TYPES OF CHECK-IN PROCEDURES

Lesson Notes

DIFFERENT TYPES OF CHECK-IN PROCEDURES

The check in procedure may vary in case of guest having confirmed reservation or walk-in. The reservation activity may take a specialised form in case of VIP‘s, group, crew, scanty baggage guest and foreigners. The check in procedure of the various guest are discussed as under:-

CHECK-IN PROCEDURE GUEST WITH CONFIRM RESERVATION

The check in procedure for the guest with confirmed reservation involves following steps:-
Welcome the guest with smile and greet them according to the time of the day.
Ask them if they have confirmed reservation.
Check with the today‘s arrival list.
Pre filled registration card is given to guest to verify the registration record.
Check the registration card completed by the guest for completeness of the registration card including even billing instructions.
Allot the room and authorize the bell desk personnel to install the guest luggage into the room. The bell captain will fill the information in the arrival errand card and Lobby control sheet.
Issue the room keys to the guest, and ask the bell boy to escort the guest and install guest luggage into room.
Wish the guest an enjoyable stay at your property.

CHECK-IN PROCEDURE FOR WALK- IN GUEST (CHANCE ARRIVALS)

Chance arrivals are guests who arrive without a prior booking, usually requiring accommodation for the same night. Some hotels such as motorway hotels or motels will receive most of their guests as chance arrivals. The receptionist may need to juggle existing room allocations, or offer options, in order to accommodate a chance guest, since certain types of room may be fully booked or pre-allocated. The chance guest is likely to be completely unknown to the hotel, which presents various security and credit risks. The receptionist’s ‘radar’ will be particularly primed for suspicious circumstances (such as a chance guest appearing without luggage), which might suggest inability to pay or the intention to leave without paying. Measures will have to be taken without in any way implying to guests that the hotel suspects them of dishonesty

The receptionist may take stricter steps to verify the guest’s registration details (e.g. by requesting proof of identity). The receptionist may also request pre-payment, cash deposit or the imprint of a credit card; decline to accept payment by cheque (without a bank’s confirmation or guarantee) and so on. It is also standard procedure to ask chance guests without credit cards to pay cash for all extra expenses within the hotel, rather than charging them to the room. (In a computerised system, charges can be automatically blocked; in a manual system, reception may have to inform other departments.) Alternatively, a credit limit for extras may be set, so that guests cannot run up a large bill; when the bill reaches that amount, the guest is (tactfully) asked to settle up for the bill so far.

These kinds of security measures are only sensible. At the same time, some hotels will get as much as 90% of their business from chance arrivals, and must value these customers accordingly. The check in procedure for the walk- in guest involves following steps:-

Welcome the guest with smile and greet them according to the time of the day.
Ask them if they have confirmed reservation.
If the guest is not having reservation, then check room availability status for the requested duration of stay by the guest.
If rooms are available for the requested duration, then you can proceed for the check in activity of the walk- in guest. (It is essential to ascertain the creditability of a walk- in guest.)
Assist the guest to fill the registration card and sign.
Check the registration card completed by the guest for completeness of the registration card.
In case of an unknown guest, ask for the advance or take the imprint of credit card.
Allot the room and authorize the bell desk personnel to install the guest luggage into the room. The bell captain will fill the information in the arrival errand card and Lobby control sheet.
Issue the room keys to the guest, and ask the bell boy to escort the guest and install guest luggage into room.
Wish the guest an enjoyable stay at your property.

EXAMPLE

Here’s another example of a conversation between our Guest Services Agent and a ‘chance’ guest.

GSA: Good evening, madam. May I help you?

G: Yes, I wonder if you have a room available for tonight?

GSA: May I have your name, please?

GSA: Amanda Vickery.

G: And do you have a reservation, Ms Vickery?

G: No, I’m afraid not.

GSA: Was the room just for tonight?

G: Yes, just the one night. I’m touring the area by car, not really making any plans.

GSA: What an adventure. And is the room just for yourself, Ms Vickery?

G: Yes.

GSA: Well… I’m afraid I don’t have any single rooms available, but I can offer you a nice twin room overlooking the garden: as a single occupancy, the rate for that room would be £85 per night, including VAT and continental breakfast. Or if you’d prefer a double…

G: No, a twin would be fine. I’ll take that.

GSA: Thank you, Ms Vickery. Here is your registration form. If I could just ask you to put down your full name, address and passport details, and sign at the bottom of the form… You’ll note that check-out time is 11 am, and that we do ask guests without a prior reservation to pre-pay in advance for a night’s accommodation, plus a small sum to cover incidental expenses.

G: Oh, really? Well, I can give you cash, if that’s OK?

GSA: That will be fine, Mrs Vickery…. Thank you. That will be £100, then, if you don’t mind. I’ll just print you out a receipt. Would you like help with your luggage?

CHECK IN PROCEDURE FOR VIP GUEST

Very Important guest for the hotel includes Very Important Persons (VIPs): e.g. heads of states, ministers, sports personnel, celebrities, film stars, travel writers, top executives, guests with special security risks (e.g. politicians or diplomats); and perhaps visiting senior managers from the hotel’s head office, corporate heads famous figures etc. Others include Commercially Important Persons (CIPs):- e.g. the executives and guests of major company account-holders (who may be in a position to influence the continuance of the account); business travellers (who may be in a position to recommend the hotel to their companies, offering a significant amount of business in future); travel agents and tour company staff (who may be in a position to recommend the hotel to travellers, or not); and perhaps journalists or media representatives who may give positive or negative media coverage to the hotel.

These guests are booked into the very expensive rooms or suites of the hotel; They get special treatment and attention from the hotel because of their VIP status the hotel desire to have VIP guest in their hotel as it provide free publicity to the hotel. VIPs may have special requirements for security and privacy, and may even be travelling incognito, that is, not wanting their identity to be known. Front office staff will need to be flexible and alert to these needs, and support the guest’s security and privacy in various ways:-

The guest may have rooms assigned in advance of arrival, in some cases, with special room allocation criteria (e.g. the best rooms, or a number of adjoining rooms for the guest’s entourage, or closing off a block of rooms or a whole floor to maintain security).
The guest may be escorted straight to the room on arrival, and invited to register in the room, to avoid exposure and delays at reception.
Front office staff will need to be vigilant in avoiding the disclosure of information about the guest to unauthorised enquirers (especially members of the press), and may also support the guest’s privacy by discouraging members of the public (e.g. protestors, fans or autograph hunters) from pestering the guest in public areas.

Following pre- registration activity is required in check in procedure of group/ crew:-

Pre arrival activities

Check the reservation record for the details of the VIP guest
Preregister the guest- fill the GRC for the VIP guest
Block the room for VIP guest and ensure that room is being checked by lobby manager or executive housekeeper.
Send the amenities voucher to concern department, so that amenities can be placed in the guest room which includes complimentary fruits, cakes, cookies etc as per the policy of the hotel.
Arrange for the vehicle for VIP guest if required.

On arrival

Send the vehicle for the pickup of the VIP guest if required
When the VIP guest arrives in the hotel, inform the lobby manager or general manager, the guest is being welcomed by front office manager or lobby manager.
The registration formalities are carried out in the guest room over a welcome drink, a prefilled GR card is given to the VIP guest himself or to the authorize person of the VIP guest to complete the registration formalities.
Room is pre allotted to the VIP guest and the guest is escorted either by front office manger or general manger to his room.
Call the bell boy to carry the luggage to the guest room
The front office staff should update the records and send the ANS (Arrival Notification Slip) to concern department regarding the check in of the guest.

In general, both VIPs and CIPs will be given a special level of care and attention. They may have their room preferences prioritised and rooms allocated prior to arrival (even where this is not the norm for the hotel). They may be greeted and escorted on arrival by guest relations staff, to whom they may also be given access if they have needs or requests at any time during their stay, the guest relations representative acting as a ‘facilitator’ for them within the hotel, so that they only have to deal with one person. VIPs and CIPs may also be given complimentary or exclusive use of hotel facilities, e.g. complimentary transport (whether by limousine service or hotel shuttle bus); access to special lounges or business facilities (e.g. the Executive Lounge) within the hotel; and so on. They may also be given complimentary in-room extras, from extra towels to flowers, champagne, fruit or chocolates on arrival.

CHECK-IN PROCEDURE FOR SPECIAL ATTENTION GUESTS (SPATTS)

Special attention guests are guests who may require extra care or assistance for some reason. They may include disabled or partially-disabled guests, the elderly or infirm, or guests suffering from some illness which has been notified to the hotel. They may also, depending on the level of service aspired to by the hotel, include long-stay and regular/loyal guests, and guests who have (on a previous or the current visit) suffered some inconvenience or service failure, for which the hotel wishes to ‘make up’.

As with VIPs and CIPs, the needs of such guests will be catered to in various ways. Rooms may need to be pre-allocated to take account of special needs: wheelchair access, proximity to lifts or ground floor rooms to avoid stairs, proximity to bathrooms (if not en suite) and so on. Assistance may be required with check-in and registration procedures for sight-impaired guests, and special arrangements may be required for delivering telephone messages to hearing-impaired guests. Front office staff will need to be flexible, understanding and discreet in these matters: medical information is highly personal and confidential. Long-stay and regular guests, and guests to whom the hotel wishes to offer recompense for problems, may also be offered priority room allocation or upgrade (subject to availability); greeting and escort by the guest relations or front office manager on arrival; and complimentary extras.

NOTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS

A VIP/SPATTs list will often be compiled and circulated in advance to all relevant front office and operating departments, to let them know who is coming, to what rooms, when and for how long, and what special provisions have been made: who is to greet and escort the guest; whether a fruit basket or champagne is to be provided in the room on arrival; whether any special security measures will be applied; etc.

CHECK-IN PROCEDURE GROUPS/CREW (DOMESTIC & INTERNATIONAL)

The check in procedure for group/crew requires specialisedpre registration activity as group contains large number of people to be registered at the same time. The front desk assistant should be in constant touch with the group leader/ airport representative.

PRE ARRIVAL FOR GROUP

Following pre- registration activity is required in check in procedure of group/ crew:-

Front office prepares a group list containing detail of each guest in the group the list contains the detail like the name of the guest, their address their like and dislikes etc.
The front office block the room for the group and preferences is given, that room should been at the same floor.
Inform housekeeping regarding blocked rooms to ensure that rooms are ready before the arrival of the group.
The front office prepares a rooms list which contains the name of the group members and the corresponding room numbers.
The front office ensures that keys of all the rooms for the group are available at the reception and they arrange them according to the room numbers and place them in an envelope and to be handed over to group leader.
Based on the information received from group leader, pre registration is done, that is guest registration card are filled before arrival of group.
Front office coordinates with f & B department for the arrangement of welcome drink on arrival.
Front office inform bell desk to arrange bell boys for luggage handling of the group.
Inform the concerned person to make the arrangement for traditional welcome if any.
Check for any mail or message for the group.

CHECK- IN PROCEDURE ON ARRIVAL

The following steps are involved in the check in of group and crew at the hotel:-

Front office coordinates with the group leader to ensure smooth check in of the group so they always keep in contact with the group leader.
As soon as the group vehicle arrives in the hotel bell boys are send to handle the guest luggage to identify the luggage of the individual guest, luggage tags are placed on the luggage as per the rooming list.
Front office agent escort the group leader to the reception desk, and traditional welcome is given to the group members if required to be given.
The receptionist handover the prefilled GRC and room keys to the group leader for completion and signature of the group members as per the rooming list.
F&B service and front office meanwhile organize welcome drink for the group members in the scheduled area.
Once the group leader handover the signed GRC to the receptionist, the guest may proceed to their rooms
Bell boys escort the group members to their rooms.
In case of foreigner group, front desk requires passport of all the guest to fill the form C
Front office distribute the copies of rooming list to different departments like housekeeping, F&B service section order to inform the arrival of group.
Front office coordinates with the group leader regarding group activities like meal schedule wakeup call and other requirements.
Once the group members moves to their room the front office:-
Ensure that luggage of the guest has been sent to their respective rooms
Update the room position
Front office cashier opens two folio master folio for the entire group and individual folio for each member of the group which is to be charged directly from the guest or individual group member.

CHECK-IN PROCEDURE SCANTY BAGGAGE GUEST

A guest who arrives at front desk requesting for accommodation carrying very little or no baggage is known as a scanty baggage guest. The bell boy carrying guest baggage should immediately report the same to front desk as there are the chances that guest can turn into skippers. “Skippers” are those who leave the hotel without paying their bills. This is possible because the “Skipper” comes with little luggage to avoid bringing the attention of the bell boys to their secret checkout. Alternatively, if he has just a briefcase, he may leave the hotel very easily without anyone noticing it under the pretext of a business call. The bell boys have to be alert to notify the front office about guests with scanty baggage so that a necessary advance is taken from them and a close watch can be kept on them. Following steps are involved in check in procedure of scanty baggage guests:-

The Bell boy informs the front desk regarding the scanty baggage.
For registering a scanty baggage guest the front desk assistant takes the authorization from Duty manager.
The registration formalities are completed as per the walk in.
A full advance for the duration of stay may be asked from the guest.
Scanty baggage Stamp should be imprinted on the guest registration card.
All payment cash (APC) slip is prepared and sent to all point of sales.
Room keys are allotted.

CHECK IN PROCEDURE FOR FOREIGNER GUEST

The check in procedure of foreigner guest is similar to domestic guest only thing is that Form C has to filled for all foreigner guest. It is mandatory to fill Form C, for all foreigner guests staying in the hotel, the details which can be filled with the help of passport. Diplomats and NRIs not have to fill this form. Form C is also called as Hotel Arrival report. The front office staff should check the validity of the passport and visa it involves following steps:-

When the foreigner guest arrives in the hotel the front desk should welcome them and ask them if they have any confirmed reservation or any prior booking,
If yes check the day‘s arrival list to verify the guest reservation status.
With Reservation :- Give the prefilled GRC to the guest to verify and sign the card
Without Reservation: – If no reservation the front desk agent should check the availability of room for the time duration requested by the guest and if rooms available establish the mode of settlement.
Give the fresh GRC to fill by the guest and assist in doing so.
Once the GRC is filled and signed in either of the case, check for its completeness.
Depending upon the availability and preference of the guest allot the room
Request for the passport from the foreigner guest; check for the validity of passport and visa once checked fill the details in the Form C.
The front desk agent should issue the room keys to the guest and authorize the bell boy to escort their guest to the room.
Bell boy will escort the guest and carry their luggage to the allotted room, the bell captain will fill the information in the arrival err and card and lobby control sheet.
The front desk agent should wish the guest and enjoy able stay at the hotel and update the front office records.