Hotel Management Services

The goal of hotel management is to run a department and oversee a team of employees. There are various hotel management positions based on the area of specialization. Some examples include: General Manager, Operations Manager, Front Office Manager, Sales Manager, Food & Beverage Manager, Housekeeping Manager, Banquet Manager. Each position has a unique set of job duties. Let’s begin with the General Manager.

The highest position in a hotel is the General Manager. The General Manager is responsible for maintaining service standards and overall guest satisfaction. They oversee all hotel departments and the financial health of the hotel as a business.

Not to be confused with a General Manager who is responsible for all aspects of the hotel business on property, the Operations Manager is solely responsible for hotel operations. This position has a narrower scope or responsibility regarding supervising all departments to ensure smooth operation and maximum hotel profit. In limited-service hotels, sometimes this role is considered the Assistant General Manager.

A Front Office Manger is often the General Manager’s right hand. The Front Office Manager position is responsible for the front of the house operations and the overall guest experience. Assisting with guest check in and check outs, requests and complaints are some of the day-to-day operational tasks in this position along with, training front desk staff, front desk scheduling, office supply ordering, and other ad hoc requests.

A Sales Manager, or Director of Sales responsibility in the hotel is to attract guests to the hotel by achieving optimal occupancy and ADR (average daily rate) growth. A Sales Manager or Director of Sales can achieve this goal through direct sales efforts like prospecting a specific group, organization or company, referrals from existing guests or accounts, or exposure on third party platforms like Expedia, HotelPlanner, and HotelBeds. The sales department is a revenue generating department. The success of the hotel relies heavily on how well the sales department does their job.

A Food & Beverage Manager oversees the food and beverage department by monitoring food cost, planning menus and food ordering. They also schedule and train staff within their department. Ultimately, the Food & Beverage Manager must control the finances associated with the purchase of food and beverage at the hotel.

A Banquet Manager often works closely with the Food & Beverage Manager. Their job, however, is to solely oversee the food and beverage related to meetings & events at the hotel. They furthermore are responsible for the execution and supervision of events at the hotel. The Banquet Manager oversees and trains the staff of banquet servers, busboys and bartenders. most importantly, the banquet manager must ensure guests are provided an outstanding banquet experience.

A Housekeeping Manager is responsible for the cleanliness conditions and safety standards throughout the hotel including guestrooms, public areas, meeting space, restaurant and back of the house. They supervise department staff, coordinate with suppliers for inventory orders, work with maintenance for necessary repairs and deliver impeccable guest service with a smile. This position will typically work closely with the Front Office Manager.

The highest position in a hotel is the General Manager. The General Manager is responsible for maintaining service standards and overall guest satisfaction. They also oversee all hotel departments including the front office, sales and marketing, engineering, food & beverage, housekeeping, as well as meetings and events to ensure they are run smoothly. Typically, the General Manager has 5 or more years of on-the-job experience along with a degree.

Characteristics that are important for a General Manager to have include a diligent work ethic, persistence, professional demeanor, impeccable customer service, and reliability. General Manager’s are often responsible for filling in if an employee calls off for a shift, resolving guest issues, and managing the day to day operations of a hotel.  They must be well rounded, even keeled and put great hospitality above all.

Most hotel managers are paid via salary rather than an hourly wage. On average, in the US, a hotel manager’s annual salary can range anywhere from $35k-$100k+. There are a variety of factors that are taken into consideration for a hotel manager’s salary, including but not limited to the size of the hotel, location, candidate experience, education, certifications and the hotel’s annual revenue. The amount of revenue a hotel generates annually speaks to the profitability of the hotel and can significantly impact the salary offered to hotel managers. For example, a hotel manager that works for a small hotel in a rural area likely would earn a lower salary than a hotel manager of a tropical luxury resort with hundreds of guestrooms, food & beverage outlets, spa and top of the line amenities.

To earn a higher salary in hospitality, focus on revenue generation. A hotel with higher revenues is likely to be more generous in compensation than a hotel that is not profitable. Don’t be fearful to go the extra mile or complete tasks outside of your job description. Also, consider investing in higher education, obtaining certifications, and further developing leadership skills as these are all ways to continue to move up in your career.

Services provided by hotels vary based on the type of hotel. Service offerings differ between has limited-service hotels, to full service to luxury resort. Some examples of hotel services include:

• Lodging service including overnight accommodations and guest reception
• Food and beverage, such as in the restaurant, meetings & events as well as onsite convenience shop, room service
• Meetings and conference facilities
• Recreational services such as pool, fitness room, sauna, basketball or tennis courts
• Business center
• On-site laundry facilities
• Dry cleaning services
• Guest / concierge services
• Guest parking
• Internet Access / Wi-Fi
• Airport and local shuttle services
• Currency exchange services
• Banks and ATM services
• Retail services such as specialty, gift shops, clothing, etc.

Hotel management as a course isn’t hard, but it does require simultaneous application of various competencies. Many of the competencies needed are transferrable not only to other areas in hospitality, but other industries as well. Examples include: sales & marketing, accounting, human resources, office management, food & beverage, managerial skills, organizational behavior. Hotel management requires candidates to be well rounded and well versed in multiple areas, so it can be a challenging course, yet rewarding career path.