U n i t 5 L e s s o n 1 : I n t r o d u c t i o n t o F r

Unit 5 Lesson 1: Introduction to Front Office Services

Table of Contents

Introduction 2

Essential Questions 3

Reach our Goals! 3

Springboard 4

Learn about It! 5 The Front Office 5 Personal Entrepreneurial Competencies 7 Business Idea Generation 10

Check Up 15

Skill Enhancer 17

Did You Know? 20

Wrap Up 21

Introspect: Self-Evaluation 22

Bibliography 23

Glossary 25

1 Copyright © 2018 Quipper Limited

GRADE 7/8

Introduction to Front Office Services Introduction

Figure No.1 Front Office

Every business establishment with multiple departments needs a front office to receive guests or visitors. For instance, in a hotel, the front office performs all the tasks related to processing reservations, registering and keeping track of guests. The responsibility of the front office staff includes clerical, hospitality, and customer care. This lesson is intended to help you be successful in a front office services career as you recognize the essential personal entrepreneurial competencies. Also, through identifying the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats in front office management, you can generate business ideas that will help improve the operations of any multi-departmental business enterprise.


Essential Questions

Reach our Goals!

In this lesson, you should be able to:

● recognize the Personal Entrepreneurial Competencies needed in Front Office Services; and

● generate a business idea that relates a career choice in Front Office Services.


Springboard

Lights, Camera, Action!

Divide the class into 5 groups. Each group is assigned to think and present a scenario in the front desk of any establishment. Each team is given 10 minutes to plan and encouraged to be creative as they use available resources inside the classroom.

Answer the following questions: 1. What would be the attitude that the professional front office staff should possess?

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

2. Why is it important to have a great attitude when working in the front office? ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

3. If you will be given a chance to work as a front office manager, how will you be able to show a great working attitude to your colleagues? ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________


Learn about It!

Some establishments need the service of the front office department. As the name implies, the front office workers usually are the first people to interact with the guests. The first impression of an establishment, like a hotel, relies on them. Thus, it is vital for the front office employees to create a welcoming yet a professional image.

The Front Office The basic front office in a hotel is composed of the following positions: 1. Front Office Manager This person is responsible in estimating the volume of future reservations; preparing for busy seasons; organizing all departmental functions so that they operate efficiently, and maintaining a close check at all times on occupied and available rooms and confirm reservations. 2. Assistant Managers This position is typical in larger hotels. They are always assigned on the lobby floor to act as troubleshooters and ambassadors of goodwill for the improvement of guest relations. Their duties include the following:

● handle guests’ complaints and assist in solving minor problems and any emergencies that may occur;

● helping guests make reservations at hotels in other cities; ● changing guests’ rooms as requested; ● notifying the security department of disorderly or undesirable individuals spotted

around the hotel; and ● helping to register guests quickly or discreetly when required.


Overall, assistant managers make sure that the front office operations are functioning properly, and that the guests are satisfied and comfortable with the service. 3. Clerks The front office clerks perform various duties including the mechanical processing of reservations, sale, and registration of rooms, furnishing guest keys or key cards, and handling complaints about rooms or other accommodations. Also, they also receive and forward mail, give information about guests registered or expected if permitted, and provide information about room rates and times of departure. Generally, the front office clerks consist of:

a. Room clerks - give the room information and manage all the functions of guest registration.

b. Reservation clerks - acknowledge and make reservations by phone, letter, fax, or e-mail. In small hotels, the owner-manager may handle the duties of the front office with or without an assistant.

In small hotels, the owner-manager may handle the duties of the front office with or without an assistant. 4. Concierge Not all hotels have a hospitality department. In smaller hotels, clerks, assistant managers, or other employees who come in contact with guests perform the duties of this department. This department is usually present in large commercial and resort hotels. Their common duties include the following:

● arranging special requests, such as obtaining theater tickets, securing reservations at popular restaurants, or arranging sightseeing tours;

● providing guests with information about the tourist spots in the area; ● providing special services, like a babysitter, companions, and personal maid services.


Personal Entrepreneurial Competencies

Entrepreneurial competencies pertain to the essential attributes and characteristics that an individual must carry in order to manage and organize the chosen business venture. These characteristics are also needed to perform duties in the front office department, and to give great services to the customers. Let us look at some qualities that the front office staff must have.

Opportunity-seeking The front office employees are not required to sell something to the customers directly. But, in order to help the hotel increase its sales, they need to be comfortable and seek opportunity in promoting specific hotel products and services. For instance, they can encourage guests to upgrade their rooms into more luxurious and expensive rooms.

Persistence Front office employees must possess persistence as they are the first person guests bring their problems to. The problems may exist in this field such as a guest whose reserved room is not wheelchair accessible as requested, or an unexpected medical emergency. Thus, resolving the problem is part of their job. Promptly responding to challenges can give a good experience for the guests, and the hotel can earn a good review.

Fulfilling Commitments An entrepreneur or a professional excels in performing a specific job and aims to give what is best or what was promised to the customers. In the case of the employees in the front office department, they are willing to go above and beyond their job descriptions to satisfy the guests. Demand for quality and efficiency This quality has something to do in setting time and quality standards on a specific task. The entrepreneurs or professionals must ensure quality work within a given schedule. Moreover, front office employees perform different functions, such as making appointments, and taking and relaying messages while still completing clerical tasks on time. Therefore, this skill is essential among the people working in the front office.


Risk-taking This characteristic is the most common competency among successful entrepreneurs. Entrepreneurs must be aware of the potential risk in the chosen business venture. For that reason, they are expected to take action in preventing the identified risk. In addition, being a risk-taker requires you to make the right decision. For instance, if there are unusual problems or unusual guest requests, you must be wise and intelligent in making a quick decision. Also, make a diplomatic approach and satisfy guest with a pleasant arrangement when the guest has come with a confirmed reservation, yet all rooms are booked.

Goal-seeking When generating business, an entrepreneur must set meaningful goals and measurable short-term objectives. The set goals are the foundation of the chosen business. In short, this has something to do on you want for your business. Furthermore, if you are working in the front office, your goal is to make the guests satisfy and happy. Information-seeking The front office personnel must be knowledgeable about the local area and with the needs of the customers. Guests usually approach the front office when they have questions about the hotel's area. For the case of front office managers, they have to know everything about their competitors to identify specific items for improvement in their operations. Therefore, they can help the establishment to increase sales. Organization Front office employees are expected to be multitasking. Being organized allows them to perform multiple tasks. They also need to maintain the neatness of their working area to leave a good impression. They need to have a system in place to find contact details or files. Communication Front office employees know that communication skills are vital in excelling their job. Their duty is to provide accurate information about the business to customers; thus, they need to have the skills in managing tricky calls, dealing with demanding guests, sending explicit


messages to the appropriate recipient either in person or in writing via email. Moreover, they must possess the ability to engage with the guests and have meaningful conversations. Independence and Self-confidence Front office employees must have the ability to work independently because there are times you are alone in the workplace and you don’t have anyone to consult at neighboring workstations. Further, this also calls for the ability to think fast and come up with creative solutions to different problems.

Try It! Let us apply now what you learned from this section.

Personal Entrepreneurial Competencies

The Front Office Crossword Puzzle


ACROSS

2. making a wise decision 3. ability to engage with the guests and have meaningful conversations 4. willing to go above and beyond their job descriptions 5. ensuring quality work within a given schedule

DOWN 1. ability to resolve problems

Business Idea Generation

Front office career does not end in being an employee in a hotel. Working in the hotel industry allows you to explore other opportunities like owning a business which is related to your career in front office. Having experience in the field will be a benefit to generate business ideas. However, owning a business is both challenging and rewarding. There are several factors to consider for your business' success, such as the type of target customers, potential competitors, suppliers, trends and technologies. Understanding these factors is important as each influence almost every aspect of the business. Like, a change in customers' taste may switch the demand in the market for a particular product, comparatively. Hence, when starting a business, it is necessary to understand first the business environment. Business environment refers to the factors that affect the functioning of a business venture including economy, customers, employees, suppliers, competitors, and government policies.

● Economy includes the factors such as inflation, employment, income, and wealth that


influence the buying behavior of consumers or other establishments, e.g. if the consumers lose their jobs, they will spend less on recreation, gifts, and luxury goods.

● Employees are also essential factors in business' success. If you are not alone in running a business, you might need to consider the capabilities of your staff. As an entrepreneur, you have to make sure the excellent working relationship of your employees because a single conflict might ruin a good business.

● Suppliers have a significant effect on your business cost. Therefore, you have to make a good deal and negotiation with them.

● Competitors are also important to consider in running a business especially if the type of business is not unique.

● Government Policies can have a high impact on your business. You also have to consider the necessary documents like permit and certificate to operate when starting a business.

Starting with the Idea An excellent way to generate ideas is through Idea-Generating Questions. These questions can serve as a checklist for possibilities. In using this, you have to start with a particular item that can be a big help in the operations of the front office and think about ways to expand it.

● What else can it be used for (without any changes)? ● What could be used instead? What else is like this? ● How could it be modified for a new use? ● What if it was larger/ thicker/ heavier/ stronger? ● What if it was smaller/ thinner/ lighter/ shorter? ● How might it be rearranged/ reversed?

Example

Other Uses of an Umbrella

What else can it be used for (without any changes)?

Possible answer- to dig holes

What could be used instead? What else is like a newspaper held over your head


this?

How could it be modified for a new use? add a flashlight to the handle for people who go out on dark, rainy nights

What if it was larger/ thicker/ heavier/ stronger?

make it double size to cover two people

What if it was smaller/ thinner/ lighter/ shorter?

make it small enough to fold up and fit inside a purse

How might it be rearranged/ reversed? turn it upside down

Points of View You will need to consider different points of view from the people who are involved in your business idea. The feedback will allow you to make a complete list of the factors, consequences, and options included. For example, if employees of a furniture company were developing a front desk table with organizers from used plastic, it would be to their advantage to consider the following points of view: ❏ Front Office Clerk: Interested with the organizers included in the front desk table, and

concerned about the durability. ❏ Front Office Manager: Wants more information about the design of the table like the

color. Worries if the design complements the hotel ambiance. ❏ The Hotel: Demands complete information about the production costs ❏ Hotel Guest: Concerned about the quality service of the front office staff with the help

of the organizers provided.


SWOT Analysis Using a SWOT analysis helps to analyze the products, services, and the market of a business. It is used to determine the best way to achieve future growth. The term SWOT stands for Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats. SWOT analysis is a tool used when deciding the most appropriate business idea.It guides an entrepreneur in determining the possible challenges and benefits of each idea, and identifying the factors that directly influence the business. Also, when in trouble in business, using SWOT analysis helps in making decisions and taking priorities.

Strengths Weaknesses

These are the positive features of an organization or a business idea which will help in achieving the objectives and be an advantage over similar business ventures. Either you sell better quality product or service, or accessible location to a majority of the customers

These are the hindrances in achieving the business objectives. Also, these are the issues which will be harmful to other businesses as well such as insufficient staffing, limitations in advertising, poor location or costly supplies.

Opportunities Threats

These include exciting trends, possible investors and excellent opportunities for your business idea, such as the demand for the product or service due to tourism or the promotion of social enterprise or environmental-friendly products.

These are the obstacles that you might encounter in running your own business. For example, having a simple business idea will encourage other entrepreneurs to build a similar business venture, which will then result in a lesser profit. It could also be a changing pattern of buying goods and services like people are more likely to purchase products and services online.

Remember that strengths and weaknesses are internal factors that you can control while opportunities and threats are external factors that you cannot control but can be somewhat manageable.


Try It! Let us apply now what you learned from this section.

Idea Generation

Think of an object that will help increase the productivity of the front office department. Use the table below.

Name of the Object: ________________________________

What else can it be used for (without any changes)?

What could be used instead? What else is like this?

How could it be adapted or modified for a new use?

What if it was larger/ thicker/ heavier/ stronger?

What if it was smaller/ thinner/ lighter/ shorter?

How might it be rearranged/ reversed?

Rubrics: Criteria 5 3 1

identified key aspects of the object

clearly identified most of the key aspects of the object

identified some important aspects of the object

identified one aspect of the object

generated ideas to improve the object

developed a range of appropriate and creative ideas

developed a range of ideas, some of which are creative

developed only one idea

clearly and effectively communicated the design ideas using

clearly communicated the design ideas using

communicated the design ideas using the technique, with a

communicated the design ideas by answering one


the Idea-Generating Questions

the Idea-Generating Questions

missing relevant information

question from the technique

Check Up

Read and analyze first the instructions given and answer the following assessment. Write your answers in your notebook.

A. Recall the important concepts from the lesson by matching the duties to the appropriate Front Office Staff.

Duties Front Office Staff

1. providing personal maid services A. assistant managers

2. furnishing guest keys B. clerks

3. estimating the volume of future reservations

C. concierge

4. solving minor problems on the lobby floor

D. managers

5. arranging sightseeing tours


B. Identification. Identify what is being asked on each item. Choose your answer from the pool of words below.

efficiency SWOT analysis

fulfilling commitments

economy idea-generating questions

_____________1. A trait of a front office that aims to satisfy the customers.

_____________2. This skill is necessary in order for the front office staffs to deliver quality

service despite the multiple tasks assigned to them.

_____________3. This is used as a guide in determining the possible challenges and

benefits of each business idea.

_____________4. It is used to generate business ideas properly.

_____________5. This factor such as inflation rate is always considered in starting and

managing a business.

C. Read and analyze each question below. Please give a direct and concise answer.

1. The points of view from the people involved in business is necessary in idea generation. Discuss the possible reason for this idea. ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

2. Why are communication skills important in the front office service? ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________


3. Front office staffs are required to be an information-seeking personnel. How will they show this trait? ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

4. How will you show persistence when working as front office staff?

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

5. Why is independence part of the competencies of front office clerks? ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Skill Enhancer

Do the Pitch!

Goal: To create a detailed business proposal related to the career in Front Office using SWOT Analysis Role: You are going to start your career as an entrepreneur after being exposed in Front Office Services and build a team of five including yourself. Audience: Students who want to engage themselves in business that will improve a front office service of a hotel or any establishment. Situation: Your team will brainstorm and list three business ideas, that might help increase the productivity of the Front Office. In order to decide what business idea is appropriate among the three listed, you will use the SWOT analysis on each idea. Through the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats identified, you will discuss the advantages and


disadvantages of each. Performance/ Product: Do this task using the given format below. After doing the written output, each team is asked to make a presentation and do a 5-minute pitch in front of the class. This performance task will be evaluated using a rubric.

SWOT ANALYSIS

Business idea:

Strengths

Weaknesses

Opportunities

Threats

Advantages:

Disadvantages:


RUBRIC

Criteria Below Expectation

1 point

Needs Improvement

3 points

Successful Performance

4 points

Exemplary Performance

5 points

The content of the SWOT

SWOT Analysis contains less than 2 points for each part. There is no explanation given for each point.

SWOT Analysis contains 3 points for each part. An explanation is given for each point.

SWOT Analysis contains 4 points for each part. A clear explanation is given for each point.

SWOT Analysis contains more than 5 points for each part. A clear explanation is given for each point.

Business Knowledge (based on the chosen business idea)

The team demonstrates little knowledge of the business. Advantages and disadvantages of having that business are not discussed.

The team demonstrates limited knowledge of the business. The team discusses only the advantage of the business.

The team demonstrates full knowledge and discusses the advantages and disadvantages that the business has.

The team demonstrates full knowledge and discusses clearly all of the advantages and disadvantages.

Presentation The team did not present their business idea and just submitted their written output.

The team did not explain the elements of their business idea and just read the slides prepared.

The team did a clear and concise presentation. However, they did not discuss how each element affects

The team did a clear and concise presentation. They discuss how each element affects the current


the current business.

business.

Use of time in presenting the business idea.

The team presents the business idea for a minute or less.

The team presents the business idea for two minutes or less than three minutes

The team presents the business idea for more than three minutes or less than four minutes.

The team makes full use of 5-minute time limit in presenting their chosen business idea.

Did You Know?

According to research, average pay for a Front Office Manager in the Philippines is PHP 510,000 per year. A front office manager must keep all departments in a hotel well balanced and in coordination with one another.

Figure no. 2 The Front Office Manager https://www.payscale.com/research/PH/Job=Front_Office_Manager/Salary


https://www.payscale.com/research/PH/Job=Front_Office_Manager/Salary

Wrap Up

The front office employees are the first person to interact with the guests. Thus, it is important for them to show the following attributes and skills at all times in order to leave a good impression to the guests.

PERSONAL ENTREPRENEURIAL COMPETENCIES

Opportunity-seeking Persistence

Fulfilling Commitments Demand for Quality and Efficiency

Risk-taking Goal-seeking

Information-seeking Communication

Independence and Self-confidence

Business environment refers to the factors that influence the functioning of the business.

Business Environment

Economy Employees Suppliers

Competitors Government Policies


● Generating ideas is easy to perform through answering the following questions.

Idea-Generating Questions

● What else can it be used for (without any changes)? ● What could be used instead? What else is like this? ● How could it be adapted or modified for a new use? ● What if it was larger/ thicker/ heavier/ stronger? ● What if it was smaller/ thinner/ lighter/ shorter? ● How might it be rearranged/ reversed?

Points of view are important in generating ideas to create a more complete list of business factors, consequences and options involved.

Introspect: Self-Evaluation How confident are you with your acquired skills from the lesson. Put a check (/) on the corresponding descriptor.

Skills

Very confident Fairly confident Not very confident

Not at all confident

I can list the personal entrepreneurial competencies needed in dressmaking

I can assess my personal entrepreneurial competencies and determine my


qualities which need to be improved.

I can generate an appropriate business idea through using of SWOT analysis comprehensively

Bibliography

Henkin, Shepard. 2006. Opportunities in hotel and motel careers. United States of America: The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Bueza, Haydee C., et al. 2014. Home Economics- Front Office Service: Learner’s Material. Philippines: DepEd-IMCS. Goman, Carol. 2000. Creativity in Business, Revised Edition: A Practical Guide for Creative Thinking. United States of America: Von Hoffman Graphics. Abbott, Peter and Lewry, Sue. 1999. Front Office: Procedures, social skills, yield and management. Oxford: Elsevier Ltd. Hougaard, Soren. 2004. The Business Idea: The Early Stages of Entrepreneurship. Berlin: Springer. International Labor Organization. 2015. Generate Your Business Idea. Geneva: ILO Publications. BusinessDictionary.”Economic environment. Accessed January 24, 2019.

http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/economic-environment.html


http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/economic-environment.html

Rcampus. “Swot Analysis Rubric”. 2019. http://www.reazon.com/. Keystone. ”15 steps the can help make a successful front desk manager”. Accessed January 24,

2019. https://keystonehospitalitydevelopment.com/khdc055/ Robert Half. ”7 receptionist skills that can impact an entire company”. Accessed January 24, 2019.

https://www.roberthalf.com.au/blog/jobseekers/7-receptionist-skills-can-impact-entire-company

The Balance Careers. ”Hotel Front Desk/Guest Services Skills List”. Accessed January 24, 2019.

https://www.thebalancecareers.com/hotel-front-desk-guest-services-skills-list-2062408 Smart Guests. ”10 Traits of a Great Hotel Front Desk Agent”. Accessed January 24, 2019.

http://smartguests.com/blog/10-traits-of-a-great-hotel-front-desk-agent/#.XE5PpVwzZPY PayScale. ”Average Front Office Manager Salary”. Accessed January 24, 2019.



http://www.reazon.com/

https://keystonehospitalitydevelopment.com/khdc055/



https://www.thebalancecareers.com/hotel-front-desk-guest-services-skills-list-2062408

http://smartguests.com/blog/10-traits-of-a-great-hotel-front-desk-agent/#.XE5PpVwzZPY


Glossary

analysis - the process of investigating the ideas and the underlying factors that influence the business business - an establishment which aims to provide or sell products or services commitment - an act of giving full time and effort in putting a business competency - ability to perform a given task successfully and efficiently confidence - an attribute in which entrepreneur shows free from doubt when starting the business customer - someone who buys and uses a particular product or service efficiency - creating a quality output within a given schedule entrepreneur - someone who possess positive qualities in performing entrepreneurial activities entrepreneurship - a set of activities to perform in building and managing a business PECs - Personal Entrepreneurial Competencies risk - possible exposure to danger


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U n i t 5 L e s s o n 1 : I n t r o d u c t i o n t o F r