Hotel management

What is Hotel Management?
The hospitality industry has grown by leaps and bounds in the past decade. Demand for trained manpower in this industry is immense. Star hotels require trained staff for the following departments:

Food and Beverage (F&B) Housekeeping Accounting Marketing Recreation Computer Applications Financial Management Engineering Maintenance Security Fire Fighting Public Relations

Personal Factor
Being a service industry, having the right attitude is most important. The employees must have an outgoing and pleasant personality, capacity for hard work and a liking for interacting with people. The ability to keep the situation under control during any crisis, discipline, commitment and dedication is a must.


The Prospects
Besides working in hotels, hotel management diploma/degree holders have the following options:

Restaurant Management/Fast Food Joint Management Club Management/Recreation & Health Centre Management Cruise Ship Hotel Management Hospital Administration and Catering Institutional and Industrial Catering Airline Catering and Cabin Services Manufacturers and Suppliers of Hotel and Restaurant Equipment and Services Hotel and Catering Institutes Hotel and Tourism Associations Catering Departments in banks and insurance houses With government owned catering departments, for example railway, armed forces, ministerial conventions, etc. In food, confectionery, beverage production industries.

Jobs in Hotel Management
The Managers
Hotel managers are responsible for the efficient and profitable operation of their establishments. The General Manager controls the finances, establishment norms to be followed by the staff while providing their services to the guests, housekeeping, food quality, decor and interiors. Assistant Managers supervise the day-to-day operations of their departments. Large hotels have Resident Managers to resolve problems round the clock. The Department Managers work under the supervision and guidance of the top management.

The Front Office
The first people to welcome guests in a hotel are the personnel in the front office. The Front Office Manager supervises the work of the receptionists, information clerk, reservation clerk and other service personnel like bell captain, bell boy and doorman. The Bell Boy assists the guests with the baggage to check in to the room. The Bell Captain supervises the work of bell boys. The Information Clerk delivers the telephone messages to the guests through the Bell Captain.

F&B (Food and Beverage)
This department includes:

Culinary Unit Steward Department Food Service Department

Restaurant and Food Service Managers are responsible for stocks of tableware, linens, paper, supplies furniture, and fixtures cleaning. They arrange for equipment maintenance and repairs. They also have to maintain records of hours and wages of employees, payrolls, and taxes, etc. Banquet Managers are in-charge of catering assignments.

Housekeeping
A hotel requires maintenance on a very large scale. Hotels have a house keeping department to look after cleanliness in rooms, lounges, lobby, restaurant, dining halls, parks etc. This department functions under the supervision of the Executive Housekeeper.

Executive Housekeepers are responsible for ensuring that guest rooms, meeting and banquet rooms and public areas are clean, orderly and well maintained. They train, schedule and supervise the work of housekeepers, inspect rooms and order for the necessary supplies. Housekeeping is a round the clock job .This department works in shifts.

Marketing Department
Today marketing of services is a major aspect of hotel management. Sales and marketing division works to identify the needs of prospective customers, develop stay packages to suit their needs and sell the services, which have been developed.