Managing Front Office Operations
Paper details:
“Hilton Garden Inn” in Toronto and interviewed with “Felix Chung” about the managing front office operations. On the file, you will see 5 parts (written bold) please write in the essay format
MANAGING FRONT OFFICE OPERATIONS
(RESEARCH GUIDE)
Objective: To gain a better understanding of front office operations through a live case study.
Overview
Each group will be assigned a specific hotel located in the downtown Toronto core or other locations of your choice. During scheduled lab time, the Front Office Manager of the subject hotel will provide a tour of the front office. This person will also schedule time for a question and answer period.
In groups of approximately 4 students (max 4 group members), based on the hotel visit, external research and materials learned in class, groups will produce a high quality written project .
Learning Outcomes
This group project will allow students to:
• Gain knowledge of front office management, structure, design and operations.
• Describe the impact of guests and other departments on the front desk operations.
• Apply the guest cycle particularly as it relates to front desk operations.
• Apply service recovery skills specific to issues arising during the guest cycle.
• Understand the importance of providing exceptional guest service.
• Recommend solutions which enhance guest services throughout all departments of the hotel.
Group Assignment Requirements
A. Subject Hotel Overview
• Type of hotel (key selling point)
focus hotel
• Number of bedrooms
147
• Description of bedrooms (including in-room amenities)
mini fridge, coffe maker
• Services available to guests
room service, breakfast
• Room rates (state the day and booking channel used)
159-390$ and depends on the occupancy
• Number and type of food and beverage outlets
basic
• Banquet & Meeting Space
3 meeting space 200sq feet
• Parking options and costs
valet 42$ all days
• Loyalty Program
Hilton honours
• Contact Details (website, e-mail, telephone, address)
?
• Trip Advisor Feedback from Guests (Provide min 4 Comments)
?
B. The Front Office Department
• Name of Front Office Manager (FOM), Brief Description of his/her career path
Felix Chung, 3 duty managers
• Number of employees in the department (fulltime & part-time)
15 employee
• The different positions included in the front office
?
• What are the typical shifts scheduled? Are these based on business levels?
?
• How many front office terminals are there?
3
• Describe the front desk, back office, bell storage area
?
• During the day of your visit, what was the Occ% and ADR?
Days= 82% to 100%, ADR= 168-192
• What is their business mix (group vs. Individual)?
25% invidual
• How does the arrival process differ from individual to group?
Individual check up, group prepay all to keys and just hand out to group leader
• What are the starting wages for each position?
Front office agent 16$, valet 12$,
• Do you use checklists? If so, are they effective? What purpose do they serve?
Check list is effective,they reminders to everyone
C. Guest Relations in Front Office
• How are you evaluated as a department?
Important, first imrpression is key
• Take us through the typical guest cycle at your property.
?
• Describe the impact of guests and other departments on the front desk operations.
Important, first impression is key
• What would you say that your strengths and weaknesses are when it comes to service?
As a manager good, very fair to employee and serves
• What Property Management System do you use? How does this system assist in providing
superior guest service?
Opera system usefull and fair
• Are brand service standards important?
yes
• Can you provide examples of how you ensure consistency in your levels of service?
Its same routine daily
• Are you able to share a few service “glitches” that have occurred in the past?
?
Can you provide an example of how one of these situations were turned around (service
recovery)?
?
• How do you motivate your team to strive to exceed guest expectations?
?
Can you provide a few examples of front office employees going “above and beyond”?
• Are there any operational issues or challenges that you are currently facing?
?
D . Are you able to use course material from the textbook, lectures and/or labs and use examples from the subject hotel that you studied? The ability to clearly identify the course concept and show the linkage to the studied hotel will garner the highest grade here. For example, what are the strengths vs. weaknesses of the hotel; opportunities vs. threats. What are your suggestions for quality service improvement of the hotel visited. Feel free to be creative.
Managing Front Office Operations
Written Submission Format
1. Papers must be typed in a corporate office style, using Times New Roman font (12 point), correct spelling, grammar and punctuation with 10 pages minimum and 15 pages maximum.
2. The paper must be 1.5 spaced, with 1” margins and printed on one side only. A title page is required.
3. Write clearly, concisely and in an organized manner. Use headings and sub-headings and be specific and detailed in your analysis.
4. Do not use abbreviations, slang, contractions or undefined acronyms.
5. Financial statements, graphs and charts must be computer generated unless specifically exempted by the instructor.
6. Each page excluding the title page must be numbered in sequence.
7. Every exhibit, table or figure must have a title and a number. The title of a table is placed above the table; the title of figure is put below the figure.
8. The finished report must be bound or stapled securely. Do not submit loose pages or pages held together with a paper clip. Please do not use plastic folios.
9. Referencing must follow APA format guidelines.
The complete paper include a cover page, table of contents, summary overview, main body of the paper covering the front office department, guest relations at front office and another department of your choice for analysis in essay format, not question and answer format, conclusion of the paper with your creative ideas on how the hotel can operate better , references in APA format and work distribution sheet describing the role of each group member in the group project.
There are two members in the group Shoab and Cagri, so when you describe the role of each group member; Shaob organized conducted inverview, Cagri prepared APA format.