Pearson New International Edition International pcl tp indd 1

FRONT OFFICE SEMANTICS
Service (hotel):
Process of helping guests by addressing their wants and needs with respect and dig-
nity in a timely manner.
Let’s assume that you are checking into a new and beautiful hotel with a multi-
storied atrium. The lobby has marble floors and a cascading waterfall. The flowers
FRONT OFFICE AND THE GUESTS: PLANNING FOR QUALITY SERVICE
Objective 1
Explain that
effective management
of and emphasis on 
guest service is critical
to a hotel’s success.
Lodging as a Guest
Service Business
Objective 3
Describe a system to
design and evaluate 
service delivery
processes that
address guest service
expectations.
Objective 2
Provide an overview
of quality that includes
the role of managers,
suggest a model
to plan quality, and 
review quality 
components and their
impact on
competitiveness.
Objective 4
Discuss the role of 
empowerment, the
use of guest-friendly
processes, and
continuous quality
improvement in
meeting a hotel’s
quality goals.
Delivering Guest
Service through
Employees
Planning Guest
Service Processes
Developing a
Quality Culture
ROADMAP 1
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and plants are attractive, as are the modern (and obviously expensive) furniture, fix-
tures, and design features.
FRONT OFFICE SEMANTICS
Atrium:
Large, central, and open lobby area of a hotel designed to project an ornate and spectacular
reception for guests and others entering the property.
You arrive at the beautiful wood, glass, and marble front desk expecting a welcome
that is in concert with the quality of your first impressions of the environment.
However, the two front desk agents are busy in a personal conversation that contin-
ues until your irritation prompts you to say, “Excuse me, are you able to help me?”
This example, emphasizes a point: The hotel environment that can make you
think, “Wow, this will be great!,” can quickly turn into a question of, “Is this what my
stay in this hotel is going to be like?” Although it is expensive to create the lobby
atmosphere just described, it is often easier to secure the funding to create such an
environment than it is to have staff members available who genuinely and consis-
tently want to please their guests.