
IO 1 – Standard Operating Procedures
SOP 11 – Check-out procedure
“SOP 11 – Check-out procedure.”
Created by Štěpán Chalupa
Issued on 12. 7. 2022
Created for Front Office employees, Trainers and Trainees, Students
Updated by XX
Updated on XX
Introduction
The stay is ended by the check-out procedure, which starts with the intention of the client to leave
the hotel room, hotel in general. The check-out process includes settling and clearing the bill and
feedback collection.
Purpose
To terminate the guests, stay, clear the bill, and collect feedback. Then, during the check-out,
there is the last opportunity to manage the complaints discreetly.
Procedure
As always, the check-out procedure starts with the greetings of the hotel guest at the front office.
1. Greet the guest with a smile (warm and sincere). “Good Morning, Mr Novak. How can I
help you?”
2. Ask the client about the intention to leave and check the reservation for the departure
date. During the night shift, the departure list for the upcoming day should be made to see
the departing reservations/guests.
3. Ask the client about the stay. Be sure to collect the feedback and identify possible
insufficiencies before the guest's departure.
4. Request the room number. If you do not remember the guest or the room number,
politely ask for the room number and check the occupation in the PMS and departures list.
5. Collect the room key/card. “May I ask you for the room key/card?”.
6. Check the folio of the quest. Access the account of the guest and recapitulate the services
and products consumed. Mention as well the taxes, charges and other requested
payments.
7. Ask the client for the folio verification. Then, print out or display the folio to the client
and ask the client for clarification of the content. Finally, sum up the final payment
amount and define prepaid services.

8. Thank the client for the verification and let the client choose the payment methods. “Mr
Novak, how would you like to pay the rest of the folio?”
9. Process the payment.
10. Print out the payment confirmation (if needed) with the invoice.
11. Provide the client with possible information for further services.
12. Let the client say goodbye.
Critical points and unstandardized situations
The procedure of the check-out might be influenced by previous activities of the hotel clients and
the precision of the tasks and administration of the request of the clients.
• The client refuses to pay the amount of consumer services and products during the stay.
In this case, it is needed to verify the consumption that the proper documentation must
declare. If the consumption is not documented, the client can easily complain, and there
is no reason for charging the specific amount. Therefore, the client is always right.
• The client made self-check-out. Be sure to check the departures list and update the PMS
several times during the times of departure to communicate the information with the
other departments.
• The client is a skipper. In this case, check the folio of the client who is no longer in the
hotel but did not mention the intention to leave the hotel.
• The client plans to leave earlier than was planned. If the client wants to leave before the
departure date, the cancellation policy must be applied (sensitively based on the reason
for the departure). The process is still the same, but the information about the departure
must be listed in the PMS.
• The client lost the room key/card. In this case, the client might be charged based on the
terms and conditions of the hotel.