The Front Office Manager’s Remarks                                                                                      前厅部经理的话

The aim of a hotel is to create a home away from home for all the traveling guests who need rest, food and drinks.

饭店的宗旨是为所有需要休憩和食宿的旅客创造一个家外之家。

The Front Office of a hotel is not only its “shop window” but also its“nerve center”.It is within this department that the guest’s vacation or business, and indeed,the hotel’s operation itself are made or ruined.

饭店的前厅部既是饭店的“橱窗”，又是饭店的“神经中枢”。正是这个部门决定了旅客们休假或公务旅行的成功或失败，同时也确实是饭店经营本身成败的关键。

The Front Office staff seem to “do it all”——receive reservations, register guests, assign rooms, distribute baggage, store guest’s valuables, provide information, deliver mails and messages, exchange foreign currencies, check room occupancies, check guests out and so on.

前厅部的员工似乎“样样都做”——接受预定、办理旅客入宿手续、安排房间、分发行李、代客保管贵重物品、提供咨询、传递邮件和口信、兑换外币、查核客房出租情况、办理旅客离店手续等。

In order to fulfill these tasks, the staff must have a neat and smart appearance, good manners, adaptability, efficiency, the sence of duty and a knowledge of languages. The most important of all the qualities is a real liking for people and a warm desire to help them.

为了完成上述任务，该部门员工必须做到着装整洁、热情大方、彬彬有礼、适应性强、讲究效率、有责任心，懂得数种语言，而其首要的品质则是真诚爱人、热心助人。

Besides, Front Office staff should encourage and settle guest′s complaints. That will soothe an unhappy guest and reveal the hotel′s problems so that the operation can be bettered.

除此之外，前厅部员工还应当欢迎客人投诉并予以妥善处理。这样做，不仅能安抚客人的不满情绪，还能暴露饭店经营中的问题，以便改进经营。

In short, all staff   remember that the hotel will enjoy greater financial success only with the greater satisfaction the guests receive from the “home away from home”.

总而言之，我们应当铭记，只有使旅客们对在这个“家外之家”中受到的服务倍加满意，饭店才能获得更多的经济效益。

【Discussion】

1.What is the aim of a hotel?

2.Who need hotels?

3.Can you say something about the great importance of the Front Office?

4.Why should the hotel staff have a strong sense of responsibility?

5.Please name some of the duties of a good Front Office clerk?

6.What is the motivation of a good Front Office clerk should have.

7.Please say something about the qualities that a Front Office clerk should have.

8.Do you think a knowledge of languages is necessary to the Front Office  staff ? Why?

9.Why should we welcome the guests’complaints?

10.How can the hotel achieve greater financial success?

【Conclusion】

From this lesson, you should have a real understanding of the Front Office department, such as the importance, the duties and qualities of the staff and so on, in order to lay a good foundation for the upcoming lessons.