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Front Office Services: Performing Clerical Procedures

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  In accordance with organizational procedures, front office personnel handle document processing as part of their regular responsibilities, such as: Guest records Incoming and outgoing correspondence Business accounting Memos Sources of Room Reservation Modes and types of reservations Telephone Walk-in Online Manual reservation Computer Reservation System A. Filing and Arranging Front Office Documents Filing - is the process of storing and arranging documents according to a particular classification. Categories of Filing Alphabetically Numerically Geographically By subject Chronologically B. Front Office Forms 1. Pre-arrival forms - must be prepared before the guest arrival. Guest reservation record -  Reservation file - a computer-based collection of reservation record Reservation rack slip - filed in a reservation rack 2. Arrival forms  - guest must accomplish upon the registration/ check-in process.  Registration card - printed form Guest Registration r...

History of Hospitality Industry

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   Ancient Period:   The Sumerians  – The recorded history of the hospitality industry began with the Sumerians who lived in  Mesopotamia  near the  Persian Gulf . Began the recorded history of the hospitality industry. They were the first to establish  taverns  that provided food, drinks, and shelter to  Sumerian traders and travellers . Early Traders  – In 2000 BC, Middle Eastern traders set up the  caravanserai  to provide food and shelter to traders and travellers. They were the forerunners of the inns. Caravanserai is an example of an early inn. The  Ancient Persians  – constructed  Khans , a combination of stables and sleeping accommodations that served  traveling caravans . Medieval Period Dark Ages   –  Fall of Roman Empire . In Europe,  Charlemagne  established  rest houses for pilgrims  to provide protection and hospitality. Renaissance : 1350 AD to 1600 AD  ...

Master Emotional Intelligence: Recognize Decision Fatigue

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Like the fatigue you feel when you engage in hours of physical exertion, a stretch of intense mental effort exhausts your mental capacities. Yet, unlike physical fatigue, decision-fatigue victims tend not to notice. For instance, the snacks placed by the check-out counter in supermarkets are crafted to avail themselves of customers' decision fatigue. After spending an hour deciding what to purchase, customers struggle more to resist the sweet junk food, despite the fact that they know it is a bad idea.  Decision fatigue especially affects your capacity to comprehend and make trade-offs, and kicks in rapidly whenever you need to make a choice between many options or make successive choices. For instance, after spending a lot of time deciding which automobile to buy, buyers of cars are less capable of logically making the determination that a clear coat or high-end stereos are necessary. Rather, they rely on the salesperson's suggestion. There are options to avoid decision fatigu...

Master Emotional Intelligence: Self-Regulation

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In order to enhance your self-regulation first and foremost, you must understand your values. This will inform your decision-making and enable you to differentiate between good and bad behaviours. You can make your own code of ethics by putting what you value most in your personality and what you want to be onto paper.  For instance, you might want to be honest, fair, and trustworthy more than anything else. Then take note of the situations in ways that you don't self-regulate well. For instance, you could shut down when you need to think about money or give in to the temptation of a cookie, each time you visit the kitchen. Once you become aware of the qualities you wish to have and the situations where you need to enhance your self-regulation, you can improve your reactions, by paying attention to holding on to your values in those circumstances.  Think about what you can do that will come closest to aligning with your values, and do it. Above all, remain calm. If you feel th...

Master Emotional Intelligence: Empathy

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The more you comprehend the point of view from which the other individuals are approaching, the better you'll be able to make decisions that suit you and the other party. For instance, if you're giving a hard message such as terminating the employment of an employee, really knowing how the other party will feel in that position will direct your decision and how to present the message effectively. That is, being empathetic, treating others the way you would be treated. Of course, being empathetic as opposed to simply giving sympathy is hard to do. Begin with trying to actually listen to the individuals with whom you are speaking. Never think that you know what they will say and allow them to get out what they're thinking before you give advice. It is not all verbal. Tone and body language that individuals employ to communicate their message are as important as what they say. Be present when you are speaking with someone. Dedicate your full attention to them and do not even g...

Master Emotional Intelligence: Self-Awareness

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Not everybody is naturally aware of him or herself, a study reveals this makes individuals make poor choices, do poorly, and have state issues. Fortunately, self-awareness is a skill that can be developed and enhanced.  First, you should actively ask and listen to feedback on your behaviour from others. Ensure you seek advice from a variety of people. This way you'll receive beneficial ideas from multiple angles. You can ask your boss, colleagues, and your loved ones for opinion. When asking for feedback, be clear about your purpose by admitting that you're improving yourself and you highly regard the opinion of the other party. Be sure to indicate that you're not seeking a pat on the back, but assistance with determining what skills you need to improve in order to advance closer to your career aspirations. Demonstrate the other person that you're open to feedback by using such phrases as, "Can you explain more about x?"  Second, psychological tests can assist...

Master Emotional Intelligence: Introduction

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Front Office Systems

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     Front office systems are software/tools used by hotels to manage guest interactions and daily operations. 1.  Non-automated/ Manual System - This is classic hospitality management—everything’s handled face-to-face, with records kept on paper. Reservations: Logged by hand in a ledger or diary.  Check-in and check-out: Guests complete physical forms, and keys are managed from a physical rack. Billing calculations are done manually or with a basic calculator, while communication depends on memos or direct conversation. Typical tools include ledger books, wall-mounted room status boards, and physical key racks. Example: Imagine a small, family-run guesthouse that tracks bookings in a notebook and handles payments with a simple cash box. Advantages: Extremely low upfront costs and no technical know-how needed. Drawbacks: It’s slow, mistakes are common, and scaling up is tough as business grows. 2. Semi-automated (Electo-Mechanical) - Here, you’ll find...

Front Office Staff

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  a. Duties and Responsibilities of a Front Office Staff Below is the job role of a Front Office Staff based on the Source: Educational Institute of AH&MA  b. Anatomy of Front Office Staff Maintaining Good grooming and Personal hygiene 1. Maintaining a neat and clean hairstyle. 2. Use light make-up to project a professional working image. 3. The  uniform should be spotless and well-ironed. 4. Avoid excessive use of jewelleries. 5. Nails should be well-manicured and hands absolutely clean. 6. Shoes should always be polished. c. Characteristics of an Effective Front Office Staff 2-Classification of Front Office Staff  Frontline staff/specialists - those who deal directly with the guests. They are the Front of the house . Example: Front Office Manager, Front Desk Agent, Uniformed Service. Backline specialists - Use their specialized knowledge to improve frontline operations. Back of the house .   Example: Reservation Supervisor, Reservation Agent, Tel...

Psychological Foundation: Professional Education

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1. Wilhelm M. Wudt   - Father of Modern Psychology 2. Ivan Patrorich Pavlov - Classical Conditioning 3. Alfred Binet - Intelligent Quotient 4. James Mckeen Cattell - Personality Test 5. Edward Lee Thorndike - Connectionism ;  Law of  Effect Law of  Exercise Law of Readiness 6. Lewis Madison Terman - revised Intelligent Quotient Test 7. Jean Piaget - Cognitive Development Theory Sensorimotor period (0 to 2 years) Preoperational period (2 to 7 years) Concrete Operational (7 to 11 years) Formal Operational (11 to adulthood) 8. Erik Erikson - 8 Stages of Psychosocial Theory Trust versus Mistrust (infancy) Autonomy versus Shame Initiative Guilt Industry versus Inferiority Ego Identity versus Role Confusion Intimacy versus Isolation Generality versus Stagnation Ego Integrity versus Despair 9. Burrhus Frediric "B.F" Skinner - Theory of Reinforcement Shaping of Behavior Behavioral Chaining Reinforcement Schedul 10. Albert Bandura - Social Learning Theory or Observat...

Entrepreneurship in Hospitality and Tourism

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What are entrepreneurs like? • Information seeking - Act on your own to get information to help reach objectives or clarify problems • Systematic planning - Develops and uses logical step-by-step plans to reach goals • Problem-solving - Identifies new and potentially unique ideas to reach a goal Entrepreneurial competencies Initiative - Entrepreneurs take actions that go beyond job requirements or the demand of the situation Sees and acts on opportunities - Looks for and acts on opportunities Persistence - Takes repeated actions to overcome obstacles that get in the way of reaching goals Self-confidence - Has a strong belief in self and own abilities Assertiveness - Confronts problems and issues with others directly Persuasion - Successfully persuades others Use of influence strategies - Uses of a variety of strategies to affect others Concern for high-quality work - Acts to do things that meet or beat existing standards of excellence Commitment to work contract - Places the highest pr...

Farm Tourism Accreditation

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Agritourism: Republic Act No. 10816

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Agritourism: Introduction

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Reminiscing the Past at Casa Gorordo Museum

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Can't get over to Maria Clara and Ibarra fever.  The historical-cultural series uplifted the Filipino culture in mainstream media.  The TV series highlights the  the Spanish-era traditions,  social classes the art of courtship, and family values. Did you know that aside from Intramorous, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, Pampanga, and Bulacan, there are still places that you need to visit for Spanish-era nostalgia?   You need to visit Visayas, particularly in Cebu. The Casa Gorordo Museum.