F & B Service Relationships

8/13/2019 F & B Service Relationships

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Food and Beverage Service communication: Intra and Inter

Departmental Relationships:

No hotel can develop in the absence of effective communication- both internal as well as

external communications.

1. EXTERNALCOMMUNICATION:It includes the communications of hotel with external sources and officers that may be

government agencies, post-office, licensing authorities, foreign trade officers, income tax,

transports, financial institutions etc.

2. INTERNAL COMMUNICATION:It includes communication within the hotel itself, i.e. transmitting information within theorganization, its departments, sections etc. and between the same chain.Internal communication can be formal (or official), informal or consensus.

a) Formal or official:this line of communication is used to transmit the official messagesor information within or outside the organization. These communication flows along

prescribed channels, which the staff members wanting to communicate are obelised tofollow. Formal channels can be horizontal or vertical.

COMMUNICATION

EXTERNAL

GOVERMENT AGENCIES,POST-OFFICE,

LICENSINGAUTHORITIES, FOREIGN

TRADE OFFICERS,INCOME TAX,TRANSPORTS,

FINANCIALINSTITUTIONS ETC.

INTERNAL

iNFORMALl

GRAPEVINE

FORMAL

VERTICAL

DOWNWARDUPWARD

HORIZONTEL

CONSENSUS


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Horizontal communication or lateral communication is between workers and other

workers, supervisors holding coffee break to discuss organisational problem. The

horizontal communication is important for promoting understanding and co-ordinationamongst various departments. Face to face, exchange of views or telephonic conversation

is very convenient for horizontal communication. The congenial atmosphere in which

oral communication takes place allows freedom of expression. There is immediatefeedback and all doubts and misunderstanding are sorted out.

Vertical communication usually associated with formal structural relationship of the

enterprise set-ups. Vertical communication can be in the upward or downward direction.

Upwardcommunicationflows from bottom to top of a hierarchy. In this, the managers

receive information continuously stemming from levels below them. Open door policy,

suggestion complaints box, and counselling are the best methods used. The limitation of

this communication is that at times the employees may be unenthusiastic to expressthemselves and fear that their condemnation may be taken as sign of peculiar weakness

and may be taken personally by the superior.

Downward communication flow from top to bottom of hierarchy. In this, the orders,instructions, guidelines, policy statements, job sheets, circulars etc. are flow from top

manager to concern subordinates. It can be both verbal and written. The drawback of

these types of communication are under or over communication, delay in action,

resentment by subordinate staff and probable loss of information.

b) Informal:with formal channels of communication informal channels also exists in everyorganisation. It does not arise out of organisation needs but is an integral part ofcommunication.it is characterised by the network of interpersonal relations among

personnel not formally as people have tendency to cut across formal channels, and

communicate informally with different part of organisation. Rumours that are all time

spreading in any organisation follow of communication. In this form of communicationinformation passes quickly. In addition, the panorama to form a social group is high. The

chances of incomplete and distorted information may be carried as people add their

personal interpretation to the evidence, these data are fly-by-night, and information isimpulsive and ambiguous.

Grapevines is of four (4) types-single strand, gossip, probability, and cluster.

c) Consensus: agreement in the judgment or opinion reached by a group as a whole; "thelack of consensus reflected differences in theoretical positions"; "those rights and

obligations are based on an unstated consensus. The advantage of this form of

communication is that the decision is easy to accept, preserves harmony, avoids conflicts

and splits, and the hindrances are that the rebellion is often hushed in the name ofconsensus.

Inter departmental coordination and communication with F and B service and other

departments

The Food and beverage service department is seen to possess a very vigorous intra and inter

departmental interactions in prospect of accomplishing works. This has also made thefunctioning of the organisation very suave. Positive mutual aid and harmonisation can be found


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in between the intra departmental staffs, as they are willing to lend a helping hand during busy

operation hours and favourably exchange their ideas and views with each other.

With f and b production:It coordinates with kitchen department for the preparation of various

food and beverage items as per the orders. The kitchen also coordinates with food and beverageservice department regarding the functions, outdoor caterings, and promotional activities.

With housekeeping: It coordinates with housekeeping department regarding the cleanliness of

the outlets, different F&B sections and regarding the regular supply of staff uniforms and soillinens. The coordination of housekeeping department with the restaurants and banquet halls is

mainly concerned with the provision of linen and uniforms. The linen room supervisor, under the

supervision of the executive housekeeper, needs to have sufficient stock of clean napery to meet

the demands of the F & B departments restaurant and banquet function. On his/her part, therestaurant manager should ensure that the time set for the exchange of linen is respected; that

linen is not lost or misused; and that intimation of forthcoming banquet function is conveyed to

housekeeping department well in advance. Beside extra/special linen, housekeeping may alsohave to arrange for flower decorations for banquet.

Coordinating between two departments becomes particularly necessary in the case of room

service, so that friction does not arise over matters such as waiters not collecting trays from

guestrooms or room service staff leaving soiled trays in the corridors or causing extra workthrough careless spills on the carpet. In many hotels, housekeeping department also looks after

pest control in restaurants, kitchens, and store attached to them. Special cleaning of this areas call

for coordination with the housekeeping department. Restaurant staff required clean uniforms ona daily basis, for which they need to communicate with housekeeping department.

With front office department: Communication between the food and beverage department and

the front office is also essential. Some of this communication is conveyedby relaying messagesand providing accurate information on transfers, which are forms used to communicate a charge

to a guest's account. Communication activities also include reporting predicted house counts, an

estimate of the number of guests expected to register based on previous occupancy activities, andprocessing requests for paid-outs, forms used to indicate the amounts of monies paid out of the

cashier's drawer on behalf of a guest or an employee of the hotel. These vital services help an

overworked food and beverage manager, restaurant manager, or banquet captain meet thedemands of the public. Incoming messages for the food and beverage manager and executive

chef from vendors and other industry representatives are important to the business operation of

the food and beverage department. If the switchboard operator is given instructions on screening

callers (such as times when the executive chef cannot be disturbed because of a busy workload orstaff meetings, or vendors in whom the chef is not interested), the important messages will

receive top priority.

In a hotel that has point-of-sale terminals, computerized cash registers that interface with a

property management system, information on guest charges is automatically posted to a guest'sfolio, his or her record of charges and payments. When a hotel does not have point-of-sale

terminals that interface with PMS point-of-sale terminals, the desk clerk is responsible for

posting accurate charges on the guest folio and relies on transfer slips. Also, the night auditor'sjob is made easier if the transfer slip is accurately prepared and posted. The front office manager


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should work with the food and beverage director in developing standard operating procedures

and methods to complete the transfer of charges.

The supervisors in the food and beverage department rely on the predicted house count preparedby the front office manager to schedule employees and predict sales. For example, the

restaurant supervisor working the breakfast shift will want to know how many guests will be in

the hotel so he or she can determine how many servers to schedule for breakfast service. Timelyand accurate preparation of this communication tool assists in staffing control and salespredictions.

Authorized members of the food and beverage department will occasionally ask the front office

for cash, in the form of a paid-out, to purchase last-minute items for a banquet, the lounge, or therestaurant or to take advantage of other unplanned opportunities to promote hospitality. Specific

guidelines concerning cash limits, turnaround time, prior approval, authorized signatures, and the

general manager and front office manager develop purchase receipts . These guidelines help to

maintain control of paid-outs.The banquet department, which often combines the functions of amarketing and sales department and a food and beverage department, requires the front office to

relay information to guests about scheduled events and bill payment.

The front desk staff may also provide labour to prepare the daily announcement board, an insidelisting of the daily activities of the hotel (time, group, and room assignment), and marquee, the

curb-side message board, which includes the logo of the hotel and space for a message. Since the

majority of banquet guests may not be registered guests in the hotel, the front office provides a

logical communications centre.The daily posting of scheduled events on a felt board or an electronic bulletin board provides all

guests and employees with information on group events. The preparation of the marquee may

include congratulatory, welcome, sales promotion, or other important messages. In some hotels,an employee in the front office contacts the marketing and sales department for the message.

The banquet guest who is unfamiliar with the hotel property will ask at the front office for

directions. This service might seem minor in the overall delivery of service, but it is essential to

the lost or confused guest. The front office staff must know both how to direct guests toparticular meeting rooms or reception areas and which functions are being held in which rooms.

Front desk clerks, must be ready to provide information for all departmental activities in the

hotel. The person responsible for paying the bills for a special event will also find his or her wayto the front office to settle the city ledger accounts. If the banquet captain is not able to present

the bill for the function, the front desk clerk should be informed about the specifics of food and

beverage charges, gratuities, rental charges, method of payment, and the like.

Human resources department: The human resources management department may rely on the

F and B service staff to act as an initial point of contact for potential employees in all

departments. It may even ask the F and B service to screen job candidates. If so, guidelines forand training in screening methods must be provided.

Some directors of human resources management depend on the F and B service to distribute

application forms and other personnel-related information to job applicants. The potential

employee may ask for directions to the personnel office at the F and B service. The human

resources management department may also develop guidelines for the F and B service use in

initially screening candidates. For example, the guidelines may include concerns about personal

hygiene, completion of an application, education requirements, experience, and citizenship

status. This information will help the executives in the human resources management department


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interview potential job candidates. Each situation will describe some communication problems

between departments, trace the source of mis-communication, analyse the communication

system, and present methods that will help improve communications. The purpose of this method

of presentation is to help future professionals to develop a systematic way of continually

improving communications.

Security department

It coordinates with security department to create a safer environment for the guests, hotel

personnel and the assets to control them properly.

It coordinates with engineering department for repairs, maintenance, and installation of various

equipment and physical features required during operation hours and special functions.

Information system

It coordinates with information system department regarding the updating and installing of

different electronic information system. Every personal are provide with the password as access

into the computer system of the hotel by the IS department. Similarly, the micros cards are also

issued to the F&B staffs and the degree of accessibility is governed by the rank of the staffs.

Stores: It coordinates with materials department for regular supply of food, beverages, and

essential stationeries for the outlet.

Sales and marketing department: It coordinates with sales and marketing department for the

sales of banquet halls, fixing the menu price, and providing provisions and service as per the

Banquet Event Order. F & B personnel will do the necessary arrangement for the preparation and

see to guests needs. Get clients to hold functions using hotel facilities in banquets.

Finance department:It coordinates with finance department for payment of salary and budget

development

Documents

F & B Service Relationships