The Front Office is also called the nerve center of a hotel. It can be defined as a front of the housing department located around the foyer and the lobby area of a hospitality property. As this department is located around the foyer area of the hotel and is visible to the guests, patrons, and visitors, they are collectively called “Front Office”.

This department is one of the major operational and revenue-producing departments of the hotel which generates two-thirds of the revenue earned by a hotel from the sale of the guest rooms. It involves providing valuable services to the guests during the entire guest cycle consisting of Pre-arrival, Arrival, Occupancy, and Departure.

Heritage Institute Of Hotel & Tourism Agra / Shimla is one of the Best Hotel Management Institute in India, which will prepare you well to join this major department of the hotel industry.

Also Read:

Importance of Front Office Department:

Traditional Front Office functions include reservation, registration, room and rate assignment, guest services, room status, maintenance and settlement of the guest account, and creation of guest history records.

The Front Office develops and maintains a comprehensive database of guest information, coordinates guest services, and ensures guest satisfaction. These functions are accomplished by personal in diverse areas of the Front Office Department.

The front office is also known as the face of the hotel. It is the first guest contact area and also the nerve center of the hotel. All the activities and areas of the front office are geared towards supporting guest transactions and services.

To accelerate your Career in Hospitality Industry join India’s best hotel management institute – Heritage Institute Of Hotel & Tourism Agra/ Shimla.

The operational function of the Front Office Department:

  • Guest Registration: Does all guest registration-related activities like Check-in, room assignment, welcoming, room rate, etc.
  • Guest Service: Fulfills any Guest Services related activities.
  • Guest History and records: Creates and maintains a guest profile, history, likes and dislikes, collects feedback, etc.
  • Guest Database: Develops & maintains a Comprehensive Database of Guest Information
  • Updates Room Status: responsible to update the correct room status like CI, CO, DNCO, DND, etc.
  • Reservation: This section is responsible for registering the room reservation from various sources, with recordings, filing of reservation records, and revise at the appropriate time to make sure that guests would have their rooms upon entering the hotel.
  • Postage and Parcels: This section is to facilitate guests pertaining to the posting of letters, telegrams, and parcels.
  • Telephone: This section is to facilitate guests pertaining to the telephone both internally and externally, and to wake guests up in the morning upon request.
  • Finance and Foreign Exchange: This section relates with the Accounting Department, through the collection from guests through their services, and also give the foreign exchange service.
  • Inquiry: This section is to answer questions and inquiries of guests. Therefore, this section would have to be alert with all the movements of the hotel.
  • Bell Desk and Concierge: Provide all services related to Bell desk and Concierge.

All these operational function formats are very well taught and described at India’s Top  Hotel management College in Shimla – Heritage Institute Of Hotel & Tourism Agra/ Shimla.

Source URL:- https://www.hihtworld.com/agra/blog/front-office-department-introduction-operations-and-key-functions/