Front Office Technology for Post-COVID Hotel Operations: Marriott

This report delves into the critical role of front office technology in the hotel industry, specifically examining its significance for operations in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. The study focuses on Marriott Hotel as a case study, exploring how technological advancements have reshaped front office functions, including guest registration, service provision, and overall operational efficiency. The report provides a background on the subject area, reviews relevant literature, and justifies the rationale for the research, highlighting the topicality and importance of the topic in the current hospitality landscape. The report includes objectives to analyze the importance of front office technology, examine the various technologies used in Marriott after COVID-19, and identify the challenges faced by the hotel. The study emphasizes the impact of the pandemic on housekeeping and front office procedures, and highlights the benefits of technology in creating a safe and efficient environment for both guests and staff. It also explores the use of technology in improving guest experience, ensuring safety, and providing a competitive advantage in the post-COVID era. The report concludes by discussing the implications of these findings for the future of hotel management and the importance of technology adoption.

The importance of Front Office
Technology for a Post COVID-19
Hotel Operations

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................3
Importance of COVID-19 on housekeeping...............................................................................3
Overview, Introduction of Marriott Hotel along with background of study...............................4
Justification of rationale for the study.........................................................................................5
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................13
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................14

INTRODUCTION
COVID 19 is the one which has created so many differences in the operation of the hotel
management. There are many of the business operation which is there in the hotel management
that has been effected due to the impact of the COVID. In relation to this, one of the main impact
is there on the operation of front office. This is the one which is responsible for each and every
activity which is there in the hotel are responsible for it. Front office is said to be the first
impression of the hotel industry in which there are many of the hotels which are there in all over
the world has been get affected by the impact of COVID. There are many operation like
registration, guest welcoming, providing different services to the customer when guest is there in
the premises of hotel are effected very highly in nature. There are many of the operations which
are there in the hotel operation which are related with the Front office got changes or say that
there in high improvement in the operation of the Front offices activities (Shaiful Kahar, 2020).
There is chosen hotel Marriott Hotel which is an international hotel and having their brand in
world famous. This hotel is the one which is able to provide different services to their guest or
customers which are there able to provide different benefits. In this, report there is brief
discussion about the subject area background. There is involvement of the literature review
which is able to review critically on the topic. There is also introduction of the industry which
have the investigate in the report which is about the Marriott Hotel. There is also justification
about the rationale which is based on the literature review in this, there is introduction about the
gap which is there in the investigation and topical, interesting and controversial in nature. There
is also some objective which are there in the report that can be there to obtain for the better
research. There is discussion about the importance of the Front office technology which is there
in the hotel for post COVID hotel operations. In relation to this, there in introduction about the
organisation along with justification of rationale which is based on the literature review (Yang,
2017).
MAIN BODY
Importance of COVID-19 on housekeeping
Hospitality sector is one of the huge sector which is able to contribute high role in the
economy in worldwide. In this sector, there is high focus on providing different services to the
guest and their customer which is there in different functions like lodging, wedding planning,

room booking, room services and many more operations. In relation to this, in year 2019, there
was introduction of virus which is known by the Corona virus. This is the one which is very
dangerous and is able to spread rapidly. This is the one which create huge change in the each and
every operations that is there able to impact the business operation. In context to hospitality
industry there is huge change in the front office operations which are there able to provide
different impact on the operations. There is huge impact on the operation of the housekeeping in
which there are many of the business operations are there which needs to be changes in relation
to provide safety to their customer. Housekeeping is the one which is able to manage all the
activities and have the responsibility of each activity which are there in any hotel. In relation to
this, there are many of the activities like welcoming guest, allotting rooms, providing different
services, arranging all the staff members in relation to provide better service to the customer and
many more. There is high importance of the technology which is there in the post COVID
operations in the hospitality sector. This is the one which is able to provide better and safe
environment for the guest or customer who are there for to avail the services of the hotel. In
relation to this there are many of the importance which is generally based on the use of different
purpose in relation to provide better use of technology that can help to provide better result after
post COVID in the Front office operations (Sklyar, 2019).
Overview, Introduction of Marriott Hotel along with background of study
Marriott Hotel is an American multinational hospitality company which is able to
manage, develops along with franchises wide portfolio of hotels along with related lodging
facilities. This was founded by J. Willard Marriott and now company is lead by his son Bill
Marriott. Marriott hotel is one of the longest chain in all over the world. It has about 30 brand
along with this, there are about 7484 properties which are there in about 131 countries and
territories in all over the world. There are about 1,400,693 rooms which was analysed in June 30,
2020 and purpose of this was to act better in the COVID time that can help to be ready for the
customer and to provide better place in relation to provide healthy and safe. This hotel was
founded in year 1927, when there was opening of the root beer which is by John Willard
Marriott and his wife which was stand in Washington, D.C. In relation to this, there was the said
that people of the city like to have the cool drink. And due to this, there was change in the
enterprise that was into a chain of Hot shoppers restaurants and get public in year 1953. Later on,
company opened its first hotel Twin Bridges Marriott Motor Hotel, in Virginia in year 1957.

After this, there was start of the chain of hotel which was there in huge numbers (Wibowo,
2017). In year 1967 Hot Shoppers, Inc. renamed as the Marriott Corporation. In year Marriott
international was formed when there was split of the Marriott corporation in two distinct
companies. Marriott was one of the first hotel company which was able to offer the online
reservation to their guest. This is was the first time when there was introduction of the
technology were there in presence of others. In present time, there is huge use of the technology
which are there in the hotel premises or by the hotel to operate different operations which are
there in the company. There are many use of the technology in the company which is able to help
and provide high advantage to the company in relation to provide high competitive advantages
and business advantages. There are different changes are there in the operation of the front office
which is able to use different technology which can help the company to earn more benefits. This
also helps the customer to get safe from the high chance of spreading of virus. There are different
use of the latest technology which are there in the hospitality industry in which there is high use
of the technology in managing the operations of Front office. Department of housekeeping have
one of the main focus on the use of different technology which are there used for better
performance in different operations for post COVID-19 (Silva, 2017).
Justification of rationale for the study
According to Isaan, there is need for the use of latest technology which is there able to
provide the better information and better quality of work in relation to provide better information
to the people who are there in the hospitality industry. In relation to this, there are many of the
technology that are there are used from previous time and this hotel had the past of starting the
use of online booking which was one of the best starting for increase the demand and this also
leads to help the customer or guest in relation to provide better and satisfactory help regarding
the confirmation of booking to stay at that hotel. Due to impact of COVID, there are many of the
issues which are there in the front office which is regarding the sanitisation and safety from the
spread of virus. In this, there is need to introduce the new technology which can help to stop or
reduce the spread of virus which is one of the most important thing and work of the front office.
There are use of different technology that are there in the hotel premises which are able to
provide the better outcome for the customer in relation to provide them better experience and
provide satisfaction retarding the safety and sanitisation which can help to reduce and keeping
away from the spread of virus (Isaac, 2018). There is one important rationale which is regarding

the front office technology for post COVID hotel operation where there is high use of different
technology which is able to provide better and help in different operation of front office
functions. In this, from entrance of guest to returning of guest should be there in better way that
they can help to get better service and provide all the service in better way. This can help to get
better service to the guest for each and every type of services which are there required by the
customer for their comfort stay at the hotel.
This is the research which is regarding to understand the user of technology which are
there can help to get better understanding of the technology in the front office of hotel post
COVID. This research is able to identify the problem and the user with specification of the use of
different technology which is there being used in the hotel of front office. In this research, there
is discussion which is related with different technology which are there in relation to provide the
use of technology that can help to get in relation to provide the better use of technology which is
there in the hotel of Front office and there are different technology which can help in the
function and operation of front office. This is topical in nature along with interesting too. This is
able to give the opportunity that to learn about different new technology that can help to solve
the issues that are related with different technology for better use and service delivery. There is
some controversial research which is that there is very less number of technology that can help
the guest in relation to provide there better service. There are different gap in the study of the
technology which is regarding the use of different technology on Front office for post COVID to
better run the hotel operation in relation to get better customer base for high profit. There is huge
gap which is there in relation to get the better application of use of technology which is there in
the front office in relation to provide better safe environment for their guest (Wibowo, 2018).
Aim
''To analyse the importance of front office technology for post COVID-19 hotel
operations. Case study on Marriott Hotel.”
Objectives
 To analyse the importance of front office technology
 To examine the various technology used on Front office after COVID 19 in Marriott
Hotel.
 To identify the challenges which are faced by the Marriott Hotel after COVID 19.

According to Tran, it was reported that hotels had the negative impact of COVID which
was regarding the closure of hotel premises which was regarding the different problem which has
been faced by the hotel in which there are many of the issues which has been faced by the Front
office department of Marriott Hotel which was there regarding the post COVID operation which
is by using the technology that is there in the hotel in relation to provide the better atmosphere in
the hotel of their customer. There are different benefits of front office which is highly necessary
in the hotel industry. This is the one which highly required in this industry and in relation to this,
there are many of the technology that are there can provide huge benefit for the hotels in the
hospitality industry (Greenhalgh, 2017). This one is able to provide and serve their guest for
better customer experience at their premises. There are many of the importance of front office
technology that has being used in the hotel in relation to provide the better customer experience
to their guest. In relation to this, there are many of the benefits are there due to using the
technology in the hotel that is in the front office department. There are many importance of the
front office department in which some of the main important role is to perform different role that
is able to get the better outcome to thte hotel and the customer satisfaction. There are some of the
services for which in the hotel there is responsibility of the front office to arrange for the vehicles
when any of the customer like to have the better information about the place which their
costumer or guest like to explore in that city. There is responsibility of the front office
department to arrange all the staff that is there either necessary or for the extra work that can lead
to customer satisfaction that is to warm welcome of their customer during entering their
premises. In relation this, this can provide them the feeling of having importance in the hotel as
the guest which can be the positive point for the hotel (Tran, 2020). There is need to arrange the
waiting room in good manner that any of the reason when there is need to wait for their turn
during the peak load time, customer can comfort themselves with better rest in the waiting
lounge. This can help them to have some rest and not getting irritating in for waiting in the
waiting lounge. They are the one which is able to get the better understanding along with this,
front office is able to get the better business which is able to get the better customer service to
their guest. They are having the responsibility to get arrange the all need and service which they
like to acquire in their room (Dixit, 2020).
Adoption of digital technology is one of the best new thing in the COVID situation which
can have the better effect to the customer and the business too. There are many of the hotel who

like adopt new technology in relation to get better service to their customer. This is the one in
which are different technology has been evolved in the hotel industry. In relation to this, there
are many of the technology which has been emerged in the hotel industry in which there are
about many and in high number of technology that are there use in the hotel industry. In relation
to this, there are many of the technology has been emerged in this COVID situation that can
help the customer and hotel to get benefit of this after COVID situation. This is the one which is
able to get better understanding of the technology that are there bale to provide better care of
their customer and make them feel better. There are many technology that can able to use this
technology that can help to get better customer service. There are different service which needs
for the service delivery and can help to get better delivery of services to the customer by using
the technology by the front office department. Post COVID there is going to use of the front
office in rare. There are many of the work which are there able to get better use of the technology
which can help to get better effect in the operation of front office. There are many of the work
and the operations which are there needed in the front office to regulate and service the main
function of the department. In relation to this, there are many of the technology which are there
able to help the department that is there for providing better service and to regulate the services
in better manner (Lee, 2020). This is the one which is able to make the different work operation
in just few time and can help the customer to get better benefits that can help theme to get one of
the best service to the customer. New technology is also able to help the staff member to easy
their work and make them able to get better delivering of services to the customer. Post COVID
there is going to have huge change in the hotel technology that is there able to get better
technology that can help the customer to get better and high chances to avoid to chance of
infection.
In this, there is need to have the better communication in between each and every
department that is there able to get the different benefit either in long term or after COVID that is
related with different use of technology and can help the front desk and the customer in better
manner (Furstenau and et. al., 2021). Hotel front office technology is able to provide better
customer experience which helps the owner in relation to provide high benefits and helps in
increase in the revenue. In this, there are many of benefits which area there of having the front
office in the premises of hotel in which some of the benefits are like improved customer service,
control over financial data, effective internal operations and many more. There are many of

technology system which are there able to provide to fit the size of the establishment. There is
high use of technology which are there used in the front office and are there able to help the hotel
which are like having check-in and checkout technology, in-room technology and many more
(Lim and et. al., 2020).
This is the technology which are there able to provide the better opportunity that can help
to get check-in in relation to get better and fact access to their leisure which is there without
having to wait in line of the front office. This is able to save the time which can help the
customer to get better and fast access to their leisure. This can help the hotel operation to run in
the smooth way that can help the customer to get better service as per their desire. In this, there is
check-in and check-out process can be done by the smartphone. This is one of the technology
which get high in demand in the hotels after COVID situation become normal and this type of
trend is going to be use in the daily basis. This is the one which is there able to provide better
atmosphere in the hotel premises which is able to provide better care with saving time and is able
to provide better customer experience. This is the technology which is able to provide
satisfaction to their customer or guest who are there like to get and avail the services. This is the
one which is able to create the solution regarding the sanitisation and different hygiene in which
use of the smartphone is one of the technology which is there used by the front office that can
help to get the seamless entry to the room. In relation to this, there are many of the solution is
provided that can help their customer not to worry about the keys and can use their smartphone
to enter in their allotted room in the hotel (Ganesan, 2019). This is the technology which is not a
time used and post COVID there can be seen that there are many of the solution regarding the
touch and reduce the chances of getting virus from the surface. This technology which is
regarding the use of smartphone for the entry, there is huge change in this, and therefore, there
are many of the benefits to their guest and management of the hotel too. There is also going to
use of the facial recognition which is there able to get the help in the entry of the guest and help
them to get rid of key handling problem. This also help to get the seamless problem that can help
to get the better entry without any problem just by using the face towards the scanner and entry
will provide to the guest for their room. Post COVID this technology will be in run in each and
every international hotel in relation to provide the better sanitisation and touch free services (Rai,
2021).

This is the one which is able to provide the high benefits to the front office which is in
relation to provide them the opportunity to not get direct involve in the guest check-in and check-
out process. Instead of this, hotel and front office can focus on the other activities that is there
can involve in spending more time with guest that is regarding to fulfil the more urgent need.
This is also able to reduce the labour cost that is there able to help in reducing the labour who are
unnecessary there in the hotel (Waltz, 2021). This is the one of the benefits which is there in the
hotel due to having the technology that is able to give high benefit to the customer and the hotel
both and can provide better time along with experience benefit to the hotel and customer too. In
Milton Hotel there are many of the staff members in the front office who are there to serve their
customer in relation to provide better customer experience.
There is another importance of Front office which is regarding in-room technology. This
is the one in which there are many of the guest like to use their iPhones and different technology
products or gadgets which are there able to get the better interaction with other. In relation to
this, there is work and responsibility of the front office department to provide the all service to
their guest to solve the problem that can be there during using different technology gadgets in the
hotel. Marriott Hotel is of the international hotel which is able to provide the facilities like power
point junction, Wi-Fi and many more which is required by the guest or customer in relation to
provide the better comfort and better services for customer satisfaction (David, 2017). There are
different customer who like to have the business meeting in the hotel during their visit and
therefore there is high need of each and every facilities in good manner to fulfil the requirement
of customer that can be there during their meetings (Churiyah, 2020). In some of the hotels there
area some of the electronic gadgets are provided by them to use with the purpose of getting
better relationship and to satisfy the customer by providing them with one of the best services to
them. This type of technology which is provided to the guest through the front office provides
high benefits to the owner in relation to get high customer base along with high revenue. This
also provides the high and improved customer service in relation to get better and high customer
base for their hotel. In relation to provide the customer satisfaction regarding this, there are many
of the system are set in all over the hotels in relation to provide better and best services to their
customer or guest. In present time, when there is high use of technology by each and every one
of the customer in relation to provide them satisfaction through their services there are many of

setup installed in each and every room of hotel that can help to get different access to their
customer and make them feel comfortable with all such services (Krzeminski, 2017).
After the COVID situation, front office is going to be invisible. In relation to this, there is
already implementation of the check-in and check-out system and there are huge change in the
technology which are there able to provide the better change in the hotel rooms and their
premisses. There is huge change in the technology which are there able to provide better care to
their customer and there is going to be the faceless front desk. In this, there are many of the
problem which are there able to get the better information about the different use of technology
that can provide one of the best services to their customer or their guest. In this, guest is able to
book their room online through using the internet. There is huge change in the technology post
COVID which is related with the work and services provided by the front office. In relation to
this, there are many of the technology which are there able to get the better outcome by using
such type of latest technology that can help the customer in relation to provide the better
outcome and can lead to customer satisfaction (Wang, 2018).
Front office is responsible for getting better communication with each and every
department. This is because there are all the department which are there in the hotel premises
need to have the connection with different department. There are many of the work for which
there is need to have the connection with the all of the department. This is one of the department
which is able to connect with each and every department of the hotel (Heidari, 2020). There are
many of the department who direct gets the instruction form the front office such as food
department, room service or house keeping department, Food production, engineering and
maintenance department, security department, human resource department and many more.
These are the department which are directly connected with the front office department and all
can get the instruction from front office department which are directly connected with
technology that can provide better communication in between them. Many of the hotel
department are directly associated by the front office department due to having all the enquiry
and complaint process seen by this department. This department can said to be the heart of the
hotel where each and every process is done due to presence of this department and without this,
there can be so much difficulties in the smooth process of other activities or operations. Security
and maintenance department are the one which is directly connected with this department and

can have the better understanding of different activities that can help the customer to get better
communication along with better services to get satisfied (Jiang, 2020).
Different challenges faced by the front office after COVID by the Marriott hotel. In
relation to this, there are many of the challenges who is going to face by the Marriott hotel in
relation to get better and safe operation of the hotel. On each and every step there are many of
the challenges which can be faced by the management of Marriott hotel. After COVID impact,
for the better business there is need to have boost in the business of hotel industry and each and
every hotel have the responsibility of taking care of their guest. There is need to take care of each
and every of the guest that is to maximum reduce the effect that can help to get rid of the effect
of COVID in their premises. There is need to have the better impact that there are many of the
challenges which are there faced by the hotel after COVID. There are some of the challenges
which are faced by the hotel after COVID are discussed further (Su, 2018).
 One of the most important challenge in hotel after COVID is that how hotel is able to
keep their staff safe form the spread of COVID during working at hotel or any of the
other accommodation establishment.
 How to safe their guest form the spread of COVID virus in their premises.
 What to do when there is any of the staff member get sick or any guest at accommodation
establishment.
 What to do when there is any of the staff have the symptom of COVID.
These are some of the main challenges for the hotel which are there in the hotel after
COVID. These are some of the challenges which need to have the solution and hotel need to
prepare for it. These are some of the problem which are there have the high chances after the
COVID situation when there can be chances of getting huge customer for the hotel business and
due to this, there are different chances which are there able to get rid of the problems which is
necessary to get rid of these problems in relation to provide them better business. There are many
of the safety and precautions which needs to take in relation to get the better impact when it
necessary (Mahoney, 2020). In relation to provide the safety to the staff member there is need to
take all the precaution that are there able to help the staff member in relation to stay away from
the problem which are there able to get better performance and to keep away form different
problem. There is need to use the sanitisation which should be there frequently used by different
staff member after some time. In relation to provide the safety to the staff member there is need