Case Study #1:

Early one evening, John, Philip and Jill, the Daintree Forest Hotel receptionists, were busy checking in guests and dealing with their everyday reception duties. John, the senior supervisor who had been at the hotel since its opening, was replying to some questions asked by Mr. Vidler, one of the hotels regular guests. Whilst this was happening, Jill was busy preparing tomorrows arrivals and departures list for the housekeeping department, and at the same time working with Philip, the junior member of staff on duty, rechecking the hotels room status. The hotel was fully booked for this evening. In fact, at the time it was overbooked by 20 rooms. This was allowing for possible no shows, late cancellations and 6p.m. release bookings.

Other hotels in the area were also fully booked for the evening. This was due to a catering exhibition being held in the nearby convention center. The exhibition was very busy today, being the last day. Janet, the front office manager, came into the front office to check if everything was in order and said that she was popping out for a few minutes, to buy her nephews birthday present. As she went out of the hotel, the telephone on the front desk rang and it was Mrs. Rossi, the executive housekeeper, asking why six particular rooms had not been vacated. John checks the room status board, and confirmed the rooms should be empty. He carefully checked which guests were occupying the rooms and found them to be exhibitors at the catering exhibition. He asked Mrs. Rossi if their luggage had been packed and was told their belongings were all over the rooms. It was agreed nothing could be done at this stage until the actual guests returned back to the hotel.

The hotel reception desk was directly opposite the hotel front door. As the doors were opening and closing it was becoming apparent to the receptionists that the wind was building up in pressure. The sound of the flag outside the hotel cracking against the pole, and the canopies hitting against the building, could be heard at the reception desk. Also, an emergency bell seemed to be ringing in the distance.

At that moment George, one of the hotels porters, sauntered across to the reception desk.

Just heard a cyclone is on its way, said George. Did you know?

No, replied Jill. I didnt even know we were scheduled for a cyclone.

Never mind, responded John. Its that time of the year.

Whilst the receptionists and the porter were discussing the weather, Mr. Wilson, an American tourist who was staying in the hotel, arrived at the front desk.

Just heard on my portable radio, very bad weather is coming. Is that serious? he enquired.

No, replied John. Its only a thunderstorm. Be over shortly.

Is it wise to leave the hotel? an anxious Mr. Wilson asked.

No problem. Said John. Just be careful of the rain.

Just at that moment, all the lights in the foyer and the reception area went out.

Wheres the torch, John? asked Jill nervously.

Bottom right-hand cupboard, near the computer terminal, replied John.

Jill reached into the cupboard to find the torch. On finding it, she switched the torch on, but found it would not work.

John! The torch is not working, cried Jill.

Try the other one, responded John. Oh no, I lent that one to the engineering department last month.

Fortunately, as if on cue, the lights came back on. In the meantime, Mr. Wilson had disappeared from the reception counter, but was replaced with a Mrs. Cox. She was due to check out later that evening, to catch a Cathay Pacific flight to Hong Kong.

Are flights still scheduled to depart this evening? enquired Mrs Cox.

Er..probably, replied Jill.

Can you check for me please? asked Mrs. Cox

Er. yes, an uncertain Jill responded.

Whilst Jill was telephoning the airport, Philip was asking John if it was okay for him to go off duty. His shift had finished 15 minutes previously.

You go off duty Philip, said John, looking at his watch. Nigel should be in shortly; in fact he is 20 minutes late.

Meanwhile, many people were entering the hotel, with soaking hats and coats, leaving pools of water along for the foyers marble floor. At the same time, the sound pf crashing plant pots could be heard as the hotels front doors were swinging backwards and forwards.

Someones stuck in the lift! shouted a voice.

Call engineering immediately, Jill, said John.

Jill called the engineering department for assistance. This was then followed by the sound of Jill crying in the corner. What no one at the hotel knew was that she became very nervous and tearful during thunderstorms. Unfortunately, many years previously, her father and brother had been driving in the northern part of Australia during a bad storm when a falling tree had hit their car. Both had died instantly. On seeing Jill in a tearful state, John told her to go into the back office for a while.

Can I stay an extra day? inquired Mrs. Cox. It has just been confirmed my flight is cancelled for this evening.

Sorry, Mrs. Cox. We are fully booked for this evening, replied John.

At that moment, Nigel walked up to the front desk, stating that a cyclone warning had just been announced on the radio.

Questions:

1) As the front office manager, what steps need to be taken immediately?

2) After the establishment of relative normality, what would you do next? To ensure that these problems would not occur again, what policies, if any, would you investigate and implement?