Arrival Procedure in Hotels, registration, check in

check-in and registration process followed in large hotels, when the guest arrive to stay.

1. Arrival, Pre-Registration & Registration, Room Assignment & Rooming Second Stage of Guest Cycle

2. Topics for Learning Pre- Registration Activities (Arrival List, Room Position, Amenities Voucher) Registration Records (Hard-bound Register, Loose Leaf register, Guest Registration Card, C Form) Flow of Registration Process (FIT, GIT, Airlines Crew, VIP, Walk-In, Scanty Baggage) Check- In System (Manual, Semi- Automated, Automated)

3. The first face-to-face contact between guest and hotel.

4. Arrival Process Work Flow

5. Arrival The arrival procedure appears routine and standardized. And so it is, but a wide range of sizes, classes, and types of hotels means that no two arrivals are exactly the same. All departments involved in check-in are responsible for making it pleasant, accurate, fast and secure.

6. Moments of Truth Arrival time highlights the sharpest difference between the industry’s many levels of service. Limited-service guests who use self-check-in terminals may see no one at all! Full-service hotels make the arrival procedure a memorable part of the guest’s experience, one of the many moments of truth.

7. What is the moment of truth in the hospitality industry? A moment of truth is when an interaction occurs between a customer and the service provider, that can leave a lasting positive or negative impression on the customer . In the Hospitality industry, there are a minimum of twenty or thirty moments of truth in its “Guest Cycle” of service.

8. Valet Attendant Parking attendants greet guests arriving by private automobiles. Downtown hotel’s parking is a revenue center of the hotel. Parking arrangements may be reversed with the parking company paying the hotel for the right to pick up guest’s cars. The valet attendants are the parking company’s employees, not subject to hotel control. Security Risk?

9. Parking Valet

10. Hi-Tech Parking in Cities

11. The Doorperson The presence of a door attendant makes a strong statement about the hotel, its concern for guest safety, and its level of service. The door-person is part concierge, part bell-person, part tour guide, part host, and part friend. Without question, doorpersons in their splendid uniforms make an impressive impact and a comforting presence at the hotel’s entry.

12. Guest registration Guest registration  is recording the guest's information for official (legal) purposes . These records are kept for 3 years and police/intelligence/Govt. agencies may call for these records any time. During  registration, the guest is required to enter important information on the GRC such as guest name, contact number, purpose of stay at the hotel, and passport and visa details in case of foreign guest.

13. Laws in India Regarding Registration in Hotels Passport (Entry into India) Act, 1920 Foreigners Act, 1946 Registration of Foreigners Act, 1939 Registration of Foreigners Act , 1992

14. Hotel guest registration law in India All guests, Indian or Foreign, must be registered by the hotel at check-in. The prescribed forms for both are same. i.e. Form F. Details of Foreigners should be filled in one more form, Hotel Arrival Report, also called Form C and must be sent within 24 hours to FRRO or LIU & local police station. Form C of Pakistani, Chinese & Bangladeshi nationals must be submitted within 12 hours. Nationals of Nepal & Bhutan are exempted from Form C.

15. Registration of Foreigners FRRO- Foreigners Regional Registration Office. Located in five metro cities, plus Amritsar & Hyderabad. For other cities, SP office is FRRO. LIU- Local Intelligence Unit FRO- Foreigners Registration Officer Foreigners staying for more than 180 days and countries with whom India has difficult relations, must be registered within 24 hours to 14 days. Penalty for not registering on time is 30 dollars.

16. Registration Arriving guests may or may not hold reservations. Those with reservations are handled quickly because pre-registration may be done. The activities performed before guest arrives are called Pre-Registration. It includes; Preparing arrival report of tomorrow. Calculating room availability. Making amenities voucher. Pre-fill the GRC.

17. Pre-Registration When Front Desk completes the pre-registration activities, it helps to make the check-in process really quick, smooth and pleasant.

18. A pleasant and caring response…

19. Walk-Ins Registering walk-ins takes more time than registering reservation-holders as all the formalities have to be completed then. Sales to walk-ins, normally without discount, boost the hotel’s bottom line. Walk-ins really help the yield management system. An inviting lobby is the first means of capturing the sale. A cordial, knowledgeable guest-service agent with the right message is the second.

20. Passport A passport is a proof of citizenship of the issuing country. This document, along with visa, is compulsory for any one travelling out of the country. The hotel staff must check the passport and visa of all foreign guests carefully. Passports are generally of 4 types; Ordinary, Official, Diplomatic & Emergency.

21. Surname Name of Father/ Legal Guardian First Name Name of Mother Nationality Name of Spouse Date of Birth Address Place of Birth Validity Period Gender Children Date of Issue Endorsement Place of Issue Emigration Status Holder’s Signature Validity/ Restriction Holder’s Photograph Details in a Passport

22. What is a Visa? A visa is an endorsement on the passport, by the embassy of the issuing country, permitting the holder to visit the country for a specific purpose and for a limited period of time. Immigrant/Permanent Visa Temporary/Non-Immigrant Visa Tourist Visa Student Visa Business Visa Work Visa Transit Visa

23. Visa What are the different types of US visa? While there are about 185 different types of visas, there are two main categories of U.S. visas. Non-immigrant visa - for temporary visits such as for tourism, business, work, visiting family, or studying. Immigrant visa - for people to  immigrate (settle in)  to the United States.

24. Registration Records Hard-bound Register Loose-leaf Register Guest Registration Card

25. Serial No. Whether Employed in India Name of Guest Registration Details Address Proposed Duration of Stay in India PAX (Persons approximately) Date & Time of Arrival in Hotel Nationality Purpose of Visit Passport No. Date & Time of Departure Date of Arrival in India Signature of the Guest Columns in Hard-bound & Loose-leaf Register

26. Advantages & Disadvantages of Hard-bound Register Single document, easy to handle All data in one place No paper wastage No filing needed Risk of loss/theft Long queue may form during peak hours Guest data is not secure Pre-Registration not possible Registration of groups will take much time With long use, the document may look shabby.

27. Advantages & Disadvantages of Loose-leaf Register Guest data may be kept confidential to some extent. In case of loss of one sheet, loss of data is limited. Convenient for the guest to fill. Pages may be misplaced easily Wastage of space on low arrival days Long queue may be formed on peak arrival days

28. Advantages & Disadvantages of Guest Registration Card Multiple check-ins are possible Guest data is totally private Pre-registration is possible Expensive to maintain Regular filing needed May be easily misplaced

29. Registered, Not Assigned (RNA) Early arrivals, especially those who appear before the check-out hour, may need to wait until a departure creates a room vacancy. The registration card is completed but marked RNA, registered but not assigned. Early arrivals who come after rooms have been vacated are assigned immediately, but not given the key while the room is on-change. Room charges are the real issue with early arrivals.

30. Waiting Lines: Challenges of Arrival Process Hotel executives must balance the four elements of waiting lines: arrival population; service population; and queue and service disciplines. Management’s failure to attend to the four parts of queuing theory creates negative moments of truth. Frequent-guest members, important persons, and premium corporate accounts are registered in a different area by the concierge or a hotel executive.

31. Registration pods don’t eliminate lines, but they make the experience more cordial.

32. Self-service Check-in Self-service check-in is viewed as a special facility rather than a reduction in service. Initially, self-check-in terminals required the arriving guest to hold a reservation and a payment card, either credit or debit. When all rooms are taken and only a few suites are available, it challenges the terminal’s capability. Rather than walk the arrival, the desk clerk will likely upgrade the reservation to one of the suites.

33. Kiosks for check-In

34. The Registration Card Guest-service agents greet arriving guests with pleasantries and a registration card. Completing the GRC is formalization of a contract between hotel and guest. Hotel is expected to provide hygienic, comfortable, and safe rooms. Guest is responsible for full payment.

35. Contents of the Cards: name and address; number in the party; room number; date of departure; rate; agent’s identification; folio number; disclaimer of liability. Points of Agreement: to minimize misunderstandings later, the agent repeats financial facts as the registration closes e.g. stay duration, room rates plus taxes, payment method etc. New social issues have added to the guest-service agents’ responsibilities. Wherever appropriate, Points of Agreement have expanded to include no-smoking rooms, pets, and “green” facilities.

36. Assignment Non-Smoking Rooms: Gradually, as demand for no-smoking grew, hotels set aside entire floors or wings for non-smokers. Pets: almost every chain has some type of pet accommodation. Eva Floors: for women travelling alone. Executive Floors: Manned by Concierge & Butler Rooms are assigned, by matching guest preference, with current room availability.

37. Did Not Stay (DNS) In very rare cases, the arriving guest may register and leave immediately. Typically, no charge is made if check-out takes place within a reasonable time, even if the room was occupied briefly. The completed registration card is marked DNS and given over to a supervisor.

38. Establishing Credit and Identity Guests with reservations have already established a preliminary level of credit and identification. Credit cards help establish the guest’s identity, but some locations require additional identification. E.g. Aadhar Card, Driving License Without a credit card on file, all services must be paid on cash. Front Office makes APC slips (All Payments in Cash) and send to all POS. Guest photo is also compulsory.

39. Check-In for Specific Cases FIT (Free Individual Traveller) Walk-In (Guest without prior reservation) VIP (Very Important Person) GIT (Group Inclusive Tour) Scanty baggage (with very less luggage, might leave without paying) FFIT (Foreign Free Individual Guest)

40. FIT Check reservation status. Confirm from Daily Arrival Report. Give a pre-filled GRC for verification and signature. Check GRC for completeness & sign. Assign room as per guest preference. Confirm mode of payment. Issue room key. Call bell boy for luggage assistance. Wish an enjoyable stay. Update necessary records.

41. Walk-In Guests Screen black-listed guests and unwanted ones. If rooms available, ask guest to fill GRC. Take advance deposit or credit card imprint. Complete steps as for FIT check-In. If rooms not available, offer to arrange in comparable nearby hotels.

42. VIP Check-In List of VIP guests: Heads of Countries Music stars Local Government Heads (Country, State & Union Territories) Travel Writers Ministers (Central & State) Top Executives of large MNCs Senior Media personalities Chief Executive officers of Business Houses Sports Stars & Top Administrators Senior Defence officers Film Stars Famous public figures & celebrities

43. VIP Check-In Arrange airport pick-up. VIP welcome on arrival in lobby. Registration done in the room. Welcome drink & VIP amenities in room. Luggage assistance at the earliest. FOM/GM to escort VIP to the pre-assigned room. Notify all departments about VIP in-house. Up-date records.

44. Limousine Cars for VIP Travel

45. Group Check-In A fast group check-in depends on pre-registration the most. Prepare rooming list in advance. Block rooms on one floor, if available. Print keys and put in envelopes, with room no. Pre-fill GRC. Keep in alphabetical order. Arrange for welcome drink. On arrival, bell boys tag bags with the help of rooming list.

46. Group Check-In- Part 2 Hand over GRC & room keys to Group Leader for distribution. Serve welcome drink while guests complete GRC. Collect GRC from Group Leader. Send guests to rooms. Luggage assistance to follow. Send copies of rooming list to all POS.

47. Scanty Baggage Check-In Procedure Guests with very less number of bags, are reported by bell boy on arrival. Check-in only after authorization from Duty Manager. Stamp GRC with “Scanty Baggage”. Prepare APC slips & notify all POS. Take advance deposit for the whole stay. All payments in cash (APC) at all Points Of Sale (POS).

48. FFIT Just like an FIT check-in. Check Passport & visa very carefully. Additionally, fill C-Form and send to FRRO. Exchange foreign currency and give certificate. Diplomats of foreign countries & NRIs are not to be reported by C form.

49. Fully Automated Check-In Self check-in kiosk, just like ATM machines. Swipe credit card for identification. Issue key card from dispenser slot. Self check-in is not meant to make personal contact obsolete but rather to streamline processes.

50. Rooming the guest Arriving at the Room: registration completed, the bell person moves toward the elevators with the guest in tow. Explain the emergency exit routes. The escort explains to the guest on use of key, power switch, amenities, facilities etc. Inform about any special event in hotel. Answer any other questions.

51. Documents Generated in Check-In Process 1. Registration Card : Used to collect guest personal data . 2. Room Rack Slip : A document on which the information is transferred from the registration card in the form of a summary. This slip is placed in the room rack . 3. C Form for all foreign guests.

52. Documents Generated in Check-In Process 3. Information rack Slip : Used to provide guest name and room no. A copy of this slip goes to room service, housekeeping, telephones, etc. These departments also maintain information racks. 4. Bell Boy’s Arrival Errand Card : It is to communicate the guest arrival to the bell desk and to keep a check on the movement of the bell boys.

53. Other Support Documents : Arrival notification slips : These slips are prepared and distributed to all the concerned departments . Lobby Control Sheet is a record of all the errands given to all the bell boys of one shift. All the errand cards and lobby control sheet are filed by Lobby manager for future reference, if needed.