TIM 314 Midterm #2

What are the various standards that are used in housekeeping?

* Performance Standards • What must be done in order to clean or maintain the major items within this area? • Performance standards: required quality levels of performance; what must be done and detail how the job must be done • Primary objectives: ensure that all employees carry out their cleaning tasks in a consistent manner • Keys to consistency are performance standards • Ensure consistency by demanding 100% conformity to standards • When standards are not properly developed, effectively communicated, and consistently managed, productivity suffers • Consensus can be achieved by having individuals who actually perform the tasks contribute to the standards that the dept eventually adopts • Standards are communicated through ongoing training programs, detailed in housekeeping procedure manuals • Ensure conformity to standards by inspection • "You can't expect what you don't inspect" • Daily inspections and periodic performance evaluations should be followed up with specific on-the-job coaching and retraining • Ensures tasks are performed in most efficient and effective manners • Executive housekeeper should review standards at least once a year and make appropriate revisions as new methods are implemented * Productivity Standards • Productivity standards: acceptable quantity of work to be done by department employees • "How long does it take for an employee to perform an assigned task according to the performance standard?" • Must be determined to properly staff the dept within the limitations established by the budget • Since performance standards vary, it is impossible to identify productivity standards • Labor of executive housekeeper and other management staff is a resource in determining how long it should take • Quality and quantity can be like two sides of a coin: if quality expectations (performance standards) are too high, quantity of work may be unacceptably low. If performance standards are set too low, the quantity of work that can be done will be unexpectedly high, but may result in complaints from guest and staff • May have to redefine performance standards in light of more realistic productivity standards • Take into consideration: • Guestroom size, furnishings, bedding arrangement, bathroom design, and room configuration • Travel time from floor to floor or building to building, which takes away from cleaning time • Number of rooms in a suite • Concern for productivity need not necessarily lower performance standards, but rather sharpen and refine current work methods and procedures • Wasted motion is wasted time, which depletes the most important and most expensive resource: labor • Be on the alert for more efficient work methods • Rarely have all the resources necessary to do everything, so labor must be carefully allocated to achieve acceptable performance standards and realistic productivity standards * Sample Productivity Standard Worksheet • Determine how long it should take to clean one guestroom according to the department's performance standards. Example: approximately 27 minutes • Determine the total shift time in minutes Example: 8 ½ hours X 60 minutes = 510 minutes • Determine the time available for guestroom cleaning. Example: Total Shift Time ................................................... 510 minutes Less: Beginning-of-Shift Dutites ............................... 20 minutes Morning Break................................................... 15 minutes Lunch.................................................................. 30 minutes Afternoon Break................................................ 15 minutes End-of-Shift Duties............................................ 20 minutes Time Available for Guestroom Cleaning 410 minutes • Determine the productivity standard by dividing the result of Step 3 by the result of Step 1. Example: 410 minutes = 15.2 guestrooms per 8-hour shift 27 minutes

Describe the different types of complaints

• Front office should anticipate guest complaints and devise strategies to help staff resolve the problem • High visibility of front office means agents are frequently the first to learn of guest complaints • Agents should be especially attentive to guests with complaints and seek a timely and satisfactory resolution • Guests are annoyed when their complaints are ignored, discounted, or overlooked • Very few guests actually enjoy complaining • If guests do not complain to front office, they often tell their friends, relatives, and business associates instead • When hotel learns of potential or actual problems, they have the opportunity to resolve them, which makes guest feel that the hotel cares about his needs • Every complaint should be welcomed as an opportunity to enhance guest relations • Guest who leaves a hotel may never return • It takes $10 to attract a guest for the first time, but only $1 to keep the guest coming back. * Complaints • Four categories of complaints 1. Mechanical complaints; problems with climate control, lighting, electricity, room furnishings, ice machines, ending machines, door keys, plumbing, TV, elevators • Cannot completely eliminate all problems • Use of log book and maintenance work orders reduce frequency of mechanical complaints • Sometimes complaint is about speed of response; so appropriate staff must be dispatched ASAP with proper tools • Good tracking methods ensure timely service 2. Attitudinal complaints: when guests have been poorly treated by staff • Guests who overhear staff conversations or who receive complaints from staff • Guests should not have to listen to employees arguing or become sounding boards for employee problems • Managers and supervisors should listen to complaints/problems of staff 3. Service related complaints: problem with hotel service • Wide ranging: long waiting time for service, lack of assistance with luggage, untidy rooms, phone difficulties, missed wake-up calls, cold or ill-prepared food, or ignored requests for additional supplies • More service-related complaints when near full occupancy 4. Unusual complaints: e.g. absence of a swimming pool, lack of public transportation, bad weather, etc. • Guests expect front office to resolve or listen to such complaints • Managers should alert agents that there will be times when guest complain about things that staff can do nothing about so they are better prepared with appropriate guest-relations techniques and avoid difficult encounters * Identifying Complaints • All guest complaints deserve attention • An excited guest complaining loudly at the front desk requires immediate attention, but discreet comments deserve no less attention although the need for action may be less immediate • Guest relations improve when front office systematically identifies its most frequent complaints • By reviewing transaction file or log book, management can address recurring problems • Identify complaints by evaluation of guest comment cards or questionnaires • Level of detail and sophistication is expected of a thorough analysis of guest responses to well-designed comment cards • Guest Perception Detail: groups comment card questions by specific hotel departments. Current month, last month, and year-to-date favorability rating percentages are shown for purposes of comparison. • Guest Perception Graph: overall favorability ratings of all hotel departments in descending order for ease of comparison. Overall hotel average is also shown; departments falling below the overall average signal areas that need to be improved • Favorability Trending Graphs: overall rating trend for all questions asked about specific departments. Identify areas that need improvement, but also the success of current and future improvement efforts. • Identifying problems is the first step in taking corrective action • Examining number and type of complaints received gain insight into common and less-common problems • Staff better equipped to handle frequent complaints courteously and effectively if they are aware the problem may not be immediately corrected

What are the methods of internal control in front office?

• Internal control in the front office involves: • Tracking transaction documentation • Verifying account entries and balances • Identifying vulnerabilities in the account system • Auditing: process of verifying front office accounting records for accuracy & completeness • Each financial interaction produces paperwork that documents the nature and dollar amount of the transaction • In a semi-automated front office, agent retrieves the guest's folio, posts the charge purchase transaction, refiles the guest folio, and files the charges vouchers • Front office auditor ensures that all vouchers sent to the front office have been properly posted to the correct accounts • Discrepancies are easy to resolve when complete documentation is readily available to substantiate account entries * Cash Banks • Cash bank: amount of cash assigned to a cashier so that he or she can handle the various transactions that occur during a particular work shift • Hotel issues banks with a specific amount in them to cashiers • Used for making change when guests settle their accounts, for processing paid-outs and for providing other cash-related services • Bank limit: amount bank should have in it when it is issued at the beginning of the shift • Cashiers sign for their bank at the beginning of their work shift and that only the person who signed for the bank have access to it during the shift • At the end of a work shift, each front office cashier is solely responsible for depositing all cash, checks received during shift and ensuring that the bank is restored to the bank limit amount • In hotels that do not assign individual banks, cashiers usually pass the banks to the next shift • Cashier that has used the bank is required to verify the balance of the bank at the end of the shift, depositing any amounts over the bank limit in the hotel's safe • Cashier receiving the bank verifies the bank has the proper amount in it • At the end of the shift, cashier typically separates out the amount of the initial bank and places the remaining cash, checks, items (i.e. vouchers) in a specially designed cash voucher or front office cash envelope • Cashier itemizes and records contents of the front office cash envelope on the outside of the envelope before dropping it into the front office vault • At least one other employee should witness this cash banking procedure and both should sign a log attesting that the drop was actually done and stating the time • Monetary differences between the money placed in the front office cash envelope and net cash receipts should be noted on the envelope as overages, shortages, or duebacks • Net cash receipts: amount of cash, checks, items, minus the amount of the initial cash bank, plus the paid-outs • Overage: after the initial bank is removed, the total of cash, checks, negotiables (i.e. gift certificates; treat like cash), and paid-outs in the cash drawer is greater than the net cash receipts. Occurs when agent receives a cash payment from a guest for more than the amount of the folio balance and returns less cash to the guest than required • Shortage: when total of the contents of the drawer is less than the net cash receipts; when agent receives a cash payment from a guest for more than the amount of the folio balance and returns more cash than required. • Dueback: when a cashier pays out more than he or she receives; there is not enough cash in the drawer to restore the initial bank; not unusual • Accepts many checks and large bills during a shift, makes it difficult to restore the initial bank without including the checks or large bills • Checks and large bills are not very useful for processing transactions, so they are usually deposited the cashier's net cash receipts, with the excess due back to the front office cashier's bank • Replaced with small bills and coins before the next shift, restoring the cash bank to its full and correct amount • Do not reflect positively or negatively on performance and many occur when net cash receipts are in or out of balance * Audit Controls • Public companies are required to have both front and back office account

Describe staff security procedures

• Properly trained hotel staff is still the best way to provide security • Common security procedures should be standard practice • Never say a guest's room number out loud at the desk • If someone asks for what room a guest is in, he or she should be directed to a house telephone; the hotel operator can connect them. • Room numbers and directions should be written down or pre-printed • Agents should require identification from anyone who asks for a key. If not available, guest should provide personal information that can be verified • Room attendants should not allow anyone in a guestroom without a key. Should be directed to the front desk; hotel security can be called if necessary. • Valet parking should use a numbered three-part form to control cars • First part is a guest receipt • Second and third parts stay with keys • When guest claims car, second part stays with the valet office as a record, third part goes with keys and should be matched to the guest's receipt before the car is released • Some hotels use a four-part form • Provide standard guest safety information in their guestrooms (i.e. "Traveler Safety Tips" Brochure • Ask for room key or proof of occupancy when guests charge purchases to their room • Employees should immediately report possible security issues (e.g. burned-out light bulbs, open emergency doors, unlocked gates) • Acceptance of credit and debit cards for payment and the protection of sensitive information that could facilitate identity theft • Be careful in keeping card data secure • No single, consistent set of laws • Required to comply with the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS or PCI or DSS), which major payment card companies created to reduce risk and prevent problems • Adopt security measures to protect sensitive customer credit and debit account information • 6 major categories and 12 key compliance requirements • Involve procedures used when accepting payment, but also the computer security protocols when saving and transmitting information electronically • Privacy issues with payment cards (e.g. payment card fraud, identity theft, and misuse of data) • Identities are stolen when a thief claims to be someone else, uses the SSN or credit card account, or conducts transactions without the victim's permission • Techniques for capturing unauthorized guest information: • Dumpster Diving: thief rummages through hotel trash cans and/or dumpster in search of receipts, folios, bills, records • Skimming: thief steals a credit card or debit card account number using an illegal data-capture device while supposedly processing a legitimate transaction • Change of Address: be wary of anyone contacting front desk or accounting to change or divert guest billing statements or transaction records to an alternate address without confirming the authorization of such a change • Most effective ways to secure card numbers: • "Mask" or not display complete card numbers on folios, receipts, confirmations, screen displays, and reports • Destroy obsolete records that may contain card numbers (required by PCI DSS) • Secure all databases containing card numbers from unauthorized access • Secure all back-up tapes from unauthorized removal locally or online • Use systems that encrypt credit card numbers • Be prepared to release data to legitimate investigations or warrant supported by a subpoena • Gray area when no time to get a subpoena and delay could put someone at risk • Folio detail should include only enough information to identify the transaction • Ensure requests for copies of folios are legitimate and from guest himself • Process for confirming folio copy requests should be clear, documented, and adhered to • "It is no one else's business what the guest did in the hotel, so hotel must protect that information"

Describe the check-out/settlement process and departure procedures.

• With front desk automation, front desk personnel check-in and check-out • Adds variety to the job, permits more flexible staffing schedules, and provides better service • Many guests will forget about hotel if check-out and account settlement are not professional, accurate, friendly, and fast * The Check-Out and Settlement Process • Performs three important functions during check-out and settlement • Resolution of outstanding guest account balances • Updating of room status information • Creation of guest history records • Guest account settlement depends on an effective front office accounting system that maintains accurate guest folios, verifies and authorizes a method of settlement, and resolves discrepancies in account balances • Most effective to settle account while guest is still in the hotel • Settle account by paying cash, charging to credit/debit card, deferring payment to a direct billing entity, applying a gift card, or a combination • Policy requires guest to specify an eventual method of settlement during registration • Enables front office to verify status of card/direct billing info before he arrives for check-out • Pre-settlement verification minimizes check-out time and improves ability to collect outstanding balances • Guest may change their mind, but this ensures hotel will be paid • When a guest checks out and settles his account, agent must: • Change guestroom status from occupied to on-change (meaning guest checked out and room needs to be cleaned and readied, may also remind housekeeping of equipment to be removed; to maximize room sales, must maintain a current occupancy and housekeeping status for all rooms and must exchange room status information with housekeeping quickly and accurately) • Create guest history record that will become part of the guest history file; powerful database for strategic marketing * Departure Procedures • Procedures include: • Inquiring about additional recent charges • Posting outstanding charges • Verifying account information • Presenting the guest folio • Verifying the method of payment • Processing the account payment • Checking for mail, messages, and faxes • Checking for safe deposit box or in-room safe keys • Securing the room key • Updating the room's status • Inquiring about the guest's stay and experience • Requesting the guest to complete a guest satisfaction survey • Updating the guest history file • Procedures vary depending upon level of service and degree of automation • Amount of personal contact vary, since most front offices offer automated or express check-out services and many guests elect self-check out • Check-out offers staff another chance to make a positive impression • Greet promptly and courteously • Electronic folio can be flagged if messages, faxes, mail, or items in safe deposit box, which simplifies recordkeeping and minimizes chances of overlooking • Guests used to phone front office before check out, but since now most hotels are automated guests expect a final folio to be accurate and ready for them • Poor impression if bill is not complete and accurate at check out • At check-out guest is presented a final copy of his account folio for review and settlement • Confirm how the guest intends to settle account, regardless of which method guest specified during registration • VIP guests or special guests should not be asked for settlement if account is marked as a direct billing account • Zeroing out: after determining how guest will pay, agent should bring account to zero • Balance must be settled in full before zeroing out • Hotel must receive full payment or be assured full payment by credit card company • Usually paid within a day or two of the settlement transaction • If account is paid through direct billing, account is not brought to a zero balance, but instead transferred to the non-guest ledger and billed through back office accounts receivable system

What are the various methods of settlement?

* Cash Payment in Full • Cash payment in full at check-out should mark the folio paid • Agent should destroy guest's credit card voucher created at registration when guest pays in full with cash • When guests registers with credit card, company commits to reserving projected funds for potential payment, reduces amount of funds available to credit card holder • If guest settles his account with another form of payment, the funds being held must be released at check-out. • Company may reserve funds up to 30 days, which will result in complaints and dissatisfaction • Debit card settlements are considered cash payments because funds are drawn directly from bank account • Bank will not process a withdrawal transaction unless there are sufficient funds • Amount due the hotel is normally transferred from the guest ledger to the city ledger until final payment is received • Guests desiring to pay in foreign currency should first convert their money • Settlements are handled in local currency only • Hotels charge a fee to convert, since banks charge hotels fees • Most hotels display rates for major countries or have them available • Cash payments are most likely to be involved in fraud by agents • Record every cash transaction • Some hotels require supervisors approve all cash settlements to verify that cash paid by guest is put into the agent's cash bank • Guests verify entry before they leave front desk • Trained how to identify counterfeit currency (especially $20, $50) * Credit Card Transfer • Even though credit card settlement brings account to zero, amount of the charge must be tracked until payment is received from credit card company • Credit card settlement creates a transfer credit on the guest's folio and moves balance from guest ledger to a credit card account in the city (or non-guest) ledger • Completed credit card slip must be signed by guest, or a copy of the folio, agreeing to the credit card balance • Guest's signature completes transaction • Imprinting vouchers is no longer necessary because system sends transaction directly to credit card company • When international guests use credit cards, the company computes and processes the rates and provides payment in local currency. * Direct Billing Transfer • Transfers account balance from guest ledger to the city ledger • Responsibility for billing and collecting direct billing lies with hotel • Direct billing only acceptable if billing has been prearranged and approved by credit dept before/during registration • Have guest sign folio to verify contents are correct and accept responsibility for charges should direct billing account refuse payment, then send bill to direct billing account * Combined Settlement Methods • Guest may use more than one settlement method • Must accurately record methods • Properly completed paperwork facilitates audit • Once the guest has settled account, agent should provide copy of the folio and be a goodwill ambassador • Last opportunities to convey hospitality, ask if met expectations • Let guest know the hotel cares about the quality of the experience • Provide comment cards • Thank guests and wish a safe trip • Ask guests to consider returning • Guests may settle account before check-out time and not leave • Will not be able to post charges, since account was closed • Verify that guests are leaving and if not, let them know they are not able to charge

What are some tips for building telephone skills?

1. Smile even though you are on the telephone - When you smile, you automatically improve your vocal quality. You'll sound pleasant and interested. 2. Sit or stand up straight - By sitting or standing up straight, you'll be more alert and pay better attention to what is being said. 3. Use a low voice pitch - A lower voice pitch will make you sound more mature and authoritative. 4. Match your speaking rate to the caller's - Let the caller set the tempo of the conversation. For example, he or she may be in a hurry; in that case, you should provide information more quickly. 5. Avoid extremes in volume - If you speak too loudly, you may sound rude or pushy. If you speak too softly, you may sound timid and uncertain. 6. Avoid expressions such as "uh-huh" and "yeah." - Such expressions make the speaker sound dull, indifferent, and uninterested. Front office staff often takes phone messages for other employees or guests. • When you take a telephone message, get the following information: • Date • Time of the call • Name of the person being called • Caller's full name • Caller's department (if internal) • Caller's company (if appropriate) • Caller's time zone (if out of state) • Caller's telephone number (and area code, if needed) • Message (do not abbreviate - provide a full message) • Listen carefully and take accurate written notes • If the message is urgent, mark it as such. • Repeat the telephone number to caller for accuracy as well as the message, then sign your name and follow procedures for storing or delivering the message.

How do hotels control doors, locks, keys, and access points?

• Areas that require security control: offices, pool and fitness centers, meeting rooms, storerooms and lockers • Guestroom-access security is the most common security need • Electronic systems have great flexibility • Different key types can be issued • Systems can record every authorized entry and every unauthorized attempt • Can identify keys that were used • New key codes are issued each time a guest checks in • Keys can only work for a limited time period • Employee keys are coded by department and may also have time limits • Guestroom door locks may include chains or a deadbolt • Guestroom locks are on connecting-room doors and balcony/patio doors • These are usually not electronic so extra care must be taken • Balcony/patio lock include a lock on the door but also an extra lock • Important that connecting door is closed and locked when not needed • Only employees should have the keys to open connecting room doors • Multiple key-security levels • Lowest level: individual guestroom, office, storeroom, or meeting room • Next level: "section master" for housekeeping (e.g. floor master key covers entire floor, building master keys that provide access to all guestrooms/storage closets in a building or all public areas, dining and meeting rooms) • Grand master key: access to all door locks in the building • Emergency key or "E-Key": emergency override key that allows access to rooms that have been locked from the inside • All keys should have controls on them • Guestroom keys are recoded each time new guests check in or change their departure date • Other keys do not need to be changed as often, but must still be controlled (e.g. E-Key should only be issued by GM or security manager; this should be logged stating who was issued, the time and date it was issued, who approved the issue, what lock it is issued for, and the reason for the issuance) • E-Keys must have a time limit on them • Section master and floor master keys should be issued a day at a time with original keys returned to a security checkpoint at the end of every shift • If key is lost or stolen, it must be reported immediately and appropriate actions taken to invalidate the key * Guestroom Security • Peepholes contain a fish-eye lens that allows guests to see left and right • Placed for guests of average height • In rooms that comply with ADA, a peephole is provided for guests in wheelchairs • Hotel always should be brightly lit to allow guests to see all areas • Telephones are important; clear instructions such as "Dial 0 for Emergencies" should be on or near every telephone * Control of Persons on Premises • One of the most difficult issues • Hotels are private property so people can be excluded if they have no reason for being there • Training on how to identify people who may not belong and what to do • Surveillance systems (e.g. video cameras, motion detectors) can assist when they are connected to monitors in security, front desk, telephone department where someone can watch them • Motion detectors can set off alarms • Hotels have signs that say they are private properties, which may be required to take advantage of local trespass laws. * Perimeter and Grounds Control • Surveillance systems provide security monitoring of outdoor areas (e.g. parking lots, pools, tennis courts) • Parking lots should be well lit • Parking facilities may have gates to control traffic with staff for protection • Fences needed in high-risk areas (e.g. most hotels require pools to be fenced and gated if they are outside and not physically surrounded by the hotel structure) • May be used to separate hotel from its neighbors • Train valet, landscaping, and maintenance to watch for unauthorized people

Describe the guest history file

• At time of check-out, guest folios are stored electronically and can be accessed by guest name, folio number, guest history record number or arrival/departure date • Electronic records document original billings and set up guest history records * Guest History File • Guest history file: collection of personal and financial data about guests that have stayed at this hotel/in this chain that allows management to better understand hotel clientele and determine guest trends • Guest history record: contains personal and transactional information relevant to guest's previous stays; confidential & proprietary • Construct simple guest history file from collection of expired registration forms and guest folios or through a computer-based system that re-formats guest information and apply a pre-formatted template • Guest may complete a special form requesting personal information (e.g. favorite foods) • Provide better, more comprehensive guest service • Frequent guest programs may accept this info online through preferred-guest site • Sales & marketing use guest history records for mailing lists or to identify guest characteristics for strategic marketing • Info helps hotel place ads or link websites that appeal to the clientele they attempt to attract • Point out need for new, supplementary, or enhanced guest services • Automated guest history system allows hotel to excerpt guest history data for marketing and to measure effectiveness of past operational efforts • Hotel chains centralize their guest history database, so affiliated hotels can access preferences • Guests are excited to discover extra, personalized courtesy from chain hotels. This builds strong loyalty to the brand, as well as the company • Many hotels keep detailed group and corporate account history, which helps hotel maintain positive relations with the group leader • Pick-up rate: Number of group rooms actually booked compared to the number originally blocked. Tracked so can work with meeting planner to block more accurate number of rooms. Commonly require a minimum number of blocked guestrooms by a certain date or may apply a charge to compensate for saleable rooms. This extra expense helps group to more accurately determine its rooming needs • Group leaders and meeting coordinates often negotiate for discounted group or corporate rates based on number of guestrooms willing to guarantee to occupy over a specific time period (i.e. one year). By maintaining history of guestroom usage and non-room spending, hotel can be more flexible in negotiation * Marketing Follow-Through • Frequent guest programs encourage brand loyalty and enhance guest relations management programs • Award credits to guests for room nights occupied or dollars spent at the property or across a brand • Measures amount to credits in program and applied to account • Before checking guest out, agent should verify guest's membership status or offer membership opportunity • Frequent guest's record can become associated with the folio and subsequent guest history file • Centralize frequent guest programs to facilitate recordkeeping and better serve guests wishing to redeem accrued rewards • Direct communications with brand-loyal guests • Club members must provide a mailing address and an-email address to notify its members about special offers/promotions • Some are co-marketed with airline, car rental, cruise line, and marketing firms • Comment cards • Some offer electronic version through TV, lobby kiosks, or website • Nothing is as effective as an employee asking a guest about his situation and have guest leave with a positive impression • Once guest has left, it is difficult to deal effectively with experience • Sometimes simple apology is necessary, others an adjustment to the folio balance • If situation is serious, it should be noted in transaction file/log book and manager should meet with the guest • If guest does not have time, manager should contact guest later to identify the issue and take action • Check-out is the last opportunity to offer services • If guest needs a reservation for the next stop on his trip, staff should help make a reservation at a hotel specified by the guest • Agent may make reservation for guest's return trip • Offering to make reservations leads to repeat business • Guests remember friendliness, convenience, and special services * Data Privacy • Contains info regarding preferences, transactions, and behaviors of guests/employees • Implied expectation of privacy is a basic component of relationship • Potential security threat will likely arise: undesirable publicity, litigation, or fraud • Articulating and executing strong privacy policies strengthens and reinforces guest and employee relations

What are the types of transactions that front office tracks?

• Charge purchase transactions must be correctly documented in order for front office to properly maintain accounts • Front office staff relies on accounting vouchers to provide a reliable set of documentation • Guests may still question charges when the folio is reviewed • Major concern of front office: communication of transactional info from remote POS to the front office • Night audit verifies transactional data to ensure that the front office collects accounts receivable balances for all goods and services the hotel provides • A transaction initiates activity, nothing happens until a transaction occurs • Front office account system can be described as a transactional account system • Proper posting procedures depend on the nature of the transaction and its monetary value • Transaction can be classified as: • Cash payment • Charge purchase • Account correction • Account allowance • Account transfer • Cash advance • Each type of transaction has a different effect • Each may be communicated through different voucher, which simplifies eventual auditing procedures • Semi-automated front offices require each voucher be imprinted with transaction information by the front office posting machine, providing visual proof that the nature and amount were correctly posted * Cash Payment • Cash payments are posted as credits, decreasing the balance of the account • Cash vouchers support such transactions • Only cash payment transactions that take place at the front desk appear on a front office account folio • Balances are affected by cash payments made to settle an account or to prepay accommodations • Guests who pay cash in advance may be given a copy of their folio with a zero ending balance as proof of cash payment during registration • When cash is paid for goods or services at a location other than the front desk, no entry will appear • Account is created, increased, settled, and closed at the POS, eliminating the need for front office documentation or posting • Personal and traveler's checks are treated as cash, but they require a high level of scrutiny before staff can accept them as payment of an account or exchange them for cash • Name, address, and telephone number; bank name and branch identification; check number; bank account number and bank routing number is preprinted • Verify signature with another form of identification, preferably with a picture • Check should be endorsed with a special stamp, requiring payment to the hotel only • Proof of ID (e.g. license number) should also be recorded • Require guest to countersign in front of the hotel cashier • Travelers sign checks when they are issued as a security precaution. Cashier verifies the original signature against the guest's signature when the guest signs the traveler's check to the hotel, to ensure that the signature is valid. • Cashiers should be sure payment is in local currency • Calculate the currency conversion to local currency before payment is accepted • Newspapers/banks have conversion info • Hotel usually charge a small fee • Check guarantee service ensures checks are good • Account number, bank routing number, check number, and amount are provided to the service • If check is accepted, service guarantees payment • Charge a fee, but this is a cost of doing business • Traveler's checks do not require guarantee services as long as properly completed, signed, and countersigned * Charge Purchase • Charge purchases represent deferred payment transactions • Guest (buyer) receives good/services, but does not pay at the time they are provided • Charge purchase increases outstanding balance of a folio account • If transaction occurs somewhere other than at the front desk, it must be communicated to the front desk for proper folio posting • In non-automated and semi-automated properties, this is accomplished by a charge voucher (account receivable voucher) • Source document: form used to record sale • To communicate this transaction, the support document (a voucher) is filled out and sent to the front desk for posting • Many non-automated and semi-automated hotels use a multi-part F&B check, a copy of the check goes to the front desk • Many hotels contain retail stores the hotels do not own or operate • Hotel and shopkeepers form a business arrangement that allows hotel guests to charge store purchases to their account • Must agree on a document-supported procedure for accurately tracking and posting purchase transactions • Once guest charges are posted, the hotels is liable for settlement with shopkeepers for all shop charges posted to guest accounts • Must clearly identify a proof-of-sale procedure and must establish a resolution process, in the event the guest disputes a transaction • When guests charge such shop purchases, shopkeeper must ask guests for a room key and/or form of ID • If POS is not linked to hotel, shopkeeper will contact the front desk and ask for account verification • May ask guest to sign to avoid guest disputes at a later time • When POS system is linked to hotel, shopkeeper can use system to verify that a guest's name is associated with an authorized account • If guest has a no-post status, system will not accept the charge • Shopkeeper may fill out a charge voucher, which usually has two parts: shopkeeper retains the original and delivers the copy to the front desk as proof of sale. Once settled, front desk transfers its copy to accounting as documentation supporting payment to the shopkeeper • Hotels not liable for shopkeeper charges presented for posting after guest has settled his account and departed * Account Correction • Account correction transaction resolves a posting error on a folio • Account correction is made on the same day the error is made, before the close of business (i.e. before the night audit) • Can either increase or decrease an account balance • Correction voucher: used to document an account correction transaction • Agent posting the correction signs the voucher and may be presented to FOM or supervisor for review and approval * Account Allowance • Involves two types of transactions • Decrease in a folio balance for such purposes as compensation for poor service or rebates for coupon discounts • Corrects a posting error detected after the close business (i.e. after the night audit) • Separately entered into the accounting records of the appropriate revenue centers, thereby also correcting their accounting records • Documented by allowance voucher • Normally require management approval • Agent posting the allowance may have to secure the FOM/supervisor's approval * Account Transfer • Involve two different accounts and have offsetting impacts on subsequent account balances • Transfer voucher: supports the reduction in balance on the originating folio and the increase in balance on the destination folio * Cash Advance • Cash advance: reflect cash flow out of the hotel, either directly to, or on behalf of, a guest • Considered debit transactions, since they increase a folio's outstanding balance • Supported by cash advance vouchers • Cash disbursed by the front office on behalf of a guest (and charged to the guest's account as a cash advance) is called a paid-out • Sometimes paid-out voucher is used instead • In the past, guests were allowed to sign a paid-out slip and receive cash on account, but this is no longer common • They rather refer guests to ATMs • Reduces the amount of cash the hotel is required to hold in its banks • Reduces risk to the hotel if the guest leaves without settling his or her account • Guest who orders a floral delivery may request agent to pay • Front office policy should dictate how cash advances are to be handled • Paid-outs always require a manager's approval before the cash is actually dispensed

How should housekeeping handle room access and security?

• DND, unless check out room & past check out time • Some locking displays will show if deadbolt is on • If room is vacant, knock with hand (never keycard or other object), announce who you are, wait for moment to see if anyone is in the room before knocking again, if guest is in room apologize for disturbing guest and ask when you should come back. • If room is vacant prop door open with door stop and position cart close to doorway to prevent entering • If guest returns room when you're cleaning, exit, close door, allow guest to use his own key to get in room • If guest says he lost his key, explain he must go to front desk to get another key card for security reasons =

Describe the guest resume book/file

• Group resume book/electronic file: contains summaries of each group's activities, billing instructions, key attendees, recreational arrangements, arrival and departure patterns • Required reading for front desk and uniformed staff at beginning of each shift • Know what arrangements have been made • Know where it is located so questions can be answered quickly and correctly • Pre-convention meeting: prior to group checking in, hotel catering or convention services manager distributes and reviews group resumes • Group leaders attend these meetings with key hotel managers • Last-minute changes are discussed and outstanding issues are resolved • Managers must return to departments and familiarize their staff with the info • Frequent guest concern involves understanding group billing arrangements • Most PMS monitor group room and non-roo`m charges and allocate charges to predetermined accounts • Guests may not understand arrangements, so with group resume, agent can quickly verify billing arrangements and direct guest to group leader for further clarification • Should be kept current and include resumes for groups currently at the hotel, groups due to arrive within a few days, and groups that have departed within the past week • Due to arrive: verify detailed arrangements for the group • Departed groups: may call with questions concerning billing or other arrangements

Describe the account collection process

• Late charges should not be classified as uncollectible until the front office or accounting has exhausted all billing and collection procedures • Procedures for guests using cash/debit may differ from guests that use a credit card are billed according to the policies and procedures of the credit card company • Non-credit-card guest accounts not settled at check-out by cash payment in full or paid in full with a debit card - regardless of the credit established or prepayments - are transferred to the guest ledger to the city (non-guest) ledger for collection, where control is transferred to back office accounting • Typical city ledger accounts include: • Credit card billings to authorized credit card companies. • Debit card billings to bank accounts. • Travel agency accounts for authorized tours and groups. • Bad check accounts resulting from departed guests whose personal checks were returned unpaid. • Skipper accounts for guests who left the hotel without settling their accounts. • Disputed bills for guests who refused to settle their accounts (in part or in full) because of discrepancy. • Guaranteed reservations accounts for billing and tracking no-show guests. • Late charges accounts for guests who checked out before some charges were posted to their accounts. • House accounts for non-guest business and promotional activities. • To be effective, front office and accounting must jointly establish a procedure for billing departed guests with overdue accounts. Accounts receivable billing includes determining: • When outstanding account balances are payable • The number of days between billings • How to contact departed guests whose accounts are overdue • Sooner the collection process is started, the more likely the hotel will receive payment • Timing is key to success • Each hotels must develop its own collection schedule: can range from aggressive (short-cycle) to lenient (long-cycle), depending on financial needs, clientele profile, history of collection patterns. • In large hotels, front office credit manager is responsible for collections • In small hotels, front desk manager or accounts receivable clerk is responsible • Guests may dispute charges because they do not remember, so maintain copies of charge vouchers past check-out and settlement • Staff must be polite, but firm involving deferred payment accounts • Collection acts that violate a consumer's rights may be more costly than the debt • Federal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act and the Fair Credit Billing Act states responsibilities & rights of those involved • Hotel should have documented procedure for collecting overdue accounts • May appoint a credit committee to examine overdue accounts and decide among options • Just as individual guest accounts must be watched closely, so must master accounts for meetings • Credit for groups and conventions should be established before arrival • Hotel may require an advance deposit or pre-payment to ensure partial payment • Prepare a preliminary master account folio and review with group leader to answer questions and expedite final payment process • Require individual guests to establish credit during registration, as group master folio handle only certain expenses • Master accounts can be very complex, so billing arrangements should be clearly specified in group's contract and reviewed and confirmed with group leader • Notify front office and affected depts. if there are changes • Meet daily with group leader to review group transactions and obtain signed approval for that day • Allows time to resolve billing disputes • Informing group leader of totals expedites hotel's collection process • Responsibility for obtaining charge authorization may be assigned to FOM, credit manager, catering manager or conference service manager • Banquet charges are of particular interest as they are assessed on a per-guest basis • Guest and meeting room charges should be regularly reviewed • Unique or unusual charges may be commonly posted to the master folio account and add complexity • When totaled master account balance is sent to accounting, attach all previously authorized invoices, vouchers to verify group leader reviewed and approved all charges • Tracking receivables back to the originating dept helps identify depts. whose transaction processing procedures regularly result in uncollectible account balances • Hotel's credit committee, credit manager, or GM should analyze procedures and recommend corrective action (e.g. retraining/closer supervision)

Describe the telecommunications services that hotels provide

• Most hotels provide in-room local and long-distance telephone service 24 hours a day • All employees answering calls should be courteous and helpful • The way callers are treated affects the hotel's image • Telephone is first point of contact with the hotel • May restrict info staff may furnish to callers because of guest privacy and security issues • Telephone messages taken by front office staff should be time-stamped and placed in the guest's mail and message rack slot • May switch on in-room message light so guest is alerted that a message is waiting at the front desk • In some properties, messages can be typed directly into the computer terminal as they are relayed to a switchboard operator or front desk agent • Telephone system may automatically turn on guestroom message light when it receives the message from the front office • Flashing light informs guest that mail or message is waiting at the front desk, guest can then call and ask for mail or message to be delivered • Some hotels display typed messages on the guestroom television screen • Voice mailboxes: devices that record messages for guests • Advantage: message is captured in the caller's voice; helpful with foreign callers • Confidentiality of messages & eliminates interpretation of unclear messages by staff • Group broadcasts allow guestrooms associated with a specific group to automatically receive special messages • Guests in the group are identified through the group code • Room numbers are entered into the voice mail system and all individuals in the group are notified through the group leader's message * Facsimiles • Faxes are treated like mail, but with special care because guests are often waiting for these documents • If incoming fax has special delivery instructions, front desk should dispatch a bell attendant with the fax right away • If no special instructions, hotel may store fax in the mail rack and turn on the message light in the guestroom • Faxes do not need to be time-stamped and do not always come in envelopes • Fax document usually contains the date and time of transmission • Treated as confidential; staff should never read a fax, just deliver • Some hotels maintain a fax log or combined fax and mail log • Information may list the recipient, sender, time the fax was received, and total number of pages • Record when the guest was notified and when guest picked up the fax • Record of outgoing faxes if property offers public fax service • If a fax is undeliverable, hotel should immediately notify the party sending the fax • Most hotels charge guest to send faxes, some charge guests for received faxes • Process and deliver faxes quickly • Recent innovations: in-room fax with improved convenience and security; can receive newspaper headlines and even copies of in-room bills * Wake-Up Services • Front office mechanical devices or an automated system can remind agents to place wake-up calls, or the systems can be programmed to play a recorded message • Hotels prefer agents or telephone operators to place wake-up calls because guests still appreciate this personal touch • Hotel clock: the clock in the telephone dept used for wake-up purposes • Official time of the hotel • Should be checked daily • Other clocks should be synchronized with the hotel clock to maintain time accuracy • Kept next to the switchboard • Dial special hotel extension and follow instructions to request a wake-up time • Hotel has option of providing automated wake-up call or prompt operator to place a personalized call • Can combine wake-up call with room service * E-mail and Data Services • High-speed Internet access to facilitate communication with corporate networks, virtual private networks, home office networks, public access networks, or automated devices (PDAS, cell phones, pagers) • Use guestroom telephone line as a data port, but at lower transfer speed • Wireless access from public areas, meeting rooms, and exhibit floors • May provide on a complimentary basis or a nominal fee * TDDs • TDD: Telecommunications devices for the deaf; for hearing/speech-impaired • Equipment for placing and conducting telephone calls • Looks like a small typewriter with a coupler above the keyboard for a telephone receiver • ADA requires TDD be available for use • Front desk should have a TDD device for in-house calls from hearing- or speech-impaired guests • Caller turns on the unit, places telephone receiver into the coupler, dials the number and begins typing when the other party picks up • Small display screen above the typewriter keys that shows what the caller is typing * Call Broadcast • Many hotels have a call broadcast feature that allows them to make calls to all guestrooms listed as occupied in case of an emergency, and the system can record if the telephone was answered • Can also be selective for a group

Describe the supervisor dilemma

• State of economy has prompted elimination of middle managers, searching for more profit and a way to empower hourly employees • Supervisor position begun as a management extension of the executive housekeeper for larger properties that centered on inspecting rooms • Is it essential? Does hotel get its money's worth from this position? • Key issues; • Did the hotel hire the right people to be supervisors? • Do the hotel's systems support the responsibilities of the supervisor? • Is the hotel's mission enhanced as a direct result of the position? • How would the "no supervisors" idea be introduced and then implemented? • Would the number of room inspections be reduced or totally eliminated? • Who would conduct room inspections if any are required? • Who would conduct training? • What changes would be made to job descriptions? • How would quality standards be maintained or improved? • What system would be used to ensure accurate room status updates? How Is the Program Initiated? • Save payroll, and also motivated by the total quality management philosophy of empowerment • Speed up reporting of clean rooms to front desk • How does it make you feel to have someone check everything you do? Are Any Rooms Inspected? • Some properties that have no inspections credits the work ethic of their room attendants for their ability to take full responsibility for the condition of their areas • Most hotels inspect 1-5 rooms per room attendant per week; only a small sample is needed * Who Inspects if There Are No Supervisors? • Most properties have housekeeping management conduct random inspections • Large hotels retain one or more supervisors for this purpose • Use of supervisors does not have to be an all-or-nothing decision (e.g. seasonal) * Are Job Descriptions Changed? • Room attendant job description is usually changed to make room attendants responsible for the cleanliness, readiness, and status updates for the rooms they clean • Must check equipment • Add responsibility to hallway area around guestroom and specify who will do the running if item needs to be replaced • Houseperson or porter usually changed to complement the new structure * How Do Pay Rates Change? • Setting rates according to quality of work or paying bonuses for exceeding quality standards • One program has room attendants earn the right to work without supervisors by achieving high scores on quality, attendance, and uniform care and are paid 25 cents more per hour • At other hotels, pay rates do not increase * Who Does the Training? • Housekeeping managers could train, but, in these days of high turnover, the training function is often a full-time job • May designate one or more room attendants as on-the-job trainers • Another is to retain at least one supervisor who concentrates on training and retraining * What About Room Status? • The morning check of vacant rooms is usually incorporated into the room attendant's job description by assigning her an area of responsibility rather than a list of dirty rooms • All rooms, hallways, vending areas, and elevator lobbies within this area before the guest arrives or returns, so special care must be taken to ensure front desk always has the correct room status • Many PMS systems are interfaced so code can be entered on the guestroom phone to update a room status • In other hotels, room attendant must call either housekeeping or the front desk to change status • When front desk questions the status, someone is sent to double-check, so if hotel eliminates supervisors, it should expect to spend more time checking room status discrepancies • Payroll saved on supervisors could easily be lost by poor room inventory management * Tips For Success • Supervisors usually help prepare VIP rooms, touch-up late check-outs, help with hurry-ups, assist with inventories, translate for room attendants, and clean rooms when there is a shortage, so these responsibilities must be reassigned • Involve room attendants in design of new program to help them have ownership of it • Must be win-win situation for hotel and its room attendants because employees are sensitive to management's efforts to save payroll at their expense • Program should be fine tuned before implementation because changes to pay rates or incentive plans after the fact serve as disincentives

Describe citizen's arrest

* Citizen's arrests • Most states permit citizen's arrests, however there is considerable variation concerning the privileges and restraints • Citizen's arrest: when an individual is lawfully deprived of his or her freedom • Normally arresting criminal offenders is for a police officer • Security officer should only do so if a sworn police officer cannot respond in time and prompt action is required • Be familiar with the statutory arrest authority of private citizens in the state he is employed • Cannot exercise lawful arrest power for any purpose other than to turn the individual arrested over to the proper authorities • Arrest made without proper legal authority may constitute false arrest and false imprisonment, and could result in civil and criminal liability on the part of the security officer and civil liability on the part of the lodging property • Except for a felony or misdemeanor arrest (or shoplifting in some states), no other involuntary detention or confinement should be attempted. • Any person who voluntarily consents to being detained is free to leave at any time • If a guest or patron is arrested by a sworn police officer without justification at the instigation of the hotel, the property might be faced with a suit for malicious prosecution * Search • When security officer makes a legal citizen's arrest for a felony or misdemeanor, the right of self-defense may justify a search for an offensive weapon under certain circumstances in some states • If person consents voluntarily to a search, this should be obtained in writing and should be witnessed by another individual

Describe hotel's emergency procedures

* Emergency Procedures • Emergency procedures should be included in initial and ongoing employee training • Lifeguards must be trained on water safety and CPR • Front desk employees must know what to do during a robbery or when a guest needs medical assistance • Staff members located in hurricane or flood-prone areas should know how to respond • If fire is reported, some employees may direct guests out of the building, while others direct the fire department to the fire's location • Assist guests with disabilities during emergency • Computer systems can identify where guests with disabilities are roomed • Full-service hotels have bell attendants provide a brief emergency orientation while escorting guests to their rooms • Evacuation routes are posted on the back of the main guestroom door * Communications • Providing mobile communication devices (e.g. radios and pagers) to key employees • Post security information in high-traffic employee areas • Topic of discussion for departmental and staff meetings • Hotel should regularly publish security information • Employees should be given very specific instructions on what to do when they identify a problem • Guests may be referred to doctors or hospitals • Employees should be given clear instructions on when to contact emergency medical service (EMS) • Training on how to show composure and confidence during an emergency • Employees should be aware of policy concerning media contact

What are the different types of inventories?

* Equipment and Supply Inventory Levels • Executive housekeeper plans appropriate inventory levels by answering: "What amounts of equipment and supplies are necessary for the housekeeping staff to meet the performance productivity standards of the department?" • Answer ensures smooth daily housekeeping activities and forms the basis for planning an effective purchasing system • Purchasing system must consistently maintain the necessary amounts of items in housekeeping inventories • Executive housekeeper is responsible for two types of inventories: items that are recycled and non-recyclable • Due to limited storage facilities and desire not to tie up cash in overstocked inventories, must establish reasonable inventory levels for both * Recycled Inventories • Include linens, most equipment items (e.g. room attendant carts, vacuum cleaners, carpet shampooers, floor buffers), and some guest supplies (e.g. irons, ironing boards, cribs, and refrigerators) • Par number: # of recycled items that must be on hand to ensure smooth operations • One par of linens is the total number of items required to outfit all the hotel guestrooms once; two par of linens is twice * Non-Recycled Inventory • Include cleaning supplies, guestroom supplies (e.g. bath soap) and guest amenities (e.g. toothbrushes and shampoos and conditioners to scented bath powders and colognes) • Non-recyclable items are used up in the course of operations, so inventory levels are closely tied to the property's purchase ordering system • Par number is based on two figures—a minimum quantity and a maximum quantity Minimum quantity • Fewest number of purchase units that should be in stock at any time • Counted in terms of normal-size shipping containers • When inventory reaches minimum quantity, additional supplies must be ordered. Maximum quantity: • Greatest number of purchase units that should be in stock at any time • Consistent with available storage and space • Large amounts of the hotel's cash resources are tied up in an overstocked inventory • Shelf life of an item affects maximum quantity of purchase units that can be stored

What are some tips for handling complaints?

* Handling Complaints • Agents refer complaints to supervisors or managers • Agents are not able to pass complaint on when complaint demands immediate attention, so they should be empowered to deal with such complaints • Hotel and its revenue outlets should maintain close communications and develop procedures designed to satisfactorily resolve guest complaints. • Resolution guidelines: • Staff members should not go alone to a guestroom to investigate a problem or otherwise risk potential danger • Should not promise more than they can deliver • If problem cannot be solved, admit this to guest early on. Honesty is the best policy. • Some guests complain as part of their nature. Develop an approach for dealing with such guests. • Learning to deal effectively with complaints requires experience • Anticipate how you might resolve some of the most common complaints • Role playing can be effective for training: by anticipating complaints, planning and practicing responses, and receiving constructive feedback, staff will be better prepared * Guidelines for Handling Complaints 1. Listen with concern and empathy. 2. Isolate the guest if possible, so that other guests won't overhear. 3. Stay calm. Avoid responding with hostility or defensiveness. Don't argue with the guest. 4. Be aware of guest's self-esteem. Show a personal interest in the problem. Use the guest's name frequently. Take the complaint seriously. 5. Give the guest your undivided attention. Concentrate on the problem, not on placing blame. Do NOT insult the guest. 6. Take notes. Writing down the key facts saves time if someone else must get involved. Also, guests will tend to slow down when they are speaking faster than you can write. Most important, the fact that a front office staff member is concerned enough to write down what they're saying is reassuring to guests. 7. Tell the guest what can be done. Offer choices. Don't promise the impossible, and don't exceed your authority. 8. Set an approximate time for completion of corrective actions. Be specific, but do not underestimate the amount of time it will take to resolve the problem. 9. Monitor the progress of the corrective action. 10. Follow up. Even if the complaint was resolved by someone else, contact the guest to ensure that the problem was resolved satisfactorily. Report the entire event, the actions taken, and the conclusion of the incident. * Follow-Up Procedures • Front office management use the transaction file or log book to initiate corrective action, verify complaints have been resolved, and identify recurring problems • Comprehensive record helps management contact guests who express dissatisfaction during check-out • After guest departs, letter from FOM expressing regret about guest's experience is usually sufficient to promote goodwill and demonstrate concern for the guest • May call departed guest to get more complete description of the problem or incident • Chain hotels may receive guest complaints channeled through chain headquarters • Cumulative records of complaints about hotels in chain may be compiled and sent to each manager • Allows corporate to evaluate and compare each hotel's guest relations performance • Hotels with a consistent record of guest complaints may receive visits from chain managers to resolve issues

What are some of the accounting fundamentals?

* Introduction • Front office accounting is grounded in straightforward logic and requires only basic math • Front office accounting system monitors and charts transactions of guests and businesses, agencies, and other non-guests using the hotel's services and facilities * Accounting Fundamentals • Captures and records guest data during each stage of the guest cycle • Pre-arrival: type of guarantee and tracks prepayments and advance deposits • Arrival: application of room rate and tax at registration • Occupancy: tracks authorized guest purchases • Check-out: payment for outstanding goods and services • Transactions of non-guests may be processed • Hotel can promote its services and facilities to local businesses, or track transactions related to conference business • Includes former guests that were not settled at check-out • Responsibility for non-guest accounts shifts to the back office accounting division • Front office accounting system: • Creates and maintains an accurate accounting record for each guest or non-guest account • Tracks financial transactions throughout the guest cycle • Ensures internal control over cash and non-cash transactions • Records settlement for all goods and services • There are GAAP for lodging industry, but procedures are often uniquely tailored • Terminology and report formats often differ between hotels and chains

What are some security staffing considerations?

* Security Staffing • Facility's size and organizational structure may deem it appropriate to assign security responsibility to member of management (e.g. resident or assistant manager, chief engineer, HR directors) • Large hotels have full-time security staffs, with one ore more employees on each shift • Smaller properties may have a combination of part-time security employees and properly trained full-time hotel employees • Determine whether security should be in-house or through a contract security company • May employ off-duty police to cover certain hours, while certain staff members may provide daytime coverage • If staffed by hotel employees, determine whether staff will wear uniforms, be armed, and whether there are shifts on which personnel need not be assigned • Unless mandated by law, senior security executives are unanimously opposed to the use of firearms • Rare instance where an armed security officers could be of value is outweighed by the insurance costs and potential for accidental injury or death of innocent bystanders • Decisions concerning security staffing should be discussed with legal counsel * Contract Security • Proponents say: • Sophisticated security services at considerable savings • Provide thoroughly screened, tested, and trained personnel • May also provide consulting services, including in-depth surveys of security requirements, electronic audio countermeasure sweeps (Debugging), data processing security, and assistance in contingency planning for bomb threats and natural disasters • In-house staff may be too familiar and friendly with other employees • In selecting a security company: • Extensive guard training is provided • Review contract and insurance requirements (i.e. named insured & requirements for proof of insurance) clauses with legal counsel • Check previous lodging experience of company's managers and line security employees, as well as specific training • If state or communities require agencies be certified, verify that agency meets this • Require frequent unannounced inspects to ensure guards are in compliance • Determine whether they can provide sufficient number of personnel on short notice • Require officers to file daily and unusual-incident reports • Determine percentage of security firm's hotel customers that it retains yearly • If hotel managers give orders or instructions to contract employees, a different relationship is established • Responsibility for actions becomes blurred • May become a workers' compensation case • In-depth security survey may overstate a property's security needs • However, if you ignore them, it is possible that they may use this against you as "inadequate security" * In-House Security • Hotel has greater control over its own security officers or staff members • Training much more directly related to lodging industry • Peculiarities and special industry needs more effectively addressed • Quality of personnel is under direct control of hotel • Director and staff are more effectively integrated with other departments • Security director can be member of executive committee • Greater sense of loyalty because security may be moved into other roles • High turnover of contract security employees * Off-Duty Police • Benefits: • Superior training in reacting to and dealing with crimes and other emergencies • Understand the law • Used to dealing with people • Identify known criminals • Immediately recognized as authorities and have more authority than ordinary citizens • Enhance relationship with local police • Drawbacks: • Oriented more toward apprehension than prevention • Some jurisdictions require off-duty officers to be armed • May not be permitted to wear uniforms • May be working at the hotel following a full-duty police shift and may be fatigued * Other Security Staffing Considerations • Security concerns should be addressed during selection and hiring of all employees • Especially important when hiring a member of security • Hotel could use an authorization statement and affidavit to allow property to investigate applicant's background • Bonding (insuring for protection from employee theft) permits more effective screening of applicants and warranted in case of security staff who have access to most areas of the hotel • Ensure everyone employed as a driver have a police background check to ensure they have a driver's license and to see if they have any traffic violations. This should be done before hiring and annually. Also applies to anyone who may drive a hotel vehicle. • During daytime, all employees are the "eyes and ears," making it possible to reduce security staff to just respond to security-related call • Special programs and activities may affect number of staff needed • Additional security staff assigned during nighttime

Describe the authority of a security officer

* The Authority of a Security Officer • Presence of a uniformed security officer may connote the image of a public law enforcement officer • In the absence of any special commission, deputization, ordinance, or state statute, a hotel security officer possesses no greater authority than any other private citizen • Use certain powers to stop undesired conduct, or make a citizen's arrest. • In all actions that interfere with the rights of others, officer should obtain consent and voluntary cooperation from the person being interfered with. • Most security officers must determine appropriate action to be taken: calling the police, questioning a suspect, or making a citizen's arrest • Must understand what constitutes a crime according to law so he may be more specific in relaying information and working with law enforcement • Criminal statutes set limits on behavior of lodging security officers • Going beyond these limits may result in criminal charges for assault, battery, manslaughter • Tort law: provides legal grounds for one person to remedy a wrong committed against him by another, restricts the actions of the security officer • Permits an injured party to bring a lawsuit for damages against the security officer, as well as the employing property for unreasonable conduct (e.g. false arrest, false imprisonment, malicious prosecution, defamation, slander) • Be familiar with applicable laws regulating private security, particularly citizen's arrest * Use of force • Private citizen may use only such force as necessary to effect a lawful arrest or to prevent the escape of a person from custody who has been lawfully arrested • If excessive or unreasonable force is used, security officer may be subject to criminal action and both he and the lodging property may be subject to a civil action or damages • No employee should use force to cause death or seriously bodily harm unless there is a threat to his or her personal safety or another person. • Deadly force should never be used to protect property

What are the 12 steps to PCI DSS compliance?

Control Objectives/Compliance Requirements * Build and maintain a secure network 1. Install and maintain a firewall configuration to protect data. 2. Change vendor-supplied defaults for system passwords and other security parameters. * Protect cardholder data 3. Protect stored data. 4. Encrypt transmission of cardholder magnetic-stripe data and sensitive information across public networks. * Maintain a vulnerability management program 5. Use and regularly update antivirus software. 6. Develop and maintain secure systems and applications. * Implement strong access control measures 7. Restrict access to data to a need-to-know basis. 8. Assign a unique ID to each person with computer access. 9. Restrict physical access to cardholder data. * Regularly monitor and test networks 10. Track and monitor all access to network resources and cardholder data. 11. Regularly test security systems and processes. * Maintain an information security policy 12. Maintain a policy that addresses information security.

What is the purpose of keeping security records?

• Audit of a cashier bank requires more than one person counting the bank, and all employees involved should sign a security record as to results of the audit • Reports about robberies, assaults, personal injuries, and property damage/theft; vehicle maintenance records; and preventive maintenance records should be part of an ongoing security record program; Periodic testing of the fire alarm system and recording of results • Security records allow management to track issues (i.e. guestroom locks, maintenance issues) • Protect the hotel from legal action: record description of situation and actions the hotel took. These are confidential unless GM directs otherwise • Assist hotel with insurance claims made by either the hotel's insurance carrier or a guest's: present the hotel's view of what happened in case staff members are called upon describe an incident that occurred months ago

How can a hotel benefit from relationships with local governmental agencies?

• A hotel is part of a larger community, should participate in civic organizations (e.g. Rotary Club, Kiwanis, etc.) • Involvement beneficial for business and relationships • Establishing good relationships with people from government agencies, like police, fire, health, and emergency management agencies is very important • Can gain insight into potential security and emergency planning issues by coordinating their security plans with local and regional law enforcement and other agencies • Each emergency agency requires special attention because each is unique • Hotel managers should coordinate hotel involvement with Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and actively participate in their planning process • If hotels have a security or loss prevention department, it should be the hotel's official contact with local agencies. If not, the GM or FOM may play this role. * Police • Invite local law enforcement to become familiar with the properties • Hire off-duty police offers as additional security for special occasions • Review hotel security procedures with local law enforcement • Request police guidance in crime prevention • Encourages a more prompt response to security incidents at the hotel • More frequent police patrols, which can be a deterrent to certain crimes * Fire • Most visible government agency • Identifying fire hazards • Train hotel managers and staff in using fire extinguishers • Help the hotel develop fire escape routes • Prescribe evacuation procedures • EMTs may train staff in first aid and other emergency procedures • Fire department is responsible for emergency medical teams (EMT) that respond to emergency calls for medical assistance, so they may be quicker to respond or place more of a priority on your hotel if you have developed a good relationship with them. * Health • Ensure hotel access to medical services when needed • Make things easier to call for assistance when guest requests or requires medical assistance or to notify it that someone is in transit who requires emergency treatment * Emergency management • Important for areas that are subject to severe weather/other natural disasters • If hotel managers are involved in community's emergency notification planning, hotel guests and staff can be notified of the need to evacuate • May be requested to serve as emergency medical treatment centers • Ensure hotels are included in emergency service plans, and are listed as high-priority buildings for the maintenance or restoration of vital services (e.g. electric, telephone, transportation, medical) during emergencies

Describe the types of accounts

• Account: form on which financial data are accumulated and summarized • Accounts can be imaged as a bin that stores the results of various transactions • Increases and decreases in an account are calculated and the resulting monetary amount is the account balance • Financial transactions may affect several accounts • T-account: Charges Payments • Growing use of front office automated systems have diminished T-accounts • Charges: increases in the account balance, entered on the left (debit) • Payments: decreases in the account balance; entered on the right (credit) • Account balance: calculated by subtracting the right side from the left side • In an automated system, charges and payments may be listed in a single column with amount of payments placed within parentheses or with minus signs • Debits and credits play a small role in front office accounting • Results from use of double-entry bookkeeping, in which every transaction creates entries that affect at least two accounts • Sum of debit=sum of credit; forms basis for night audit * Guest Accounts • Guest account: record of financial transactions that occur between a guest and the hotel • Created when guests guarantee their reservations or register at the front desk • During occupancy, front office records all transactions affecting the balance of a guest account • Seeks payment during settlement stage • May require guest to make a partial or full payment during the guest cycle (i.e. house limit) * Non-Guest Accounts • House accounts/city accounts: non-guest account that extends in-house charge privileges to local businesses or agencies to promote business • Master accounts: non-guest account that offers privileges to groups sponsoring meetings at the hotel • Create a non-guest account to track deferred transactions • Can also be created when a guest fails to settle his or her account at the time of departure • When guest's status changes from in-house to non-guest, responsibility for account settlement shifts to the back office accounting division • Bills non-guest accounts on a weekly or monthly basis unlike guest accounts, which are compiled daily

How should housekeeping handle the opening/straightening up of a room?

• After entering room properly, quickly assess to see that guest has checked out or if it is a stayover • Open curtains, turn on all lights • Report damage • Report smoking in a non-smoking room, extra cleaning and charge • Save energy by setting thermostat to moderate temperature (65 in winter and 75 in summer) • If light bulb is out, check to see if it is plugged in, then remove it • Use trash receptacle and gloves to collect all trash, look under bed. Remember grounds in coffee maker • Look in drawers for trash or guest items that have been left behind • If you find guest item, contact front desk or supervisor immediately, guest may be in hotel. If not, note room number, date, and time & holding safe place to it can be returned by front desk • Remove trash (soap and amenities) from bathroom, never throw soap in toilet. Recycle/dispose of soaps and shampoos according to properties guidelines • Newspaper and cans may be recycled • When emptying trash do not compress with hands. Use bottom of trash can instead • Spray trash basket with cleaner & wipe inside and out • If coffee maker, rinse filter basket and coffee pot with clean water • Dry with clean fresh rag. Do not use sanitary or glass cleaner because they will damage and affect taste • Periodic cleaning: 50/50 vinegar water, run one cycle of clean water to rinse after using specialized thing. Wipe base, coil cord • Wipe iron and coil cord • Inspect and test ironing board: burns, tears, missing foot caps • Put pillows on made bed or chair & check for damages • Strip bed, remove linens. Be cognizant of environmental policies (may be every 3 days or upon request) • Must make bed everyday in stayover room • Check mattresses and seams for bed bugs and stains they leave behind. Notify supervisor • Deposit dirty linen at cart • Collect bath towels, washcloths, bath mats, place in pillowcase for easy sorting. • Environmental friendly guests ask guests what to replace: towels on floor should be replaced • If badly stained, tie in a knot or place in special bag for laundry to know special treatment • Replace cups. If you use glass, place in glass rack & restock glass. Glassware should not be cleaned by hand or with any cleaning agent on your cart. • Spray cleaning agent on bathroom surfaces, toilet, tub shower, and inside of shower curtain. Spot spray and distribute, rather than spraying everything. Do this opening task first for "dwell" time while you do other things i.e. making bed

How can security facilitate good communication with outside agencies?

• Agencies and private security personnel have not always cooperated well • Private security has become more professional and sophisticated • Better communication is key to educating local agencies about broad scope of hotel security and its growing professionalism • Most effective cooperation is when agencies and hotels understand each other's needs • Police should know enough about a property and its security program to offer assistance • Police should be informed of any special events or visitors that may create a risk • Property's staff should have an understanding of police procedures so they may assist them • Include in training program

Describe management's role in security

• All managers should be involved in developing security guidelines • Legal counsel should review guidelines • Guidelines should be communicated to all employees • Can be provided on a department-by-department basis • Greater likelihood if material addresses their specific areas without detailing the total security operations • Regular review program because of employee turnover and changes in job * Areas of Vulnerability • Crimes against guests can create adverse publicity, damage reputation, and be costly during litigation • Impressions of martial law may be good security, but bad for hotel's image • Security procedures may offend or inconvenience guests and can drive them away altogether • Procedures for checking and giving credit • Less visible to general public and less likely to affect public relations • Must protect property from incurring losses through bad debts, but must also avoid offending guests • Protection of physical assets • Tableware, ashtrays, linens, and towels are taken so often that they are ignored and written off as a cost of doing business • However, results in a monetary loss, so management must take preventive action • Theft by employees: business failures can be directly related to employee theft * Security Requirements • Variety of lodging properties and variety of communities they are located • Diversity is strengths and profoundest challenge • National security standards are not feasible for such a varied industry (e.g. extended-stay brands may have no staff on duty at night)

What are the pre-shift responsibilities?

• Bathe or shower, fix your hair, cleaning your uniform with nametag • Avoid jewelry and long nails, wear non-skid shoes • Pre-shift meeting with floor and room assignments, help you prioritize your cleaning tax • Room priorities • First: early service (stayovers with early morning appts or meetings) • Check-outs so arrivals will be able to enter the room • Stayovers • Late check-outs • Room refresh • If no check-outs, look for stayovers

How do you clean the bathroom?

• Biggest challenge • All surfaces are smooth and bright, show any skipped tasks or shortcuts • Work top down, dust and clean all mirrors and stuff • Do not touch hot light bulbs with damp or wet rag, they will crack or explode • Spray cleaning liquid, scrub vanity. • Wipe with cleaning rag and allow to air dry • Do not forget base of wall • Face of vanity • Pay special attention to chrome surfaces, be polished until bright with no streaks • Do not use glass cleaner on chrome fixtures • Next: shower • Place clean rag down if you must enter the tub • Use towel or bath mat to cushion knees • After scrubbing, rinse shower and tub with clean water, using cup or tub to reach all clean surfaces • Wipe all surface area with cleaning rag and let air dry • Pay attention to chrome fixture which should be polished shiny with no streaks • Correctly position diverter, drain, and shower head • New cloth curtains: Inspect for mildew • Vinyl: spray interior size, clean & dry shower curtain • Toilet • Use rag for only toilet. • Use gloves and eye protection to protect from harsh chemicals • Use brush to clean exterior of bowl, seat, base • Small brush: hinges and mount and floor caps • Apply cleaner to inside of bowl, use toilet brush to clean all sources: under rim, inside the hole. Use auto drain to squeeze and put back in caddy • While it does work in the bowl, use toilet only cleaning rag to wipe everything down, especially hinges and seat • Clean exterior, finish with hinges • Flush • Position seat and lid according to property procedures

What are two alternative check-out options?

• Changes in technology and guest needs combine advances in technology with special guest services to expedite departure activities. * Express Check-Out • Between 7:00 am and 9:30 am is a prime check-out period • Initiate check-out activities before guest is ready to leave • Pre-departure activity involves producing and distributing guest folios to guests expected to check out • Front office, housekeeping, or security may slip folios under the doors before 6 AM • Front office will distribute an express check-out form with each pre-departure folio • Include note requesting guests to notify the front desk if departure plans change • If not, assume guest is leaving by hotel's posted check-out time • Authorizes front office to transfer balance to the credit card voucher created during registration • If no credit card was captured, will not provide express check-out service • After completing form, deposit form at front desk when departing • After guest has left the hotel, staff completes checkout by transferring outstanding guest folio balance to a previously authorized method of settlement • Additional charges will be added to his folio before agent brings balance via account transfer • Amount due on express check-out folio may not equal amount applied to account; this should be clearly stated on express check-out form • When late charges are added, a copy of the updated folio should be mailed or-emailed to the guest so that he has an accurate record and is not surprised when bill arrives • Express check-out must not be offered to guests who paid in advance • As soon as form is received, agent should enter the change in room status info * Self Check-Out • Guests can check themselves out by accessing self check-out terminals in lobby or meeting areas • Reduce check-out time and front desk traffic • To use a self check-out terminal, guest accesses folio and reviews its content • Enters a credit/debit card number through keypad or magnetic strip reader • Settlement can be automatically assigned as long as guest presented a valid card at registration • Check-out is complete when balance is transferred to a card account and itemized account statement is printed and dispensed • Self check-out should automatically communicate room status info to front office • Front office relays room status info to housekeeping and initiates action create a guest history record • In-room folio review and check-out relies on an in-room television set with a remote • Can confirm a previously approved method of settlement because TV is connected to front office system • Can pick up copy of their folio at front desk • Automatically updates room status and creates a guest history record • Guests can look at their folios at any time without having to stop by the front desk to review them • Hotels feature self check-out capabilities through laptop PC's, mobile handheld devices, or PDAs • Guests are able to access their account on their PDA through a secure Internet link • Can view their folio and approve payment all online • Final bill sent to guest via e-mail or instant messenger

How should you load your cart and supplies?

• Cleaning tools and supplies, linen, guest amenities, baskets or bags for trash and dirty laundry • Check room report for types of rooms you'll be cleaning and what supplies/linen you'll need • Small handfuls, lift safely and neatly • Bend with legs • Rotate supplies, first in first out, put new items underneath or behind old ones. • Overloading • Don't try to load everything for all day. • Don't overload: looks bad, may soil clean things • Clean rags, tools, fluids, amenities, bedding, terry, recyclables, rack for dirty/clean glassware • Fill cleaning fluid from reservoir wearing gloves and eyewear • Be sure chemicals go in the right, labeled bottle • Don't bring chemicals from home • Push car, never pull, don't ram walls. Keep cart to one side of hall

Describe the account settlement process

• Collection of payment for outstanding account balances is called account settlement • Settlement involves bringing an account balance to zero • An account can be brought to a zero balance as a result of a cash payment in full or a transfer to an approved direct billing or credit/debit card account • All guest accounts must be settled at the time of check-out • Transfers to approved deferred payment plans move outstanding guest folio balances from the guest ledger to the city ledger • Although guest account settlement normally occurs at check-out, guests may make payments against outstanding folio balances at any time • Non-guest folio balances may be initially billed on the day the transaction occurred • Settlement may be due in 15-30 days depending on policy • Front office sends no-show guests a statement to the guest for the amount of the guarantee, hoping to collect the account balance in 15-30 days • Once billing is sent, account is transferred to accounts receivable • If guarantee was by credit card, hotel may have an agreement with the company to bill it for the no-show guest. The amount of the guarantee is then transferred to the credit card part of the accounts receivable ledger for collection. • When an account is paid in full, hotels show the final payment on the guest folio • Shows proof of payment and assists in audit • Late charge: charge posted after guest departs • Prevent late charges because guests may dispute or refuse to pay late charges

Describe the information directory

• Common questions involve: • Local restaurant recommendations • Contacting transportation companies (e.g. taxi, limousine, and airport shuttle) • Directions to a business or office building • Directions to a shopping center, drugstore, or gas station • Directions to a place of worship • Directions to a bank or ATM • Directions to a theater, stadium, or ticket agency • Directions to a university, library, museum • Directions to a federal building, capital, district court, or city hall • Info bout hotel policies (e.g. check-out time, pets) • Info about recreational facilities or those near the hotel • Information directory: bound guide/electronic file that contains obscure information for guest questions • Agents should be familiar with its format and content • Information kiosks are the electronic equivalent • Easily accessed by guests without front office assistance, allowing agents to attend to other guest needs

What are the first steps in planning the work of the housekeeping department?

• Constant crises lower morale, decrease productivity, and increase expenses • Executive housekeeper can become sidetracked by unimportant tasks • Done correctly, efficiently, on time, and with the least cost * Area Inventory Lists • Area inventory lists: all items within each area that will need housekeeping's attention; first step • Ensure that planning activities address every item • Long and extremely detailed • Separate inventory lists may be necessary for each room type • Follow sequence in which room attendants will clean items and in which supervisors inspect items so that inventory lists may be used as the basis for developing cleaning procedures, training plans, and inspection checklists * Frequency Schedules • Frequency schedule: tasks on a frequency schedule that are part of deep cleaning program should be transferred to a calendar plan and scheduled as special cleaning projects • Guide in scheduling appropriate staff • Deep cleaning should coincide with low occupancy and flexible in relation to the activities of other departments • Careful planning produces good results with least inconvenience to guests or to other departments

Describe account aging

• Credit card billings are paid according to hotel's contract with credit card companies • Factors that affect when payment is received include: volume of transactions, frequency of voucher submission, and transaction fees • Other city ledger accounts are usually settled within 30 days of billing, some experience a collection period longer • Account aging: practice of scheduled billing for tracking past due accounts based on dates the charges were incurred • At large properties, accounting monitors account aging; at smaller properties, the night auditor • Current: accounts less than 30 days old • Overdue: accounts older than 30 days • Delinquent: accounts that are older than 90 days; front office and accounting should maintain a list of these • Guests asking for a reservation who have an overdue account may be asked to pay by cash, debit, or credit card until account is considered current • Overdue accounts represent an expense; hotel cannot use revenue because it has not yet been collected • The older an account, the more difficult it becomes to collect • Report average age of accounts receivable to track aging of accounts to ensure collections are being handled properly

How do you dust and clean surfaces?

• Dusting and surface cleaning top down, • Use dusting wand picture, mirror, lamps, lampshades, hard to reach areas • Cleaning agent, use rag to clean horizontal surfaces lift items to clean underneath • Clean all horizontal surfaces (bed stands, window ledges, chairs, desk, credenzas, tables). Even if it looks clean • Always clean inside drawers, alcoves, shelves • Check guest literature & amenities • Test and clean telephone • Clean while pointed away from TV • Closets, luggage stand • Arrange hangers neatly and replace laundry bags and forms as needed • Clean all glass surfaces using glass cleaner and fresh rag, includes windows, mirrors, and picture frames • If TV has glass surface, clean that too • Plasma tv screens can be damaged by cleaning agents, rough clothes, and paper towels • Clean damp soft cloth, light soap, special cleaning agent

How do you make the bed?

• Enhance to improve comfort: fitted sheets, triple sheeting, comforters, duvets, bed skits, decorative throws, pillows, lots of pillows • Place bedding items on clean chair, table, or bed (never dirty surface or floor) • Efficiency: limit trips around bed, work one side then another • Put bottom sheet in middle. Non-fitted, ensure you have enough slack • Good side is face down & enough room at head of bed to be folded back neatly. Tuck sheets at foot of bed, hospital corners • Fold or compress duvet, insert like a pillow into a pillowcase then reach in and expand in corners & sides • Position duvet evenly on each side • Secure head of bed by folding top sheets over head of duvet and smoothing evenly. • Sheet shouldn't hang below comforter or duvet • Finish bed with pillows. • Never rest pillow on your chin • Compress pillow and insert in pillowcase allow it to naturally expand, shake and fluff pillow • Some pillowcases remain open • Fold one side in then fold other side underneath • Open or hidden pillows • Decorative throw atop duvet, inspect for stain or damage, must be replaced: Align across bottom • Finally, smooth, ensure edges hang evenly, no wrinkles. Pay special attention to bed skirts which may become crooked or uneven

What should be taken into consideration in developing a security training program?

• Every employee must be trained to identify security issues and take appropriate actions • Training includes company-provided programs and visits by local police depts. • Must understand limits of an on-premises security officer's authority: procedures to follow in citizen's arrest, arrest authority of a deputized security guard, and legal limits placed upon an off-duty police officer • All employees given a thorough security orientation at the time they are hired and regularly exposed to an ongoing security education program at departmental or staff meetings • Comprehensive training should include all aspects of the protection of guests, the general public, employees, and the assets of guests, employees, and the property • May also include special concerns of emergency management and interconnections with other depts. • Individually designed security systems and training programs for each property • Security personnel should read various security publications available • New equipment being introduced and approaches are being refined • Having a well-documented and implemented security program can protect hotel against certain lawsuits • Prove that staff was given security training can convince jury they exercised reasonable care rather than negligence • It takes time and money to develop an effective program • Examine operations and premises for potential security problems • Decide how to best use its resources (systems procedures, and personnel) to deal with potential problems • Every aspect of plan should be explained through training to affected personnel • Determining not only what should be taught, but who should learn it • Write down security standards and procedures in security manual to train employees • Ensure consistency in employee training and performance • Organize their thoughts • Cover broad range of security concerns in specific terms

Describe security and the law

• Every state has its own statutes and court ruling on innkeeper laws, which deal with the rights and responsibilities of innkeepers • May be wise to review recent court and jury decisions that deal with hotel security matters (e.g. locking systems, key control, security personnel on the premises, lighting, door viewports or peepholes, police liaison, foreseeability or prior notice, crime in the community, security efforts tailored to the needs of a specific property, and the involvement of employees as the hotel "eyes and ears" with regard to the security function) • Frequency of all types of lawsuits is increasing annually • Hospitality industry is an area where possibility for litigation is very great because of tis emphasis on people and personal services * Legal Definitions • In a suit alleging negligence, the plaintiff must show that • Defendant/innkeeper had a duty to use reasonable care to protect the plaintiff/victim from foreseeable acts • Defendant failed to perform this duty • Failure was the proximate cause of the incident • Plaintiff actually suffered loss or injury • Central legal issue: innkeepers owe a duty of care to all persons on their properties • Failure to meet this results in a security-related liability • Taking reasonable care to protect against foreseeable acts • Reasonable care: concept that affects lodging industry • No concise & clear-cut determination of what court/jury considers reasonable care • Depends on facts and circumstances in each case • Foreseeability: imprecise term • Courts/juries consider certain consequences foreseeable at some properties and not at others • Factors: prior incidence of that type or similar types of crime on premises, prior incidence of all types of crimes on premises, crime rate of surrounding community • Result: innkeeper's duty to be aware of criminal activities both on- and off-premises • Proximate cause/legal cause: primary moving predominating cause from which an injury follows as a natural, direct, and immediate consequence, and without which the injury would not have occurred • Must be the proximate cause, depends on whether the conduct has been so significant and important cause that the defendant should be legally responsible • Need not only be its only cause • Negligence: involves a foreseeable risk, a threatened danger of injury, and an injury that is caused by conduct unreasonable in proportion to the foreseeable danger • Suits alleging negligence request that the defendant be required to pay damages • Compensatory damages: compensate the plaintiff for pain and suffering, loss of income during a period of absence from work, medical and hospital expenses, and recuperative facility or home-service expenses • May be covered, perhaps after the payment of a deductible, by an individual or corporation's liability insurance policy • Trend for juries to assess punitive damages in addition to compensatory • Punitive damages: awarded against a person to punish him or her for outrageous conduct • Inflict punishment and a deterrent to similar conduct • Some courts allow insurance coverage for punitive damages, others do not • Can be substantial • Trial court: court in which a suit or case is first tried • Suit is filed by the plaintiff against the defendant • At the commencement of a lawsuit, the defendant can ask for dismissal of the complaint • If the allegations in the plaintiff's complaint fail to establish a valid legal claim or the defendant has an absolute affirmative defense, the complaint should be dismissed • After each party discovers the facts, but before the case is tried, either the plaintiff or the defendant can ask for a summary judgment • A defendant can be granted summary judgment if, upon undisputed facts, the plaintiff fails to meet the factual and legal requirements to establish the case • A plaintiff can be granted summary judgment if, upon undisputed facts, the defendant's liability is absolute - that is, the plaintiff has a valid legal claim supported by the facts and no defense is possible • The jury will then deliberate only the amount of damages • After the close of proofs offered in evidence, either the plaintiff or defendant can ask for a directed verdict • The defendant can contend that it should be granted a directed verdict because the plaintiff failed to prove its cause of action • Plaintiff can request a directed verdict claiming that the defendant has been unable to establish a defense • Directed verdicts are rendered by judges • If the case goes to the jury and the jury returns a decision, the losing party can ask for judgment n.o.v. (notwithstanding the verdict) and/or a new trial • In granting judgment n.o.v., the trial judge overrules all/part of the jury verdict • The judge can also grant a new trial • Whichever party loses the suit can appeal the decision • Appellant: the party appealing • Appellee/respondent: the party appealed against

What are the closing tasks in cleaning a guest room?

• Final task using senses • Spray air freshener lightly so it doesn't overpower, if necessary • One final inspection as close drapes • Check that doors are locked (adjoining) • Turn off all lights • Call front desk to say room is ready then clean phone receiver after use

Describe the types of folios

• Folios: Statement of all transactions (debits and credits) affecting the balance of a single account • Account statements where front office transactions are charted • When account is created, it has a balance of zero • All transactions that increase (Debits) or decrease (credits) the balance are recorded on the folio • At settlement, a guest folio should be returned to a zero balance by cash payment or by transfer to an approved credit/debit card or direct billing account • Posting: process of recording transactions on a folio • Transaction is posted when it has been recorded on the proper folio in the proper location and a new balance has been determined • Four types of folios: • Guest folios: accounts assigned to individual persons or guestrooms. • Master folios: accounts assigned to more than one person or guestroom; usually reserved for group accounts. • Non-guest or semi-permanent folios: accounts assigned to non-guest businesses or agencies with charge privileges at the hotel. • Employee folios: accounts assigned to employees with charge privileges. • Additional types of folios created to accommodate special circumstances or requests (e.g. business guest may want two folios: room and tax posted to room folio/A folio, F&B charges to incidental/B folio) • Every folio should have a unique identifier (serial/code #) • Serve as labels to ensure that all folios are accounted for during an audit • Index information to automated systems. • Automated systems create folio identifiers when a reservation record is created. The reservation record is assigned an identifier that is carried forward to the front office system as the folio identifier. • Provide a chain of documentation • Most hotels restrict the use of employee folios to individuals who have charge privileges for business reasons

Describe the guest services that front office provides

• Front desk is responsible for coordinating guest services • Typical guest services involve providing information and special equipment and supplies and accommodating guests through special procedures • Guest's satisfaction hinges on ability to respond to special requests • If a request falls outside of front office, it should be directly referred to the appropriate person or department • Employ a concierge or other designated staff to handle guest requests • Should embody the warmth and hospitality of the property • Reinforcing the hotel's personal touch in guest services as hotel becomes automated • Centralized guest services centers • One telephone number for any and all requests • Specially trained to handle guest requests and dispatch * Equipment and Supplies • May request special equipment and supplies while making a reservation, at registration, or during occupancy • Method for recording special requests to ensure that they are properly met • After registration, guest will almost always contact the front desk with requests • Agent should follow through by contacting the appropriate service center/dept • Commonly requested equipment and supplies: • Rollaway beds and cribs • Additional linens/pillows • Irons and ironing boards • Additional clothes hangers • Audiovisual and office equipment • High-speed Internet connectors (e.g. cables or wireless adapters) • Special equipment for visually impaired hearing impaired, or physically challenged guests • Should have alternative ways to meet requests when dept is closed or inaccessible (e.g. access to linen rooms) * Special Procedures • Agents should have a method to record special requests made during the reservations process and communicating them to appropriate front office staff • Record any requests they receive or process • Some special requests call for exceptions to standard procedures, use your judgment • Procedural requests include: • Split account folios: most often requested by business travelers • Separate guest charges onto two or more separate folio accounts (e.g. one for room & tax charged to direct billing/group master account and another for incidentals paid by the guest) • Master account folios: convention group meetings • Only authorized charges incurred by the group are posted to the master folio and billed to the convention's sponsor • Each group member responsible for charges on individual folio • Purpose is to collect authorized charges not appropriately posted elsewhere • One of the most important items on a group resume and discussed in detail during pre-con • Wake-up calls • Transportation arrangements • Entertainment reservations • Newspaper delivery • Secretarial services (e.g. translation and photocopying) • Bonded child-care services • Knowledgeable agent can fill a special request involving guest folios • Concierge may handle other procedural requests • If no concierge, agents may update and use directory as a resource for referrals and requested outside services • If guests have a question, they often call agents, who must act upon the requests or refer them to the appropriate department • Guest services center makes it easier for guests, who are specially trained to handle everything. This simplifies issues for the guest, but places a great deal of knowledge responsibility on the guest service staff.

What departments does front office have to communicate with?

• Front office exchanges most of its info with housekeeping and engineering & maintenance • Agents should recognize how influential their advice to guests are for revenue centers * Housekeeping • Keep each other informed of changes in room status to ensure guests are roomed efficiently and without complication • Housekeeping must know the status of every room and all guest requests • PMS have workstations in housekeeping offices to provide up-to-the-minute information on arrivals and departures • Agents call housekeeping with requests • FOM and housekeeping manager should meet frequently to review upcoming hotel activities and discuss priorities (e.g. special requests, VIP rooms) * Engineering and Maintenance • Engineering & maintenance begin shift by examining the front office log book or software for repair work orders • Agents use log book to track maintenance problems reported by guests or staff • Multiple-part work order form or real-time data entry • When work is completed, engineering informs the dept that filed the work request order • If room is unsalable, housekeeping must be informed immediately when the problem is resolved so room can be placed back in inventory • Immediate notification minimizes lost revenue • Some hotels employ E&M around the clock * Revenue Centers • Examples include: • All-day dining rooms, snack bars, and specialty restaurants • Bars, lounges, and nightclubs • Room service • Business centers • Laundry/valet service • Vending machines • Gift shops, barbershops, and newsstands • Banquet, meeting, and catering facilities • Local and long-distance telephone service • Health clubs, golf courses, and exercise rooms • Car rentals, limousine services, and tours • Casinos and gaming activities • Pay-per-view television movies • In-room entertainment (e.g. video games) • Valet parking and parking garages • Guest learn about these through website, printed directory or advertising on guestroom television • Agents and uniformed staff must also be familiar with these facilities and services so they can answer questions • Transactions charged to room accounts at remote points of sale must be communicated to the front desk timely to ensure prompt payment and avoid late charges * Marketing and Public Relations • Front office staff should be among the first to know about publicity events • Effectiveness of marketing & public relations depends on the participation and enthusiasm of front office • Front office may contribute to hotel newsletters, guest history files, and customized registration and check-out process that personalize hotel services for frequent guests

How does front office monitor accounts?

• Front office must monitor guest and non-guest accounts to ensure they remain within acceptable credit limits • Floor limit: front office may not have to seek approval as long as charges do not exceed amount specified by the credit card company, but they may still need to verify the card's validity • House limits: internal credit restrictions established by the front office • High-risk or high-balance accounts: accounts that are approaching its credit limit • FOM or night auditor responsible for identifying accounts that have reached or exceeded predetermined credit limits • May deny additional charge purchase privileges to guests with high-balance accounts until the situation is resolved • Periodically review guest ledger during the day • Automated front offices may highlight accounts that are near or over their approved credit limits • May ask credit card company to authorize additional credit or request the guest to make a partial payment • Large hotels may have a full-time credit manager to review high-balance account • May also request additional authorization from credit card companies for guests near or over their floor limits • Obtain settlement from present and past guests who have not settled their accounts • In small hotels, the front desk manager or someone in accounting may do this * Account Maintenance • Folio records transactions that affect a front office account balance • Guest folios must be accurate, complete, and properly filed since guests may inquire about their account balance or check out with little to no advance notice • Front office accounting formula: • Previous Balance + debits (charges) - credits (payments) = Net Outstanding Balance • When guest checks out, their account is brought to a zero balance and is properly closed

Describe the procedure for handling mail/packages

• Front office relays delivered mail and packages quickly and efficiently • Develop policies for mail & package handling based on policies and regulations supplied by the US Postal Service • Time-stamp all guest mail when it arrives • Documents date and time that the mail was received in case a question arises about when the mail arrived or how quickly guest was notified of its arrival • When mail & packages arrive, records should be checked to verify that the guest is currently registered, is due to check in, or has checked out • Mail for a registered guest is held at the front office in the appropriate room slot in a mail and message rack or in an alphabetical rack according to last name • Out of sight behind the front desk, preventing people from learning which rooms are occupied • Promptly notify a guest when mail is received • Turn on an in-room message light on the guestroom telephone • Deliver a printed form to the guestroom • If guest has not yet registered, a notation should be made on reservation record and mail held until guest arrives • Guest mail that is not picked up or has arrived for a guest who has already checked out should be time-stamped a second time and returned to its sender or sent to a forwarding address if provided • Guests may also receive registered letters, express mail packages, or other mail requiring a signature on delivery • Some hotels permit agent to sign for mail. After doing so, agent records item's delivery in front office mail signature book, and has guest sign for mail in the book at time of pickup or delivery • If sender restricts who can receive the mail, follow other procedures • Packages are handled as mail • If package is too large to store at front desk, it should be taken to a secure room and its location should be recorded in front office mail signature book • Notify guest immediately by calling guest room. If no one answers, message light is turned on and message is left with the dept that customarily answers message requests

Describe front office's role in the creation and maintenance of accounts

• Front office: • Accurately and completely recording all transactions that affect guest ledger accounts • Records all transactions that affect non-guest accounts • Back office accounting is responsible for collection of non-guest ledger accounts • Guest folios are created during reservations or registration • To prepare a folio, information from the guest's reservation or registration record must be transferred to the folio • Electronic folios are cross-referenced with other computer-based records • Automated systems can track an unlimited number of postings in each account created • In some systems, a preliminary electronic folio is created automatically and simultaneously with the reservation • Enables postings to accounts prior to registration (e.g. prepayments and deposits) • Automated systems can be programmed to create the proper number of folios for each guest at registration and can direct charges to the proper folio throughout occupancy • At check-in, reservations data are verified and combined with room rate info and the room number to create an in-house electronic folio • Advantages to electronic data processing is that captured data need to be handled only once, thus reducing errors caused by repetitive data handling * Charge Privileges • To establish an in-house line of credit, guest may present an acceptable credit card or a direct billing authorization at the time of registration • Fully automated hotels allows credit to be established at the time the reservation is made by obtaining the number and expiration date of the guest's credit card and electronically transmitting this info to the credit card company with a request for an amount guarantee • Guests who use cash/debit cards are not extended charge purchase privileges • Paid-in-advance (PIA) guests: no-post status; revenue center cashiers are not able to post charges • Many hotels ask guests who intend to pay by debit to establish credit with a credit card to establish privileges • Hotels must charge a debit card account with the exact amount due since it withdraws cash directly • Charge purchases for house accounts move from the hotel's revenue centers to the front office for posting • Front office audits both guest and non-guest accounts

What areas are housekeeping's responsibility?

• GM identifies which areas housekeeping will be responsible for • Most housekeeping departments responsible for cleaning the following areas: • Guestrooms • Corridors • Public areas (e.g. lobby and restrooms) • Pool and patio areas • Management offices • Storage areas • Linen and sewing rooms • Laundry room • Back-of-the-house areas (e.g. locker rooms) • Hotels offering mid-range and world-class service are responsible for: • Meeting rooms • Dining rooms • Banquet rooms • Convention exhibit halls • Hotel-operated shops • Game rooms • Exercise rooms • Cleaning responsibilities in F&B vary • In most hotels, limited responsibilities to cleaning food preparation, production, and storage area because these special cleaning and sanitation tasks are usually carried out by kitchen staff under supervision of the chief steward • In some properties, dining rom staff cleans service areas after breakfast and lunch; housekeeping's night cleaning does in-depth cleaning after dinner service or early in the morning • Executive housekeeper and dining room managers work together to ensure quality standards are maintained • Cooperation between housekeeping and banquet or convention services as banquet/convention staff sets up banquet and meeting rooms and does some cleaning after the rooms are used. Final in-depth cleaning is left for housekeeping, where the final responsibility for cleanliness and overall appearance • If areas of responsibility cross dept lines, managers must get together and settle among themselves. Agreement is then reported to the GM for approval • Good housekeeping manager can effectively solve problems with other managers • Executive housekeeper to obtain a floor plan of the hotel and color in areas for which housekeeping is responsible • Ensure all areas have been covered and avoid future misunderstandings about responsibilities • Copies distributed • Present clear and impressive picture of housekeeping's role

What are the types of maintenance?

• Housekeeping is involved in many maintenance activities and alerts engineering when serious maintenance problems are discovered • Three kinds of maintenance activities: • Routine maintenance • Relate to the general upkeep of the property, occur on a regular (daily or weekly basis), and require relatively minimal training or skills • Occur outside of a formal work order system and for which no specific maintenance records (time or materials) are kept • Examples: sweeping carpets, washing floors, cleaning readily accessible windows, cutting grass, cleaning guestrooms, shoveling snow, replacing lightbulbs • Housekeeping performs many of these activities • Proper care of many surfaces and materials by housekeeping is the first step in the overall maintenance program • Preventive maintenance • Consists of three parts: inspection, minor corrections, work order initiation • Inspection: Housekeeping personnel perform inspections in the normal course of their duties (e.g. room attendants and inspectors may regularly check guestrooms of leaked faucets, cracked caulking around bathroom fixtures, etc.); this can control maintenance costs by preventing greater problems. Protects the physical plant investment and contributes to satisfaction. • Minor corrections: Communication between housekeeping and engineering should be efficient so that most minor repairs can be handled while the room attendant is cleaning the room. Full-time maintenance employee may be assigned to inspect guestrooms and perform necessary repairs, adjustments, or replacements • Work order initiation: if problems and needs beyond the scope of a minor correction are identified, these problems are brought to the attention of engineering through the work order system and the building engineer schedules the necessary work • Scheduled maintenance • If problems and needs beyond the scope of a minor correction are identified, these problems are brought to the attention of engineering through the work order system and the building engineer schedules the necessary work • Initiated at the property based on a formal work order; key element in communication between housekeeping and engineering • Work orders are numbered, three-part color-coded forms • One copy is sent to the executive housekeeper • Two copies to engineering: chief engineer gets one copy and gives the other to the tradesperson • Individual completing the task indicates # of hours required to complete work, any parts or supplies required • Copy of tradesperson's completed work order is sent to executive housekeeper when job is completed • If not returned within an appropriate amount of time, housekeeping issues another work order, signaling engineering to provide a status report • Engineering keeps data files and history records on all equipment, including technical data, manufacturers' information, item's cost, special instructions, warranty • Logs of inspection and maintenance work on equipment • Automate these functions • Help chief engineer determine how many and how often spare parts should be ordered

What is essential to a positive guest experience?

• In most midsize and large lodging operations, housekeeping personnel report to rooms division and engineering and maintenance reports to a separate division • Support centers seem to have an almost adversarial relationship • Housekeeping and engineering managers need to improve the working relationship • GM is ultimately responsible for fostering teamwork * Communicating Maintenance Work • Room attendants are the most logical and first line of offense in preparing the guestroom • Staff cleans and recognizes guestroom deficiencies or malfunctions • Housekeeping employees should recognize deficiencies, report them, and ensure repair • Essential to a positive guest experience: • Sleep set: Avoid sagging mattresses by rotating mattresses periodically and replacing them when necessary. Most mattresses have a label identifying a rotation schedule, so every mattress should be properly rotated according to manufacturer's recommendations • Heating/Air Conditioning: if temperature makes a room attendant feel uncomfortable while cleaning, guests will also be uncomfortable • TV, Radio, Telephone • Bedspreads: should not look worn • Lighting: if attendant thinks room seems dark, check each lamp's placement and bulb's wattage, and check switches/fixtures • Door: if door doesn't work, guest will be irritated. Serious security issue. Make sure door is repaired before room is "vacant and ready" • Toilet: if it takes more than one flush/water continuously runs, report it • Vanity and Tub: Sparkling porcelain and shiny faucets. Be alert to stains, drips, or corroded hardware. • Towels: Soft towel is clean and free of stains • Bathroom Walls and Door: Wall coverings become dated quickly, peel, or look worn. Ensure bathroom door is working properly. • Water Temperature: For safety, recognize and report unusual extremes of cold or hot water • Ventilation: If a mirror fogs up while the bathroom is being cleaned, check bathroom fan and be sure it is clean and working.

How do you clean the floor and vacuum?

• Last task is to clean floor • Begin in bathroom, sweep all dust, debris, hair, don't forget behind door with corner broom • Spray sanitizing cleaner and wipe with cleaning rag, get every square inch begin with behind toilet, behind door and work backward through doorway • Don't leave any dust hair or debris behind • In guestroom use crevice tool or corner broom to free debris from corners and baseboards • Move lamps, chairs, furniture if necessary • Don't ram walls, bed frames with vacuum • Pick up items that might damage vacuum • Vacuum everywhere: Under bed, in closets, behind doors, and in doorframes

Describe the types of ledgers

• Ledger: summary grouping of accounts • Front office ledger: collection of front office account folios • Accounts receivable ledger: folios represented in the front office • Account receivable: money owed to the hotel • Separated into two subsidiary groups: the guest ledger (for guest receivables) and the city ledger (for non-guest receivables) * Guest Ledger • Guest ledger: set of guest accounts that corresponds to registered hotel guests or guests who have sent advance deposits • Guests who make credit arrangements at registration may be extended privileges to charge to their individual account folios • May make payments against their outstanding balance at any time during occupancy • Guests' financial transactions are recorded to assist in tracking guest account balances • Guest ledger may be called the transient ledger, front office ledger, or rooms ledger • When an advance deposit is received, it is posted as a credit balance • If hotel has a lot of advance deposit activity, the guest ledger is further divided into advance deposit and in-house guest ledgers • If hotel has few deposits, posting the deposits to the guest ledger provides sufficient financial control • For non-automated and semi-automated hotels, the credit may be posted to the guest's folio immediately or on an advance deposit ledger card. When the guest arrives, the deposit on the ledger card is transferred to the guest's folio. * City Ledger • City ledger (non-guest ledger): collection of non-guest accounts • If a guest account is not settled in fully by cash payment at check-out, guest's folio balance is transferred from the guest ledger in the front office to the city ledger in the accounting division for collection • At time of account transfer, responsibility for account collection shifts • Can contain credit card payment accounts, direct billing accounts, and accounts of past guests due for collection by the hotel

Describe guest communications

• Most important is how employees communicate with guests • Must present a professional, positive image for the hotel • Proper greeting, attitude and follow-up sets expectations and influence perception • Telephone • When answering: concisely greet the caller, identify who is speaking, & offer service • "Thank you for calling _____. This is ____ speaking. How can I help you?" • When calling guest, introduce yourself and give reason for the call • Less likely call will be considered an intrusion, because it has been made clear that call is in response to guest's request • Face-to-face • Include body language and eye contact • Guests do not like when employees don't look at them or look only at their computer screens • Convey interest, confidence, and honesty through proper language, a professional demeanor, & an attitude of hospitality

How does housekeeping and front office communicate room status?

• Occupancy report: lists rooms occupied that night and guests expected to check out the following day • Each night, agent or PMS produces an occupancy report • As guests check out of the hotel, front desk notifies housekeeping, so checked-out rooms are given top priority so they can be readied for arriving guests • Executive housekeeper uses 10-day and 3-day forecast reports and the previous night's occupancy report, which indicate how many rooms are projected to be occupied, helping them effectively prepare staff schedules • Housekeeping status report: based on a physical check of each room in the property, indicates current housekeeping status of each room • Prepared by housekeeping at the end of each work shift • Compared with front desk occupancy report and room status discrepancies noted • Discrepancies affect ability to accommodate guests and maximize revenue • Promptly notifying front desk of housekeeping status assist in registering guests who arrive early, especially during high-occupancy • Keeping room status information up to date requires close coordination and cooperation • In an automated room-status system, housekeeping and front desk have instantaneous access to room status info • Agent enters departure into terminal, housekeeping is alerted and sends housekeepers to clean the room and notify supervisor when ready. Room is inspected, then inspector enters this into room-status system, which is communicated to the front office, which categorizes as clean, vacant, and available for sale • Reporting of each room's housekeeping status may lag behind • Inspector may inspect several rooms in sequence but not update files until the end as contacting housekeeping after each room is inefficient • Staff member may not immediately enter data into the system • Reduce problems by directly connecting system to the guestroom telephone system: supervisors can inspect room and enter a code on phone to change room status, reducing chance for error, # of guests forced to wait, and length of registration • Wireless connectivity via a hand-held terminal is used for two-way communications between the housekeepers and other housekeeping department staff • Housekeeper's work schedule can be pre-loaded into his terminal before the beginning of the work shift • After work is completed, housekeeper records info in the terminal and transmits it to front office so room status data is updated • If housekeeping manager has an urgent request, use terminal to communicate • If housekeeper needs additional supplies or identifies a maintenance problem, he can use the PDA to communicate • Dispatch staff to special guest requests and housekeeper can use PDA to report when request has been filled • In a large hotel with multiple buildings or a large dept, cost of device is justified based on improved guest service

How can hotels protect their assets?

• Physical and intellectual assets must be protected • Guests' assets may be secured in safe deposit boxes and in-room safes • Safe deposit boxes • All states require hotels to provide a safe deposit box for no charge • Guests must be notified of the availability, usually through room notices • Usually at or near front desk • Upscale and world-class hotels have a separate room, where guests can have privacy, in which rooms cannot be entered from the lobby without hotel staff opening the door. • In other properties, they are at the front desk and guests may have to open and close them in the lobby • Must sign a signature card every time they use the box and staff must verify the signature before allowing access • Keys must be secured; there is usually only one key per safe deposit box. If there is more than one, a guest may have legal grounds for claiming employees stole • In-room safes: some use unique keys, digital codes, credit cards • Robbery alarms • Usually a silent alarm that sends a signal to the police • Placed out of sight, such as near employee's foot, where it can't be seen by guest • May work with surveillance so camera is activated • Main safe where cash, important records, and software are secured; fire-rated • Cashier drop safe: special safe that allows items to be dropped into it, and the only way to remove the items is to open the safe with a combination • Temporarily store cash received from front desk and revenue outlets • Log amount, date, time, revenue outlet, and name of person dropping • Many hotels require a witness to co-sign that the drop was made • Person opening the safe compares log to actual envelopes • Fire-rated • Bank audit must be done on a scheduled basis or without notice • Surprise audits do not allow employees to make corrections • Purpose is to make sure contents of the bank are correct and money is not missing • Prevents employees from making "loans" to themselves • Employee changing and locker rooms should be secure and safe • Many hotels provide locks • When uniformed employees arrive for work, they receive a uniform and a lock for the locker to store their valuables. When they leave, the lock must accompany the uniform • Lockable storage bag that holds employee clothing and other items. Bag is turned in to a secure storage area after it is filled and it is claimed at the end of the shift. • Most departments have secure storage areas for women's purses and items needed during the day • Lockable drawers at the front desk

Describe points of sale

• Point of sale: physical location at which goods or services are purchased • Any dept that collects revenues is considered a revenue center and a point of sale • Examples: restaurants, lounges, room service, laundry/valet service, parking garages, telephone service, fitness centers, athletic facilities, and shops • Ensure all charges are posted to the proper account whenever POS systems are not interfaced with PMS • Guest operated devices that function as POS: movies, Internet, vending systems • Point-of-sale (POS) system: remote terminals at the points of purchase to communicate directly with a front office system • Reduce time required to post charge purchases to folios, the number of times each piece of data must be handled, the number of posting errors and after-departure (late) charges • Automation creates a well-documented, legible folio statement with a minimum number of errors • POS must provide basic information: voucher or transaction number, amount of charge, name of outlet, room #, guest name, and brief description • If submitted by voucher: signature and employee submitting the charge • If by terminal, employee ID is captured by the system and forwarded to the folio, along with the time. May require signature for audit purposes or in case there is a dispute. Some POS systems allow swipe of a guest key for verification

Describe the reader board

• Reader board: television system or information display panels that displays a schedule of daily events • Includes names of groups staying at the hotel and their meeting room(s), agenda items, and meeting times • Placed near front desk, in elevators, lobby, meeting room section, and on guestroom television channel • Reduce volume of info requests at front desk • Interfacing reader board with hotel's sales and catering system allows info to be updated automatically

How do unpaid account balances happen and how can they be avoided

• Some guests forget to check out, others depart with no intention of settling their account (skippers) • Unpaid account balances: after-departure charges or outstanding balances • Late charge: transaction requiring posting to account that does not reach front desk until after guest has checked out and closed his account • Hotel may have problems collecting • Extra expenses for labor, postage, stationery, and special statements cost more than late charge • Many hotels will not send a bill unless charge are about $8-$15 • If late charge is less, hotel will write off the amount and zero the balances through accounting • Reducing late charges maximizes profitability • Front office automated system that interfaces with revenue center outlets is the most effective means of eliminating late charges (e.g. POS systems, call accounting system) • Reduce occurrence of late charges by: • Posting transactional vouchers as soon as they arrive minimizes volume of unposted charges prior to and during check-out period • Surveying front office equipment and voucher and folio racks for unposted charges before checking a guest out (telephone traffic and in-room movie charge meters) • Asking departing guests whether they have incurred any charge purchases or placed long-distance telephone calls that do not appear on their final folio • Most guests will respond honestly, many guests do not. They may be unaware that they remain responsible for paying unposted charges. • Front office management systems that do not have interfaced systems may employ runners to pick up revenue outlet vouchers or may call other depts. to gather info • Depending on hotel's contract with credit card company, hotel may write "signature on file" on the signature line of the voucher and receive payment for the guest's outstanding balance • Signature on file: guest has signed the hotel's registration form and agreed to pay the bill in full when he or she departs • Companies allow after-departure charges to be added to the signed credit card voucher; be sure that the credit card company will accept additional charges • Send a copy of the updated folio to the guest

What happens when a guest checks out late?

• To minimize late check-outs, post check-out time notices in conspicuous places (e.g. back of door) and in a prominent location at front desk • Reminder can be included in pre-departure materials distributed to guests departing on the current day • Properly communicate and tactfully enforce check-out time to give housekeeping enough time • Late check-out fees: guest may be surprised to find fee, especially if he is not familiar with the policy; agent should inform guest • Guests may resent being charged and refuse to pay • Approach situation calmly, offering a well-reasoned explanation for the policy • FOM may need to discuss and resolve the matter • Should not be apologetic about the fee, it is not intended to inconvenience guests • Guestrooms should be cleaned and readied for arriving guests before housekeeping completes its work shift • Late check-outs can lead to additional costs, especially room attendants who may have to stay • Inconvenience and potential dissatisfaction of arriving guests

Describe the transaction file

• Transaction file (automated system) or log book (non-automated system): record of important events and decisions from previous work shifts that all agents have access to • Also known as concierge file • Lists unusual events, guest complaints or requests • Agents make entries throughout shift • Clearly entered in a prescribed format • Before beginning shift, supervisors and agents should review file, noting any current activities, situations that require follow-up, or potential problems. • Notations are an important link that informs employees on subsequent shifts of previous happenings • Details what happened, why, and when so agent can respond intelligently if guest follows up • Person who noted request should personally follow through, but sometimes it's not possible to respond to a request until the following day. • Guest should be told at the time when action will be taken • Once request has been filled, entry should be made in transaction file showing follow-up call was made and how guest responded • Leave space in file to: • Record the final action taken concerning the guest request • Communicate with other hotel depts if follow-up action on their part is required • Most efficient way for next agents to know if additional action must be taken • Helps management understand activity of front desk and records ongoing issues • If guest complaints, compliments or unusual activity, file explains what happened and how it was handled/resolved • Rapid response software: hotel automation application for recording, tracking, and completion of guest service requests • Record requests via workstations, PDAS, or telephones • Requests are automatically distributed to the appropriate department, which sends staff to provide services • Management uses system to track and report a variety of maintenance related info to ensure that guest concerns are resolved quickly and completely, leading to high levels of satisfaction

Describe the team concept

• Turn a property's entire staff into a security-conscious team protecting guests, employees, and the property • All department heads and supervisors regard security as an aspect of their jobs • Each employee has a responsibility to assist in a security capacity • Alertness of employees has been instrumental in the prevention of incidents and the arrest of criminals • Employees in properties of any size can be instructed to: • Be alert to and report any suspicious activities or persons anywhere on property • Avoid confronting a suspicious individual. Instead, step into a secured area, lock the door, and call the office designated to receive emergency calls. • Report any drug paraphernalia or other suspicious items that may be exposed to public view when working within a guest room. (Never search through luggage) • Alert security when rooming guests with large but empty pieces of luggage • Check on the proper posting of innkeepers laws • Check that any information cards or tent cards provided for the guest's information on security are in their proper locations

Describe vouchers

• Voucher: details a transaction to be posted to a front office account • Lists detailed transaction information gathered at the source of the transaction, then sent to the front office for posting • Several types of posting: cash vouchers, charge vouchers, transfer vouchers, allowance vouchers, and paid-out vouchers • Most automated front office systems require few vouchers because POS workstations can record transactions and electronically transmit info directly to electronic folios

What are some cleaning strategies?

• Work in a circular action around the room • Clean top to bottom, dusting & cleaning windows walls and mirrors then horizontal services and beds, then finish with the floor • Keep one rag for glass, one rag for dusting/surface cleaning, & another for bathroom surfaces: color-coded rags • Keep straight by placing on bottles • Use one rag for cleaning the toilet and do not use it for anything else • Be efficient: don't make extra trips, Drop off dirty linen, then pick up supplies • Gather trash, then strip bed & terry, spray cleaner on bathroom surfaces so it has time to dwell while you make bed, then do lights and mirrors then counter & sink then towel and tub, then toilet, dust high surfaces and shelves, clean windows mirrors and picture frames, then horizontal surfaces (tables desks chairs) replace terry and amenities before cleaning bathroom floor so you don't step on it again, replace guestroom amenities before carpet, lightly apply room freshener • Stayover • Move or disturb belongings only when necessary. Drape clothes on chair to make bed then returned. Set toiletries aside on clean washcloth. In ada rooms, leave them where they were found • Check for anything obvious • Test television and remote, adjusting volume if necessary. Set clock to correct time and ensure alarm is set to off • Check telephone, ceiling fans, light switches • Report damages to maintenance through work order • Pocket key cards and bring to front desk • Be careful where you stick hands.