MODULE 1 FOR FRONT OFFICE OPERATIONS c) Ensures that the guest’s satisfaction by

(HPE 4) providing personalized solutions such as

suggesting hotel activities and other
The Front Office is the department responsible in recreational activities.
the sale hotel rooms using systematic reservation E. Night Auditor
methods, registration and assigning rooms to a) Works overnight and is responsible for
customers. It fulfils the core activity of the hotels checking and closing out hotel's financial
which is to sell rooms, that is why it is considered as activities; and
the nerve center of the hotel. b) When not performing audit activities, a night
auditor performs front office duties.
The Front Organization - FO Department can be F. Front Desk Supervisor
organized according to its specific task, depending a) Oversees front desk operations, particularly
on the size of the hotel. Here is a sample FO the registration of guest; and
organizational chart: b) Tasked in supervising front office work shifts.
G. Reservation Supervisor
a) Oversees operation pertaining to room sales
and reservations; and
b) Tasked to train reservation agents how to
maximize room revenue by providing quick
andefficient service.
H. Uniformed Service
Uniformed Service jobs are critical to the smooth
operation of many hotels. There are different
positions within the uniformed service area. This
includes:

a. Bell attendants - Provides baggage service

for guests from the lobby to the guestroom
A. General Manager b. Door attendants - Provide curb side
a) Responsible for all aspects of operations at baggage service and traffic control at the hotel
the hotel, to day-to-day staff management entrance
and guests. c. Valet parking attendants - Provide parking
b) Lead and make strategic plans for all services for guests’ vehicles
departments to support their service culture, d. Transportation personnel - Provide
maximize operations and guest satisfaction. transportation services for guests, such as
c) Work closely with hotel owners and other driving the hotel’s van.
stakeholders. I. Front Desk Agent
B. Executive Assistant Manager a) Reserve, register and assign rooms to
a) Assists the General Manager and the Hotel guests; and
Manager. b) Maintain information about the availability of
b) Responsible for ensuring a perfect rooms for sale and vital facts about the hotel
coordination between all departments. services and facilities.
c) Ensures that the operations are of quality's J. Switchboard/Telephone operator
standard and provide the highest comfort a) Operates the telephone switchboard;
and satisfaction to guests. b) Handles telephone communication system
C. Front Office Manager activities such as answering incoming calls,
a) Tasked to lead the team; receiving,and giving information via phone;
b) Ensures quality service by making effective and
decisions in reservation policies and room c) Upon request, makes wake-up call to guests.
assignments; and K. Front office cashier
c) Handles guest complaints with courtesy and a) In charge of posting charges into guest folios;
tact. and
D. Concierge b) Assisting guests in settling their accounts.
a) Welcome guests upon arrival; L. Reservation Agent
b) Provides service to guests who need a) Receives and record room reservation
assistance or information; and requests; and
 b) Creates reservation documents. 4. Highway Hotels – Designed for road
travelers who want to stay overnight.
Large hotels or establishments often have a Example: Kabayan Hotel
mail and information clerk who is responsible for 5. Convention Hotels – Hotels are able to
taking messages and performs other communication accommodate a convention and provide
services for the guests. Meanwhile, small, and mid- lodging to the participants.
size hotel often performs the same tasks but with Example: Crowne Plaza Hotel
fewer employees, often combining job duties. 6. Commercial Hotels – Usually located in
downtown areas and are smaller than
Front Office Work Shifts convention hotels.
Usually, front office employees work a 40-hour work Example: The Bayleaf Hotel Intramuros, Manila,
week. Given that hotels or hotel accommodation are Philippines
open 24 hours a day, work shifts may vary 7. Resort Hotels – Hotels located in tourist
depending on the establishment. Here is a sample attractions like beaches and offer recreational
of a front office work shift: amenities.
Example: Shangri-La at Mactan, Cebu and
Bellevue at Panglao, Bohol, Discovery Suites at
Boracay
8. Spa Hotels or Resorts – Hotels and Resorts
that offer accommodations and spa
treatments at the same time.
Example: The Farm at San Benito at Lipa City,
Batangas
9. Casino Hotels – Hotels that have a casino.
Front office work shifts may also vary, depending on Example: Solaire, Hyatt Hotel, Midas Hotel
the number and arrival of guests. Some work shifts 10. All-Suite Hotels – Rooms are larger than
may also deviate from the traditional work week of normal hotel rooms and the sleeping area is
five to eight hours a day. These includes: separated from the living area. Some even
have kitchens.
Example: Discovery Suites
11. Boutique Hotels – Sometimes known as
“design hotels” or “lifestyle hotels”. These
hotels are a lot different from the typical city
hotels in terms of size and feel; boutique
hotels tend to be smaller and more intimate.
Boutique hotels are also more visually
appealing.
Example: Cocoon Hotel, Azumi Boutique, Hotel
Luna at Vigan City, Ilocos Sur, Philippines
Types of Accommodation 12. Timeshares or Vacation Ownerships –
1. City Center Hotel – Hotels within the main These are exclusive properties which buyers
part of the city. Hotels in this category vary agree to use the property for a specific
from economy to luxury type of hotels. number of times in a year in a number of years
Example: City Center Hotel at Baguio City, depending on the agreement.
Philippines Example: Fortana, Manor, Balesin Island Club,
2. Suburban Hotels – Usually smaller than Astoria Bohol
hotels in the city but also offer the same 13. Historic Convention Hotels – Properties
services and are located outside of the city with historic importance that have been
center. converted to hotels.
Example: Hotels in nearby provinces i.e., The Example: Henry Hotel, Rizal Park Hotel
Taal Vista Hotel at Tagaytay City, Philippines 14. Apartment Hotels or Serviced Residences
3. Airport Hotels – Hotels that were specifically – Establishments designed for long- term use.
built with air travelers in mind as primary These hotels are usually fully equipped with
customers. kitchen, laundry room, business services and
Example: Waterfront Airport Hotel and Casino at some housekeeping services.
Mactan City, Cebu, Philippines
Example: Ascott Makati/Bonifacio Global City shared with other guests. If food is available it is
(BGC) usually just breakfast.
15. Bed and Breakfast Inns – Private properties Examples: Go Hotels, Sea Bird Hotel Boracay.
which are rented to customers. o 2 Star Hotels
Example: Ala Mid Bed & Breakfast at Puerto The hotels are slightly above one-star hotels and
Princesa, Palawan, Philippines may provide more services and facilities such as
16. Guest Houses – Also known as “Homestay”. larger rooms, better quality furniture, and
Like bed and breakfast inns, these are like recreational facilities. Although more expensive than
small hotels with less facilities. The difference one-star hotels, these are still considered good value
in some guest houses, the owner lives in the for money.
same property. Examples: Red Planet, Saniya Resort.
Example: Birang Guest House at Coron, Palawan, o 3 Star Hotels
Philippines A very good level of accommodation. Spaces are
17. Hostels – The cheapest among land-based bigger and have a higher quality of facilities and
accommodations catered to budget services offered compared to one-and-two-star
conscious travelers, These are usually in establishments.
dormitory style wherein there is a common Example: Kabayan hotel, Tides Hotel Boracay,
bathroom and have rooms which may be Copacabana Apartment Hotel
shared with other travelers. o 4 Star Hotels
Example: Z Hostel at Makati City, Philippines Establishments that are upscale in all aspects.
18. Cabins – Bedrooms in a ship or train Accommodation is refined and stylish. Service is
Example: Cabins in Ferries very responsive and often includes a wide range of
19. Villas or Chalets – Luxurious private facilities. Excellent attention to detail and hospitality.
bungalow type of accommodation often Example: Belmont Hotel, Thunderbird Resort and
located in expensive resorts. Casino, and Discovery Suites Manila
Example: El Nido Resorts o 5 Star Hotels
20. Tents – These are tents offered for camping These establishments are the very best in the
in resorts, These tents vary from being a bare industry. They offer the most luxurious
tent up to a being almost a complete room accommodation and excellent delivery of services.
with mattress, chairs and tables, and lighting Examples: Solaire Hotel, Conrad Hotel, Shangri La
inside. Boracay, and Fairmont Hotel
Example: “Glamping” accommodations on various
beach resorts, Esmeris Farm at Liliw, Laguna, Star Rating in the Philippines
Philippines In the Philippine, this star rating is regulated
by the Department of Tourism (DOT). The DOT
Star Rating Along with other agencies and a third-party auditor
conducts periodical assessment of hotels that
determine their star rating. These ratings are given
to hotels after accreditation by the DOT is given.

The criteria for the five-star grading system

set by the DOT is divided into seven dimensions that
are common to Hotel, Resort, and Apartel – except
for lounge and kitchen area which are inly applicable
to apartment hotels.

These are the seven (7) dimensions are as

follows:
1. Arrival & Departure: Hotel: 10%; Resort: 10%
2. Public Areas: Hotel: 10%; Resort: 10%
3. Bedrooms: Hotel: 30%; Resort: 30%
4. Bathroom: Hotel: 15%; Resort: 15%
5. Food and Beverage: Hotel: 15%; Resort: 15%
o 1 Star Hotels 6. Amenities: Hotel: 10%; Resort: 10%
These are usually for budget conscious travelers. 7. Business Practices: Hotel: 10%; Resort: 10%
These establishments provide the minimum of
services. Facilities are also limited and are often
 3. Double Bed

4. Twin Bed

A total of 1000 points is the maximum

number of points a Hotel/Resort/Apartel can
achieve. An establishment who wishes to achieve a
star grading will be graded based on the number of
their points.
Room Class and Bedding Types
Rooms vary depending on how big or small the hotel
or lodging is. Nevertheless, a front office agent must
be familiarized with the different room types and its MODULE 2 FOR FRONT OFFICE OPERATIONS
characteristics to provide the best room based on (HPE 4)
the needs of the guests. In the hotel industry, first impressions are
• Deluxe room represents the maximum rate very important since it determines whether a
customer will keep coming back to your hotel or not.
charged by the hotel for a regular- size sleeping
This is where the role of the front office displays its
room. These are the rooms with the best available
importance. It is a fact that front office agents are the
location and view, the highest level of comfort,
first and final hotel staff that customers see when
furniture, and décor.
• Superior room represents the moderate or they avail hotel services—more or less, they also
medium rate charged by the hotel. This type of room play a major part as to why guests go back to the
is usually located on the ground floor with acceptable hotel.
Front Office Services is not merely
view.
performing procedural tasks, but it is making sure
• Standard room represents the hotel minimum rate
that the hotel leaves a good impression to a guest.
for a regular-size sleeping room. Rooms in this
category usually offer the least attractive view and
the least convenient locations in the hotel. Duties and Responsibilities of a Front Office
• Economy room is priced below the normal Staff
minimum rate and usually reserved It is essential for every workplace to have
for overflow situations, discounted rates, or special clear and well-written job lists and job descriptions in
order to meet the needs and expectations of both the
promotions.
establishment and the employee. Job Lists refer to
• Suite room is a hotel room which has more than
an enumeration of the tasks that an employee
one bed or with extra rooms such as kitchenette or
living room. occupying a specific job or position is expected to
do. It lists what an employee must do in order to
Aside from room class, hotel and lodging rooms can perform well on the job; however, it does not give the
also be categorized based on the bedding types. detailed procedures for carrying out each task.
These are the following:
Meanwhile, job descriptions are added to job
1. King Bed
lists in order to add information. Information may
include reporting relationships (who reports to
whom), additional responsibilities, working
conditions, equipment, and materials to be used in
the job, etc.

2. Queen Bed It is important to note that job descriptions

often change as time goes by; thus, it is important to
revisit and revise job descriptions as deemed
necessary. Employees should be actively involved in
the process and should have their own copies of
their job descriptions.
Anatomy of Front Office Staff MODULE 3 FOR FRONT OFFICE OPERATIONS
It has been established in the previous (HPE 4)
lessons that the Front Office Staff are the first and Front Office Design
last hotel staff the customers see when they avail Most of the time, front office operations
hotel services. That is why it is very crucial for them take place at the front desk. It is where guests
to possess and maintain qualities of good hygiene register, request information and services, settle
and professionalism. their accounts, and checkout.Front desks are often
located in the hotel lobby where it can be easily seen
by
guests.
Usually, front desks are three-and-a-half feet
high and two-and-a-half feet deep. However, the
front desk can really vary based on the type of hotel,
duties performed at the desk, and the architectural
design of the lobby. The most important
consideration for front desks is its accessibility to
guests.

Characteristics of an Effective Front Office Staff

The figures below show examples of a semi-

automated and an automated front desk:
• Information Rack – contains the record of
registered guest or guest information slips.
• Automatic Switchboard – is a Telephone
switchboard wherein the connections are made by
using controlled switches.
• Reminder alarm clock – Used to remind front
desk agents or the switchboard operator to make
wake-up calls to guests
• Registration card rack – Is a rack where all the
registration cards are placed.
• Check-in Station – Is where the guest registration
and check-in process is performed.
• Room rack – contains information about room
types, features, and rates. With this, a front desk
agent can match available rooms
• Key rack – Is used to store and generate hotel
keys. However, most hotels nowadays use
electronic key cards instead of metal keys.
• Date and time-stamping machine – Small device
that stamps the date and time on documents
• Folio Tray also called as folio bucket – This is o Sincerely,
where guest folios (arranged by room number) are o Respectfully yours,
contained. o Regards,
• Check-out station – Is where the guest settles
his/her account and where the check-out process is Limit your signature to 5-6 lines only. Be
performed. cautious when replying to all.
• Posted voucher rack – A voucher is given to a • Do not click reply to all if your message to a single
guest when purchases are made from the guest’s person is not relevant to others.
room. It indicates the type and amount purchased by Check your attachments.
the guest. Vouchers are sent to the front desk and • If you have attachments, state it in your message.
sent to the voucher rack. • Example:
• Electronic Posting Machine – account posting o Attached in this e-mail is... Attached
machines are used to record on guest folios the herewith...
amount purchased by guests. It can also function as o Rename the files before attaching it. Avoid
a cash register. sending files with informal titles.
• A PABX (private automatic branch exchange) – • Make sure there really is an attachment if you say
Is a telephone system used in businesses that so.
switch calls between business users on local lines • If you are sending large files, ask permission first.
while also allowing all users to share a number of If the file is directed to the drive, also state it in your
external phone lines. e- mail.
• Reserve key drawer (pulled out) – Is a drawer
where reserve hotel keys are placed. MODULE 2: Performing Clerical Procedures
• Telephone – is a telecommunication device that Processing office documents are part of the daily
allows users to make and receive calls. duties of front office staff in accordance with the
• Hold-mail rack – contains mail that is received and establishment's procedure. This may include, but is
held at the hotel at the requests of hotel guests. not limited to:
• Cash drawer – Is used in storing cash and other * Customer records
valuable items. * Incoming and outgoing correspondence
* Business accounting
Know the difference between the BCc and the * Memos
Cc.
• BCc stands for Blind Carbon Copy while Cc stands A memo is a piece of correspondence used
for Carbon Copy. internally in an organization for staff or employees to
• When you use the BCc, the email address of those send messages to one another. It can be brief and is
you sent the message to will not be visible to others. usually semi-formal in nature.
On the other hand, when you use the Cc, the e-mail * Sources of Reservation
addresses will be seen by others. * Modes and types of reservations
• Use the BCc when the recipients do not know each * Telephone
other. This will ensure their privacy. You can use the * Walk-in
Cc when the recipients belong to the same * Online
workplace. * Manual reservation
Always add a subject. * Computer Reservation System
• Your subject should contain what your e-mail is
about. Make your subject sound professional. It To run a business effectively it is important that you
should also be clear and concise. Avoid using ALL are able to utilize the types of office documents as
CAPS as it may look like you are shouting to the shown below automatically.
receiver.
Address the recipient properly. Lesson 1 - Filing and Arranging Front Office
• Know your recipient. Know his/her full name and Documents
position. Add salutation. Filing is the process of storing and arranging
Compose your e-mail as if composing a formal documents according to a particular classification.
letter. Filing can be classified, or indexed, into five
• Take note of your proper capitalization, categories:
punctuations, and grammar. 1. Alphabetically - Documents filed
Include sign-offs before your name. alphabetically according to the first, and
• Example: subsequent letter of the senders or receivers
 name, or according to the type of document,
such as policies and procedures. * Occupancy Forms
2. Numerically - This means your documents are These are forms are filled out while the guest is
filed according to a number, such as a room staying at a hotel.
number, account number, invoice number, or 1. Guest Folio - form (paper or electronic) used to
other numerical identifier. chart transactions in an account assigned to an
Example: individual person or guest room. For posting
* Room 101, 102, 103 charges, it is to be presented upon check-out.
* Invoice Number 0001, 0002, 0003 2. Voucher - document detailing a transaction to be
3. Geographically posted to a front office account, used to
Documents are filed according to a location or communicate information from the guest folio.
designated area. 3. Transfer Voucher - voucher used to support a
Example: reduction in balance on one folio and an equal
* Region 1, Region 2, Region 3 increase in balance on another.
* Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Quezon 4. Information Rack Slip - slip containing a guest's
4. By Subject - Some documents cannot be filed in name, room number, room rate, and departure date.
any other way except by their subject matter, e.g.
letters of complaint, menus, wine lists * Departure Forms
5. Chronologically - These documents are filed in These are forms are filled out upon guest's check
date or time order. Most hotels will file all their out.
reservations in Arrival Date order, with a backup 1. Credit Card Voucher - form designed by a credit
system under alphabetical order being the guests card company to be used for imprinting a credit card
SURNAME. information and settle accounts.
Example: 2. Cash Voucher - voucher used to BAck support a
* Files (printed out) are organized based arrival of cash payment transactions at the tront desk.
the guest is January 1, 2025. Upon looking at the 3. Guest Folio - Summary of charges to be signed
system, list of names starting with their surnames by the guest.
are listed alphabetically. 4. Feedback Form - form used to get the overall
satisfaction rating of the guests' hotel experience.
Lesson 2 - Front Office Forms 5. Guest Departure List - document detailing
* Pre-arrival Forms scheduled guests departure by date.
These are forms that a Front Office Staff must
prepare before the guests arrive. Lesson 3 - Front Office Systems
1. Reservation Record - guest reservations and These are systems used in keeping registration
bookings are recorded. records, room data, reservation status and other
2. Reservation File - computer-based collection of necessary information.
reservation records 1. Non-automated / Manual System - Manual
3. Reservation Rack Slip - form used to record a record keeping system rely solely in hand - written
guest reservation that is filed in reservation rack forms. Small hotels still find this sufficient in
recording the infomation they need.
* Arrival Forms 2. Semi-automated (Electro-Mechanical) -
These are forms that the guests must accomplish Electro-mechanical record keeping system uses
upon registration or check-in. both written and machine produced forms. Among its
1. Registration Card - printed form for a registration advantages over the manual record keeping system
record. is the easy to read documents and detailed steps of
2. Registration Record - collection of important guest transactions.
guest information created by the front desk agent 3. Fully-Automated (Computer-Based) -
following the guest's arrival. Computer-based record keeping systems are user
3. Room Rack Slip - form that contains the guest friendly software packages that are used to manage
name and other relevant information, completed different domains of front office operations, which
during the registration process and placed in the range from hotel reservations to front desk billing
room rack slot corresponding to the room number and guest feedback system.
assigned to the guest.
4. Guest Arrival List - is a document which contains Lesson 4 - Reservation Related Documents
the listing of guests accounts that is scheduled to 1. Receipts - When guests make a payment such as
arrive by date. deposit (part/partial payment) or full payment this will
guarantee the reservation. Some guests choose to guests must also pres Company I.D. or any valid I.D
come into the establishment and pay by cash while to confirm- thei identity.
others prefer to pay by credit card. The credit card
information is taken. However, the amount is not MODULE 3: The Guest Cycle
usually processed until the guest arrives. In either Generally, there are four stages of the guest cycle.
case the customer must be issued with a receipt for The guest cycle refers to the flow of operations that
proof of payment. This can be done either manually occur in a hotel from when a guest chooses a hotel,
or printed by a computer or cash register. This record to checking out. The four stages are:
of payment is recorded on to the customer's 1. Pre-arrival Stage
reservation in the compuger system. 2. Arrival Stage
2. Invoices - Usually invoices are only issued to 3. Occupancy Stage
companies and travel agents for reservations made. 4. Departure Stage
This invoice will show the details of the reservation,
room rate that has been quoted, the commiss Pre-arrival Stage
payable and the total amount. The terms of payment The pre-arrival stage is a crucial stage of the guest
will be printed on this invoice, stating the amount cycle for establishments since this is where the
owing is due in 7, 14 or 30 days. guest decides what hotel to choose.
3. Vouchers - Vouchers are usually issued for The factors that are commonly considered by guests
prepaid reservations. The voucher states the value when choosing a tourism establishment are:
of the purchase to the bearer. Vouchers can also be * Previous experiences with the establishment
gift vouchers given to people as presents or * The establishment's advertisements
vouchers for conference delegates. These vouchers * Recommendations from travel agents, friends, or
are usually exchanged at the establishment as a business associates
form of payment and have a use by date or a specific * The establishment's location
date the voucher can be used on. REMINDER: It is * The establishment's name or the name of the hotel
very important for anyone accepting a voucher to be chain operation
totally sure as to what the voucher entitles the guest Another consideration considered by a guest
to do so that the 'extras' can be explained and guests is the ease of making hotel reservations. Thus, if a
can be informed before they order what they may FO staff or the hotel's system is incompetent when
have to pay extra for. receiving reservation requests, guests might be
4. Confirmation letters - A confirmation letter is sent turned off to stay at your establishment.
to confirm a reservation via email. It will list all the How a front office reservation agent also
details about the reservation; arrival and departure describes the hotel's services and amenities is
date, name, address, rate quoted, package details crucial to getting reservations. The agent must be
payment details and any special requests. These quick, accurate, detailed, and polite when
letters are usually printed on company letterhead responding to callers' requests and queries.
and dated and signed by either the person who took
the reservation or a manager. Arrival Stage
5. Information Packs and Brochures - An The arrival stage focuses on the check-in activities
establishment might send out an information pack or of the guest. It includes:
brochures to provide additional information about * Registering the guest
itself. Most establishments have printed information * Assigning a room and rate (for walk-in guests)
promoting the venue and its products ad services. * Determining methods of payment (for walk-in
Reservations staff can use these information packs guests)
as marketing to their customers. Nearly all groups * Identifying a departure date
and tours customers will get an information pack * Escorting or directing the guest to the room
about the venue and local activities as well as all the * Club membership
details about their tour, such as where breakfast is
located, the tour itinerary, airline details etc. Occupancy Stage
6. Letter of Authorization - As a proof, a letter of When the guest arrives at the room and
authorization must be presented by guests who will accepts it, the occupancy stage begins. The
be staying in the establishment for an official occupancy stage is considered as the center of front
business, authorizing their stay to be charged office activity. The front office plays a major role
against the credit line of the government and/or during a guest's stay at the hotel.
corporate accounts they in. Along with this, the
For example, the front office is the one who provides
information and supplies when the guest requests it.
It is the main source of service that the hotel
supplies. The FO staff should perform these tasks
well because this will determine whether a guest will
repeat his/her stay at the hotel.
Some of the services that a guest may acquire
during his/her lodging are:
* Purchase of food and beverages
* Use of telephone
* Gift shop purchases
* Laundry Services
* Inquiries
These transactions should be well recorded
and processed according to the FO posting and
auditing procedures.

Departure Stage
The departure stage is the final stage of the
guest cycle and involves the guest's checkout
process. When checking out, the guest vacates the
room, receives a statement of account for
settlement, returns the room keys, and leaves the
hotel.
When settling the guest's account, confirm
whether the guest would pay by cash or by credit
card. Account balances should be checked for error
before the guest leaves the hotel. There are
instances were late charges occur. These are
charges that were not posted to the guest folio until
after the guest has already checked out.
When the room is already vacated, the
guestroom's room status is changed and the
housekeeping department is notified.
Finally, the departure stage is when the front
office staff determines whether the guest was
satisfied with their service. The front office staff must
not forget to ask for guests' feedback, may be verbal
or written, to assess the quality of the hotel services
they experienced. At this stage, the front office may
also encourage the guest to acquire the hotel's
services once again. This could be the beginnings of
a guest history record.
A guest history record contains the personal
and financial information of guests that would help in
the development of the hotel's marketing strategies.
With this, the hotel's services may also be
customized according to the client's needs.