Pearson New International Edition International pcl tp indd 1

Discussion Questions:
1. No hotel department is more important that others; all are necessary to serve
guests and help the property be successful. How then would you explain the
primary contributions made by the FOM and his or her staff?
2. The front office coordinates guest service, centralizes operating information,
and facilitates the work of hotel employees. What are important examples of
each of these three responsibilities?
3. This chapter emphasized ways that the front office assists other hotel depart-
ments. What are some ways that staff members in other departments help their
peers in the front office?
sales, which are affected by interactions among the FOM, general manager,
and director of sales and marketing. Using information in PMS reports, they
develop tactics to maximize the sale of rooms to transient guests and to
groups.
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Facilitation of work of hotel staff. Department heads use PMS reports generated
by the front office department to develop work plans, to schedule staff
members, and to make work assignments. Much of this effort is focused on
having guestrooms available that meet the property’s quality standards and on
providing guests the services they want.
Every department and every staff member—management and non-management—
contribute value to the organization. The front office staff serves guests and assists
their peers as they work to make each guest’s visit as enjoyable as possible. In this way,
the FOM and his or her staff contribute to the hotel’s profitability, because if guests
are satisfied, the hotel can compete successfully with other properties marketing to
the same travelers.
The important task of anticipating and addressing guests’ needs begins with an
attitude of hospitality and genuine concern for doing so. Technology helps managers
and staff to deal with the volume of business, but the hospitality “delivered” by the
hotel’s staff, including those in the front office, remains the critical factor in making
the hotel successful.
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