Chapter 4

Front Desk
Operations
Winchelle M. Letranca
Instructor
LEARNING
OBJECTIVES
Obtain knowledge of the registration and
departure procedure of guests.
Discuss the importance of the proper handling
of the guest registration and departure
procedure.
Explain the front office computer system,
reports, and documents needed.
Specific functions of this section include:
1. Allocating rooms for expected arrivals;
2. Attending to the registration of arriving guests;
3. Handling and distributing of keys;
4. Receiving mails, parcels, messages and other documents for house guests and
insuring that they are properly delivered to the guest;
5. Serving as a communications center, disseminating information about the
facilities and services and also other matters like points of interest, flight
schedules, areas of entertainment, tourist spots, etc.;
6. Updating the room status of all guestrooms and reconciling said status with the
room status report of the Housekeeping Department;
7. Preparing and updating records pertinent to the guest's stay in the hotel;
8. Submitting Night Sales Report indicating the number of rooms sold, vacant
rooms, average rate, total revenue, occupancy rate, etc. and
9. Coordinating with other departments in the performance of its function,
particularly with the Housekeeping and the Accounting Section.
 The registration begins once the guest
Processing has reached the front desk. At this
point, most guests begin to create an

Guests' impression of the hotel in their minds.

Registartion The first face–to–face communication

between the hotel and the guests.
The details of the confirmed reservation may
be copied from the reservation form to the
registration card.
When the expected guest arrives, the desk
Resgistration
clerk simply pulls out the form from the rack or of Guests
designated folder and clarifies some
information. with
The desk clerk will ask the guest to check all
information and then request the guest to
Confirmed
sign, there is no more need to go through the Reservation
process of time-consuming registration and
bill settlement.
Check-in
Procedure
Welcome and greet the guest. Welcome him/her back
if he is a repeat patron.
“Good morning Ma'am/Sir, Welcome to Crown Plaza Hotel”
“Welcome back Mr. & Mrs. Quiroz. We are glad to see you again”

Ask for the guest‟s name if not known to you

“May I have your name, sir?”
After getting his name, check the arrival list if he is in the list of the
expected arrivals (with reservations). If not in the list, he is
considered a walk-in guest without reservations. Never ask: “Do you
have a reservation?” This may sound offensive and gives the guest
an impression that only those with reservation are favoured.
 Verify reservation details if the guest is pre-registered,
with pre-blocked room.
“Miss Quiroz, we have a confirmed booking for you under the name
of Mitsui & Co. For verification Madame your family name is Quiroz,
which is spelled as Q,U,I,R,O,Z is that right? You will be staying for
two nights and your departure will be Nov. 15. Your booking is
guaranteed by the company so you can sign under your room
account. May I request you to further check details in your
registration form and to sign your name?”
Daily Arrival List
 If the guest is a walk-in, the desk clerk must first ask the
guest‟s preferred room and then checks the Room Status
Bulletin (or rack whichever is used) if it is available.
“May I request you to fill up the registration form?”
It is possible that the preferred room is available but not yet
ready. The status is “vacant dirty”. In this case, inform the
guest but encourage him to take another room if he does not
want to wait.
“At the moment Mr. Roderno, the available double deluxe room is still
being made up. Do you want to settle for a king double de luxe instead?"
 If he is willing to wait, then invite his to the coffee shop or for a
coffee break or to read magazines at the lounge so as not to get
bored.
“While waiting for your room, would you like to enjoy a coffee break at our coffee
shop, or would rather entertain yourself with some magazines at the lounge?”

After the guest completes the registration form, the desk clerk
must insure that the:
Registration details are complete and legible
The guest has signed the form
Guest is well informed of the terms and conditions, as well as the room rate
and what it covers
Guest is informed if he/she is entitled to a signing privilege or not
Details of the booking that are indicated in the reservations form have not
changed
 Guest
Registration
Form
 Endorse the registration form to the front office/ cashier for bill
settlement. If the guest charges are to be billed to a company
account, check if the letter of authorization from the company is
already forwarded to the hotel. If not, ask the guest if he has the
document.
“Mr. Quiroz, you are booked under the account of Mitsui and Co. We have
not received your company’s letter of authorization/guarantee as of this
date. Do you have it with you?”
Once bill is settled, prepare the guest ID and give it to the
guest
“This is your hotel ID and room key Mr. Quiroz. For your security we
request that you present your id each time you claim your key”.
Call for a bellboy to accompany guest to his/her room. Mention
the guest name and give rooming instructions.
“Mr. Quiroz, your room is on the second floor. Our bellboy Sonny
will accompany you to your room”.
Wish the guest a pleasant stay
“Have a nice day Mr. Quiroz. We hope you will enjoy your stay
with us. Don’t hesitate to call the Front Desk should you need
any assistance.”
Prepare a guest folio. This is the document where all guest
charges are entered, either manually or in the computer, under
the Guest Account Menu.
In preparing the guest
folio, note down the
following:
Room number,
guest‟s name, and
address
Number of guests
registered
Arrival/departure date
Room rate
Registration card
number
Other remarks (cash
basis, walk-in)
 Enter the guests' name and other details in the Guests List
(manually or through computer.
Change the room status of the newly occupied room in the
room status rack or in the computer.
If the hotel is fully booked, assist the guest in getting
accommodation elsewhere and offer to transfer him/her to
the hotel once a room will be available..
“I’m sorry Miss Quiroz but we are fully booked right now. Would you like
me to get you a booking in one of the neighboring hotels? In case we
will have a vacant room tomorrow we will be glad to have you
transferred to our hotel.”
 Changes of
Room and Rates
1. Guest request for the room transfer
because:
He finds the room small and
uncomfortable.
He wants a better location with a
better view.
He prefer a room on the lower floor.
Changes of
He wants a better or more spacious
room with more amenities.
Room
2. Present room turns out to be out of order
or with defective facilities.
3. Other valid reasons
 1. Check the availability of the room;
2. Fill up the room change form in four (4) copies;
3. Call Bell Service to assign a bell boy who will assist the
guest during the room transfer and give him a copy of
the room change form together with the key to the new
room;
Procedures 4. Give one copy of room change form to the Front Office
Cashier, another one to the Telephone Exchange and
for Room also for the Housekeeping Unit. Keep last copy for file.
5. Change the old room number to the new room number in
Transfer the Information rack slip.
6. Once the transfer has been completed, get the old key
from the bellman.
7. In the room status, indicator, change the room status of
former room from “occupied” to “vacant dirty” and inform
the Housekeeping department for them to schedule
immediate room make up.
1. A guest who is booked and charged under
single occupancy has a joiner:
wife/husband/sister/brother
Change from single to double Changes in
occupancy.
Additional charge for an extra bed Room
Rates
2. There is a change of room type
3. Discount/complimentary room is granted to
a regular-rated room upon discretion of the
Resident Manager or Front Office Manager.
4. If the guest will stay longer, usually for a
month and this requires one month deposit.
 1. Fill up the rate change form and indicate:
Room number and Name of the guest
Old rate and the new rate
Current date and effectivity date of the change
Procedures Reason for the rate change/person authorizing
the change
in Making Clerk signature
Front Office Manager signature or approval
Changes in 2. Distribution of Forms:

Rates Original to the Front Office Cashier

Duplicate to the Controller/Accountant
Triplicate for the desk file
3. Change the room rate on the rack slip
 Handling Mails
& Packages
1. Packages are normally left at the Front
Desk by:
a. In-house guests
b. Outsiders for an in-house guest
2. The original copy of the package notice
form is placed inside the keyhole of the
guest (in case it is from outsiders) and
the hold mail rack (in case it is from an in-
house guest) the duplicate is attached to
the package. Large packages are kept at
the bell service counter.
 3. Receipt of the package or the package notice is
recorded in the package logbook.
Package notice number
Name of sender

Handling Room number or address or telephone

Description of items

Mails & Room number of the sender or his

address/telephone

Packages Desk clerks signature

Signature of guest/outsider
4. Desk clerk shall require the person claiming the
package to sign in the original copy of the package
notice and the package logbook.
 Reporting &
Documentation
One of the responsibilities of a desk
clerk is to see to it that the status of
each room is continuously updated
so that all clerks will be properly
guided in making room allocation.
Housekeeping will likewise be
alerted in making priorities for room
make-up.
In the Room Status Rack/Board, a color-coded card or slip is
placed corresponding to the room number using the color code
like: Green – for vacant ready – ready for sale
Yellow – vacant dirty – not ready for sale
Red – occupied room
Orange – reserved or blocked room for expected arrival
White – out of order room

Each time the room status changes, the desk clerk must make the
corresponding changes in the color coding. Example: If room 102 is
vacant ready with a code of green and by 10 AM it is sold/assigned
to a newly checked –in guest, the coded card must be replaced
with red.
 Most hotels have a check out time of 12:00nn.

Check Out
Extension is usually subject to extra charges
unless such charge is waived by management
especially for late check in.

Time If extension is granted and the hotel is not full:

Guest may stay free of charge till 6PM only
Beyond 6PM half or full rete applies
 1. Updating of the guest folio with latest
billings and vouchers.
2. Making follow-up of bills that have not
Check been forwarded by the restaurant,
housekeeping, and room service.
Out 3. Checking unreturned borrowed items.
Assistance 4. Instruction the Housekeeping office to
have the room check for damages, lost
items that may have been brought by
the guest.
Check out
Procedure
Get a check-out registration card from the Front Office cashier.
Warmly greet the guest and ask how you may help him/her.
“Good morning Mr./Mrs. Bianzon, may I help you?”
Ask the guest name and room number. Then pull out his/her guest folio
where all his/her records of consumption are kept.
“May I have your name sir/ma’am?”
Check for any last-minute messages, mail, or additional charges not
yet posted.
Ask if the guest has made additional charges to his/her room in the
last 30 minutes. If there are last-minute charges, be sure that they
are posted.
Ask how the guest wishes to settle the account.
Ask for the room key
 Ask the guest if he wants to make advance reservations for his/her
next visit to the hotel. Ask also for comments and suggestions for
improvement of service.
“Mr./Ms. Quiroz, do you have any plan of coming back?”
“Would you like us to make advance reservations for you?”

Thank the guest for staying in the hotel and invite him/her to come
back. As he/she leaves the desk area, wish him/her a safe and
pleasant journey.
“Thank you very much Mr./Ms. Quiroz for choosing our hotel for your
accommodation. We hope to see you again. Have a pleasant and safe
journey.”
 If a guest complains about a service or maintenance problem,
acknowledge and empathize with him/her following procedures for
complaints handling. Thank the guest by bringing the problem to your
attention and assure him it will be noted and appropriate action will be
taken.
“I can see how disappointed you are sir/ma’am. I’m sorry that we made you feel
that way. I have taken note of your comments. Rest assured we will have this
documented and the management will certainly take remedial action
immediately. Thank you for bringing this matter to our attention.”
Take out the room registration form and place notations “check – out”.
Inform the housekeeping Supervisor for him to send a room attendant
to do the checking of possible losses or damage in the guest‟s room.
Record the check – out in the departure record.
File check – out registration cards alphabetically in the check – out
registration card box.
 A Property Management System (PMS)

Front Office is a system that captures, encodes,

and stores data of Front Office and

Computer Accounting transactions and creates

a database that is used as a reference

System for marketing and day-to-day

transactions.
 Guest
Complaints
Nature and Types
of Complaints
1. Mechanical
2. Service
3. Staff attitudes
4. Unusual
 1. Listen, do not interrupt
2. Never argue

Handling 3. Be calm and sober

4. Empathize with your guest

Guest
5. Apologize
6. Be open-minded and show appreciation
7. Do not be defensive

Complaints 8. Be gracious and courteous

9. Reach to resolve the problem
10. Never pass the buck
Thank You!