Describe the duties of front office manager?

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20080729003906AAfctnt

Monday, January 18th, 2010, Assistant Front Office Manager Job description

http://www.humanresources.hrvinet.com/assistant-front-office-manager-job-description/

Copyright¿½ 2011 Vancouver English Centre, Hotel Front Desk Agent – Practicum Job Description

http://www.vec.ca/English/3/banff-front-desk.cfm

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LARGE HOTEL CHART

2.0 QUESTION TWO

2) Front office staffs must have certain skills to attract guests during the first impression. Write about Front Office staff skill in guest relations.

2.1 INTRODUCTION

Receptionist is very important in all kind of organization. Mostly in hotel is very important. Mostly cases, they are the first business contact that a person will meet at an organization. Their primary responsibility is to greet incoming visitors and callers. The traditional duties of a receptionist commonly include answering visitor inquiries about the hotel, directing visitors to appropriate contacts, sorting mail, answering incoming calls, and arranging appointments for guests to meet with the hotel staff. Role of the receptionist is very important in the hotel because it can make the organization run with smoothly. Receptionist also must have a relationship with all the hotel organization so that because the entire task done by the receptionist in related with other hotel department too. Like example, if the guest send the clothing to the hotel laundry and inform the housekeeping charge into the hotel bill than if any problem the receptionist can call the housekeeping department to confirm regarding the laundry bill.

2.2 FRONT OFFICE STAFF SKILL:

2.2.1 GOOD COMMUNICATION SKILL

Good communication skills are very important to the front office department. Communication in the workplace is very important but with so many people involved, all with different personalities and varying levels of understanding, communication can be difficult and misunderstandings can arise. In the good communication skill has divide into few category and that is give a clear instruction, let guest know the bigger picture of the hotel, make expectation clear and treat people like individuals. Mostly communication skill will start with the telephone calls. We need to briefly explain the purpose of the call, who is calling, how to return the call and when we will be available. When someone makes a return call, all that is necessary, if the first caller is not available at that time, is to respond to the original message relating to the purpose. Good communication skill is skills that facilitate people to communicate effectively with one another. Effectual communication engages the choice of the best. When the guest arrived to the hotel the front desk will receive the guest with a good way. If the receptionist has a good communication skill can attract the guest and they will have a good idea about the hotel and this can promote the hotel name.

2.2.2 GOOD LISTENING SKILL

Listening skill is important to the front office department because listening is something important so that it can make the job done by easily. To become a good listener we have to look at the guest first. By looking at the guest face your eyes will also complete the eye contact with the guest. The eyes contact will help to complete the communication with the guest. By moving the face about the information you can better concentrate to the guest regarding the information they are saying. Other than that, to become a good listener we have to stop talking and use the ears to hear what they are trying to say. Listening skill means allow one to make sense of and understand what another person is saying. In other words, listening skills allow you to understand what someone is talking about. In the front office area listening skill is important because the receptionist have to know what the guest is saying. They have to clearly hear what the guest is saying so that they can key in the guest data in the system without any problem. To become a good listener have ten main thing that we should remember and that is face the guest properly, maintain the eye contact, minimize external distraction, respond appropriately, focus solely on what the speaker is saying, minimize internal destruction, keep an open mind, avoid letting the speaker know how you handled a similar situation, even if the speaker is launching a complaint against you, wait until they finish to defend yourself, and the last is engage yourself. (http://powertochange.com/students/people/listen/)

2.2.3 DEALING WITH DIFFRENT TYPES OF PEOPLE

Mostly the front office department will have to deal with different kind of people in the hotel, because the entire guest is different-different type of characters. Front office must really have a good skill in dealing with the guest because the receptionist must not lose the patient while they are dealing with the guest because sometimes the guest are very hot temper, some are very slow, some are very selfish, so the receptionist must clever in handling all the guest by a good way.

2.2.4 COMMOND OF LANGUAGE SKILL

The receptionist must have a good skill in varieties type of language so that it can be easy communicated when other races of guest come to the hotel. The most common language is Malay language, Chinese, Tamil, English, and many more language. The guest will be happy if the receptionist can communicated by their language it can make the job done by easily. This main point can make a good thinking regarding the hotel guest about the receptionist and the hotel.

2.2.5 GOOD BEHAVIORS SKILL

The receptionist must have a good skill in behaviors because it shows our attitude. We have to treat guest like our family even throe they are not. The receptionist cannot show her anger to the guest if she has any personal problem. She must always be patient in handling the guest arrivals. Good behavior skill is divided into many categories and that is self presentation, position, posture, expression, and eye contact.

2.2.5.1 SELF PRESENTATION

Self presentation is the way how the reception dress up and grooming. Many hotels require the staff to wear a proper entire as their uniform because this is a signal that shows to the guest that they are here to help them.

2.2.5.2 POSITION

The position of standing of a receptionist is important because it shows our relation with the person we dealing with in the hotel. Like example the receptionist slapped the registration form in front of the guest and then leant forward to watch you filling it out, she was looking at us personal space. This kind of invasion makes the guest feel uncomfortable, even if they don¿½t know why, and it should be avoided.

2.2.5.3 POSTURE

Posture also can be defining same as the positioning, but in posture the receptionist must facing the guest all the time. Like example, the receptionist began with her body half turned away and her arm forming a shield. When the receptionist leant forward to watch the guest filling the form she was showing some interest in helping the guest, but if the receptionist kept her arm folded, which shows the guest that she is not happy to help the guest.

2.2.5.4 EXPRESSION

Mostly in hotel the expression is very important to treat a guest because, it will show the guest that we are very friendliness when we meet the guest. The receptionist must always smile and be friendly, whenever the hotel guest talks to them regarding the hotel. This friendly environment is good to make a good relationship with the hotel guests.

2.2.5.5 EYE CONTACT

The receptionist must always have a good eye contact with the hotel guest so that the guest knows that we are helping them to solve their problem. If we don¿½t have eye contact with them this can make like we are not hearing what they are trying to say to us. The receptionist must know which types of eye contact that must be need by the hotel guest. Like example, the receptionist avoided any form eye contact at the guest during the first stages of the encounter, and so conveyed a strong impression of lack of interest. Even when she did lean forward, she kept her eyes focused on the registration form, and as soon as you had finished, she turn her head away. This behavior is not good to be treating to the guest. We must always show our respect to the guest.

2.3 CONCLUSION

Front office staffs are very important to the hotel because the front office staff will receive the hotel guest because they are the first person to meet the guest. The receptionist is responsible to key in all the guest data when they check in the hotel, and when the guest check out time the receptionist will check out the guest and the receptionist will receive the payment. Front office staff must have certain require skill because they are the main person handle the guest. All the skill that they has must be use in a good way because it will judge the staff and this can make a good name for the hotel industry.