Phases of the Guest Cycle| FRONT OFFICE OPERATIONS

Summary

In this video, Jaisal Main West from BSHRM3E discusses the critical role of the front office department in a hotel, highlighting its function as the first point of contact for guests and the 'face' of the business. The video outlines the front office's responsibilities, including managing guest transactions, maintaining databases, and ensuring customer satisfaction. It also details the guest interaction cycle, covering pre-arrival reservations, arrival processes, and departure procedures, emphasizing the importance of guest feedback and service quality in the hospitality industry.

Takeaways

• 🏢 The front office department is the face and voice of a business, serving as the first point of contact for visitors.
• 📊 It is also known as the nerve center of a hotel, regardless of the hotel's size or type, and is a critical part of the business.
• 🛏️ The core job of the front office is to sell rooms and ensure customer satisfaction for future retention.
• 💼 Front office staff handle transactions between the hotel and its guests, setting the first impression of the hotel.
• 🗓️ The guest interaction with the hotel is divided into phases: pre-arrival, arrival, and departure.
• 📞 During pre-arrival, guests make reservations, influenced by factors like previous experience, advertisements, and travel agents.
• 🏨 The front office uses a guest accounting system to capture reservation details and assist in registration activities.
• 🔑 There are three types of reservations: guaranteed, tentative, and waitlist, each with different confirmation and cancellation policies.
• 📋 The arrival phase includes registration and room assignment, where the front office staff verify reservation status and provide necessary information.
• 📝 The guest registration card (GRC) is an essential document that captures vital guest information and requires a guest signature.
• 🧳 The departure phase involves the guest checking out, settling accounts, and providing feedback on their experience.

Q & A

What is the primary role of the front office department in a hotel?

The front office department is the face and voice of a business, handling transactions between the hotel and its guests, receiving guests, handling their requests, and creating the first impression of the hotel.

Why is the front office considered the nerve center of a hotel?

The front office is considered the nerve center because it is the most visible department that coordinates guest services, maintains a comprehensive database of guest information, and ensures guest satisfaction.

What are the core responsibilities of the front office staff?

The core responsibilities include selling rooms, retaining satisfied customers, planning rates for profit, and supporting guest transactions and services.

What are the different types of hotel reservations mentioned in the script?

The script mentions three types of reservations: guaranteed or confirmed reservations, tentative or non-guaranteed reservations, and waitlist reservations.

How does a guest's choice of hotel during the pre-arrival phase get influenced?

A guest's choice can be influenced by factors such as previous experience with the hotel, advertisements, word of mouth, location, corporate travel, travel agent bookings, and more.

What is the significance of the guest registration card (GRC) in the hotel check-in process?

The guest registration card is significant as it captures essential information about the guest and their reservation, and it is mandatory to get the guest's signature for legal benefits.

What happens if a guest does not confirm a tentative reservation within the set time frame?

If a guest does not confirm a tentative reservation before the set time frame, the reservation will be canceled and the room may be given to another guest, such as a walking-in guest or someone from the waitlist.

What is the process for handling a walk-in guest in the hotel?

For walk-in guests, the front desk checks room availability, provides room options and rates, takes the guest's ID for verification, and completes the booking process, including payment and room assignment.

How does the front office handle guest departure?

During departure, the front office ensures the guest's account is settled, collects the room keys, and may assist with luggage. They also collect guest feedback and update the room's availability status for the housekeeping department.

What is the purpose of the cut-off policy in hotel reservations?

The cut-off policy ensures that non-guaranteed reservations are confirmed within a certain time frame before the guest's arrival. If not confirmed, the reservation is canceled to make the room available for other guests.

Outlines

00:00

🏢 Understanding the Front Office Department

The script introduces Jaisal Main West, who discusses the role and responsibilities of the front office department in a business, particularly in the hospitality sector. The front office serves as the first point of contact and is crucial for creating a positive first impression. It handles transactions, guest requests, and maintains a database of guest information. The core function is to sell rooms and ensure customer satisfaction for future business. The script also outlines the phases of the guest interaction cycle, starting with pre-arrival, where guests make reservations and the hotel captures their information.

05:02

📞 Pre-Arrival Reservation Process

This section details the pre-arrival phase of the guest interaction cycle through a scripted phone conversation. A guest named Kayra Latos calls to make a reservation, providing personal details and travel plans. The hotel representative, Jaisal, checks room availability and offers different room types with their respective rates. Kayra chooses a standard room, and Jaisal confirms her non-guaranteed reservation, reminding her of the hotel's cancellation policy for non-guaranteed bookings.

10:03

🛎️ Guest Arrival and Check-In

The script moves to the arrival phase, where the guest checks in at the hotel. It includes a video demonstration of a guest without a reservation arriving at the hotel and being assisted by the front desk. The guest is offered available room options, makes a selection, and provides payment details. The front desk staff ensures all necessary information is collected, including guest signature on the registration card, before issuing a room key. This phase establishes the business relationship between the guest and the hotel.

15:04

🧳 Guest Departure and Checkout

The final paragraph covers the departure phase of the guest interaction cycle. It includes a scripted phone call where a guest checks out, confirming that no items were consumed from the minibar. The hotel staff checks with housekeeping to ensure all is in order and thanks the guest for their stay, offering assistance with luggage if needed. The front office updates the room's availability and notifies housekeeping once the guest has checked out, completing the guest interaction cycle.

Keywords

💡Front Office

The 'Front Office' refers to the department in a hotel or business that handles guest reception, room reservations, and provides the first point of contact for visitors. It is crucial as it sets the initial impression of the establishment. In the video, the Front Office is described as the 'face and voice' of a business, highlighting its importance in creating the guest's first experience and managing their interactions throughout their stay.

💡Guest Cycle

The 'Guest Cycle' is a term used to describe the sequence of stages a guest goes through when interacting with a hotel, from pre-arrival to departure. The video outlines these stages, emphasizing the importance of each phase in delivering a comprehensive and satisfactory guest experience. The cycle includes pre-arrival, arrival, and departure, with each phase having specific tasks and responsibilities for the Front Office staff.

💡Pre-Arrival

In the context of the video, 'Pre-Arrival' is the first phase of the guest cycle where the guest makes a reservation for a room. This phase is significant as it sets the stage for the guest's expectations and the hotel's preparation for the guest's arrival. The script mentions that during pre-arrival, the guest chooses a hotel based on various factors and the Front Office captures essential guest information for the reservation.

💡Reservation

A 'Reservation' is a booking made by a guest for a room or service at a hotel. The video explains different types of reservations, such as guaranteed, tentative, and waitlist, which are crucial for hotel management to allocate rooms efficiently and manage guest expectations. The script provides an example of a guest making a reservation and the details exchanged between the guest and the Front Office.

💡Guaranteed Reservation

A 'Guaranteed Reservation' is a type of hotel booking where the guest confirms their stay by making a payment in advance. This ensures that the hotel blocks the room for the guest, as illustrated in the video script where the guest is asked if they want to guarantee their reservation, indicating the hotel's commitment to hold the room.

💡Tentative Reservation

A 'Tentative Reservation' is a booking where the guest indicates their intention to stay but does not guarantee the reservation with a payment upfront. The video mentions that hotels have a cut-off policy for such reservations, which means if the guest does not confirm by a certain time, the room may be released for other guests. This reflects the hotel's strategy to manage room availability.

💡Waitlist Reservation

A 'Waitlist Reservation' is when a guest is placed on a waiting list due to the unavailability of the requested room category or the hotel being fully booked. The video explains that the guest still wishes to be considered for a booking if a confirmed guest cancels. This demonstrates the hotel's efforts to accommodate guests even when they are fully booked.

💡Arrival

The 'Arrival' phase in the guest cycle involves the guest checking into the hotel. It is a critical moment for the Front Office staff to ensure a smooth and efficient process. The script describes the registration and room assignment process, highlighting the importance of confirming reservation status and providing accurate information to the guest.

💡Registration Card

A 'Registration Card' is a document that the guest fills out and signs during the check-in process. It contains essential information about the guest and their stay, such as personal details and payment information. The video script mentions that obtaining the guest's signature on the card is mandatory, which serves both as a record and provides legal benefits to the hotel.

💡Departure

The 'Departure' phase is the final stage of the guest cycle where the guest checks out of the hotel. The video script describes this process, including the settlement of accounts, returning room keys, and gathering guest feedback. It is an opportunity for the Front Office to ensure guest satisfaction and potentially secure future business through positive guest experiences.

💡Guest Feedback

Collecting 'Guest Feedback' is an essential aspect of the departure phase, as it allows the hotel to understand the guest's experience and make improvements. The video script emphasizes the importance of this feedback in enhancing the quality of services and guest satisfaction. It is a valuable tool for the hotel to maintain a high standard of service.

Highlights

Front office department is crucial for multi-departmental businesses as it serves as the first point of contact for visitors.

The front office is often referred to as the nerve center of a hotel, regardless of its star rating or type.

Front office staff is responsible for handling transactions between the hotel and its guests, setting the first impression.

The front office maintains a comprehensive database of guest information to support guest services and ensure satisfaction.

The core job of the front office is to sell rooms and retain satisfied customers for future business.

Front office functions include planning room rates according to strategies that benefit the hotel's growth.

The guest interaction with the hotel is divided into phases: pre-arrival, arrival, and departure.

During pre-arrival, guests make room reservations and choose a hotel based on various factors such as previous experience and location.

The front office accounting system captures guest information such as name, contact details, and room preferences during reservation.

There are three types of reservations: guaranteed, tentative, and waitlist, each with different hotel policies.

A reservation process example is provided, demonstrating how to handle a guest's inquiry and reservation.

The arrival phase includes the registration and room assignment process, where the guest establishes a business relationship with the hotel.

The guest registration card (GRC) is an essential document that collects vital information and requires a guest's signature.

Front office staff is responsible for clarifying any guest queries, especially regarding room rates and packages.

An example of a walk-in guest's arrival and the process of assigning a room and handling payment is provided.

During departure, the guest checks out, settles accounts, returns room keys, and provides feedback on their experience.

The front office updates room availability and notifies housekeeping once a guest has checked out.

A checkout process example is shown, including the handling of a guest with no minibar consumptions.

The video concludes with a summary of the stages of guest interaction with the hotel, emphasizing the importance of each phase.

Transcripts

[Music]

good day everyone i'm jaisal main west

of bshrm3e

i'm going to discuss about what front

office department is and what the

responsibilities are in the front office

operations and later on i'll show you

some of my videos about the phases of

the gas cycle in hotel

every multi-departmental physical

business needs to have a front office or

reception to receive the visitors

front office department is the face and

as well as the voice of a business and

at this point it is the first gas

contact area

front office also called the nerve

center of the hotel

regardless of the starity of the hotel

or the hotel type the hotel has a front

office as its most visible department

for a business such as such as a

hospitality

the front office department comes with

an aspect of

elevating customer experience with the

business front office staff handles a

transaction between the hotel and its

guests

the staff receives the guests handles

their request and strikes the first

impression about the hotel entered into

their minds

all the activities and areas of the

front office are geared toward

supporting guest transactions and

services

it can be defined as a fraud of the

housing department

located around the foyer at the lobby

area

of a hospitality property

the front office develops and maintains

a comprehensive database of guest

information

coordinates guest services and ensures

guest satisfaction

the core job of the front office

department is to sell rooms and retain

the satisfied customer for the future

front office function also include

planning of rates as per various

strategies which give profit to the

hotel for further growth

generally a gas interaction with the

hotel is divided into following phases

the first phase in the gas cycle is

pre-arrival this is where the guest does

the room reservations

it is considered as the starting point

of what is referred to as a gas cycle

and it is an integral part of the

pre-arrival

the guest chooses a hotel during the

pre-arrival stage of the gas cycle

choice of the guests can be affected by

many factors including previous

experience with the hotel advertisement

word of mouth referral by friends and

colleagues

location corporate travel travel agent

booking etc

in this first stage

the customer or the prospective guest

inquires about availability of the

desired type of accommodation and its

amenities via telephony call or an email

the customer also tries to find out more

information about the hotel by visiting

its website

at the hotel end

the front office accounting system

captures the guest information such as

name

age contact numbers probable duration of

stay for room reservation and so on

the details which are collected during

the reservation also helps the hotel of

the complete

registration activities like assigned

room according to the guest request room

need to be charged to the guest follower

during the course of stay etc

the hotel has three types of reservation

the guaranteed reservation or confirmed

reservation

which hotel assures that

which hotels assures the guest that the

required room shall be blocked after

confirmation per payment

second is the tentative reservation or

none guaranteed which the guest normally

informs the hotel

he will pay up our arrival to his

reservation

hotels have a cut of policy with regards

to this reservation and if the guest did

not confirm before the set time frame

and then the reservation will be

canceled and will be given else normally

a walking guest or someone from the

waitlist

waitlist reservation is when the

requested category of room is not

available for the requested dates or if

the hotel is fully booked

and the guest still wants to be

considered for a booking just in case a

reservation guest gets cancelled

now let me show you the video of

pre-arrival intentive reservation

[Music]

[Music]

good afternoon thank you for calling

diamond hotel reservation desk this is

jaisal speaking how may i help you hi

good afternoon i would like to make a

reservation please

may i have your full name phone number

and email address please

i'm kayra latos my contact number is

098-7766554

and my email address is k k.gasgmail.com

may i spell your name for k

kilo

alpha yankee echo

for alatos romeo echo lima alpha tango

and your contact number is

zero nine eight eight

seven seven six

six five five four

and your email address is k.guest

gmail.com is it correct ma'am yes that's

right mr latos i would like to know when

are you planning to stay with us

for how many person and for how many

nights i'll be arriving on december 7th

would stay for

three nights and i'll be checking in

alone may confer mom you'll be arriving

on december 7 would check in for four

days and three nights and for one person

am i correct yes that's right

hold on for a while mr alatos as i check

our availability on that date

mr lattos we have three kinds of

available room our standard room has a

balcony with a view of city with a rate

of seven thousand per head

our executive room has a balcony with a

view of the mountains with the rate of

thirteen thousand per head

deluxe room has a balcony with the view

of the beach resort with a rate of 17

000 per head

which one do you prefer ma'am

i'd like to have the standard room

please that's an excellent choice miss

relatos allow me to reserve that room

for you

you'll be arriving on the 7th of

december

and will be staying until 10

for a total of four days and three

nights for one person at our standard

room

am i correct

definitely mr latos i would like to know

if you want to guarantee your

reservation oh no i'll be paying upon my

arrival okay mom the total will be 20

000 for four days and three nights in

our standard group

inclusive of complementary breakfast and

dinner and you plan to pay your

accommodation upon your arrival am i

correct yes that's correct

all right mr lattas your reservation has

been made for the 7th of december

i will be sending the reservation

details on the email that you provided

our standard tracking time is 2pm

do you have any requests with regards to

your state would you like to have our

airport vehicle to pick you up no need

thank you so much

all right miss rolatos be reminded that

we have a cut-off policy with regards to

non-guaranteed reservations

and if we did not confirm within our

standard check-in time frame which is

until 6 pm on that day of your

reservation

then your reservation will be

automatically cancelled

alright i understand anyway thank you so

much for your help jason it's a pleasure

serving you mr latos and thank you for

choosing our hotel we'll see you in

december 7. have a nice day

now let's go to the second phase in the

guest cycle which is arrival

the arrival stage of the gas cycle

includes registration and room

assignment process

after the guest arrives he establishes a

business relationship with the hotel

through the front office

it is the front of his staff's

responsibility to clarify any query of

the guest especially the details of room

rate packages he is booked on

front office staff should determine the

guest reservation status before

beginning the check-in or registration

process

guest with reservation and guests

without preservation commonly known as

walk-ins

walk-ins also provide an opportunity for

business for front dead staff

a guest reservation court or grc is

printed and completed at the time of

check-in which will help the front desk

to collect essential information

the grc should contain details like

billy instructions reservation details

number of adults and children occupying

address passport and visa for foreign

nationals

full address personal details and credit

card details and so on because the gas

and hotel gain certain legal benefits it

is mandatory to get

guest signature on the registration card

the registration process is complete

once a method of payment and the guest

departure date have been confirmed and

julie signed by the guest

the guest may be given a room key and

direction to the room or escorted by the

guest service associate or guest service

manager

now let me show you the video of

arriving the walking in gas in hotel

afternoon mom welcome to diamond hotel

how may i help you

i'd like to have a room for two nights

please

do you have any reservation ma'am no i

don't have a reservation i borrow your

id mom while i'll check for a room

availability all right here's my id

thank you mom

as for checking mom we have an available

premier kingdom smokey with a full view

with a complementary breakfast and

dinner with the rate of 7425

per night

and premier tweed and smoking with the

city view with a complimentary buffet

breakfast and dinner

with the rate of 5425

per night which one do you prefer ma'am

i'll take the premier king non-smoking

for one person please

excellent choice mom the booking is

under your name miss k relatos yes that

would be me

mr lattas fill in those with check marks

while i photocopy your id

here's your id mom

thank you for this

thank you so much

mr latos i would like to know how are

you planning to settle your

accommodation i will be using a credit

card okay mom thank you so much i will

be swiping the amount of 14 850 for the

total of four days and three nights in

our premier kingdom smoking with a

complimentary breakfast and dinner

yes please

all right mr latos please sign those

with check marks and here's your credit

card thank you for this

here's the form thank you thank you so

much by the way would you like to place

a deposit for incidentals it would be

refundable upon checkout no need

no worries mr latos be reminded that in

case of unexpected incident then you'll

be required to pay in cash

alright i understand

mr latos thank you so much for choosing

our hotel this will be your key card and

you will be staying on the 12th floor

breakfast starts at 6 a.m and just

present your key card

our bell staff will be assisting you to

your room i'm sure you have any

questions don't hesitate to call us

thank you so much

have a pleasant stay mr aladdus

now let's go to the last part of the

guest cycle the departure

during guest departure the guest buckets

the room receive the guest acquired

statement of the settled accounts

return the room keys and leaves the

hotel

the guest accounting system ensure

payments for goods and services provided

if a gas bill is not complete

the gas bill is not completely paid

the balance is transferred from guest to

non-guest records

when this occurs

collection becomes the responsibility of

the back office accounting division

at this stage front offices also collect

the feedback of the guest experience in

the hotels by hunting over the guest

feedback form

at the time of guest departure the front

office staff thanks the guests for

giving an opportunity to serve and

arrange for handling luggage

in addition if the guest requires the

airport or other drop service the front

office belt desk fulfills it

once the gas has checked out the front

office updates the room's availability

status and notifies the housekeeping

department

now let me show you the video of the

parting guest without many bar

consumptions

[Music]

good afternoon thank you for calling

front desk this is jason speaking how

may i help you good afternoon i would

like to check out please

you are calling from room 1402

am i correct mr latas yes that's right

did you consume anything from the mini

bar mr latos no i did not consume

anything from the mini board thank you

for that information mr lattos do you

need any assistance with your luggage no

i can manage thank you for asking please

press enter key card at the front desk

mount thank you

okay you're welcome

good afternoon man how may i help you i

would like to check out these

may i have your key card man sure here

it is

alright mom give me a minute to confirm

with the housekeeper for the punch room

items at the mini bar

but afternoon housekeeping i'd like to

confirm if there's any items consumed

from the midi bar from room 1402 but

afternoon man the guest did not consume

any items from the minibar the rest of

the items are sealed thank you for that

information

why do we miss relatos how's your day

everything's wonderful i had a relaxing

time i hope to be back here soon i'm

glad that you had a wonderful stay mr

latos

upon checking everything is already

settled and since you did not use your

deposit for incidentals it will

automatically be cancelled upon checkout

do you need any assistance with your

luggage ma'am no i can manage thank you

for staying with us mr latos it was

pleasure serving you have a nice day

have a good day as well

and that is the stages of guest

interaction with the hotel thank you for

watching