Pearson New International Edition International pcl tp indd 1

OVERVIEW OF THE FRONT OFFICE DEPARTMENT
experience, and other bona fide occupational qualifications) that are judged neces-
sary for successful performance within a position.
FRONT OFFICE SEMANTICS
Job description:
List of tasks that an employee working in a specific position must be able to perform
effectively.
Job specification:
List of personal qualities judged necessary for successful performance of the tasks
required by the job description.
Bona fide occupational qualification (BOQ):
Qualification to perform a job that is judged reasonably
necessary to safely or adequately perform all tasks within the job.
An interesting trend is that hotel organization charts, including sections applica-
ble to the front office, are becoming more flat.
FRONT OFFICE SEMANTICS
Flat (organization chart):
Combination of positions within an organization to reduce the number of man-
agement layers in efforts to improve communication, increase operating efficiencies, and reduce costs.
For example, as technology applications allow FOMs to “do more with less,” the
number of management positions and the managers within them may be reduced.
Some observers of the hotel industry note the irony that technology has had a very
significant influence on hotel departments with the fewest number of people (e.g.,
front office, accounting, and marketing and sales). In contrast, departments with the
largest number of staff members (e.g., food and beverage, and housekeeping) have
been unable to significantly reduce the number of positions and staff members by
adapting technology to departmental operations.