Check Out Process

CHECK–OUT PROCESS

Check out point is the last contact a guest will have with the property and experience at this point will determine what kind of impression will a guest carry with him/her. In other words, if it is smooth guest will carry pleasant memories. Thus, to make this point more efficient and error proof, you shall divide it in to three parts:

a) Guest vacating the room;

b) Guest settling the bill; and

c) Guest departing.

Guest vacating the room usually depends upon the hotel’s check out time. Usually the check out time is 12 noon. Sometimes depending on the availability of the room and the type of client the check out time can be extended for the guest on special request. Following a routine check out time helps the hotel since the housekeeping can prepare the room for the next guest. Still there are small hotels which provide the guests with flexi-check-out time. In these cases next guest allotted this room has to wait in the lobby because the upkeeping of the room takes time.

Guest accounts

Figure VI: The Types of Accounts and the Settlement Methods

As the above illustration suggests, bill settlement is the next important component of check out process. Usually the bills are updated during the night so as to provide the bills for guests checking out early in the day. It is advisable to ask the guest before time when he or she would be checking out to ensure that the staff has some idea when the guest would be checking out and have a bill ready at Own accounts settled by guest Settled by organizations check-out. The bill would include the room service charges as well as any other unpaid bills for services rendered by different departments of the hotel. Yet the settlement of the bill can take some time, as the guest would like to recheck the bill before making the payment or may the payment be credited to the account of the company whom the guest is representing.

The actual guest departure, however, takes place only when the guest returns the keys and leaves the premises. The guest is provided with transportation if required and paid for. The guest folio created is updated for future use.

12.8 THE ELECTRONIC FRONT OFFICE (EFO)

In the modern age of computerisation, front office is becoming very important to provide efficient, effective and reliable services to the guest with the optimum use of technology. The computerization of the front office is a part of the Property Management System, wherein all the departments of a property/hotel are linked to the mainframe. It is important to state here that EFO does not work independently but is also connected with other departments of the hotel. Clearly illustrates the inter-dependence of EFO with the other departments of the hotel. Let us now discuss the significance of computerisation and consequent inter-dependence of the front office with the other departments.