Hotel Organization Hotel and Rooms Division Operation

Organizational chart is a schematic representation of the relationship between positions within an organization.
-It should be flexible and should be reviewed and revised yearly or more often if business conditions
significantly change.
-A copy of the propertys organization chart should be included in the employee handbook distributed to all
employees.
FUNCTIONAL AREAS
Revenue center sells goods or services to guests, thereby generating revenue for hotel. (F & B dept., front
office, room service, and telephone.)
Support centers, also referred to as cost centers, include the housekeeping, accounting, engineering and
maintenance, and human resources divisions. These divisions do not generate direct revenue, but provide
important support for the hotels revenue centers.
Front of the house areas are areas where guests interact with employees. Such areas include the front office,
restaurants, and lounges.
In back of the house areas, interaction between guest and employees is less common. Such areas include
housekeeping, engineering and maintenance, accounting, and human resources.
Functions of a Hotel
Lodging accommodations
Revenue centers
Cost centers
Serve and enrich society
Profit for the owners
4. Director of Rooms Division
Reservation, registration, room & rate assignment
Fulfills guest services and updates room status
Maintains & settles guest accounts
Creates guest history records
Develops & maintains a comprehensive database of guest information
Coordinates Guest Services
The sole priority of the Rooms Division Department shall be ensuring Guest Satisfaction, which happens when,
guest expectations match what the hotel provides.
The Rooms Division Department is typically composed of different departments:
a) Front Office
b) Reservation
c) Housekeeping
d) Uniformed Services/Guest Services/Concierge
e) Telephone/Communication
f) Security
a) Front Office:
-The front office is the most visible department in a hotel. Guests come to the front desk to register; to receive room
assignments; to inquire about available services, facilities, and the city or surrounding area; and to check out.
-Other functions include receiving and distributing mail, messages, and facsimiles, as well as guest cashiering.
-Cashiers post charges and payments to guest accounts, all of which are later during an account auditing procedure
(often called night audit).
The functions of the front office are to:
-Sell guestroom, register guests, and assign guestrooms.
-Process future room reservations, when there is no reservation department or when the reservation dept. is
closed.
-Coordinate guest services.
-Provide information about the hotel, the surrounding community, and any attractions or events of interest
to guests.
-Maintain accurate room status information.

-Maintain guest accounts and monitor credit limits.

-Produce guest account statements and complete proper financial settlement.
Typical functions and positions under the Front Office Department
1. Rooms Division Manager
Rooms division managers knowledge required includes a complete understanding of hotel operations, specifically
those operations involving the front office, housekeeping and basic accounting procedures.
-Responsible for the supervision of employees engaged in the operation of the front areas of the hotel
-Coordinates with other departments in the hotel and maintains open communications with them to find
better ways to serve the guests
-Maintains responsibility for staffing, purchasing, and budgeting
-Supervises the rooms division payroll, availability controls, and monthly plans
-Creates plans to maximize the average daily rate and percentage of occupancy
-Handles customer complaints and suggestions
-Stays up to date with events taking place in the market, in market segments, and in the competition
2. Front Office Manager
-It is the basic function of the front office manager to directly supervise the front desk, reservations,
concierge and PBX.
-He is also assists the rooms division manager in compiling information for reports.
-Assists in the training and cross-training of front office employees
-Prepares monthly reports
-Assists the rooms division manager in formulation and implementation of front office policies and
procedures
-Reviews and approves all room moves and room rate changes to ensure they were necessary
-Handles guest complaints and follows them up to reduce future complaints
-Assists the rooms division manager in forecasting room availability to ensure that the optimal level of
occupancy is attained
-Is available to work in the front office area where there may be a shortage of staff
-Maintains the necessary stock of supplies in all front office areas, while controlling costs in these areas
3. Front Desk Supervisor
-It is the front desk supervisors basic function to directly supervise the front desk procedures that include
check-in and check-out.
The front desk supervisor performs the following duties:
-Trains and cross-trains front desk personnel in the tasks of registration, mail handling, information
services, and check-in and check-out procedures
-Regulates the service given in the front desk
-Acts as a liaison between the guests and management, particularly with regard to problem-solving
activities
-Is responsible for seeing that daily and hourly computer reports are run and distributed
-Assigns VIP rooms to ensure guest satisfaction
-Resolves room discrepancy report
-Prepares the weekly/monthly schedule of employees
-Assist the group coordinator with all group arrivals, either directly or through the delegation of this duty to
other front desk staff
4. Reception (Front Desk Agent)
-The reception provides the first initial contact a guest has with the hotel.
-After this contact, guests feel that the reception is the place to call or go when they have a question or
problem.
-The basic functions performed by the reception are the registration process and the assisting of guests with
any requests they make.
The receptions duties include the following:
-Handles the guest registration process and adheres to all hotel credit policies in the process
-Handles guest check-out procedure
-Always answers the front desk phone with three rings or less
-Attempts to sellup guest rooms, and informs and sells the guest on all hotel services and facilities
-Is aware of all daily events in the hotel and local area
-Handles guest mail and reservations when the reservations department is closed

-Coordinates room status updates with housekeeping department

-Ensure completion of guest registration card
-Identifies guests length of stay requirement
-Coordinates maintenance work with the engineering and maintenance division
-Maintains guestroom key storage
5. Front Office cashier
-Prepare and settle of guests accounts
-Administer the safe deposit boxes
-Provide a foreign currency exchange service
6. Night Auditor
-Checking and completion of guest and hotel accounts
-Producing statistics and summaries of revenue
Night Audit Process in Simple Terms
ADD
Yesterdays closing balance of accounts owed by guests
LESS
Payments received today against accounts
PLUS
All charges made today to guests account
EQUALS
Days closing balance of accounts owed by guest
Key Operating Ratios for Daily Report
Hotel Occupancy Statistics
Percentage of occupancy =Rooms Occupied
Total Rooms Available

Double/Multiple Occupancy Percentage

Double/Multiple Occupancy Percentage = Total # of Guests - # of Rooms Occupied

# of Double Occupied Rooms
Hotel Revenue Statistics
Average Daily Room Rate (ADR) =

Total Rooms Revenue

Total Number of Rooms Sold

Property Management Systems (PMS)

Computer-based applications
Reservations management
Rooms management
Guest account management
General management
Yield Management
Increases room revenue by using demand-forecasting technique
Based on the economics of supply and demand
Pricing is based on
Trends of demand
Type of room to be occupied
b) Reservation
-More than half of all hotel guests makes reservations. The reservations department is responsible for receiving and
processing reservation requests for future overnight accommodations.

-These individuals arrange for hotel accommodations through such means as toll-free telephone numbers; direct
telephone lines; hotel sales representatives; travel agencies; property-to-property networks; postal delivery; telex and
fax; e-mail; and other communications services.
-Reservation agents should convey the desirability, features, and benefits of staying at the hotel, rather than simply
taking an order. It is no longer satisfactory for a reservations agent to say that the front desk will determine the room
rate at check-in.
-Reservation agents should confirm the rate over the telephone at the time the guest makes reservation. The agent
should also tell the guest why the room is such a good value information to avoid overbooking. It is essential for
reservations department personnel to work closely with the hotels sales and marketing division.
-First area of guest contact
-A sales position
-Telephone skills
-Central Reservations System (CRS)
DEFINITIONS:
1.Confirmed reservation- A reservation made by a guest, which is confirmed by the hotel for those dates they plan
on staying.
2. Guaranteed reservation- If rooms are available on guest demand, the hotel guarantees the guest rooms on those
days.
3.Advance deposit/advance payment
4. No show
5. 6 pm reservation
Positions under Reservation Department
1. Reservations Manager
-The reservations managers basic functions are to supervise and oversee all the operations of the reservations area.
-He or she must assure that all reservations, both group and individual, are recorded and followed up on as
necessary.
Other duties of reservations manager is to perform the following:
-Making sure proper telephone etiquette is used and correct information is being given to potential guests
-Being sure that personal service is stressed and that sales techniques are being used appropriately
-Following up on tentative booking, watching cut-off dates, and monitoring group tour business accounts
blocks for productivity
-Training reservation agents and setting up cross-training programs
-Reviewing all VIP reservations and working with the rooms division manager and the front office manager
on assignments
-Preparing and distributing to concerned departments a weekly, monthly reservations and revenue forecast
-Handling requests for reservation information and room rates
-Developing and maintaining a solid working relationship with the central reservations office and travel
agents
2. Reservations Clerk
-The reservations clerk is responsible for taking reservations and for providing future guests with information about
the facilities of the hotel.
Duties performed by reservations clerk includes:
-Giving friendly and courteous service to future guests while involved in telephone sales
-Answering all reservation phone calls, taking reservations, and dealing with reservations correspondence
-Dealing with group bookings such as cancellations, changes, and rooming lists
-Checking to see that all equipment is working properly and that the needed amount of supplies is on hand
-Conducting telemarketing under the direction of the director
d) Uniformed Services/Guest Services/Concierge
-Concierge services are common in European hotels and available for over a century.
-Today, most full-service hotels in America and Asian Countries are also available.
-The basic task of a concierge is to serve as the guests liaison with both hotel and non-hotel services.
-In a sense, the function of a concierge is an extension of the function of a front desk agent
-A concierge must be resourceful and knowledgeable about the hotel and the surrounding community. Regardless of
whether concern in-hotel or off-premises attractions, facilities, services, or activities, a concierge specializes in
providing assistance to guests.

Typical guest requests handled by a concierge include:

-Providing directions and information
-Making airplane, theater, train ticket
-Reservations for dining
-Arranging for secretarial services
-Handling mail and parcel services
-Arranging sightseeing tours
-Transportation arrangement
-Limousine services
1.Guest Relations Officers (GRO)
-Make guests feel welcome
-Provide personal services
-Handle guests problems and complaints
-Take care for VIPs and frequent guests, escorting them on arrival
2.Bell Attendants provide baggage service between the lobby area and the guestroom.
-Should have strong oral communication skills and display genuine interest in each guest. Depending on
the size and complexity of the hotel, bell attendants may be counted on to:
-Transport guest luggage to and from guestrooms.
-Familiarize guests with the hotels facilities and services, safety features, as well as the guestroom and any
in-room amenities.
-Provide a secure area for guests requiring temporary luggage storage.
-Provide information on hotel services and facilities.
-Deliver mail, packages, messages, and special amenities to guestrooms.
-Pick up and deliver guest laundry and dry cleaning.
-Perform light housekeeping services in lobby and entry areas.
-Help guests load and unload their luggage in the absence of a door attendant.
3.Door Attendants
-Welcome the guest to the hotel.
-Open hotel doors and assisting guests upon arrival.
-Help guests load and unload luggage from vehicles.
-Escort guests to the hotel registration area.
-Control vehicle traffic flow and safety at the hotel entrance.
-Hail taxis, upon request.
-Assist with valet parking services.
-Perform light housekeeping services in the lobby and entry areas.
4.Concierges
-Concierges may provide custom services to hotel guests.
-Duties include making reservations for dining, securing tickets for theater and sporting events, arranging
transportation, and providing information on cultural events and local attractions. Concierges are known for
their resourcefulness.
e)Telephone/Communication
-The telephone department may also be referred to as a private branch exchange or PBX.
-Hotel switchboard or PBX operators may have responsibilities that extend beyond answering and
distributing calls to the appropriate extension.
-When long distance calls are routed and priced through the switchboard, charges must be relayed to a front
office cashier for posting to the proper guest account.
-Switchboard operators may also place wake-up calls, monitor-automated systems, and coordinate
emergency communications.
-Operators also protect guests privacy, and thereby contribute to the hotels security program by not
divulging guestroom numbers.
1. Telephone Operator
-PABX stands for private automatic branch exchange. This area is commonly referred to as the switchboard and
is staffed by switchboard / telephone operators.
-Most large hotels have room-to-room dialing by which guests in one room can dial directly to another room.
-The greatest duty of a telephone operator is that of transferring calls from outside the hotel to the appropriate
guest room.

-For security measurement, operators must do this without giving out the room number of a hotel guest.
-The telephone operator may seldom be face-to-face with guests of the hotel, but plays an important role in
representing the hotel to the guest. For this position, a friendly and courteous tone of voice is all-important.
The duties of the telephone operator include:
-Answers incoming calls
-Directs calls to guestrooms through the switchboard / PABX system
-Provides information on guest services
-Processes guest wake-up calls
-Answers inquiries about hotel facilities and events
f)Security
Providing guest safety and loss prevention
Security officers
Equipment
Keys
Safety procedures
Identification procedures