d1.hfo.cl2.03 slide 1. element 1: prepare reception area for guest arrival slide 2

PROVIDE ACCOMMODATION RECEPTION SERVICES

D1.HFO.CL2.03

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Element 1: Prepare reception area for guest arrival

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Reception is:

Central location

First point of contact

Usually operates 24/7

Preparation and organization is the key.

1.1 Prepare reception area for service

1.1 Prepare reception area for service

Handover:

All reception shifts overlap by ½ hour:

Time to discuss any relevant details for the next shift

New staff prepare their area

Allows for smooth transition from one shift to another

Handover can be verbal, written or in form of reports.

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1.2 Check reception equipment

Is everything working as intended?

Are you familiar with how all the equipment works?

Do you know how to fix “minor” faults and problems ?

Do you have back up supplies?

Paper/paper rolls

Forms

Vouchers

Printer ribbons

Pens, paper and relevant stationery.

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1.2 Check reception equipment

Class activity:

Discuss the type of equipment found on a front desk

List the purpose of this equipment

Find brand names for this equipment.

1.3 Review expected daily guest movement

Arrivals:

Arrivals list

Alphabetical listing of expected arrivals

Time of arrival

Type of room

Rate quoted

Special requests

Payment details.

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Group arrivals:

Lots of people and lots of luggage

Room allocation

Check on arrival time

Prepare room keys

Meal vouchers and restaurant requirements

Mail

Prepare group rooming lists or registration cards

Welcome brochure and group itinerary.

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Stay over rooms:

Guests who stay longer than their departure date

Some guests request extensions

Need to contact the guest

Extend the stay if possible

May have to find another hotel or room type

May have to do room inspections

Could only be a “late check-out”

Affects occupancy levels – may lead to being overbooked.

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Role Play:

Working in groups of 3

1 Guest, 1 staff member, 1 observer

Scenario: Hotel is fully booked and Mr. or Ms.

Armstrong come to the desk and want an extension.

Reception staff – need to discuss that there are no

rooms and we will have to make a booking

somewhere else. Think about the questions you will

need to ask.

Early Departures:

When a guest leaves before their due date

Departure changes are usually captured at check-in

time

Housekeeping notice a “checked out” room

PMS system will pick this up quickly

Reduces our occupancy figure.

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Groups and individual guest movement:

Changes in the group allocation

Advance notice given by tour company

Group may be charged for the room/guest

Additions to the group

Effects occupancy level.

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1.4 Allocation of room in accordance with special requests

Guests request certain rooms and expect them:

Reception need to ensure these requests are allocated:

Simple requests such as

Non Smoking rooms

Specific views, ocean, pool, golf course

Suites, family rooms, penthouse

Specific requests, low floor, near the lifts, away from the lifts

Business women’s floor

Cont’ Slide 13

Challenging requests:

Hotel hampers or gifts, fruit, flowers, chocolates

Full bar set up

Open connection room doors

Change Duvet [Doona] to blankets

Remove all alcohol from the room – for religious reasons

Insert a board under the mattress for guest with bad back.

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Activity:

Prepare a list of all the special requests you can think of

Decide which department needs to be involved in

achieving this request

Discuss with the class.


Room allocation

Rooms are allocated:

As soon as the reservation is made for limited types

Suites, the Penthouse suite, Family rooms

Room number is blocked onto the reservation

Morning of arrival

Individual rooms

Groups and tour guests

Usually done by the reception supervisor

Rooms numbers are manually recorded on the registration card or assigned in the computer.

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Group room allocation:

Discounted rate – don’t receive the best rooms in the hotel

Rooms should be close together and on the same floor if possible

Tour Leader – different floor – unless the groups have language difficulties

Check all the rooms are ready when the groups arrives

It is difficult to move group and tour guests.

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Room Rates:

Room rates reflect the type of room the guest has requested

Standard, deluxe, king-size, poolside, ocean view

Discounted rates usually reflect the type of business

Corporate rate

Convention rate

Air crew rate

Government rate

Industry rate etc. Slide 18


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Activity:

The William Angliss Tour group are coming to your hotel.

The tour leader is Linda Wilson who requires a queen-size

room.

The tour checks in on the 15th next month for 2 nights

Please prepare a Group Rooming list – for all these

guests, include the arrival and departure dates, and

allocate rooms to all the guest. Record any special

request information and who it would go to

Cont’


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Activity:

The guests are: Mr. & Mrs. Dowell, Mr. & Mrs. Grannon,

Mr. & Mrs. McGhee, Mr. & Mrs Collins all wanting queen-

size rooms

The following guests are sharing twin rooms: Ms. Gjeci

with Ms. Dietritch, Ms. Parks with Ms Schuler, Mr. Baker

with Mr. Frost, and Mr. Kerr with Mr. Craven

There is one triple room; Ms. Hudson with Ms Van Dorske

and Ms. Shady.


1.5 Follow-up on uncertain arrivals and reservations

Mainly during full house occupancy:

Non-guaranteed reservations

Deposits

Not yet received

Only partially paid

Reservations past the specified arrival time

Contact the guest to see if they are still coming

Wait list guests

Potential room sales to other guests if you contact them in time.

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1.6 Compile arrivals lists

Arrivals List provides information such as :

Alphabetical listing of guests arriving on that date

Departure date

ETA – estimated time of arrival

Number of guests

Room type and rate quoted

Status of reservation - guaranteed or non-guaranteed

Special requests

VIP status (if any)

Complimentary guests are also included.

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1.7:Distribute arrivals list as required

Housekeeping:

Staffing levels

Planning daily tasks

Determine the level of service

Order of servicing rooms

Guest count

Special requests.

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Concierge:

Staffing levels

Group arrivals

Organizing luggage storage.

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Porters:

Planning daily tasks

Arrival time

Sorting luggage.

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Security:

VIPs – David Beckham arriving

Requires additional security

Escort a VIP to their room

Food and Beverage:

Special requests

Restaurant use

Groups and tour arrangements

Cont’

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Management:

Notification of VIPs

Recognize famous names and make a VIP

Laundry:

Staffing

Planning

Kitchen:

Food orders and staffing.

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1.8 Monitor guests arrival and take appropriate action

Inform colleagues

Prepare for major guest movement

Special requests

Follow up with VIPs

Meetings.

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Element 2: Perform check-in functions

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2.1 Welcome guests on arrival

Professional welcome:

Professional

Welcoming

Sincere

Friendly

Polite

Body language.

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Activity:

Discuss types of greeting phrases – both formal and

suitable informal greetings

Discuss the local greeting phrases for each country

Discuss Body Language.

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2.1 Welcome guests on arrival

2.2 Determine if the guest has a reservation and confirm and explain reservation details

Guests with Reservations:

Confirm reservation details

Name

Length of stay

Method of payment

Special requests

Rate

Vouchers.

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2.3 Determine if guest is a walk-in and identify if room is available

Guest without a reservation:

Determine the guests needs

Check availability

Ask method of payment

Mention the policy and procedures about payment methods.

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2.4 Decline a guest if appropriate

Check the “black list”

Review hotel policies

Full occupancy – no rooms.

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Activity:

Working in pairs role play the following:

One student is the guest and one the staff member

Guests requests a room for the night – no reservation

Staff member – ask questions to determine the request

Student (decide what you want) and inform the staff member.

Staff member :Your hotel is fully booked and you need to tell the guest you are unable to accommodate them.

How do you say this ? What questions do you need to ask?

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2.4 Decline a guest if appropriate

2.5 Complete guest registration process

Process a check- in:

Proof of identity

Complete the registration card

Obtain the signature.

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2.6 Issue keys and vouchers as required

Key cards and keys:

Energy saving

Security

Vouchers:

As a form of payment from travel agents

Exchanged for services such as a “complimentary drink”.

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Activity:

Write down the dialogue you would use to check-in a guest with a reservation

Use words for both the guest and the staff member

Start from when the guest walks up to the front desk

Offer them a voucher for a complimentary drink.

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2.6 Issue keys and vouchers as required

2.7 Follow internal accounting protocols

Credit cards and credit limits

EFTPOS

Cash

Travel cards/traveller’s cheques

Personal cheques

Direct billing/charging

Deposits

Receipts.

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Applying discounts to guests

Room Rates:

Rack rate

Corporate rate

Conference/convention rate

Industry rate

Negotiated rate

Groups and tours rate

Package rate.

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2.8 Explain room and house facilities and services to guests

Safe deposit boxes/in room safe

Room facilities

Hotel facilities

Local attractions.

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Selling techniques:

Suggestive selling

Describing

Explaining

Up-selling

Cross-selling.

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Activity:

Describe the features of each of the following rooms

Room A

Room B

Room C

Room D

Cont’

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Activity:

Which room would you sell to the following guests and why?

A Corporate Business person who wants to have meetings in their room

A couple who want a special weekend away together

Two friends who want a inexpensive room so they can catch an early morning Bus interstate

A parent and child who have tickets to a baseball match.

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Room A

Room B

Lounge & Bedroom Room C

Room D

2.9 Arrange for porter services

Porters:

Carry guest luggage

Escort guests to room

Discuss in room equipment

Deliver messages

Arrange taxis and parking

Store guest luggage.

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Overbooking

Room not ready

Black listed guests

No reservation to be found.

2.10 Implement standard house protocols for problem situation

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Monitor and check arrivals:

Identify no shows

Types of reservations

Notify wait list guests

Check for accuracy

Follow standard procedures.

2.11 Monitor guests’ arrival and take appropriate action as required

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Element 3: Perform ‘during stay’ functions

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Establish what is wrong with the room

Check availability

Advise guest

Move the guest

Change status of room.

3.1 Process room change requests

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Extended stays

Check availability

Check in takes priority over extensions

Regular guests

Rate charged

Re-room the guest.

3.2 Process extensions to stays

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Guest numbers

Check against housekeeping reports

Evening “turn down” service

Update records

Update rates.

3.3 Process variations to guest numbers

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Different rates for different market of guests

Hotels offer different rates at different times of the year

Rates are used to attract business

Discounts enable the hotels to compete.

3.4 Process variations in room rate

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Putting a guest into a better room than they are paying for:

Use suites during full house situations

Compensation for a ‘bad’ experience

Offering free accommodation

Discounting rooms.

3.5 Process upgrades

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Special requests – requested by guests

Special requests – offered by the hotel

Special request – paid for by guests.

3.6 Process special requests

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Activity:

What special requests would be needed for the following and who would need to be advised:

Mr. and Mrs. Todd arrive today - they have a baby and a small child

Ms. Wilson is staying at your hotel to do business in your city. She will be wanting to interview staff while she is here

A guest is staying with you to present a new range of luggage to clients. They need to catch a flight out at 19.00hrs the next day.

3.6 Process special requests

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Point of sale charges:

Guest identification

Signature

Manual charging back to their room:

Guest identification

Room number

Print name

Signature.

3.7 Process guest charges

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Know all about your property

Give good service

What if you don’t know? Find out!

Involve other departments.

3.8 Respond to guest queries

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Element 4: Perform check-out functions

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Seeking information on departing guests:

Room number

Breakfast

Mini bar

Check for accuracy:

Supporting documentation

Signatures.

4.1 Maintain and prepare guest accounts

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4.2 Prepare and review departures lists

Express check outs

Group check outs

Early departures

Late check outs.

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4.3 Present the accounts to guests

Generate the account:

Check guest details

Explain the account:

Other charges

Present the account:

Print a new account.

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4.4 Process payments and refunds and issue receipts

Process payments:

Acceptable methods of payments

Foreign exchange

Issue Receipts:

Process refunds

Foreign exchange

Obtain the key:

Actual keys - not key cards.

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Activity: Role play – Process a check out: 1 guest and 1 staff member Guest approaches the desk to check out Staff member –

Greet the guest Request room number and room key Ask the guest if there are any other charges (check these

have been posted, or post them if necessary) Print the account(s) Present the account(s) and ask the guest to check the

charges Process method of payment Farewell guest

Guest acts out according to the process Swap roles.

4.4 Process payments and refunds and issue receipts

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4.5 Process express check outs

What is an express check out ?

Who uses it ?

How is it done ?

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4.6 Process group check-outs

Group master account

Individual accounts

Extra charges

Group luggage collection

Luggage storage.

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4.7 Distribute departures list as required

Housekeeping

Concierge and porters

Security

Management

Maintenance.

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4.8 Assist guest with on departure requests

Forwarding addresses

Less and less today with email and texting

Call a taxi or transport

Provide lost and found services

Organize a porter

Make another booking.

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Element 5: Prepare front office records and reports

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5.1 Prepare and update front office records

Update availability/charts

Room allocation

Bookings diary

Changing rooms

Alter rate

Modify departure dates/times

Guest history.

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5.2 Generate internal reports as required

Information reports:

Other departments

Back up for operations

managers

Analytical/statistical reports:

Managers

Supervisors.

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5.3 Facilitate night audit activities

Features of night audit

Purpose of night audit

Daily reports and records.

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Thank you

d1.hfo.cl2.03 slide 1. element 1: prepare reception area for guest arrival slide 2

Documents

reception area

reception shifts

check reception equipmentis

types of equipment

type of equipment

relevant details

types of shifts

guest arrival slide