THE FRONT DESK This is where the guests register, request information and service, relate complaints, settle their accounts, and check out.

THE FRONT DESKTHE FRONT DESK

This is where the guests register, This is where the guests register, request information and service, relate request information and service, relate complaints, settle their accounts, and complaints, settle their accounts, and

check out.check out.

Front Desk DesignFront Desk Design Prominently located in the hotel lobbyProminently located in the hotel lobby

A typical front desk surface is a counter approximately A typical front desk surface is a counter approximately three-and-a-half feet high and two-and-a-half feet deepthree-and-a-half feet high and two-and-a-half feet deep

The length may vary according to the number of rooms The length may vary according to the number of rooms in the hotel, duties performed at the front desk, and he in the hotel, duties performed at the front desk, and he physical design of the hotel lobbyphysical design of the hotel lobby

Signs may be placed on or above the desk to direct Signs may be placed on or above the desk to direct guest to the proper activity center for registration, guest to the proper activity center for registration, cashier, check-out, information, and mail handling, and cashier, check-out, information, and mail handling, and other guest servicesother guest services

Partitions may screen front office data from guests or Partitions may screen front office data from guests or visitors standing at the desk, since much of front office visitors standing at the desk, since much of front office information are considered confidential and proprietary. information are considered confidential and proprietary.

Functions of Front DeskFunctions of Front Desk

Assigning of rooms and registration of arriving guest according to Assigning of rooms and registration of arriving guest according to established procedures;established procedures;

Handling of guest room keys, mails, cables, parcels, messages, Handling of guest room keys, mails, cables, parcels, messages, etc.;etc.;

Serving as a communications center for the guest while he or she Serving as a communications center for the guest while he or she is registered in the hotel, providing the needed information not only is registered in the hotel, providing the needed information not only about hotel facilities and services but points of interest like post about hotel facilities and services but points of interest like post office, flight schedules, areas of entertainment, tourist spot, etc.;office, flight schedules, areas of entertainment, tourist spot, etc.;

Control and updating of room status rack;Control and updating of room status rack;

Preparation and maintenance of reports or records Preparation and maintenance of reports or records pertinent to the guest stay in the hotel;pertinent to the guest stay in the hotel;

Submission of night sales report indicating the number Submission of night sales report indicating the number of rooms sold, vacant rooms, average rate total of rooms sold, vacant rooms, average rate total revenue, occupancy rate, etc.;revenue, occupancy rate, etc.;

Coordination with other departments in the Coordination with other departments in the performance of its function especially with the performance of its function especially with the Housekeeping and Accounting section.Housekeeping and Accounting section.

Front Office EquipmentFront Office Equipment

Room RackRoom Rack

Considered as the most important Considered as the most important piece of front office equipment.piece of front office equipment.

This is an array of metal file pockets This is an array of metal file pockets designed to hold room rack slips that designed to hold room rack slips that

display guest and room status display guest and room status information.information.

The room rack is normally recessed into the front The room rack is normally recessed into the front desk counter, tilted against the desk, or mounted desk counter, tilted against the desk, or mounted

below or behind the desk. When key slots are below or behind the desk. When key slots are added to the room rack, it can serve as a added to the room rack, it can serve as a

combination room and key rack.combination room and key rack.

The room rack contains a summary of information about The room rack contains a summary of information about the current status of all rooms in the hotel. A room rack the current status of all rooms in the hotel. A room rack slip or in some hotels, the guest registration card itself slip or in some hotels, the guest registration card itself can be inserted into the room rack to display guest data, can be inserted into the room rack to display guest data, room number, and room rate.room number, and room rate.

One glance at the room rack should immediately inform One glance at the room rack should immediately inform the front desk agent of the occupancy and housekeeping the front desk agent of the occupancy and housekeeping status of all rooms.status of all rooms.

The room rack may also contain The room rack may also contain information about room types, features, information about room types, features,

and rates. and rates.

Front desk agents normally use this Front desk agents normally use this information to match available rooms with information to match available rooms with

guest needs during the registration guest needs during the registration process.process.

Mail, Message, and Key RackMail, Message, and Key Rack

A key rack is an array of numbered compartments A key rack is an array of numbered compartments used to store guestroom keys. used to store guestroom keys.

Key racks used to be visible to individuals Key racks used to be visible to individuals both behind and in front of the desk. both behind and in front of the desk. Today, key racks are often placed in front Today, key racks are often placed in front desk drawers to ensure the safety and desk drawers to ensure the safety and security of guests.security of guests.

To minimize the number of racks in the front desk To minimize the number of racks in the front desk area, hotels may combine the key rack with either area, hotels may combine the key rack with either

the room rack or the mail and message rack.the room rack or the mail and message rack.

A combination of mail, message, and key rack can A combination of mail, message, and key rack can be either a free-standing wall unit or an under-the-be either a free-standing wall unit or an under-the-

counter row of apartments. counter row of apartments.

Some front offices use this rack as room divider by placing it Some front offices use this rack as room divider by placing it between the front desk and the switchboard areas of the front between the front desk and the switchboard areas of the front

office.office.

When the mail and message compartments of the rack are open When the mail and message compartments of the rack are open fro both sides, telephone operators (who are positioned on one fro both sides, telephone operators (who are positioned on one

side of the rack), and front desk agents (who are positioned on the side of the rack), and front desk agents (who are positioned on the other side of the rack) have equal access to rack contents. other side of the rack) have equal access to rack contents.

Operators who record telephone messages for guests can insert Operators who record telephone messages for guests can insert them into the rack from the back side; front desk agents can them into the rack from the back side; front desk agents can

retrieve the messages from the front side.retrieve the messages from the front side.

Reservation RacksReservation Racks

Racks which store the reservation rack slips or Racks which store the reservation rack slips or registration cards for anticipated arrivals.registration cards for anticipated arrivals.

Front office uses both two types of reservation Front office uses both two types of reservation racks: the advance reservation rack and the racks: the advance reservation rack and the

current reservation rack. current reservation rack.

In an In an advance reservation rackadvance reservation rack, reservation rack slips or registration cards are arranged by the guest’s scheduled dates of

arrival and, within each day’s grouping, alphabetically by the guests’ or groups’ names.

A current reservation rackcurrent reservation rack is a portable subset of the advance reservation rack. Early each morning, the advance reservation

rack slips or registration cards for the days expected arrivals are loaded into the current reservation rack and taken to the front

desk.

The current reservation rack is used by front desk agents to assist in processing guests during registration.

Information RackInformation Rack

An information rack is an index of in-house guests, by both last name and An information rack is an index of in-house guests, by both last name and room number. room number.

An information rack is commonly used to assist front office employees An information rack is commonly used to assist front office employees with proper routing of telephone calls, mail, messages and visitor with proper routing of telephone calls, mail, messages and visitor

inquiries.inquiries.

The information rack normally consists of aluminum slots designed to hold The information rack normally consists of aluminum slots designed to hold guest information slips. guest information slips.

Folio TraysFolio Trays

Folio tray or folio bucket is where the guest folios Folio tray or folio bucket is where the guest folios are stored and arranged by guestroom numbers.are stored and arranged by guestroom numbers.

Guest folios remain in the tray throughout the Guest folios remain in the tray throughout the occupancy stage of the guest cycle, except when occupancy stage of the guest cycle, except when

they are used in posting transactions. they are used in posting transactions.

A second folio tray is normally located in the A second folio tray is normally located in the hotel’s accounting office. hotel’s accounting office.

This tray contains the folios of departed guests This tray contains the folios of departed guests being directly-billed or of guests who paid by being directly-billed or of guests who paid by

credit card.credit card.

Once these accounts are settled, the folios are Once these accounts are settled, the folios are moved to a permanent storage location. moved to a permanent storage location.

Account Posting MachineAccount Posting Machine

An electro-mechanical or electronic device An electro-mechanical or electronic device used in semi-automated hotels. An account used in semi-automated hotels. An account posting machine is used to post, monitor, posting machine is used to post, monitor, and balance charges and credits to guest and balance charges and credits to guest

accounts. accounts.

Voucher RackVoucher Rack

A container for storing vouchers for A container for storing vouchers for future reference and verification during future reference and verification during

the night audit.the night audit.

Cash RegisterCash Register

Used to record cash transactions Used to record cash transactions and maintain cash balances.and maintain cash balances.

Telephone EquipmentTelephone Equipment

Call Accounting SystemsCall Accounting Systems – a device linked to the – a device linked to the telephone system that identifies each phone number telephone system that identifies each phone number dialed from guestroom telephones. It provides a record of dialed from guestroom telephones. It provides a record of each room’s local and long distance phone calls so that each room’s local and long distance phone calls so that appropriate charges may be posted to the guest’s folio.appropriate charges may be posted to the guest’s folio.

Automatic Call Dispensing Automatic Call Dispensing – is limited to wake-up call into computer, and at the scheduled times, a telephone call is automatically placed to the guests’ rooms.

Telephone/ Room Status SystemTelephone/ Room Status System – assists with rooms management and prohibit the unauthorized use of telephones in vacant rooms.

Fax Machine Fax Machine – makes it possible to transmit or receive full-page documents.

Call DetectionCall Detection – works with the main telephone equipment and call accounting systems. Call detection equipment has the ability to pinpoint the exact moment when a telephone call is connected.

Support DevicesSupport Devices Credit Card Imprinter Credit Card Imprinter – an imprinter presses a credit card voucher against a guest’s credit card. The impact causes the raised card number, expiration date, and name on the card to be recorded on the voucher for use in credit card billing and collection procedures. It may be manual or electric.

Magnetic Strip ReaderMagnetic Strip Reader A magnetic strip reader, reads data magnetically

encoded and stored on the magnetic tape strip on the back of a credit card and transmits this data to a credit card verification service. On the basis of the credit card

data and transaction data, the credit card verification service either approves or disapproves the transaction.

Time StampTime Stamp

Folios, mail, and other front office paperwork are inserted into a time stamp device to record the current time and date. This recording can be very important in establishing a chronology of

events.

Security Monitor Security Monitor

(Closed Circuit Television or CCTV(Closed Circuit Television or CCTV)) closed-circuit television monitors allow front office or

security personnel to monitor certain areas of the hotel from a central location.

Wake-Up Devices Wake-Up Devices

This is usually a specially designed clock with multiple alarms setting to remind front desk agent

or telephone operators to place wake-up calls.

A wake-up call log kept beside the clock informs the agents or operators which room numbers are to be called at what times.

Self-Registration / Self-Registration /

Check-out Terminals Check-out Terminals

Fully automated hotels provide self-registration

and check out terminals for guests. These terminals do not eliminate front desk agents, but

can free them to attend to other hotel duties – which can enhance guest service.