Perform Office Procedures

1
Perform Office Procedures

• SITXADM001A
• TAFE (2009)

2
Learning outcomes

• On completion of this lesson, you will be able
  to
• Process a range of office documents.
• Identify and use office equipment.
• Manage equipment malfunctions.
• Produce a range of office documents
• Maintain correct filing and storage systems for
  front office by following the hotel security
  procedures.

3
Office documents

• Office documents are
• Customer Records
• Incoming and outgoing correspondence
• Financial control documents
• Telephone messages
• Policies and procedures
• Memos
• Reports
• Meeting agendas and minutes

4
Documents used in accommodation services

• Internal use documents Those documents used
  within the organisation.
• Front office diary All front office operations
  use a diary, (log book )
• To facilitate communication between staff.
• To record information about the daily activities
  in the hotel.
• To pass on information from one shift to another
  or between working colleagues.
• It is a standard practice for all the staff to
  read the diary at the start of the shift.

5
Internal documents continued

• Daily running sheet A form of checklist for,
  reminder about the duties to be completed on a
  particular shift in the front office.
• Guest request Sheets The request sheet will
  detail
• The guests name and room number
• Time the request was made
• What the request is
• Name of the person who look after the request.(
  the requests usually includes, bags to be
  collected, iron or iron board, ice bucket,
  newspaper etc.)

6
continued

• Guest mail
• Reservation slip
• Registration Card
• Guest Profiles
• Financial control documentation
• Wake up calls sheet
• Telephone message pads
• Department policy and procedures
• Memorandums
• Reports and minutes

7
Continued

• Policy- A statement about the venues position on
  an issue.
• Example Theft by employees is a dismissible
  offence.
• Procedures is a step by step guide to performing
  a task.
• Memo/Memorandums Internal use document for
  communicating a brief message to many staff at
  once.

8
Continued

• Minutes The record of the meeting.
• Agenda the list of the points or topics to be
  discussed at a meeting.
• Vouchers It is a form of currency. The voucher
  entitles the holder to the goods, or services.
• Accommodation Voucher
• Gift Voucher
• Service Voucher

9
External use documents

• Correspondence
• 1.Request for confirmation of reservation
• 2. Sales letter from suppliers
• 3. Request for information
• 4. Letter of complaints
• 5. Job application
• 6. Confirmation of reservations
• 7. Guests account
• 8. Responding to letters of complaints

10
continued

• Invoices a request for payment for the services
  or goods supplied.
• It provides a detailed account of actual goods or
  services bought, date supplied, cost per unit and
  settlement details.
• Receipts Receipts are issued in exchange for a
  payment.

11
Business equipments

• Describe the type of business equipment required
  to operate a Front Office facility.
• Paper Shredder
• Fax
• Computer
• Printer
• Stapler
• Credit card machine
• Photocopier
• Franking Machine
• puncher

12
Switchboard /PABX

• Private automated branch exchange
• Switchboard is a piece of equipment a hotel to
  manage several telephone lines and multiple
  extensions.
• Switchboard is capable of
• Receiving several calls at once
• Making several calls at once
• Interfacing with hotels property management
  system (PMS) to record calls made and
  automatically charge the charges.
• Place many calls on hold or transfer calls

13
Photocopier

• A Photocopier, similar to a fax machine, will
  produce an exact copy of a document. It enables
  to reproduce documents without the need to retype
  or reprint them.
• Rapidly copying several one or two sided pages
• Stapling collated documents.
• Reducing or increasing the size of the copied
  documents
• Reproducing in colour or back and white.

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Photocopy machine

• Avoid Inhaling the toner dust as it can damage
  your lungs. 
• Looking directly at the light while the
  photocopier is in operation as it is not good for
  your eyes.
• Touching the hot rollers or elements of the
  photocopier as they will burn you. 
• Misusing electrical equipment. For example, keep
  dry and ventilated to avoid electric shock.

15
Facsimile

• The word facsimile means an exact copy.
• A fax machine reproduces written documents
  received from or sent to external locations by
  electronically scanning and transmitting the
  document via a telephone line.
• Fax machine process only one single-sided page.
• Fax machine sends or receives the documents
  within minutes of transmission.

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Fax machine

• note that once you have sent the message to a
  wrong number there is no way of " retrieving "
  it.
• You may not even be aware that you have sent the
  message to the wrong person.
• This can present huge problems to you and your
  organisation if confidential information is
  accidentally sent to a wrong number!

17
Franking Machine

• Franking machine can stamp hundreds of envelopes
  quickly and efficiently by printing the correct
  amount of postage required and date on the
  envelope according to the envelopes weight and
  size.
• The franking machine records the totals of all
  stamps issued.
• At the agreed time, the amount of postage used is
  paid to the supplier along with a lease fee for
  the product.

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Cont.

• These are utilised mainly by large businesses and
  are rented from registered suppliers. They are
  used to process out-going bulk mail.
• Franking machines are programmed by the supplier
  to have a certain amount of value placed for
  pre-programmed credit on a meter. 
• When this value is reached the machine ceases to
  operate until more money is paid and the meter is
  reset.

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Paper Shredder

• Paper shredders 
• Sometimes, your organisation will want to destroy
  letters or documents that are confidential or
  contain records that are useful to competitors.
• Shredders cut paper into very thin strips so
  that they are very difficult to reassemble and
  read.

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Hazards in office

• Both employees and employers are responsible for
  managing these hazards.
• Poor layout and design of furniture and equipment
• Physical hazards
• Mechanical Hazards
• Chemical Hazards
• Psychological hazards

23
If a piece of equipment malfunction

• We should-
• Stop using the equipment
• Place a sign on it and to say it is out of order
• Report the problem to a supervisor
• Follow up

24
Mails

• Internal mail and external mail
• Guests incoming mail
• Incoming Mail (Staff)
• Future Guests Mail
• Guests outgoing mail
• Checked out guests Mail
• Routing Mail
• Forwarding Mail

25
Available Mail Services

• Registered Mail
• Bulk Mail
• Express Mail
• Overseas/International mail and parcel post
• Courier service mail
• Electronic Mail (email)

26
Post Office Boxes 

• Most post offices have built-in lockable letter
  boxes of various sizes which can be hired by
  individuals or companies from Australia Post, for
  a relatively small amount per year or other
  suitable periods.
• Some post office boxes have also appeared at
  petrol stations and supermarkets for convenience.
  Each post box has a number displayed on the
  outside of the box.
• Because they are locked, only authorised persons
  can have access to the mail and be given a key to
  collect the mail.
• Instead of an address, the post office box
  number should be clearly displayed on envelopes,
  letterheads and other stationery.

27
Locked Bags

• Locked Bags.
• Larger organisations, with a lot of bulk mail to
  collect daily, may find post offices boxes too
  small for their needs.
• In this case they may require a locked bag which
  is substantially larger and has the added
  advantage of being transportable.
• As the name indicates, a locked bag is a large
  mailbag with a lock at the top which can only be
  opened by an authorised person with a key.

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Courier Services.

• Courier Services.
• Both Australia Post and private organisations
  provide courier services for mail and parcels to
  be delivered door-to-door.
• They are commonly used by businesses when there
  is an urgent item to be delivered. Courier
  services are convenient and many have a guarantee
  that an item will be delivered to any capital
  city in Australia within 24 hours.
• Smaller towns and rural areas are also linked by
  courier services but it usually takes a little
  longer to deliver items to these localities.

29
The structure of effective letters

• Four key features of effective letters
• 1. person Who are you writing to?
• 2. Issue - What kind of a letter are you
  writing?
• 3. Purpose- What is the connection between the
  person you are writing to and the issue.
• 4. Action- What kind of action do you want the
  person to take?

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• Parts of a letter
• Virtually all business letters have the following
  sections
• The letterhead Consisting of the name of the
  organisation / establishment, the address,
  telephone number, fax number, e-mail number,
  web-site number etc
• The date With the month written out in letters
  rather than in numbers. 
•   The name and address of the recipient of the
  letter For filing purposes. 
• A greeting or salutation Usually " Dear Sir /
  Madam " or if you know the person's name " Dear
  Mrs. McWilliam-Smythe" 
• An Introduction Usually stating why you are
  writing. 

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Parts of the letter

• 1/ Venues name and address
• 2/ The name, title and address of the recipient
  of the letter. (inside address)
• 3/Todays date
• 4/ Greeting
• 5/ Body of the letter
• 6/ Close
• 7/Signature
• 8/Writers name and title
• 9/ Enclosure ( attachment)

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Cont.

• A Body of the letter Which indicates how you
  propose to deal with a given situation or set of
  situations. 
• A Conclusion If you know the person's name use "
  Yours sincerely ". If you don't know the person's
  name and have used " Dear Sir / Madam " in your
  salutation, use " Yours faithfully " in your
  complimentary close. 
• A Complimentary Close Which indicates what action
  will take place in the follow-up of the situation
  or set of situations.  Your signature and job
  title This is particularly important if your
  signature is difficult to read.

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A few rules of good writing

• Keep it simple
• Dont use slang or jargon
• Use simple words
• Be clear
• Use the right tone
• Be accurate
• Be logical
• Check spelling and grammar
• Check sentence structure
• Proofread the documents

34
Filing

• The orderly arrangement of records and documents
  for storage and retrieval.
• There are different filing systems such as
• Subject filing system
• Alphabetical filing system
• Numeric filing
• Geographic filing system
• Chronological filing system

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Filing alphabetically

• Documents filed alphabetically are filed
  according the first, and subsequent letter.
• Eg. File by guest name
• Numerically Documents are filed numerically,
  according to the numbers such as room numbers,
  invoice numbers

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Cont.

• Chronologically Documents are filed according to
  date or time order.
• Geographically the basis of geographic tourist
  regions, for development of data bases and client
  services.
• Documents are filed by location or designated
  area, eg. Victoria, WA
• Subject documents cannot be filed any other way
  except by their subject matter. E.g complaints,
  training. subjects could include headings such
  as 
• housekeeping 
• restaurants 
• conventions functions 

37
Bar code filing

• Bar codes and electronic filing systems.
• These are increasingly used in the Tourism and
  Hospitality Industry to maintain data and
  documents on file.
• Confidentiality and security are often easier to
  maintain if access to information is via
  electronic codes and data systems. 

38
File preparation

• Before filing any documents, there a number of
  task to be completed-
• Collecting all the relevant documents
• Inspecting the quality of the documents
• Cross-referencing the files
• Coding the files
• Sorting the files and filing the documents
• (active documents) Documents in current use.
  Inactive documents documents not in current use.

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40
continued

• Archiving the practice of removing a file of
  record from everyday use and storing it in
  another location.

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Perform Office Procedures

• TELEPHONE ANSWERING
• TAFE (2009)

42
Telephones

• Guest room telephones have several features-
• Message light
• Voice mail
• Direct dial
• The hotel reception is the communications centre
  of the hotel.
• The staff working at the reception direct and
  collect information to and from all other
  departments as well as from the guests.

43
Professionalism on the Telephones

• The first personal contact a guest has with the
  hotel is at the reception desk. The guests
  register or check in at the front desk as well as
  seek answers to their inquiries and solutions to
  their problems.
• Be Clear
• Concise
• Courteous
• And control the call
• Be Clear
• Speak clearly
• Avoid jargon
• Make sure you understand and are understood.

44
Continued

• Be concise
• Set objective for each call
• Know who you want to speak to
• Know what you want to say
• Know who you are speaking with
• Have any information by you about your property
  and facilities.

45
continued

• Be courteous/polite
• Always be polite
• Use personal names when appropriate
• Try not to sound abrupt. No matter how busy you
  are.
• When you pick up the telephone you are committed
  to the call, and must give it your full
  attention.
• Smile
• Listen to the other persons tone of voice
• Control the call by practising assertiveness
  skills.

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Receiving calls

• Smile when you answer the telephone.
• Greet the caller
• Use the exact form of greeting Good
  morning/Good afternoon/Good evening, Front office
  this is.how may I help you?
• Identify the department/yourself and offer
  assistance.
• Use of names,( if you know the name)

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Transferring calls

• Get to know switchboard system so that you can
  transfer calls quickly and efficiently.
• Explain to the caller what you are doing
• Check with the recipient before putting the call
  through whether or not they can help.
• If there is a delay, return to the caller to
  explain and ask if he/she wish to continue
  holding
• If you could not transfer the line, ask if you
  can have the caller rung back when you have found
  someone to help.

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Examples

• Good morning/ Holiday Inn, this is Vincent, how
  may I help you?
• Id like to make a reservation please
• Certainly Madam, Im transferring you to
  reservation now
• 2
• Good afternoon, the Park Hyatt, this is Sue , how
  may I help you?
• Could you please put me through to Eliza in
  Banquets please
• Unfortunately, her extension is busy, would you
  mind to hold

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Receiving the message

• Always write messages down as soon as possible.
• Try to keep a proper/separate pad just for
  messages rather than scraps of paper and used
  envelopes.
• Use specially printed message pads.
• Do not hesitate to ask for the message to be
  repeated or for unfamiliar words to be spelt out.
• Read back the message to check that it is correct.

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Taking the message

• Listen attentively and write down the message
  including
• Time
• Date
• Callers name and contact details
• The guests name and room number or staff
  members name and department
• The actual message
• Read back the message and enter the message into
  computer.

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Tips for telephone operators

• Answer the call as quickly as possible- after
  three rings is ideal.
• Answer the call in a clear, friendly voice.
• Identify yourself and your organisation.
• Announce the call clearly and give the recipient
  time to respond before putting it through.

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continued

• If the line is busy, you need to ask the call if
  they want to hold or call back.. Wait for the
  answer.
• Dont leave them holding for too long and explain
  what you are doing
• Every call needs to be dealt with courteously and
  efficiently.

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Features of telephone systems

• Paging
• Pagers are small radio receivers which receive
  messages via radio waves.
• Voice Messaging systems
• These resemble networks of answering machines.
  Recorded messages can be sent from, and receive
  or listen the message by dialling a code number
  from any tone telephone.

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Teleconferencing

• Teleconferencing enables you to hold meetings
  and conferences by phone, video link or TV over
  any distance.
• Three way calling this enables three persons to
  talk together at the same time.
• Collect call The recipient pay the call charge.
• (STD) Long distance call,
• (IDD) International calls

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Avoid slang and clichés.

• Bye-Bye Good-bye
• See ya Thank you for calling
• Uh-uh/Yeah Yes Sir/Madam
• Be right up We will send it to your room
  immediately
• Just a second One moment please
• I dont know I am not quite sure, but I will
  find out for you
• Hold on Could you hold for one moment,
  please?

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Handling guests message

• 1.      A message in the computer system will
  indicate to Reception that all messages, mail,
  fax, for incoming hotel guests are to be passed
  onto the guest at time of check in.
• 2.      A message in the computer system will
  indicate to Reception that all packages and large
  items are to be delivered to the guest room after
  check in.
• 3.      All messages, mail, facsimiles, packages
  for in house guests are to be delivered and or
  collected within the same day.

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Procedures

• 1. All mail received is to be time and date
  stamped.
• 2. Check all names against the computer system,
  thoroughly.
• 3. Write the guestroom number on the envelope and
  place in alphabetical order, in the Mail Box.
  Activate the guestroom telephone message light by
  entering a message into the computer system and
  send the printed message to the room at the next
  batch of sending.

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continued

• 4.      Photocopy the front of the envelope and
  stamp the Mail Notice on the back of the
  photocopy and fill in the column for date/time
  received, location held and initials of receiver,
  then file in the Received Items File.

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Procedure (continued)

• 5. If the guest name cannot be located in the in
  house guest list, check arrivals for the next
  seven days, and check outs for past five days.
• 6. If mail received for a future arrival, enter a
  comment in the guests reservation marked Mail
  HFA (Mail Hold for Arrival).
• 7. If the guest to whom the mail is addressed
  cannot be located, check the name against the
  Mail Forward Book and redirect mail according any
  instructions.
• 8 Any remaining should be placed in the Hold Mail
  Box are to be checked daily for the next two
  weeks.

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HANDLING SPECIAL DELIVERY,INSURED MAIL

• 1.  Before any special delivery of mail may be
  accepted, staff must check whether the guest is
  registered with the Hotel, is an expected arrival
  or may have left forwarding instructions (check
  Mail Forwarding File) with the hotel.
• 2. If guest has left a forwarding address, staff
  should not accept the letter but instead give the
  delivery man the forwarding address.
• 3. If a guest is yet to arrive, enter a comment
  in the message field of guest reservation, and a
  description of the item received.
• Time and date stamp the mail once it is accepted.

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continued

• 5. Photocopy the front of the item and stamp the
  Mail Notice on the back of the photocopy and
  fill in the column date/time received, location
  and receivers initials. File in the Received
  Items File for future reference.
• 6. The item is then placed into the Mail Box in
  alphabetical order, (or other designated storage
  area)
• 7

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continued

•  Call the guest in their room and offer to
  deliver the item to the guest room. Have the
  Porter take up the mail as per guest request
  then have the guest sign on the Mail Notice.
  The photocopy will then be time stamped and filed
  appropriately.
• 8.If the guest is not in their room, staff member
  to leave a text message in the system and send a
  copy to the guest room.

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CONTINUED

• 9. Any Special Delivery Mail is to be kept for
  two weeks after which it is to be returned to the
  addressee list on the article.
• 10.  Registered or insured mail which has not
  been collected within two weeks should be
  returned to the original sender in the same
  condition in which it was delivered. Any return
  receipt should be attached and filed in the
  record file.

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Handling text message

• 1.      Messages taken over the telephone, either
  by the Hotel Operator or by Reception Staff are
  to be keyed into the system accurately, then
  printed out.
• 2.      The printed copy of these messages will
  be collected at half hourly intervals then
  slipped under the door for guest.
• Sealed or handwritten messages are not to be
  opened by staff but are to be treated as regular
  mail

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Handling voice massage

• 1.      Calls connected to the guestroom will be
  prompted to either have the call reverted to the
  operator or to the voicemail message system if
  not answered within eight rings.
• 2.      When the guest checks for messages at the
  Reception Desk, staff are to check in the
  computer system, the system will display text
  messages accordingly.

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Handling Incoming Faxes

• 1.Any incoming fax received through the Business
  Centre will be recorded on the Business Centre
  Incoming fax record.
• 2. If the guest is not in, staff will leave a
  message in the system and print a copy to send to
  the guestroom during the next pick up.
• 3. The fax copy will be placed in an envelope,
  time stamped also stamped Incoming Faxon the
  envelope and sent to the guestroom during next
  batch pick up.

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Standard style (continued)

• Never response the guest in a rushed or hurried
  manner.
• Good Morning/Afternoon/Evening, How may I help
  you?
• May I ask you to hold for a moment, please?
• Thank you for holding, Sir/Madam (Use name if
  known).
• Thank you for holding, this is _______, how may
  I help you.

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continued

• Always use Please, Thank you, and You are
  welcome, as appropriate.
• At the end of each conversation, thank the caller
  by using his/her name and identify yourself, if
  appropriate.

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Perform Office Procedures

• BUSINESS LETTER WRITING
• TAFE (2009)

70
Letter writing

• The Start
• Dear Human Resources Director,
• Dear Sir or Madam (use if you don't know who you
  are writing to)
• Dear Dr, Mr, Mrs, Miss or Ms Smith (use if you
  know who you are writing to, and have a formal
  relationship with - VERY IMPORTANT use Ms for
  women unless asked to use Mrs or Miss)
• Dear Frank (use if the person is a close
  business contact or friend)

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continued

• The Reference
• With reference to your advertisement in today
  newspaper,
• your letter of 23 rd March, your phone call
  today, Thank you for your letter of March 5 th .

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continued

• I would be delighted to
• Giving Bad News
• Unfortunately I am afraid that
• Enclosing Documents
• I am enclosing Please find enclosed Enclosed
  you will find

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continued

• Closing Remarks
• Thank you for your help, Please contact us again
  if we can help in any way. there are any
  problems. you have any questions.

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continued

• Reference to Future Contact
• I look forward to ...hearing from you soon.
  meeting you next Tuesday. seeing you next
  Thursday.

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continued

• The Finish
• Yours faithfully, (If you don't know the name of
  the person you're writing to)
• Yours sincerely, (If you know the name of the
  person you're writing to)
• Best wishes,
• Best regards, (If the person is a close business
  contact or friend)

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Business letter format

• 1. Return address of the letter writer.1600 Main
  StreetSydney, NSW 2001
• 2. The date of the letter.This is usually typed
  in one of two ways (Begin with the day, no
  comma) 15 January 2006
•   or
• (Begin with the month use a comma) December 1,
  2006

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continued

• 3. Complete name, title, and address of the
  recipient.
• Use "Mr." for a male recipient. If you do not
  know how a female recipient prefers to be
  addressed, it is best to use "Ms."
• Ms. Anna Brown, ChairDepartment of Hospitality
  ManagementRight State University1415 University
  DriveSydney NSW 2010

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continued

• 4. Salutation with a colon.
• Dear Ms. Brown,
• 5. Body of the letter.
• It is best to keep an initial business letter
  short. Business people are busy and do not have
  time to read long letters! In a one-page letter,
  you will usually only need three or four
  paragraphs, single spaced. Use a double space in
  between paragraphs. See examples that follow.
• 6. Closing.
• The most common closing is "Sincerely." Follow
  this with a comma. Skip four single lines after
  the closing and type your name. Sign your name in
  the space above your name.
• Sincerely,

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continued

• 7. Enclosure.
• If you are enclosing additional information with
  your letter such as a resume or a curriculum
  vitae, skip two single lines after your typed
  name and type "Enclosure" or "Enclosures." If you
  use the plural, you have the option of stating
  the number of enclosures in parentheses.
• Block FormatType every line flush with the left
  margin

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continued

• Indented Format Example 1 Indent your return
  address, the closing, your typed name, and the
  optional enclosure to the approximate center of
  the page (position 4.25" to 4.5").

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continued

• Make sure you put the date on the letter.
• Always include your address so they know where to
  send the reply.
• Address your letter to Dear Sir/Madam if you
  don't have a contact name, because you don't know
  if they are male or female.
• Keep your letter clear, simple and to the point.
• Make sure you spell all words correctly. Check a
  dictionary to make sure.
• 'Yours faithfully' is a polite way of finishing a
  letter to someone you don't know.
• Otherwise 'Yours sincerely' is the conclusion to
  use.
• Always keep a copy of the letter as a record of
  having sent it.

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Purpose of a Cover Letter

• A cover letter is a summary of the reasons why
  you are the best candidate for the position.
• Its purpose is to make the reader want to read
  more about you in your resume and to get you an
  interview.