Front of House, also known within the hospitality industry as just ”FOH” is not as simple as it sounds! In today’s blog, we explain what all aspects of this term mean starting with what we believe to be the philosophy of Front of House.
There are 3 main points that relate to the philosophy of FOH
- Guest experience and going the extra mile – Making sure the guests have the best experience possible and that they are satisfied with all aspects of their stay.
- Atmosphere– Making sure the atmosphere of the lodge is inviting at all times and a place where people feel comfortable and relaxed.
- Being the communicator – Being a warm, friendly and welcoming face to the guests, communicating with them but also passing on information to the other departments to enhance the overall operations of the lodge.
The term ‘’Front of House’’ has a few different definitions within the hospitality industry, these are the typical ones that are important for you to understand:
The term covers many different ‘’job titles’’ within the hospitality industry. ‘Front of house’ refers to a position within the industry for someone whose main job is to interact with guests directly, your job title may simply be ‘Front of house’, but the same position can also be called by other names but still have the same duties, such as:
- Guest Relations
- Guest Liaison
- Anchor
- Host or Hostess
- Receptionist
- Guest Experience Manager
- Hospitality Manager
Bar personnel, waiters and waitresses would be considered to work IN the ‘’Front of House’’ department or ‘’food and beverage’’ depending on how the lodge is structured but their job title won’t be ‘’Front of House’’
It also is a term used to describe a duty so you may see a position for a Manager, or a Guide advertised that states in the requirements something like:
‘Must have excellent Front of House skills’
This typically means they need to be good with guest relations, interacting with the clientele but also overseeing the Front of House operations.
It is also a physical area within a hospitality establishment, meaning the main communal areas that guests or customers can use for example:
- Dining area
- Lounge
- Bar
- Reception
This term is used by all hospitality industries including many different sectors such as:
- Lodges
- Hotels
- Restaurants
- Cafes
- Cruise ships/yachts
- Bars
- Airlines
- Catering/Event venues
- Resorts
- Clubs
Why is FOH important?
- All positions within any hospitality establishment are vitally important but FOH positions are what hold the daily operations together, as this person is the communicator to all departments regarding guest requirements, requests and general information and will often be the first person to know of any requests. Communication is key in this position.
- FOH is seen as the ‘’face’’ of the lodge and is considered the ‘’go-to’’ person for the guests for questions, complaints and guidance so should represent the lodge at all times which is a very important job. This includes when they aren’t at work, they should be supportive of their work environment and represent them at all times.
- This person also would be the main person to make sure that the guests are not aware of any crisis happening related to operations to keep everyone calm and not worry the guests about things that are the job of the staff to worry about. Guests should never know that there is a problem with the acceptance only of an emergency where they have to follow instruction
If you are interested in learning more about this role, especially with a focus on the safari lodge sector then be sure to check out the Front of House lodge operations course we created for our industry partner, WildlifeCampus who is the leading online course provider within this area.
You can find out more about the course and even do a free component to ”try before you buy” on their website here.
The course would also make a fantastic Christmas gift for someone you know who wants to upskill themselves, or who wants to learn more about the industry to either further their career or start one within hospitality and tourism!
Front of House, also known within the hospitality industry as just ”FOH” is not as simple as it sounds! In today’s blog, we explain what all aspects of this term mean starting with what we believe to be the philosophy of Front of House.
There are 3 main points that relate to the philosophy of FOH
- Guest experience and going the extra mile – Making sure the guests have the best experience possible and that they are satisfied with all aspects of their stay.
- Atmosphere– Making sure the atmosphere of the lodge is inviting at all times and a place where people feel comfortable and relaxed.
- Being the communicator – Being a warm, friendly and welcoming face to the guests, communicating with them but also passing on information to the other departments to enhance the overall operations of the lodge.
The term ‘’Front of House’’ has a few different definitions within the hospitality industry, these are the typical ones that are important for you to understand:
The term covers many different ‘’job titles’’ within the hospitality industry. ‘Front of house’ refers to a position within the industry for someone whose main job is to interact with guests directly, your job title may simply be ‘Front of house’, but the same position can also be called by other names but still have the same duties, such as:
- Guest Relations
- Guest Liaison
- Anchor
- Host or Hostess
- Receptionist
- Guest Experience Manager
- Hospitality Manager
Bar personnel, waiters and waitresses would be considered to work IN the ‘’Front of House’’ department or ‘’food and beverage’’ depending on how the lodge is structured but their job title won’t be ‘’Front of House’’
It also is a term used to describe a duty so you may see a position for a Manager, or a Guide advertised that states in the requirements something like:
‘Must have excellent Front of House skills’
This typically means they need to be good with guest relations, interacting with the clientele but also overseeing the Front of House operations.
It is also a physical area within a hospitality establishment, meaning the main communal areas that guests or customers can use for example:
- Dining area
- Lounge
- Bar
- Reception
This term is used by all hospitality industries including many different sectors such as:
- Lodges
- Hotels
- Restaurants
- Cafes
- Cruise ships/yachts
- Bars
- Airlines
- Catering/Event venues
- Resorts
- Clubs
Why is FOH important?
- All positions within any hospitality establishment are vitally important but FOH positions are what hold the daily operations together, as this person is the communicator to all departments regarding guest requirements, requests and general information and will often be the first person to know of any requests. Communication is key in this position.
- FOH is seen as the ‘’face’’ of the lodge and is considered the ‘’go-to’’ person for the guests for questions, complaints and guidance so should represent the lodge at all times which is a very important job. This includes when they aren’t at work, they should be supportive of their work environment and represent them at all times.
- This person also would be the main person to make sure that the guests are not aware of any crisis happening related to operations to keep everyone calm and not worry the guests about things that are the job of the staff to worry about. Guests should never know that there is a problem with the acceptance only of an emergency where they have to follow instruction
If you are interested in learning more about this role, especially with a focus on the safari lodge sector then be sure to check out the Front of House lodge operations course we created for our industry partner, WildlifeCampus who is the leading online course provider within this area.
You can find out more about the course and even do a free component to ”try before you buy” on their website here.
The course would also make a fantastic Christmas gift for someone you know who wants to upskill themselves, or who wants to learn more about the industry to either further their career or start one within hospitality and tourism!