Recalling back the history about hotels, there were inns used for the lodging of guests which have been in existence for a long time. Biblical stories recount people staying at inns. In England, some inns of the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries were noted for their special features of luxury. Other inns, however, were notorious for crowding and lack of clean facilities. Inns in the early days of the United States were for sleeping and had few of the luxuries and services found in hotels today. Catering jobs were also there. Early hotels in this country were usually established for providing meals and overnight rest for travelers. This is still their basic function. However, many of the hotels today, with their pools, nightclubs, fine restaurants, and other facilities have become the destination, rather than a stopover, for travelers. Modern hotels offer such services as laundering, cleaning, tailoring, baby-sitters, and barber service. In the twentieth century, the need to coordinate the complex aspects of running a hotel created the jobs of a hotel manager in a hotel employment.
Part of his hotel job, the manager's concerns include housing, feeding, and entertaining the traveling public. In small hotels, the manager may also be the owner. In such cases, the responsibilities may include the operation of the front office and overseeing all other functions of the hotel. For example, the manager may personally greet guests, assign the rooms, handle their mail, and perform many other duties. Small hotel managers usually spend a good deal of time performing clerical tasks and bookkeeping. Moreover, there are differences in the size of the hotels and the services provided by them. Large establishments are highly specialized and have a wide variety of facilities for their guests. Larger hotels and motels chains are controlled by a board of directors that establish the general policy and hire the manager. Chains employ branch operation evaluation managers to travel to various branches periodically and examine the facility to make sure it is being operated, and maintained according to company standards. Nevertheless, the hotel manager has complete charge of the hotel, is responsible for the operation of the hotel, and sees to the administration of policy. Because of this, the manager of a very large hotel with many employees must delegate responsibilities to department heads who supervise the workers who carry out the orders.
However, in the manger's hotel careers, routine work does not require much supervision, but the hotel manager must be available at any time to deal with emergencies or problems that might arise. A major responsibility of the manager is community relations and marketing. Conventions, training seminars, and workshops are all held at hotels and motels. In addition, hotels often are used as campaign headquarters and for union negotiations. The manager must carefully select the people who meet the general public in an effort to present the hotel's services in a favorable way. Successful hotel managers must have the ability to handle many business matters. They should have the ability to get along with guests as well as hotel employees. The more comfortable they are with people, the more likely their success. The ability to make quick decisions of a business and social nature while maintaining composure under stress is vial A great deal of patience and tact as well as a sense of humor are extremely necessary in dealing with all types of personalities.
As hotel administrators who oversee almost everything, including the staff, waitress jobs, catering jobs, they must also have the ability to make quick decisions and device procedures that will help to improve services. In large establishments, the ability to coordinate the operations of various departments with minimum of friction among staff members is a most important requirement. Under all circumstances they must be able to control their tempers in settling problems with guests or staff members. A considerable knowledge of all phases of hotel business gained by experience and training is needed. A great deal of physical endurance is a necessity, and small details and big decisions must leave the manager unruffled. The ability to remember names and make people feel at home is a unique as set that provide a most favorable impression. In constantly dealing with and directing people, the manager must be able to act fairly bur firmly. Likewise, a hotel manager must have a real interest in people and the ability to be diplomatic in any and all situations. Hotel executives must also give favorable promotions of capable employees from the ranks of their staffs and may continue to favor this policy. All these things will really matter to the success of the hotel business operation.
