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CHAPTER �� FRONT OFFICE AND ITS SECTIONS Lesson 1 An Introduction to the Front Office Preamble The basic business of a hotel is to sell rooms. The front office is the department which is responsible for the thorough systematic methods of reservation, registration and assigning of rooms. The front office is the first and last point of contact with every guest and thus it plays a vital role in the hotel image building. Front office is the first department that we will be studying about a hotel in the lesson. At the end of this lesson, you should be able to: ? Memorize the specialized terms and expressions ? List the function areas of the front desk/front office ? State the importance of the front office ? Tell the function of the front office Lead-in Activity Pre-speaking��Look at the pictures below. Where is the hotel front office usually located? What services can you find at a hotel front office? What qualities does a receptionist need? Would you like to be a receptionist? Compare your answers with your partner��s. Professional Knowledge 1. Front office functions The front office is usually located close to the main entrance of the hotel. The front office of a hotel is not only its �� shop window ��, but also its �� nerve center ��. ? It is a liaison between the guest and the hotel. ? It is the focus of guest requests for information and service as well as the profit center of room sales. Members of the front-office staff welcome the guests, carry their luggage, help them register, give them their room keys and mail, answer questions about the activities in the hotel and surrounding area, and finally check them out. In fact, the only direct contact most guests have with hotel employees, other than in the restaurants, is with members of the frontoffice staff. The front office functions can be divided into nine general areas: ? Reservation ? Reception ? Operators ? Bell service ? Mail and information ? Concierge ? Health and recreation center ? Business center ? Cashiers and night auditors 2. Receptionist duties Hotel receptionists are responsible for making guests feel welcome, dealing with room bookings and cancellations, and handling general requests made by guests during their stay. As a hotel receptionist, your main duties would include the following: ? Dealing with reservations and cancellations by phone, e-mail, letter, fax or face-toface ? Checking guests into the hotel, allocating rooms and handing out keys ? Checking guests out of the hotel, preparing bills and taking payments ? Handling foreign exchange ? Taking and passing on messages to guests ? Dealing with special requests from guests, such as booking theatre tickets, or storing valuables ? Answering questions about facilities in the hotel and the surrounding area ? Dealing with complaints or problems In large hotels, you would use a computerized system to make reservations and keep room bookings and availability details up-to-date. You would work as a part of a team and you may specialize in one specific aspect of this role such as telephone reservations or checkouts. In small hotels, your duties may include a wider range of tasks such as showing guests to their rooms and serving drinks in the bar.