Chapter 2 Flashcards
(20 cards)
In order for a hotel to run effectively and efficiently, what should every employee understand?
The property’s mission. Every organisation has a reason or purpose for existing. Its purpose forms the basis for the organisations mission.
Define a mission statement and where should a mission statement appear?
A document that states the unique purpose that sets a hotel apart from other hotels, expresses the underlying philosophy that gives meaning and direction to the hotels actions, and addresses the interests of guests, management and employees.The property’s mission statement should appear in employee handbooks and training manuals, and should accompany job descriptions.
Define goals for a hotel?
Goals are those activities and standards an organisation must successfully perform or achieve to effectively carry outs its mission. A goal is more specific than a mission; it can be observed and measured.
Measurable goals encourage hotel employees to perform effectively while enabling managers to monitor employee progress.
Define strategies and tactics for hotels?
A strategy is a plan of action a department or division uses to achieve its goals. A tactic is the day-to-day operating procedures that staff members use to implement strategies.
Explain the duties of the hotel management team?
Hotel managers plan, organise, coordinate, staff, direct, control, and evaluate hotel activities and/or personnel. A hotel’s top executive is usually called the managing director or general manager; he or she is
responsible for the success of the hotel and supervises all hotel divisions, either through a resident or assistant manager or through division heads.
Define a organisation chart and where should an organisation chart appear?
A schematic representation of the relationships among positions within an organisation, showing where each position fits into the overall organisation and illustrating the divisions of responsibility and lines of authority. Solid lines indicate direct-line accountability; dotted lines indicate relationships that involve a
high degree of cooperation and communication, but no direct reporting relationship. The hotel’s organisation chart should be a part of
the employee handbook.
The functional areas of a hotel are divided into divisions and departments. Explain what is the difference between divisions and departments?
At some hotels, especially smaller ones, all areas are referred to as departments. At other hotels, particularly larger ones, departments are smaller areas within divisions.
Define a revenue centre?
A hotel division or department that sells products or services to guests and thereby directly generates revenue for the hotel.
Revenue Centres:
-The front office
-The food and beverage outlets
-Catering
-Room service
-Retail stores
Define a support centre?
A hotel division or department that does not generate revenue directly, but supports the hotels revenue centres.
Support Centres:
-Housekeeping
-Accounting
-Engineering and maintenance
-Human resources
Provide a brief overview of the rooms division?
The rooms division comprises departments and personnel essential to providing the lodging services guests expect during a hotel stay. Departments within the rooms division include:
-Front office (reservations, telecommunications)
-Uniformed service (bell attendants, door attendants, valet parking attendants, transportation personnel, concierges)
-Housekeeping
Provide a brief overview of the food and beverage division?
The hotels food and beverage division generally ranks second to the rooms division in terms of total revenue. Types of outlets include quick-service, table-service,
and specialty restaurants; coffee shops; bars; lounges; and clubs
The food and beverage division also supports other hotel functions such as room service, catering, and banquet activities.
Provide a brief overview of the sales and marketing division?
The main goal is to promote the sale of hotel products and
services. In small properties, the general manager often full fills
the sales and marketing roles. In large hotels, sales and marketing responsibilities are divided into five functions: sales, revenue management, convention services, advertising, and public relations.
Explain revenue management for a hotel?
The practice of maximising revenue by balancing the room rates guest pay with hotel occupancy. The challenge is securing the highest possible room rate for each potential guest, while not turning away any potential guests simply because the room rates are too high.
Provide a brief overview of the accounting division?
The hotels accounting division monitors the financial activities of the property. Some hotels use off-premises accounting services to complement the work of their internal accounting division. In many hotels, the night audit and the food and beverage audit are considered accounting division activities.
Provide a brief overview of the engineering and maintenance division?
The hotels engineering and maintenance division is responsible for maintaining the property’s
structure and grounds as well as its electrical and mechanical
equipment. The front office must efficiently exchange information with a representative of this division, for example a guest complaint about a leaky faucet should be written up and quickly relayed to the engineering and maintenance staff for corrective action.
Provide a brief overview of the security division?
The security division is dedicated to the safety and security of hotel
guests, visitors, and employees. Personnel may include in-house employees, contract security officers, and off-duty or retired police officers.
There responsibilities include: patrolling the property; monitoring surveillance equipment; and ensuring
the safety of all those on the hotel’s premises.
Provide a brief overview of the human resources division?
The basic function of the human resource division is employment. Their responsibilities include: finding and hiring employees, training, employee relations, compensation, benefits, administration, labor relations, and workplace safety. In small hotels, the general manager often supervises the human resources function. In multi-hotel companies, the human resources function may be housed in a main office to serve the HR needs
of several properties.
Name six typical front desk positions?
1.Front desk agents, who register guests and maintain room availability information.
2.Cashiers, who handle money, post charges, and oversee guest account settlement.
3.Information clerks, who take messages, provide directions to guests, and handle faxes and packages..
4.Telephone operators, who manage the switchboard and coordinate wake-up calls.
5.Reservation agents, who respond to reservation requests and create reservation records.
6.Uniformed service agents, who handle guest luggage and escort guests to their rooms.
Explain the term job description?
A job description is a detailed list identifying all the key duties of a job as well as reporting relationships, additional responsibilities, working conditions, and any necessary equipment and materials. A job description is also used to:
-Evaluate job performance
-Train/retrain employees
-Avoid duplication of duties
-Ensure tasks are performed
-Determine staffing levels
Explain the term job specification?
Job specification is a list of the personal qualities, skills, and traits necessary to successfully perform the tasks outlined in a job description. Factors considered for job specification are: formal education, work experience, general knowledge, previous training, physical requirements, communication skills, and equipment skills.
