Analysis of Front Office Communication and Hotel Operations at Hilton

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of the critical role of front office communication in the successful operation of a hotel, using the Hilton Hotel as a case study. It emphasizes the importance of effective communication between the front office and other departments, including marketing and sales, housekeeping, food and beverage, and engineering and maintenance. The report details how the front office serves as a central hub for information exchange, influencing customer satisfaction, operational efficiency, and the overall guest experience. It highlights the need for seamless communication to address guest needs, manage room statuses, coordinate maintenance, and ensure the smooth execution of hotel services. The analysis underscores the impact of efficient communication on various aspects of hotel management, from marketing strategies to housekeeping operations and maintenance services, ultimately contributing to enhanced customer satisfaction and overall business success. The report concludes by summarizing the key findings and reinforcing the significance of well-managed communication channels within the hotel environment.

ASSESSMENT

TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
MAIN BODY..................................................................................................................................1
Front office communication with other departments of a hotel and its role of communication in
successful execution of hotel operations.....................................................................................1
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................3
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................5

INTRODUCTION
Communication is one of the most important things which is required to be considered
within a hotel. Communication between all the departments of a Hotel should be appropriate in
order to maintain proper functioning and successful execution of all the operations of a hotel
(Dzhandzhugazova and et.al., 2016). This assignment will lay emphasis on communication
between front office and rest all the other departments of a hotel in proper execution of hotel
operations and ways in which they ensure whether these communication among hotel are
effective or not for proper functioning of hotel operations. This assignment will focus on Hotel
Hilton operations and communication among all the departments. Hilton is a multinational
hospitality organization that manages various franchises of Hotels and resorts present globally in
more than 113 countries.
MAIN BODY
Front office communication with other departments of a hotel and its role of communication in
successful execution of hotel operations
It is extremely important for front office department to interact and communicate with
other departments of a hotel. Front office act as a communication liaison for all the other
departments in proving service to all the customers or guests. Each department has a unique way
of communicating with front office.
Marketing and sales (M&S dept.) department of a hotel majorly relies on front office to
communicate data related to guest or customers history and details related to each guest. It is one
of the first and the foremost responsibility of front office to make a hood impression on hotel’s
customers (Chevers and Spencer, 2017). Hilton is one of the most reputed hotels and it is
extremely important for them to ensure and maintain customer satisfaction of their customers
and for this it front office need to reply all the messages or enquiries of their guest, ensure
whether their requirements are being fulfilled who are using hotel for saying, banquets or
seminars etc. So, marketing and sales department need to communicate with the front office for
history of hotel’s guest as this information is quite valuable for them for target market campaign,
mailing labels, develop proportional activities and many more. M&S department also need to
check rooms availability so that they can ensure whether all they can accommodate expected
number of guests within their hotel. So, there is no proper communication between marketing &
sales department and front office then it can affect the effectivity of their operations.
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Housing keeping department of a hotel also relies on proper communication with the front
office of the hotel. Both the departments communicate with each other to remain updated with
status of housekeeping in rooms or for availability of room, room occupancy/vacancy, cleaning
etc. Front office needs to continuously update housekeeping department about the status so that
housekeeping department can perform their operations in an effective manner and after
completion of their duties or operations they can further communicate front office that the
operation has been completed and they can again update the status of the room (Cobos and et.al.,
2016). It can be said that housing keeping continuously relies on information provided by the
front office and if there is any issue within this communication then housekeeping operations of
the hotel will not be completed in a proper and effective manner.
Communication between front office and food and beverage department is also required to
be proper and effective as only front office is the source for the food department to receive any
kind of message or information regarding transfers. Fulfilment of these messages provided by the
guest is quite important because they are one of a source to communicate a charge from guest’s
account. Front office needs to communicate any requirement related to food and beverages to the
food department so that they can prepare their customer’s order and fulfil their needs and
requirements. If there is any kin d of issue with kitchen equipment’s of any other kind of issue
then food and beverage department need to communicate with the front office so that their issue
can be resolved and they can continue their operations. So, it can also be said that
communication between this department and front office is required to be proper and appropriate
for efficient and successful completion of their operations.
Engineering and maintenance department of a hotel also relies on effective communication
with front office for successful completion of their operations. Room status, maintenance service
requirement or other requires of guest such as plumbing problem in air condition etc. all are
communicated to maintenance department through front desk (Dzhandzhugazova and et.al.,
2016). If front office does not communicate this information to the department then it can affect
successful completion of maintenance department operations. Not only this if maintenance
department do not communicate completion of their work to the front office then they won’t be
able to update status of the work.
Other departments such as HR department also require proper communication with front
desk whether they want to contact to their employees in all the department or whenever there is a
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requirement of training. Communication between security department and front office is
extremely important for the hospitality of their guest of whether there is any kind of emergency.
It is necessary that in hotel operations are effectively performed. This is because entire customer
satisfaction depends on quality of services (Cobos and et.al., 2016). In Hilton hotel there are
different departments working. The front office communicates with all departments in order to
manage operations. It enables in cleaning of room, maintaining them, etc. Moreover, when
engineering unit communicate with maintenance department. it is done to ensure that all
equipment’s are working in proper way. Besides, with effective communication rooms and
maintenance operations are handled and managed. Moreover, front office department ensure that
all rooms are cleaned and maintained. They regularly take feedback from maintenance
department to find out whether there is any problem or issue. However, front office also shows
provide data and info related to tools and equipment’s. In Hilton it has been analysed that
housekeeping department communicate with front office. They interact with them regarding
availability of rooms, linen requirement, etc.
Front office and beverage department communicate with each other. for example, info of
stock, food, etc. is shared. This makes it easy to maintain enough food and beverage. Alongside,
if any guest order food and beverage front office directly communicate with them. In this way,
timely services are offered to guest (Chevers and Spencer, 2017). Also, in Hilton hotel there are
various other department as well. They also effectively communicate with each other. It enables
in on going smooth operations and gaining customer satisfaction. So, they are able to provide
customer services in less time and maintaining quality of services. It can be said that housing
keeping continuously relies on information provided by the front office and if there is any issue
within this communication then housekeeping operations of the hotel will not be completed in a
proper and effective manner. Apart from it, marketing unit communicate with front department
in such a way that they provide info related to arrival of guest, room facility, etc. but it is
observed that there is no proper communication between them. So, it highly affect their
operations. Due to it, rooms are not properly cleaned and maintained. The availability of rooms
are not checked properly and info is not provided to them.
CONCLUSION
From the above assignment it has been summarized that it is important hot hotels to
maintain a proper communication between all the departments and front office of a hotel as it
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helps in maintaining a proper interaction among all the departments and Front office. If any kind
of information is required by any department then front office provides that information to that
particular department. This also helps all the departments of a hotel to execute all of their
operations in a proper and successful manner. It also helps in maintaining overall customer
satisfaction of their guest and customers. It has also been analyzed that it is important for the
hotels to ensure whether this communication is effective or not for effective execution of its
operations.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Chevers, D. and Spencer, A., 2017. Customer satisfaction in Jamaican hotels through the use of
information and communication technology. Worldwide Hospitality and Tourism
Themes. 9(1). pp.70-85.
Cobos, L.M., and et.al., 2016. A technology adoption and implementation process in an
independent hotel chain. International Journal of Hospitality Management. 57. pp.93-
105.
Dzhandzhugazova, E.A., and et.al., 2016. Business administration in hotel industry: problems
and solutions (by the example of the Russian Federation). International Journal of
Applied Business and Economic Research. 14(14). pp.651-660.
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