PowerPoint to accompany

Chapter 1
Introduction to
front office

Learning outcomes
Explain the key features of Property
Management Systems.
Describe common accommodation
systems.
Understand the cycle of service.

Vivienne OShannessy: Front Office Skills 2009 Pearson Education Australia

Front office skills

Those skills (and knowledge) required
to perform efficiently and effectively in
the front office environment of a
commercial accommodation venue.

Vivienne OShannessy: Front Office Skills 2009 Pearson Education Australia

Where the Front Office is located

The front office is physically located in
the foyer of an accommodation venue.
It is located here so that it is readily
accessible for guests.
Designed to create a positive,
welcoming first impression.

Vivienne OShannessy: Front Office Skills 2009 Pearson Education Australia

Managing information and

communication in the front office
Information and communication in a
front office is effectively managed with
appropriate procedures and systems.
Effective information and
communication procedures and
systems generally incorporate
technology.

Vivienne OShannessy: Front Office Skills 2009 Pearson Education Australia

Managing information and

communication in the front office
Whether manual or technologically
based, front office information and
communication procedures and
systems are collectively referred to as
a Property Management System.

Vivienne OShannessy: Front Office Skills 2009 Pearson Education Australia

Property Management Systems

(PMS)
A PMS is a means of collecting, storing
and manipulating data relating to the
activities of a venue and its guests.
May be:
manual
semi-automated
fully automated.

Vivienne OShannessy: Front Office Skills 2009 Pearson Education Australia

Manual PMSs
In a manual system, all tasks relating to
guest and venue activities are completed by
hand or in the written form.
A manual system uses booking diaries and
conventional charts, to keep track of
reservations, colour-coded room racks to
keep track of room types, room status and
room occupancy (or availability), and
tabular ledgers for recording financial
transactions.
Vivienne OShannessy: Front Office Skills 2009 Pearson Education Australia

Conventional charts
Monthly reservations chart which
details bookings for each room and for
length of stay, by guest name.
These are grid charts with the days of a
month indicated across the top of the
page and room types and room
numbers listed down the left side of the
page.
Conventional charts are suitable for
small venues only.
Vivienne OShannessy: Front Office Skills 2009 Pearson Education Australia

Room rack
Manual or computerised method if
indicating the status of a room and
therefore room availability.

Vivienne OShannessy: Front Office Skills 2009 Pearson Education Australia

Booking diaries
Booking diaries are similar to any diary
in that are a means for recording
information (reservation details) by
date.

Vivienne OShannessy: Front Office Skills 2009 Pearson Education Australia

Booking diaries
The information is then transferred (in
pencil) to conventional charts. As
reservations are received, the guests
name is entered on the chart
corresponding to the room type and
length of stay. Details are entered in
pencil to allow for changes.

Vivienne OShannessy: Front Office Skills 2009 Pearson Education Australia

Tabular ledger
System for recording financial
transactions.
It provides for guest details (name and
room number) and services and
products consumed by each guest. As
a guest consumes a service or
product, the charge incurred is
recorded.
Vivienne OShannessy: Front Office Skills 2009 Pearson Education Australia

Tabular ledger
It also provides for the recording of all
payments received, allowances and
discounts (if any) and the total to be
carried forward to the next day.
All entries are handwritten.

Vivienne OShannessy: Front Office Skills 2009 Pearson Education Australia

Semi-automated PMSs
A semi-automated system
incorporates elements of the manual
system and uses some technology
(particularly in the accounting area of
front office).

Vivienne OShannessy: Front Office Skills 2009 Pearson Education Australia

Fully automated PMSs

Fully automated PMSs use a minimal
amount of handwritten information.
Information is entered into a computer
where it is compiled, maintained,
updated, stored and processed.

Vivienne OShannessy: Front Office Skills 2009 Pearson Education Australia

Fully automated PMSs

A computerised PMS can perform all
the tasks previously undertaken
manually. It is a more efficient and
reliable system than a manual or semiautomated system and is able to
process data far more rapidly and
accurately.

Vivienne OShannessy: Front Office Skills 2009 Pearson Education Australia

Fully automated PMSs

All computerised PMSs are able to
perform essentially the same tasks:
Record and maintain guest reservations
(individual and group).
Register guests and manage departures.
Record and maintain guest and nonguest financial transactions.

Vivienne OShannessy: Front Office Skills 2009 Pearson Education Australia

Fully automated PMSs

Create and maintain guest history
profiles.
Generate reports and collate statistical
data.
Monitor and control housekeeping
functions.
Manage maintenance issues.

Vivienne OShannessy: Front Office Skills 2009 Pearson Education Australia

Accommodation venue structure

Structure refers to the way in which a
venue organises the provision of
services and goods.

Vivienne OShannessy: Front Office Skills 2009 Pearson Education Australia

Accommodation venue structure

Specific services are grouped into
departments (accommodation
services, food and beverage,
housekeeping, and sales and
marketing, for example).

Vivienne OShannessy: Front Office Skills 2009 Pearson Education Australia

Why structure the delivery of

services and goods?
Venues structure their operations in
order to:
Best meet the needs and expectations of
its target markets.
Plan work.
Report financial performance.
Manage staff.
Manage marketing activities.

Vivienne OShannessy: Front Office Skills 2009 Pearson Education Australia

What is an organisational chart?

An organisational chart is a graphical
representation of a venues structure. It
shows the staffing structure, each
department, the division of labour,
levels of authority and lines of
communication.

Vivienne OShannessy: Front Office Skills 2009 Pearson Education Australia

Organisation chart

Vivienne OShannessy: Front Office Skills 2009 Pearson Education Australia

Accommodation services
Accommodation services, also
commonly referred to as the rooms
division, is the department responsible
for selling and maintaining guestrooms
and associated front office services.

Vivienne OShannessy: Front Office Skills 2009 Pearson Education Australia

Accommodation services
The primary concerns of the
department are guestrooms and the
services available to guests while
staying in the venue through the front
office.

Vivienne OShannessy: Front Office Skills 2009 Pearson Education Australia

Front office structure

Large accommodation venues typically
subdivide many departments.
For example, front office services are
divided into:
Front office (reception, cashiering).
Back office (reservations, telephony).
Housekeeping (room attendants, public
area cleaners, houseman).
Concierge (porter services, valet).
Vivienne OShannessy: Front Office Skills 2009 Pearson Education Australia

Guests and customers

Guests are those people who use and
pay for the goods and services
provided by hospitality establishments.
Because guests pay for the services
and goods they use, they are also
referred to as customers.

Vivienne OShannessy: Front Office Skills 2009 Pearson Education Australia

Target markets
A category of people who have been
identified as potential customers
because of their income, age, place of
residence and other (common) factors.
Marketing strategies for venues
usually target quite specific, well
defined markets. Within each target
market are market segments.

Vivienne OShannessy: Front Office Skills 2009 Pearson Education Australia

Market segment
A portion of the target market that has
similar traits, needs and desires that
the venue wants to attract.
For example:

Business travellers
Families
Tour groups
Couples
Conference groups
Free independent travellers.
Vivienne OShannessy: Front Office Skills 2009 Pearson Education Australia

Inbound visitors
Visitors to Australia whose main place
of residence is outside Australia (e.g..
international tourists, business
travellers, students.

Vivienne OShannessy: Front Office Skills 2009 Pearson Education Australia

Intrastate visitors
Visitors who live in Australia travelling
within their home state or territory.

Vivienne OShannessy: Front Office Skills 2009 Pearson Education Australia

Interstate visitors
Visitors who live in Australia travelling
outside their home state or territory.

Vivienne OShannessy: Front Office Skills 2009 Pearson Education Australia

Cycle of service
The four stages of the guests
experience with the venue are:
Pre-arrival
Arrival
Occupancy
Departure.

Vivienne OShannessy: Front Office Skills 2009 Pearson Education Australia

Hospitality sectors and target

markets

Vivienne OShannessy: Front Office Skills 2009 Pearson Education Australia

Cycle of service

Pre-arrival
Arrival

Departure
Occupancy

Vivienne OShannessy: Front Office Skills 2009 Pearson Education Australia

Pre-arrival stage
Those activities that occur before the
guest arrives:
Manage enquiries
Venue inspections
Reservations
Pre-payments/deposits.

Vivienne OShannessy: Front Office Skills 2009 Pearson Education Australia

Arrival stage
Those activities that relate to the
guests arrival at the venue, and check
in procedures.
It is the first face-to-face opportunity to
make a good impression.

Vivienne OShannessy: Front Office Skills 2009 Pearson Education Australia

Occupancy stage
Those activities that occur while the
guest is registered in the venue
including consumption of goods and
services, payments, and requested
services.

Vivienne OShannessy: Front Office Skills 2009 Pearson Education Australia

Departure stage
Those activities that relate to a guests
departure:
Account settlement
Collection of luggage from room
Onward accommodation bookings
Arrangement of transport
Farewell.

Vivienne OShannessy: Front Office Skills 2009 Pearson Education Australia

Moment of truth
The impression created by each
experience the guest has in the venue.
An impression may be:
Positive
Negative
Neutral.

Vivienne OShannessy: Front Office Skills 2009 Pearson Education Australia

Our role and a moment of truth

To provide guests with positive
moments of truth throughout their stay.
To do this, we need to be able to meet
expectations by understanding:
The importance of the host/guest
relationship.
How to do our job well.

Vivienne OShannessy: Front Office Skills 2009 Pearson Education Australia

Our role and a moment of truth

The venues target markets.
How to meet the needs of individuals.
Our employers expectations of us.
What facilities and services are available
for guests.

Vivienne OShannessy: Front Office Skills 2009 Pearson Education Australia

Attributes for success

High standard of personal hygiene and
grooming.
Good knowledge of the workplace and
the services and facilities available.
Excellent interpersonal skills.

Vivienne OShannessy: Front Office Skills 2009 Pearson Education Australia

Attributes for success

A good service ethos.
Willingness to learn new tasks,
systems and procedures.
Good general knowledge of the local
environment and attractions.

Vivienne OShannessy: Front Office Skills 2009 Pearson Education Australia

Attributes for success

Wide-range of job-related skills.
Willingness to learn (and undertake)
new tasks.
Ability to learn new systems and
procedures in the workplace.

Vivienne OShannessy: Front Office Skills 2009 Pearson Education Australia

Attributes for success

Good general knowledge of the local
environment.
Understanding of how our efforts
contributes to the success of the
establishment.

Vivienne OShannessy: Front Office Skills 2009 Pearson Education Australia