Words: 6851
Hotel Organisation I. Hotel divisions. Organisational Missions Every organisation has a reason or purpose to exist. Its purpose forms the basis for the organisation’s mission. An organisation’s mission can be expressed in a mission statement. A mission statement defines the unique purpose that sets one hotel or hotel company apart from others. It expresses the underlying philosophy that gives meaning and direction to hotel policies. Hotel employees may derive a sense of purpose from a well-conceived mission statement.
For example, a hotel’s mission may be to provide the finest facilities and services in the market while providing a good place to work for its employees and a reasonable return on investment to the owners. A hotel’s mission statement should address the interests of its three main constituent groups: guests, management, and employees. First, a hotel’s mission statement should address the basic needs and expectations of the hotel’s guests.
Regardless of a hotel’s size or service level, it is safe to assume all guests have the following basic expectations: safe, secure accommodations, clean, comfortable guestroom, courteous, professional and friendly service, well-maintained facilities and equipment. Second, a hotel’s mission should reflect its management philosophy. it guides managers in their jobs by identifying the property’s basic values. Third the mission statement can serve as a basic for job descriptions and performance standards and as an introduction to the property for new employees.
Answer the questions. 1. What forms the basis for the organisation’s mission ? 2. How can an organisation’s mission can be expressed? 3. What does a mission statement define and express? 4. Whose interests should a hotel’s mission statement address? 5. What are the main basic expectations of the guests? The Front Office. The front office is the most visible department in a hotel. Front office personnel have more contact with guests than do staff in most other departments.
The front desk is usually the focal point of activity for the front office and is prominently located in the hotel’s lobby. 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. The front desk often serves as the hotel control centre for guest requests concerning housekeeping or engineering issues. In addition, it may also be a base of operation during emergency, such as a fire or a guest injury.
The functions of the front office are to: sell guestrooms, register guests, and assign guest rooms; co-ordinate guest service; provide information about the hotel, the surrounding community, and any attractions or events of interest to guests; maintain accurate room status and room key inventories; maintain guest accounts and monitor credit limits; produce guest account statements and complete proper financial settlement. Other front office function include receiving and distributing mail, messages and faxes, as well as guest cashiering.
Cashiers post charges and payments to guest accounts, all of which are later verified during an account auditing procedure often called the night audit. Front desk personnel also verify outstanding accounts receivable, and produce daily reports for management. Answer the questions. 1. Why is the front office the most visible department in a hotel? 2. Why do guests come to the front desk? 3. How does the front desk often serves? 4. What are the main functions of the front office? 5. What do other front office function include? Reservations.
More than half of all hotel guests make reservations. These individuals arrange for hotel accommodations through such means as direct telephone lines; hotel sales representatives; travel agencies; property-to-property networks; postal delivery; telex and fax; and other communications services. Every lodging property has its own way of monitoring and managing its reservations function. The reservations department is responsible for receiving and processing reservation requests for future overnight accommodations. Although procedures may differ from otel to hotel with regard to reservations handling, maintenance, processing, and confirmation, the purpose is still the same: to accommodate guest requests in a manner that maximises hotel occupancy and room revenue. Computers can be programmed to provide reservations agents with information on the types of rooms available (including room rate, view, furnishings, amenities, and bed size) for a given day. Some computer systems can even provide agents with the exact room number if necessary. Computers can provide reservations agents with a great deal of information on the hotel, some of which should be provided to the guest on request.
Computers have helped transform reservations agents into true salespeople. Reservations agents should convey the desirability, features, and benefits of staying at the hotel, rather than simply processing an accommodation request. It is no longer satisfactory for a reservations agent to defer to the front desk to determine a room’s rate at registration. Reservations agents should confirm the rate over the telephone at the time the guest makes the reservation. In fact, most guests requesting a reservation will not book a room without receiving a confirmed rate.
The agent should reinforce the guest’s decision to stay at the property and thank the guest for his or her business. It is essential for reservations department personnel to work closely with the hotel’s sales and marketing division when large group reservations are being solicited or processed. In fact, some hotel companies now place the reservations functions in the sales department instead of the front office. In any case, sales department representatives must be kept informed of room availability to ensure they know how many rooms they can sell on any given day.
On a day-to-day basis, reservations agents must maintain accurate reservation records and closely track room availabilities in order to avoid overbooking. Overbooking can create bad feelings and contribute to lost business in the future. Answer the questions. 1. What are the main means of making reservations by the guests? 2. What is the reservations department responsible for? 3. What is the purpose of reservation? 4. What information can computers provide reservations agents with? 5. What is the role of reservations agents? 6. How should the reservation department work? 7. What should be done to avoid overbooking?
Communications. The telephone switchboard area or department maintains a complex communications network, it 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 co-ordinate emergency communications.
Operators also protect guests’ privacy by not divulging guestroom numbers. Call accounting systems make it possible for guests to place calls without operator intervention. In addition, call accounting systems can place direct distance dialled calls over the least costly route available. Call accounting systems, which automatically price calls, also enable hotels to add surcharges and access charges to local and long-distance calls. In many cases, call accounting systems communicate with the front desk computer to automatically post the telephone charges to the guest’s account.
Answer detection equipment permits the call accounting computer to identify when an outgoing telephone call is actually answered. This reduces disputes at the front desk over charges for calls that were not actually completed. Computers can also be used to automatically place wake-up calls to guestrooms at pre-programmed times. When a front desk agent or switchboard operator receives a request for a wake-up call, the room number and the desired time are entered into the computer system. The computer can then place the wake-up call as specified, and play a recorded message once the phone is answered.
This can be especially helpful in large hotels where hundreds of wake-up call requests can be received for the same time. Answer the questions. 1. What is PBX? 2. What are the main responsibilities of switchboard operators? 3. What are the advantages of call accounting systems? 4. What equipment can help to reduce disputes over chargers? 5. How are computer wake-up calls made? Housekeeping. Housekeeping is perhaps the most important support department for the front office. In some hotels the housekeeping function is considered an independent hotel division.
Effective communication among housekeeping and front office personnel can contribute to guest satisfaction while helping the front office to effectively monitor guestroom status. Housekeeping employees inspect rooms before they are available for sale, clean occupied and vacated rooms, and communicate the status of guestrooms to the front office. At most properties, a front desk agent cannot assign a guestroom until the room has been cleaned, inspected, and released by the housekeeping department. The housekeeping department often employs a larger staff than other departments.
Normally, an executive housekeeper is in charge of the department, aided by an assistant housekeeper. The department also includes inspectors, room attendants, and laundry personnel. Room attendants are assigned to specific sections of the hotel. Depending on the hotel’s service level, average guestroom size, and cleaning tasks, room attendants may clean from 8 to 18 rooms per shift. If the hotel has its own laundry, housekeeping department staff may be charged with cleaning and pressing the property’s linens, towels, uniforms, and guest clothing.
Housekeeping personnel (usually executive housekeepers) are responsible for maintaining two types of inventories: recycled and non-recycled. Recycled inventories are those items that have a relatively limited useful life but are used repeatedly in housekeeping operations. These inventories include such items as linens, uniforms, and guest amenities like irons and hair dryers. Non-recycled inventories are those items that are consumed or worn out during the course of routine housekeeping operations. Non-recycled inventories include cleaning supplies, small equipment items, and guest supplies and personal grooming items.
Guest amenities and linens are among the items and conveniences most often requested by guests. To ensure the speedy, efficient rooming of guests in vacant and inspected rooms, the housekeeping and front office departments must promptly inform each other of any change in a room’s status or availability. Teamwork between housekeeping and the front office is essential to effective hotel operations. Answer the questions. 1. Why is it necessary to have effective communication between the housekeeping and front office? 2. Who is on the staff of the housekeeping department? . What do housekeeping employees do? 4. What types of inventories are housekeeping personnel responsible for maintaining ? 5. Why is teamwork between housekeeping and the front office essential? Retail Outlets. Lodging properties often establish gift shops, news-stands, or other retail outlets in their lobbies or public areas. These outlets generate revenue for the hotel based on a percentage of sales or a fixed space rental fee. Recreation. Some hotels—primarily resorts—staff a division dedicated to providing group and individual recreational activities for guests.
Some recreation divisions also undertake landscaping the grounds and maintaining the pool. Golf, tennis, bowling, snorkelling, sailing, walking tours, bicycle trips, horseback riding, hikes, and other activities may be arranged by recreation division staff. The division may also plan and direct activities such as arts and crafts shows or children’s programs. Typically, recreation employees collect fees for organised activities or arrange for charges to be posted to guest accounts. Casino. Casino hotels will have a casino division that operates games of chance for guests and protects the property’s gambling interests.
The casino division may offer various forms of entertainment and other attractions to draw customers into the property and its gambling facilities. For casino hotels, revenues derived from gambling are usually larger than revenues from hotel operations. Food and Beverage Division. The hotel’s food and beverage division generally ranks second to the rooms division in terms of total revenue. Many hotels support more than one food and beverage outlet. Possible outlets include quick service, table service, and speciality restaurants, coffee shops, bars, lounges, and clubs.
The food and beverage division also typically supports other hotel functions such as room service, catering, and banquet planning. Banquets, normally held in the hotel’s function rooms, may represent tremendous sales and profit opportunities for the food and beverage division. Hotels that appeal to group and convention business typically generate large amounts of banquet and catering revenues. Catered functions, such as weddings and anniversaries, may also provide significant revenue opportunities for the food and beverage division. Answer the questions. 1. What retail outlets do hotels establish and why? . What recreation facilities do hotels provide? 3. What does casino division offer? 4. What do food and beverage outlets include? 5. What hotel functions do the food and beverage division support? Sales and Marketing Division. The size of a hotel’s sales and marketing staff can vary from one part-time person to more than a dozen full-time employees. Sales and marketing responsibilities are typically divided into four functions: sales, convention services, advertising, and public relations. The primary goal of the division is to promote the sale of hotel products and services.
To this end, sales and marketing staff need to co-ordinate their efforts with the front office and other hotel divisions to effectively assess and communicate guest needs. Marketing employees strive to attract guests to the hotel. Marketing staff research the marketplace, competing products, guest needs and expectations, and future demand. These employees then develop advertising and public relations programs for the hotel based on their findings. Sales staff, on the other hand, strive to create revenue through the sale of hotel products to guests and groups.
Front desk agents also may act as salespersons, especially when negotiating with and registering walk-in guests. Answer the questions. 1. How does the staff of a hotel’s sales and marketing can vary? 2. What are the main responsibilities of sales and marketing division? 3. What is its primary goal? 4. Why does this division need to co-ordinate its work? 5. What does marketing staff research and develop? 6. What does sales staff do? Accounting Division. A hotel’s accounting division monitors the financial activities of the property. Some hotels use off-premises accounting services to complement the work of their internal accounting division.
In this case, the hotel’s staff collects and transmits data to a service bureau or chain headquarters. A hotel that performs its accounting work on the premises will employ a larger accounting staff with a higher level of responsibility. Accounting activities include paying outstanding invoices, distributing unpaid statements, collecting amounts owed, processing payroll, accumulating operating data, and compiling financial reports. In addition, the accounting staff may be responsible for making bank deposits, securing cash loans, and performing other control and processing functions as required by hotel management.
In many hotels, the night audit and the food and beverage audit are considered accounting division activities. The accounting division’s success depends on close co-ordination with the front office. The front office cashiering and guest accounting functions include monitoring cash, checks, credit cards, and other methods of guest account settlement. The most common financial transactions handled by front office staff members are receiving cash payments, verifying personal checks, imprinting credit cards, making change, and monitoring guest account statements.
In small hotels, the front office is also responsible for monitoring the credit status of registered guests. Answer the questions. 1. What does a hotel’s accounting division do? 2. Why do Some hotels use off-premises accounting services? 3. What do accounting activities include? 4. What does the accounting division’s success depend on? 5. What do the front office cashiering and guest accounting functions include? Engineering and Maintenance Division. A hotel’s engineering and maintenance division is responsible for maintaining the property’s structure and grounds, as well as its electrical and mechanical equipment.
This division may also be charged with swimming pool sanitation, parking lot cleanliness and fountain operations. Quite often, the operation of the hotel’s safety equipment comes under this division as well. Some hotels, however, may have a separate grounds department or an outdoor and recreation department for these tasks. Not all engineering and maintenance work is handled by the hotel’s staff. Often, problems or projects require outside contracting. For example, special skills may be needed to calibrate building controls, charge fire extinguishers, and test and adjust building fire alarms.
The special equipment needed to clean kitchen duct work, dispose of grease and other refuse, or remove snow from parking lots may require that these tasks be contracted. The front office must efficiently exchange information with a representative of the engineering and maintenance division to ensure guest satisfaction. A guest complaint about a leaky faucet, malfunctioning lamp, or sticking lock should not rest with a front desk agent but should be written up and quickly relayed to engineering and maintenance staff for corrective action.
Conversely, front desk staff must be informed quickly about maintenance problems that render a room unsuitable for sale. They also must be informed when the room becomes ready for sale again. Answer the questions. 1. What is engineering and maintenance division responsible for? 2. Why do some hotels have a separate grounds department or an outdoor and recreation departments? 3. What problems can require outside contracting? 4. What can a guest complain about? 5. Why should front desk staff be informed about maintenance problems? Security Division.
All employees should be concerned about the safety and security of hotel guests, visitors, and employees. Security staff may include in-house personnel, contract security officers, or retired police officers. Security responsibilities may include patrolling the property; monitoring surveillance equipment; and, in general, ensuring that guests, visitors, and employees are safe and secure. Critical to the effectiveness of the security division is the co-operation and assistance of local law enforcement officials. A hotel’s security program is strongest when employees outside the security division participate in security efforts.
For example, front desk agents play a critical part in key control by issuing room keys to registered guests only. Room attendants practice security when they verify a guest’s room key before allowing that guest to enter a room they are cleaning. All employees should be wary of suspicious activities anywhere on the premises, and report such activities to a member of the security staff. A key role of the security division is to maintain a strong awareness in the hotel’s staff of safety issues through training and enforcement of standards. Let’s examine the situation from the guest’s perspective.
For example, if a guest comes to the hotel carrying a large sum of cash or wearing expensive jewellery, he or she probably won’t want to leave these items unattended in the guestroom. The guest would go to the front desk and ask for a safe deposit box, card, and key. In most cases, the front desk agent will require the guest to fill out forms, take the guest to the safe deposit box area, and allow the guest to deposit his or her valuables. If these procedures aren’t properly followed and records aren’t kept, the guest could claim that he or she had additional items or cash that was stolen.
The guest could also leave the property, call back, and ask that the hotel staff mail his or her belongings. Many problems can happen if employees with safe deposit box responsibilities aren’t properly trained. Front office people must maintain a sense of what’s right and what’s wrong. In some ways, we’re asking them to be security people—to be able to spot bad checks, invalid or stolen credit cards, and other fraudulent activities that can add up to enormous liabilities for the hotel. Front desk employees must also know the hotel’s policies and procedures for responding to fires, bomb threats, robberies, injuries, and other emergencies.
The front office may become a command centre that directs the security staff or the local police during emergencies. Answer the questions. 1. What does security staff include? 2. What do security responsibilities include? 3. When is a hotel’s security program the strongest? Give an example. 4. What is a key role of the security division? 5. In what cases can a guest use a safe deposit box? What is the procedure of taking it? 6. What can happen If these procedures aren’t properly followed? 7. What are the main responsibilities of front desk employees as security eople? Human Resources Division. Hotels have increased their investment in and dependence on human resources management. The size and budgets of human resources divisions have grown steadily, along with their responsibility and influence. This expanded role is mirrored by the growing preference for the broader term human resources management over personnel management. In properties that are not large enough to justify a separate human resources office or division, the hotel’s general manager often supervises the human resources function.
Recently, the scope of the human resources division has changed in response to new government legislation, a shrinking labour pool, and growing pressures from competition. Although techniques have changed, the basic functions of the human resources division remain the same: employment (including external recruiting and internal reassignment); training; employee relations (including quality assurance); compensation; benefits; administration (including employee policies); labour relations; and safety. Answer the questions. 1. What features of human resources divisions have grown? . What is the result of the expanded role? 3. In what cases does the general manager supervise the human resource function? 4. Why has the scope of the human resources division changed? 5. What are the basic functions of the human resources division? ex. 1 Read the following statements. Say whether they are true, if not correct them. 1. The mission statement serves as a basic for job descriptions and performance standards. 2. Front desk personnel produce weekly reports for management. 3. Overbooking can contribute to lost business in the future. 4.
Call accounting systems make it possible for guests to place calls with the help of operator. 5. The housekeeping department often employs a smaller staff than other departments. 6. For casino hotels, revenues derived from gambling are usually larger than revenues from hotel operations. 7. Hotels that appeal to group and convention business generate large amounts of banquet and catering revenues. 8. Sales and marketing responsibilities are divided into three functions. 9. In large hotels, the front office is responsible for monitoring the credit status of registered guests. 10.
All engineering and maintenance work is handled by the hotel’s staff. 11. All employees should be concerned about the safety and security of hotel guests. 12. Hotels have increased their investment in human resources management. ex2. Fill in the necessary prepositions. 1. Hotel employees may derive a sense of purpose …. a well-conceived mission statement. 2. Guests come… the front desk to register, to receive room assignments, to inquire ….. available services, facilities and to check … 3. Reservations agents should confirm the rate…. the telephone …the time the guest makes the reservation. 4.
Effective communication … housekeeping and front office personnel can contribute … guest satisfaction. 5. Depending … the hotel’s service level, average guestroom size, and cleaning tasks, room attendants may clean … 8 …. 18 rooms …shift. 6. Typically, recreation employees collect fees … organised activities or arrange …charges to be posted … guest accounts. 7. Marketing employees strive to attract guests … the hotel. All employees should be wary… suspicious activities anywhere … the premises, and report such activities …a member … the security staff. ex. 3 Match the words in suitable pairs. mission |attendant | |personnel |groups | |recreational |shop | |gift |equipment | |room |charges | |executive |rooms | |vacated |housekeeper | |detection |descriptions | |constituent |assignments | |access |settlement |job |calls | |room |area | |financial |statement | |long-distance |invoice | |switchboard |loans | |beverage |product | |sticking |division | |cash |management | |full-time |employee | |outstanding |lock | |competing |activities | ex. 4 Finish the sentences, using the appropriate words from the box. |public relations, overbooking, valuables, revenue, cashiering, PBX, snorkelling, accommodation. | 1. All guests should have courteous service, well-maintained facilities and safe …. 2.
Front office function include receiving and distributing mail, messages and faxes, as well as guest…. 3. The purpose of each hotel is the same: to accommodate guest requests in a manner that maximises hotel occupancy and room 4. Reservations agents must maintain accurate reservation records to avoid…. 5. The telephone switchboard department maintains a complex communications network, it may also be referred to as …. 6. Recreation division staff may arrange such activities as: golf, tennis, bowling, sailing, walking tours, bicycle trips, horseback riding, hikes and … 7. Sales and marketing responsibilities are typically divided into four functions: sales, convention services, advertising, and … 8.
The front desk agent will allow the guest to deposit his or her… ex. Give the corresponding words for the following definitions. |job description, room rate, front office, night audit, account, check out, front desk | |agent, room assignment, settlement. | 1. A form in which financial data are accumulated and summarised. 2. The procedure involved in the departure of a guest from a property, including settlement of the guest’s account. 3. A front office employee whose responsibilities include registration activities, room status co-ordination, and mail, message and information requests. 4. The most visible department in a hotel with the greatest amount of guests contact. 5.
A detailed list identifying all the key duties of a job as well as reporting relationships ,additional responsibilities, working conditions, and the necessary equipment and material. 6. A daily comparison of guests accounts with revenue centre transaction information. 7. The identification and allocation to a guest of an available room in a specific room category, finalised as part of the registration process. 8. The price a hotel charges for overnight accommodation. 9. The collection of payment for an outstanding account balance, bringing the balance to zero. ex. 6 Translate the sentences into English. 1. ???????? ??????? ????? ?????? ???? ?????????? ?? ???????? ???? ???????? ???????????? ?????: ??????, ??????????? ? ????????. 2. ???? ?????????? ? ?????????????, ????? ??????????????????, ???????? ????????????? ? ?????, ??????? ??????? ?? ????????? ? ??????? ???????, ? ????????? ? ?????, ????? ?????????? ?? ?????????. 3. ? ??????? ????????????? ????? ?????? ????????? ? ?????? ?????, ????????? ? ??????, ? ????? ??????? ? ???????. 4. ????? ?? ???????????? ?????? ????????? ????? ?????? ???????????? ? ??????????? ??????? ?? ???????? ????????? ???????, ????? ???????? ?????????????????. 5. ????????? ????????? ?????? ?? ????, ??? ??? ???????????, ??????? ?????? ? ????????? ?????? ? ???????? ? ????????? ??????? ? ?????????????. 6. ? ?????? ????????? ????? ????????????? ?????????? ????????, ???????? ?????? ? ?????? ???????? ?????. 7. ????????? ????? ????? ????? ?????, ??????? ?????????? ???????????? ????????? ? ?????????????? ??????????? ??? ??????. 8. ??????? ????? ??????? ????????: ????? ???????? ????????????, ?????????????????? ?????????, ????, ??????, ???? ? ?????. 9. ????? ?????????? ????????? ?????? ???????: ???????, ?????????? ?????????, ??????? ? ????? ? ???????????????. 10. ?????????? ????? ?????? ?? ?????????? ????????????? ???????????. 11. ????? ????? ????? ???????????? ?? ??????? ????, ??????????? ????? ??? ????????? ??????? ?????. 12. ????? ????? ????????? ???? ??? ???????? ????? ??????????????. 13. ????????? ?????? ?? ?????? ? ?????????? ????????: ????, ????????, ??????????????? ????? ??????? ??????????, ???????? ?????????, ??????????? ? ???????, ????????????????, ?????????? ???????????????? ????????? ? ???????? ????? ? ????????????. II. Uniformed Service.
Read and translate the text. A person entering a hotel lobby for the first time might never guess the complexities underlying the day-to-day operation of the property. He or she might not recognise that the courtesy of the door attendant, the competent and friendly manner of the front desk agent, and the tidiness of the guestroom reflect the workings of an efficient organisation. The actual network of a hotel’s divisions, departments, and personnel in a smoothly operating hotel should be invisible to the casual observer. But the services that result from a hotel’s smooth operation are highly visible and present the hotel with a unique challenge.
For a hotel to run effectively and efficiently, every employee must understand, and work to achieve, the property’s mission. Every employee must ensure that guests are so impressed by the property’s facilities and services that they will want to come back and will enthusiastically recommend the property to others. Teamwork is the key to success. All employees must have a spirit of co-operation both within and between their departmental areas. While every department and division should strive to offer and improve quality guest service, it is especially important that good service be emphasised in high profile locations such as the front office. The ability of front office employees to answer questions, co-ordinate services, offer choices, and satisfy guest equests is critical to the hotel’s mission. Answer the questions. 1. What reflects the workings of an efficient organisation? 2. What should be visible and invisible to the guest in a smoothly operating hotel? 3. What should be done to run a hotel effectively? 4. What is the key to success? 5. What is important to the hotel’s mission? Uniformed Service. Employees who work in the uniformed service department of the hotel generally provide the most personalised guest service. While personnel in reservations, front desk, and communications areas affect guest perceptions, it is often personnel in uniformed service who make a lasting impression.
This is especially true in properties such as world-class or luxury hotels that offer a broad range of guest services. Uniformed service staff are usually classified as “tipped employees,” since a portion of their income is derived from guests’ gratuities. To some degree, uniformed service personnel can affect their income through the quality and frequency of service they provide. While uniformed service jobs may not appear complex, they are critical to the smooth operation of a hotel. Quite often it is the ability of uniformed service staff to properly anticipate guest needs and communicate effectively with guests that makes the difference in the hotel’s service quality.
Among the major challenges facing the manager of the uniformed service department are: setting the proper service standards, training employees, and ensuring that employees successfully provide quality service. Since uniformed service employees generally receive among the lowest hotel wages, keeping them trained and motivated can be an enormous job. Without a doubt, well-motivated uniformed service employees can enhance the hotel’s image while earning good income through a combination of wages and tips and producing personal rewards. Answer the questions. 1. What do employees who work in the uniformed service department provide? 2. Why are uniformed service staff usually classified as “tipped employees”? 3.
What makes the difference in the hotel’s service quality? 4. What are the major challenges of the manager of the uniformed service department? 5. Why is motivation of uniformed service employees important? Bell attendants. Many guests arrive at a hotel with heavy baggage or several pieces of luggage. Guests receive help handling this luggage from probably the best-known employee among the uniformed service staff: the bell attendant. Since most hotels have carts for transporting baggage, the physical ability to actually carry the baggage is not a critical job qualification. More important, bell attendants should have strong oral communication skills and display genuine interest in each guest.
Due to their direct contact with guests, bell attendants have an opportunity to communicate vital information to guests and help them feel welcome at the hotel. One of a hotel’s best marketing opportunities occurs when the bell attendant escorts the guest to his or her room. Being familiar with the area outside the hotel as well as the hotel’s restaurants, entertainment lounges, recreational activities, meeting rooms, and safety and security measures is an important part of the job. It is through informal conversation that bell attendants become key players in the hotel’s sales and marketing efforts. Bell attendants should make an extra effort to learn guests’ names. This makes guests feel more welcome and allows the bell attendant to provide more personal service.
Depending on the size and complexity of the hotel, bell attendants may be counted on to: • Transport guest luggage to and from guestrooms • Familiarise guests with the hotel’s 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. While many of these tasks appear simple, they all require a degree of professionalism. Answer the questions. 1. Who provides the most personalised guest service? 2. Who is the best-known employee among the uniformed service staff? Why? 3. What is a critical job qualification for a bell attendant? Why? 4. What is an important part of the job? 5. What are the main responsibilities of a bell attendant ? Door attendants. Door attendants play a role similar to bell attendants: they are dedicated to welcoming the guest to the hotel. These employees are generally found in hotels offering world-class or luxury service.
Some of the duties door attendants perform include: • Opening doors and assisting guests upon arrival • Helping guests load and unload luggage from vehicles • Escorting guests to the hotel registration area • Controlling vehicle traffic flow and safety at the hotel entrance •Hailing taxis, upon request • Assisting with valet parking services • Performing light housekeeping services in the lobby and entry areas. Like bell attendants, door attendants must be well informed about hotel facilities and the local community. Guests frequently ask door attendants for directions to businesses, government offices, transportation centres, restaurants, and local landmarks and attractions.
One of the most challenging responsibilities for a door attendant is controlling vehicle traffic at the hotel entrance. Controlling vehicle traffic can be a very demanding job, especially when the hotel is busy. Experienced door attendants are capable of handling all these tasks with aplomb. A skilled and experienced door attendant learns the names of frequent guests. When these guests return to the hotel, the door attendant is able to greet them by name and can introduce them to other front office staff. Such personal service enhances the reputation of the hotel and provides the guest with a unique experience. Answer the questions. 1. What role do door attendants play? 2. What are the main duties of door attendants? 3.
Why should door attendants be well informed about hotel facilities and the local community? 4. What is one of the most challenging responsibilities of door attendants? 5. What are the chief characteristics of an experienced door attendant? Concierges. The concierge is part of the staff that provided personalised guest services. It is not uncommon to find a concierge at a world-class or luxury hotel. Concierges may provide custom services to hotel guests. Duties include making reservations for dining; securing tickets for theatre and sporting events; arranging for transportation; and providing information on cultural events and local attractions. Concierges are known for their resourcefulness.
Getting tickets to sold-out concerts or making last-minute dinner reservations at a crowded restaurant are part of a concierge’s responsibility and reputation. Most successful concierges have developed an extensive network of local, regional, and national contacts for a variety of services. Especially important, however, are the local contacts the concierge has established at restaurants, box offices, car rental offices, airlines, printers, and other businesses. Some hotels actually encourage concierges to visit appropriate businesses and organisations to establish and strengthen such relationships. Finally, a highly successful concierge should speak several languages.
The concierge position is generally a salaried position, but gratuities from guests are common expressions of gratitude for exemplary service. In some hotels, the head concierge is the manager of the uniformed services department. When this is the case, the head concierge assumes additional responsibilities for supervising all uniformed service personnel. In large hotels, the head concierge is often too busy to undertake such tasks and supervises employees in the concierge department only. In many hotels offering world-class and mid-range accommodations and services, the role of the full service concierge is becoming a key to establishing the reputation of the hotel. Answer the questions. 1. At what hotels can we find concierges? 2. What do concierges duties include? 3.
What contacts have most successful concierges developed? 4. How do concierges earn their income? 5. What are the responsibilities of the head concierge? Valet parking attendants. Valet parking is generally available at hotels offering world-class or luxury service. Specially trained employees park guest and visitor automobiles. The personal attention and security of valet parking service is considered both a luxury and a convenience. Guests do not have to worry about finding a parking space, walking to the hotel in inclement weather, or finding their vehicles in the parking lot. Hotels generally charge a higher fee for valet parking than for self-service parking.
In addition to paying the higher fee for valet parking, guests are also likely to tip the valet parking attendant. Valet parking attendants are also responsible for the security of vehicles being moved to and from the hotel entrance. Attendants should not take a car into their care without issuing a receipt to the guest or visitor, usually in the form of a ticket. On the hotel portion of the ticket the attendant should note any existing damage to the vehicle. Vehicle keys must be kept in a secure area, and issued only by qualified personnel. Cars should not be issued to guests or visitors without proper documentation; in most cases, guests or visitors must return the receipt or ticket issued by the attendant before they can receive their keys.
If a key is lost or given to the wrong person, the vehicle can be rendered inoperable or considered stolen and the hotel may be held financially responsible. The uniformed service department is responsible for all vehicles under its care and reports information to the front desk each night so that parking charges can be posted to guest accounts. In addition, when the vehicle entrance to the hotel is busy, valet parking attendants should help keep the area running smoothly by providing traffic control assistance. Answer the questions. 1. At what hotels is valet parking generally available? 2. What are the advantages and disadvantages of valet parking for the guests? 3. What are valet parking attendants responsible for? 4.
What is the purpose of issuing the receipt to the guests who leave their cars in the parking lot? 5. In what cases the hotel may be held financially responsible? Transportation personnel. Already common to most airport hotels, transportation services and departments are gaining in popularity at other types of properties. Many airport hotels offer complimentary bus service between the airport and the hotel on a regular schedule. In some cases, a guest can simply step from an airport’s baggage claim section to a conveniently located courtesy van area. In other cases, the guest must telephone the hotel to be picked up. Some hotels provide direct connect phone lines through a courtesy board at the airport for guest convenience.
Since bus or courtesy van drivers are sometimes the first contact the guest will have with the hotel, it is important for them to be polite, efficient, and knowledgeable about the property. It is generally customary for drivers to provide some information about the hotel while in transit, either through a live spoken presentation or a pre-recorded audio tape. Drivers should also help guests entering and exiting the vehicle. An experienced driver efficiently and carefully loads guest luggage into the van. As a result of such assistance, guests won’t have to wrestle with heavy bags while getting on and off the vehicle. Another recent addition at many hotels is providing courtesy transportation service to local business, shopping, entertainment, sporting, and dining establishments.
At some properties, limousines may be made available to VIP guests. Transportation personnel may be classified as either tipped or non-tipped employees. In all cases, drivers must present the proper image of the hotel. Guest privacy must be maintained, especially in limousines. Any conversations among guests must be considered confidential and should not be discussed with hotel employees, family, or friends. Traffic safety is a critical concern. In addition, drivers must know how to check their vehicles to ensure that all equipment is working correctly. Answer the questions. 1. What is complimentary bus service? 2. What are the main requirements to bus or courtesy van drivers? 3. What are their duties? 4.
What kind of courtesy transportation service do many hotel provide? 5. How can drivers present the proper image of the hotel? ex. 1 Read the following statements. Say whether they are true, if not correct them. 1. The services that result from a hotel’s smooth operation are invisible. 2. Uniformed service employees earning good income through tips. 3. Bell attendants should learn guests’ names. 4. Door attendants are found in hotels offering mid-class service. 5. A highly successful concierge should speak several languages. 6. Hotels charge a lower fee for valet parking than for self-service parking. 7. Transportation personnel may be classified only as tipped employees. ex2.
Fill in the necessary prepositions. 1. Teamwork is the key … success. 2. Bell attendants should display genuine interest … each guest. 3. Bell attendants familiarise guests… the hotel’s safety features. 4. The duties door attendants perform include hailing taxis… request. 5. Personal service enhances the reputation … the hotel and provides the guest … a unique experience. 6. Gratuities … guests are common expressions of gratitude … exemplary service. 7. Attendants should not take a car … their care … issuing a receipt … the guest. 8. Some hotels provide direct connect phone lines …a courtesy board …the airport … guest convenience. ex. 3 Match the words in suitable pairs. hotel |responsibilities | |courtesy |van | |parking |lot | |assumes |services | |exemplary |service | |custom |office | |vital |information | |genuine |interest | |oral |communication | |front |lobby | |door |attendant | ex. 4 Finish the sentences, using the appropriate words from the box. |receipt, front office, attractions, perceptions, responsibilities, aplomb, resourcefulness, challenges. | 1. Experienced door attendants are capable of handling all these tasks with…. 2. The head concierge assumes additional… 3. Concierges are known for their…. 4.
Attendants should not take a car into their care without issuing a … 5. Setting the proper service standards, training employees, and ensuring that employees successfully provide quality service are the manager’s major … 6. Personnel in reservations, front desk, and communications areas affect guest… 7. It is especially important that good service be emphasised in high profile locations such as the… 8. Concierges’ duties are: making reservations for dining; securing tickets for theatre and sporting events; arranging for transportation; providing information on cultural events and local ex. 5 Give the corresponding words for the following definitions. Transportation personnel, uniformed service, PBX, ?ell attendants, valet parking | |attendants, concierges, door attendants, | 1. Persons who provide baggage service between the lobby area and the guestroom 2. Persons who provide curb-side baggage service and traffic control at the hotel entrance 3. Persons who provide parking service for guests’ automobiles 4. Persons who provide transportation services for guests 5. Persons who assist guests by making restaurant reservations, arranging for transportation, and getting tickets for theatre, sporting, or other special events, and so on. 6.
A department including parking attendants, door attendants, porters, limousine drivers and bell persons. 7. A hotel’s telephone switchboard equipment. ex. 6 Translate the sentences into English. 1. ???????????? ?????? ????? – ??? ???? ? ??????. 2. ????? ????????????? ???????? ????? ????? ????? ??????????? ??????? ????? ? ?????????? ???????? ? ???????, ??? ? ???????? ???????? ? ???????? ????????????. 3. ?????????? ?????? ????? ??????????? ? ??????????? ?????? ????????? ? ????????? ???????????? ??????? ? ??????? ?????. 4. ? ??????????? ???????? ??????: ?????????? ??????, ?????? ?????? ? ???????, ????????????? ?????? ? ??????, ??????????????? ????????????? ?????? ????? ??????????, ????? ????? ? ??????. 5. ??????? ?????????? ??????: ????? ??????, ??????? ? ????? ? ?????????? ???????, ??????????? ??????????, ?????????????? ?????????? ? ?????????? ???????? ? ??????? ??????????????????????. 6. ???????? ????????????? ??????? ????? ??????????????? ?? ???????????? ???????????, ??????????? ? ??????????? ?? ?????. 7. ???????? ?????? ???????????? ??????????????? ????? ????? ? ???????? ?????????????????? ?????? ?????. 8. ?????????? ? ???????? ???????? ????????, ?? ?????? ?? ?????? ???????? ?????? ?????????? ????????????? ?? ?????????? ????????????. 9. ???? ????????????? ? ??????????? ?????, ??????? ?????? ? ??????????? ? ?????? ????????????- ??? ????? ?????? ???????????. 10. ?????? ?????????????? ????????????? ???????? ????? ???????? ????? ?????.