EFFECTIVE INTERDEPARTMENTAL

COMMUNICATIONS

The role of Front Office in Inter-Departmental Communication

• The front office department plays a vital role in delivering hospitality to guests.

• The front office act as face and voice for the hospitality organization.

• The guest will always approach the front office for some services.

• The front office staff should know where to direct the communication when the guest ask for services

The Front Office serves as a clearing house for communication activities

FRONT OFFICE

Banquet

Engineering and Maintenance

Controller

Safety and SecurityHuman Resource

Management

Housekeeping

Food and Beverage

Marketing and Sales

MARKETING AND SALES

Rely on front office for guest histories

The front office should provide a current and updated data base of the guestThe first contact with the guest by the Marketing and Sales is thru the Switchboard Operator

HOUSEKEEPING DEPARTMENT• The room is ready for occupancy

Available• A guest/s is already occupying the room

Occupied• The guest is not checking out of the room on the

current dayStay-over• The guest has already check-out but the

housekeeping department has not release the room for occupancy

Dirty or on-change• the room is not available for occupancy

Out-of-Order

FOOD AND BEVERAGE DEPARTMENT

Point-of-Sale

House Counts

• Computerized terminals that interface with PMS that posted guest’s charges to guest’s folio.

• The front office provides the Food and Beverage with the house count

BANQUET DEPARTMENTRequires the front office to relay information to guests about the scheduled events

Combine functions of Food and beverage and the Marketing and sales

A banquet guest who is unfamiliar with the hotel property will ask the front office for directions

The Front Office must know both how to direct guests to particular meeting rooms or reception areas and which functions are being held in which rooms.

CONTROLLER

The Controller relies on the Front Office staff to provide a daily

summary of financial transaction through a well-prepared night audit

An accurate entry by the front desk and night auditor will help the

controller to produce reports for the owners, general manager, and

supervisors

MAINTENANCE AND ENGINEERINGThe request from

guests for the repair of heating, ventilation, air-

conditioning units, plumbing,

television, and other room

furnishings are directed to the front desk then

relayed to maintenance and

engineering

The front desk must keep track of the

repair schedule, to inform the guest on

when the repair will be made.

SECURITY DEPARTMENT

Inconsistencies are reported by front desk to the security

Fire safety measures and emergency cases

Procedure for routine investigation and guest

security concerns

HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT

The human resources management may rely on the front office staff to act as an

initial point of contact for potential employees in all

department

Human resources management may also depend on the front office to distribute

application forms and other personnel-related information

to job applicants.

Some applicants may ask direction from the front office to the personnel department

The Human Resources department may also develop guidelines for the front desk to initially screen applicants.

Good luck on your presentation!