Increasing Food and Beverage Revenues in Hotel

     There are many reasons why hotel Food and Beverage profits are not what we would like them to be. Foremost among them is usually the fact that revenues are not as high as they might be. The lack of separate identity and entrances for outlets has a negative impact but for the most part hoteliers aren't the street fighting promoters our free standing restaurant counterparts are. This is quite understandable, after all why should we focus so heavily on Food and Beverage when for the time and money spent it will never be as profitable as the Rooms Division!

     There are some subtle differences that make a lot of sense. Think about how you'd spend your finite promotional dollars if you had a choice between promoting the hotel in its entirety or just a profitable restaurant outlet. Clearly it makes more sense to advertise the hotel and its services or to have the sales staff either build commercial room demand or pursue group room bookings. These items have profit margins in excess of 75 - 80%.

    A hotel's Food and Beverage department is an exception if profit exceeds 20%. In both cases as hoteliers must admit, administrative, marketing, maintenance and utilities expenses are not deductions from these margins. Unlike our restaurant counterparts who must bear all these expenses directly we shuffle them off as Unallocated Expenses. In the end it makes sense because most hotel Food and Beverage revenues are driven by the Rooms Department's level of activity and our buildings and operational structures are not such that some expenses can be isolated cost effectively. Can you imagine the time required to allocate the credit card commission expenses for Food and Beverage charged to the guest rooms from those having to do with the Telephone Department and room sales?

   So what do I think the answer is to Food and Beverage profitability in a hotel environment? Increase hotel guest usage, increase hotel guest average checks, and increase outside patronage from the community. You say those things are obvious but do you have a mini-business plan for each of your Food and Beverage outlets? Does it address those items? Is it funded, are all the departments' employees involved and excited about it? Are the key players motivated with incentives to make the plans succeed?

   Mini-business plan? You know, like the one you have for the hotel; revenue and expense goals in detail, staffing plan, capital budget, menu plan and outlet market plan. These are not all new things, everything but the menu plan and outlet market plan should be in your hotel's annual business plan, so preparing a mini-plan for each Food and Beverage outlet should not be a monumental task.
     I refer to these plans as mini-plans because they can be three small lists: standard hotel procedures, one time promotions and advertising. Standard hotel procedures are simple things like having the reception staff mention the outlets to registering guests and having the bell staff mention that night's restaurant specials while the guest is a captive audience. Hyatt has a promotion titled something like, "The Winner is...". Its based on the envelope they open for the Academy Awards and is a small folded over card which the server opens and entitles the guest to anything from a 10% to 50% discount on dinner. These cards are handed out by the receptionist registering the guest.

    Other standard items are elevator displays, in room promotions, and promotional cards given with restaurant and bar checks. Why not room service sales messages adjacent to the emergency telephones at the swimming pool? One hotel we work with in Denver promotes its seafood buffet with a tasteful fish- shaped card stock flyer hanging on the guest room shower heads for arriving guests. Nobody misses seeing it and reading it!

    Standard hotel procedures must include services, attitudes and amenities that are very appealing to the hotel's guests. Services are kind of obvious but attitudes are a little tougher. Rather than exclusively hiring experienced servers look for people with a positive, cheerful outgoing attitude that either have experience or are trainable. A cheerful good attitude will over-come a lot of service and even quality problems, assuming they are short term! Your servers must enjoy their patrons, thank them for coming, ask them if they will be in tomorrow, how their room is, etc. In short they must care. It will help the food and Beverage outlets and the hotel in general.

     Amenities are a more exciting and creative issue. Sure there should be an assortment of newspapers at breakfast and with room service. But what about a heated pot of coffee so that the patrons don't have to wait to be bothered by, "...more coffee?" every few minutes. Can you promote your restaurant or coffee shop as the area's power breakfast meeting place? Offer cut fruit with every order for the health conscious and thick slab bacon or what ever is locally popular for the heavy eaters. Why not free shoe shines as patrons leave and for people waiting for a table or for joiners? Dare to be different and work hard to find out what your hotel guests and surrounding community want. Who eats at Perkins and Bakers Square and why? What is so good and unique about them that can't be copied?

      One time promotions are tried and true methods of attracting more business. Most people repeat the same ones year after year. Mothers' Day, Fathers' Day and the list goes on. Why not start some new traditions for your restaurant or bar that are annual if not monthly? This morning's paper mentioned monthly and weekly poetry readings at several Twin Cities bars and restaurants. It seemed like most of them were at slow times on slow days. Imagine free unique entertainment where the patrons entertain themselves and spend a little money! Are poets big drinkers? Anita Blatz at the Chart House in Lakeville is an expert at creating and executing promotions. She puts together big promotions around holidays or creates them out of thin air then goes out and gets others to either donate goods or services for the exposure or to buy booths and space from her. She is a hotelier that the restaurateurs stole from us. The only promotion she ever failed at was one I created to name a remodeled hotel restaurant! One of the keys to Anita's success is a source book she keeps so that she always knows sources for products and ideas, good and bad.

      Advertising for food and beverage outlets ranges from the basics like the Yellow Pages and entertainment directories to such media as radio and television. Any media that can be obtained for free is good as long as one has some control over it. Trade outs are always a good idea. The best trade a Food and Beverage manager can arrange is rooms for advertising! Next to that, beverage for advertising is good if it can be obtained on some multiple like four advertising dollars for one beverage dollar. Doing joint promotions with media outlets is especially effective if one can obtain extra advertising unrelated to the promotion at a later time in order to stay in the audience's mind.

       Never forget the power of good press releases. These should be done for all conventions, banquets, menu changes, new entertainment, etc. Invite the press in to try new menus and to witness promotions. Charities are good tie ins. In an Econo Lodge we manage we have a Charity of the Month where we donate 1% of the hotel's revenues to charity. For the past two months it has been the Shriners Hospital and for the next few months it will be various parts of the Athletic Department at the University of Minnesota. A similar program at a hotel restaurant will raise the outlet's profile in the community over time and accomplish worthwhile things. There are obviously direct benefits if the charity is selected wisely. Let me be candid, other charities need money, too, but they aren't next door to our hotel!

     As a final point let me emphasize the value of employee involvement. They should be involved in brainstorming sessions to create ideas in every area affecting revenues and expense control. They know more about the customers and the operations than management and owners do. More importantly when they have bought into the promotional ideas they will be good at delivering the product and service to the patrons but also at going out and promoting it.

       Significant long-term increases in Food and Beverage revenues can only be achieved with the staff's enthusiastic understanding and support. And that's not limited to Food and Beverage Division employees; Rooms Division employees may be the only employees to have any contact with your in-house guests during their stay if you don't get them into the outlets.

Increasing Food and Beverage Revenues in Hotel

  

 

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Job Description of food and Beverage service personal

Job Description of food and Beverage service personal

 Duties And Responsibilities of Food And Beverage service personal

1)Food & Beverage Manager

Job Purpose

     To ensure service delivery at every point of sale in the Food and Beverage Department.  He or she therefore supervises and co-ordinates the Food and Beverage Department. 

Key Responsibilities

   To ensure that the customer promise is delivered and that customers are satisfied within the framework of financial targets set.

To ensure that guests receive high quality service

To ensure that the applicable regulations are complied with

To be responsible for his or her own results

To optimise the supply chain and the use made of raw materials

Entry Requirements

Skills

Team management, leadership & team player

A liking for organisational work

Effective management: delivering profit centre profitability

Sales ability

Adaptability: coping with the diversity of customers and their needs

Thoroughness

Sensitivity to customers: good relationship skills

Spirit of initiative

Financial awareness

Qualifications

A-levels (professional) in service-related subjects

Significant food and beverage experience (5 years)

Experience of working in positions of high responsibility in the hotel or food and beverage sectors and managing teams of at least 20 staff

2)Food & Beverage Supervisor

Job Purpose

   To be totally customer focused by consistently delivering excellent customer service with an informed, friendly and effective approach.

To assist with the responsibility for the day to day running of the event services department within the overall policies and controls established by the Company and Hotel General Manager, ensuring that the brand values and standards are delivered and profitability achieved.

To promote the Company Mission Statement through continual demonstration of the Personality.

Key Responsibilities

Customer Focus:

    To implement the consistent delivery of superior customer service through the Customer Service Programme.

To ensure that the department creates a professional impression to customers and team members.

To participate with action on Customer Service Reports relevant to your department to achieve positive and consistent results.

To act on customer feedback relevant to your areas of responsibility. This to include customer complaints and compliments.

Business Awareness:

To be aware of budgeted and actual departmental targets. This to include sales, covers, stocks levels and departmental profits.

To assist with the control and monitor payroll costs by ensuring rotas are compiled in line with forecasted and actual business levels, using company productivity ratios and payroll management.

To be aware of and assist with the control of departmental operating costs in line with forecasted business levels.

To maximise opportunities for departmental sales and profit and other related targets

Specific Job Accountabilities

To ensure effective stock rotation and maintain stock levels in accordance with hotel business and company policy. This to include storage and use of equipment.

To assist with stock-takes where required.

To follow procedures for food and beverage controls at all times.

To assist with maintaining and improving departmental operating standards.

To ensure charges are raised for services provided in event services department on your shift in accordance with hotel and company procedures.

Growing The Business:

To positively approach sales opportunities in order to maximise sales revenue and exceed budgeted sales targets for the department.

To assist with and suggest new promotional opportunities to enable departmental sales to meet and exceed budget. This to include the planning, implementation and review of promotions.

To keep all department team members sales focused.

People Management:

To assist with leading and motivating the departmental team to promote good employee morale and ensure a high level of commitment and pride in the Hotel.

To carry out planned training and development in a systematic and professional way in order to meet the needs of the business and assist in individual team members personal development.

To continuously coach and counsel colleagues.

To measure the success of food and beverage services training in meeting departmental objectives.

Controlling The Environment:

To supervise the department to ensure effective operation on a day to day basis, whilst maintaining company brand standards consistently with attention to detail. This to include ensuring shift controls and procedures are adhered to.

To comply with statutory and company requirements for Health and Safety, Food Safety, Risk Assessment, Licensing Laws, Disability and ensure all employment legislation is strictly adhered to.

To comply with your responsibilities under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 as detailed in the QMH Fire Safety Management System, a copy of which can be found in the hotel or accessed on the intranet.

To implement action on Hygiene Audits in order to enhance the environment and achieve positive consistent results.

Other:

To act as the Hotel Guest Relations Manager as required, ensuring a professional and friendly service throughout the hotel where this forms part of your responsibility.

To keep yourself informed of the Hotel goals and objectives, and those of other departments, maximising the role you play in delivering the hotel budgeted targets.

To operate IT systems in line with company standards where required.

To attend training when required.

To be fully aware of and strictly adhere to Fire, Bomb and Health and Safety procedures.

To strictly adhere to all security procedures laid down.

To be fully aware of and comply with hotel and company rules and regulations as identified in the team member handbook.

3)Restaurant Manager

Job Purpose

To be responsible for the image of the restaurant and increasing its sales (from preparation through to service).

Key Responsibilities

Be the host and communicate with guests

Organise the restaurant team: their tasks, schedules and information meetings

Staff management: recruitment, training, evaluation and promotion

Monitoring customer service levels

Ensure the quality of service and service provision

Maximise restaurant occupancy

Ensure on-going profitability and have knowledge of financial matters

Increase restaurant sales

Entry Requirements

Skills

Management: managing priorities, the ability to listen, stress management, team motivation

Recruitment

Sales ability

Ability with figures and the ability to manage a profit centre

Multi-skilled

Sensitivity to customers

Able to deliver training at all levels

Have understanding of IT issues in relation with the post

Thoroughness

Dynamism/good relationship skills: maintaining the image of the restaurant

Qualifications

2 years further education in hotel/food and beverage studies to BTS/HND standard or similar

Significant experience of restaurant management

4)Assistant Restaurant Manager

Job Purpose

To assist the Restaurant Manager in maintaining the image of the restaurant and increasing its sales (from preparation through to service).

Key Responsibilities

Be a host and communicate with guests

Organise the restaurant team: their tasks, schedules and information meetings

Assist the Restaurant Manager in staff management: recruitment, training, evaluation and promotion

Monitor customer service levels

Ensure the quality of service and service provision

Take full responsibility for the Restaurant during allocated shifts

Maximise restaurant occupancy

Organise of the restaurant team

Increase restaurant sales

Entry Requirements

Skills

Management: managing priorities, the ability to listen, team motivation

Recruitment

Sales ability

Ability with figures

Sensitivity to customers

Able to deliver training at all levels

Have understanding of IT issues in relation with the post

Thoroughness: a good supervisor

Dynamism/good relationship skills: maintaining the image of the restaurant

Qualifications

2 years’ further education in hotel/food and beverage studies to BTS/HND standard or similar

Significant experience of restaurant supervision

5)Chef de Rang/Team Leader

job purpose

To organise and co-ordinate the following tasks together with his or her team:

• Arranging the tables
• Welcoming and serving the guests
• Clears the tables

Key Responsibilities

• To supervise the quality of the services offered to customers
• To train and motivate the dining room assistants and apprentices for which he or she is responsible
• To look after customer billing and tills

Entry Requirements

Skills

• The ability to ensure efficient, high quality service with apparent ease and assurance
• Attention to detail
• Team working
• Sales ability
• Excellent communicator
• IT knowledge i.e. Point of Sale
• Good relationship skills
• Discretion
• Team leadership
• Physical and mental resilience

Qualifications

• From City & Guilds to NVQ3 (Vocational Training Certificate) in Hotel and Food and Beverage studies
• Experience of working the dining room
• Some knowledge of French preferred

6)Head Waiter/Sommelier

Job Purpose

To organise the services offered to diners and ensure the quality of those services.

Key Responsibilities

To welcome and seat diners, advising each on their choice of food and wine and taking their order

To organise and manage their team: organising their work and training new staff members recruited

To organise the layout of the dining room to create a warm and welcoming atmosphere

To co-ordinate with the kitchen

To ensure that his or her team offers the highest level of service in the welcome it extends to its customers and the way its serves their meals

To ensure that customers are satisfied with the service they receive

To promote customer loyalty through the quality of service provided

To ensure health and safety rules are complied with

To manage stocks

To ensure the continuity of the equipment supplied for his or her use

Entry Requirements

Skills

Sales ability

The ability to listen: detecting and anticipating needs

Hospitality

Attention to detail

In depth knowledge of wine

Teaching skills: staff training

Thoroughness: multi-skilled

Team Leadership

Organisation

Good relationship skills: being responsible for welcoming diners

Good physical and mental resilience

Availability

Qualifications

City & Guilds to 2 years’ further education to HND level or similar standard in hotel/food and beverage studies

Significant experience in the food and beverage industry, especially in dining room service (415*)

Excellent knowledge of food and wine

Must be fluent in the English and ideally have a good working knowledge of French

Good general level of education

7)Waiter/Waitress

Job Purpose

To undertake the following tasks:

Arranging the dining room

Welcoming and serving Restaurant guest

Tidying the dining room after meal service

The Waiter forms the continuous link between the kitchen and the dining room

Key Responsibilities

To ensure the guests receive high quality services and service provision

To ensure that health and safety and procedures are respected (especially HACCP)

Entry Requirements

Skills

Understanding basic rules as they apply to:

Hygiene

Storage

Politeness

Team working

Sales ability

The ability to listen: understanding how to detect customer needs

Attention to detail

Sensitivity to customers: good relationship skills

Physical and mental resilience

Thoroughness

Organisation: multi-skilled

Adaptability/reactivity

Good time-keeping

Qualifications

City & Guilds in restaurant café/brasserie studies

NVQ in Hotel/Food and Beverage studies with restaurant or dining room option

Good personal presentation

Good French would be an advantage

8)Bar Waiter/Waitress

Job Purpose

To undertake the following tasks:

Arranging the Bar/lounge area

Welcoming and serving Bar/lounge guest with drinks and afternoon tea etc

Tidying the Bar area after bar service/afternoon tea

The Bar Waiter/Waitress forms the continuous link between the bar and the bar lounge.

Key Responsibilities

To welcome bar/lounge guests and take their orders

To ensure the guests receive high quality services and service provision

To ensure that health and safety and procedures are respected (especially HACCP)

To keep the bar/lounge area clean and tidy

Entry requirements

Skills

Understanding basic rules as they apply to:

Hygiene

Storage

Politeness

Team working

Sales ability

The ability to listen: understanding how to detect customer needs

Attention to detail

Sensitivity to customers: good relationship skills

Physical and mental resilience

Thoroughness

Organisation: multi-skilled

Adaptability/reactivity

Good time-keeping

Qualifications

City & Guilds in restaurant/bar studies

NVQ in Hotel/Food and Beverage studies with restaurant or dining room option

Knowledge of drinks and cocktails

Good personal presentation

Good French would be an advantage

9)Bartender

Job Purpose

The Bartender is tasked to:

Welcome and advise customers

Prepare and serve drinks and cocktails

Take responsibility for the organisation of the bar

Charge customers for their drinks, accept the corresponding payments and manage bar stocks and supplies

Key Responsibilities

To ensure service and product quality

To ensure the continuity of the equipment supplied for his or her use

To look after customer billing and stock of cash

To ensure that the bar is clean properly equipped

To look after bar customers

Entry Requirements

Skills

Knowledge of alcoholic drinks and cocktail recipes

Complete knowledge of health and safety rules

Stock management abilities

Sales ability

Dexterity and speed

Good relationship skills

Listening skills

Physical and mental resilience

Teaching skills

Reactivity: handling every kind of situation

Thoroughness

 

Qualifications

City & Guilds, NVQ2 (Vocational Training Certificate) in restaurant, hotel or food and beverage studies

Significant experience will be require for the post of Head Barman

Good general level of education

 

10)Assistant Bartender

Job Purpose

To prepare simple drinks and cocktails.

He or she works as part of a team and takes an active role in organising and maintaining the bar in accordance with hygiene standards.

Key Responsibilities

To provide assistance to the Bartender and deputise in the latter’s absence

Entry Requirements

Skills

Knowledge of alcoholic drinks and cocktail recipes

Hospitality

Sales ability

Team working

Good relationship skills

Physical and mental resilience

Dexterity and speed

Qualifications

From CAP (City & Guilds) to NVQ (Vocational Training Certificate) in Hotel and Food and Beverage studies

Additional Barman qualifications.

 

 

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Food And Beverage Outlets

Food And Beverage Outlets 

       An outlet is a point of sale of Food and Beverage item. Food and Beverage outlets alter depending upon the size of hotel, the number of rooms, types of the menu offered and the standard of customers 'expectation. some of the different types of Food and Beverage Outlets are:

1. Coffee Shops: These are basically 24 hour restaurants, serving snacks and beverage throughout the night. Customer can readily get meals in these types of restaurants even long after the other outlets in the area are closed. Some coffee shops may serve Bistro(light meals) and buffets. The service is mostly pre-plated, fast and comes in moderate rates.
2. Specialty Restaurants: Such restaurants deal with a particular theme or cuisine and are mostly open at meal times only. The services is elaborated, decor is extensive, and the rates are considerably higher than the other outlets.
3. Barbecue Restaurants: In French, "barbe" means "beard" and the "queue" means 'tail'. In ancient French cooking whole animal is hung and roasted in touch of live charcoal. The smoke coming out of the dropped-juices from the animal in live charcoal would give an authenticity to this type of cooking. this tradition is still alive in most of the barbecue resets on grill bars and griddles with small joints of meat. Barbecue restaurants are generally located near swimming pool which acts as an extra dining attention to the guests. The service is generally informal which requires less time and effort.
4. Multi Cuisine Restaurants:    Basically found in medium and budget hotels where there is no need to have many restaurants. One restaurant serves all meals and different cuisine. However, they may have different timings for meals and snacks. Service depends on the menu and the rates are moderate.
5. Room Service: Room Service refers to the service of food and beverage items in guest rooms. Star hotels have round the clock room service facility. Room service menu is the simplified version of a coffee shop menu and is priced slightly higher because the service in rooms need extra efforts,manpower and equipments. Clearance is another important aspect of room service. All trolleys and trays after the  guests use are cleared immediately.
6.  Banquets/Hall: Banquet is the word derived from a French word "banque" which means 'mass or gathering.' Banquets are as old as history and the stories about older times are full of references to various feasts held in honor of the visiting guests or monarchs. Banquet is responsible for handing all type of function like lunch, dinner, conferences, cocktail receptions, wedding parties, dinner dances, formal sit-down and state banquets. The menu offer is table d'hote, service is varied and the price depends upon the type of customer, menu items and the type of function.
7. Bar: These are specialized outlets serving all types of alcoholic and non alcoholic beverages with light snacks. Most of the bars are expensive as they focus on the niche customers having disposable money for drinks. Service can be elaborated depending on the category of the bar. There are normally two kinds of bars practiced in hotels. One is public and the other is the service or dispense bar. The public bar serves customers, whether residents or non-residents. Cocktail snacks may also be served here. The service of the dispense bar includes other outlets of the same hotel such as coffee shop, banquets, room service, etc. Students should not be confused when they encounter the word Mini bar. Mini bar is just a facility given in guest rooms by providing small refrigerator with some beverages on payment basis.
8. Pub: Pub is the word that signifies the public houses. A pub is defined as an establishment that serves alcoholic beverage for consumption on the premises, especially in Britain. Latest trend is developed to have a discotheque along with the Pub, which serves only beer and some non-alcoholic beverages with limited finger snacks. Pub is considered as meeting place for youngsters.
9. Pastry/Bakery Shops: Pastry and confectionery shops are the take-away type of outlets specializing in pastry, confectionery and bakery. Service is fast and most of the pastry and confectionery  shops now sell out pastries with tea/coffee and other non-alcoholic beverages.
10. Fast Food Outlets: Fast Food outlets deal with convenient food items which generally take less time to prepare. Fast food is operated with the concept of "help yourself". The rates are moderate as the cost of serving manpower is considerably less.
11. Night Clubs/Discotheque: A private club which offers music, dance and cabarets only at night has full-staff-strength and serves extensive A la carte menu along with beverages.
12.  Cafeteria/Canteens: These are self-service full meal outlets, operated within big industries, schools, hostels, hospitals. The menu offered is cyclic and the price range is very reasonable.
13. Cafeteria/Cafe: Serves snacks and coffee, mostly operated a 24 hour and has minimum staff strength.

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Introduction of Food And Beverage Service Department

Food And Beverage Service Department

Introduction

       Food and Beverage Service Department is one of the main service oriented and crucial division of the hotel. It renders the services of prepared food items, beverages, and tobacco in a hospitable way to the customers as per their demand.

       

      The significant feature of this department is that, it is the second highest revenue generating department next to the front office. The important functions include the design and development of menus, pricing, portion control, wastage control, customer staff relations and staff training.

This department comprises of two main operational areas:

• Bar (Service of Beverage)
• Restaurant (Dining services)

       The personnel related to this department must be professionally qualified in terms of service and hospitality. As we know that the role of this department is totally service oriented, the staff need to be in the front line with the customers and ought to be well groomed, smart and hygienic. The food and beverage staff play a significant role in promoting good manifestation and positive influence towards the guests by professional and world class service in hospitable manner.

       

       Today's service industries are focusing on the concept of guest delight which is the improved expression of guest satisfaction. We need to delight the guests to make them satisfied because today's customers visit many corners of the world, they feel the level of service in many place and need to have a changed atmosphere in terms of taste and service. The term food and beverage function is one that encompasses all activities within the hotel and catering establishment, that are together concerned with the provision of food and beverage services within that periphery of that establishment.

       

       Food and beverage service department is furnished with a qualified and skillful brigade headed by food and beverage Manager, who is responsible for planning and coordinating the different food and beverage activities inside the hotel. Food and Beverage Manager is a team leader in terms of food and beverage promotion and management. Down the line, food and beverage Manager is supported by the outlet executive who are responsible for the execution, implementation and the control of food and beverage activities in their area of concern. All outlet executives are again supported by the line supervisor, and waiters and waitresses to delight the customer by serving their wants.

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Introduction To Various Departments Of Hotel

Introduction To Various Departments Of Hotel

          There are various departments in a hotel, which help in the smooth and efficient operation. First four departments are the core or the  important departments in the hotel, which are directly responsible for the day-to-day operation and secondary departments (back of the house) Play significant role to ensure general administration of HR, finance, engineering, sale and marketing, planning etc. Each department in a hotel has its specific function to be performed. functions of various departments within the hotel are given below:

Hood And Beverage

         The food and beverage (F & B) department put forward class service of food and drink. The services may be provided by coffee shops, bars, lounges, specialty restaurants, banqueting, and room service, etc.

Room's Division

         Room's division department is practiced in large hotels in which the numbers of rooms are large and the function is complex and intense. Room's division department consists of the following.

a) Front office

         The front office department is the most visible department in a hotel. The focal point of activity within the front office is the reception desk. The reception desk is usually the place at which guests receive the first impression of the hotel. It is also the communication centre for the hotel's operation.

        The reception desk includes front office cashier, information and registration section. The other sections under front office are telephone exchange, reservations and business center.

       Front office staffs are responsible for reservations of rooms, registration information, cash and credit handling and other sundry services to the guests.

b) Housekeeping

         The housekeeping department is responsible for the management of guest-rooms and the cleanliness of all public areas of a hotel.

         A close liaison between housekeeping and front office is essential so that the information about guest-rooms is kept up to date. For example, which rooms available for letting, which are occupied, which are out of order and which are vacant and dirty.

        The housekeeping and front office usually have a department head or supervisor who reports to the rooms' division manager. Each of the two department is responsible for its own specific operation. Since these two departs have to work very closely together to ensure teamwork.

c) Security

          Security is mainly responsible for the safety and security of hotel guests, visitors and hotel employees. This may include patrolling the hotel premises, monitoring equipments, and in general, ensuring the security of guests, visitors and employees and their belongings.

d) Engineering

            Engineering is responsible for the maintenance and the operation of all machinery and equipment (including heating, air-conditioning and lighting). It is also responsible for carrying out all carpentry, upholstery and small building, plumbing and other works of a hotel.

Purchase & Stores

         Hotel is a commercial endeavor, where we purchase raw materials, give finishing and sell in high prices. As a service industry, hotel purchases materials to support service procedures. Purchase department plays an important role while purchasing all requirements of a hotel. From a sewing kit to a large purchase, it is the job of the purchase department to facilitate with the procedures. Purchase Manager is the incharge of this department. In recent developments, this position is substituted by another position known to be Material Manager who looks after all purchasing and storing activities.

Sales And Marketing

         Who markets the hotel products is sales and marketing department. The sales and marketing department is responsible for generating new business for the hotel. This could be the sales of rooms, functions, conventions, or even restaurants and bars. It also handles the advertising of the hotel as well as sales promotions and publicity and often takes on the role of public relations.

Accounting

        Accounting is responsible for monitoring of all the financial activities of a hotel. Such accounting activities may include cash receipts and banking, the processing of payrolls, accumulating operating data, and the preparation of internal reports, audits and financial statements because of the importance of financial data and statistics.

Human Resource Department (HRD)

          Human Resource Department is responsible for the hiring, firing, training and development of hotel staff. In additions to this, this department is responsible for welfare, collective bargaining and industrial relations. In recent years, this division has gained in importance because of the need to contend with legislation, labor shortages, and the growing pressures of competition. hotels now a days tend to put more effort into training and development programmes to enhance the technical and conceptual knowledge in the staff.

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Management Structure Of A Hotel

Management Structure Of A Hotel

          The management structure of hotel consists of all the positions and responsibilities under the authority of corporate management. Organization chart of hotels in this chapter shows the flow of responsibilities under different heads to facilitate the job to be done on time . General Manager is the administrative in-charge of whole the hotel and accountable to the corporate  management. General Manager is responsible for planning, implementing, monitoring and controlling the activities related to the set goals of the corporate level. All the hotel policies and strategies are also the responsibilities under his head. To carry out  set targets, General Manager cannot manage everything on his own. In large-scale hotels, there comes another position, Executive Assistant Manager (EAM) or in most of the cases Resident Manager (RM). EAM/RM acts as a general manager in his absence. He is responsible for the day-to-day operation of the hotel and is held responsible for major management grievances handling, welfare of staff, safety of property and guests as a whole.

        Total organization of a hotel is divided into different departments to carry out day-to-day functions and to sure an efficient line of communication between all levels of management. Each department has its head of department (HOD), the executives, supervisors and staff under him/her. In a simple sense, the managers or the head of departments (HODs) are responsible for formulating plans of their department. The executives are to execute the plans laid and supervisors are to supervise the executed plans with the help of subordinates. Each step of the operation has a systematic reporting system to facilitate two-way communication among all departments.

        However, in small hotels, the Hotel Manager is responsible for almost all aspect of operation (Planning of budgets, recruitment of staff and ordering of materials, etc.). The management of the hotel depends upon the size of the hotel and the volume of the business. Obviously, in large hotels the General Manager has more administrative functions and is accountable for major management decisions. At same time,there would be a greater specialization of responsibilities among Head of Departments (HODs). 

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What Makes A Hotel Business Flourish?

What Makes A Hotel Business Flourish?

        Within this broad context, hotel developers, owners and management companies will all need to develop new strategies, skills and processes that look forward to the competitive demands of the future. These ultimately must address issues related to vision and planning as well as organizational skill sets and processes to attract and retain customers. Following are some of the key factors to be considered to have a competitive hotel organization.

 Hold a global change direction. As the information age produces greater worldwide integration of business activities, a global knowledge base will become invaluable. Success in local and regional hotel markets will be shaped decisively by a global business environment that defines capital movement, customer expectations and applications of new technologies.

Focus on the Customer. If the customer is "king" in the 21st century, hotel organizations will be best served by focusing less on their hotel assets as measures of success, and more on their customers.

Create a defensible corporate strategy.  Fro many of the industry's leaders, vision is driven by the strategic planning process, a function that has become critical for success.

Empower Management. Beyond the ability to envision the future, core management capabilities will make the difference, they are essential. A clear vision without the management skills to support; it cannot be a recipe for success. First, hotel management must have strategic development skills and the ability to integrate complex factors affecting success. Market volatility has become the norm, in part caused by the rapidly changing tastes of customers.

Be in the information fast lane. The traditional role of Information Technology(IT) as a back office support for accounting and book-keeping has clearly moved front and center stage. IT today influences all aspects of business from corporate strategies to organizational structure and from the very business process, it is designed to support to performance measurement. In a world where the customer is "king," IT must also deliver in two critical areas: sales and marketing and customer service.

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