Front Office Operations & Management

For Hotel Management courses, and internships, this text introduces concepts of organization, communication, ethics and policy within a hotel. The primary focus is the front office, housekeeping, reservations and night audit departments. Other departments are discussed to provide and understanding of how these departments relate to the front office and how they operate to enhance the guest experience. An introduction of basic analyses, techniques and trends both in policy and technology are reviewed as they relate to management and the guest. The text gives students a "real world" understanding of the hotel industry balancing its past, present and future. This text portrays the nature and operation of hotels as they exist today. It reveals the inner workings of a hotel in a way that both promotes learning and interest for the students, preparing them for what to expect in the current and future hotel market. The Property Management System has dramatically changed hotel operations, therefore extensive time has been devoted to covering this technology. Additional chapters feature analysis of the physical makeup of hotels, yield management, and operational techniques. Performance measurements and analysis of what makes a truly successful hotel are discussed in detail. Finally, because hotel management is and will always be about people, chapters are devoted to both the hotel guest and hotel employee. The arrival chronology is discussed from arrival to departure.

Primary focus is on the front office, housekeeping, reservations, and night audit departments in this text introducing concepts of hotel organization, communication, ethics, and policy. Other departments are discussed in terms of their relationships with the front office, and basic analyses, techniques, and trends in policy and technology are reviewed as they relate to management and the guest. Boxed readings offer perspectives from industry professionals and descriptions of job roles written by actual employees. Pedagogical features include case studies, exercises, and questions. Ismail is a university instructor and a professional in the meetings industry. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Ahmed Ismail holds a B.A in Management from Adolphus College. His experiences in the hospitality industry inlcude Hotel Sales and Operations, Front Desk Supervision and Accounting Supervision. He has received numerous industry awards, including the NCAA Contribution Award for Hospitality, and the Bill Tiefel Hospitality Award, which he received twice.