Hotel Front Office Management, 3rd Edition

306 CHAPTER 11: MANAGING HOSPITALITYFigure 11-1 A well-informed hotel staff contributes to an enjoyable guest stay. (Photocourtesy of Lincoln Plaza Hotel & Conference Center, Reading, Pennsylvania.)sional experience in hotels and restaurants, are the basis of this chapter. A chapter devotedto hospitality seems essential, since the staff of the front office very often represents theonly direct contact the guest has with the hotel.Importance of HospitalityHospitality is a very important consideration for both the guest and the hotel entrepreneur.Every guest expects and deserves hospitable treatment. Providing hospitality to meetguests’ needs involves not only a positive attitude but an array of services that make theguest’s stay enjoyable. If the market being served by a hotel is composed of businesstravelers, a hotel staff will find that their needs revolve around schedules and flexibledelivery of hotel services. The business traveler may arrive late and leave early. The hotelrestaurant must be organized to provide a healthy and quick breakfast. Wake-up servicesmust be located within the room or provided by an efficient staff. The hotel should alsooffer office services, such as word-processing capabilities, advanced telephone systems,fax and photocopying facilities, and computers. The guest who is associated with a conventionmay want early check-in, late checkout, and a full range of hotel services. If theconvention starts at noon on Tuesday, the guest may arrive at 9 a.m. wanting to unloadTLFeBOOK