Copyright © 2007 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved

Effective Interdepartmental Communications

Copyright © 2007 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved

Chapter Focus Points

A. Role of the front office in establishing and maintaining effective communications with other departments

B. Discussion and application of Total Quality Managements used in improving interdepartmental communication

Copyright © 2007 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved

Front Office Interaction with Other Departments in the Hotel

Discuss the various departments that interact with the front office as listed in Figure 3-1. (p. 75)

Copyright © 2007 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved

Marketing and Sales:1. Provide data on guest

histories to marketing and sales

2. Process requests for reservations for sleeping rooms from marketing and sales

3. Offer good first impression to the public

4. Relay messages to marketing and sales

5. Meet information requests of guests for meetings, seminars, and banquets

Front Office Interaction with Other Departments in the Hotel (Cont’d.)

Copyright © 2007 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved

Housekeeping:1. Receive housekeeping room status

from each other 2. Report potential house count to each

other3. Relay guest requests for amenities

and supplies to housekeeping4. Report room sales projections5. Relay accurate housekeeping status6. Relay security concerns to front office

Front Office Interaction with Other Departments in the Hotel (Cont’d.)

Copyright © 2007 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved

Food and Beverage: 1. Relaying messages to food and

beverage2. Record accurate information on

vouchers and subsequent postings

3. Reporting predicted house counts to food and beverage

4. Processing requests for paid-outs from food and beverage personnel

5. Inter-face with point-of-sale terminals

Front Office Interaction with Other Departments in the Hotel (Cont’d.)

Copyright © 2007 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved

Banquets:1. Relay information to guests about

scheduled events for banquet department

2. Process payment of guest charges for scheduled events for banquet department

3. Prepare daily announcement board and marquee for banquet department

Front Office Interaction with Other Departments in the Hotel (Cont’d.)

Copyright © 2007 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved

Controller:1. Provide a daily summary of financial

transactions through a well-prepared night audit for the controller

2. Provide information for billing and maintenance of credit card ledgers via the PMS to each other

3. Verbally communicates between the front office and controller departments as they share a common concern of guest hospitality and when there are finances concerned.

Front Office Interaction with Other Departments in the Hotel (Cont’d.)

Copyright © 2007 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved

Maintenance1. Provide room status to

maintenance2. Relay information on requests for

guest room maintenance

Front Office Interaction with Other Departments in the Hotel (Cont’d.)

Copyright © 2007 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved

Security1. Maintain guest security – fire safety, emergency

communication systems, and routine investigation of guest security

2. Alert for people who don’t belong in the lobby and impel front office staff to report inconsistencies with the security department.

Front Office Interaction with Other Departments in the Hotel (Cont’d.)

Copyright © 2007 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved

Human Resource Management1. Rely upon front office staff to do

initial screening of candidatesa. Distribute application formsb. Directions to personnel office

Front Office Interaction with Other Departments in the Hotel (Cont’d.)