Journal of Applied Sciences in Travel and Hospitality Volume 1, Number 4, December 2018 368 THE APPLICATION OF STANDARD OPERATIONAL PROCEDURES BY FRONT OFFICE DEPARTEMENT TO INCREASE GUESTS’ SATISFACTION IN THE HAVEN BALI SEMINYAK I Kadek Deo Sudiatmita1, I Wayan Jendra2, Luh Linna Sagitarini3, Lien Darlina4 1,2,3,4Tourism Business Management, Politeknik Negeri Bali e-mail: deosudiatmita17@yahoo.co.id ABSTRACT This study aims to find out the application of standard operational procedures by front office departments in The Haven Bali Seminyak to improve guest satisfaction and to know the implementation of SOP (Standard Operation Procedure) that need to be improved and maintained by front office department. There are 15 SOP that are divided into 3 SOP namely GSA, GRO and BSA. Respondents in this research are 10 of the management ranks in the Front Office Department of The Haven Bali Seminyak. This research uses quantitative descriptive analysis technique using Likert scale 5 level. The data obtained were processed using the technique of descriptive statistic. In this study, the entire implementation of standard operational procedures by the department of front office shows that the implementation is fully implemented, although from 15 existing SOP, there are 4 SOP that need to be upgraded: welcome greetings, VIP check-in and check-out guest handling, luggage storage, and baggage arrival. Therefore, the company needs to provide training with the approach and training method by using the standard operational procedure themseves so that the services provided can satisfy the guests. Keywords: standard operational procedures, front office, guests’ satisfaction. I. INTRODUCTION Today, the development of the need for traveling is very high, everyone in the world wants to travel to eliminate the fatigue they feel. With a lot of desire for the needs of traveling, many countries in this world began to look seriously with the opportunity to build many attractions and supporting facilities. One of the many countries in the world is Indonesia that is very serious in developing tourism. In Indonesia itself has an island that is famous for its beauty that is Bali island. Bali itself has a facility that is already complete like hotels, which consist of starless up to 5 star hotels. In Bali itself has a very famous hotel that is The Haven Bali Seminyak which is located on Jalan Raya Seminyak number 500. To be able to compete with other hotels The Haven Bali Seminyak has standard operational procedures in each Journal of Applied Sciences in Travel and Hospitality Volume 1, Number 4, December 2018 369 department like in Front Office Departments. Standard operational procedures alone have an important role to increase guests’ satisfaction. If the application is not sufficient then guests will not be satisfied with the services provided. As in this research, there is still less SOP implementation. Therefore, the researcher wanted to know more clearly about the implementation of standard operational procedure by Front Office Department at The Haven Bali Seminyak. Based on the above background, this article is briefly discussing about how the SOP is implemented by Front Office Department to improve guests’ satisfaction, which SOP are needed to be improved and which SOP are needed to be maintained at the Front Office Department to improve guests’ satisfaction at The Haven Bali Seminyak. II. METHODOLOGY This research was conducted at The Haven Bali Seminyak, a four-star hotel in Seminyak area, located on Jalan Raya Seminyak No 500 Bali. Data are collected in this study by direct observation for six months, giving questionnaire and interviewing the respondents at management level in the Front Office Department. III. ANALYSIS TECHNIQUE According to Sugiono (2014: 147) descriptive statistical analysis techniques are statistics used to analyze data by describing the data that has been collected without intending to make conclusions that is generally applied. This study uses descriptive data analysis techniques, namely stastiska which is concerned with how to describe the data to be easily understood. To know the results of questionnaires this study is using Likert scale, as follows: Scale 1: Not implemented at all, the score is 1. Scale 2: Slightly implemented, the score is 2. Scale 3: Enough implemented, the score is 3. Scale 4: Not fully implemented, the score is 4. Scale 5: Fully implemented, the score is 5. Journal of Applied Sciences in Travel and Hospitality Volume 1, Number 4, December 2018 370 IV. RESEARCH FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION Based on the research problem formulation, the implementation of SOP performed by the front office department part of SOP is well implemented and there are some SOPs that are less implemented that can be seen in Table 1 below. Table 1. The implementation of SOP The second finding is which SOP that is need to be improved and maintained at the front office department to increase guests’ satisfaction at The Haven Bali Seminyak. The results obtained are shown in Table 2 and Table 3. Number SOP Average 1 Handling guests’ complaints 5 2 Handling group guests 4.48 3 Escorting guests to beach club 4.76 4 Explaining check-in 4.66 5 Walk-in guests 4.46 6 Individual check-in 4.3 7 Guests’ check-out 4 8 Room change 3.65 9 Escorting guests 3.57 10 Guests’ comments 3.55 11 Handling guests’ requests 3.53 12 Handling VIP check-in and check-out 3.36 13 Welcome greetings 3.05 14 Baggage syorage 2.92 15 Baggage arrival 2.62 Average 4.5 Journal of Applied Sciences in Travel and Hospitality Volume 1, Number 4, December 2018 371 Table 2. List of Maintained SOP Number Name of SOP Average 1 Handling guests’ complaints 5 2 Handling group guests 4.48 3 Escorting guests to beach club 4.76 4 Explaining check-in 4.66 5 Walk-in guests 4.46 6 Individual check-in 4.3 7 Check-out guests 4 8 Room change 3.65 9 Escorting guests 3.57 10 Guests’ comment 3.55 11 Handling guests’ requests 3.53 Table 3. List of improved SOP V. CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTION Conclusion Overall implementation of standardized operational procedures by the Front Office Department at The Haven Bali Seminyak shows the scale of the implementation in full can be seen on the overall average of 4.5 (in Table 1) that the front office employee at The Haven Bali Seminyak is interpreted implementing full standard operating procedures, but there are still some SOP that lack of implementation. Standard operational procedures that should be maintained by the Front Office Department at The Haven Bali Seminyak include check-in explanations, walk-in Number Name of SOP Average 1 Handling VIP check-in and check-out 3.36 2 Welcome greetings 3.05 3 Baggage storage 2.92 4 Baggage arrival 2.62 Journal of Applied Sciences in Travel and Hospitality Volume 1, Number 4, December 2018 372 guests, check-in for individuals, check-out guests, guest complaint handling, group guest handling, guests’ comments’, guest request handling, escorting guests to the beach club, room change, and drop off guests. Standard operational procedures that need to be upgraded by the department's front office at The Haven Bali Seminyak ie welcome greetings, handling of VIP check- in and check-out, luggage storage, and baggage arrival. From 15 existing operational standards, only 4 SOP need to be improved. Suggestion The Front Office Department at The Haven Bali Seminyak to make efforts to improve continuity of service quality and customers’ satisfaction at The Haven Bali Seminyak. Providing a good training method in the form of an internal approach so that every front office employee at The Haven Bali Seminyak feels appreciated, there is no distance between each other and jealousy towards other employees that are not expected. Providing training in the form of games using standard operational procedures as the material of the game. Just like luggage storage by doing a game of keeping treasure, it is useful to remember the contents of the stages that exist in the standard operating procedures of baggage care. REFERENCES Sahadewa, D. G. B. P. A. 2017. Penerapan standar Operating Procedure oleh Waiter/s pada Dimare Restoran di Karma Kandara Resort Bali. Skripsi Program Studi Manajemen Bisnis Pariwisata Pada Jurusan Pariwisata Politeknik Negeri Bali. Bagyono. 2012. 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