MAIL, MESSAGE AND PACKAGES

Goal: All mail and packages. coming into the hotel should be delivered to a pre-determined central location

Packages will be time-stamped and sorted into one of three categories:

• Hotel Business or Employee Mail / package - Mail / package for employees and departments within the hotel should be placed in the proper departmental mail box.

• Guest - Guest's mail / package should be given to an individual designated by the Manager, to be distributed according to the following procedure.

  
  

SCOPE:

• To ensure that all mail, messages and packages are delivered to the intended recipient in a timely manner.

• To maintain full control over the disposition of all mail and packages.

  
  

RESPONSIBILITY:

The Front Office is responsible for the control of all incoming and outgoing guest mail and packages.

PROCEDURE:

REGULAR MAIL

1. Should be sorted immediately and time stamped. Room numbers should be added and the message light turned on to alert the guest that there are mail, messages, and/or packages being held for them.

2. All mail, etc. should be placed in the proper mail slot. If the guest is due to arrive that day, a note should be clipped to the guest's registration card and/or noted in the message field in the PMS System.

3. For guests with or without reservations who have not yet registered, the mail should be placed in a "Hold for Arrival" rack in FO. If the individual has a reservation, the words "Mail at Desk" should be noted in the message field in the guest's PMS account. The mail in this rack is to be checked daily by the FO team, dated and initialed. If the mail is not claimed after ten days, it should be returned to the sender or forwarded as indicated and noted in the "Return Mail Log.

   
   

SPECIAL DELIVERY MAIL

1. The guest should be notified immediately.

2. A Bellman should be instructed to deliver the mail to the room if the guest requests it.

3. If the guest is not in the room, the message light should be turned on and a written note should be slipped under the door indicating that the guest has urgent mail.

4. All special delivery mail received for guests not registered in the hotel should be placed in a special hold rack at the Front Desk. The rack should be checked twice daily for recent arrivals or Catering guests. A representative from the Sales and Catering Department should review the rack regularly, as they may recognize the names of persons in meetings, functions, etc. Special deliveries should be held for ten days before returning to sender.

5. All special deliveries must be logged in a book to be kept at the Front Desk. Information logged should include date and time of delivery to the hotel, disposition, and guest's signature acknowledging receipt of the item.

6. Guests should be notified of special delivery mail regardless of the time. The rule of reason should apply in interpreting this procedure.

   
   

REGISTERED MAIL

1. REGISTERED MAIL SHOULD NEVER BE ACCEPTED FOR A GUEST!!

2. If registered mail arrives for a guest, try to reach the guest to determine if they wish to come to the desk to sign for it directly. If the guest is not available or does not wish to sign for the registered mail, it should be refused.

   
   

OVERNIGHT MAIL (FEDERAL EXPRESS, AIRBORNE OR EQUIVALENT)

Use the same procedure as for Special Delivery Mail.

PACKAGES

1. All packages of any size are to be delivered to a location pre-determined by hotel management. A notice indicating delivery of the package should be sent to the Front Office.

2. The Front Desk should then notify the guest of the package delivery or so note the delivery in the reservations system. The Daily and Weekly Event Listings should always be checked upon receipt of packages.

3. A Bellman should be instructed to deliver the package to the guest if so requested.

4. C.O.D. packages for guests should be accepted only if prior arrangements have been made with the Front Office Manager, Sales Managers or Banquet Managers. The C.O.D. package can be accepted if credit has been established on the guest's account.

5. All packages should be held for ten days unless a specific arrival date is indicated. If no arrival date is noted, the package should be returned to the sender or forwarded after ten days.

6. A package log is to be maintained with the following information:

   • Date of receipt

   • Addressee

   • Addressor

   • Number of packages

   • Where stored

   • Who received

   • Current disposition

   
   

MESSAGES

1. Operators / FO Team are to leave messages for guests when they are not in their room to receive telephone calls.

2. After the message is taken, the room message light should be turned on so the guest can call the Front Desk to be notified of the message.

3. After the guest has received the message or has picked it up, the message light should be turned off.

4. If the message is read but not picked up or delivered, it should be time stamped on the back and retained in a designated area in case the guest requests the message at a later date. In a PMS environment, a Non-Delivered Guest Message Report will print hard copy for a back up.

5. By 9:00 P.M. each night, the Front Desk should check/audit all messages, checking for correct room number, whether the guest has checked in, and whether a copy of the message was sent to the room and placed under the door.

6. In some instances the guest will pick up his/here mail at the desk without first calling, and the message light may remain on. This then requires the guest to call the Front Desk to verify that there are no further messages waiting. It is suggested that message lights be checked as many times as possible during the day to verify that there are in fact messages waiting for all lights that are turned on. The lights on should be listed, the guest's name determined from the room rack or PMS, and boxes checked to ensure that there is in fact mail and/or messages for that particular room.

7. All room message lights should be tested at least once per month.

   
   

OUT-DATED MAIL

1. All mail, faxes, overnight mail, packages, etc. being returned or forwarded should be logged in the Return Mail Book kept at the PBX.

2. If a guest wishes to leave a forwarding address, it should be recorded in the "Guest Forwarding Address Log" (Exhibit 2). The guest should be advised that mail will be forwarded for up to two months.

3. For future reference, should the mail be lost or mis-directed, the date the mail is sent out and the initials of the clerk should be listed.

   
   

MAIL AND PACKAGE DOCUMENTATION

1. All guests’ mail that does not require signature for receipt must be logged on the "Guest Mail Log" (see below).

2. All guest's mail and packages requiring signatures upon receipt must be recorded on a "Guest Package Receipt". (see below).

GUEST MAIL LOG

TO:

Name:________________________Date:______________Room:_________

FROM:

Name:________________________Address:_____________________________

City:________________________ State: ______________ Zip: ___________

DATE RECEIVED:_______________DATE RETURNED: _________________

FORWARDED TO:________________DATE FORWARDED:_______________

Name:________________________Address:_____________________________

City:________________________State:______________ Zip: ___________

TO:

Name:________________________Date:______________Room:_________

FROM:

Name:________________________Address:_____________________________

City:________________________ State: ______________ Zip: ___________

DATE RECEIVED:_______________DATE RETURNED: _________________

FORWARDED TO:________________DATE FORWARDED:_______________

Name:________________________Address:_____________________________

City:________________________State:______________ Zip: ___________

GUEST FORWARDING ADDRESS LOG

Guest wishing to leave a forwarding address must be listed in this log with a

complete address. Check-out date and date completed should be noted.

Mail will be forwarded for up to two months.

Name: _____________________________________ Date Competed: ______________

Address: ___________________________________ Date Checked Out: ___________

City: _____________________________ State: _____________ Zip Code: _______

Remarks:

Name: _____________________________________ Date Competed: ______________

Address: ___________________________________ Date Checked Out: ___________

City: _____________________________ State: _____________ Zip Code: _______

Remarks:

Name: _____________________________________ Date Competed: ______________

Address: ___________________________________ Date Checked Out: ___________

City: _____________________________ State: _____________ Zip Code: _______

Remarks:

KALIHARA HOTELS

GUEST PACKAGE RECEIPT

Date Received: ____________________

Guest Name: ______________________

Room Number: ____________________

Check Out Date: ___________________

Employee Accepting: _______________

Days Checked: _____________________

Guest Receipt

Guest Signature: ___________________

Date: ____________________________

Clerk: ___________________________