Pearson New International Edition International pcl tp indd 1

Word-of-mouth advertising
Informal conversations between persons as they discuss their
positive or negative experiences at a hotel.
Work order
Form used to initiate and document a request for maintenance.
Work process
Series of tasks (steps) undertaken to achieve a specific purpose. A typical
employee must have the knowledge and skills necessary to perform several work processes.
Wow factor
Feeling guests have as they experience an unanticipated extra during their visit
to a hospitality operation.
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Write-off
Act of declaring a legitimate debt uncollectible. A write-off can also be the
result of a decision that the amount owed is too small to justify significant collection
efforts. Used as in, “Tom, we have a $1 late charge from the gift shop that should have
been posted to room 231. The couple in that room has already checked out, so fill out a
voucher and we’ll just write off the $1.
X report
Term commonly used to indicate the total revenue generated by a revenue-producing
department during one part of a specific time period—typically one shift. The term is
used when referring to a point-of-sale or other electronic register or system that keeps a
continuous running total of revenues generated. Sometimes called a shift report.