Detailed Analysis of Accommodation Services and Front Office Functions

This report provides a comprehensive overview of accommodation services within the hospitality industry. It begins by analyzing the scale and size of accommodation services, presenting data on the number of rooms and hotels. The report then explores various forms of ownership available, including sole traders, limited companies, and partnerships, detailing the advantages and disadvantages of each. Furthermore, it examines the role of grading, classification systems, and online review sites in influencing potential guests' booking decisions. The report also delves into the organization of front office functions, such as reservations and guest services, within different accommodation services. Finally, it identifies and discusses the key roles within the front office department, using Crowne Plaza Liverpool John Lennon Airport Hotel as a case study, including front office managers, reservation managers, desk clerks, guest service managers, concierges, and night porters. The report concludes with a reflection on the student's learning and understanding of the hospitality industry and business operations.

MANAGING ACCOMMODATION SERVICES

Table of Content
■ P1. Scale and size of the accommodation services found within the hospitality industry
■ P2. Different forms of ownership available to accommodation service
■ P3. Role played by grading, classifications systems and online review sites when potential
guests books the services
■ P4. The organisation of front office functions within a variety of accommodation services
■ P5. Key roles within the front office department for a selected organisation

P1. Scale and size of the accommodation services found within the
hospitality industry
Numbers of rooms Numbers of hotels
201+ rooms 339
101-200 rooms 1141
51-100 rooms 1892
26-50 rooms 2357
Numbers of hotels
0
500
1000
1500
2000
2500
201+ rooms
101-200 rooms
51-100 rooms
26-50 rooms

P2 Explain the different forms of ownership available to
accommodation services
TYPE OF OWNERSHIP
Type of ownership Description Advantage Disadvantage
Sole Trader It is the simplest form of
business, in which one
is legally responsible for
business for all aspects.
And able to make
decision about start up
or running business.
All profit retain to trader
rather than sharing with
other shareholders.
Sole traders have not
unlimited liability for
debts. There is loss of
personal assets.
Limited Company Liability of company is
limited that guaranteed
or invested to the
company (Rose, 2014).
It has advantage to pay
less personal tax.
These are restricted to
sold shares on a public
stock exchange.
Ordinary Business
partnership
Partners are agreed to
corporate their mutual
Liabilities are unlimited
of the partners for the
Partners are personally
liable for the business

Cont.
Ordinary Business
partnership
Partners are agreed to
corporate their mutual
interests who are self
employed.
Liabilities are unlimited of
the partners for the debt of
business.
Partners are personally
liable for the business
liability and debts.
Limited Liability
Partnership
All the partners have
limited liabilities. They can
exhibit elements of
corporations and
partnership.
Partners cannot be forced
to pay business liability or
debt with assets.
Partners are not taxed to
separate business entity.
Unincorporated
Association
It is a limited liability
company with non profit.
Does not need to comply
financial or legal required
of association.
When company is in profit,
double taxation can be
occurred.

Cont.
PURCHASE METHOD'S
Purchase Method's Advantage Disadvantage
Cash Purchase There is no transaction fee. It can increase the risk for theft.
Bank Loan It helps to create business credit and made
professional banker relationship.
Required strong credit with lengthy paper
work.
Family Loan Can get funds on law rate or interest free. Family are not able to understand business and
not appreciate entrepreneurial drive.
Joint Purchase with Family\Friends\Business
Associates
It has advantage of survivor ship, right to rent
and profits, ability to avoid probate.
It can impact the documentation delay and
credit history.
Franchise Low risk of loss of investment and failure
(Buhalis and Amaranggana, 2015).
Costs may be higher than expected and
includes restriction to run business.
Re-Mortgage Own Home It is helpful save money monthly mortgage re
payments.
It has limited time of period to pay back a lot
of money.

Number of hotels in UK, China and Mauritius till 2017
UK China Mauritius
55,000 19,800 13,600
0
10000
20000
30000
40000
50000
60000
UK
China
Mauritius

P2. Different forms of ownership available to accommodation services
Type of ownership Description Advantages Disadvantages
Sole trader Sole trader is the business ownership
that involve a single owner without
the involvement of any partners.
It is highly flexible due to the
absence of multiple owners. Single
owner takes prompt decision for
any of its business process.
Business activities may imparts high
responsibilities to owner. Such
ownership have limited source of
expansion.
Limited Company This type of company has certain
limitations (Rahman and Ghadas,
2018). It has limitations in terms of
each of its related functions.
Limited recruitment of employees
improves its quality of functions
(Ariffin and et.al., 2016).
Funds can be effectively invested
due to a sorted organization
structure.
Its functions are confined and
restricted therefore it the least
adoption to innovations.
Ordinary Business
Partnership
Such ownership inhibits 2-20
numbers of partners and all share
equal numbers of shares and equally
liable to debts.
It has strategic and shared
decision-making process.
Formalities and documentations are
less.
It inhibits high chances of
disagreements (Ariffin and et.al.,
2016).
It can be easily dissolved.
Limited Liability
Partnership
In this type of partnership, owners
are liable to pay a fixed and limited
responsibility for business activities.
Such partnerships have low risk of
conflict because of the presence of
fixed and limited liability
conditions.
Such ownership has high rate of
corporate tax.
Stock management is poor within such
ownership.
Unincorporated
Association
These bodies do not have any owner
and runs by the help of local or
governmental bodies.
It does not have any type of
boundaries or formalities for
conduction of certain business
Such companies do not have any
authoritative structure or chain of
command that may impart it

Cont.
Purchase methods Advantages Disadvantages
Cash Purchase Such purchase has fewer considerations related to debts. High amount of cash flow may derive a problematic
situation for future business activities.
Bank Loan Arrangement of bank loan for business is easy.
Large sum of money can be borrowed.
Suitable for large business and highly depends on
profits earned.
Turns to be expensive due to higher interest rates.
Family Loan The procedures are relatively easy to perform from other
purchase actions (Kim, Jun and Kim, 2018).
Repayment or additional amount can be easily arranged.
This purchase method generate a risk of hampering or
disrupt existing relations.
Joint Purchase Large sum of capital can arranged easily with efficient
management.
Such purchase method may increases conflict between
the involved parties.
Franchise It is a consistent purchase method that imparts a long
term impact on business and provide a number of
advantages ass well.
This purchase method require high range of
documentations and procedures.
Re- mortgage own
home
It is the most common and easy approach which provide
required funds or capitals within an extremely shorter
time frame (Fouad, Hussein and Attia, 2016).
It does not consist of a long process of conduct.
This purchase method have a risk of losing the house if
the company is unable to earn profit (Fouad, Hussein
and Attia, 2016).
The procedures of documentations are less secured
and include risks of alterations or fraud.

P3 potential guests look for and book
accommodation.
Accommodation Facilities of Hotels:
■ Essential: Essential facilities are necessary to reach and fulfil customer's expectations. It is required
to in order to gain competitive advantages in the market. Customers are required to given essential
facilitates like proper space, wi-fi internet access, leisure facilities, catering etc.
■ Basic: Hotels are required to provide basic facilities to their guests or customers to make their
experiences comforting and welcoming (Ma and et.al., 2016). There are some basic facilities such as
comfortable beds, toilet plumbing, proper lighting, aroma, simple testy food, safety and security etc.

Cont.
■ Nice to have: Facilities which are not basic and essential but that are nice to provided for
and according to customers interest like baby sitting services at requests, reading rooms,
healthy mattress etc.
■ Luxury: Magnificent hotels set standard to provide accommodation experience to the
guests. For that they provide couches, in suit shopping etc.
■ Hyper Luxury: hyper luxury offers hyper luxury that includes spa, they provide private
heated swimming pools, fitness area, private garden and beaches with personal sunbeds etc.

P4 Explain front office functions within a variety
of accommodation services
■ Reservations in hotel are responsibility of employees. Guest can make reservation by different way
like fax, letter, e mail telephonic reservation etc. with that section of information where guest are
provided information related to rooms, hotels and facilities. They are responsible for handling
guest message and mails (Cantallops and Salvi, 2014). Reservation clerks communicate guest via
internet, scheduling there stay and special needs they have.
■ Front desk manager in hotel is supervisor for all front office operation. They provide individual
schedules employees for proper coverage and all time. They also provide procedure and policies
that are administered by hotel management.