SALES
CONTROL SYSTEM
Every Hotel needs proper and effective control system
in order to run its operations smoothly and effectively, without any fraudulent
activities.
This control is required at each and every stage of
the Food and Beverage Cycle, i.e.:-
- Taking the customer’s food or beverage order
- Announcing these orders to kitchen or bar as
the case may be
- Getting the order correct and ready on time
- Serving the correct order, on time with correct
serving temperature to the guest
- Making the correct bill
- Setting the bill
- Closing of the
restaurant
Food sale is such a business if allowed unchecked
can make an establishment bankrupt overnight. Therefore, it is not the workers
or masters should work to control but system should work efficiently to prevent
a disaster.
Functions
of A Control System……..
·
The control system monitors the area
where food and beverage sales take place.
·
It reduces the pilferage, fraud, and
wastage to minimum.
·
It provides required information to the
management for costing purposes, so that they forecast the statistics
accurately for the next financial period.
·
It ensures that cashiers make bills
correctly so that the customer is neither overcharged nor under charged.
v
v
v
v The food and beverage
order taken from the guests should be documented for effective control. There
are different checking methods followed for either of the two menu styles
namely:
i.
Triplicate
checking methods
ii.
Duplicate
checking methods
iii.
Single
order sheet
iv.
Quick
service menu and customer bill “OR” Service with order
v.
Computerized
order taking
MANUAL
CHECKING SYSTEM OR CONTROLLING SYSTEM
TRIPLICATE
CHECKING METHOD:;
This system
is traditional and time tested and very efficient and still is vogue. As the
name implies, the food check has 3 copies. Each copy has same serial number on
them, and be off different color for easy identification and demarcation. Once
the order is recorded on the KOT, the first copy goes to the kitchen or the
dispense bar on the basis of which the order is prepared. Once the waiter picks
up the order, the KOT copy is dropped in to the control box, which is always
kept locked. Control box is maintained by the food and beverage control
department to prevent any kind of fraud and malpractice.
The second copy is given to the cashier, and based
on that the bill is prepared, which has 2 copies. The first copy of the bill
goes to guest and another copy is retained by the cashier the cashier attached
the 2nd copy of KOT to the 2nd copy of the bill and
submits it along with sales summary to the food and beverage controls at the
end of the day.
The 3rd copy of KOT remains with the
waiter in the KOT book for reference and checking up the order during service.
It may be called for auditing at any time b the control department.
DUPLICATE
CHECKING METHOD
This kind of checking method is used in small
hotels, Cafés, and popular restaurants. As the name implies the KOT book has 2
copies. The first copy is sent to the kitchen on the basis of which the order
is prepared. When the waiter picks up the order, the first copy is dropped in
to the control box for auditing by the control department.
The waiter retains the second copy as a means of
reference during the service. When guest requests for the billing, the waiter
or cashier sum up all the rates on the 2nd copy of KOT and presents
the same to the guest as the bill.
In a few organizations, the copy has
four to five perforated slips. The waiter writes down the food order course
wise on different perforated slips. As and when each course is required that
particular slip is torn off and given at the hot plate. Every slip has a waiter
number, table number, serial number and date. When the food is ready, the Aboyer keeps the particular slip along with the food to
avoid confusion.
Difference
Between Duplicate And Triplicate Method
SINGLE
ORDER SHEET:
This
system is used in cafés, quick turn over restaurants, departmental stores, and taken
away establishments; usually the menu is very limited with little or no choice.
Many organizations following this system may have order sheet printed with the
menu, after taking the order from the guests, the waiter writes it on KOT and
calls for the order verbally over the hot plate. When the guest requests for
the bill the waiter prices the order sheet and hand over to them as a bill.
While leaving the restaurants, the guest submits the bill to the cashier and
pays the amount. The cashier retains the bill for control purpose.
SERVICE
WITH ORDER:
This
system of ordering is used in fast food joints, taken away, cafeterias, etc.
Here the menu offered in the establishment is displayed in wall mounted boards.
The guests choose what they want to eat and then order that. The person at the
cash counter make the bill collects the cash, stamp the “bill received” and
hand it over to the guest. The guest goes to respective food counter and
collects the dishes against the bill. After delivering the order the person at
the food counter stamps the bill “delivered” and hand it over to the guest.
Whatever
may be the checking system used, it should ensure good control over the food
service operation staff who deals with two important things------FOOD and
CASH..
MODES
OF PAYMENTS:
There
are various methods of making payments for the consumed food and beverage
services. Some of the most popular methods are;
v CASH
The payment received in cash should
always be checked in front of the guest and at the same time when change is
given then it should be counted back to customer. In this method complete
payment is made in cash and therefore the currency notes should be checked for
their authenticity and proper shape.
v CREDIT
CARDS
If the payment is made by credit
card, the first step is to check its validity. Then a voucher is made out and
filled in with the required details. The customer is then requested to sign the
voucher after which the operator should check and match the signature with that
on the credit card. The customer copy should be given to the guest.
The validity of the credit card is
checked by passing it through the electronic machine after which the details of
the credit card are printed on the form of itemized bill which the customer
then signs. (One copy of this itemized bill is given to the customer for his
record)
v DEBIT
CARDS
The
use is similar to the above, but the amount used is immediately deducted from
the customer’s account.
v CHEQUES
When
accepted cheques, the cashier should check the following information;
ü Correct
date
ü Filled
amount (correct/incorrect)
ü Signed
by the person indicates on the cheque
ü Match
the signature of cheque card.
NOTE: cheque should always be accompanied by the
cheque card.
TRAVELLER’S
CHEQUE
These
may be issued by the travel agent (if travel agencies and hotels have tie up or
any type of contract). The traveler’s cheque must be signed once when issued
and again when to pay.
KITCHEN
ORDER TICKET/TOKEN………
KOT
is prepared by food service personnel to intimate the food order of the guest
to the kitchen staff. It helps in serving the right order to the right person.
The KOT consists of details such as table number, covers, name of the waiter,
date, time, items ordered, and its quantity. Usually, all the KOTs are serially
numbered for control purpose. The food check may be duplicate or triplicate
depending on the size and style of the organization.
A
KOT is written as follows;
§ The
order is written along the lines and not up or down.
§ Indication
is given between the courses.
§ If
a few lines are left in KOT, that space is struck off.
§ Quantity
of each dish is written in words rather than the numbers….
Different types of KOTs such as
Suivant, Supplement, Retour/En place, and Accident are used in certain
instances. There explanations are as…….
SUIVANT
This
KOT is used where it is necessary to write more than one KOT for a meal order.
When a separate KOT is required to be written to order dessert for the same
table after the main course is served, at the top of the KOT ‘suivant’ is
written, which means the ‘following’ check of the previous one.
SUPPLEMENT
When
an extra portion of food is required because sufficient amount has not been
sent (or extra portion of accompaniments are required) from the kitchen, a
special KOT must be written out headed ‘supplement’. This means to ‘supplement’
what has already been sent. It should be signed by the senior caption and
normally it is not charged.
ACCIDENT
A
waiter may drop a dish by accident. In this situation, a separate KOT, called
‘accident’, is raised, indicating the dish name and the number of portions
required. This has to be signed by the senior caption and it is not charged.
RETOUR/EN
PLACE
When
a wrong dish has been ordered and has to be sent back to the kitchen and
replaced, a special KOT must be made mentioning retour(return) and en place
(in place). If the dishes are from an a’la carte menu, then the price should
also be mentioned along with the order.
BILLING
BILL FORMAT
In
the restaurants, when the guest request for the bill, the waiter collects it
from the cashier and checks it whether all items are entered and priced
correctly. It is always advisable for the waiter to double check the addition.
Then the bill is presented to the guest in a bill folder.
Many
types of billing methods are used in foods service operations. The type of
method used depends on style and volume of business. They are explained as
follows;
v Bill as check:
in a duplicate checking system, the second copy of the food check is used as a
bill .When the guest requests for the bill, the waiter or cashier sums up all
the rates on the second copy of the KOT and presents the same to the guest.
This method is used in small hotels, café, and popular restaurants.
v Separate bills:
The bill is made for the second copy of the food check. The second is given to
the cashier. Based on that, the cashier prepares a bill that has two copies. The
top copy of the bill is presented to the guest. On receiving payment to the
guest, the bill is stamped ‘paid’ and is returned to the guest. The second copy
is retained to the cashier and attached to the second copy of KOT to submit it
along with sale summery to the food and beverage controls department.
v Pre-paid: The
customer purchases tickets or coupons in advance, either for specific meal or
specific value. For example food service operations organizing theme food
festivals, fashion shows, and New Year’s Eve program sell admission tickets in
advance at fixed price. Admission in to the venue and service of food and
beverages is based on tickets or coupons.
v No-Charge: in
this system, the guest is not charged for receiving the goods or services. The
guest is asked only to sign the bill as acceptance of service received, and the
particular amount is posted to the house.
v Deferred:
This type of system is used in catering function. In this, a service has been
requested by an individual, firm, or company, which has been confirmed and
taken place. Upon the conclusion of event, the bill is prepared or the services
rendered and are sent to the company or organization person.
Computerized checking systems OR controlling system…….
In
today’s food service operations, computer has become an integral part and is
used in every sphere of operations. Computerized pre-check systems are
extensively used in food and beverage control.
The
advantages of using modern technology in food service operations are as
follows;
ü It
ensures good control over the operations.
ü It
increases productivity and reduce labor costs.
ü It
eliminates revenue leakages by ensuring that all the orders are billed.
ü It
reduces clerical errors to minimum.
ü It
avoids duplication of work.
ü It
saves time.
ü It
generates bills quickly without any mistake.
Electronic cash register……
An
electronic cash register is a mechanical device used to calculating and recording
sales transactions. It usually prints a receipt for the customer. It has an
attached drawer for storing cash. The cash drawer can be opened after a sale,
except when special keys, which only senior employees have. This reduces the
risk of cash pilferage.
Its
following advantages are;
Ø Print
checks, including the printing of previously entered items.
Ø Provide
an analysis of sales by waiter per hour shift period.
Ø Provide
an analysis of sales made by type of product.
Ø Analysis
of sales by method of payment (cash, cheque, credit card, etc…)
Ø Complete
automatic tax calculations and cover service charges.
Sales Summary Sheet…………
The
sales summary sheet is an analysis of all the transactions/cash taken during
the particular period of service. It is prepared to know the revenue generated
through the sales of food, beverages, the modes of bill settlement- cash,
cheque, credit card, amount charged to room accounts, tax amount, discounts
given etc. the basic information required in a sales summary sheet includes the
following:
Ø Date
Ø Bill
number
Ø Table
number
Ø Number
of cover per table
Ø Bill
amount
Ø Modes
of payment- cash, credit card, cheque, posted to room
Ø Analysis
of food, beverages, and other sales items.
FORMAT
OF REVENUE CONTROL SHEET OR SALE SUMMARY SHEET-
Point –Of-Sale ( POS)Terminal……….
Point-of –sale systems
are computerized system incorporating registers, computers and peripheral
equipments, usually on a computer network. These systems keep track of sale & can generate records used in
accounting and book keeping.
POS registers
are connected to touch screen monitors, magnetic strip readers, bar code
terminals, etc. the data is fed to various terminals and it can be accessed in
various output units. This system integrates the data and reduces the manual work.
For example- if a bill is made in the restaurant, it will be automatically
posted in the guest bill, if a KOT is made it can be displayed in the kitchen
or can be printed in the kitchen.
These systems
can also generate reports required by
various departments at any given point of time, can control reservations, guest
history, guest registration ,sale summary sheet etc.
