International Hotel Management

Main Body

1) Discuss with industrial examples importance of front office operation in Hotel industry.

Front office department plays a very vital role within a hotel industry which essentially aids to provide hospitality establishment. This is considered as the first and the last department were a guest interacts. The prime responsibility of front office department is to establish first hand impression with regard to level of services and facilities which the respective hotel shall provide. Front desk or office is the first area which is essentially observed by clients. It is essentially located near the entrance of the door. However, front office plays a very curial role in within hotel industry. Guests are able to get necessary information with regard to vacant room for front desk only. It a place wherein managing check-in and check-out of guests is effectively management  (Ben and Goaied, 2016).  The front office department is essentially headed by front office Manager. Front office with resect to Marriott is the never centre of respective hotel. Overall operation within a hotel are significantly managed by employee at front office. However, following the important factors which considered in order to carry out business operational effectively:

Arranging Accommodations:

Front office operation are essentially necessary within hotel industry because at the prime responsible of this department is to ensure proper arrangements of rooms. Guest essentially visits front desk area for proceeding with their booking. In addition, front desk personnel also aids to take note of guests if they personally demand for any request. However, with regard to Marriott International respective hotel have a very attractive front desk office wherein employees aids to arrange accommodations of guests.

Handling Complaints:

Front office operation also aids to effectively manage and handle complaints of guests (Gannon, Roper and Doherty, 2015). This is an area wherein hotel guests lodge their complaints and issues. With reference to Marriott International, the front desk office operation essentially tend to solve the complaints and grievances of its guests in such a way that there are satisfied. Moreover, front desk personnel also check guests out at the end of their stay.

Porter Services:

After check in at reception, the porter or bellboy gets luggage of the guests and takes them to their room. However, the bellboy is primarily responsible to make sure that everything within the room is working perfectly. With regard to Marriott International, the front office manage assigns bellboy to the guests.

Concierge Area:

If guests checked in a hotel as a part of travel package, it is the responsibilities of front office manager to effectively coordinate the activities with regard to entertainment, travel and several other reception personnel arrangements. Furthermore, making reservations for dining in famous restaurant is also the major job which is performed by front desk office.

However, in order to effectively carry out business related activities with full efficiency it is very important to manage front office operation so that guests of hotel are satisfied with the services. Therefore, Marriott International shall formulate strategies in such a manner that business operations at front desk are managed effectively and consistency within business can be seen.

2) Analyse the operational role of a hotel office staff

Within a hotel industry it is very essentially be effectively manage operational role in such a way that the guests at hotel tends to get maximum level of satisfaction. Implementation of proper strategies is must so that each and every department shall perform the assigned task in such a manner so that desired level of profits within respective organisation shall be gained. Following are the major areas wherein efficiency with respective organisation is required:

Front Office Manager:

A front office manager is a senior person within hotel who is essentially accountable for maintaining professional work environment and administrative support. These task may vary from effective management of accounting functions to allotment to duties (Hosseini, Zainal and Sumarjan, 2015). A hotel front office manager is tasked with effectively making sure that the front office duties are managed effectively and operations runs smoothly.

Following are the major responsibilities which are carried out by front office manager within Marriott International:

• Training and managing front office staff effectively.
• Dealing with the customers.
• Arranging and managing staff scheduling.
• Act as a mediator between general manager and staff.
• Ensuring at the hotel desk provides friendly as well as professionals services for guests.
• Essentially evaluates job performance under each department so that efficiency can be witnessed.
• Front office manager significantly master key control over subordinates.
• Maintains positive work relationship so the effective communication among all departments is done.
• Essentially operation all major aspects of front office computer system which primarily includes software maintenance, report generation and many other similar aspects are managed.

However, with regard to Marriott International front office manager essentially aids to manage all the major business operation effectively so that customers are able to witness good stay.

Front office Desk Agents:

A front office desk agent represents the first point of contact with guests and essentially aids to handle all stages of guest stay (Ivanova, Ivanov and Magnini, 2016). They are individual who aid to represent the hotel.  

• Responsible for performing all check-in and check-out tasks.
• Effectively managing online and phone reservations.
• Informing customers about variety of payments method available and verifying their credit card.
• Responsible for welcoming guest upon their arrival and assign rooms.
• Maintain accurate and proper records of bookings and payments.
• Inform customers about speciality of hotel, availability of rooms, rates as well as amenities.

Therefore, it is the prime responsibility of front office manage to ascertain that front office desk agent work with their full potential in order to carry operation effectively.

Night Auditor:

Night Auditor typically handles duty relating to front desk agent and several other duties with regard to accounting department (Kim, Lim and Brymer, 2015). Night auditor essentially works overnight within a hotel and tends to effectively manage the business operations effectively. However, there are variety of duties which a night auditor within a hotel performs in order to provide maximum amount of satisfaction to its customers.

Some of common duties and responsibilities performed by Night Auditor with Marriott are described below:

• Checking guests and effectively handling their overnight requests.
• Effectively and accurately handling account reconciliation, auditing as well as bookkeeping.
• Answers phones and booking reservations in appropriate manner effectively.
• Actively prepare for forecasts and audits so the consistency with business management shall be seen.
• Scheduling of guest wake-up calls and reservation for the following day is also considered as the major duty of night auditor.
• Prepares daily summary of cash as well as credit/debit card activities which is witnessed at front desk.
• Summarizes and effectively reports the results of operations to front office management. Furthermore, this accounting data is essentially utilized by hotel's accounting department for generation of further statistical reports.
• Prepare guests bills for next day checkouts.

However, there are variety of other duties and responsibilities which are performed by Night Auditor with Marriott in order to satisfy the ultimate needs and desire of customers effectively.

Conclusion

From the above report it can be summarised that in order to effectively carry out business operation under hotel industry it is very essential to manage several aspects through which consistency within a hotel shall be witnessed.  Effective management of front office operations plays a very important role under hotel because this is the very area where guests visit. Furthermore, there are variety of operational role which are essentially carried out by front office manager, front office desk agents as well as night auditor in order to attain business efficiency. However, each of the mentioned individual are primarily responsible of carrying out variety of duties through which maximum level of satisfaction can be attained by customers.

References

• Baum, T. ed., 2016. Human resource issues in international tourism. Elsevier.
• Ben Aissa, S. and Goaied, M., 2016. Determinants of tourism hotel market efficiency. International Journal of Culture, Tourism and Hospitality Research. 10(2). pp.173-190.
• Gannon, J.M., Roper, A. and Doherty, L., 2015. Strategic human resource management: Insights from the international hotel industry. International Journal of Hospitality Management. 47. pp.65-75.
• Hosseini, R.S., Zainal, A. and Sumarjan, N., 2015. The effects of service performance of hotel customers on quality of experience and brand loyalty in Iran. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences. 201. pp.156-164.
• Ivanova, M., Ivanov, S. and Magnini, V.P. eds., 2016. The Routledge handbook of hotel chain management. Routledge.
• Kim, W.G., Lim, H. and Brymer, R.A., 2015. The effectiveness of managing social media on hotel performance. International Journal of Hospitality Management. 44. pp.165-171.
• Kovaltchuk, A.P. And et.al., 2016. Concept and procedures of crisis management in Russian hotel enterprises. Journal of Environmental Management & Tourism. 7(3 (15)). pp.473-480.
• Lam, C., Ho, G.K. and Law, R., 2015. How can Asian hotel companies remain internationally competitive?. International journal of contemporary hospitality management. 27(5). pp.827-852.
• Leonidou, L.C. and et.al., 2015. Dynamic capabilities driving an eco-based advantage and performance in global hotel chains: The moderating effect of international strategy. Tourism Management. 50. pp.268-280.

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