Hotel Operations: Front Office, Back Office, and Guest Services

This report provides a comprehensive overview of hotel operations, examining the characteristics of the accommodation sector, and the roles of front and back office staff in delivering guest services. It defines the functions of both front and back of house operations and explains how they work together to enhance customer experiences. The report highlights examples of value creation for customers, various departmental roles, and the causes of customer dissatisfaction. Furthermore, it emphasizes the significance of delivering quality service, its relationship to hotel operations, and the impact of value-added initiatives by front and back office executives. The report concludes by underscoring the importance of customer satisfaction, loyalty, and sustainability in the competitive hospitality industry, drawing on a range of academic sources.

Running head: Hospitality
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Table of Contents
Introduction.................................................................................................................................................3
Characteristics of the accommodation sector...............................................................................................3
Define front and back of house operations and how they work together.....................................................3
Examples that create value for customers....................................................................................................4
Various roles of different departments in delivering guest services.............................................................5
The causes of customer dissatisfaction of hotel operations..........................................................................5
Examples of value added impacts that deliver front and back office executives..........................................6
Significance of deliver quality service and how it relates to hotel operations..............................................6
Conclusion...................................................................................................................................................8
References...................................................................................................................................................8
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Introduction
The primary aim of this task is to summarize the articles which provide ample of
information about hotel operations. It further elucidates that how front and back office executives
play a major role in providing services and products to the customers around the globe.
Characteristics of the accommodation sector
There are various characteristics of accommodation sector that have been discussed below.
 Comfortable and clean rooms attached with toilet, bathrooms and fully equipment with
effective supplies.
 This sector further focuses on intangible sector. The accommodation sector sells an
experience or a feeling that is effective and desirable.
 This sector is perishable and dynamic. The accommodation sector is 24 hours a day,
seven day a week.
 Heavily and unique dependent on the customer satisfaction. The accommodation sector
is rendering services and products to the customers with extra time and cash on their
hands.
 Top management and managers of the protection and security and 24 hours maintenance
amenities.
 Clinic facilities with skilled and qualified nurses, doctors and essential supplies.
 Accommodation sector further helps in improving customer satisfaction globally as it
also helps in maintaining sustainability in the environment and workplace as well (Lee &
Way, 2010).
Define front and back of house operations and how they work together
At hotels, the front and back office staff play a major role in servicing clients effectively
and successfully. The front office refers to the reception, front office and core operations
departments of the hotel. This includes sales, front desk, reservations, housekeeping, marketing
and concierge. The front office is a place where clients go when they appear at the hotel. On the
other hand, the back office is a portion of a firm made up of administration and support
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personnel who are not guests facing. The back office operations include record maintenance,
settlements, clearances, IT services, regulatory compliance and accounting. The back office staff
is liable to conduct day to day business activities and operations. The back office staff helps in
offering innovative and unique services to the guests in the global market (Clarisse, 2011). The
difference between the front and back of house operations has been discussed below.
Front office operations Back office operations
The front office employees are interacted with
clients in the hotel.
The back office executives do not interact and
talk to guests.
The front office people think about the
techniques and ways in selling the goods and
services.
The back office employees are making ample
of ways to make these products better and if
they will sell or not.
The front office and back office executives maintain coordination and cooperation to
work together for providing satisfaction to the customers across the globe. These executives
provide 24*7 hours services to the customers across the globe. Guests or clients are not the only
market that hotels consider and focus in their sustainability campaign or program but also help
the hotel sector to boost profitability and outcomes. The sustainability programs are held by back
office executives to provide guest satisfaction in the global market. In this way, they help in
creating customer satisfaction outcomes globally (Vila, Enz & Costa, 2012).
Examples that create value for customers
It is elucidated from the various studies that ample of activities and operations are done
by hotel sector to beat the competitors and maximize the profitability in the global market. There
are various practices and equipments appear to have become efficiently and effectively standards
(e.g., supporting local charities, buying green products and towel reuse programs). There are
various examples in hotel industry that create value for customers. For example, the hotel sector
is offering ample of sustainable programs and campaigns that increase guest or client
satisfaction. Apart from this, controlling and monitoring for three satisfaction indexes such as
food and beverage satisfaction, guest room satisfaction and hotel facilities satisfaction help in
maximizing value for the customers. Responding to customer feedback and reviews is further
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example that can also helps in creating dynamic and unique value for the customers (Siteminder,
2018).
Various roles of different departments in delivering guest services
The hotel industry consists various departments that are responsible to deliver better
guests services in the market (Thomas, Kitterlin-Lynch & Lorenzo Del Valle, 2015). Some of the
departments and their roles have been detailed below.
Room division: The room division entails three primary areas such as uniformed services,
housekeeping and front office. The front office is responsible for serving clients and maximizing
profitability and the other areas are staff functions (Berezan, Raab, Yoo & Love, 2013).
The food and beverage division: This department in a hotel largely depending on the numbers
of outlets that food and beverage division manages and operates.
Sales and marketing division: It is one of the fundamental departments of hotel sector that help
in advertising and promoting the services and products of the hotels internationally.
Maintenance departments: One of the key and effective roles of a general manager is the
upkeep and maintenance of the hotel. The general manager is responsible for preserving and
protecting the assets and resources.
Human resource management: The HRM is accountable for hiring the capabilities, potential
and skilled front office and back office candidates for performing tasks and duties in a hassle free
manner.
General Manager: The general manager of the asset is a multi-talented and skilled individual
who shows many interests and values. They are further liable to maintain unique code of
conducts and ethics at the workplace.
The causes of customer dissatisfaction of hotel operations
Although, hotel industry is worked towards the achievement of goals and objectives by
providing innovative services to them but some reasons that increases dissatisfaction among the
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people in the organization (Siguaw, Enz, Kimes, Verma & Walsh, 2009). Some of the causes of
customer dissatisfaction of hotel operations have been drawn below.
 There is no free WI-FI in rooms and hotel.
 The behavior and attitudes of employees are not acceptable as it can affect the
satisfaction level of the customers.
 Poor and ineffective customer service and rude staff lead dissatisfaction among the guests
in hotel industry.
 Not listening to key target audience and hidden ample of information, facts and costs also
affect the moral and loyalty of the customers (Yang, 2010).
 Inaccessibility, low quality of goods and services. No Omni-channel customer service
also may put direct impact on the satisfaction of the customers.
Examples of value added impacts that deliver front and back office executives
Servicing a client is a part of every hotel as it also helps in making good and strong
dynamic image in the minds of the guests. For example, respect is one of the significant factors
that help in putting positive impact among the customers in hotel sector. The front office and
back office executives respect customers or clients that mean they are serving effective and
attractive services to them. It helps in making happy the clients. Apart from this, familiar
experience is also provided by the staff in hotel sector to attain high level of customer
satisfaction. Customer loyalty is complex and tougher to analyze than customer satisfaction.
Loyalty can be analyzed when identifying and observing the actual behavior and action of a
client. It will further help to contribute in measuring overall customer satisfaction internationally
(Enz, 2012).
Significance of deliver quality service and how it relates to hotel operations
Excellent customer service is unique and effective in hotel operations. The good quality
of service entails three dimensions including materials, physical facilities and employees.
Excellent customer service is first point of contact between for example the executives and guest
in the hotel. Effective and unique customer service helps in attracting and impressing maximum
clients globally (Lo, Stalcup & Lee, 2010). The strong and excellent customer service is directly
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related to the business operations because it helps in making strong and open relationship
between clients and hotel representatives. Unique and dynamic customer service further helps in
getting good referrals in the competitive market. Sustainability also helps in improving and
enhancing customer loyalty and trust. It is recommended that hotel industry should focus on the
choices, trends and preferences of the guests to make happy them while functioning in the
workplace. They must also focus on the advertisement and promotion for encouraging the
services internationally (Vila, Enz & Costa, 2012).
(Source: Bruns-Smith, Choy, Chong &Verma, 2015)
(Source: http://www.serviceperformance.com/the-5-service-dimensions-all-customers-care-
about/)
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Conclusion
It is concluded from the various studies that effective and unique hotel operations are
needed to serve customers or clients in the international market. It further helps to cope up with
rivals and to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the front office and back office
executives.
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References
Berezan, O., Raab, C., Yoo, M., & Love, C. (2013). Sustainable hotel practices and nationality:
The impact on guest satisfaction and guest intention to return. International Journal of
Hospitality Management, 34, 227-233.
Bruns-Smith, A., Choy, V., Chong, H., &Verma, R. (2015). Environmental sustainability in the
hospitality industry: Best practices, guest participation, and customer satisfaction. Cornell
Hospitality Report, 15(3), 6-16, Retrieved from
https://scholarship.sha.cornell.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?
referer=&httpsredir=1&article=1199&context=chrpubs
Clarisse.,(2011). Difference between front office and back office [Online], Retrieved from
https://www.differencebetween.com/difference-between-front-office-and-vs-back-office/
Enz, C. (2012). Strategies for the implementation of service innovations.Cornell Hospitality
Quarterly, 53(3), 187-195.
Lee, C., & Way, K. (2010). Individual employment characteristics of hotel employees that play a
role in employee satisfaction and work retention. International Journal of Hospitality
Management, 29(3), 344-353.
Lo, A. S., Stalcup, L. D., & Lee, A. (2010). Customer relationship management for hotels in
Hong Kong. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, 22(2),
139-159.
Siguaw, J., Enz, C., Kimes, S., Verma, R., & Walsh, K. (2009). Cases in innovative practices in
hospitality and related services: Set 1. Cornell Hospitality Report, 9(17), 6-31, Retrieved
from http://scholarship.sha.cornell.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?
article=1123&context=chrpubs
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Siteminder.,(2018). 4 Simple ways to improve guest services in your hotel [Online], Retrieved
from https://www.siteminder.com/r/trends-advice/hotel-management/ways-improve-
guest-services-hotel/
Thomas, J.H., Kitterlin-Lynch, M., & Lorenzo Del Valle, D. (2015). Cuba’s future hospitality
and tourism business: Opportunities and obstacles. Cornell Hospitality Reports, 15(11),
6-16. Retrieved fromhttp://scholarship.sha.cornell.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?
article=1207&context=chrpubs
Vila, M., Enz, C., & Costa, G. (2012). Innovative practices in the Spanish hotel industry. Cornell
Hospitality Quarterly, 53(1), 75-85.
Yang, J. T. (2010). Antecedents and consequences of job satisfaction in the hotel
industry. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 29(4), 609-619.
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