Hospitality Management

The front office is important because it is the first point of contact between the guest and the hotel. The guest arrives here first, so the staff’s interaction with the guest helps create a good relationship and builds the image of the hotel. It handles important services such as welcoming guests, registration/check-in, room allocation, issuing keys, giving information, coordinating with other departments, and settling bills. Because of this, it plays a central role in smooth functioning and guest satisfaction.

Any three responsibilities of front office staff are:

- Front Office Manager: Manages the front office, lobby and transport activities; schedules staff duties and coordinates with housekeeping and other departments.
- Front Office Supervisor: Manages a shift, meets and greets arrivals, ensures speedy and accurate rooming, and checks occupancy.
- Receptionist (Front Office Agent): Reserves, registers and assigns rooms to guests and provides information during their stay.

Other staff such as the cashier, telephone operator, bellboy and doorman also have specific duties.

Any three responsibilities of housekeeping department personnel are:

- Executive Housekeeper: Manages the department by using manpower, materials, money and time properly; checks schedules, cleanliness and overall functioning.
- Floor Supervisor: Responsible for cleanliness and maintenance of guest rooms, corridors, staircases and floor pantries on the assigned floor.
- Room Attendant: Does the actual cleaning of guest rooms and bathrooms.

Other duties include public area cleaning, garden maintenance, and linen/uniform room supervision.

A restaurant is a commercial facility that provides food and beverages to customers. It has dining furniture, crockery, cutlery, linen and décor suited to the standards of the establishment. The staff includes the restaurant manager, restaurant supervisor, head waiter, waiters/stewards, and assistant waiter. They maintain cleanliness, hygiene and proper service, and serve guests with courtesy and good manners.

A kitchen is the place where food is prepared. In large hotels, it may have separate sections such as butchery, bakery and confectionery, vegetable preparation, soups section, pantry and hot range. The executive chef heads the kitchen and plans, organises and controls kitchen operations. There may also be a deputy chef, chef-de-parties and cooks. The kitchen works closely with the restaurant to supply food orders to guests.

The different types of food services in a hotel include:

- Restaurant service
- Room service
- Banquet service
- Bar/Coffee shop service
- Kitchen stewarding support for utensils and cleanliness

These are the major service departments mentioned in the chapter under the Food and Beverages department.

The management functions in relation to hotels are:

- Planning
- Organising
- Co-ordinating
- Staffing
- Directing
- Controlling
- Evaluating

These functions are used to manage the use of resources in light of the goals of the hotel.