Front Office Systems

1. Front Office Systems Technology used for front office recordkeeping and equipment

2. 3 Stages of Front Office System: • Non – Automated System (Manual) • Semi – Automated System (Electro-Mechanical) • Fully – Automated System (Computer Based)

3. Non – Automated System A system of front office recordkeeping characterized by the exclusive use of handwritten forms. The elements of non – automated systems determined the structure of many front office processes in even the most advanced automated facilities.

4. Semi – Automated System Also called electro – mechanical, front office system that uses both handwritten and machine-produced forms.

5. Advantages of a semi – automated system over a non – automated system include automatically generated – and easy-to-read documents that detail the steps of a transaction. These documents represent what is known as the audit trail. The disadvantages of semi – automated equipment are that equipment may be difficult to learn, complex in operation, not integrated with other systems, and subject to maintenance problems.

6. Fully – Automated System A computer-based system of front office recordkeeping that eliminates the need for many handwritten and machine-produced forms common in non – automated and semi – automated systems.

7. Front Office Forms

8. Pre - Arrival • Reservation Record • Computer-based Reservation File • Letter of Confirmation • Reservation Rack Slips

9. Arrival • Registration Card • Room Rack Slips • Guest Folio

10. Occupancy • Vouchers • Charge vouchers, allowance vouchers, transfer vouchers, paid-out vouchers. • Information Rack Slips

11. Departure • Credit Card Voucher • Transfer Voucher • Guest History Record