Considering a job in Hospitality Management? Most people may see this as a glamorous career considering these positions are typically found in hotels, cruise ships, country clubs, restaurants, amusement parks, convention centers, and the like. As these are all places to entertain, excellent organization must be implemented in order to provide the type of service that makes these venues so glamorous.
Essentially, hospitality managers run the day-to-day operations of a restaurant or hotel, including overseeing personnel, ensuring that the facilities are properly maintained, taking steps to ensure customer satisfaction and overseeing the upkeep of administrative and financial records. Hospitality management degree programs include a strong core of business courses, including accounting, economics, marketing, and human resource management. Their role is to define the commercial and management strategy of the establishment in line with profit targets, the quality charter and hygiene and safety norms.
- Median pay (annual): 106,336 – 138,394 USD (2018)
- Entry-level education: High school diploma or equivalent
- Projected 10-year growth: 8% (2014)
Depending on how big or small an operation is, pursuing a career in Hospitality Management can entail several responsibilities. Although the job description for these duties varies, there are mainly five key responsibilities every Hospitality Manager should expect to administer: Managing budgets, customer service, supervising maintenance, coordinating departmental tasks, and overseeing food and beverage.
1. Manage Budgets
There can’t be a business to run if the money isn’t there. Whatever the business is, managing any hospitality operation is a complex position that requires overseeing several departments within its organization. All of these sub-departments have budgets allocated to them. It is the Hospitality Manager’s job to disperse enough money to these departments that will ensure an efficient workflow toward the overall goal of the company. Two major responsibilities are marketing and approving/controlling expenditures.
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Marketing
Marketing is yet another important task that a Hospitality Manager must oversee. In order for a hotel, cruise line, restaurant, country clubs, and amusement park to thrive, they must let people know they exist!
Planning and strategizing smart marketing projects mean nothing without the money to support it. Everything from advertisements, sales plans, investing in signs, banners, community involvement, even down to the business cards and customized marketing trinkets all need to be taken into consideration when managing a marketing budget.
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Approve/Controlling Expenditures
Every department within a hospitality organization has a need. Even with the most generous budget, all financial needs cannot always be met. However, if there weren’t a Hospitality Manager to oversee these needs, most operations would go bankrupt.
The Hospitality Manager needs to be aware of all the expenses. Even though they have already allocated a set budget, they also need to know how each department is spending their allowance. This way, he or she can access and re-access if these funds are being spent efficiently and if not, re-access the overall budget.
2. Customer Service
It’s one accomplishment to have a guest check-in. It’s another to get them to come back. Implementing the best customer service is going to almost guarantee repeat business no matter how expensive the accommodations may be. If guests have had a pleasant experience with an establishment, they will not only come again, but they will recommend it to their friends and colleagues. If that business is doing it right, that guest will not realize that he or she is recommending the business. They will simply rave about what a great experience they had. This is where customer service plays a big role in making guests happy. The three ways to do this is to meet and greet guest, have excellent housekeeping, and address and rectify customer complaints.
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Meet & Greet Customers
First impressions are the important ones. It is hospitality, after all! The overall goal of hospitality is to make temporary accommodations feel permanent. This is done by acknowledging their presence and making them feel like they are welcomed, and most importantly wanted. No one wants to feel like they are unwelcomed. Seeing that every guest is properly greeted when checking in to an establishment sets the tone for good customer service.
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Housekeeping
Again, guests need to be able to feel like their accommodations are like a home away from home, no matter how brief the stay is. Making sure that every room (especially the bathroom) is properly cleaned, has fresh bedding, and sterilized kitchenette utensils will make all the difference. The last thing most guests want to do is worry about cleaning up after themselves. Overseeing that the housekeeping staff is carrying out their tasks of maintaining a clean environment is key.
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Customers Complaints
Guests are paying establishments money from their hard-earned jobs and expect at the very least to receive what the business said that it would provide. If for any reason, whether they are right or wrong, they feel that they are not receiving these provisions, it is the Hospitality Manager’s job to know why and resolve any discomfort the guest may have due to possible lack of customer service.
3. Supervising Maintenance
Any operation that caters to the general public is a liability. Making sure that everything on the property is working and safe may also be the Hospitality Manager’s responsibility.
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Grounds
The business of hospitality not only deals with the internal operations of a business but the exterior as well. Maintaining a property with good curb appeal attracts guests. Making sure that people are able to tour the grounds without injuring themselves is also important.
Additionally, a Hospitality Manager often oversees indoor and outdoor renovation projects as well.
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Security
A Hospitality Manager may be in charge of hiring the best security for his or her establishment and overseeing their daily operations as well. Security is important. Unfortunately, not everyone has proper manners. Although local law enforcement is on standby to aid any needs of the public, hiring security to police the perimeters of a private establishment makes guests feel safe. It also works well for preventative measurements.
4. Coordinating Departmental Tasks
As aforementioned, there are many departments within the hospitality business. As a result, Assistant Hospitality Managers may be needed to oversee these departments depending on how large and/or demanding each sub-department is. The Human Resource Department and Finance Controllers may require the immediate attention of the Executive Hospitality Manager while the housekeeping staff may require an Assistant Hospitality Manager to oversee their operations. However the tasks are divided, it is the main or Executive Hospitality Manager’s job to ensure all of these departments run smoothly.
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Delegation
All good managers know how to delegate. If you’re fortunate enough to have an Assistant Manager, be sure to teach them many of the operational jobs so that you never have the problem of being the sole possessor of knowledge in a key area. As the head manager, you are trusted with decision making and expertise, so it’s not a threat to have your assistant able to perform more of the routine or repetitive tasks.
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Communication
Coordinating is 10% details and 90% about how effectively and efficiently you communicate them with the rest of your team, department, or other departments. Being organized with dates and events helps you plan your communication ahead so you have enough time to prepare and ensure the relevant parties are available for what you need. In this fast-paced world, it doesn’t hurt to follow up and remind others of departmental tasks whenever you can as ultimately the responsibility for them to be done is on you.
5. Food & Beverage
Managing the inventory of food and beverage is also another department that may require an Assistant Hospitality Manager. Again this depends on how the business is designed. For hotel and cruise lines, this is a huge responsibility. Yet, some hospitality businesses may focus more on catering events and conventions. Providing enough food and drink will ultimately determine whether or not a guest is happy and will want to return.
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Food
When thinking of food, consider the event. Is this setting indoors or outdoors with guests who have paid for the food in advance and are expecting something grand, or are they invited officials to a reception where you can manage their expectations? Besides having enough food, have you considered dietary restrictions, including ones for religious reasons? Will there be tables or is it more appropriate to have foods that can be eaten in passing? As the manager, you will start building up your contact lists for catering companies and private chefs that you can call at a moment’s notice to fill a vacancy or cater an event.
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Beverage
Much of the same considerations for beverage should be taken as for food, but when alcohol is involved, which most of the time it is, then there are additional duties need to remember. For example, making sure minors are identified, that all liquor licenses are up-to-date, any sponsors having their product featured, security for crowd control, and other such considerations. Budgets are highly inflated when alcohol is needed for any event, so also be aware of that and what the expectation is for different functions.
So Much to Learn at Florida National University (FNU)!
The hospitality business can be glamorous, but it also requires a great deal of skill and know-how to manage a successful business. Our Hospitality Management program provides students with key introductory courses that will help them towards pursuing a career in that field. From there, the sky is the limit with far you can go in an organization. In this field especially it is valuable for managers to be familiar with all roles so that they can properly delegate and manage their team.
With time and dedication, you will become an invaluable asset and quickly climb the corporate ladder, even with just you Associates in Hospitality. Start the enrollment process today to begin your journey toward a lifelong career in Hospitality Management. Contact FNU today!
