Optimizing the role of hotel front office staff in modern-day revenue management
Nguyen, Hanh Huyen My (2019)
2019
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Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-201905017015
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-201905017015
Tiivistelmä
The purpose of this research-based thesis was to examine the possibilities for optimizing the role of front office staff in a hotel’s revenue management strategy. The thesis was not intended to generalize, but to demonstrate challenges and missed opportunities that are possibly occurring in practice, thus provoking front office clerks and their managers to review their performance. With a focus on these customer-facing associates, the study also aimed to address a holistic revenue culture beyond the traditional yield management team in a hotel.
The author followed a qualitative methodology and collected empirical data by conducting semi-structured interviews with hotel front office practitioners, including staff and managers, from several countries. Since very limited literature on the topic itself was found, various research streams in revenue management and front office operations were reviewed to first identify useful themes and concepts. A conceptual framework was built to form a base for the interview questions and the thesis report structure. The key themes to be investigated include the hotel revenue management system and the role of front desk agents in it, revenue management tools they can employ, customer-related factors, and impacts of external market conditions and of internal communication, training and incentive schemes.
The results of the study indicated considerable gaps between the perceived and actual influences the front desk staff can have on hotels’ bottom line, hence a basic need for a change of mindset. The interviewees’ responses implied many more ways they could support hotel revenue management than they acknowledged. The shift towards “total” and “customer-centric” revenue management further highlights the importance of front office staff’s involvement. The thesis proposes ways to integrate revenue management practices into the daily front desk functions, and benefits of standard training in ensuring consistent revenue optimization efforts.
The author followed a qualitative methodology and collected empirical data by conducting semi-structured interviews with hotel front office practitioners, including staff and managers, from several countries. Since very limited literature on the topic itself was found, various research streams in revenue management and front office operations were reviewed to first identify useful themes and concepts. A conceptual framework was built to form a base for the interview questions and the thesis report structure. The key themes to be investigated include the hotel revenue management system and the role of front desk agents in it, revenue management tools they can employ, customer-related factors, and impacts of external market conditions and of internal communication, training and incentive schemes.
The results of the study indicated considerable gaps between the perceived and actual influences the front desk staff can have on hotels’ bottom line, hence a basic need for a change of mindset. The interviewees’ responses implied many more ways they could support hotel revenue management than they acknowledged. The shift towards “total” and “customer-centric” revenue management further highlights the importance of front office staff’s involvement. The thesis proposes ways to integrate revenue management practices into the daily front desk functions, and benefits of standard training in ensuring consistent revenue optimization efforts.