The Department of Front Office is an essential part of a hotel. This department makes direct contact with the guests visiting the hotel. The crucial part of this department is to maintain reservation, guest service, room assignment, finance, etc. They also make sure that all the queries of the guests are answered. Checking in and out of them is also maintained by this department.
It is also known as the nerve center of the hotel. This can also be referred to as the housing department located around the foyer and lobby. It acts as the first encounter for visitors, guests, and patrons. The hospitality of the hotel is determined by the front office department.
Whenever any of the visitors encounter any sort of problem, they can contact the front office. The rooms are provided with telephones or other communication modes to contact them. It acts as the direct delegate which links the proceedings and reports the consequences.
This department is also responsible for major operations and revenue production. It maintains the revenue earned by the renting of guest rooms. This produces two-thirds of the total revenue. Some of the necessary services provided by them are pre-arrival, arrival, occupancy, and departure.
Operations
The Front Office Department is also responsible for some of the major jobs of the hotel. All the vital jobs are mentioned below:
- Service: Proper service must be provided to all the visitors, guests, and patrons. All of the queries must be heard and responded to with extreme politeness.
- Maintaining Records: The maintenance of the history and records of the guests visiting the hotel is very important. Also, the data regarding the employees working in the hotel should also be recorded for security purposes. An updated and comprehensive database of the guests should be kept.
- Reservation: Reservation is an important process to be carried out. It involves work such as room reservations, records, filing of records, and revision. This helps the guests to occupy the room as soon as they arrive.
- Finances: The financial aspect of the hotel is also very crucial to maintain. It involves a foreign exchange service that relates to the Accounting Department. This is also important for the proper revenue generation of the hotel.
- Inquiry: The inquiry desk answers all the questions of the visitors. It also provides services on bell desk and concierge. This part of the department is alert regarding all the happenings in the hotel.
Staffs And Functions
The main staffs of the front office department are as follows:
- Front Desk Agent: The front desk agent is responsible for the registration of the guests. They also maintain the information regarding room availability.
- Night Auditor: The night auditor is responsible for the preparation of daily reports. These daily reports are forwarded to the management. They also control the job of the accounts receivable clerk.
- Service Agent: The service agent is responsible to handle the luggage of the guests. They also escort the guests to their rooms. Also, they help the guests with any bit of information and manage their room services.
To be even more precise, one can say that the front office department deals with the visitors. They have to deal with their room reservation request. The arrival and departure of the guests are noted and proper facilities are provided. Dealing with all sorts of questions regarding their hotel is also a primary process of their job.
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