Different Tariff Plans used in Hotels

TARIFF PLANS USED IN HOTEL

 Published by :- Vikram

what is tariff plan or card?

 TARIFF

—Tariff means rate and when applied to rooms of a hotel it means room rate.

—Hotel room rate fixation is a difficult task. They are both qualifiable and quantifiable.

—The quantifiable aspect is that they can be measured and strutted to meet certain criteria.

—The qualifiable aspect is that large amount of discretion are allowed in which rates are implemented.

—The  combination of all the rates offered at a hotel is called “Rate Structure.

BASIS OF CHARGING

—Competition

—Customer’s profile

—Standards of service

—Locality

—Various amenities

—Room location

—Publicity

—Price cuts for special business

COMPETITION—Rates must be competitive with other hotels of the same standard and providing almost similar services and facilities as provided by other hotels situated in the same vicinity of the city.

 CUSTOMER’S PROFILE

—The category of customers coming to the hotel  must also be considered.

—Their social status and financial status.

—Example. Paying capacity , should be kept in mind.

STANDARDS OF SERVICES

—Standards of services  provided by the hotel are also important while fixing room tariff.

—The U.S.P. of hotel should be kept in mind while deciding the room tariff.

—More the amenities , higher the standard , so also higher the room rate.

LOCALITY 

—The locality in which the hotel is situated gains prominence while fixing room rates.

—If the hotel is situated in a posh locality where all the shopping malls and other facilities, approaches to airports are worthy. room rate would be comparably higher .

—The guest would not mind paying more if he get amenities and facilities to his taste and likings.

VARIOUS AMENITIES

—Various amenities the hotel is going to provide to the guests such as air –conditioning in all the rooms , carpeting, swimming pool & tennis court equipment , conference halls , lobbies.

—Special aspects of continental and Indian cuisine , cutlery and crockery , modern equipments and machinery.

—These things do count when factors of room – rates are considered.

ROOM LOCATION

—The location of the room also matters a lot.

Front rooms and rooms opening to better views would cost more  than dark rooms , corner rooms or opening to indifferent chambers

PUBLICITY

—The amount of publicity done by a hotel and special budgets prescribed for hotel publicity also matters in deciding the room rates.

This type of expense has to be adjusted somehow  as it has no source of return  but is a must in popularizing the various services of a hotel

ROOM TARIFF CARD

§Room tariff is a document  published by the hotel for use by the travel trade , organization and individual prospective guest.

§The list includes prices of rooms classified into different categories , such as single room , double room , twin room , suites , etc. and meal plans such as American , European and Continental etc.

§Meals such as American , European and Continental also.

 SEASONAL RATE, CRIB

RATE AND EXTRA BED RATE

§Seasonal Rate: Season and Resort hotel which usually have fluctuating demand change their rate usually as per the seasonally and offer different rates for In season and off season.

§Crib Rate : A special rate applicable to children below 12 years of age and accompanying their parents.

§Extra bed Rate: Generally one fourth of the published room rate.

FAMILY RATE

—Special rates for families – for example , one couple and a child below 5 years , then the rate may be for one double room.

One couple with two children below 12 years , the rate may be one double room plus one extra bed rate etc.

GROUP RATE

—A Room tariff published in a document to group operators which is commissionable only to retail travel agents , tour operators and wholesalers.

—Generally commission-able at 10% of the published rack rate.

RACK RATE

—Rack rate is a term which refers to the normal room rate of the hotel.

—This is the room rate which is published on the room tariff card.

This is also the rate which is written on the Shannon slip which is slipped in room rate of those hotels which operate on Whitney system

CORPORATE RATE

—This programmes covers corporate offices and usually 15-25%discount can be given to the officers coming from corporate.

—The corporate rate  is widely accepted as the transient target rate for most hotels.

This is simply an average rate goal a hotel fixes achieve for a certain day or market segment

ROLE HOUSEKEEPING DEPARTMENT IN A HOTEL

•RESPONSIBILITIES OF HOUSEKEEPING DEPARTMENT:-

•To achieve the maximum efficiency in ensuring the care and comfort of guests & in the smooth functioning of the department.

•To establish a welcoming atmosphere.

•To ensure courteousness, reliable service from all staff to the guest.

•To ensure a high standard of cleanliness and general upkeep in all areas for which the department is responsible.

•To provide linen in rooms, restaurants, banquet halls, conference halls, health clubs etc, as well as to maintain an inventory for the same.

•To provide uniforms for all the staff & maintain inventory for the same.

To Cater to the laundering requirements of hotel linen, staff uniforms, and guests

•To provide & maintain the floral decorations and to maintain the landscaped areas of the hotel.

•To select the right contractors & ensure the quality of work is maintained.

•To co-ordinate renovation and refurnishing of the property in consultation with the management & with interior designers.

•To co-ordinate with the purchase department for the procurement of guest supplies, cleaning agents, equipment, fabrics, carpets, & other items used in the hotel.

•To deal with lost & found articles.

•Carpet shampooing.

•Dealing with any guest queries, complaints & requests as they occur.

•To keep the general manager or administrator informed of all matters requiring attention.

•DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF HOUSEKEEPING STAFF:-

•1)Executive Housekeeper/Director of Housekeeping:-

•The executive housekeeper reports to the General Manager or the Resident Manager or the rooms division manager.

•He/she is responsible for the overall cleanliness and aesthetic upkeep of the hotel. His/her duties are:-

•Organize, supervise and coordinate the work of housekeeping staff on day- to day basis.

•Ensure excellence in housekeeping sanitation, safety, comfort and aesthetics for hotel guests.

Prepare duty rosters and supervise the discipline and conduct of her staff

•Ensure proper communication within the department by conducting regular meeting with the staff.

•

•Recruit new employees and train them for the housekeeping jobs.

•

•Counsel and motivate employees on various duties.

•Establish and maintain standard operating procedures for cleaning and develop new procedures to increase efficiency of labor and product use.

•Search and test new techniques and products in the market.

•Maintain regular inventory and checking of furniture, linen, uniform, equipments in the hotel.

•Evaluate employee performance for promotions and transfers.

•Approval of supply requisitions for the housekeeping and to maintain minimum stock and cost control procedures for all materials.

•Check the reports, files, registers maintained in the department.

•Provide budget to the management and control of budgets

2) Deputy Housekeeper

•The deputy housekeeper reports to the executive housekeeper. His/her duties are:-

•Check and ensure that all guestrooms, public areas, back of the house areas are clean and well maintained.

•Inspect the work done by contractors- pest control, laundry, window cleaning, etc.

•Prepare staff schedules and duty rotas.

•Check periodical stocktaking and maintaining of stock records for linen, uniform, equipment.

•Provide necessary information to assist executive housekeeper in staff evaluation, disciplining, termination and promotion.

•Develop and implement training programs within the department in consultation with the executive housekeeper.

•Assist executive housekeeper in forecasting and budgeting for operating and capital expenditure.

•Take charge of housekeeping department in absence of executive housekeeper.

Assistant Housekeeper/Housekeeping Manager:-

•The assistant housekeeper reports to the executive housekeeper. In large hotels, where an deputy housekeeper exists, assistant housekeeper reports to deputy housekeeper.

•In large hotels the responsibilities of floors, public area are divided among assistant housekeepers. In the absence of deputy housekeeper, all the above mentioned duties and responsibilities are taken over by the assistant housekeeper. His/her duties are:-

•Be responsible for efficient and orderly management of cleaning, servicing and repairing of guest rooms.

•Be responsible for hotel linen and check its movement and distribution to room attendants.

•Keep an inventory of all housekeeping supplies and check it regularly.

•Provide front office list of ready rooms for allotment to guests.

•Organize flower arrangements

•Arrange training of staff within the department

•Update records/ files/ registers etc.

•Compile the maids roster.

•Check the VIP and OOO rooms

Floor supervisor/Floor Housekeeper:-

•The floor supervisor reports to the assistant housekeeper. They are responsible for the final condition of the guestrooms on the floors allocated to them. His/her duties are:-

•Issue floor keys to room attendants

•Supervise cleaning on the allotted floors and areas- including guestrooms, corridors, staircases, floor pantries of the allotted floors

•Inspection of cleaning in rooms and coordination of the work in floors

•Supervise handling of soiled linen to laundry and requisitioning of fresh ones from housekeeping

•Report maintenance work on the floor

•Supervise spring cleaning.

•Coordinate with room service for tray clearance.

•Maintain par stock for the respective floors.

•Facilitate provision of extra services to guests such as baby sitters, hot water bottles, other guest requests.

•Report any safety or security hazard to the security department.

•Check on scanty baggage

•Prepare housekeeping status reports.

•Inform the front office about ready rooms

Ensure services offered to VIPs are of highest standards

•Public Area Supervisor:-

•The public area supervisor reports to the assistant housekeeper. He/ she is responsible for cleaning and inspection of the front of the house areas such as entrance, lobby, guest corridors and so on. His/her duties are:-

•Ensure that all public areas and other functional areas are kept clean at all times.

•Ensure all maintenance jobs are attended in coordination with the maintenance department.

•Ensure all flower arrangements are placed in appropriate places in public areas.

•Ensure banquet halls and conference halls are kept ready for functions and conferences.

•Night Supervisor:-

•The night supervisor reports to the assistant housekeeper. He supervises all night staff engaged in the cleaning of public areas and guestrooms in hotel. His/her duties are:-

•Ensure all public areas are thoroughly cleaned at night when the traffic is low.

•Plan order of work and direct staff accordingly.

•Ensure submission of room attendants reports and room status reports.

•Provide guest supplies and attend guest requests in the night like providing water bottles, extra beds, towels etc.

•Report safety and security hazards.