PowerPoint to accompany Chapter 6 Provide porter services

PowerPoint to accompany

Chapter 6

Provide porter services

Vivienne O’Shannessy: Front Office Skills © 2009 Pearson Education Australia

Learning outcomes

– Describe the role of the porter.

– Handle guest arrivals and departures.

– Handle guest luggage.

– Describe the porter’s role in security.

– Respond to requests for ancillary services.


Who are porters?

– Porters are the people:– Who greet guests as they arrive at the

venue– Manage guests’ luggage– Provide general information services– Provide valet services (car parking)– Act as a central point of contact for

groups.

– Porters work in the Concierge department.


Concierge department

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Desirable qualities of a porter

– High standard of personal grooming and hygiene.

– Be attentive and courteous.

– Be organised.

– Be discreet, tactful and sympathetic.

– Be resourceful.


Desirable qualities of a porter

– Have excellent product and local area knowledge.

– Have excellent interpersonal skills.

– Have excellent selling skills.

– Understand the various needs of the venues target market(s).


Porters

– Many hospitality professionals start out as porters (particularly those who work in the front office).

– Many porters make a career in the Concierge department.


Making a career as a concierge

– To officially receive title of Concierge, you must become a member of Union Internationale des Concierges d’Hotels (UICH).

– UICH previously known as Les Clefs d’Or – Golden keys.


Making a career as a concierge

– To become a member requires:– Minimum five years experience in

concierge department, two years in charge

– Commitment to the professionalism of the concierge role

– Demonstrate integrity and respect in the position.


Guest pre-arrival activities

– Check front office / porter diary.

– Check expected arrivals and departures (reports).

– Collect master key (if issued).

– Arrange for and deliver special requests.


Guest pre-arrival activities

– Book and collect theatre/event tickets.

– Arrange for parking.

– Arrange luggage storage facility.

– Tidy foyer area.

– Neatly arrange display units.


The master key

– A master key is a key that opens all or some specific doors (e.g. All rooms on a particular floor, function rooms, storage areas, etc.).

– The nature of porters work dictates master key requirements.

– Master keys are signed out at the start of a shift and in at the end of the shift.


Guest arrival activities

– When guests arrive, the porter is likely to:– Welcome them warmly– Assist them out of the car– Collect their luggage from the car.


Guest arrival activities

– Direct (or escort) the guest to reception– Park the guests’ car– Deliver their luggage to their room– Room the guest– Offer additional services.


Welcoming guests

– This is often the first opportunity for face to face contact – porters need to make it a positive moment of truth.

– Immediately guests arrive, they begin to form opinions, draw conclusions, etc. about the venue and the service:– How warmly were they welcomed?


Welcoming guests

– How helpful was the porter?– How convenient was the parting?– How clean are the venue’s door/front

steps/foyer?– Did the porter remember their name?


Assisting with luggage

– Luggage handling is one of the most common roles undertaken by porters.

– Always remember to lift correctly.

– Not all guests will want assistance with luggage.


Direct/escort guests to reception

– Particularly guests who haven’t visited this venue before may need to be directed to reception.

– If the guest has a lot of luggage, it is often appropriate to escort them to reception.


Traffic management

– The front of a venue can get very busy with traffic.

– It is important to keep the flow of traffic moving through.


Group arrivals

– Group arrivals need to be well coordinated to ensure:– Flow of traffic– Guests directed quickly to meeting

area/reception– Luggage collected, tagged and delivered

to correct rooms.


Rooming the guest

– A porter is often called upon to escort guests to their room. This affords the porter the opportunity to:– Build rapport– Respond to queries– Highlight venue and room features– Advise guests of emergency procedures.


Guest departures

– On departure, the porter is likely to:– Collect luggage from the guests room– Collect the guest car– Arrange for other transport (if required)– Forward mail– Provide information– Provide directions.


Handling guest luggage

– Luggage is often:– Collected from the guests car– Delivered to their room– Collected from their room– Stored.


Manual handling

– The nature of the porters work exposes the porter to potential workplace hazards. The most common is manual handling injuries form handling luggage.

– Correct manual handling will help reduce the likelihood of injury.


Manual handling

– Is the physical manoeuvring of items and involves lifting, pulling, pushing, carrying and holding.

– Follow the manual handling guidelines to ensure appropriate workplace safety.


Collecting and delivering luggage

– Whether luggage is collected from (or delivered to) cars, coaches or rooms it is done:– Within designated timeframes– Safely.


Timeframes

– Guests expect their luggage to be delivered to (or collected from) their room in a timely manner.

– Always give an indicative timeframe for luggage collection or delivery.

– Try to keep it within standard times for the venue (e.g. within 15 minutes).


Transporting luggage

– Follow designated routes.

– Never inconvenience a guest.

– Don’t take luggage back of house.

– Don’t take trolleys into guests rooms.

– Don’t take trolleys into restaurants, bars, poolside.

– Don’t leave loaded trolleys unattended.


Putting luggage into guest rooms

– Leave the trolley in the corridor. Leave the door open.

– Carry all items into the room for the guest.

– Place suitcases on luggage rack (or jack stand).


Putting luggage into guest rooms

– Place garment bags in wardrobe.

– Place toiletry bags in bathroom.

– Place smaller pieces of luggage on bed or table.


Collecting luggage from guest rooms

– Leave the trolley in the corridor. Leave the door open.

– Collect first the large pieces, then the smaller.

– Look around for additional pieces.

– If guest is in the room, ask if there is any more luggage.


Luggage security

– While luggage is in the porters care, the porter is responsible for its security.

– No else must have access to guests luggage.


Storing luggage

– Many guests request their luggage be stored.

– A secure area (lockable room) should be designated for this purpose.

– The secure area should have restricted access.

– All items secured in this way should be tagged.


What Is ‘tagging’ luggage?

– Tagging luggage means to place an identifying label on each piece of luggage.

– The guest is given a corresponding tag which is presented in order to collect their luggage.


Tagging luggage

– The tag will indicate:– Whose luggage it is (guest name)– Guest’s room number– Group name (if appropriate).


Tagging luggage

– Date luggage placed in storage (and date to be collected)

– Type of luggage– Number of pieces– Fee charged (porterage).


Reclaiming luggage

– In order to reclaim luggage, the guest must present the luggage tag ‘stubs’.

– If the guest loses the stubs they may need to:– Accurately describe each piece of

luggage– State the date luggage left and their room

number (and dates of their stay)– Give their name and identification in order

to claim their luggage.


Tracking lost luggage

– Occasionally luggage goes missing. Sometimes it’s the venue’s fault, sometimes it is not. In any event, porters make every effort to track luggage.


Tracking lost luggage

– If the luggage cannot be found:– Explain this to the guest– Apologise but do not accept responsibility– Write a report about what was done to

locate the luggage.


What is porterage?

– Porterage refers to the fee charged by some venues for the convenience of luggage storage.


Security and the porter

– Because the porter spends a significant amount of time in public areas, they have an important role to play in security of the venue and its guests.


Security and the porter

– The porter can keep a look out for:– Potential theft– Suspicious people– Disturbances.

– The porter also plays a role in key security.


Preventing theft

– During the course of the day, as porters move about the venue, they are able to keep an eye on the activities of others to prevent the likelihood of theft.

– Guests personal belongings and venue assets are at risk.


Suspicious behaviour

– Suspicious behaviour is when someone behaves in a manner that seems unusual, such as:– Avoiding eye contact– Trying to access staff only areas– Acting nervous– Fidgeting.

– Never ignore suspicious behaviour.


Deal with disturbances

– A disturbance is any incident that interrupts the normal activities of the venue.

– Disturbances may be averted if a porter is alert to certain behaviours and takes control of the situation.


Key control

– The porter may be responsible for a master and the concierge department is most likely to manage guests car keys.

– The porter may also handle room keys (left by guests).


Key control

– All keys must be secured in an appropriate place.

– Porters are not permitted to hand room keys to guests.

– Guests retrieving their car must produce the ticket issued by the porter when they left the car on arrival.


Guest occupancy – providing ancillary services

– While staying in the venue, the porter is likely to:– Provide information for the guest– Book theatre and event tickets– Arrange transport.


Guest occupancy – providing ancillary services

– Arrange laundry and shoe shine– Run errands– Courier documents and forward and

deliver mail– Recommend sights to see, things to do,

places to eat.


Guest requests for porter services

– Guests may request porter services at the concierge desk, another department, or on the telephone.


Guest requests for porter services

– However a request is made, the porter must take responsibility for ensuring all requests are:– Met in a timely manner– Appropriately and accurately completed– Completed in a courteous and friendly

way.


Providing, sourcing and maintaining information

– Porters need to maintain a vast bank of information relating to:– Local area knowledge– The venue itself– Where to get certain items– How to arrange certain services etc.

– This information is available via the internet or a porters directory.


What is the porter’s directory?

– A directory is an alphabetised reference book maintained by most porters and holds information about:– Local attractions– Costs– Transport– Directions– Contacts.


Local area information

– Even if a porters directory is not maintained and the internet is not accessible, a porter must be able to source local area information.


Local area information

– Sources for local include:– Local visitor guides/brochures/flyers– Local publications, such as newspapers– Timetables– Colleagues– Personal visits– Tour operators.


Personal shopping

– Although not common, this is sometimes requested.

– The porter must know where and how to purchase items requested by guests.


Personal shopping

– Some concierge departments maintain a small store of commonly requested items (toothpaste, soap, etc.).

– Other items that may be requested include:– Clothing– Flowers– Gifts.


Arranging transport

– This is a common request of guests who do not have a car.

– Usually it is as simple as hailing a taxi but may include a limousine service, or booking flights or trains.


Organising tours

– This is another common request.

– Most venues maintain a stock of local tour brochures.

– Many tours booked by the porter attract a commission from the operator.

Documents

PowerPoint to accompany Chapter 6 Provide porter services