Front Office Operations Management (VB)

This report discusses the functions of front office operations, ways to use technology to increase guest experience, importance of interdepartmental communication, reservation process, and yield revenue management techniques. It also analyzes front office operations during each stage of guest experience journey and ways to optimize business performance. The report focuses on Holiday Inn, a subsidiary of intercontinental hotel groups, headquartered in Denham. The report covers various aspects related to front desk operations management.

FRONT OFFICE
OPERATIONS
MANAGEMENT (VB)

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................1
1. Functions of front office operations within a range of different accommodation
organizations...............................................................................................................................1
2. Ways in which front office operations use technology to increase guest experience.............2
3. Importance of interdepartmental communication between the front office various
departments within specific accommodation organization.........................................................3
4. Reservation process for a range of different accommodation organizations..........................4
5. Significance of forecasting room availability and room revenue for front office managers. .5
6. Range of yield revenue management techniques to a variety of scenarios.............................6
7. Analysis of front office operations during each of the four stages of guest experience
journey and the ways to optimize business performance............................................................7
8. The benefits of digital technology and innovation of enhancing the guest experience in
Holiday Inn.................................................................................................................................8
9. The ways through which front office operations increase service quality by applying service
quality model.............................................................................................................................10
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................11
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................12

INTRODUCTION
Front office operations management is the actions undertaken by the front desk staff
members with the complete instructions of office managers who are solely responsible for
coordinating activities, supervise their subordinates along with recruit and train them
accordingly. They play a vital role specifically in the hospitality sector as they are face of the
establishment and primary as well as last department where the guests interact. In terms of
illustrate various aspects related to foremost desk operations management, the Holiday Inn will
be chosen which is a subsidiary of intercontinental hotel groups, headquartered in Denham.
This report will describe the concept of various functions of front office operations, ways
in which they use technology, to increase guest experience, significance of interdepartmental
communication, reservation procedure, importance of forecasting along with yield management
techniques. Apart from this, the study will also elaborate operations during each stage of guests’
experience, their benefits and the ways through which front office operations increase service
quality.
MAIN BODY
1. Functions of front office operations within a range of different accommodation organizations
Different accommodation organisations have number of departments such as: human
resource, customers’ services, sales, marketing, front office and others. All departments play a
vital role by performing their individual tasks. In regard to front office, it can be said that it is
called the nerve centre of an accommodation organizations. It is stated that Holiday inn express
London believes that this department is one of the major operational and revenue producing
departments of the hotel that generates 2/3 of the revenue earned by hotel. Some functions and
roles of front office department include:
Guest registration: It is one of the main function that is being performed by front office
department. Front office department perform all activities like check-in, welcoming, room
assignment and satisfying customers (Bardi, 2021). It is one of the main functions of hotel and
resorts accommodation organisation.
Guest history and records: After allocating rooms, front office department maintain
guests profile, review likes, dislikes and collect feedbacks in order to know areas where they
need to improve.
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Update room status: As one of the main aim of front office department is to satisfy
customers and for that all employees of this department update correct room status like CO,
DND and DNCO.
Reservation: Other main important function of front office department of different
accommodation organizations including Holiday Inn is to register room reservation from
different sources and make sure that guests would have their allocated rooms in a timely manner
(Rutherford, 2021).
Telephone: Front office department helps guests in waking up through telephone
communication. As per the request of guests, front office department inform their guests about
everything that they require by telephonic communication after at the time of guests’ stay.
Inquiry: After providing detailed information to front office department, it is
responsibility of this department to answer all questions as well as inquiry of guests. The reason
of performing this function is to make guests alert with movement of hotel and satisfying their
needs.
Check-in check-out: It other main front office operations that hotel and resort employees
need to perform. As per this, employees are required to provide detailed information to their
guests and recording time of their check-in and checkout. They need to ensure that guests are not
waiting for longer hours.
On the basis of above discussed functions and roles, it can be said that Holiday Inn can
increase its revenue if it recruits skilled employees in this department (Pham, Tučková and
Jabbour, 2019).
2. Ways in which front office operations use technology to increase guest experience
It is stated that front office is one of the main departments and key of success of hotel sector. It
performs number of functions and all these functions help them out in satisfying customers as
well as increasing customers’ retention. There are number of ways by which front office
department increase guest experience and technological use is one of them. Some common and
effective technologies that are being used by this department include:
Digital check-in: There is a software that is being used by hotels including Holiday Inn
as it makes guests able to choose their preferred room from digital floor plans as well as
available rooms by watching it on mobile devices. Guests can see availability of rooms with all
characteristics and prices given on them (Ford and Sturman, 2018). It saves their time as they do
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not require going or visiting hotels and by making use of technology, they can book their room
online.
Tech savvy: Tech savvy generations prefer booking their rooms online and getting
detailed information by visiting official websites of hotels. Technology makes front office
department in increasing customers’ satisfaction by solving their queries and working on
feedbacks given by customers on their website and social media pages. Holiday inn offers
smartphones for their guest, IOT gadgets, digital consoles and other software solutions. It makes
customers’ feel comfortable and valued.
Post booking contactless experience: Changes in business environmental factors affect
different accommodation organizations to the great extent. Covid-19 is one of the main
examples of this. It has affected hospitality industry to the great extent and in this regard, it is
found that front office of Holiday Inn has made use of some advanced technology by which it
has provided post booking contactless experience to customers. Contactless dining menu, room
service robot and customers service facilities on mobile phone are some ways or technologies
that make this department able in increasing guests experience (Shin, Perdue and Kang, 2019).
In addition, it is also found that Holiday Inn and other hotels provide opportunities to
customers by which they can keep eye on their rooms when they go out from hotels. They can
see all activities, done on their rooms when they are not around. So, it also makes them feel safe.
Overall, it can be said that technology plays a vital role as it helps different accommodation
organisations in increasing customers’ satisfaction. Customers find easier in accessing their
room even without their access and it can prevent them from safety issues.
3. Importance of interdepartmental communication between the front office various departments
within specific accommodation organization
Communication plays a vital role in improving productivity and satisfying customers. In regard
to hotel, it can be said that all departments are interrelated with each other’s. Front office
department is the one that needs to communicate with different departments such as: HR, sales,
production and finance. The reason behind interrelation and communication with other
departments is to satisfy customers by knowing detailed information about guests.
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Build relationship: When front office department communicates with other departments
like sales, HR and finance then it improves their relations and help them out in performing their
functions in an effective manner.
Increase customers’ satisfaction: Interdepartmental communication between front
office and other departments make all departments able in satisfying customers (Lozovitskaya
and Weerakit, 2017). When front office communicates with marketing and sales department then
it comes to know about requirements of customers and accordingly they provide services that
satisfies them.
Focus on company needs: When employees of front office communicate with other
departments then it makes them able to perform their functions with effectiveness. Employees
came to know about all things related customers and they find easier in performing functions
accordingly. It improves their performance and productivity as well (Musadad, Dianita and
Dirgantara, 2021).
Overall, it can be said that interdepartmental communication between front office and
other departments can make Holiday Inn able in solving customers’ problems and increasing
their experience.
4. Reservation process for a range of different accommodation organizations
This activity mainly refers to conduct by front office management department which
individual employee. Front manager of hospitality manger setting in reception area, and they
develop process when customer consider to booking reservation in hotel. Manger follows proper
structure for expansion of effective reservation system because it has responsible top mane
multiple activities (Alves, Amorim and Bezerra, 2021).
Also, the major thing which is different accommodation organizations refers to activity
where which means individual hospitality industry provide different type of services and their
terms and conditions are also different from others. Express London Chingford, an IHG Hotel
provide free WIFI and bar services when customer decide to stay in their hotel. Company decide
on the basis of digitalization concept they consider implementing online booking activity.
 Firstly, they consider implementing activity which is respectful and effective welcome of
guest or clients.
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 Company reception manager record and prepare slip about client name, original id proof,
members details and ask them about number of days they stay in hotel.
 Then they provide them bill and amount of hotel charges and implement overall benefits
and facilities they provide in hotel room, food services and man more.
 Explain free hotel services and communicate every aspect with effective manner so
customer will attract towards with their facilities and services.
 Listen which services customer want other from their services and provide them
including charges.
 Manger decide to provide their hotel cards which is entry exist, so they decide
technological entry exist which is great activity because other members not coming
inside their hotel.
So identification and knowledge about their activities it’s clear that front manger has multiple
responsibility, and they have to provide each and every information about their services to client
because if they not consider providing information to their client or guest it influences
performance of overall organization and guest not attract with their facilities. Different
organization ahs their different reservation process some industries includes that they direct
booking without legal information taking and some business who provide series for room
booking, holiday booking and their reservation process has different activities. Railway booking,
hotel booking, restaurants booking individual had their different techniques and approaches of
reservation.
5. Significance of forecasting room availability and room revenue for front office managers
Front office manager has proper idea and information about how organization improve
their facilities towards with the expansion of effective things like reception process, effective
quality of room facilities, guide them to employee about take care and fulfil customer
requirement in less time, communicate with proper manner and resolve any confusion and
conflict with impressive manner (Shniekat, Jawabreh and Saleh, 2021). This organization mainly
consider effective receptionist manager engagement which have great communication skills, and
they have experience about how to complete and fulfil guest demands and satisfy them with
attractive manner.
Yielding across various channels:
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Front office manager has power to make multiple decision because they have idea and
information about how to run organization with proper manner. They have power to decide that
if hotel is properly run, and they generate revenues with good terms they can easily consider
selling their services at lower price and implement channel for more profit development.
Forecast revenue generating departments:
Hospitality industry room services is the major aspect for generate and influence
revenue. It contributes higher cost for expansion and continuity of business. So analysis of this
feature an activity front office manager mainly decide to improve facilities of room services
because it influences people attraction.
Expansion plans:
On the basis of money flow ad profit its essential that organization improves their quality
of business and implement some new activities for expansion of new opportunities which is
useful for overall organization name and reputation improvement as well. So front office
manager has power, and they have skills to expand money in right direction (Reis and Melão,
2021).
6. Range of yield revenue management techniques to a variety of scenarios
Yield revenue mainly refers to activity which is pricing strategy, identification of
consumer behaviour and attracting then with effective facilities, engagement of essential
resources, sell right product to customer, identify their needs towards with the organization and
implement pricing decision.
Strategic control:
This activity helps to generate large revenue for organization, in the hospitality industry
they manage multiple aspects within the analyse and identification of facilities. It’s essential that
organization mange overall profit in right directions and generate control in expenses.
Price determination
It has potential to take right price decision about engagement of new facilitates
employment, generate right price about room, food, bar and many more essential facilities in the
organization. Consideration about this term its very clear that yield revenue engagement
manages this activity with effective manner (Hogsette, 2021).
Technological development:
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Application of right technological term in organization makes more perfection and
services in the competitive market management has considered this activity because it provides
idea about other organization activities and which facilities they provide in there, so idea and
information about other hospitality industry it’s easier to find new decision for business
effectiveness improvement and it influences activities of business with positive manner.
Yield management activity makes more effectiveness in business and develop revenues
with expansion of right thing and with provide attractive services to customer which makes
develop attraction of customer. So it’s clear that they have potential to make right decision for
overall organization effectiveness improvement, and they expand business activities with highly
improves quality of management. It become useful when organization has different multiple
option for higher efficiency development within industries practices and customer attraction,
guest facilities improvement.
7. Analysis of front office operations during each of the four stages of guest experience journey
and the ways to optimize business performance
Every hotel guests have almost the similar kind of steps in order to interact with the front
desk staff members of hotel. Basically, it represents a chain of activities that comes in circular
motion in cyclical manner (Nazar and et.al., 2020). It remains same during the seasons, day-
night, weekend, monthly, etc. this specific cycle helps to understand the complete work flow
within the hotel. This indicates the stream which indicates the routine work whether repetitive or
skill based. It includes the interactions among the guests and the upfront staff members who are
the representatives of the company.
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The above diagram represents that the first stage is the Pre arrival stage under which
guests actually appears within the hotel. In context of Holiday Inn, it has been evaluated that
there are various pre arrival actions that has been performed by the front desk staff members of
the establishment in order to attract the attention of their potential guests. They are responsible
for the enquiries asked by the guests before reservation confirmation. They are the sole
responsible for giving knowledge about the availability of rooms, types of occupancy, rates,
services along with good local knowledge to serve their guests efficiently. Next stage is the
arrival phase in which legal procedure in terms of registration occurs, allotment of appropriate
room considers as per the requirement of guests and recording their charges and payments are
highly considering within this stage by the front desk operations. It includes services such as
welcoming the guests, registration, hand over room keys, luggage assistance and delivering
instructions that the Holiday Inn may have received on the behalf of guest.
Third stage is of Stay in Hotel stage in which the focus of daily activities is highly
required as the front staff is responsible for coordinating guest services and resolving their
complaints if any (Kane, 2017). The last stage is of Departure under which preparation and
presentation of bills exists. It also further involves settlement, luggage handling, sales and
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Guest Cycle in Holiday Inn

marketing activity as well as warm farewell to customers. Hence, from the above description it
has been evaluated that front office serves as the guests’ preliminary liaison throughout the guest
cycle. It can illustrate their efficiency and friendliness through phone calls, and also ensures the
guests feel good about their decisions to stay well before their arrival.
8. The benefits of digital technology and innovation of enhancing the guest experience in
Holiday Inn
Holiday Inn is a well-established hotel who serve their guests in most effectual manner.
They share great experiences with their customers as well as guests. These experiences have
enhanced with the involvement of effective technology along with considerable innovations
within the whole organizational operations' management. There are various advantages that has
been taken by enterprise with the inclusion of appropriate technology such as:
 Online bookings: This is the most evident appearance of technology specially in the
hotel industry as they offer services of booking their rooms in advance way through the
inclusion of online internet platform. This is the most transparent way to discuss all the
details related to registration. This facility allows guests to select hotels and facilities that
best matches their interest, tastes and convenience.
 Increase guests’ experiences: This latest technology helps the guests to utilize check-in
and check-out in easiest manner. This technology allows guests to utilize services
through their smartphones as well (Fu and et.al., 2020). Holiday Inn provide the facility
to all their guests to check in and out room selection, check maps and make extra
requests with just utilization of their smartphones.
 Enhanced targeting: Advanced technology allows Holiday Inn to target their
prospective consumers in most appropriate manner. They target their specific group of
customers with diversified deals and discounts that enables them to attract their potential
clients. It thus reduces the marketing cost.
 Streamline internal processes: the technological advancement helps the staff members
to make the whole process more meaningful as this allows the members to organize and
manage information in solely manner (Shin and Jeong, 2020). It enables the Holiday Inn
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staff to customize their interactions with guests, sending them automated mails and do
more with little efforts.
However, there are certain drawbacks also that have been faced by Holiday Inn because
of technological advances:
 Unemployment
 Unsociable hours
 Limited career advancements
 Optimize daily procedures
 Proper maintenance requirements consist of extra costs
Thus, apart from certain drawbacks, it has been analysed in complete manner that the act of
digital check in streamline the guest experiences and helps those who just want to go right to
their rooms. It also provides travellers more power to pick the rooms they require. Technology
also makes hotel staff more appropriate in nature.
9. The ways through which front office operations increase service quality by applying service
quality model
Service quality is a kind of approach to manage business processes in order to make sure
complete satisfaction of customers and quality in service provided (Dzhandzhugazova and et.al.,
2018). The service quality within the Holiday inn has been measured with the help of
SERVQUAL measuring tool with five dimensions which has been shown in below pictorial
representation.
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The dimension i.e. Reliability according to which the staff members show their ability to
perform their promised services accurately. Second step is Assurance which provide knowledge
and courtesy of employees and their ability to convey trust and confidence. Another step is
Tangibles according to which appearance of physical facilities, equipment, communication and
personnel exists (Wang, 2020). Fourth is Empathy according to which the Holiday Inn shows
their care, individualized attention to their guests in most effectual manner. And the last is
Responsiveness that illustrates the willingness to help consumers and provide prompt services to
their guests.
Hence, the improvement in the overall service quality in the hospitality sector becomes one
of the most significant factor for gaining a sustainable competitive advantages and consumers
confidence level in the highly competitive market place and thus it can give great chance to
create competitive differentiation for the company.
CONCLUSION
It has been summarized form the above reflective study that front office operations
activity is only properly run by when front manger properly does their exercise with
identification of organization essential things. This study has been given idea about how front
management can generate guest attraction and provide then good facilities which they expect
from hospitality industry. It has been very clear that Express London Chingford, an IHG Hotel
reception department provide effective services to their customer, so they easily develop
revenues and profit also, front manager uses quality management flow which makes more
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Servi
ce Quality Model

perfection in organization activities and utilization of quality management models makes more
efficiency in hospitality industry. From this report it has been developed right information that
hospitality industry wants to improve and expand their business they have to select and hire
knowledgeable and skilful from manager.
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