Front Office Operations: The Guest Cycle

• Study notes for Front Office Operations

The Guest Cycle

• The guest cycle includes stages of pre-arrival, arrival, occupancy, and departure.

Pre-Arrival

• During the Pre-Arrival stage guests select their hotels.
• Factors influencing hotel choice include:
  • Type of travel (business or leisure).
  • Past hotel experiences.
  • Ads and promotions.
  • Company travel policies.
  • Recommendations from travel agents, friends, or business associates.
  • Location, reputation, and frequent traveler programs.
  • Preconceptions about the hotel's name or affiliation.
  • The hotel's website or reservations agent.
• A reservation record is created once a guest makes a reservation, and this starts the guest cycle.

Arrival

• Arrival involves registration and rooming functions.
• The guest establishes a business and legal relationship with the hotel.
• Uniformed staff often greet guests at upscale or resort hotels at the property entrance.
• The front desk agent should check the guest's reservation status before beginning registration.
• Guests without reservations, known as walk-ins, are a sales opportunity.
• Proof of intent to form an innkeeper-guest legal relationship is when a guest presents identification and/or a payment card during check-in.
• Gathering guest information during registration helps the hotel meet guest needs.
• Front desk agents must be sensitive to accessibility when checking in guests with disabilities.
• Completion of registration involves establishing a payment method and departure date after which the guest receives a room key.

Room Status Terms

• Various terms describe a room's condition:
  • Occupied: The room is currently in use by a guest
  • Complimentary: The room is provided without charge.
  • Stayover: The guest is staying beyond the original departure date.
  • On-change: The room is in the process of being cleaned.
  • Do not disturb: The guest has indicated they do not want to be disturbed.
  • Sleep-out: The guest is registered but not sleeping in the room.
  • Skipper: The guest has left without paying.
  • Sleeper
  • Vacant and ready
  • Out-of-order
  • Lock-out
  • DNCO
  • Due out
  • Check-out
  • Late check-out

Room Types

• Single: Room for one person
• Double: Room for two people
• Triple: Room for three people
• Quad: Room for four people
• Queen: Room with a queen-sized bed
• King: Room with a king-sized bed
• Twin: Room with two twin beds
• Double-double is also a room type.
• Studio, mini-suite or junior suite, and suite are room types.
• Connecting, adjoining, and adjacent rooms are room types.

Occupancy

• The main goal during occupancy is to serve guests well, to encourage their return.
• Guest complaints should be resolved quickly.
• Security is important during the entire guest cycle, especially during this stage.
• Guests purchase hotel goods & services during this stage.
• Front desk accounting records need periodic review for accuracy.

Departure

• The final stage of the guest cycle.
• Guest services and accounting are completed.
• Check-out process:
  • Guest vacates the room.
  • Guest receives an account receipt.
  • Guest returns the room key(s).
  • Guest departs from the hotel.
• Once the guest checks out, the front office system updates room availability and closes the guest's account automatically.
• Guests are asked about their stay at check-out.
• A guest history file is automatically created, and it contains records of a guest's hotel stays.
• Late charges can occur if charges are posted after the guest checks-out.

Front Office Documents

• Pre-Arrival Documents:
  • Reservation Files
  • Reservation Confirmations
• Arrival Documents:
  • Registration Records
  • Credit verification