Managing Front Office Operations 9th Edition Chapter 5 - Registration

1. Chapter 5: Registration
Competencies for Registration
1. List the seven steps of the registration process, explain the
function of preregistration, and identify preregistration activities.
2. Describe the function of registration records and registration
cards, and identify factors that affect room and rate assignments
during the registration process.
3. Outline procedures for establishing the guest’s method of
payment at registration.
4. Explain the importance of verifying the guest’s identity, outline
proper procedures for issuing guestroom keys or access codes to
guests, and describe the front desk agent’s role in addressing
special requests from guests during registration.
5. Discuss creative registration options, describe techniques used to
upsell guests during registration, and explain how to handle
situations in which guests cannot be accommodated by the hotel.
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2. Chapter 5: Registration
The Registration Process
• Preregistration activities
• Creating the registration record
• Assigning the guestroom and room rate
• Establishing the guest’s method of payment
• Verifying the guest’s identity
• Issuing the room key or access code
• Responding to special requests
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3. Chapter 5: Registration
Preregistration Activities
• Activities that occur before the guest arrives at the property
• Help to accelerate the registration process
• Automated systems reformat data contained in a reservation record
into a registration record
• Typically, preregistered guests need only verify information already
entered onto the registration record and sign a registration form or
card
• Preregistration helps managers plan for the special requirements of
guests
• Some preregistered guests and groups are checked in at a concierge
desk or some other area apart from the front desk
• Some hotels limit preregistration services to VIP guests or groups
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4. Chapter 5: Registration
Creating the Registration Record
• After a guest arrives at the hotel, the front desk agent verifies a
preregistration record or creates a registration record containing
important guest information
• Registration records facilitate the registration process
• The registration record requires a guest to enter or verify his or
her name, address, telephone number, e-mail address, company
affiliation (if appropriate), and other personal data
• There is usually a space for the guest’s signature on the
registration record
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5. Chapter 5: Registration
Creating the Registration Record Continued from previous slide…
• Registration records require guests to indicate an intended method
of payment; if the guest pays or intends to pay with cash, the guest
will probably have a no-post status in the hotel’s revenue centers
(that is, cannot charge purchases to a room account)
• The guest’s departure date should be established or confirmed, as
well as the room rate
• At check-out, the information on the registration record may be
used as the primary source for creating a guest history file
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6. Chapter 5: Registration
Assigning the Guestroom and Room Rate
• Room assignment involves identifying and allocating an available
room in a specific room category to a guest
• On the basis of reservation information, specific rooms and rates
may be pre-assigned to the guest
• To best satisfy guest requests, front desk agents must know the
differences between room types and be capable of querying the
system to determine each guestroom’s rate, occupancy status,
furnishings, location, and amenities
• Typical room status descriptions: occupied, vacant, on-change,
and out-of-order
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7. Chapter 5: Registration
Assigning the Guestroom and Room Rate Continued from previous slide…
• A room rate is the price a hotel charges for overnight
accommodations; the standard or non-discounted rate for a room is
called the “rack rate”
• Room rates are typically confirmed as part of the reservation
process
• Special room rates may include: commercial or corporate,
complimentary, group, family, day, package-plan, and frequent
traveler
• Room rates may include a dining room plan: American Plan,
Modified American Plan, All Inclusive, or European Plan
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8. Chapter 5: Registration
Establishing the Guest’s Method of Payment
• Guests may pay via:
• Cash
• Personal check
• Payment card
• Direct billing
• Special promotional items (vouchers, gift cards, etc.)
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9. Chapter 5: Registration
Paying by Cash
• Some guests prefer to pay their guestroom charges during
registration using cash
• Guests who pay by cash are typically not extended in-house credit;
they are usually put on a PIA (paid-in-advance) list and are not
authorized to charge purchases in the hotel’s retail outlets to their
room accounts
• In most properties, PIA lists are created automatically by a front office
system; such systems will not allow outlet employees to post charges
to guest room accounts
• Hotels consider cashier’s checks, traveler’s checks, and money orders
equivalent to cash; hotel staff should require proper guest
identification when accepting these forms of payment and treat such
transactions as cash payments
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10. Chapter 5: Registration
Paying by Personal Check
• Some hotels allow guests to pay by using personal checks,
others do not
• Some hotels allow guests to cash personal checks as long as
they have a payment card on file that provides a check-cashing
guarantee and the check is not for more than the
guest’s credit limit
• Some hotels accept personal checks only during standard
banking hours (allowing for bank verification of the check)
• Some hotels allow guests to write personal checks only for the
total amount of the guestroom rate and taxes
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11. Chapter 5: Registration
Paying by Personal Check Continued from previous slide…
• Hotels that accept personal checks should require proper
identification
• Hotels should only accept personal checks written on the current
day (not undated or post-dated)
• Personal checks should be made payable to the hotel, not to
“Cash”
• In general, hotels should not accept second- or third-party checks
• Some hotels use a check guarantee service or a system capable of
providing immediate payment of the check via an electronic
transfer
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12. Chapter 5: Registration
Paying Using a Payment Card
• Payment cards include credit and debit cards, contact and contactless cards
• Bank payment cards convey a line of credit and an installment payment plan
to cardholders; travel and entertainment payment cards are expected to be
paid in full each month
• Payment card purchases may be rejected by the issuing entity if the account
is over the pre-approved limit or if the purchase in question will take the
account over the limit
• Debit cards differ from credit cards in that a debit card is attached to a
checking or savings account; when a charge is incurred on a debit card, the
amount is immediately deducted from the account (no credit is extended)
• Debit card purchases can be rejected if there are insufficient funds to cover
the purchases
• Front desk agents should always check the expiration date of a payment card
and refuse to accept an expired card
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13. Chapter 5: Registration
Paying Using a Payment Card Continued from previous slide…
• Once a payment card is swiped or tapped, a card verification service will
issue either an authorization code or a denial code for the transaction
• If a card appears to be invalid, the guest should be asked for an
alternate form of payment
• Payment card companies may assign a floor limit—the maximum
amount of charges a hotel can accept without requesting special
authorization
• Hotels may reserve a specified amount of pre-authorized credit in a
guest’s payment card account to ensure payment
• Front desk agents must be diplomatic when guests have been denied
credit by their card companies
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14. Chapter 5: Registration
Direct Billing
• With direct billing, hotels agree to send a bill to the guest or the
guest’s company after the guest departs the hotel
• Direct billing arrangements are usually established prior to the
guest’s arrival
• The guest (or someone from the guest’s company, if applicable)
may be asked to complete the hotel’s application for credit; the
front office manager normally reviews these credit applications
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15. Chapter 5: Registration
Direct Billing Continued from previous slide…
• A list of approved direct billing accounts is usually maintained
at the front desk
• At check-out, a guest who has made direct billing
arrangements simply signs his or her guest folio after
reviewing its contents, and a statement is mailed
• In a direct billing arrangement, the hotel assumes
responsibility for account collection
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16. Chapter 5: Registration
Special Promotions
• During registration, guests may present vouchers, coupons,
gift certificates, gift cards, or special incentive awards as
payment or partial payment
• Front desk agents must know how to properly handle special
promotion items
• Front desk personnel should maintain a set of samples of all
currently acceptable vouchers, coupons, gift cards,
certificates, and so on
• Training sessions should cover special promotion items and
how to properly handle them
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17. Chapter 5: Registration
Payment Issues for Groups
• Groups differ in the billing arrangements they make for their
members
• In some cases, room and tax charges are direct-billed to a group
master folio or account, with group members responsible for
their incidental charges (food, beverage, dry cleaning, etc.)
• In some cases, a group may pay for all of the charges made by
its members
• In some cases, a group may pay for all charges only for VIP
guests or invited speakers
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18. Chapter 5: Registration
Verifying the Guest’s Identity
• Since the terrorist attacks of 9/11, verifying the identity of
guests has become common practice at nearly all hotels
• Front desk agents commonly ask for photo identification
(driver’s license, passport) when completing the registration
process
• International guests will typically need to present a passport
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19. Chapter 5: Registration
Issuing the Room Key or Access Code
• The guest registration process is completed when the front desk
agent issues a room key to the guest
• For the security of both the guest and the hotel, room keys must
be carefully controlled
• Front desk agents should never announce the room number
when presenting the guestroom key to the guest; room numbers
can be written down, or the guestroom pointed out on a map of
the hotel
• If the hotel provides bell service, the guest can be offered
assistance from a bell attendant
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20. Chapter 5: Registration
Issuing the Room Key or Access Code Continued from previous slide…
• If a bell attendant assists the guest, the attendant is handed the
room key and escorts the guest to the guestroom, handling any
luggage and explaining features of the hotel
• Once inside the guestroom, the bell attendant can explain the
features of the room, answer any questions, and give the room key
to the guest
• If the guest does not like the room, the attendant can listen
carefully to the complaint and bring the matter to the attention of
the front desk agent for corrective action
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21. Chapter 5: Registration
Responding to Special Requests
• Part of the guest registration process involves acknowledging
and acting on special guest requests
• Guestroom special requests include: room type, location,
view, bed type, smoking/no-smoking status, amenities, special
furnishings for disabled guests, high-speed Internet access,
entertainment systems
• The front office staff should follow up on each request to
make sure it has been fulfilled
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22. Chapter 5: Registration
Creative Registration Options
• Eliminating the front desk
• Registering group guests at a special location
• Creating a unique, separate registration area for VIP guests
• Combining hotel registration and meeting registration in a
separate area for arriving group members
• Registering guests off-site
• Temporary luggage storage
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23. Chapter 5: Registration
Self Registration
• Self-registration terminals may be located on or off hotel grounds
• Self-registration may be performed through a mobile device or
property website
• Self-registration can significantly reduce guest registration time
• To use a self-registration option, a guest generally must have made
a reservation that led to the creation of a reservation record
• At the time of self-registration, a guest may need to enter a
reservation confirmation number or swipe/tap a payment card or
guest-loyalty-program card
• Self-registration terminals typically connect to a rooms
management system, enabling automatic room and rate
assignment; some terminals dispense guestroom keys to guests
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24. Chapter 5: Registration
Selling the Guestroom
• Upselling: the efforts of reservations and front desk agents to
offer guests the opportunity to reserve rooms in categories
above standard rate accommodations
• Staff must be trained to be salespeople, not just order-takers
• Reservations and front office staff should learn to effectively
suggest room upgrade options
• Some hotels offer incentive programs to staff for upselling
guestrooms
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25. Chapter 5: Registration
Denying Accommodations
• In general, a hotel is obligated to accommodate guests if rooms are
available; unlawful discrimination is prohibited
• Walk-in guests: hotels have no obligation to accommodate guests
without a reservation when no guestrooms are available
• Guests with non-guaranteed reservations: if guests arrive past the
hotel’s reservation cancellation hour, a room may not be available,
because a hotel is not obligated to hold a reservation past that
point and may have sold the no-longer-reserved room
• Guests with guaranteed reservations: if reservations are carefully
handled and sound forecasting procedures are followed, the hotel
should not have to deny accommodations to these guests; it is a
serious matter to turn away a guest with a guaranteed reservation
(some states have laws prohibiting hotels from doing so)
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