Pearson New International Edition International pcl tp indd 1

OVERVIEW OF THE FRONT OFFICE DEPARTMENT
FRONT OFFICE SEMANTICS
Folio:
Detailed list of guestroom and other charges authorized by the guest or legally imposed by the
hotel.
MODERN FRONT OFFICE ISSUES AND TACTICS
Amenities for Budget Business Travelers
In the “old days,” business travelers typically paid a higher price than other travelers for
hotel rooms, products, and services; in return, they expected and received higher levels of
service. Today, however, many business travelers are budget minded and, of necessity,
hotels must downsize amenities that business travelers receive for the reduced prices that
they pay. In the view of many business travelers, hoteliers have forgotten the basics of cus-
tomer service. Hoteliers recognize that their business travelers want to save money, but
they believe that these guests must, therefore, adjust their expectations accordingly.
Corporate travel managers acknowledge that their employees are demanding and that
a large percentage of these travelers believe they should receive a higher level of service
than leisure travelers. Their reasoning is this: They tend to travel in good times and bad
times (although not as frequently in bad times), and they often book hotel rooms on short
notice, thereby filling rooms that would otherwise go unsold.
Creative hoteliers must discover practical ways to meet the expectations of business
travelers in line with the reduced revenues they generate for hotels.
Adapted from Elliott, C. 2004. When business class means second class. New York Times. Business
Travel Section, July 20.