Registration/Check in Procedures

1
Registration/Check in Procedures
2
Topics for Registration

• 1. Explain the function of pre-registration and
  identify pre-registration activities.
• 2. Describe the function of registration records
  and registration cards.
• 3. Identify factors that affect room and rate
  assignments during the registration process.

3
Topics for Registration

• 4. Outline procedures for establishing the
  guests method of payment at registration.
• 5.  Describe the front desk agents role in
  addressingspecial requests from guests during
  registration.
• 6.  Describe techniques used to upsell guests
  duringregistration and explain how to handle
  situations inwhich guests cannot be accommodated
  by thehotel.

4
The receptionists functions
Pre-registration activity Create the
registration record Assign room and rate
Establish method of payment Issue room key
Fulfill special requests
5
Pre-registration

• Accelerates registration process
• Through the reservations process, a guest
  provides nearly all the information needed to
  complete registration.
• Guests with reservations experience (i.e.
  expected arrivals) experience a more rapid
  check-in due to the information.
• Preregistration helps plan fro the special
  requirements of guest as well as of the hotel.
• For example, frequent guest may have special
  room they enjoy at the hotel and guests with
  disabilities may need rooms outfitted to their
  special needs.

6
Pre-registration (cont)

• Guests verify reservation record data
• Activities may include
• Room and rate assignment
• Creation of guest folio
• For instance, a hotel courtesy van picks up a
  guest arriving at the airport who has a hotel
  reservation. The driver with appropriate
  information and form can request a guests
  signature and this allows FO to get ready credit
  approval, room key and print a waiting message.

7
Registration Card Data

• The registration record is a collection of
  important personal and financial guest
  information. A typical registration record
  includes
• Name
• Address
• Telephone number
• Company affiliation
• Payment method

8
Registration Card Data (continued)

• Expected arrival date
• Planned departure date or length of stay
• Required room rate
• Required room type
• Room number
• Method of payment
• Special requests
• Signature
• Guest registration information items flow to
  different areas and functions of the hotel

9
Room and Rate Assignment

• Room assignment is an important part of the
  registration process.
• Room assignment involves identifying and
  allocation an available room in a specific room
  category to a guest.
• Room assignments are finalised during the
  registration process.

10
Room status continued

• At registration, receptionist contacts the
  housekeeping department to be informed about the
  last status of hotel rooms so that they can
  assign only clean and available for sale rooms to
  their guests.
• That's why, the Front office, Housekeeping
  maintain a high degree of collaboration between
  them.
• The front office and housekeeping department
  continuously update the status of each single
  room. Below is the typical housekeeping room
  status flow of any single room
• Occupied ? On-change ? Clean and Available for
  Sale

11
Room status continued

• The front office and housekeeping department
  shall frequently reconcile and compare their
  updated reports (especially under the manual
  system) for any possible room status Discrepancy.
  
• The aim is to detect these very discrepancies
  before it's financially and timely too late, and
  correct them.

12
Room Rates

• Front office department shall finalize room rates
  with guests during the registration process.
  Moreover, rack rates shall only be applicable for
  walk-ins especially during the high season.
• The room rates might be affected by
• Seasonality
• Variations in the number of guests assigned to
  rooms
• Service level
• Room location
• Type of Guest and / or usage (ex. commercial,
  corporate, complementary, group, family, day, and
  package-plan )

13
Room Rate Categories

• Rack rate
• Room rate and meals (package rate)
• Special room rates
• Commercial/corporate

14
Room Rate Categories

• Complimentary
• Group
• Family
• Day use rates
• Frequent traveler
•  

15
Method of payment

•  
• The registration process plays an important role
  because FO receptionists gather information on
  the intended method of payment.
• Cash
• No-post status
• Cash equivalents
• Cashiers checks
• Travelers checks
• Money orders

16
Cash

• Guests intending to settle their accounts by cash
  have no in-house charge privileges and, hence,
  all their purchases should be paid in advance
  (i.e. PIA status), which means that as guests
  purchase any kind of service or product, they
  must pay for it immediately.
• In accordance to cash payment, FO Receptionists
  prepare lists of PIA guests and communicate them
  to all Point of Sales outlets.
• On the other hand, paying immediately might not
  suit some guests (even though intending to settle
  their accounts by cash), that's why hotels might
  give guest charge privileges, at the condition
  they provide an imprint of a valid card or an
  approved direct billing privilege at registration

17
Personal Cheques

• Nowadays, very few hotels still accept personal
  checks as a method of payment due to the high
  probability of fraud associated with this method.
• In fact, in order to accept personal checks,
  most hotels necessitates that these very checks
  be supported by a credit card with a
  check-cashing guarantee, that the amount to be
  cashed against checks shall be within the hotels
  established limit, and preferably accept personal
  checks only during standard business hours where
  banks are open.
• If personal checks are to be accepted, front
  office personnel shall imprint the credit card on
  the backside of the guest personal check and
  record the Guest ID card or driving license
  certificate along with the guests address and
  telephone number on the face of the check.

18
Payment by Personal Check
  Identification required on face of
check Drivers license number Address Telep
hone number Hotels normally do not cash
second-and third-party checks Personal
check guarantee services
19
Credit Cards

• Credit cards, nowadays, become a preferable
  method of payment for guests and hotels. In
  accordance to this very method of payment, front
  office receptionist should check the following
  items before accepting the credit card as a
  method of payment
• Expiration Date
• Invalid Credit Card This can be checked either
  by on-line authorization systems, or comparing
  the card across some cancellation bulletins
• Credit card floor limit

20
Payment by Credit Card
Expiration date On-line authorization
Invalid cards Cancellation bulletins
Imprinting the voucher Floor limits
Reserving credit
21
Direct billing

• Some guests (especially VIP) do not prefer to
  wait at checkout queues like other guests before
  departure.
• They, rather, prefer, only to sign their guest
  folios, go to their homes, later receive a
  certain invoice detailing their charges while
  they were staying at the hotel to be settled by
  payment to hotel bank accounts.
• In order to satisfy the needs of this category of
  guests, hotels created the direct billing
  process.

22
Direct billing (continued)

• To be eligible for a direct billing privilege,
  guests at pre-arrival stage or maximum at the
  arrival stage fill a hotel credit application
  form along with the provision of an imprint of a
  valid credit card.
• This very form is sent to the Front Office
  manager, or Rooms Division manager or Account
  receivable for approval. If not approved, guests
  are requested to pay with any of the other
  methods of payments.

23
Issuing Room Keys

• With the issuing of room keys, the rooming
  process gets to an end. However, concerning room
  keys, front office clerks shall respect hotel's
  written policies governing guestroom key control.
• As an illustration, front desk agents shall only
  handle the room key to the guest without
  announcing and/or spelling out the room number.
  This is a vital requirement to protect and ensure
  guest safety and privacy.
• After guest is handed his/her room key, front
  office receptionists offer bellboy assistance

24
Fulfilling Special Requests

• The Front Office department shall watch for any
  guest special requests and try promptly to
  satisfy them. This way creates a good and
  professional relationship with the guests and
  increases the probability that the hotel will
  receive these guests for another time in the
  future (i.e. repeat guests)
• Guests' requests are usually grouped under the
  following categories
• Room type
• Bed type
• Location
• View
• Amenities

25
Up-selling

• The receptionist/reservation staff offer guests
  to buy rooms in categories above standard rate
  accommodation..
• The receptionist must be trained to be
  professional salespeople.
• Up-selling involves knowing how and when to ask
  for a sale in a non-pressuring way and how to
  direct the sale from the guests perspective.

26
Suggestion for up-selling guestroom

• Always greet each guest with a smile in your
  voice as well as on your face.
• Establish and maintain eye contact with the
  guest.
• Always use courteous titles such as Mr or Ms.
  Do not call a guest by his or her first name.
• Attempt to identify the needs of the guest (
  amenities, furnishing) Honeymoon or special
  vacation guest may be willing to pay for a suite.
• Up-sell the rooms when possible. (show the room,
  features etc.)
• Complete the registration process.
• Thank the guest and wish him/her a pleasant stay.

27
When guests cannot be accommodated

• Walk-in guest ( A guest who arrive without a
  prior reservation)
• Hotels have no obligation to accommodate when no
  rooms are available for the night..
• Suggest and direct to alternative hotels nearby
  to assist the guest.. This gesture create and can
  reap some significant benefits and good will.

28
When guests cannot be accommodated

• Guest with Non-Guaranteed Reservations
• A guest who has the reservation but which is not
  guaranteed.
• The hotels have no obligation to accommodate if
  the guest arrive after cancelling hour. (6 PM of
  arrival date)
• FO must be extremely tactful when informing the
  guest.
• Blame should not be placed on either party since
  the lack of accommodations is neighter the
  guests nor the hotels fault.

29
Registration

• Check In Check Out Procedures

30
Welcome to the hotel

• It is important to acknowledge all guest in the
  lobby at all times with a friendly greeting.
• Most of hotels standard greeting is
• Good morning Welcome to E hotel
• Good afternoon Welcome to E hotel
• Good evening Welcome to E hotel
• How can I help you? How can I assist you?

31
Detailed steps to register a guest

• Guest arrives with reservation
• Step (one) Greet the guest. Make guest feel
  welcome and listen carefully.
• Step (Two) Ask guest name, retrieve
  reservation and give Registration card and pen.
• Ask guest to complete details required on
  registration card and explain.

32
steps

• Step (Three) Confirm details ( length of
  stay, departure date
• Step (four) Allocate room ( Ask guest if
  they have a preference (smoking, non smoking/
  specific floor)
• Step (five) Check registration card to
  ensure all details are complete/has been signed/
  method of payment stipulated

33
steps

• Step (Six) Act according to Methods of
  payments and sell the hotel.
• Step (seven) Issue key ( sell hotel facilities
  and services/ offer assistance with wake up
  calls, and others.)
• Step (eight) Give guest directions using open
  handed gestures Final welcome and introduce to
  porter
• Complete paperwork, Registration card

34
Eye Contact

• All staff must ensure that they make eye contact
  with guest upon arrival at the hotel, and
  continue this throughout any further dealings
  with the guests.
• All staff must also make a conscious effort to
  address guests clearly and directly whilst
  serving them at the front desk.
• Staff must make every effort not to spend entire
  interaction with guest facing down at the
  computer screen.

35
Preferences

• During the process of check in, staff must ensure
  they confirm the guests reservation preferences
  such as king size bed or twin and
  Smoking/Nonsmoking.
• Whilst every effort should be made on the staffs
  part to ensure preferences are met over and above
  those reserved, a simple explanation should
  suffice in the instance that you cannot
  accommodate an additional request.

36
Details of Stay

• Ensue the following items are confirmed with the
  guest on check in
• Room rate (non verbally) when guest is POA only
• Payment method and inclusions
• Departure Date
• Departure Time

37
Room Number Advisement

• During the check in process staff is to advise
  the guest of their room number and location non
  verbally.

38
Pleasantries

• At the completion of the check in process before
  the guest leaves the reception area Staff is to
  make eye contact with the guest and wish them a
  pleasant stay.
• Every effort is to be made on the Staffs part
  to ensure the pleasantry is sincere and warm.

39
Departure Assistance

• During the check in process please ask if guest
  requires help with their departure such as
  arranging a wake up call and luggage collection
  time, or transport to the airport.
• If a guest does require onward transport
  arrangements please ensure all detail are
  collected from guest (date, time, pax,
  destination etc) and advise the guest that you
  will organize for the concierge department to
  make these arrangements and have them call the
  guests direct to confirm.

40
Frequent Flyer Program

• Staff are to ask guests if they are a member
  of any frequent flyer program during check in if
  they are eligible.
• Eligibility requirements
• Staff is to input data into guest profile at
  point of check in.

41
Express Check Out

• Express check out It eliminates the need for the
  guest to physically present at reception to
  settle their account.
• Staff should ask all guests who will be settling
  their own account if they wish for an express
  check out.
• If the guest would like one please set a trace
  the day before departure for the Night audit team.

42
Package Details

• Accommodation/package such as room only, or room
  and breakfast.
• Executive club benefits if they are entitled to
  them including operational hours.
• Amenities