Front Office Operations Guide 1160 Checking Out Guests

Front Office Operations Guide, 1160 Checking Out Guests A. Our Guest Check-out Goals The guest check-out (departure) is a critical moment in our guests’ experiences at our Hotel, so every check-out must be friendly, quick, thorough and efficient. Guest check-outs occur in a more compacted time period (usually between 7: 00 A. M. and 9: 00 A. M. ) than guest check-in, so they must be handled with even greater efficiency. Continue ► GUEST SERVICES GUIDE © Marin Management, Inc.

Front Office Operations Guide, 1160 Checking Out Guests A. Our Guest Check-out Goals (cont. ) We have three important—and measurable—goals for every departing guest’s check-out: v Every guest receives the “Perfect Check-out’ within three minutes of his or her arrival in the lobby. v Every departing guest is addressed by name at least four times during the check-out. v The front office receives no negative comments from guestsatisfaction tracking systems. To achieve these goals, we use the procedures described in the following sections. Continue ► GUEST SERVICES GUIDE © Marin Management, Inc.

Front Office Operations Guide, 1160 Checking Out Guests Image from Microsoft Office online, Feb. 2011 B. Check-out Time Check-out time varies at each hotel and that may vary by the day of the week or during special events. For your Hotel’s check-out time, see your Hotel-specific Guest Services Guide. We require guests to depart by the check-out time on their departure date to avoid being charged for an additional day’s stay. We establish this policy so that the Hotel can prepare guestrooms for other arriving guests. Continue ► GUEST SERVICES GUIDE © Marin Management, Inc.

Front Office Operations Guide, 1160 Checking Out Guests B. Check-out Time (cont. ) We make every effort to accommodate special needs for late departure, however. At the start of every shift, check with your supervisor or the manager-on-duty to determine if late departures (without additional charges to guests) are allowed that day. On some days management may want to approve each request for a late departure on a case-by-case basis. On days with many early arrivals, management may not allow any late departures. If a guest departs on a day before the scheduled departure day, we charge only for the number of nights stayed if the departure is before check-out time. If the departure is after check-out time, an additional day is charged unless your supervisor approves otherwise. Continue ► GUEST SERVICES GUIDE © Marin Management, Inc.

Front Office Operations Guide, 1160 Checking Out Guests C. The Perfect Check-out In order that every guest departure is a “Perfect Check-Out”, every check-out must include the following steps: 1. Greet the guest. 2. Ask if the guest enjoyed the Hotel. 3. Get and present the guest’s folio. 4. Check the bucket for documents. Smile 5. Verify the charges with the guest. 6. Inquire about additional charges. Continue ► GUEST SERVICES GUIDE © Marin Management, Inc.

Front Office Operations Guide, 1160 Checking Out Guests C. The Perfect Check-out (cont. ) 7. Determine the method of payment. 8. Process the payment. 9. Get the guestroom key(s). 10. Ask for an advance reservation. 11. Inquire if the room is vacant. 12. Thank the guest. The following sections include details on each of the steps. Continue ► GUEST SERVICES GUIDE © Marin Management, Inc.

Front Office Operations Guide, 1160 Checking Out Guests C. The Perfect Check-out (cont. ) 1. Greet the guest: Your sincere greeting is important to making the guest feel comfortable. Make eye contact, smile and say: “Good morning, are you checking out? ” Speak in complete sentences. Do not say, “Checking out? ” Use the guest’s name whenever possible. Our goal is to use each guest’s name at least four times during the check-out process. Continue ► GUEST SERVICES GUIDE © Marin Management, Inc.

Front Office Operations Guide, 1160 Checking Out Guests C. The Perfect Check-out (cont. ) 2. Ask if the guest enjoyed the Hotel: Inquire about the guest’s stay, for example: “Did you enjoy your stay in our Hotel, Mr. Robertson? ” Note, this example is different from only saying, “Did you enjoy your stay? ” or “Did you enjoy your visit? ” because the guest may give a response unrelated to the Hotel. If you do not include “in our Hotel” he or she may respond, “Oh yes, this is a nice area. ” Report any noteworthy comments in the Guest Services Shift Log. Usually, you can ask the guest about his or her stay while doing the next step. Continue ► GUEST SERVICES GUIDE © Marin Management, Inc.

Front Office Operations Guide, 1160 Checking Out Guests C. The Perfect Check-out (cont. ) 3. Get and present the guest’s folio: If you do not already have on hand the printed folio and do not already know the guest’s room number ask to see the room key. Check the room key code to determine the room number. Then retrieve or print the folio. Do not stare at the screen for long without making occasional eye contact and conversation with the guest. For example: “This will only take a moment longer, Mr. Robertson. ” Print and present the folio to the guest. Continue ► GUEST SERVICES GUIDE © Marin Management, Inc.

Front Office Operations Guide, 1160 Checking Out Guests C. The Perfect Check-out (cont. ) 4. Check the bucket for documents: Check the bucket for safedeposit documents and other signed-out Hotel property. If you find any documents indicating that Hotel property (such as Internet cables, power converters and baby bottle warmers) has not been returned, inquire about it. For example: “Mr. Robertson, my records show that you still have a safe deposit key we loaned to you. Have you left it in your room? ” Check for mail and other guest or Hotel property. Check the bucket and the clean-guest-laundry area to be certain the guest is not leaving any mail, packages, cleaned laundry, messages or facsimile transactions. Continue ► GUEST SERVICES GUIDE © Marin Management, Inc.

Front Office Operations Guide, 1160 Checking Out Guests C. The Perfect Check-out (cont. ) 5. Verify the charges: Present the printed folio to the guest and ask him or her to review the charges. For example: “Mr. Robertson, would you please review this and let me know if the charges are correct? ” Sometimes, you may need to transfer charges appearing on one guest’s folio to a master account, another guestroom account or another guest’s account in the same room. See the propertymanagement system manual for procedures on how to make these transfers. Continue ► GUEST SERVICES GUIDE © Marin Management, Inc.

Front Office Operations Guide, 1160 Checking Out Guests C. The Perfect Check-out (cont. ) 6. Inquire about additional charges: Many times there additional charges for services the guest received within the past several hours that may not yet have been posted to his or her folio. These could be charges for recent, telephone calls, business services or—at some locations—food or beverage. Ask: “Do you have any additional charges that are not showing on your account, Mr. Robertson? ” Post any additional charges and make any adjustments. After you make the adjustments, print a corrected folio. Continue ► GUEST SERVICES GUIDE © Marin Management, Inc.

Front Office Operations Guide, 1160 Checking Out Guests C. The Perfect Check-out (cont. ) 7. Determine the method of payment: For example, ask the guest: “How would you like to pay for your charges, Mr. Robertson? ” The approved methods of payment are described in the policy “Front-Office Guest Credit” in this Guide. If the guest has established credit at check-in by using a credit card, you may word the question differently. For example: “Would you like to use your Visa card to pay for your charges, Mr. Robertson? ” If the guest uses another credit card, get authorization. Continue ► GUEST SERVICES GUIDE © Marin Management, Inc.

Front Office Operations Guide, 1160 Checking Out Guests C. The Perfect Check-out (cont. ) 8. Process the payment: Process the payment by having the guest sign the credit-card voucher, sign the folio for direct billing, pay cash, surrender a gift certificate or other method that applies. Give the guest a copy of his or her folio showing all charges and a paid or zero balance. Explain: “Here is your receipt, Mr. Robertson. ” Continue ► GUEST SERVICES GUIDE © Marin Management, Inc.

Front Office Operations Guide, 1160 Checking Out Guests C. The Perfect Check-out (cont. ) 9. Collect the guest’s room key(s): By now you have usually received at least one key from the guest, but not always. Check the property-management system screen to determine how many keys have been issued to the guest. Then ask for that number. For example: “Mr. Robertson, I see we issued you two keys. May I get those from you now? ” The guest may not yet want to surrender the room key(s). He or she may need to return to the room to move luggage, for example. When this happens, remind the guest to return the key, for example: “Mr. Robertson, I’ll take one key now, and you can return the other after you have picked up your luggage. ” Continue ► GUEST SERVICES GUIDE © Marin Management, Inc.

Front Office Operations Guide, 1160 Checking Out Guests C. The Perfect Check-out (cont. ) 10. Ask for an advance reservation: Determine when the guest will be returning to the area and attempt to gain a new reservation. For example, ask: “When will you be returning to our area, Mr. Robertson? ” Then ask, "May I make a reservation for you? " When you take a guest reservation at checkout, always present a printed reservation confirmations. Continue ► GUEST SERVICES GUIDE © Marin Management, Inc.

Front Office Operations Guide, 1160 Checking Out Guests C. The Perfect Check-out (cont. ) 11. Inquire if the room is vacant: Often the guest checks out planning to return to the room or leaving luggage in the room. This affects the housekeeping department’s schedule to clean the room. Ask: “Will you be returning to the room before departing? ” Continue ► GUEST SERVICES GUIDE © Marin Management, Inc.

Front Office Operations Guide, 1160 Checking Out Guests C. The Perfect Check-out (cont. ) 12. Thank the guest for staying with us: Thanking the guest for his or her business is an important part of the farewell. For example: “Thank you for choosing (our Hotel name), Mr. Robertson. I hope you have a pleasant trip and return soon!” Continue ► GUEST SERVICES GUIDE © Marin Management, Inc.

Front Office Operations Guide, 1160 Checking Out Guests D. After the Guest’s Check-out After the guest has checked out, complete the closing administrative transactions. The closing transactions include: 1. Post the payment on the front-office computer, if not already done. 2. Return the key to the key area. 3. If the Hotel property management system (PMS) is not communicating with the housekeeping department, notify the housekeeping department the room is vacant. 4. File the folio, registration card and related documents. 5. Update our guest history records, if not already done. Continue ► GUEST SERVICES GUIDE © Marin Management, Inc.

Front Office Operations Guide, 1160 Checking Out Guests E. Helpful Video Click on the button below to watch a four-minute video on checking out departing hotel guests: End GUEST SERVICES GUIDE © Marin Management, Inc.

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