Front office management I

Payment through Credit Card

1. 
   Credit cards are the most acceptable mode of settlement of bills by the guest of all around the accommodation industry.
   
2. 
   The customer has to pay an annual subscription for the card and has to settle each month settlement in full. .
   
3. 
   There are no facilities for extending repayment. Generally the credit limit on charge cards will be higher and they are likely to be used for the purchase of airlines tickets, hotels bills and restaurant bills and also as company charge cards.
   
4. 
   The card company offers a franchise to the hotel which enables the hotel to accept the cards in payment.
   
5. 
   The hotel is given “floor limit” which sets the maximum amount that can be paid by the card without telephone or authorization.
   
6. 
   All major card companies operates 24 hour authorization centre where a cashier may make a reserve charge call to check on the validity of the cards or obtain clearance to accept payment of bill above the “floor limit”.
   
7. 
   Many front office departments of hotel keep “stop list” of the lost or stolen cards.
   

Procedure of payment by credit card

1. 
   Check that the bill is inside the “floor limit”.
   
2. 
   Obtain the card from the client.
   
3. 
   Swipe the card through the machine.
   
4. 
   Ask the client to sign the audit roll retaining the card.
   
5. 
   Check that the signature on the card & roll agree.
   
6. 
   Return the cars and the second copy to the guest.
   
7. 
   At the time of departure of the guest from the hotel mark his folio as paid.
   

Payment through Debit Card

1. 
   Debit cards now become a common alternative to cheques and are used by guests to settle their bills in hotels.
   
2. 
   The outstanding sum is taken directly from the account of the guest, in the same way that a cheque payment would be, but the transfer is through an electronic point of sale system & no cheque is necessary.
   
3. 
   The guest & the hotel receive the notification as the charge slip appeared in case of credit cards in the same way & the guest needs to sign it.
   
4. 
   At the time of departure of the guest mark the folio of the guest as paid.