TH1807

Homework (70 points)

I. Read and analyze the two (2) case studies about the front desk and answer the questions that follow.
II. Write your responses in a Word file. Upload your output in the 04 Homework 1-ARG section in the eLMS.
Use your surname as the filename for easier identification.
III. Your output will be graded using this rubric (2 case studies x 35 points):

CRITERIA PERFORMANCE INDICATORS POINTS

Presented applicable and insightful analyses of or responses to the cases 15

Content
Expressed the points in a clear and logical arrangement 15
Mechanics Used correct grammar, punctuation, spelling, and capitalization 5
TOTAL 35
A) Mastering the Lost Art of Check-In
With all of the advances in property management systems and other front desk technology, from a service-
efficiency perspective, the check-in process in most of today’s hotels is running smoother than ever. Newer
systems make it easier and faster than ever before for a front office staff to find an available room; credit card
approval happens almost instantaneously, and I can’t remember the last time my reservation was lost or
misfiled.
Yet as much technical skills and front office systems have improved, the check-in process itself has de-evolved
into a scripted, robotic, and heartless business transaction at most hotels these days.
If my recent experiences in traveling to more than 20 hotels in the last 90 days are any indication, this trend is
apparent at hotels representing all market segments. For me, the welcome I receive (or don’t receive) at the
front desk has nothing to do with the number of stars or diamonds hanging on the plaque behind the front
desk. Only three (3) of these 20+ times can I honestly say I was properly welcomed on arrival at the end of my
journey; once at a two-star hotel and once at a four-star property, while I had visited hotels from economy
segment to luxury.
Granted most of the others were overall polite and efficient, except for the 6-minute interaction I had at the
front desk of a 4-star hotel in Washington, DC, during which my entire interaction was limited to her saying
these seven (7) words:
• Checking in? • Here you go.
• Your name?
In fact, “checking in?” seems to be the overwhelmingly most common phrase used to greet arriving guests
these days. (Although there seems to be a new trend for desk clerks to simply use the gesture of a raised
eyebrow and a nod to find out your name.) How silly the question “checking in?” must seem to an arriving
guest as s/he stands in the lobby with a luggage and credit card in hand. I’m sure more than one (1) guest has
been tempted, as I have, to reply sarcastically “No, I’m not checking-in. I just stopped by the front desk lobby
with my luggage to check out your artwork. I’m actually a connoisseur of hotel lobby artwork and I heard you
had some great pieces in your collection here.”
When you think about it, no one can blame the staff for this. The reality is that most front desk associates
receive little if any exposure to the concept of hospitality; most training is centered on working the front desk
computer, reservations system, and telephone switchboard. Considering the overall state of “manners” (or
lack thereof) in today’s real-world society, we cannot just assume the newly hired personnel to possess the
social and interpersonal communication skills they need to relate to guests who are likely from a different
socio-economic background, age group, and geographic region.

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If you are ready to help the front desk staff to re-master the lost art of properly welcoming guests upon arrival,
here are some training tips for your next staff meeting:
• Welcome EVERY guest upon arrival. Make sure no one starts any transactions before first using a
sincere, proper welcome such as “Good afternoon. Welcome to STI Hotel. How are you today, sir?”
• Avoid asking obvious questions. In other words, if a guest is at the desk at 7 a.m. holding his/her
garment bag and room key, s/he is most likely checking out; if it’s 7 p.m. and the guest has his/her
coat on, s/he is probably checking in.
• Offer assistance. Rather than quizzing guests as to whether they are coming or going, why not simply
say something like “How may I assist you today?”, or use an assumptive question such as “Are you
checking out this morning?” if you are simply not sure.
• Bringing out the best in guests vs. reacting to their demeanor. Be the first to express authentic and
genuine hospitality by facial expressions, body language, and non-threatening, short personal
questions like “What do you think of this weather today?” Make these efforts even with guests who
look tired and cranky—they probably are! You might even get a smile and kind remark back before
they are done, and you are certain to meet more friendly people during your shift at the desk.
• If the reservation is missing and you have rooms, tell the guest the latter first before you break the
bad news to him/her gently. At least the guest knows s/he has a place to stay.
• If the guest mentions having had challenges en route, and if you can spare 90–120 seconds, s/he
would appreciate your therapy by letting him/her tell you just how bad it was. A little empathy and
understanding are just that much better.
• If the credit card declines for any reason, ask the guest for another form of payment before blurting
out loudly, “Your credit card was denied.” Or do not even put the burden on the bank by saying, “I
was unable to get approval.”
• Ask the guest if s/he needs information before offering too much of it. For example, if the guest is a
card-carrying member of your hotel frequency program or is a known repeat guest, chances are s/he
is more familiar with that breakfast buffet than you are. So before you tell him/her everything that’s
on it and what time it starts, why not first ask if the guest is familiar with the buffet or if s/he has any
questions about the hotel?
• Properly end the transaction. Personalize your wrap-up remarks according to the human interaction
that you just had with the guest. Welcome him/her one more time. At full-service hotels, offer a bell
staff escort by name, such as “Mr. Kennedy, may we have Chris escort you to your room?” Please do
not ask if the guest needs help with his/her small garment bag and laptop case; does s/he look like a
98-pound weakling? For hotels without a bell staff, point the guest in the direction of the elevators
and make sure s/he is walking in the right direction.
With all of the many distractions today’s hotel General Managers (GMs) have, such as spending two (2) hours
a day answering e-mails from the corporate office and checking for the latest TripAdvisor posting, it’s easy to
understand things have come to be where they are. Yet by training the staff on tips and tactics such as these,
you can once again master the lost art of extending the generous and authentic gift of hospitality at check-in.
Lifted and modified from Kennedy, D. (2007, February). Mastering the lost art of check-in. Retrieved from
http://www.hotel-online.com/News/PR2007_1st/Feb07_MasteringCheckIn.html on 20 June 2019

Case Study Questions:

1. Who do you think is/are responsible for extending hospitality at the hotel? Why?

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2. How would you behave if you are working at the front office? How would you like others to perceive
you as a front desk clerk?
3. As mentioned in this article, which advice on “how to welcome a guest properly” do you think is the
most important? Explain.

B) Training is Key to Turning “Desk Clerks” Into “Front Desk Salespersons”

Despite the continuous increased focus on improving revenue management processes at most hotels these
days, more often than not, the job of working the front desk is still viewed as primarily being an operational
position. While many hotels and hotel companies have focused training efforts on hospitality and guest service
efficiency, few have provided more comprehensive sales training for which the position calls. Whatever sales
training is presented, it has typically focused on reservations sales techniques for converting inquiry calls,
which is certainly a step in the right direction.
However, at most properties, the front desk team faces a myriad of other sales opportunities each
day. Depending on factors such as your property’s location, brand, and market segment, here are some
opportunities the front desk salespeople might encounter daily, along with corresponding training techniques
for your next departmental meeting:
• Capturing more walk-in business. Create a positive first impression by initiating contact and
welcoming the guest when they enter the lobby. Rather than quoting only the lowest rate and sending
them back out to the car to make an “either-or” decision, create a “which should I chose?” decision-
making scenario by offering two (2) or three (3) room types or rate options. Reiterate benefits and
embellish descriptions of features that appear to be especially relevant.
• Securing move-overs from disgruntled guests currently staying at other hotels in the area. Hotels
located in dense markets such as interstate exit ramps or near metropolitan convention centers might
often encounter move-over opportunities when guests of nearby properties stop by to check rates
and availability. Train your team to present your hotel’s unique advantages and to avoid negative
remarks about the competition. Rather than saying what the other hotel doesn’t have or doesn’t do,
focus on the advantages your property has to offer, such as “What’s unique about us is…”
• Up-selling effectively during registration. With so many guests booking either online or via third
parties, the registration process might represent the best time of all to up-sell to higher-rated
accommodations. After reassuring the guest that the option they booked is still a good choice, gauge
the guest’s interest with questions like “Did your travel agent have a chance to mention our concierge
floor?” or “Are you familiar with our suites at all?” Present the upgraded options as being a unique
opportunity, such as “We’ve had some of our executive king rooms open up this evening.” Personalize
the benefits by saying, “As a guest on this level, you would receive full access to…”
• Securing return reservations at departure. Although many guests use express check-out, plenty of
others still stop by to pick-up their zero-balance receipt. Make sure all corporate and business clientele
are offered the opportunity to rebook for their next trip upon departure. You’ll not only be ensuring
that your guests aren’t tempted to check out the competition, but you’ll also potentially be eliminating
distribution costs such as travel agency commissions and Computer Reservation System (CRS) fees
while also showing guests that you value their future business.
• Maintaining rate fences and eliminating rate slippage from guests who re-negotiate during
registration, while in-house, or during check-out. Many of today’s savvy guests make it a standard
practice to try to re-negotiate their rates upon arrival or during their stay. Make sure the front desk
sales team is aware that most are just double-checking to make sure they have the best offer
available.

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It is often helpful to gently remind them of the terms and conditions of their offer versus the lower
rate they are seeking. You may say, “The advance purchase rate would have required full payment
upon the time of booking, and your reservation would not have been eligible for change or
cancellation.” It might also be appropriate to mention rate-tiers that are even higher than what they
have committed to—for example, “Just to let you know the normal (standard) rate on this room is
usually ₱__X__, so the ₱__ rate you have confirmed is still a good value.”
• Using channel conversion techniques to convert calls from rate double-checkers who have visited
online travel agencies. Increasingly, it seems that hotel prospects are calling directly to the front desk
to ensure the rates they see online are the best available. With most companies practicing rate parity
across all distribution channels, more often than not, the rate is, in fact, the same either way. Make
sure the front desk team offers to secure the reservation for the caller right here, right now, rather
than direct them to book online after they hang up. Not only will you ensure that guests aren’t lured
away by other online offers, but you’ll potentially be cutting distribution costs, online agency
commissions, and even CRS fees significantly.
• Capitalizing on “after-hours” leads to corporate/group sales, including walk-ins and telephone
inquiries. With the over-stuffed, over-scheduled lives most people live these days, it is not uncommon
for prospects for groups, functions, or corporate accounts to place their initial call or walk-in inquiry
after business hours or on weekends when the sales department is closed. Train the front desk team
to field these calls properly by expressing interest, offering to answer any initial, basic questions, and
offering the option of leaving a paper message versus a blind transfer into the sales department’s
voicemail. For walk-in inquires, make sure the front desk team is prepared with sales kits, brochures,
and business cards of the sales director. Most importantly, make sure that everyone knows what not
to say, which is still the number one response more often than not, “Since you need more than 10
rooms, you’ll have to call between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. tomorrow when the sales department is open.”
• Discovering leads for new local corporate accounts from current in-house guests. Especially for
hotels located in or near corporate office parks, industrial complexes, and city-center locations, it is
not unusual for guests to return monthly or even weekly. Over time the front desk team gets to know
and recognize these guests. Train the team to pay close attention to the names of the companies the
guests work for and to be on the lookout for those representing new corporations and
organizations. By finding out more about these guests and their companies, it is often possible to
uncover leads for the local or corporate business.
By expanding the front desk training to address these and other sales opportunities unique to the hotel’s
location, market segment, and brand, you will ensure that your team capitalizes on every chance to secure
additional business and to maximize the profit margins across all distribution channels.
Lifted and modified from Kennedy, D. (2007, March). Training is key to turning desk clerks into front desk salespersons.
Retrieved from http://www.hotel-online.com/News/PR2007_1st/Mar07_FDSalespersons.html on 20 June 2019

Case Study Questions:

1. What are the overall benefits of using the training techniques for the hotel above?
2. In your perspective, which technique would you single out as the best or the most efficient one to
increase profitability?
3. Which of the stated techniques, in your opinion, is the least acceptable in the work of a front desk
clerk?

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