INFORMATION

Information means to inform, to communicate knowledge, provides feedback & reduces guest
problems & complaints. Like reservation & registration front office also perform one of the
important function i.e.; information.

This section plays important role in giving guests & visitors valuable information about the hotel
facilities & the city. A concierge plays a role of information assistant and operates the information
desk.

Main functions of the information section are to:

1. Maintain guest alphabetical racks

2. Receive messages for the guest
3. Handle guest room keys
4. Handle guest mail
5. Paging
6. Providing information

TOOLS OF INFORMATION SERVICE:

Information directory: which includes contacts of local F&B outlets, travel agencies, cab facility, local
shopping centres, drug store, places of worship, nearest ATMs ,banks, post office, theatre, libraries,
local bus stand, airport, railway station, recreational facilities available around etc.

Reader’s board: it is located in the hotel lobby having velvet surface with golden metallic alphabets
& frame & is fixed with the help of stand. It shows all the current events, which are presently taking
place in the hotel. Such as, wedding, conference, exhibition, meetings, parties etc.

Tent card: this is the tool used to promote the hotel services & facilities. This is made up of glossy
paper and is in the shape of tent. It can be placed anywhere on the table or in the guest rooms as
well.

MAIL HANDLING:

1. Mail is often handled by the information assistant. Mail may vary from letters, business &
promotional materials, emails, couriers, parcels, telegrams etc. The timely delivery of the same
to the guest is important. To safeguard the hotel from guest complaints regarding mail, hotels
insist on the following:

2. Timing stamp of all mail at the time of receipt.

3. If registered parcel is received in opened state, to record this in the mail log book & take
signature of the postman.

4. All registered mail etc should have the signature of the guest when delivered.
 MAIL HANDLING

Mail delivered at information counter

All mail stamped date & time

First sorting

GUEST MAIL HOUSE MAIL

2nd sorting to arrange Employee mail Hotel mail

alphabetically

Sent to personnel Depts. Mail GM’s mail sent to

Place in alphabetical mail racks
dept./ time office placed in the his office
dept. slots

Past guest Present Future

mail guest mail guest mail

Checked Checked against Checked against

against mail alphabetical index reservation rack
forwarding from information
cards rack

Mail thus Mail thus sorted placed in Mail thus sorted kept in
sorted the appropriate keys & separate drawer &
redirected mail slot or sent across to reservation slip marked
room letter.

Delivered on guest arrival

RECEIVE MESSAGE / MESSAGE HANDLING:

Receiving message for in-house guests in their absence, recording them and communicating
them to the guest as soon as possible is an important function of Information section.
Message is handled on the behalf guest when the guest is not in the room.

When a person from outside want to leave a message for the resident guest, the
information assistant hands over a message slip to the visitor for recording details of
message along with name & contact number.

The message is taken down in duplicate. While the original is placed in the appropriate key
rack & the duplicate copy is folded into envelop & sent to the room itself & slipped under
the door.

MESSAGE SLIP

CT HOTEL, JALANDHAR

DATE_________________________________ TIME________________________________

TO_______________________________________________________________________

ROOM NUMBER_____________________________________________________________

WHILE YOU WERE OUT

MS/ MR___________________________________________________________________

OF_______________________________________________________________________

TELEPHONED PLEASE CALL BACK

CALLED IN PERSON WILL CALL AGAIN

WAITING TO SEE YOU

MESSAGE_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________

__________________________

INFORMATION ASSISTANT
Some hotels use message light system, where each key rack is provided with the green light.
When there is a message for the in house guest the particular room message light is turned
on which indicates that message is awaited for the guest at the information. Once each
message button is pressed a message light also flashes in the room as well on the panel.
Once the message is conveyed the light is turned off.

On the other hand, sometimes a guest expect a visitor in his absence in that case, the
message is recorded on the message slip of different colour. This slip is inserted into the
room key slot. The same message is sent to the telephone operator if in case visitor makes a
call for the guest in his absence.

KEY HANDLING / CONTROL OF GUEST ROOM KEYS:

Information section is responsible for handling all the guest room keys. It requires a strict
control & it should not be given to anyone without authorisation approved by lobby
manager. Keys must be always inserted in the correct room slot of the key rack. Information
should try to remember the faces of the resident guests, if anyone asking for the keys is
immediately identified. To control & secure the use of keys the key cards are issued to the
resident guest & issues of keys are made against these cards.