Hotel Front Office Management, 3rd Edition

56 CHAPTER 2: HOTEL ORGANIZATION AND THE FRONT OFFICE MANAGER8:00 a.m. Greets the first-shift desk clerks and passes along any information fromthe night auditor and reservation office. Assists desk clerks in guest checkout.8:30 Meets with the housekeeper to identify any potential problem areas ofwhich the front office staff should be aware. Meets with the plant engineerto identify any potential problem areas of which the front office staffshould be aware.9:00 Meets with the director of marketing and sales to discuss ideas for potentialprograms to increase sales. Discusses with the banquet manager detailsof groups that will be in-house for banquets and city ledger accounts thathave left requests for billing disputes.9:30 Checks with the chef to learn daily specials for the various restaurants.This information will be typed and distributed to the telephone operators.9:45 Meets with the front office staff to discuss pertinent operational informationfor the day. Handles guest billing disputes.11:00 Meets with the general manager to discuss the development of the nextfiscal budget.12:30 p.m. Works on forecasting sheet for the coming week.1:00 Has a lunch appointment with a corporate business client.2:15 Works on room blocking—reserving rooms for guests who are holdingreservations—for group reservations with the reservations clerk.2:30 Works with the controller on budgetary targets for the next month. Receivesfeedback on budget targets from last month. Checks with the housekeeperon progress of room inspection and release.2:45 Checks with the plant engineer on progress of plumbing repair for theeighteenth floor.3:00 Greets the second-shift desk clerks and relays any operational informationon reservations, room assignments, room inventory, and the like.3:15 Assists the front desk clerks in checking in a tour group.4:00 Interviews two people for front desk clerk positions.4:45 Assists the front desk clerks in checking in guests.5:15 Reviews trade journal article on empowerment of employees.5:45 Telephones the night auditor and communicates current information pertinentto tonight’s audit.TLFeBOOK