Pearson New International Edition International pcl tp indd 1

FRONT OFFICE PROPERTY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
The FOM in Action: A Solution
What should the FOM do when changes in technol-
ogy can enhance guest services but, at the same
time, be misunderstood by others in the organiza-
tion? Sometimes simply determining the problem to
be solved can be the FOM’s biggest challenge. In the
case of Lexington Lodge, communication, not high-
speed Internet access, is the real issue. It appears
that Gabriel, the new general manager, may not have
realistic expectations about the capability of the
front office system. He must be informed about the
potential and the limitations of the property’s PMS as
they relate to the new guest-service enhancement:
high-speed Internet connections.
Recall that a hotel’s PMS needs an interface
for automatic posting of charges to a guest folio. It
is highly unlikely that Lexington Lodge’s PMS has a
direct interface with the high-speed Internet
provider, or that the PMS can even detect high-
speed Internet use in the guestroom.
High-speed Internet access can be provided
in a variety of ways—through existing telephone
lines, newly installed or existing coaxial cable, or
wireless hot spots. The technologies are most
often implemented specifically to bypass the
hotel’s telephone call accounting system to
increase available bandwidth. Unfortunately, this
does result in lower telephone revenues, because
guests no longer incur charges for using the older
and slower dial-up Internet connections. Devices
that allow for guest-initiated Internet connections
can be issued from the front desk, but many hotels
have found the required procedures are cumber-
some, and most guests find them to be burden-
some. The hotel industry is quickly moving away
from viewing high speed Internet access as a
guest enhancement for which additional charges
may be assessed, toward the view that it is an
amenity that most guests expect to receive at no
extra charge.
At Lexington Lodge, any solution to be imple-
mented must begin with information-sharing ses-
sions between Libby, the FOM, and Gabriel. Libby