Pearson New International Edition International pcl tp indd 1

FRONT OFFICE : HUB OF THE HOTEL
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To view a history of hotel fires and to read case studies of several, go to
www.iklimnet.com (click on “Fires / Hotel,” then click on “Big Hotel Fires” or
“Hotel Fire Case.”
REAL-WORLD ACTIVITIES
1. If possible, talk with a local hotel’s general manager or FOM about the agenda
items discussed at a typical executive committee meeting. What role, if any, does
information contained in PMS reports play in these meetings? What topics are of
most concern to the FOM? Are there issues that point to the relationship between
the front office and other hotel departments?
2. Review Web sites for hotel PMS suppliers, including those listed in the “Front
Office and the Internet” section. Do these systems help the FOM schedule front
office labor? For example, do estimates of room occupancy interface with systems
to schedule front office staff based on the volume of business forecasted?
3. If possible, talk with an FOM about types of group meetings and the impact that
the type of group membership has on the types of guestrooms sold. What, from
the FOM’s perspective, are the pros and cons of guestroom sales patterns of the
various groups?
4. Research articles on terrorism. For example, go to www.hotel-online.com and
scroll to the bottom of the site. Type terrorism into the “Find It Fast” box. Develop
a list of tactics that hoteliers may use to best ensure the safety of their guests,
employees, and property.
5. If possible, talk with one or more hotel department heads. Ask what information
generated by the FOM is of most use to them. What are the most frequent ways
that they interact with the FOM?
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