Registration/Check in Procedures

Sunil Kumar
Project Fellow
Institute of Hotel and Tourism Management,
MAHARSHI DAYANAND UNIVERSITY, ROHTAK
Haryana- 124001 Ph. No. 09996000499
email: skihm86@yahoo.com
linkedin:- in.linkedin.com/in/ihmsunilkumar
facebook: www.facebook.com/ihmsunilkumar
webpage: chefsunilkumar.tripod.com
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.

Topics for Registration
Topics for Registration
4. Outline procedures for establishing the guests
method of payment at registration.

5. Describe the front desk agents role in addressing
special requests from guests during registration.

6. Describe techniques used to upsell guests during
registration and explain how to handle situations in
which guests cannot be accommodated by the
hotel.
Pre-registration activity

Create the registration record

Assign room and rate

Establish method of payment

Issue room key

Fulfill special requests



The receptionists functions
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.


Pre-registration
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.


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



Registration Card Data
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:


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

Room Rate Categories
Room Rate Categories
Complimentary
Group
Family
Day use rates
Frequent traveler





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

Method of payment
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
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.

Identification required on face of check:
Drivers license number
Address
Telephone number
Hotels normally do not cash second-and third-party
checks
Personal check guarantee services

Payment by Personal Check
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
Expiration date

On-line authorization

Invalid cards

Cancellation bulletins

Imprinting the voucher

Floor limits

Reserving credit



Payment by Credit Card
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.
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.
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
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
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.
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.


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.
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.
Registration


Check In & Check Out Procedures


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?


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.
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

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
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.
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.




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





Room Number Advisement

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


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.
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.

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.


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.
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