Provide Accommodation
Reception Services
Module 5
Introduction
The reception area will be the
first impression your guest will
have of your business. As the old
age says “You only get one
chance to make a good first
impression.
Basic reception area furniture consists
of the following:
• RECEPTION DESK/STATION
• A STANDARD OFFICE CHAIR FOR THE
RECEPTIONIST
• CHAIRS FOR GUESTS WHILE WAITING
• A TABLE TO HOLD LITERATURE,
MAGAZINES OR TO PROVIDE YOUR
GUESTS A PLACE TO PUT THEIR
BRIEFCASE OR LAPTOP WHILE WAITING.
• COAT RACK OR CLOSET
Sample Hotel Shift on Reception
Mid Shift
Morning Shift Afternoon Shift Night Shift
(Swing Shift)
Starts @7.00hrs Starts @15.00hrs Starts @23.00hrs Starts @11.00hrs
Finishes @15.30hrs Finishes @23.30hrs Finishes @7.30hrs Finishes @19.30 hrs
Introduced to cover
Process checkouts. Prepare nightly figures
Process check-ins. meal breaks for staff
Prepare for the day’s Process early check-outs
Deal with guests Assist the morning and
arrival. Table text
afternoon shift
Handover
All shifts’ start and finish times have an overlap (a
brief period of 15 to 30 minutes) overlap.
In effect handover is a ‘briefing session’
It also gives the new staff coming on duty time to
prepare the reception area for their shift.
Reception Diary
Reception may keep a paper-based Reception
Diary to record any important information
regarding what has happened during a specific
shift.
Reception Equipment and Technology
Preparing our work environment involves checking for general safety and
tidiness, logging onto our shift, and checking all equipment and stationery
supplies.
Front office equipment includes:
• Fax Machine
• Computer and Printer
• Photocopier
• Register/Terminal/EFTPOS machines
• Key card machine
• Re-stocking
• Repairs/backup and service
• Registration Cards
Guest Movement
Reception staff must check guest details on the Daily Arrivals List (Arrivals
List)
Reasons for this process
• Review and ensure guest bookings are correct.
• Ensure the right room is allocated to the guest.
• Facilitate the coordination of work with other departments.
• Make sure VIP guests are taken care of properly.
• Confirm airport transfer and pick-up arrangements.
• Inform housekeeping staff to make up rooms if there are any early
departures.
• Advise housekeeping or minibar staff to check the minibar in certain
rooms.
Guest Movement
Consideration of bookings-Arrivals list
Group arrivals
Consideration of stay rooms
Early departure
Need to Accommodate Other Agreements
Some establishments have special arrangements with certain
businesses, which may need to be considered and honored when
allocating rooms.
Examples of what might apply to these room allocations can
include:
• Automatic room upgrade
• Allocation of room with a view
• Allocation of room with specified facilities
• Guests have access to restricted services and/or areas
• Guests receive nominated coupons ‘on arrival’
Need to Accommodate Other Agreements
Pre-Register guests
When a guest is arriving very late or early into the
next day, it is necessary to pre-register the guests
before the guest actually arrives.
Need to Accommodate Other Agreements
Special Requests
Special requests are a common occurrence in most accommodation establishments.
Special Requests may include:
• Special facilities for guests with a disability
• Chocolates in the room
• Guest with an early check-in time - meaning the room needs to be cleaned and,
serviced and allocated before the guest’s arrival
• Extra bed
• Flowers in the room
• Extra Hangers
• Power adapters
• Stocking the minibar with a specific beverage
• Extra soap, shampoo, or conditioner to be placed in the room.
Other Information
Reception staff may be required to follow up on uncertain arrivals (potential no-
shows).
• Following up uncertain arrivals or reservations
If the establishment is running a high occupancy and there are no guaranteed
bookings, reception staff may be required to ring guests and reconfirm their arrival.
• Dealing with cancellations
It would be best to realize that anyone who rings with a cancellation does us a favor
as they allow us to sell the room to someone else.
• Updating the system
When you receive a cancellation notification, you must update the system to reflect
the situation.
Generating a refund, Cancelling a guest folio, Freeing up a room, Removing the guest
from Guest history
Compiling and Distributing arrivals list
The arrivals list provides information and will be distributed to departments such as uniformed
staff (porters and concierge), housekeeping, security, laundry, food and beverage, and kitchen
to assist these departments in planning operational duties.
Information found on an Arrivals List may vary from establishment to establishment, but can
be expected to include for each booking:
• Arrival Date
• Estimated Time of Arrival (ETA)
• Estimated Time of Departure (ETD)
• Guest’s Name
• Number of Guests
• Room Type
• Room Rate
• Booking guaranteed or not
• Special Requests
• VIPs
Distribution of Arrivals
Housekeeping:
• Staffing levels
• Planning daily tasks
• Determine the level of service
• Order of servicing rooms
• Guest count
• Special requests
Distribution of Arrivals
Concierge:
• Staffing levels
• Group arrivals
• Organizing luggage storage
Porters:
• Planning daily tasks
• Arrival time
• Sorting luggage
Distribution of Arrivals
Security:
• VIPs
• Requires additional security
• Escort a VIP to their room
Food and Beverage:
• Special requests
• Restaurant use
• Groups and tour arrangements
• Pre-arrangement for table
• Menu planning
• Liaison with security staff regarding visitors
Distribution of Arrivals
Management:
• Notification of VIPs
• Recognize famous names and make a VIP
Laundry:
• Staffing
• Planning
Kitchen:
• Food orders and staffing
Monitoring of Guest Arrivals
Sometimes, the reception staff must inform other colleagues
or departments about special situations or requests.
• Inform colleagues
• Prepare for significant guest movement
Special requests
• VIPs
