Pearson New International Edition International pcl tp indd 1

SOF (signature on file).
535

---

GUEST CHARGES, PAYMENT, AND CHECK-OUT
FRONT OFFICE SEMANTICS
SOF (signature on file):
Signature obtained from a guest at check-in. If a guest has been properly
checked in, the SOF will be on the guest’s registration card.
Sometimes guests leave the hotel unwilling or unable to pay their charge. A pre-
vious section of the chapter described the procedures required to settle the accounts
of guests using payment cards who refuse to sign their final bills. Occasionally, a
guest’s payment card cannot be charged the total amount owed because the card is
not authorized for the full amount due. FOMs must ensure that their guests main-
tain adequate creditworthiness. Credit limits may be exceeded because of errors in
credit management, a guest overstaying, or significant purchases made by the guest.
If these situations are not addressed promptly, the result may be unpaid and, perhaps,
even uncollectable charges on the folio. Doubtful accounts can also occur when hotels
allow guests to pay with cash; no creditworthiness has been established beyond the
cash received at check-in. If these guests overstay or make purchases beyond the
funds already paid, collection of money owed may be difficult.
FOMs who cannot use standard methods of collecting money owed by guests
who cannot or will not pay, and whose job responsibilities make them accountable for
settlement of these accounts have several options:
•
Settle the account to a direct bill. Even though the guest may not have previously
established a direct bill account, the postdeparture creation of and charge to a
direct bill account in the city ledger will zero out the guest’s account. The
hotel’s normal efforts in direct bill collection could then be used to secure
payment.
•
Settle the account to doubtful accounts. When an FOM believes that the hotel is
not likely to collect charges owed, identifying the debt as one whose collection
is doubtful will move the balance from the guest ledger to the doubtful
accounts section of the city ledger. Collection efforts may still be made on guest
charges transferred to a doubtful account. However, most often these accounts
are designated as doubtful because the departed guest’s address or other con-
tact information is missing, is in error, or is fraudulent. As a result, the collec-
tion rate on these accounts is typically very low.
•
Settle the account with an adjustment voucher. Especially when the amounts
owed to the hotel are relatively small, some FOMs use an adjustment voucher
to immediately write off unpaid accounts.