The look of front office services in the hotel

The look of front office services in the hotel

Front desk can be called the most important deparment in the hotel. First of all this is place where the guest stars and finish his / her hotel journey. Begining from check-in, through solving problems and giving a help, ending on check out. Therefore front office services need to be done perfectly, and front office assistant needs to know everything.

Front desk receptionist duties and responsibilities

Depending on the hotel chain and its range front desk receptionist duties and responsibilities are quite different. However, some of them are of course the same and required, because they are crucial in this job. Moreover no matter from hotel range, the guest should always get the best possible service. It will help with building a good brand image.

Beside obvious responsibilities like check-in and check-out guests, responding to phone calls and e-mails, making reservations, ordering a taxi, and making wake-up calls, there are many other front desk receptionist duties.

Most important are smile, kindness, and helpfulness. Maybe it does not sound like duty, but it is impossible to make good hospitality service without those qualities. When a guest is coming to the hotel he /she expects a warm greeting and a feeling like at home. Most of the guests have long trip behind them and are tired, after entering the hotel they should feel that now they can relax and does not have to worry about anything. Also, they should know that any problem they have may be solved starting from requirements about the room, ending on helping to find a way or transport to the airport.

The receptionist should be well-oriented about inside and outside hotel issues. He/ she needs to know all about hotel services, hotel policy, and hotel news/events/problems of the day. As well front office associate have to know how to react in case of emergency (e.g fire, loss of consciousness by a guest). As well he/ she needs to have information about the nearby area, attractions of the city, transport possibilities, restaurants, clubs e.t.c.

Is front desk responsible for everything?

Unfortunately, front desk is a place where falls most of the problems and responsibilities. Why? Because the receptionist is the first and the last person who has contact with a guest in case of a problem. In most cases, it depends on front office department how fast and how well the problem will be solved.

In case other departments fail in dealing with guests’ complain, the front desk is the last place where it can be done. After checking out the guest there is nothing to deal with, and the guest may not choose the hotel again, write a bad opinion on the internet or send complain to hotel GM.

 

Front office services list

  • check in and check out,
  • setting up the bill and invoice,
  • helping to find information,
  • ordering taxi transport,
  • making wake-up calls,
  • helping to solve problems,
  • giving a guest advice,
  • informing the guest about everything that is going on in the hotel,
  • making hotel/restaurant reservations,
  • availability,
  • delivering and picking up stuff to/from the room (eg. guests’ laundry) when no one else can do it,
  • sometimes taking responsibilities of other hotel departments (especially during the night).

As can be seen, hotel receptionist work is not as easy as it may seem. The front desk is the department that needs to have knowledge in different fields. The hotel reception is all the time in contact with guests and needs to continuously contact all other hotel departments.

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