Class: - BHMCT IInd Year

Semester: - 3rd Semesters

Subject: - C 303 Accommodation Operation

CHAPTER –5
CHECKOUT
5.1 DEPARTURE NOTIFICATION
As the guest leaves there are a number of tasks that have to be completed by reception.
Once the bill has been paid the cashier will either pass the registration card back to
reception, or send a notification.
• The receptionist should then remove the guest name from the room status system and
mark the room ‘vacant but not ready’
• Notifications of the departure should be made to the relevant departments
( housekeeping, porters and switchboard) so that they may update their house lists
• The housekeeper will then be able to assign a maid to clean a room, and when it has been
inspected the room will be returned to the reception and it will be possible to re-let the
accommodation.
• Extra departures and extensions of stay are notified to departments separately to ensure
that they are not overlooked.
• Departure notification slips are printed to inform the other departments of the guest’s
checkout.
• Where a manual system is in use, the room racks are updated. The departure register is
also updated.
 5.2 DEPARTURE PROCEDURE IN FULLY AUTOMATED SYSTEM

• Automated systems are connected to all computers in all the departments data transfer
through software which is integrated to each other.
This system is faster, accurate and efficient. It saves your time a lot.
• -Checkout request received,
• -Bell boy to transfer luggage and inspect room.
• Departure communicated to all P-O-S through network
• -Credit transactions up-dated to guest account automatically.
 Final bill, with supporting documents presented to guest for approval and signature.
• - Payment received as per the pre-arranged mode
Luggage Out pass issued

Departure communicated to all departments

Front office records are automatically up-dated.
Occupancy lists of in-house guest.
Room status
Guest History Card (GHC)
5.3 GROUP CHECKOUTS
1. Prepare and process the master account:-
The master account (or master folios as it is known) is a list of guest’s identical charges
to be settled by the tour leader on check-out. Identical charges include accommodation,
breakfast, and any other charges that were standard across the entire group as negotiated
when the booking was taken. On the due departure date. The cashier must obtain the
signature of the tour leader after the master account has been finalized. Most groups will
have a direct billing arrangement established, and the property may have even required a
large group booking to pre-pay ( or at-least forward a significant deposit to secure) their
booking. In some cases the tour director will bring vouchers to be used in exchange for
their stay at the establishment which the venue will then process for payment.

2. Check for any additional charges:-

Where members of the group have incurred additional charges ( that is they have bought
items that were not covered as part of their package) such as laundry or bar charges, an
individual account would be created called an ‘Extras Account’. These extras are paid for
by the guest themselves. All individuals account may be finalized via express checkout or
individual may have to settle their account at the front office. These individual accounts
may be finalized the evening prior to check-out or at the time of check-out. Check with
the guest for any further charges which need to be added to the account. Such as
breakfast, in room fridge or / an newspaper. Finalized the account and hand a copy to the
guest for checking before processing the payment.
3. Collect the keys:-
The group leader will normally collect all room keys/cards and present them to reception.
While the keys/cards are being returned to you and the accounts are being processed, the
porters will load the luggage on to the coach and the group will depart.
4. Handle the guest luggage:-
When handling group luggage, porters will usually have obtained a guest list from the
reception and made up luggage tags well in advance. This saves time and confusion.
The porter will-
Count all the pieces of luggage
Make a note on the group record
Deliver the luggage to the transport vehicle following the instructions of the tour group
coordinator.
If group baggage is to be stored for any length of time netting or roping bags together to
avoid with other groups’ bags is a security precaution that may be used. This ensures all
baggage is together and helps avoid loss or theft. Any missing baggage must be reported
immediately to the management.
 5.4 EXPRESS CHECK OUTS:-
Most hotels are now using the Express Checkout service that allows customers to check
out of their rooms and return the keys, without actually having to wait for their final bill to
be produced. It is a great convenience for hotel guests at all times, but especially so when
they are pressed for time, which is often the case with many of us.
Offering an Express Checkout service to your guests means that they can return their keys
and go without having to wait for their bill to be made up.

This is usually convenient for guests who decide to check-out very early in the morning.
In fact, at night, bellboys (for example) shall slip the guest folio under the expected
departed guestroom.
When the guest wakes, up he/she shall sign the guest folio and the credit card voucher,
leave the room, give back the room key to the bellboy, and departs.

Self checkout:-
Guests might check out using self check out terminals situated at public areas or in their
rooms if room check out systems are integrated with front office main frame.

The benefits are obvious and here are some of them: Your staff has to be trained to know
which card networks support Express Checkout and which do not. At present, the Express
Checkout hotel program is only available with the following card schemes:

 Visa.
 MasterCard.
 American Express.
 Discover.
 Diners Club.
Express Checkout is not available with the following card networks:
 Maestro Domestic.
 Maestro International.
 Visa Electron.
 Solo.
5.5 UNDER-STAY:-
Hotel guest who checks out before the scheduled date.
An under-stay is a hotel guest that leaves the hotel prior to date that they had originally
indicated. Under-stays are therefore lost revenue for the hotel, which may be unable to
sell the room to another guest to recoup the anticipated revenue

LATE CHECK OUTS AND CHARGES:-

Late checkouts are those guests who had not vacated the room even after the hotels
normal checkout time. Eg: 1200 hrs checkout time. It is depends upon the management
policy that late checkout request will be accommodated at no charge or all late
checkouts will be charged with and additional late checkout fee

5.6 POST DEPARTURE COURTESY SERVICES:-

Post departure is even termed as after departure activities, which need to be performed by
front office department in hotels. In this stage guests are sent birthday cards, marriage
anniversary greetings by the hotel to keep in touch with the guest and certainly are liked
by the guest by doing so.
Post-departure messaging is, not-surprisingly, a message automatically delivered to
someone soon after they check out of your hotel or resort. Triggered by reservation data,
timing varies a bit based on the results of individual marketers; these campaigns are often
sent a few days after a guest leaves to account for travel time. It’s important to not wait
too long; however, as most such messaging contains a request for feedback through a
survey and waiting too long could mean memories and insights may not be as accurate as
they could have been had they been reached sooner.