Theory, Practice and Techniques in Front Office Management

The front office is the nerve center of a hotel. Communications and accounting are two of the most significant tasks of a front desk operation. Apposite communications—with guests, employees, and other departments of the hotel—are paramount in projecting a hospitable image. Answering guest inquiries about hotel services and other guests, marketing and sales department requests for information on guest room availability, and housekeeping department inquiries concerning guest reservations are but a few of the routine tasks. Front-of-the-House operations are known so as these operations take place in front of the guests. Thus, these operations are related either to direct interaction with the guest or they are being conducted in front of the guest. The front office activities start from the time a guest calls or sends in a request for reservation/ accommodation. Staff of the front office department starts interacting with guest by taking in guest information and reservation request, leading to confirmation of reservation and finally to the handling of guest on arrival and guest check-in. Regardless of the class or type of the hotel, front office is the most visible and essential focal-point of a hotel. The focal point of activity within the front office is the reception desk, which is located in the front lobby of a hotel and dispenses all front-of-the-house activities of the hotel. It is the communication center of the hotel with great amount of guest contact. Guests interact with the hotel for the first time by interacting with the staff of the front office, and they form the first impression about the hotel based on the efficiency, competency and behavior of the front office staff.

“Theory, Practice and Techniques in Front Office Management” illustrates the functions like the sale of rooms, guest registration, room assignments, handling of guest requests, maintenance of the guest accounts, cashiering along with handling mail and providing information. The financial tasks usually handled by the front desk personnel include receiving cash payments, handling guest folios, verifying checks and handling foreign currency and credit cards. In this book, you will be familiarized with all these aspects of the front office management. The logical presentation of chapters in order of operations—a tour of the front office, a review of the guest cycle, and an analysis of guest services—will give students insight into the front office manager’s role in the hotel. Students will also benefit from the discussions of other departmental managers, including security and housekeeping, and how they relate to the front office. This edition continues to encourage students to take an active part in applying these concepts to the exciting world of hotel operations.