FRONT-OFFICE SERVICE

FUNCTION 'RECEPTION'

Vadim Renchez, Economic Sciences, [Link] - 151

Reception department
The reception is the place where the first contact is established.
the client with the hotel. Despite any trends and attempts
of diminishing or changing the role and place in the economy
In hotel activities, the reception remains the vital center, a true
catalyst of problems, interactions of the client with others
departments, as well as interdepartmental relations.

The reception staff is required to present themselves

impeccable; personal hygiene, uniform, attitude,
the perfect manners must outline an image
a plaque that reflects good education and training. Next to it
of organizing activity and the constant attention given
to the client, these aspects contribute to shaping a
superior service in terms of quality.
 The reception department staff must
sa cunoasca produsul pe care il vinde, si anume:
the accommodation capacity, the location of the rooms, the access method;
the types of rooms, depending on the number of beds and their size,
as well as other types of accommodation and their particularities;
the number of persons admitted in each type of room, extra beds etc.
facilities of each accommodation
room rates;
•special rates, depending on the season or on the occasion of certain events;
the amount of VAT;
the hotel occupancy situation;
•reservation policy (guarantees, cancellations, penalties, etc.);
•tariffs applied in other departments;
Accepted payment methods.
2. Reception staff - profile,
attributes, competences
 Reception Desk
PROFILE
qualification in the profession of hotel receptionist;
minimum one year experience at reception;
knowledge of at least two international languages;
good computer operation skills;
knowledge of hotel management;
ascendant over other people, leadership talent;
•simt organizatoric
initiative, adaptability, decision-making power;
commercial spirit, good salesperson and negotiator;
the ability to remember people and situations.
ATTRIBUTES AND COMPETENCIES
Leads the reception team, ensures good promotion and sales of
hotel services, appropriately using customer loyalty methods
clients.
Train the subordinate staff for training and maintenance
standard of excellence in services.
•Organizes and coordinates the specific activities of the reception, from
planning of reservations for payment control and preparation of statistics
of the reception reports.
Participates in preparing for the reception of loyal customers and VIP clients, such as
if their encounter.
 RECEPTIONIST
PROFILE
qualification in hotel receptionist profession;
knowledge of one or more international languages;
pleasant appearance, pleasing presence;
computer operating knowledge;
communication skills;
team spirit;
emotional balance
sociability
adaptability
seriousness
attention, vigilance;
honesty
dynamism and efficiency.
ATTRIBUTES AND COMPETENCES

Promote and sell hotel services – accommodation and related services.

Establishes the first contact with the client, is the guarantor of a pleasant stay.
•Asigura securitatea clientului in hotel, respectand prevederile legale
regarding the reception and accommodation of clients and the key management.

Inform the client, resolve requests, complaints, special situations,

offers additional services.
It may have responsibilities related to booking accommodation spaces.
It can have billing and collection duties.
consumption.
Assist the guest upon departure from the hotel, ensuring a good impression.
 NIGHT AUDITOR
PROFILE
qualification in the hotel receptionist profession;
knowledge of one or more international languages;
pleasant appearance, agreeable presence;
computer operating knowledge;
accounting knowledge;
communication skills;
team spirit;
emotional balance;
sociability;
adaptability
seriousness
attention, vigilance;
honesty
dynamism and efficiency.
ATTRIBUTES AND COMPETENCIES

Check customer accounts and record consumption.

Prepare the situation of services and reimbursements.
Prepare statistical reports.
Ensure the security of clients by making the necessary checks and
Respecting the rules regarding the visitor regime.
Make reservations, receive clients, provide additional services,
resolve issues related to very early departures.
Prepare the list of arrivals.
Resolve special situations, complaints, and customer requests.
 RESERVATION CONTRACTOR
PROFILE
qualification in hotel receptionist or sales worker;
Experience in hotel activities or travel agency.
knowledge of 2 international spoken languages;
communication skills;
commercial spirit
rigor
attention
seriousness and responsibility;
efficiency.
ATTRIBUTES AND COMPETENCIES

Optimize hotel occupancy by planning rentals.

Respond to room booking requests by phone,
fax, e-mail, internet, etc., offering quality services.
Negotiate rates, conditions, service packages and conclude
contracts with travel agencies and other companies for
individual clients or organized groups.
 CONCIERGE
PROFILE
qualification in the profession of hotel receptionist;
knowledge of at least two international languages;
Knowledge of the locality and the area;
psychosociological knowledge;
communication skills;
pleasant appearance, enjoyable presence;
solicitude, politeness;
adaptability;
discretion;
seriousness;
honesty;
dynamism and efficiency.
ATTRIBUTES AND COMPETENCIES

Ensures the stability of viable relationships between clients and the hotel, between clients and
the external environment, It is said to represent the eyes, ears, heart, and soul
of the hotel.
Provides customer assistance from arrival until departure from the hotel.
•Perform additional services.
Coordinates the activity of hallway staff and the provision of services
specific.
Preda takes the room key.
 RECEPTION DESK
PROFILE
qualification in hotel reception profession
accounting knowledge
computer operating skills;
knowledge of the worker with different means of payment;
•knowledge of specific legislation;
honesty, fairness;
responsibility
precision
solicitude
Knowledge of one or more internationally spoken languages.
ATTRIBUTES AND COMPETENCIES

Issues payment notes and invoices.

Collects the value of the consumption, respectively the provisions
hotel credit, internal rules, methodology for dealing with different
means of payment.
Collaborate with the financial-accounting sector.
Prepares specific reports.
•Offers services to clients (value preservation, currency exchange).
 The reception desk can include the following sectors:

drawer
correspondence and information;
The registration of clients and the assignment of rooms.

For these, separate desks can be organized or all of them

it is carried out at a single desk. The reception desk is located in the area
the busiest part of a hotel's hallway.
3. Sale of hotel services
Another important duty of the reception department is to
present to clients the various types of accommodation and the facilities offered by
hotel, encouraging them to make use of it during their stay at the hotel.
This promotion significantly increases the hotel's revenues, in
special regard to the sale of services at clients' addresses without accommodation.

In general, the reception staff can help promote sales.

prin:
Encouraging customers to use the entire range of services offered by
hotel
suggestion to request a higher category of accommodation.
 The ability of the reception staff to sell:
It is necessary for the reception staff to have good sales skills.
to profitably market the hotel's services.

For this:
the receptionists must know the products sold, among which
include the types and rates of the rooms and all services and amenities
make hotel arrangements
Receptionists should have the desire to sell: to give clients attention and
the necessary instructions;
The receptionists must demonstrate communication skills;
to know the sales techniques.
 A few useful techniques in selling hotel services:

The reception staff can use a few useful techniques in

the sale of hotel services.
These may include the following strategies.
 Providing an alternative
Clients do not always know the entire range of services available from
The reception staff can promote the sale of services through suggestions.
help the client regarding the services that suit him best
thus offering him an alternative to choose from. The two strategies that are used when i
the client is offered an alternative regarding accommodation which is the descending one and the
ascendant.
The application of the descending technique involves offering the most expensive service from the
the receptionist, and then the gradual transition to cheaper services, in case if
the client does not intend to purchase the most expensive offer. Application
this method is suitable when clients are primarily interested
of comfort and the quality of services and then of cost. It is presented first.
the most expensive option, which is the most suitable for this type of clients.
On the other hand, the bottom-up technique involves presenting at the beginning the most
cheap accommodation options and then convincing the client to purchase
increasingly expensive packages. This method is recommended when care
the main concern of the client is the cost of the services. In this case, if it would...
Starting with the most expensive offer option, the client would be immediately turned off.
If the first time you offer them the cheapest option, suggesting that by paying
Putin will benefit more from a significant improvement in accommodation, the client.
he can be convinced to accept services that have an average or even high rate.
When choosing a sales strategy, the reception staff must anticipate.
the reasons that determine a client to use a certain service. For example, it will
Is the interested client offered a service at a promotional price or will it be
interested exclusively in high-priced services?
 In general, it can be assumed that:
well-dressed and prosperous clients rarely have a tight budget.
being more concerned about the quality of services than about prices;
clients whose accounts are paid by their companies tend to
spend more than clients who pay for their own services;
clients who want to make a good impression on business partners or
colleagues tend to spend more on high-quality services,
Clients who seek comfort usually purchase expensive services.

Therefore, the reception staff must observe and listen carefully.

clients. They need to find out more about the clients, such as the purpose of the visit
more details about the expenses they are willing to incur, in order to recommend them
the most suitable services.
 Suggestive selling:

This is an important sales technique for front-line staff.

of the office. It involves the description of the services offered by the hotel by
a member of the staff and the proposal made to the client for
acquisition.

The technique is best illustrated by the following examples. From

mention the fact that, in applying this technique, care must be taken not to
do not exert too much pressure on the client.
Situation 1
A couple traveling together with their child.
Action. The receptionist can recommend the full range of
services offered by the hotel, including: the use of a babysitter
that evening, the reservation of a table at the restaurant
hotel's card, description of laundry services,
Culinary preparations for children available at room service.
 Situation 2
A very tired businesswoman.
Action. The receptionist can suggest a higher level.
elevated comfort by assigning a room with a bathroom
with jacuzzi. The client can consider this bath a
meritorious relaxation, even if the tariff is a bit higher
Furthermore, the receptionist will inform the client about
the way to call room service.
Situation 3

A foreign businessman who has a reservation for a room.

standard at the displayed rate.
Action. The receptionist will explain the advantages of the package.
special for business (which may include, for example, serving
breakfast, use of the facilities of the business center,
transport insurance to the hotel) and can suggest switching to
the new rate.