Untitled

[hmhelp]

Hmhelp.in

Hey everyone,

I wanted to share with you all a new website that I think will be incredibly helpful for anyone studying or working in the IHM field. The website is called hmhelp.in, and it's a free resource for IHM notes, syllabus, interview preparation, previous year question, blog and job.

One of the things that sets hmhelp.in apart is that it's funded by IHMites, so you know that the information on the site is accurate and up-to-date. Plus, it's completely free to use, so you don't have to worry about paying for any of the resources.

Here are just a few of the things you can find on Hmhelp.in:

IHM notes: You'll find a wide variety of notes on all the different topics you need to know for your classes and exams.

Syllabus: Stay on top of what you need to study with the most recent syllabus for your course.

Interview preparation: Get ready for your next job interview with our tips and advice.

Previous year question: Get an idea of what to expect on your exams with our collection of previous year question.

Blog: Keep up with the latest news and developments in the Hospitality field with our blog.

Job: Get your dream job by searching for the latest job opening.

IHM notes: You'll find a wide variety of notes on all the different topics you need to know for your classes and exams.

Syllabus: Stay on top of what you need to study with the most recent syllabus for your course.

Interview preparation: Get ready for your next job interview with our tips and advice.

Previous year question: Get an idea of what to expect on your exams with our collection of previous year question.

Blog: Keep up with the latest news and developments in the Hospitality field with our blog.

Job: Get your dream job by searching for the latest job opening.

I highly recommend checking out hmhelp.in if you're an IHM student or professional. It's a great resource that can help you stay organized and on top of your studies and career. Let me know what you think of the website and if you find it helpful.

Best of luck with your studies and your career!

Thank you.

[hmhelp]

Organoleptic & Sensory Evaluation: Product Research and Development

Organoleptic properties are the aspects of food, water or other substances that an individual experiences via the senses—including taste, sight, smell, and touch. Sensory evaluation is an invaluable tool for Quality Control as well as Research and Development. Customers perceive product quality with their senses, and as a result, organoleptic evaluations are an essential component of any Quality Control evaluations. The aim of the sensory testing is to describe the product. Distinguishing two or more products: are there any differences between the quality, its magnitude and direction. Performing: the expert or the consumer. So the enjoyment is the sum of the organoleptic characteristics. Application: Industry or official quality controlThe impact of technological and recipe changeDetermine shelf lifeProduct DevelopmentConsumer likeCompetitive product Various Organoleptic Factors SIGHT The appearance of the food to our eyes is the most critical parameter. One eats with the eyes first!It is this feature of our senses the judges the food for its freshness, colour, appeal, dullness, glossy, juicy etc.If the eye appeal is not good then the food goes in for a complete rejection. SMELL The smell of the food is defined as flavour in cooking and it can be of 3 different types- odour- odour contributes to the pleasure of eating. Volatile molecules from the food stimulate olfactory nerves and they guide our perceptions of food being sweet, bitter, spicy, sour or acidic. Read the full article

[hmhelp]

Documents by the Supplier (including format)

Documents by the Supplier (including format) ADVICE NOTE– Advice notes are sent to the purchaser, informing him that goods ordered have been dispatched, giving the date of dispatch and method of carriage used. Post, rail, etc. Most suppliers on a regular basis do not use these procedures; the most common would be for equipment or deliveries of high value.DELIVERY NOTE– Are sent by the supplier to the purchaser accompanying the goods ordered. The goods must be checked against delivery notes and then signed for. The delivery note should be in duplicate one copy for the purchaser and another for the supplier. Suppliers will require delivery note to be signed by the receiver as proof of delivery and that the goods are satisfactory. In situations where goods are not checked on receipt the delivery note should be marked contents unknown and signed by the receiver. In the event of the goods being either not as ordered or omitted from the delivery, the deliveryman should be informed of the reason and a request for credit note made and acknowledge by him. Goods should never be signed without checking them or this being indicated on the delivery note.                                XYZ WHOLESALE SUPPLIER LTD.    ToABC Hotel                                                                         Delivery note No.173Purchase Order No.28 Item Read the full article

[hmhelp]

Flow Chart Of Purchasing Procedure

Flow Chart Of Purchasing Procedure Recognition of NeedsDescription of Needed ItemsAuthorization of Purchase RequisitionNegociation with SupplierEvaluation of proposal and Placement of OrderFellow upVerification of Invoice and Delivery of MaterialClosure of Purchase Records & Payment Recognition of needs:- The most obvious place for a need to occur is a production unit. The second location is the storage area in which the objective is to have on hand the right product in the right quantity at the right time. The need is recognized by the H.O.D. based on the daily consumption of the needed item. Description of needed items:- The concerned person prepares it, generally the description is taken from the standard purchase specification. It states the name of the item, quantity, unit cost, total cost, sometimes brand names, etc. Authorization of purchase requisition:-The third procedure of the purchasing process is authorization. Generally the requisition is authorizes by the H.O.D. or as per the policy status. The purchase requisition is not honored until the concerned person signs it. Negotiation/ selection of supplier:- In this step the supplier is selected on the basis of price calculation, performance evaluation and records from the previous purchase. If the supplier is selected already the price of the needed item is negotiated. Evaluation and placement of order:- All suppliers’ proposals are evaluated for the compliance with the policy. Read the full article

[hmhelp]

Stock Taking

Stock Taking  The main objective of stocktaking is to ascertain the actual value of goods in hand as distinguished from the book value of the stock. It is the process of physical counting of all stock items in the storerooms and kitchen. It is carried out by F& B control department of the hotel. In case of food stores, it has done once in the month, for housekeeping item once in two months and for alcoholic beverage and Bar once in 24 hours. It solves the following purpose To determine the value of goods held in stock (to check the total value of stock held is in accordance with a financial policy the establishments)To compare the value of goods actually in stores with the book value of the stock at a particular time.To list slow-moving items.To compare usage with sales to assess food percentage as a deterrent against loss of pilferage.To determine the rate of stock turnover. FORMULA: Opening stock + Purchase during that period – Requisition made in the same period = Value of closing stock Cost of food consumed= Rs. 3000/- Opening stock = Rs 800/- Closing stock = Rs 700/- Average of O.S + C.S = 800 + 700/2=750/- Rate of stock turnover = cost of food consumedaverage stock = 3000750 = 4 This means the total value of the stock has turnover four times. Some senior staff or account personnel aided by concerned department staff caries the physical stock. All the goods are recorded on printed stock sheet. Read the full article

[hmhelp]

Pricing Of Commodities

PRICING OF ISSUES In a department, there must be a system established so that the department can be fairly charged for what it has requisitioned for its use. The method of pricing the food issued depends mainly on the type of commodities in question. Perishables: In the case of perishable commodities as already stated they frequently go directly to the kitchen as direct issues and priced against the actual purchase price of the commodities. When however a perishable store system is operated the daily issues can be more effectively controlled and a much more accurate gross profit calculated for each day some discrepancy do occur under this method at times, e.g. the butchery department will draw food items from the stores, manufacture them into a processed item and returned it to the stores to be issued at a later date. The method of costing here must be clearly worked out, as often – central butchery departments are required to be self-supporting and also the purchasing officer and food and beverage manager having previously decided it was cheaper and more efficient to have a butchery department in the establishment, require to measure than previous make or buy decision at periodic intervals. Perishables food may be priced out of in any methods by which non-perishables and be priced in some instants the method used would be restricted to the large establishment because of a high degree of skill necessary to install and control.#ihmmumbai #ihmjaipur #ihmpusa #ihmkolkata #ihmchennai #ihmgoa #ihmbangalore #ihmlucknow #ihmshillong #ihmthiruvananthapuram #ihmhyderabad #ihmbhubaneswar #ihmsrinagar #ihmshimla #ihmguwahati #ihmahemadabad #ihmbhopal #ihmgwalior #ihmgurdaspur #ihmhajipur #ihmchandigarh#nchm #ihmpanipat #cihmchandigarh #ihmfaridabad #ihmgangtok #ihmjodhpur #ihmhyderabad #ihmdehradun #ihmkurukshetra #sihmtirupati #ihmites Read the full article

[hmhelp]

Accounting Systems in Front Office

NON-AUTOMATED: Guest folios in a  non-automated or manual system contain a series of columns for listing individual  debit (charge) and credit (payment) entries accumulated during occupancy.  At the end of the business day, each column is totaled and the ending balance is carried forward as the opening folios balance of the following day. SEMI AUTOMATED: Guest transactions are printed sequentially on a machine posted folio.  The information recorded for each transaction included the date, department or reference number amount of the transaction, and new balance of the account.  The folio’s outstanding balance is the amount the guest owes the hotel or the amount the hotel owes the guest in the event of a credit balance at settlement.  The column labeled previous balance pickup provides an audit trail within the posting machines frame work that helps prove the current outstanding balance is correct.  If the semi automated posting is done by mechanical equipment, it does not retain individual folio balances.  This means that each accounts previous balance must be re-entered each time an account posting is made to the folio.  This process enables the machine to produce a new current total on the folio card, but it is very error prone and often and often leads to in correct folios balances and subsequent night audit mistakes.  Electronic posting equipment often does retain folio balances.#ihmmumbai #ihmjaipur #ihmpusa #ihmkolkata #ihmchennai #ihmgoa #ihmbangalore #ihmlucknow #ihmshillong #ihmthiruvananthapuram #ihmhyderabad #ihmbhubaneswar #ihmsrinagar #ihmshimla #ihmguwahati #ihmahemadabad #ihmbhopal #ihmgwalior #ihmgurdaspur #ihmhajipur #ihmchandigarh Read the full article

[hmhelp]

Check Out in Front Office

Check out and settlement are part of the final stages of the guest cycle. It is the final phase of the guest cycle and examines the various activities involved in checkout and settlement. Check out involves the front desk as also other departments such as housekeeping, bell desk, cashier’s desk, Point of sales etc. Main areas for a checkout are the bell desk and the cashier.The Front Office performs at least 3 important functions during the checkout and settlement process. It resolves outstanding guest account balances.It updates room status informationIt creates guest history records. Guest account settlement depends on effective Front Office accounting system that maintains accurate guest folios, verifies and authorizes a method of settlement and resolves discrepancies in account balances. Hotels find it most effective to settle a guest account while the guest is still in the hotel. Guest can settle the bill by paying cash, charging the balance to a credit card, deferring payment to an approved direct billing entity or using a combination of payment methods. Table of Contents DEPARTURE ACTIVITIES AT VARIOUS DESKS At the Reception desk The Front desk receptionist checks the list of expected checkouts for the day and will confirm with the guest his date and time of checkout.Departure notification slips are printed to inform the other departments of the guest’s checkout.In a manual system the room racks are updated. The departure register is also updated.Checking #ihmmumbai #ihmjaipur #ihmpusa #ihmkolkata #ihmchennai #ihmgoa #ihmbangalore #ihmlucknow #ihmshillong #ihmthiruvananthapuram #ihmhyderabad #ihmbhubaneswar #ihmsrinagar #ihmshimla #ihmguwahati #ihmahemadabad #ihmbhopal #ihmgwalior #ihmgurdaspur #ihmhajipur #ihmchandigarh Read the full article

[hmhelp]

Flower arrangement in Hotels

A flower arrangement may be defined as the art of organizing and grouping together plant materials (flowers, foliage, twigs, etc.) to achieve harmony of form, colour, and texture, thereby adding cheer, life, and beauty to the surroundings. It is essentially a decorative piece and should be the centre of attraction. An arrangement can be composed of only flowers and/or foliage or in combination with vegetables and fruits. Flower arrangements have an ability to introduce a personal touch in an otherwise staid and impersonal hotel room. Arrangements can be used in lobbies, restaurants, suites etc. Guests appreciate flowers for the freshness they bring to the surroundings. Arrangements need not be reserved only for parties or special occasions. They can be used regularly depending on the season and the theme. The unconventional and dry material can also be used to make arrangements which are more economical and last longer. Read the full article

[hmhelp]

Introduction to Amadeus GDS

Introduction to Amadeus GDS Amadeus is a computer reservation system (or global distribution system, since it sells tickets for multiple airlines) owned by the Amadeus IT Group with headquarters in Madrid, Spain. The central database is located at Erding, Germany. In addition to airlines, the CRS is also used to book train travel, cruises, car rental, ferry reservations, and hotel rooms. Amadeus also provides New Generation departure control systems to airlines. The company is structured around two key related areas – its global distribution system and its IT Solutions business area.Amadeus Hotel Front Office generates text files for multiple use (for example: printing labels or creating mailings etc). Select guests according to a variety of criteria such as number of stays, turnover achieved, country, postal code area, segment code, birthday, age etc and aim your direct mail at the right segments easily. Amadeus Hotel Front Office generates text files for multiple use (for example: printing labels or creating mailings etc). Select guests according to a variety of criteria such as number of stays, turnover achieved, country, postal code area, segment code, birthday, age etc and aim your direct mail at the right segments easily. Table of Contents History of Amadeus 1987Air France, Iberia, Lufthansa and SAS agree to create a new global distribution system. As a result, Amadeus is born on 21 October 1987. Read the full article

[hmhelp]

Front Office Accounting

Front office accounting system Creates and maintains an accurate accounting record for each guest or non guest account.Front office accounting system tracks financial transactions through the guest cycle.Front office accounting system ensures internal control over cash and non cash transactions.Front office accounting system records settlement for all goods and services provided. There are two types of accounts maintained by front office department with front office accounting system: Guest Account A guest account in front office accounting system is to record of financial transaction between a guest and the hotel. It is created when the guests guarantee their reservations or during registration. The front office usually seeks payment for charges during the departure and settlement stage of the guest cycle. Non-Guest Account A hotel may extend in-house charge privileges to local businesses or agencies as a means of promotion or to groups sponsoring meetings at the hotels. The front office creates non-guest accounts to track these transactions which may also be called house accounts or city accounts. FOLIOS Front office transactions are charted on account statements called folios. A folio is a statement of all transactions (debits and credits) affecting the balance of a single account. Read the full article

[hmhelp]

Types of Check-out Procedures

Express Check-Out Most hotels are now using the Express Checkout service that allows customers to check out of their rooms and return the keys, without actually having to wait for their final bill to be produced. It is a great convenience for hotel guests at all times, but especially so when they are pressed for time, which is often the case with many of us. Offering an Express Checkout service to your guests means that they can return their keys and go without having to wait for their bill to be made up. The benefits are obvious and here are some of them: Express Checkout saves your guests time when there are long queues at the front desk, because there is no need to wait to checkout.If a guest is in a hurry to catch a train or plain, you are helping her to avoid a stressful delay.If there is no one available at the front desk, your guests can simply drop in their keys and leave.The guest leaves the hotel without having to go through the standard C/O procedure The guest signs the ECO form and authorizes the hotel to charge the outstanding balance to his credit card The guest is given the Express C/O form on the morning of his date of departure.The hotel sends the signed ECO form and the credit card imprint to the credit card company towards payment of the bill The cashier prepares the guest’s final bill and mails a copy to the guest. But the benefits go both ways. Read the full article

[hmhelp]

Importance of PMS for Hotel Operations

The importance of a Property Management System in the Hotel industry The right property management system (PMS) is a key factor in hotel success. Having a system that makes frontdesk workflows easy, will create a seamless guest experience. With the abundance of new technology in the property management systems industry, there is no time like the present to upgrade your PMS. Guest’s first impression Upon arrival, a guest’s first impression is created as they walk through the doors and interact with the first point of contact, your front desk. A property management system should easily display arrivals for the day and have any important information about stay preferences attached to a guest’s booking. This will ensure you make a good and memorable first impression. Streamlined check in and checkout There is nothing more frustrating than waiting a long time to be checked in or out, these processes should be fast and easy to provide a seamless guest experience. Having streamlined and easy check in and checkout processes is important for both the guest experience and hotel efficiency. A property management system will help you perform these tasks with ease, increasing productivity and delivering that exceptional guest experience. Clear communication Having clear lines of communication between all departments of your property and with the guest is integral to a successful accommodation. Read the full article

[hmhelp]

Night Audit in Front Office

Night auditing is actually the audit process of taking inventory of the day’s work. In other words, it is the activity of checking and confirming that whatever transaction has been done during the day is correct and complete. Any mistakes made during the day are corrected and balanced. The audit is done during night and hence it is called as ‘Night Auditing’. Table of Contents Night audit process: Complete outstanding postingsReconciling room status discrepanciesBalance all departments’ financial activitiesVerify no showReconciling accounts receivablePreparing night audit reportDeposit cashClear or backup systemDistribution of reports Preparing night audit report: Depending upon the policy of the hotel and manager’s requirement, the number and content of the night auditor’s report may differ. Some managers may require more financial details than others. Those prepared for management review are the final departmental details and summary report, the daily operations report and high balance reports. Night auditor’s report should be viewed as a functional tool. This provides feedback on daily operations performance. Daily review of figures reported will aloe management the opportunity to be flexible in meeting planned financial goals. FUNCTIONS OF FRONT OFFICE AUDIT The main purpose of front office audit is to verify the accuracy and completeness of the guest and non-guest accounts against revenue centre transaction report.  Read the full article

[hmhelp]

Handling of Foreign Currency in Front Office

The hotel industry in any country is a prime source for the generation of foreign currency exchange. Foreign Currency Exchanges are done in hotels through a strict system of checks and records. In a hotel, the front office cashier is the authorized person on behalf of the management to receive foreign exchange. As most of the overseas visitors prefer to pay their hotel bills in foreign currency, the cashier must know the rates of exchange. The hotel can exchange the foreign currency but cannot sell it. If the guest has settled his account in foreign currency, the balance should be given in the local currency. The foreign currency exchange rates offered by the hotel might be slightly higher than the bank rates. This is done to cover up the administrative costs, market fluctuations in the exchange rates and a small profit. Hotels accept foreign currencies but not coins. FOREIGN CURRENCY ENCASHMENT Request the guest to produce his/her passport and determine the credentials.Ask to the guest for his room number.Incase of non-residence, request his/her to contact the lobby manager for his authorization for the transactionFind out the type of currency to be exchanged and determine whether it is exchangeable as per governor banking regulation.Fill in all the details in the foreign exchange encashment certificate.Request to the guest to sign the travelers cheque and voucher in person.Compare the signature.Receive the amount of foreign currency in cash or travelers cheque. Read the full article

[hmhelp]

Role of information technology in the hospitality industry

Technology Used in Hospitality & Tourism Technology plays an important role in the hospitality and tourism industry. Both customers and businesses can benefit from advances in communication, reservations and guest services systems. Technology allows continuous communication and streamlines the guest experience, from reservation to checkout. Table of ContentsInternet The Internet has a powerful impact on hospitality and tourism. For many businesses and locations, the experience starts long before a traveller arrives–it begins with the first visit to the website when a person sees photos of the location and gets a sense of what to expect. In the hospitality and tourism business, effective use of Internet technologies can improve revenue. Websites, blogs, online advertising, social media, online ordering and information repositories all help convince customers to choose a location or business. Reservations Systems Booking engines to allow easy access by consumers and travel professionals; the systems enable individuals to make reservations and compare prices. Many, like Expedia and Orbitz, are available through online interfaces. Booking engines cut costs for travel businesses by reducing call volume and give the traveler more control over their purchasing process. Computer Systems Because many tourism businesses are large and dispersed, they use computer systems to stay connected. Read the full article

[hmhelp]

Maharashtrian Cuisine

Maharashtrian Cuisine INTRODUCTION: It is well known that the people of Maharashtra consider their food as Anna he poornabrahma meaning they consider anna, or food, equal to Brahma, or the creator of the universe. Food is God and should be worshipped. Apart from this, the people of this state also believe in offering their food first to the lord as a thanksgiving for all that He has given. Especially, on festive occasions, some specific mithais (sweets) are offered such as Ukadiche Modak (Ganesh Chaturthi) and Satyanarayan Puja Sheera. Overlooking the vast expanse of the Arabian Sea, Maharashtra cuisine is largely influenced by seafoods and the cuisine that is popular in the interiors of the state presents a strong blend of the traditional and the contemporary preparations. The coastline of Maharashtra is usually called the Konkan and boasts its own Konkani cuisine, which is a harmonized combination of Malvani, Gaud Saraswat Brahmin, and Goan cuisines. Besides the coastal Maharashtra cuisine, the interior of Maharashtra or the Vidarbha area has its own distinctive cuisine known as the Varadi cuisine. GENERAL FEATURES OR CUISINE CHARACTERISTICS: Rice is the staple food grain in Maharashtra cuisine, alike the many other states of India. The staple in the Vidarbha region hardly eat rice and their most preferred staple is jowar and bajra. https://hmhelp.in/blog/maharashtrian-cuisine/ Read the full article