these questions are from the book named \'check-in check-out managing hotel oper
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these questions are from the book named 'check-in check-out managing hotel operations (9th edition)' chapter8, page 242, problem 2,4,5. I'd like to get the answer detail and explain from this chapter.
1.Foreign registration cards often require significantly more personal information than is required fro domestic registration cards. Some management personnel feel that this extra data amounts to an invasion of the guest's privacy. Other managers, however, believe this extra information aids the hotel in providing better security and service levels to the guest. With whom do you side?Why might a hotel legitimately need to know your future and past destinations, your mother's maiden name, and your data of birth?
2.A local merchant, whose attempts to service the hotel's guest laundry and dry-cleaning business have been frustrated, visits with the new rooms manager. (The laundry of this 600-room, commercial hotel does not clean personal guest items.) The conversations makes the rooms manager realized that she has never seen commission figures on any of the reports. She learns that the bellcaptain, who doesn't seem to do any work-that is, he doesn't take fronts gets the commissions.
The rooms manager initiates a new policy. All commissions from car rentals, bus tours, ski tickets, laundry, balloon rides, and so on will accrue to the hotel. An unresolved issue is whether or not the money will go into the employee's welfare fund.
A very angry bellcaptain presents himself at the office of the vice-president of the rooms division. Explain with whom you agree (the rooms manager or the bellcaptain) and prepare an argument to support your opinion.
3.Some hotels upgrade corporate guests to nicer rooms when space is available. Usually, the guest need not even ask for this courtesy it is offered as standard operating procedure. Managers of such properties believe that the corporate guest appreciates the courtesy and the nicer room. And since the room is not likely to sell anyway, why not make someone happy?
The revers side of this argument, however, suggests that the guest comes to expect this treatment and even feels slighted if only standard rooms are available. In addition, hotels that give upgrades away free are doing themselves a disservice in terms of upselling corporate guests to a higher rate. After all, why should corporate guests ever select higher-priced rooms (or concierge floor rooms) when they are given at no extra charge as a matter of standard practice? How would you respond to these arguments?
Explanation / Answer
1. I believe that this extra information is required and will be helpful in providing better security to everyone concerned - the guests at the hotel as well as the employees. Details are checked for foreign or international registration to see if the foreign guests have a valid passport and valid stay visa. Any anamolies will require a flag to be raised as it can compromise with the safety of the guests at the hotel. Another important reason to see the details of the foreign tourist is that it will help the hotel in offering the foreign tourist better and more personalized services. Suppose the documents reveal that the foreign guest is a Japenese national who has been living in London for the last decade. This will help the hotel offer services to appeal to the Japenese beliefs of the guest and at the same time appeal to his western exposure.
2. I agree with the room manager, but only if the commission amount will go to the employee welfare fund. Commissions should be distributed among all the employees of the hotel. The morale of the employees in general will increase if all of them are benefited from the earned commissions. The most effective way to do this is to form an employee welfare fund.
3. Corporate guests are repeat customers and their companies can offer bulk business at any given point for their MICE (meetings, incentives, confrences and exhibitions). So by giving them upgrades is a way of showing the hotel's willingness to provide the best available services, facilities and aminities to these corporate guests. Moreover, the upgrades are not given always, they are given only on availability.
By offering corporate customers the best that can be offered, hotel is strengthening the loyalty of these guests. All these efforts will benefit the hotel in the long run. So, i believe the hotel should offer upgrades as it makes a strong business case for itself.
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