Front Office Operations
What this domain tests
Domain 5 - Front Office Operations. The exam tests the front-office cycle, sections, room and rate types, records, and occupancy calculations.
The guest cycle
Reservation → registration → rooming → stay services → check-out → settlement → post-stay records. Sections: reception, reservations, cashier, bell desk, concierge, telephone/PBX, business centre, lobby.
Room and rate types
- Rooms: single, double, twin, triple, suite, connecting, adjoining, studio.
- Rates: rack (published), corporate, group, seasonal, package, BAR (best available rate).
Records
Guest Registration Card (GRC), arrival/departure register, room-status report, occupancy forecast, guest folio, key control register. Front office coordinates room status with housekeeping before selling a room.
Worked example
A 120-room hotel has 90 rooms occupied and room revenue of ₹4,95,000. Occupancy = 90 ÷ 120 × 100 = 75%. ARR = ₹4,95,000 ÷ 90 = ₹5,500. RevPAR = ₹4,95,000 ÷ 120 = ₹4,125. Reasoning: if 10 rooms are out of order, sellable rooms are 110, so operational occupancy is 90 ÷ 110 = 81.8%. Always check whether the denominator is total or sellable rooms.
Traps
- Using arrivals instead of rooms occupied.
- Confusing rack rate with actual selling rate.
- Skipping ID verification and payment authorisation at check-in.
- Selling a room housekeeping has marked VD or OOO.
- Mixing up folio (guest account) and GRC (registration record).