Rooms Division Operations Management Report: Five Season Hotel, UK

This report provides a comprehensive overview of rooms division operations management within the hospitality industry, using the Five Season Hotel in the UK as a case study. It explores various aspects, including accommodation and front office services, roles and responsibilities of staff, and legal and statutory requirements. The report delves into the importance of the front of house area, key aspects of planning and management, and operational issues affecting business performance. Furthermore, it examines revenue management strategies, sales techniques, forecasting, and the calculation of performance indicators. The report covers different types of accommodation services like motels, limited service hotels, extended stay hotels, and level of service hotels. It also highlights the significance of front desk operations in customer relationship management, quality management, and room management. The report emphasizes the importance of legal frameworks such as the Data Protection Act, Licensing Act, and Health and Safety Act in ensuring proper operations. Overall, the document provides valuable insights into the complexities and best practices of rooms division management.

Rooms Division Operations
Management

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
PART A...........................................................................................................................................1
1.1 Accommodation and front office services of different organisations..............................1
1.2 Roles and responsibilities of a range of accommodation and reception services staff....2
1.3 Legal and statutory requirements that apply to rooms division operations......................3
1.4 Services provided by rooms division in a range of hospitality businesses.......................3
2.1 Importance of the front of house area to effective management......................................4
2.2 Key aspects of planning and management of the front of house area..............................5
2.3 Key operational issues affecting management and business performance of front office6
3.1 Importance of property interiors and design to effective management............................7
3.2 Critical aspects of planning and management of the accommodation service.................7
3.3 Key operational issues affecting the effective management and business performance..8
PART B............................................................................................................................................9
4.1 Revenue/yield management activities to maximise occupancy and rooms revenue........9
4.2 Sales techniques that rooms division staff can use to promote and maximise revenue...9
4.3 discuss the purpose and use of forecasting and statistical data within the rooms division10
4.4 Calculation of rooms division performance indicators to measure success...................10
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................11
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................12

INTRODUCTION
“There is a need to manage everything in a hotel industry and rooms are first and
foremost in it.” Room division is a term which is used for hospitality industries. It constitutes of
two major department Housekeeping and Front office. Housekeeping related to providing
facilities to people who are visiting hotel in order to satisfy them in a best way. Front office
related to representative who act on behalf of owner to the guest in hotel like- reception,
managers etc. This department works for improvement of work in the hotel by obtaining
feedback and appropriate data from its customers in order to know there needs and wants. In this
document Five Season hotel which is located in Winchester in UK have been discussed. All the
functions and regulatory framework of a hotel have been specified in this report which Five
season uses to satisfy its customers. Importance of various elements of Room division have also
been justified in the below research.
PART A
1.1 Accommodation and front office services of different organisations
All hotel provide various number of facilities to their guest and their working pattern
also varies. Administration of the hotel also differs in various kind of industries. Low fund hotel
have less attractive ambience and less attractive front office. Whereas in large and huge funded
hotels have much attractive and very attractive front office (Abbott, 2014). In a hotel many type
of services are provided and they are swimming pool, laundry, parking lounge etc. The basic
differentiation between various organisation according to their accommodation and front office
services are as follow:
 Motels
They provide parking services and are situated near restaurants where there clients can go
and have meal. These are designed for the motorists with limited services in order to have a low
cost stay. Their ambience and front office more like a normal one not so attractive and good. But
they provides services at low rates.
 Limited service hotels
They have limited services like room only and food have to be consumed from outside
the hotel. Other luxury services are not provided. They have normal front office and normal staff.
These service providers are usually at airports or in city (Durkheim, 2014). They are located near
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to restaurant so that their guest inconvenience get neglected. These type of hotels are located at
near to airports or at between in city.
 Extended stay hotels
They provide limited number of services. Their service are more than motels as their
operation of working is also high. Guest can stay over their for overnight or for long term. They
provide more and more services as compared to others. The services which are provided by these
organisation are comparatively large than any other (Fortier and et. al., 2011). For example they
provide kitchen, exercise area etc. to their guest. Level of services hotels
They are high rated hotels with high services with all the facilities which have been given
to customers. Hence, they have a good and very appropriate front office as well as services.
1.2 Roles and responsibilities of a range of accommodation and reception services staff
In a service industry there are diversified sections when there is consideration of a hotel.
So these are to be performed by the people working in it properly. The accommodation services
and reception staff are major representatives of operations in a hotel. Hence, some of major role
which is performed by reception staff is described as follows: Room Allocation: The rooms which are there in hotel are allotted by front staff as they
have record of rooms in there system. They have a responsibility of allotment of rooms to
various customers who arrive in Five Season Hotel. Effective communication: There are many messages and information which needs to be
transferred in a hotel related to customers, their needs and so on. So reception staff is
responsible to have such services in an effective way. Financial transactions: Payment and finance management at front desk is performed by
this staff. The payment which is being given by customers is taken by them and
accounting is further proceeded according to facilities which are provided.
 Record keeping: The records related to customers and their check in and check out
activities have to be performed which are very necessary in order to have a proper
management (Gas, 2010). This is played by receptionist by personally making a check of
records in order to know which room is vacant and which is occupied.
The front desk staff have to do various multitasking activities in Five Seasons Hotel.
They have to manage the operation as they represents company in front of the people who are
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visiting there hotel (Goldman and Procaccia, 2015). They also have a duty to be polite and
humble while dealing with the people who visit the hotels premises.
1.3 Legal and statutory requirements that apply to rooms division operations
Judicial formalities are to be considered by each and every business in its operations. In
concerning to room division there are many legal framework which needs to be followed by
company. In this it considers health and safety of their guest, data protection, recycling of data
and compliances with existent laws which are formulated for it. Government of a country makes
many procedures so as to have fair practices in regards to rooms division operations and these
frameworks are listed below: Data protection act of 1998 states that the employees in Five Season hotel must not share
important information to any other organisation. If this is violated than an action would
be taken against the staff for doing so which would be enforced by law and order. Licensing act 1964 conclude that many hotels which ought to provide alcohol
consumption services to the customers have to take appropriate licence for doing so. If
these permissions are not taken than it might get punished under law in doing ill practices
in business activities.
 Health and safety act 1999 under this the administration of hotel is responsible for
providing good and hygiene food and services to the customers who have arrived in it.
This is a major factor as if any harm is incorporated to the customers at that time
company will be held as accused for the same.
Five Season hotel have to be very keen and appropriate in using the above legislations
and various other legal rules so that it can operate properly in a country. The company can't be
lenient in providing services and there must be worth of the value which have been paid by the
customers in regards to services (Hartshorn, 2012). Hence, there is a major need to have these
legal framework in operations of country.
1.4 Services provided by rooms division in a range of hospitality businesses
Room division is a major function which is there in hospitality sector. The have various
working criteria in each and every aspect of their operations. In regards to this there is a
justification for working of room division in three various hotels which are working in
diversified condition (Huang, 2013). Despite the fact the operations of all the three hotel varies
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from each other they have been justified in order to have a complete knowledge what room
division do in hospitality business.
In regards to Hilton Hotel which is a very renown name in hotel industry they have
divided room division into two major section which is front desk and house keeping. Front desk
people take care of customers by attending them from time to time, takes orders, booking, keeps
record of the data which have been associated with the customers etc. House keeping on the
other hand takes care of the activities which are related to in house taking care of the customers,
providing them, what they want, food serving etc. both the roles are provided in a very polite and
humble manner.
Another one is Charlot hotel in UK which also works like Hilton nut its room division
have been divided into three sections. These sections are reservation, housekeeping and front
desk. Reservation takes care of the clients booking and the room allotments, housekeeping
provides various services to the customers and front desk represents the hotel in front of people
by directly interacting with them and solving there issues.
In last the cited hotel Five season provided services to its customer by room division
there is a huge high quality assurance in doing so. As well as the hotel have very good ambience
as well as it aims at providing best it can to its customers. Front desk does all the activities in
order to interact and manage the customers in the organisation.
2.1 Importance of the front of house area to effective management
Front desk is the main desk in an organisation which puts a first impression on the
customers. Hence, this is an important part of a hospitality industry in order to attract people.
The people who are appointed duties at front desk in Five Season hotel directly interact with the
consumers who come to stay in hotel (Irwin and et. al., 2010). They are build relationship with
the, present the hotel in front of them and defines the hospitality services which a hotel is
providing to its customers. Simultaneously, importance of front desk in effective management
have been listed below:
 Relationship management
They are the people who directly associates with customers and interacts with them
which initiates relationship building with visitors who come in hotels. They are the people who
directly represents the hospitality of Five seasons in from of people so they are very important.
 Quality management
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While interacting with people the way front desk staff talk represents hospitality of
company. Hence, they are very essential in maintaining quality and goodwill of company which
further leads to for a perception in mind of people who visit Five Season Hotel.
 Management of rooms
Allotment of rooms and checking out vacancies according to which booking have to be
done is also taken care by front desk management of Five Season (Koitabashi and et. al., 2011).
This is very vital role which have to be properly performed in order to have proper management
of demand and supply of services by the organisation.
 Providing services in a best way
They are the people who makes sure that services to the people who visit hotel have been
provided in a proper way. This help in retention of customer for a longer period as they enjoys
and gets satisfied from them according to their preferences.
2.2 Key aspects of planning and management of the front of house area
Planning in room division happens in such a way that the tasks are managed in a proper
way so that they are to be completed in a required time. Manager of this department monitors
that the assigned tasks are done in a proper way or not which is compulsory in order to have a
complete structural function of organisation. There are many aspects in planning and
management for front desk out of which some are listed below:
 Preparation and administration
formation of ideas in order to keep the hotel with full so up gradations and services which
are to be given. This department ensures that the management of building and repair of
organisation is done in a proper way (Landgraf and et. al., 2012). Maintenance of hotel in a
proper way is necessary in order to have a good ambience.
 Proper communication
This staff gives information to various other departments which is managed and
controlled by it in order to customers which are there in Five Season at a point of time.
 Designing
The interior and exterior designing of hotel on normal as well as occasion is also initiated
by this department.
 Formation of strategies
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Strategies to maintain and control functions in the business are incorporated by this staff
in order to have operational achievement which have been specified by hight authorities.
 Regular cleanliness
Room division have a duty of house keeping which makes sure that the room and all the
premises of hotel is clean and sophisticated in order to maintain the hygiene level of Five Season
Hotel.
2.3 Key operational issues affecting management and business performance of front office
In a service industry there are many critical situations which arises and causes problems
which impacts the operations of company (Lee and et. al., 2012). There are chances when
customers are not satisfied with the services and they complain and sometimes they are fully
satisfied. Hence, these factors have to be addressed by front office staff so that they can be
managed in a proper way. There are many issues which come across while operating in a hotel
industry and they are listed as follows:
 Customer satisfaction
All the people who are customers of Five Season are not same. They have various
choices and preferences according to which the staff have to satisfy them. Sometimes there are
people who do not get satisfies from the services in that case staff have to deal with them so as to
get a proper response and positive opinion. This is a really difficult task but have to be taken
care.
 Sales/ Financial strength
It is really important to have a proper management of sales in order to meet the targets of
company to cover its expenses. There are chances when company fails to do so but the front desk
have to make sure that the [problem is solved and people are attracted in appropriate number in
order to meet the targets.
 Quality management
There is a need to have best quality in Five Season services as they are known for it so
difficulties in meeting the need for services quality are also faced by front staff. As they are
responsible for maintaining it.
3.1 Importance of property interiors and design to effective management
Property is main asset of the hospitality industry as it represents the scenario of hotel in
front of people who visit it. It is the first and foremost expression of a hotel which is given to the
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customers. There is a huge need to design the colour, size, texture in a property of Five Season.
This helps in a effective working of people who are associated with it. The people who work for
the organisation should feel good about working in it which is initiated by its property. Further it
is illustrated below:
 Attracting wide range of customers
There are reasons which are related to property of a hotel that a large number of
customers are attracted towards it which is a very important factor.
 Increases profitability
It increases profitability by getting more people who wish to have an experience in the
hotel regarding stay and food etc.
 Workers work efficiently in good environment
When the workplace is good workers feel good about working in it which makes them to
work effectively and it leads to effectiveness in operations of the Five Season hotel.
 Increases customer satisfaction
A customer automatically feels good when it experiences a very nice and sophisticated
ambience which have been provided by Five Season hotel (McMahan and et. al., 2010). This is a
very important factor in order to satisfy various customers.
3.2 Critical aspects of planning and management of the accommodation service
Providing quality services to guests in a hospitality sector is a very tough task as each one
of them is different in matter of choices. These issues are related with lien management, room
maintenance and interior decoration. Effective strategies have to be made in order to have a
control over these issues so that goals are achieved. In an organisation which aims to deliver
services to its clients it is the duty of manager to evaluate the problems as well as ascertain
appropriate solutions to it. An effective delivery system have to be made by the manager in order
to have proper service. This will be a support to the structure and objectives which have been set
so that members in Five Seasons can attain targets.
As we know demand of people in regards to hospitality sector have been ever changing
and this is a major issue which have to be dealt in this sector. To have a success in management
program these all factors have to be evaluated and controlled so that there can be a proper
function of a hospitality industry. While planning accommodation services it is the duty of
manager to ascertain all the factors so that there can be best services to offer. Five Season hotel
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is a very well known service provider which also have some good aspects as well as bad aspects
of planning and management (Murphy and et. al., 2011). But the company have to overcome
these hurdles so that it can attain success in its operations.
3.3 Key operational issues affecting the effective management and business performance
Many internal and external factors are there which affects management and business
performance of Five Season Hotel:
 Legal issues
Rules and regulations which are formed by government in order to have fair business
practices with ethics in it affects management strategies of hospitality industry. Obtaining license
for liquor consumption also affects management and business performance.
 Technological issues
There are constant changes in technology which impacts management and business
performance as the company have to choose best technology in its operations so as to have an
edge over market. Usage of proper technology impacts performance as well as management of
business to have growth and development.
 Environmental issues
The surroundings in which a company operates affects its operations as they have to
make changes according to them. Five season have to deal with customers who belongs to
various climactic environments so the services are provided accordingly (Nightingale, 2013).
Likewise, seasons also impacts business performance there are holiday season in which there is
rush and in normal there is no rush.
 Cultural
There are various types of customers who are different in culture who visits hotel this
also creates a problem for hotels to have effective operations.
 Economical
The changes in economy of country decides what kind of services have to be delivered to
its people as paying capacity plays a major role which affects performance of Five Season
directly.
PART B
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4.1 Revenue/yield management activities to maximise occupancy and rooms revenue
Attracting customers towards business is a very complex task the mostly used strategy for
initiating this is lowering price. In a hotel such as Five Season where quality of services in very
high hence, it is very difficult to have management of cost at lower prices (Pohl and Stephenson,
2010). In initiating these services company uses various tools and techniques so that it can
achieve success in it. Justification is given below for this:
Yield management
The strategy which have been adopted by the company in order to cover cost and earn
maximum profit by its sales. Operations of company have to be managed in according to the
demand and preferences of customers which is a very tough task but yield management is a
technique which can support Five season to do it.
Hotel revenue management
Management of revenue is very important in hotel management industry or we can say in
every industry. Deployment of revenue in proper sections of hotel in order to have a best quality
of services which can be rendered by company. In this revenue is managed in a proper way so
that there could be proper financial management in a company so as to achieve targets and cover
expenses of company by it.
4.2 Sales techniques that rooms division staff can use to promote and maximise revenue
In hospitality sector a company can make various techniques to improvise its services
which it is rendering to people. In order to obtain best sales techniques it can have category in
which customers and rooms are allotted like- low, medium and high or small, medium or large
etc. this will help in getting best results for the company's offering as the sales would be
according to needs of customers and there will be a boost in it (Shekelle and et. al., 2011). While
doing promotion company can adopt this as a positive aspect. Here are some favorable
approaches of sales methods which can be considered by organization:
 Contacting customers
The manager can contact customers directly in regards to tell them about the sales and
services it is offering in peak time as well as in normal time. This will help in initiating there
behavior to avail services of company which will boost sale.
 Giving extra attention to customers
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In a service industry like hotel customer is the major player. Hence, they have to makes
sure of its needs and wants which will help in satisfying them completely. This will enhance
retention and their loyalty rewards to them in form of discounts will help in boosting sales.
4.3 discuss the purpose and use of forecasting and statistical data within the rooms division
Planning relates to forecasting and it consists of a vision into future of current business
which helps in ascertainment of strategy for long term goals (Spigel, 2013). There are many
information which have to to collected before forecasting as it helps in assessing scope of
company.
Data related to company's performance is used for further planning. The profit and gains
or loss which have been faced by Five Season will be used to ascertain future position of
company. This will help in moving to where we are and where we want to go. Hence, purpose of
forecasting is to ascertain near future of the organisation and use of it is done to have a base for
planning the actions in order to attain the desired position.
Here is a presentation of data for forecasting in Five Season:
Season 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015
Summer 4 4 5 5 2
Winter 6 5 6 4 3
Other
vacations 1 3 6 2 3
With the help of above data company can make a target of gaining customers in a
particular season. As it shows when there is a lot of customers in five season according to which
future planning can be enhanced (Yoshiokas and et. al., 2012). Hence, graphs and statistical data
helps in interpreting a best solution for further business operations.
4.4 Calculation of rooms division performance indicators to measure success
Suite Beds Occupied
75 (Single room) 75 55 occupied
60 (Twin rooms) 120 50 occupied by two people, 5
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occupied by one person
80 (Double rooms) 160 30 occupied by two people, 40
occupied by one person
215 Rooms 355 180 rooms left (260 sleepers)
=Room left/ Total number of rooms available *100
Room Occupancy: 180/215*100= 80.72%
Sleeper occupancy: 260/355*100= 73.20
Tariff are the charges which have been charged by Five Season from its customers to
avail services offered by it. The room tariff plan for five season hotel is as below:
Rooms Charges
Single room A/C 6000
Twin room 4500
Double room 5500
Luxury 10000
Single room Non A/C 12000
As per the above calculations it is clear that out of 255 rooms there are 180 rooms are
left. By this data it is predicted that room occupancy of company is high whereas its is not
occupied completely also the prices are also affordable in Five Season hotel (Woolf, 2015). This
justifies that company have a good opportunistic growth which can be availed by it to grab more
customers.
CONCLUSION
It have been concluded by the above report that room division plays a very important role
in context with hospitality industry. It helps a company in boosting its sales, satisfying its
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customers and building a strong and positive image in front of people. There is a need of proper
management in a company which is enhanced by room division in Five Season Hotel which is a
result of this research.
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