ROOMS DIVISIONM.C.M. Morales

The major departments in the rooms division are front office and housekeeping. A few hotels may also include security and maintenance.

These departments come under the control of the Rooms Division Manager or Director of Rooms.

ROOMS DIVISION

Rooms division manager’s knowledge includes a complete understanding of hotel operations, specifically those operations involving the front office, housekeeping and basic accounting procedures.

ROOMS DIVISION MANAGER

A rooms division manager has the following duties :

• Responsible for the supervision of employees engaged in the operation of the front areas of the hotel.

• Coordinates with other departments in the hotel and maintains open communications w/ them to find better ways to serve the guests.

• Maintains responsibility for staffing, purchasing and budgeting.

ROOMS DIVISION MANAGER

• Creates plans to maximize the average daily rate and percentage of occupancy.

• Handles customer complaints and suggestions.

• Stays up to date with events taking place in the market and with the competitors.

ROOMS DIVISION MANAGER

GUEST CYCLE

Pre-Arrival

Arrival

Occupancy

Departure

• The front office department is headed by a front office manager.

• The Front desk area is directly supervised by a front office manager

• He also assists the Rooms division manger in compiling information for reports

• He works hand in hand with the Rooms Division Manager.

FRONT OFFICE

Functions of the Front Office

• To sell rooms, which includes registering the guests and assigning rooms

• To provide services such as handling mail, telegrams and messages for guests and furnishing information about the hotel, the community, and any special attractions or events

• To keep accounts, determine credit, render bills and receive payments.

Sub Units of Front Office

• Front Desk – looks after the registration of hotel guests and serves as communication and information

• Reservations – handles reservations for room bookings

• Bell Service – responsible for escorting guests during check-in and check-out, attending to their luggage and doing errands for the Front Desk

• Telephone Exchange – handles the Telephone Communication System to include: answering incoming calls, receiving and disseminating messages, giving information to callers through phone, placing and receiving long distance and overseas calls, screening calls and other related matters

Sub Units of Front Office

• Front Office Cashier – responsible for the settlement of guest accounts and other financial requests of guests

• Concierge/Guest Relations Assistance – the section where any guest turns to for any kind of assistance like tour and travel, directions to point of interest, confirmation of tickets and other services of this kind

• Airport/Transport Guest Assistance – handles the transport of guests to and from airport or other transport terminal

• Business Center – handles all transactions in the business center including computer services, fax, email, photocopy, souvenir items, etc.

The Night Audit Function:1. Posting the appropriate room

and tax rates2. Verifying the accurate status of

all rooms in the PMS3. Posting any necessary

adjustment

Night Audit

• This department is responsible for the cleanliness of the hotel.

• This department is responsible for cleaning the following areas:

• Public Areas – lobby, restrooms, offices, reception areas, employee locker room, and more

• Guestrooms – elevators, corridors, stairs, guestroom

• Laundry – preparation area, supply area, guest linen storage area

HOUSEKEEPING

• Executive Housekeeper• Inspectors (Room Inspectors)• Room attendants• Other housekeeping staff for

laundry, linen, house-person

COMMON PERSONNEL IN THE HOUSEKEEPING DEPARTMENT

• Employee accident in the department are generally the highest in the hotel because of the large number of workers it employs and the physical nature of the job

• Housekeepers should be highly trained in using the equipment and other cleaning chemicals.

Safety/Training in the housekeeping department

• Mislaid Property – the owner has unintentionally left the items behind

• Lost Property – the owner has unintentionally left the item behind, then forgotten them

• Abandoned Property – the item was intentionally left behind by the owner.

Types of Lost and Found Incidents

• What to do with the item found:– The date and time the item was found– Description of the item– Location where the item was found– Name of the finder– Supervisor who received the item

What to do during claim:o The date and time it was returnedo Owner’s Name and other informationo Housekeeping manager returning the

itemo Method of return(mail, delivered, or

personal)

Proper handling of Lost and Found

The Engineering/MaintenanceDepartment

The Role of Maintenance

Goals of the maintenance department:• Protecting and enhancing the financial

value of the building and grounds• Supporting the efforts of other hotel

departments• Controlling maintenance and repair costs• Controlling energy usage• Minimizing guests’ facility-related

complaints• Increasing the pride and morale of the

hotel’s staff

The Role of Maintenance

Preventive Maintenance: maintenance activities designed to minimize maintenance costs and prolong the life of equipment.

Routine Maintenance: maintenance activities that must be performed on a continual (ongoing) basis.

Emergency Maintenance: maintenance activities performed in response to an urgent situation.

Managing Maintenance

• StaffingMaintenance Assistants

Must be skilled in:• Engineering• Mechanics• Plumbing• Electrician• Carpentry• Water treatment (for pools and spas)• Landscaping• Grounds maintenance

• Implementation of safety and security measures are important in running the business.– For the protection and safety of the

guest– For the safety of the premise

including the employees– To avoid legal obligations/liabilities

SAFETY AND SECURITY

SAFETY AND SECURITY Resources

• Internal Resources: Recodable LocksRecodable Locking System: a hotel guest room locking system designed so that when guests insert their “key” (typically an electromagnetic card) into the guest room lock for the first time, the lock is immediately recoded, canceling entry authorization for the previous guest’s key.

 

Keycards: the electromagnetic card used in a recodable locking system.

Safety Resources

• Internal Resources: Alarm SystemsInternal Alarm: a warning system that notifies an area within the hotel if the alarm is activated.

 

Contact Alarm: a warning system that notifies (contacts) an external entity such as the fire or police department if the alarm is activated.

Safety Resources

• Internal Resources: Surveillance Systems—VCR versus CCTVClosed-Circuit Television (CCTV): a camera and monitor system that displays, in real time, the activity within the camera’s field of vision—several cameras and screens may be monitored in a single location.

Emergency Plan: a document describing a hotel’s pre-determined, intended response to a safety/security threat it may encounter.

Safety Resources

• External Resources: Property InsurersWorker’s Compensation: an insurance program designed to assist individuals who are victims of a work-related injury or illness.

Premiums: the price one pays for insurance. 

Claim (Insurance): a demand for compensation as the result of loss, injury, or damage.