Resource Park

Business Studies Resource Pack Leeds Hotels Association INTRODUCTION This resource pack aims to provide GCSE Business Studies teachers in secondary schools with information, resources and practical tasks based around the Hotel Industry, for use within the classroom.

The Hotel

industry uses a wide variety of skills that can be associated with a range of the business studies topics taught across the National Curriculum.

The pack is designed to reflect the structure of a hotel, with the sections based around the main departments found within, for example rooms division, human resources and finance. An information fact sheet is provided about each department to assist teachers with the background reading necessary to support the practical tasks that follow.

The practical tasks mirror real life situations, highlighting how important education is to the skills needed to work within a vocational setting. For example, when teaching health and safety laws, the practical task used is put into a vocational context for students, by using an example of a kitchen within a hotel.

The resource pack will provide teachers with an extremely useful tool, and at the same time introducing students to the variety of skills needed for the Hotel Industry.

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STRUCTURE OF THE RESOURCE PACK

Section One

Organisational Structure Of Hotels

1

Section Two

Human Resources

11

Section Three

Finance

22

Section Four

Sales and Marketing

34

Section Five

Rooms Division

39

Section Six

Food and Beverage

54

Section Seven

Guide to the DVD

74

Section Eight

Worksheets

75

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WHICH TASKS RELATE TO WHICH TEACHING UNITS?

UNIT 1 – BUSINESS AND ITS ENVIRONMENT Business Activity in the UK The Objectives of a Business •

Mission Statement

6

•

Hotel Merger

8

External constrains on Business Activity Aiding Business Activity Organisation and Structure •

Organisational Chart

7

•

Stakeholders

9

UNIT 2 – HUMAN RESOURCES Function of the Human Resources Department •

Job Advert Design

18

•

Practice Interviews

19

•

CV design

21

Motivating Workers Paying Workers Industrial Relations •

Employment Laws

70

iii

•

Labour Turnover

71

Methods of Communication • Communication Channels

51

UNIT 3 – FINANCE AND ACCOUNTING Function of the Finance Department •

Cash Flow forecast

28

• Profit and Loss Account

29

• Balance Sheet

30

Sources of Finance Decision Making • Business Ratios

32

• Improving Profitability

33

UNIT 4 – MARKETING Function of the Marketing Department Identify Markets for Goods and Services Marketing Mix •

Radio Advertisement

37

•

Promotional Pamphlet

38

International Trade Product Life Cycle

iv

UNIT 5 – PRODUCTION Function of the Production Department •

Room pricing decisions

52

•

Unit cost of cleaning one bedroom

53

•

Unit cost of a breakfast

73

Location of a Business •

Scale of Production

72

•

Location Location Location

10

Types of Production Methods of Production Growth of Firms

v

ORGANISATIONAL STRUCTURE OF HOTELS Introduction The hospitality industry is vast and complex, and can be divided into two distinct sectors; the public and the private sector. Hotels are situated in the private sector of the industry as they provide

food,

drink,

refreshment

and

accommodation in exchange for money. Hotels are run as a business and their main reason for operation is to provide products and services in order to make a profit. Hotels, being in the private sector of the industry, are controlled by private individuals, groups of individuals or

Le Meridien Queens Hotel Leeds

by companies. There are many different types of hotels in operation from sole traders, where the owner has complete control over the business (i.e. small family run hotels or bed and breakfasts having no other establishment connected to them) to large multinational corporations (i.e. large chain

hotels

operating

in

several

countries). Waterton Park Hotel Wakefield

Breakdown of different departments Whatever the type or scale of the hotel there will be a number of different departments within, all of which support each other in the dayto-day running of the hotel. They all play a major part in the success of

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the business. The number of departments a hotel has will depend largely on the size of the business. In smaller hotels many of the departments may be combined. Some departments will work more closely together than others will, with some departments being unable to operate properly without the support and work of another. For example the kitchen and restaurant, if the kitchen does not produce the food for the restaurant to serve, then the restaurant will be unable to open.

There are five main areas within a hotel with some of the areas involving more than one department - it is the departments in these areas that will work most closely together in the operation of a successful hotel. The five areas and corresponding departments are as follows:

•

Rooms division – Reception, Reservations, Housekeeping

•

Food and beverage – Restaurant, Kitchen, Bars, Conference & banqueting

•

Sales and Marketing

•

Human Resources

•

Finance General Manager

Finance Manager

Restaurant Manager

Food and Beverage Manager

Bar Manager

Human Resources Manager

Head Chef

Conference and Banqueting Manager

Sales and Marketing Manager

Reservations Manager

Front Office Manager

Reception Manager

Housekeeping Manager

Every hotel, regardless of its size, will have an organisational structure which will show how each of the five areas and departments link together

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in order for the hotel to operate as a whole.

A sample of an

organisational structure for the management teams of a hotel can be seen above.

While hotels will have a full organisational chart for the whole hotel, each department will also have a structure of its own, which may and will most likely vary from department to department. As each hotel is different, the department structures will differ from hotel to hotel.

Aims and objectives Every hotel will have its own aims and objectives for the purpose of the business i.e. what it is aiming to achieve each year it operates. These aims and objectives may be formally set by the company or individual hotel or may be simply a list of things that the hotels want to achieve and by when. Most hotels' aims and objectives will be similar in the fact that they will all aim to make a profit and achieve maximum occupancy for the period. However, they will also differ from hotel to hotel in what they feel important to include in their personal aims and objectives for the hotel.

Stakeholders Every hotel regardless of its size will have stakeholders it needs to satisfy and each of these will want different things from the hotel. While the hotel will have its own objectives for the business, each individual stakeholder will also have its own particular objectives as to what they want from the hotel. Some stakeholders to a hotel will be within the business and some will be external to it, but will still have a stake in its success. Many of the stakeholders will be the same as those

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for any other business, as a hotel is primarily a business that operates to make money.

Example of stakeholders Internal stakeholders

External stakeholders

Owners

Creditors (people who have lent money

Managers

to the hotel)

Employees

Customers Suppliers Community where the hotel operates i.e. other business who rely on trade from the hotel guests

Mission Statements The mission statement should reflect the purpose of the business; it will explain why the business is in existence, the nature of the business and then explain what customers it aims to serve and satisfy. As with the aims and objectives, most hotels will have a mission statement and even those who do not have an official written down statement there will most likely be an unofficial statement to which the hotel will operate. Below the mission statements for both the Malmaison and Marriott are shown.

"To be the world's leading provider

Of hospitality services."

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Malmaison hotels will be known for great style, great food and great value. We will be successful by doing the simple things well with care consistency and passion. Only by demonstration these advantages to our customers can Malmaison achieve the desired profits that will allow us all to grow.

5

Mission Statement The Marriott is a large international hotel group, with hotels all over the world. Marriott hotels have 4 stars, and its core values were established over 75 years ago. The Marriott prides itself on reflecting the cultural diversity of its customers and associates, and has a desire to give time, resources and energy to help make a difference in the lives of others and the communities in which the hotel operates. It is Marriott’s belief that the company continues to grow because they treat people as their strongest asset, both staff and customers.

•

What do you think are the key points that a mission statement for the Marriott should contain?

•

Who should the mission statement is aimed at? How would you get the message across effectively?

•

Have a go at writing a mission statement for the Marriott Hotel group, including the key points you think it should contain, but trying to make it visionary and catchy.

•

As a class compare mission statements and identify common areas

•

Now having read the Marriott’s existing mission statement do you think that it is comprehensive enough? What similarities does it hold to your own? What points should they add?

6

Organisational Structures Below is a list of the possible management positions that would be found in a hotel.

Restaurant Manager Food and Beverage Manager Bar Manager Reception Manager Housekeeping Manager Front Office Manager General Manager Finance Manager Human Resources Manager Reservations Manager Conference and Banqueting Manager Sales and Marketing Manager Head Chef

Put these job titles into an organisational chart to show the three levels of hierarchy within this hotel.

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Hotel Merger Two successful hotel chains are in the process of discussing a merger. Venus Hotels is a 4 star Multinational Chain, with hotels across the USA, Canada and Asia, and its head office in Hong Kong. The second chain, Majestic Hotels, is a 5 star hotel group with the hotels mainly based in Europe, and the Head Office in England. However there are a couple of new Majestic Hotels that have been recently opened in the USA, based in the same cities as some of the Venus Hotels.

•

Write a list of the advantages and disadvantages that may occur as a result of this merger.

•

What changes would need to be made by both hotels, what decisions made, and as a result what issues would occur?

•

Who would be affected by this merger, and in what way?

8

Stakeholders Jane and John Johnson have worked in the hotel industry for a number of years and have decided that they would like to set up a small hotel of their own. They have been left a small sum of money (enough for the deposit) in an Uncles will and intend to finance the rest of the money through their bank. They have decided they will operate the hotel on a bed and breakfast basis and to offer guests a bar meal service in the evenings.

•

List the likely stakeholder of Jane and John’s business.

•

Match the following phrases with the likely stakeholders remembering that some stakeholders may have more than one aim. o I want to be paid a decent wage for a day’s work o I want accommodation at a reasonable price. o I want to ensure the bedrooms are clean and ready for use. o I want to make sure breakfasts are safe to eat. o I want to collect the tax on Jane and Johns business o I want to ensure guests enjoy their stay and will return. o I want value for money o I want to make sure the Jane and John can keep up with their repayments. o I want regular repeat orders from Jane and Johns business o I want to work for myself. o I want safe and comfortable working conditions. o I want a friendly and relaxed atmosphere in which to stay. o I want to make enough profit to be able to survive.

Pick three pairs of statements from the list and explain how conflict might arise due to people wanting different things.

9

Location Location Location For each of the following types of hotel make a list of the possible factors that each one should take into account when deciding on the location of a new hotel.

•

Budget hotel, concentrating just on providing a cheap functional room for a night

•

Large hotel with extensive conference facilities

•

5 star hotel with good leisure facilities, a fine dining restaurant and a number of honeymoon suites

•

2 star comfortable and friendly small family run hotel

In each case, decide which of the factors would be most important and which would be least important by putting then in order of priority

Give reasons for your order of priority.

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HUMAN RESOURCES Introduction The Human Resources (HR) department, also known as Personnel, takes care of the people who keep the guests in the hotel coming back. In the HR department the staff of the hotel are the customers. In simple terms the department serves as a link between management and employees, providing specialised services to staff members.

The HR department’s roles will vary from hotel to hotel, depending on the size and structure of that hotel.

Roles and Responsibilities •

Job descriptions/specifications

•

Recruitment and selection

•

Performance appraisals

•

Training and development

•

Employee relations

•

Payroll

•

Equal opportunities Staff at a Le Meridien Hotel

Job descriptions/specifications Part of the role of HR is to keep job descriptions and specifications up to date for each role within the hotel. A job description is a list of the specific duties and responsibilities of a job. It simply "describes" the job. The person hired must be able to carry out all the items on the description.

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Part of a job description from the Leeds Marriott hotel

The job specification is a list of all the skills and characteristics a person must already have in order to be hired for the job.

Recruitment and Selection Part of the HR function is the development of recruitment and selection plans that can be used every time there is a job vacancy. As there is a job specification and it is known what is needed to fill the position, accurate and appropriate adverts can be written ahead of time. The

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adverts are then placed in the appropriate media, for example internal notice boards, the press, journals, Internet or radio.

Part of an application form for Le Meridien Queens Hotel

Application forms are the first step in the selection process and need to be kept up to date or redesigned. The HR department must be competent in the use of a variety of selection procedures such as screening of application forms to shortlist applicants, individual or panel interviews, psychometric tests and personality questionnaires. They also need to be able to train managers to use these techniques effectively.

The HR department must also check references, qualifications and testimonials prior to new employment. They are also responsible for issuing appointment and regret letters to applicants, where applicable.

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Performance Appraisals Consistent and systematic evaluation of employee performance is a very important HR function. Performance appraisals are used to analyse and identify individual employee's strengths and weaknesses in performing the functions of a particular job. They can be used to identify the needs for training of employees, if the employees are found to lack certain job skills needed.

The results of performance

appraisals can be the basis for promotion, pay increases and disciplinary action. Staff at a De Vere Hotel

Training and development The HR department needs to ensure that the training programme provides for the training needs identified during appraisals. They need to ensure that training is cost effective and is utilised for a real need and not cosmetic reasons. They must also ensure that all training is followed up. The benefits of working for Hilton Hotels The Hilton Benefits Program includes: Medical, dental and vision care coverage Life, accident and disability insurance The Thrift savings Plan The Hilton Stock Purchase Plan The Heart Program The Flexible Work Arrangement Other benefits, including vacation and holiday pay plus special privileges when you stay at Hilton hotels.

The HR department needs to ensure that the hotel's objective for labour turnover is maintained or bettered.

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One way of doing this is to

strengthen staff morale by means of motivational programs such as sports events or staff social activities.

Employee Relations The HR department is responsible for developing and managing the various personnel policies that affect people at work. These include issues such as working conditions, performance management, equal opportunities, maternity/paternity leave, absence management, disciplinary procedures and grievances. All members of the HR team need a sound knowledge of current employment legislation.

The HR team works with union representatives, the hotel management team and employee groups when designing and implementing policy and also with individual managers and employees when resolving specific cases. The HR department has a role as an independent arbiter between the employee and the managers, ensuring the balance between fair treatment of the employee and the requirements of the organisation.

Equal Opportunities Most hotels will have an equal opportunities policy. Promotion of equality and diversity as part of the culture of the organisation is part of the HR Role. This involves keeping up to date with current legislation and good practice, in order to develop organisation's equal opportunities policy and to ensure that it is being implemented. Involves areas such as race relations, disability and gender.

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At the Marriott they are committed to their equal opportunities policy starting with the application form

Payroll It is the HR department's responsibility for ensuring that the salaries and benefits are administrated accurately and efficiently.

The HR

department will calculate the monthly or weekly payroll from an itemisation of labour costs from each department. There are costs additional to the wages and salaries that need to be managed, such as holiday pay, meals, uniforms, staff transport etc. The department will also have responsibility for employee benefits such as pensions, life assurance and medical insurance

Personal requirements •

Good planning and organisational skills

•

Analytical and decision making skills

16

•

Good oral and written communication skills

•

Good negotiation skills

•

Confidentiality, tact and discretion when dealing with people

17

Job Advert Design

TASK 1 Design a job advert for a waiter/waitress position in a restaurant within a hotel. What specific details need to go into the advert?

TASK 2 Where should the advert be placed, for the best response for that specific position?

TASK 3 Thinking about the CV and application forms that will be forwarded to the human resources department with regards to this waiter / waitress job. Write the personal specification that they would be looking for.

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Practice Interviews There is a vacancy for a chambermaid job within the housekeeping department in a hotel, and interviews for the position are taking place. In pairs choose one person to be the interviewer and one person to be the interviewee.

Preparation Individually prepare for the interview for 15 minutes, by concentrating on the following, and without conferring with each other:

The Interviewer •

The interviewer needs to prepare some questions to ask the interviewee to ensure that they are the right person for the job, along with the ideal answers the interviewer would like to hear in response.

•

The interviewer also needs to make a note of the person specification that would suit this role, and during the interview remember to see if the candidate meets these needs`.

The Interviewee •

Needs to prepare by thinking about what type of questions they may be asked during this interview, and make a note of some model answers

19

•

Also think about what type of personality attributes that you want to put across during the interview, for example communication skills, body language, attitude to work.

•

Also you need to think of any questions that you may like to ask the interviewer regarding salary, training, work conditions for example.

Undertake the interview •

Stage the interview in a formal manner from start to finish, from introductions to goodbyes.

•

After the interview the interviewer needs to state whether the interviewee was successful in gaining the job and explain to them the reasoning for this.

20

CV Design

A hotel is recruiting for a restaurant manager to run their fine-dining restaurant.

The human resources department has had a number of

applicants and is reviewing the CV’s that have been sent to them.

Under the following headings compile the ideal CV that the human resource department would want to see from an applicant for this position: •

Name

•

Address

•

Education

•

Qualifications

•

Skills

•

Work Experience

•

Hobbies and interests

•

Awards received

•

Additional information

Don’t make the CV too unrealistic as the human resource department may deem the candidate to be over qualified for the position.

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FINANCE Introduction Most hotels use traditional management accounting systems, which focus on the internal aspects of the business and the regular production of routine operational data.

A strategic approach to hotel

accounting includes having an external focus to monitor changes to the environment while providing information, which enables strategic decisions to be taken.

Accounting The function of financial accounting is to record clearly every single financial transaction that the business is involved in and to classify and summarise these transactions for presentation in a series of published reports produced on an annual basis. A range of external users including, shareholders, banks, lenders, government and tax authorities can then read these reports. The accounting statements are produced in order to convey the financial performance of the hotel.

Hotel managers will need to be able to understand and interpret financial information. The performance of a business will usually be summarised in the following key statements: •

Balance sheet.

•

The profit and loss account

•

Cash flow statement

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Balance sheet The balance sheet can be described as a snapshot of the business at a particular moment in time. It is based on the principle that the total value of what the Hotel Company owns will equal the financial claims on the business, that is the total liabilities:

Assets = Total liabilities

The balance sheet should always balance, but is always out of date, as it does not refer to the present position or to the future financial position of the business.

Fixed or ‘tangible’ assets are introduced into the business to enable it to run and make a profit. Fixed assets include; land, buildings, equipment, machinery, computers and motor vehicles. The purchase of fixed assets is called capital expenditure. Fixed assets that cannot be touched are called ‘intangible’ assets and the most common of these in the hotel industry is goodwill. When a hotel is purchased its reputation will drive the purchase price up or down accordingly.

Current assets in a hotel include food stock, disposable and cleaning materials as well as outstanding sales known as debtors. Debtors might include an outstanding account for a local firm that has used the hotel for a week’s conference for example.

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There are several types of liability, which are classified in terms of the long term and short term. Long term includes loans from external parties who receive interest in return. Short term or current liabilities include bank overdrafts, taxation and outstanding balances owed to suppliers.

The profit and loss account The profit and loss account provides a summary of revenue and costs occurring over a given time span. Published accounts produce the statements on an annual basis but the statement can be produced as frequently as desirable.

The

statement starts with the net sales (gross sales after VAT) figure for the period, which includes all sales transactions for both cash and credit. This is matched with costs and charges for the period to reveal different levels of profit. The profit and loss account includes three key operating areas and these are described as rooms, food and beverages.

There are several levels of profit that a hotel may analyse: Gross profit. The difference between net sales from areas such as food sales, and the cost of the materials for producing the sales that is the food costs. (Some companies may include wage costs at this point.) Trading profit. Sales less all costs of production. Operating profit. Trading profit less fixed costs such as rent and depreciation. Net profit before tax. Operating profit less interest payable. Net profit after tax. Net profit before tax less taxation.

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Retained profit. Net profit after tax less dividends to be paid to shareholders.

Each of these profit levels can be used as useful measures of profitability depending on the users needs. Internal accounts will be considerably more detailed and will be tailored to suit the needs of a particular operational area. This information will allow the departmental manager to make operational decisions or changes to the service based on the information in the statement.

The appropriation account The appropriation account shows what happens to the net profit made by the hotel. A portion of the net profit will be paid to the government in taxes. This is mainly corporation tax, a tax on company profits. Another portion of net profit will be distributed to shareholders with each share receiving a dividend. Finally the company may decide to retain some of its profit to pay for new investment.

Uniform System of Accounts for Hotels The Hotel and Catering Economic Development Council developed the UK version of the Uniform Accounting System in 1969. However, it is the US system, the Uniform System of Accounts for Hotels, that is more widely used which may be defined as a manual of instructions for preparing standard financial statements and schedules for the various operating units which make up a hotel.

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The cash flow statement The principal aim of the cash flow statement is to measure the liquidity of the business. The cash flow statement is produced in the company reports and this is shown as a historical picture summarising how funds have been generated and how they have been utilised. Unlike the profit and loss account, the statement includes operating activities, sources of capital and capital expenditure items.

The statement explains the increase or decrease in the cash balances over the year in terms of the cash flows from operating activities, sale of fixed assets, and the raising of additional finance compared to the cash outflows for interest and dividend payments, taxation, and the purchase of fixed assets. What must be remembered is that in any business cash is the critical element rather than working capital changes.

Budgeting Budgeting has an essential role to play in any business in converting all elements of the strategic plan into financial statements so that a standard for performance for the short-term future can be set in the context of the long-term aims and objectives of the organisation. If used wisely, the process ensures that the organisational resources in the hotel such as labour, are allocated efficiently and effectively, and at the same time provides a vehicle for departmental co-ordination and communication.

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The budgeting process should achieve a number of aims: •

Quantify future plans.

•

Set performance objectives and targets.

•

Co-ordinate departmental activities

•

Communicate plans and objectives

•

Control business performance

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Cash Flow Forecast The Bluebell Hotel group has four hotels in their chain, situated around the London area.

The hotels are rated with three stars and have a

reputation for excellent service and good quality food. Use the following information to complete a cash flow forecast chart for the Bluebell Hotel group, for the next 6 months starting in April. There should be columns for Balance brought forward Cash receipts (sales) Total cast available Expenses Wages Power Advertising Stock Other Total Payments Balance Carried forward • • • • • • •

•

•

At the start of April Bluebell Hotels had £10,000 cash available In April the group receives £70,000 for its restaurant and room sales throughout the month. Sales are expected to rise by £4,000 each month for the next five months due to the summer holiday period. Power Bills of £4,000 are paid each quarter, with the next bill due in June The wage bills amount to £45,000 each month, however due to a pay rise in June this should increase to £47,000 a month Advertising amounts to £2,000 a month Bluebell hotels are well established so its suppliers allow a trade credit of one month. £18,000 worth of stock was received in February, however to keep up with seasonal demand this order has been increased by £2,000 each month for the next six months. Other expenses average at £8,000 per month. What problems do Bluebell Hotels appear to have with this cash flow forecast? How might they improve their cash flow situation?

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Profit and Loss Account The Viking Hotel is a medium sized 50-bedroom hotel situated on the outskirts of Leeds, with a restaurant, which can seat up to 100 people. As a trainee manager you have been given the task of preparing the annual trading and profit and loss account for the restaurant. Use the following data to:

•

Firstly prepare the restaurants trading account for the year ending 31 May 2002

•

Prepare the whole trading and profit and lost account for the year ending 31 May 2002 £ Sales Revenue

250,000

Opening Stock

50,000

Purchases

70,000

Closing Stock

40,000

Wages

60,000

Rates/insurance

12,000

Heating/Lighting

5,000

Advertising

3,000

Depreciation

7,000

Other Expenses

4,000

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Balance Sheet The following shows a partially completed balance sheet for The Grange, a 6-bedroom hotel in a small town on the outskirts of Leeds, for the year ending 2001.

Balance Sheet as at 31 December 2001 (£000s) Fixed assets Land and buildings Equipment Furniture Total

100 30 10

Current Assets Stocks Debtors Cash Total

20 20 2

Current Liabilities Creditors Net current assets Net assets employed

(28) 16

Long-term liabilities Creditors Net assets

(20)

Capital and Reserves Share Capital Share premium account Other Reserves Profit and Loss Account Capital Employed

60 10 10 56

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•

Complete the balance sheet for 31 December 2001

•

Use the following figures to create an extract from a balance sheet for the same company as at December 2002 £

•

•

Fixed Assets

142,000

•

Stock

18,000

•

Debtors

20,000

•

Cash

1,000

•

Short term Creditors 30,000

•

Long term creditors

25,000

•

Capital Employed

126,000

Use the balance sheet for each year to compare the Grange hotel's performance.

•

Who would want to see this balance sheet? Why? Write a list of the people who might be interested and their reasons for wanting the information.

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Business Ratios The following figures are taken from the balance sheets and profit and loss accounts for a small chain of 4 star hotels, called the Fitz-Gerald Group.

The figures have been taken for the financial years 2001 and

2002. 2001

2002

Net Profit

£180,000

£179,000

Stock

£72,000

£76,000

Current Assets

£110,000

£100,000

Current Liabilities

£63,000

£73,000

Capital Employed

£1,400,000

£1,420,000

•

Calculate for the year 2000 •

The return on capital employed

•

The current ratio

•

The acid test ratio

•

Calculate the same ratios for 2002

•

Compare the ratios and explain whether the Fitz-Gerald Hotel Group has improved its performance on profitability and liquidity.

•

What financial advice would you give to the Fitz-Gerald Hotel Group?

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Improving profitability The Sailors Retreat is a small family run 10 bedroom 3 star hotel situated in the small holiday village of Wigglesdale. The hotel has been open for 10 years and has a fine dining restaurant, serving traditional English food that can seat 30 customers.

The hotel is only open from May to

September as these are months that tourists visit the area.

A new

reasonably priced 1 star bed and breakfast that has opened in the area has affected the Sailors Retreats number of room sales. The owners of the hotel are also becoming increasingly concerned that competition from a proposed Pizza Express restaurant will affect the restaurant profits. The other main restaurants in the area are an Indian restaurant and a Chinese restaurant.

•

Make a list of the possible ways that the Sailors retreat could improve their profits

•

Note the costs and benefits of each of the possible profit boosting ideas

•

Advise the hotel on the best way to improve profits

•

Suggest any further information that you would find useful to help give more accurate advice and give reasons as to why it would be useful.

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SALES AND MARKETING

Introduction Sales and Marketing is the central function concerned with the relationship of the business to the market place. In the hotel industry the market place consists of customers, potential customers and competitors.

Function Room Oulton Hall, Leeds - DeVere Hotels

This department is seen as a relatively new profession and is accepted as one of the most important areas: “Nothing happens until someone sells something”

Many Sales and Marketing departments are in-house, which bring in the business that allows other departments for example rooms, food and beverage and leisure to function.

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Sales and marketing must work closely together in order to pull all parts of the sales process together if the hotel is to achieve the levels of sales it desires and in order for the hotel to make a profit or survive depending on the hotels objectives.

Sales and marketing process is generally very methodical with a lot of time and energy being spent on researching and developing the best ways to get their products and services into the market place in which the hotel operates. The work involves developing initiatives for centre promotion and public events, assisting with corporate literature, advertising, PR and promotions. This department liase and negotiate with clients at all levels and from all sectors of the business, commerce, nonprofit making organisations, the local community and individuals for private functions such as weddings and private parties.

Exert from the Marriott, Leeds Promotional leaflet

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Skills To work in Sales and Marketing you must be: •

A good communicator

•

Have a clear understanding of the clients aims

•

Be able to brief and instruct their marketing teams

•

Communicate with other department heads within the hotel

•

Work closely with the conference and banqueting department

•

Write clearly and precisely

•

Analytical skills are needed to analysis reports, sales and market trends and test results

• Numerical ability is needed to use statistics and work out costs and budgets.

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Radio Advertisement The Tarn Hotel is a 120-bedroom hotel with a four star rating situated on the edge of Lake Windermere, Lake District, Cumbria. It offers: •

Two restaurants

•

Leisure Club with a sauna and steam room

•

Mini Golf

•

Extensive grounds

•

Conferencing facilities for up to 60 people

•

Spectacular views of Lake Windermere

•

Only a few minutes from many outdoor activities and other attractions

•

Ideal location for outdoor enthusiasts

The Directors of the Tarn Hotel have selected a small team to produce a one-minute demo radio advertisement.

The aim of this advertisement is to help increase the hotels’ sales after the recent low in the tourist industry. Emphasis should be made on the facilities the hotel has to offer and the extensive opportunities open to tourists visiting the Lake District.

The hotel directors are looking for a radio advertisement that is different and compelling to the listener.

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Promotional Pamphlet Moor Side Hotel is a 3 star bed and breakfast on the Yorkshire Moors in Leeds, North Yorkshire. It offers: •

10 bedrooms

•

Full English or Continental breakfast

•

Evening meals available in the bar

•

Restaurants and award winning country Pubs all within a few minutes walk or drive

•

Leeds city centre and coastal areas are both easily accessible

•

A variety of outdoor activities are available

The hotel has just finished refurbishment and is looking at different methods of attracting new guests to the area. The owners of Moor Side have appointed a small marketing firm to produce a pamphlet advertising the Bed and Breakfast.

The aim of the pamphlet is to attract new guests and to keep existing guests interested. The pamphlet should include: •

Location

•

Facilities

•

Awards

•

Maps

•

Logos

It should also be attractive and appealing to the eye.

38

ROOMS DIVISION This section includes: •

Reception

•

Reservations

•

Housekeeping

RECEPTION

Introduction The hotel receptionist is the first person you see when you enter a hotel and the last when you leave. Most hotels offer 24 hour coverage of the reception desk and its main responsibility is to check guests in and out of the hotel and deal with any requests during their stay.

Hotels vary in size, design, age and standard, so the exact role of the reception department will differ from one hotel to another. Whether staying in an 800- bedroom airport hotel or a small 6 bedroom country hotel, guests will invariably approach the reception desk for information and assistance to get settled in for their stay, or to help with any problems Reception Waterton Park Hotel, Wakefield

they may have whilst in the hotel.

The reception desk is at the ‘hub of the hotel’ and must liase effectively with all other departments for the hotel to operate successfully.

Reception De Vere Hotels

39

Job Roles The duties of the receptionist may include: •

Checking In and Checking Out of guests

•

Guest Billing

•

Guest Security

•

Taking Messages

•

Answering the switchboard

•

Providing Information about the hotel and the local area

•

Dealing with special requests; booking taxis, meal reservations etc

Checking In Checking in guests requires the employee to be courteous and polite whilst undertaking important tasks.

This ensures the guest has

completed what is required of them before going to their room. Often a guest has been travelling from all over the country or even the world and requires little or no obstacles when checking in.

Reception Golden Lion Hotel, Leeds

40

Checking Out Check out is usually the last time the guest has contact with hotel personnel. It is vital that the receptionist continues to provide good customer service, which is accurate and efficient.

The main function of check out is for the guest to settle their room account and to hand the key back for the next guest. The guest’s account was opened at the time of check in and everything the guest charges to their room should be on the bill for when they leave.

Guest Security In most hotels it is now standard procedure to take some form of prepayment from guests, to ensure that guests do not leave without paying. Receptionists should be vigilant, since there are a number of ways of defrauding a hotel.

On occasion the hotel may host an important conference or have a V.I.P guest staying where the profile of the guest may need to be kept a secret

from

the

public

and

the

press.

Confidentiality of all guests should be maintained at all times, the reception staff are not at liberty to give information about anyone staying in the hotel. Reception 42 The Calls, Leeds

41

Answering Switchboard and Taking Messages The switchboard is usually located at reception and is where all the outside calls are answered and redirected to the relevant department of the hotel or guest. This requires the telephonist to be polite and accurate to ensure the call is directed to the right place or person. If necessary the telephonist will take messages for unanswered calls, these messages should then be passed to the guest or department.

Despite the reception desk being very busy it important that the staff are organised and work methodically. What seems like the smallest detail, like taking messages can be very important to another member of staff or guest. Most hotels have computer systems that relay messages to the guests television screens or voice mail on the telephone, however the traditional method of writing the message and putting it in a pigeon hole, or under a guests door is still used by many hotels.

Providing Information about the hotel As standard practice in most hotels it will be the duty of the receptionist to provide the guest with some basic information about the hotel and its facilities. This information may include: •

Leisure Facilities

•

Location of other departments

•

Departmental opening times

•

Directions to rooms and lifts etc. Reception Metropole Hotel

42

A leaflet may also be given out to guests providing useful information about the hotel and it’s facilities, and there is usually an information pack in the room.

Skills and Personality A receptionist should be: •

Efficient and organised;

•

Tidy in appearance;

•

Sensitive to the needs of the guests;

•

Courteous and polite despite what ever the guests may demand of them;

•

Assertive and remain calm in any situation;

•

Friendly and enjoy working with the public and be an ambassador for the hotel;

•

Be able to communicate effectively using a variety of mediums for example, telephone, face-to-face, and written.

43

RESERVATIONS

Introduction The reservations department is a sub unit of the whole of the Front of House area of the hotel.

As hotels vary in size and type, the

reservations department can be within the hotel or outside of the premises in the form of a central reservations centre.

The reservations department holds great importance within the hotel as the sale of rooms generates over 50 per cent of a hotels revenue and profit, therefore it is important that the department is organised to maximise sales.

Job Roles •

Sale of Rooms

•

Using Technology

•

Making the Reservation

Bedroom - Queens Hotel, Leeds

Sale of Rooms As with other areas of the Front Office, reservations can often be the first contact a guest or potential guest has with the hotel. It is usually switchboard who answer the first call, however first impressions count and sales can be lost through not making the experience a positive one, it is up to the reservations agent to convince the potential guest to make a reservation.

44

In Room Facilities boasted by the Hilton Hotel, Leeds Iron TV-Cable Accessible Ironing Board TV-Pay per view 180* Door Viewer Connecting Rooms Bathroom Amenities Automatic Door Closer Complimentary Beverage Thermostat (adjustable) Electronic Smoke Detector Visual Strobe/Hearing Impaired

Bathrobe Hairdryer Non-Smoking Audible alarms Welcome Amenity Air Conditioning Electronic Locks TV-Standard Network Shower for Wheelchair Telephone - Two Phones Secondary Locking Device Internet access in guest room

Reservations affect the hotel as a whole; in the sense that reservations determine the occupancy levels (the number of room sold every evening), which then determines the levels of personnel, needed in the other departments of the hotel, such as reception, restaurant etc.

Using Technology Enquiries from guests can come from a variety of ways; more commonly the telephone and fax or in person, however new technology means that larger organisations can use the Internet and on-line bookings. In another sense smaller independent hotels and bed and breakfasts may not use computers at all and a manual bookings system may be used.

45

Computer systems feature highly in this department as they help the reservations agent process information quickly and efficiently, any of the systems for making reservations must have to contain three core functions. These functions are: •

Check room availability

•

Record the reservation

•

Retrieval of the booking at any time to check details.

Making the Reservation The reservation is made in the following way: •

Answering the telephone in a polite and usually scripted manner, stating that it is the reservations department the caller is through to and the name of the person the caller is speaking to.

•

Checking availability and room rates

Room types can vary depending on the hotel and type the following are a list of room types that can be smoking or non-smoking rooms and also disabled: •

Single

•

Double

•

Twin

•

Executive (double and twin)

•

Suite (junior, presidential, and other variations of names)

Room rates can also vary in type some and examples as to why are as follows: •

Rack Rate – Full price of the room

46

•

Corporate Rate – Company Rate previously agreed subject to terms and conditions with yield manager or sales department.

•

Weekend Rate – Rates specifically for weekends.

•

Breakfast Inclusive – Room Rate including the price of breakfast.

•

Room Only – Price of the room without breakfast or other meals included

•

Dinner Bed and Breakfast – Room Price with Breakfast and evening meal included in the price.

Room rates also vary depending on the hotel location within the Country. The Malmaison hotel in Leeds room price varies to that of the Malmaison hotel in Edinburgh, as shown below:

Leeds

Edinburgh

Doubles

120

115

Suites

160

165

Skills and Personality •

Communication Skills

•

Telephone Skills

•

Computer Skills

•

Numerical skills

•

Selling skills

•

Negotiation Skills

•

Polite and Clear speaking

•

Listening Skills

•

Attentive to detail

47

HOUSEKEEPING Introduction The housekeeping department is involved in maintaining all of the guestrooms within a hotel on a daily basis. This department needs to make sure that rooms are clean, tidy and welcoming.

Guestrooms must

be serviced to a certain standard to ensure customer satisfaction.

There are different aspects involved within the housekeeping department. Not only is the cleanliness of the rooms important but also the public areas (e.g. toilets, corridors, the lobby) and the laundry department.

However in some hotels an outside company may be

contracted to service the laundry.

Job Roles •

Room servicing

•

Laundry/linen control

•

Maintaining public areas, Room assistant Oulton Hall, Leeds - De Vere Hotels

Room servicing This probably is the most important stage of housekeeping. A hotel room should be clean, tidy and welcoming to the guest. In most hotels there will be a set routine for room servicing. This will depend on the type of hotel, the size of rooms, type of furniture and the bathroom with its facilities.

48

The main tasks involved are: •

Bed making

•

Dusting, cleaning and tidying

•

Cleaning the bathroom

Bedroom Crowne Plaza, Leeds

Laundry/linen control Depending on the type and size of the hotel, different laundry systems are in place. Some establishments have a contract with an outside linen company, who are outsourced to clean all the linen from the hotel. However in some hotels there is a linen room present. Fresh linen is stored at the linen room and distributed to the housekeeping staff servicing rooms.

Public areas The housekeeping department needs to take care of public areas; these areas include corridors, public toilets and the foyer. The public areas of a hotel create a good first impression to guests, so it is vital that these areas are kept clean.

Skills & personality •

Cleaning skills

•

Team working

49

•

Communication skills

•

Problem-solving skills

•

People skills

•

Organisational skills

50

Communication Channels The reception department is the hub of a hotel. The receptionist deals with a large number of different people – guests, potential guests, other departments, managers etc., in a number of different ways.

Imagine you are a receptionist in a large hotel, think of all the ways that they would communicate with people, both formally and informally. Write them down under three columns, transmitter, medium, and receiver. For example,

Transmitter

Medium

Receiver

Speaking

Voice – face to face

Listening

In a fourth column list the advantages and disadvantages of each method of communication.

51

Room Pricing Decisions

On this diagram write all the factors that would influence the cost of a nights stay in a hotel room before the hotel adds on their profit. The diagram has been started for you.

Housekeeping Staff

Electricity Rates

Now put all the items you have written on the diagram into two columns fixed costs and variable costs.

52

Unit Cost of servicing one Bedroom From the following information calculate the unit cost of servicing one bedroom in a hotel.

It takes Lisa, a room assistant, 20 minutes to clean one bedroom of a hotel. Lisa is paid £4.10 per hour.

The hotel outsources the cleaning of all the bed linen and towels to an outside laundry company. The hotel is charged 30p to wash and iron each sheet, pillowcase and towel. Single rooms (1 guest) in the hotel require 2 sheets 2 pillowcases and 2 towels. Double rooms (2 guests) require 2 sheets 4 pillowcases and 4 towels.

Each guest receives complementary soap and shower gel costing 9p each. Each room has tea and coffee making facilities, which contains two of each of the following per guest. Milk carton at 5 p each Teabag sachet at 6 p each Coffee sachet at 6 p each Sugar sachet at 4p each Biscuits at 10 p each (however only one per gust of this is used.)

Additional cost for each room i.e. electricity, equipment etc are estimated to be £3.00 per room

What is the unit cost for cleaning a single and double room?

53

FOOD AND BEVERAGE This section includes the: •

Restaurant

•

Kitchen

•

Bars

•

Conference and Banqueting

RESTAURANT The Restaurant is a department in a hotel that most guests will use throughout their stay. The restaurant will generally serve breakfast and evening meals and depending on the hotel, may have a lunchtime service period also. The restaurant works closely with the kitchen and bar, but will also have contact with other departments in a hotel.

Job Roles The duties involved in the restaurant may include: •

Seating customers

•

Taking orders for food and drinks

•

Serving food and drinks

•

Billing

•

Planning Restaurant Crowne Plaza, Leeds

Seating Customers When a customer enters the restaurant it must first of all be established if they have a booking or not, this is usually identified trough a simple but warm welcome “good evening sir have you a reservation for this evening?”

54

If they do have a reservation a table will have been allocated to them and they can then be seated. If they do not have a reservation then the member of staff will need to ask for how many people the table is required, once this has been established it is then assessed whether there is a table available. If there isn’t an available table the staff member will have an idea of how long the wait will be and may suggest if they would like to wait in the bar until such a time.

Taking Orders for Food and Drink When taking an order in a restaurant the server needs to write down what the customer wants. This will usually consist of starters and main courses at this first stage. Some hotels will have a wine waiter who will take the drinks order and this must be written down also, if there is no wine waiter the server may be required to take a drinks order as well as the food. Once the order has been taken it is given to the kitchen and the bar so that the food and drinks can be prepared for service. When taking orders the server may be required to have product knowledge of dishes on the menu in case of any questions asked and should be briefed on any additional information needed regarding the menu at the start of each shift.

Serving Food and drink Once the meals are ready they can be served to the customers who have placed the order.

The table

number on the top of the order can identify this. Dining - 42 The Calls, Leeds 55

Drinks are usually served in a glass straight from the bar and are simply placed on the table. Wine however may be ordered by the bottle and in most hotel restaurants will be opened at the table.

Food may be served in a variety of ways depending on the style of the restaurant, time of day and the hotel in which is operating. Most hotels for evening service will use either plated service or silver service. Waitress - De Vere Hotels

Plated service the food is plated in the kitchen and then taken to the table and placed in front of the customer. Silver service is when the food is plated at the table by the waiter from a service flat using service cutlery usually a spoon and fork.

Billing To calculate a bill it is simply the case of adding up how much a customer has spent that evening and then making a charge for it. There is also a need on a bill to include the VAT charged at 17.5% as a separate figure even though this included in the price displayed on the menu. To achieve this 17.5% is simply deducted from the final amount and shown as a separate figure on the bill. The bill total then equals the total for all food and drinks plus VAT. Some hotels will add a service charge to the bill also, which is simply added to the final total reached when the bill has been calculated.

Dining at The Hilton

56

Planning This is an important task in the restaurant staffing levels, task allocation and seating arrangements must be planned to ensure there is enough space in the restaurant, and staff and all tasks are covered throughout the service period.

Skills and Personality
Must have a friendly personality.
Good communication skills to both other members of staff and customers.
Multi skilled among the tasks in the department is essential – must be able to do more than one task.
It is a pressured job during service periods so must be able to work under pressure.
Planning skills essential.




Product knowledge key when it comes to selling products and advising customers on products.

57

KITCHEN

Introduction Choosing to work as a chef means entering a very varied industry. For chefs with good training and experience, there are many opportunities for career development and to work in posts of responsibility. Chefs can move from one sector of the hospitality industry to another with ease when fully trained and there are often opportunities for chefs to work abroad. A Chef at a Hilton Hotel

Job Roles The job of a chef is to make sure that the food you eat not only looks enticing but also tastes good.

Cooking

professionally is very different from cooking at home; a chef not only has to cook for large amounts of people, but also has to use a wide selection of equipment that wouldn’t be found in the average household.

In a hotel kitchen, there will be different types of chefs with various levels of experience. Below is a diagram, which demonstrates the different stages a chef can reach, and the job roles of each.

Chefs at Le Meridien

58

Head chef/ chef de cuisine

Responsible for all aspects of the operation Oversees the overall production of meals Plans menus Manages staff Orders supplies Controls costs Oversees Health & Safety Regulations A Chef at a Le Meridien Hotel

Deputy head chef/ sous chef

Skilled in all aspects of kitchen work

Section chef/ chef de partie

Responsible for part of the kitchen work e.g., soups, sauces, pastry, some main courses, preparing and cooking vegetables and starters

Assistant chef/ commis chef

Spends 3 –6 months in each section until all the skills of the kitchen have been mastered

Trainee chef

Observes operations and helps wherever required

59

What it takes •

A chef must be able to communicate with other staff and work as part of a team, but also have the ability to work independently.

•

A chef must be able to follow instructions carefully and be able to work quickly and efficiently.

Customers will not want to be kept

waiting! Senior chefs must be able to give clear instructions that staff are able follow and demonstrate good leadership skills. •

A chef must be able to work under pressure, as kitchens are hot, steamy and frantic environments.

Chef's at a Hilton Hotel

•

Chefs must be flexible about the hours they work. Chefs often have to work late hours, weekends and split shifts. A chef’s time off is when others are at work!

•

Chefs must consider their own safety, the safety of colleagues and the safety of guests at all times. A chef must always remember personal hygiene, food hygiene and food safety.

Chefs must also be

able to handle a variety of materials ranging from utensils to sharp knives and use them safely.

60

Personality To be successful a chef should possess certain personality traits these are illustrated below. Calm

Imaginative

Creative

Patient

Organised

Methodical

61

HOTEL BAR

Introduction A ‘bar’ is a term used to describe the selling point and consumption area in licensed premises. Bar staff are responsible for selling a wide range of alcoholic beverages, soft drinks, hot beverages as well as tobacco and food. Hotels vary in size, design and standard, so the types of bar work involved may vary from one hotel to another

Job roles The duties and responsibilities of the hotel bar staff may include: •

Bottling up or setting up the bar

•

Drinks service

•

Cellar management

•

Beverage stock control

•

Licensing laws Bar area Le Meridien Hotel

Bottling up Bar staff prepare the bar by stocking it with bottles and glasses. They also stock up with ice and sundries such as sliced lemons and cherries. They may need to put away deliveries, organise the cellar where beer barrels and bottles of all kinds are stored, and may also have to clean the beer pipes. Setting the bar up ready for service ensures the bar looks its best and maximises the efficiency of the bar staff during service times.

62

Drinks service During opening times bar staff will mix and serve a whole range of drinks, both alcoholic and non- alcoholic. They calculate customers’ bills, collect the money and give change. Bar staff have to continually keep the bar area clean and tidy by collecting and washing dirty glasses, ashtrays and wiping down tables and bar surfaces.

Cellar management The cellar is a cool storage area for soft drinks, beers, ciders and wines. It is very important that these beverages are stored in the correct temperatures and conditions to maintain their quality. Cloudy, flat or sour beer can be caused by poor cellar management and can lead to disgruntled customers, loss in trade and or also a loss in stock.

Beverage stock control In any hotel bar where a large percentage of the income received is through the sale of drink, a system of cellar control and costing must be put into operation. The systems used will depend on the policy of each hotel.

The cellar is the focal point for the storage of alcoholic and non-alcoholic liquor in an establishment. Re- ordering of stock should be carried out on set days after carefully checking the holding stock.

63

Strict stock rotation should be adhered to avoid stock going out of date before it is consumed.

Theft and pilfering in bars is a common problem and it is the cellar person’s responsibility to maintain stock management control systems to ensure this risk is minimised.

Licensing laws Licensed premises must, in order to sell alcoholic liquor, obtain what is called a justice's licence. To be able to gain a justice's licence the premises must be ‘fit’, for the requirements of the local authority, police and fire authority. While in possession of a justice’s licence, the licensee (holder of the license, usually the hotel manager) must maintain good

order in the premises, i.e.: •

No drunkenness

•

No violence

•

No riotous conduct

•

No prostitutes

•

No gaming (Certain games may be authorised e.g. Fruit machines).

There are many laws appertaining to the sale of alcohol. Some of the laws include the following: •

Permitted hours: It is an offence to sell alcohol outside permitted hours

•

Weights and measures: Liquor must be sold in stated size only. E.g. beer and cider may only be sold in multiples of 1/3 pint, _ pint or

64

multiples of _ pints. Wine by the glass must be sold in 125millilitres or 175millilitres or multiples of either. •

Young persons: It is an offence to knowingly, or unknowingly, serve a person under 18 in a licensed bar.

Skills and personality •

Bar staff should be able to get on well with all kinds of people.

•

They should be cheerful, outgoing polite and tactful.

•

Communication skills are important,

•

Difficult situations may also arise, such as having to refuse to serve a customer who has had too much to drink.

•

Bar work can be hectic and sometimes stressful, so an ability to work under pressure is desirable.

•

A

good

memory

for

remembering orders and good mental

arithmetic

ability

is

Bar area Waterton Park Hotel, Wakefield

important as most orders are taken verbally. •

As bar staff handle money so they must be honest and reliable.

65

CONFERENCE AND BANQUETING

Introduction The capacity of conference and banqueting (C & B) facilities varies between different hotels. These can mean catering for 2 to 500+ people depending on the size of the venue and facilities available

The

Conference

and

Banqueting

department in a hotel works with various functions such as conferences, weddings, luncheons, cocktail parties, dinner dances, charity events and meetings. The basic role of the department is to set the rooms up Conference Room Cedar Court Hotel, Leeds

for the required function, look after the guest whilst they are using the room and clear down after the function has finished.

These functions will also include various jobs such as taking food and drinks orders, serving food and drinks, or setting up equipment such as OHPs, lighting, Video Recorders etc.

Job Roles •

Customer Service

•

Service of Food and Beverages

•

Deal with Customer Accounts

•

Effective Working Relationships

Conference Room Hilton Hotel

66

Customer Service Products and services should be explained to the customer at the appropriate times and assistance should be offered in the appropriate manner. Information on any problems that the customer has should be gathered in order to work out and deliver solutions. Any requests or service needs the customer has should be dealt with promptly while keeping those needs in balance with those of the hotel. A positive image should be presented to the customer at all times and when systems go wrong service should be maintained. Methods of communication should be adapted to meet the needs of the customer and any feelings expressed by the customer should be dealt with appropriately.

Crown Plaza, Leeds

Conference Room Crown Plaza, Leeds

Our conference facilities cater for 1 to 200 delegates, with natural daylight and blackout capabilities in most of the meeting rooms. Smaller rooms on the 1st floor make excellent interview rooms. The Roundhay Suite offers 247 sq. metres of exhibition space. This suite also separates into 3 sections. An Executive Boardroom is available for those serious meetings. In addition, we have a business centre which offers full business services, secretarial support and translation services. Guests have access to a Dictaphone, stenographer, free use of power/telecom adapters, access to main Microsoft PC Software Packages and a Hewlett Packard Printer.

It is important to check with the organiser of the event that they have everything they need. You may need to deal with special requests i.e. equipment, vegetarians etc.

67

Service of Food and Beverages Preparations are made in advance for the arrival of customers with advanced bookings. Customers who do not have advanced bookings are usually dealt with in line with the hotels departmental procedures. All booking enquires should be handled in a professional manner and used as a sales opportunity, although it is usually the C & B Sales staff who deal with such enquires. Food is served in an accurate and timely fashion and for large dinners C & B Managers or supervisors are usually there to assist with guidance. Opportunities are usually taken to try to sell and promote the products on offer to the customer.

Banquet Layout Oulton Hall, Leeds - De Vere Hotels

Dealing with Customer Accounts The C & B department will often be working with products that will be sold at the particular event and often not pre-ordered.

Customer

accounts for these products will therefore have to be dealt with. Training is given on how to prepare and take receipt of customer accounts. There is usually a standard procedure the hotel will have in place for the process of accounts, payments and cash handling.

68

Skills and personality •

Good communication

•

Smart appearance

•

Being able to work well under pressure

•

Good listening – being able to listen to managers orders

•

Team work

•

Being able to work irregular and long hours

69

Employment Laws What employment laws would be relevant to the following different departments of a hotel? Which laws would effect every department of the hotel? •

Bar

•

Kitchen

•

Housekeeping

•

Reception

•

Create a health and safety poster that would be relevant to the staff working in a kitchen of a hotel.

•

Then create a health and safety poster that would be relevant to a guest whilst staying in their room in a hotel.

•

How would the language and style of these two posters differ to appeal to their target audience?

70

Labour Turnover Read the passage and then answer the questions that follow.

The Sailor’s Retreat is a 3 star hotel in the small town of Wigglesdale. The hotel has a popular fine-dining restaurant, which attracts local customers as well as the hotel guests.

The restaurant employs mainly female, part-time staff, that work flexible part time hours, to fit with childcare arrangements. The work is semi-skilled, as basic training is given to all new employees. However the more skilled work is left to the two full time staff members and the management. The hotel does not pay high wages but it does have a high labour turnover.

•

Why might the labour turnover be high for this hotel?

•

Suggest the different ways in which the Sailor’s retreat could lower their staff turnover.

•

Suggest three reasons as to why the hotel would want to reduce their labour turnover.

71

Scale of Production

Read the following information about three different hotels and answer the questions below.

The Sailor's retreat is a small family run 3 star hotel with 10 bedrooms situated in the small town of Wigglesdale. The grill restaurant within the hotel can seat 30 customers.

The Bluebell Hotel group is also rated with three stars and has four hotels in their chain situated around the London area, not more than 50 miles apart. The restaurants within the hotels can each seat 80 customers at one time.

Majestic Hotels are a 5 star hotel group with 30 hotels based in the major cities across Europe, with the Head Office in England. The fine dining restaurants within these hotels can each seat 150 people in each sitting.

•

What are the advantages and disadvantages for purchasing goods for the restaurants of each of these three hotels?

•

Which hotel is in the most advantageous position for purchasing?

72

Unit Cost of Breakfast Every business that produces a product or provides a service will want to know the unit cost of doing this. The unit cost measures the cost of producing a single good or service. While a hotel does not produce goods in the same way a factory does there are still many different unit costs that can be calculated. Using the information provided below calculate the unit cost producing one breakfast.

The hotel buys the ingredients needed to make breakfast in bulk for the following prices: 40 sausages - £5.40 120 rashers of bacon - £12.60 35 eggs - £5.25 40 hash browns – £2.99 15 cans of beans (220g per can) - £3.60 4 0 loafs of bread (30 slices per loaf) - £9.55 20 tomatoes - £1.50 Additional cost – the estimated cost of this i.e. staff time, electricity, equipment etc is £1.50 per breakfast.

Each breakfast consists of -

1 sausage 2 rashers of bacon 1 egg 1 hash brown 20g of baked beans 2 slices of toast 1 tomato

73

Guide to the DVD

Main Menu

The jobs

Option 1 - Front of House

General Manager Receptionist Restaurant Bar person Waitress Porter

Option 2 – Sports & Leisure

Sports & Leisure Manager Gym Instructor Lifeguard Beauty Therapist

Option 3 – Back of House

Head Chef Sous Chef Maintenance Accounts Housekeeping Banqueting

Option 4 – Education

Two students talk

Option 5 – Information

Website Virtual tour

74

HOTELIERS ASSOCIATION DVD

WORKSHEET 1

WORKING IN THE HOTEL INDUSTRY – PROGRESSION ROUTES

There are lots of opportunities for progression in the hotel industry. This means that employees can move from one department to another and can also gain promotion within the same department. Use the DVD to answer the following questions.

1.

Skills which are useful in most industries and departments within a

company are called transferrable skills. List some of these transferrable skills.

2.

From watching the DVD, can you write down the name and position

of the employee who moved from Banking and Finance into the hotel industry?

3.

Is she glad she moved? Why?

4.

Education does not stop once you leave school.

Training and

qualifications are vital in the world of work and increase your employment opportunities. List some of the qualifications and training offered within the hotel industry.

75

5.

Give an example of an employee and his/her preferred progression

route; write down the employees name, current position and the job they would like to have in the future.

6.

Have you noticed that each employee is focused upon the next step

up the ladder? Why do you think this is so? What are the benefits of having job goals?

7.

Can you name any of the people who stated that they were hoping

to work in one of the company’s hotels abroad?

8.

What skills do you think people gain from the experience of

working abroad?

9.

Does the wide range of progression routes available in the hotel

industry surprise you? What impresses you about the routes on offer to employees?

76

HOTELIERS ASSOCIATION DVD

WORKSHEET 2

WORKING IN THE HOTEL INDUSTRY – QUALIFICATIONS AND COURSES

From the DVD identify four universities which hotel employees have attended. Using the websites for those universities, answer the following questions.

1.

Write a list of degree courses and other qualifications which relate

to the hotel and hospitality industry.

2.

What range of A Levels/A2 qualifications are required to start the

degree courses?

3.

What points/grades are required to start the degree courses?

4.

Are degree courses which you may like to study, available in a city

where you would like to live? Explain which courses and cities appeal to you and why.

5.

List the degree courses which can be studied part-time.

6.

On average, how long do the courses last?

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7.

Write a list of the courses which include time spent on a work

placement.

8.

Where can you find out more information about courses?

9.

What are the benefits of working within the hotel industry?

10.

Can you see yourself working in the hotel industry? If so, what

position would you like and why?

11.

What skills do you think are essential for working in the hotel

industry?

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HOTELIERS ASSOCIATION DVD-WORKSHEET 3 WORKING IN THE HOTEL INDUSTRY – STAFF RECRUITMENT

As the Human Resources (HR) Manager you have been approached by the Hotel General Manager and requested to recruit more staff.

Your task:

Using the DVD, choose a job in the hotel industry and plan an job advertisement for the local newspaper and for a website.

The information you need to include is:

*

The job title and daily duties

*

Personal qualities and skills required

*

Qualifications required

*

Training and progression routes available

*

Company benefits for all staff

*

Information about the hotel chain

You also need to draw up a list of questions to ask the applicants at interview. What personal qualities, skills and qualifications does a person

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need to work successfully in the hotel industry?

Think about the

information above to help you.

You may want to act out the interview scenario and involve your classmates. Someone is to be the HR Manager, another the Manager of the department whose member of staff it will be and finally other students may wish to apply for the job and be interviewed (they can use their CV and Personal Statement in the Record of Achievement for help).

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HOTELIERS ASSOCIATION DVD WORKSHEET 4 WORKING IN THE HOTEL INDUSTRY – RESEARCH A JOB

Select a job in the Hotel Industry that interests you most. Find the video clip and text on the DVD which relate to the job you have selected and complete the following form based on the information provided. Think about whether you have the same skills.

Job title

Age range (circle the correct one)

under 20, 21 to 30, 31 to 49, over

50 Main tasks carried out

Qualifications required

Where might you gain these qualifications? (circle the relevant organisation(s) below)

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School

College

University

Workplace

Personal qualities required

Skills needed

What further qualifications may be gained at work?

What job/position might the job holder progress to next?

What career ambition does the person have?

What are the benefits of working in this industry?

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HOTELIERS ASSOCIATION DVD WORKSHEET 5

WORKING IN THE HOTEL INDUSTRY – THE RANGE OF JOBS

Before looking at the DVD, list as many different jobs in the hotel industry as you can think of.

Add up your total. Now see if you can double that number by looking at the DVD. Use the following table to record your answers, it will help you remember the different parts of the hotel.

CHECKING

YOUR

IN / OUT

ROOM STAY

DINING

DRINKING

GYM SWIM

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&

How many additional jobs have you listed in the table above compared with your first list? ____________

Are there any jobs that you didn’t realise went on in a hotel? If so, which ones?

Having looked at the DVD, which jobs would you be most interested in doing and why?

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HOTELIERS ASSOCIATION DVD WORKSHEET 6

WORKING IN THE HOTEL INDUSTRY – THE VIRTUAL HOTEL

You may be approaching the time when you will be choosing your GCSE options, or you may be preparing to go on your work experience placement. The Hoteliers DVD is designed to bring to life the Hotel Industry and the ‘world of work’ and to get you thinking about jobs, qualifications and the skills needed to be a good employee.

Work your way through the following tasks using the DVD. To help you a guide to the DVD is attached.

Task 1

From the Main Menu on the DVD, choose option 5 ‘Information’. Take yourself on the hotel virtual tour.

Task 2

Still in the ‘Information’ Menu, look at Leeds Hoteliers and list the hotels which are members of this association.

Task 3

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Now go back to the Main Menu and choose option 1, ‘Front of House’. Draw a spider diagram showing the jobs available.

Task 4

Choose one of these jobs and

a)

Describe three interesting facts about it.

Or

b)

Describe the skills you think are needed to do this job.

Extension Task

Repeat tasks 3 and 4 above for either option 3, ‘Back of House’, or option 2 ‘Sports and Leisure’.

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Leeds Hotels Association This pack has been sponsored and reproduced by the Leeds Hotels Association to aid teachers in the delivery of the business syllabus. We hope it developes into a spark of inspiration for the next generation to consider hospitality as a future career opportunity.

It has been developed with the help of Leeds Metropolitan University and their graduates.

Written By Alexandra Abbey, Kate Ansell, Louise Bowden, Helen Buckley, Janina, Bujak, Peter Cox, Emily Jones, Kate Phipps, Johan Reynards

2001/2002 87