CASH: CASH CONTROL

Objective :

This procedure is intended primarily to provide a ready reference for means of precaution of the frequent losses of cashiering personnel’s funds due to acts of carelessness on the part of persons handling cash (Guest Service Agents, F&B Cashiers, etc.) and the inadequacy of protective measures taken by the hotel.

Procedure :

All employees assigned to cashiering personnel position must be fully instructed of the procedures in the discharge of their duties and responsibilities. Detailed procedures are outlined separately for each job category. When explaining the procedures to the cashiering personnel, the following basic instructions must also be impressed on the cashiering personnel. Such impression should be renewed at least each six months.

The assignment will provide by contract to concern following guide :

1. The cash drawer should never be left unattended, even for a short period of time, unless it is locked first. (There have been cases where cash has disappeared from an unlocked drawer when the cashiering personnel have momentarily moved by a few feet away.)

2. Cash should never be left lying outside of the cash drawer, unless it is unavoidably for a very short period of time. Loose cash is always a great temptation to passer-by. Frequent losses have been encountered due to cashiering personnel not heeding to the rule.

3. When cash is on the counter for any reason, the cashiering personnel should let nothing distract her attention until it is removed. Losses have occurred in such cases when the cashiering personnel simply turned her back to answer the telephone.

4. The amount of cash kept in the cash drawer should be maintained at the absolute minimum level required. The cashiering personnel should keep any cash from his fund which he feels will not be required in his Cash Deposit Box. In this way, the excess cash is available if required, but in a safe place than the cash drawer.

   
   

   Losses from robberies and disappearances of cash would have been less if the amount of funds in the cash drawer were kept at a minimum level. This procedure is particularly applicable during the ‘slow’ hours of activity when generally there is a minimum number of people around and a resulting maximum risk.

5. Whenever possible, only one person should have access to any cash fund. The chances of losses increase greatly when more than one person has access to a fund. Many losses have occurred where more than one employee had access to a cash fund or a vault. In most of these cases, it has been impossible to determine how the money disappeared even after extensive investigation.

6. When receiving payments directly from guests in cash, the cashiering personnel should never place the currency given by the guest in his cash drawer until the transaction is completed. This practice will prevent any misunderstanding or arguments over the correctness of the change given, or over the denomination of currency tendered in payment. The cash should ideally be place within sight of the guest but out of his reach. After completing the transaction, the cashiering personnel should place the cash in his cash drawer before serving the next guest.

7. When cashiering personnel encounters a guest who makes numerous changes about denominations, currencies, etc., he should stop and take back all of his funds and start over again slowly each time the person requests a change.

8. The cashiering personnel should count his cash only in a protected area and never where or when strangers are passing by. Doors should always be locked.

9. When carrying his envelope of receipts to the depository, the cashiering personnel should proceed directly to the depository, making no detours on the way. In addition, when the envelope is deposited, both the cashiering personnel and the witness should ensure that it drops properly into the depository, and does not become lodged in the receiving slot or mechanism.

   
   

   Losses have occurred when the cashiering personnel ran an errand on his to the depository and inadvertently left the envelope on a desk. Losses have also occurred when the cashiering personnel’s envelope got stuck in the mechanism, enabling another person to reach it. There have also been cases where the person witnessing the envelope’s deposit did not really pay enough attention to state positively afterwards that he actually saw the envelope placed in the depository.

   
   

   General Security Precaution  

   The following steps should be taken to provide protection for the cashiering personnel: -

   1. Unauthorized persons should not be allowed in the cashiering personnel’s area. Whenever possible, access to the cashiering personnel’s area should be protected by a door operated by a key (for the cashiering personnel), and a buzzer lock system (operated by the cashiering personnel) to allow other authorized persons into the area.

   2. The General Cashiering personnel’s area must be properly enclosed and protected. The large amounts of cash present in this area tend to make it an inviting prospect for criminal activity and consequently extra precautions should be taken for protection. The area must be always locked and access to is prohibited when funds are being counted.

   3. When transporting funds in and out of the hotel adequate security precautions must be taken, e.g. taken by an armored car, which takes the responsibility for getting the funds to the bank.

   4. The depository for the cashiering personnel’s envelopes should be large enough so that when all envelopes are inside, there cannot be any access to them from the slot. In addition, the security guard or a responsible employee should have easy sight of the slot to avoid tampering.