Operations
Front of house
Also written: FOH
Front of house comprises all physical guest-facing areas and operational departments within a hotel, including the reception desk, concierge, bell services, valet parking, public lobbies, and dining venues. It excludes administrative offices, laundry facilities, and kitchen prep zones, which are designated as back of house.
How it is used
General managers optimize front of house operations to directly influence guest satisfaction scores, online review ratings, and ancillary revenue. Front office staffing models rely on labor scheduling tools matched to peak arrival and departure windows, typically 15:00 to 18:00 and 07:00 to 11:00. Operations leaders conduct daily shift huddles to review VIP arrivals, cross-selling targets, and room upgrade inventory. Well-executed front of house management minimizes wait times, increases spend per guest in food and beverage outlets, and mitigates service recovery costs before guest departure.
Worked example
A 200-room city-center hotel shifts two guest service agents from administrative tasks to the front desk between 15:00 and 18:00 on peak check-in days. By reducing average wait times from eight minutes to under two, the property increases its arrival experience score by 14% and generates an extra $1,200 monthly in upsell revenue at check-in.
Common mistake
Focusing exclusively on front of house aesthetics while neglecting back of house operational handoffs leads to delayed room ready status and unfulfilled guest requests.