The front desk of any organization is very important as clients and visitors judge a company by how its front desk operates. This is especially true of the hospitality industry where the first impression is definitely the last impression. People working at the front desk of a hotel are required to be professional, hands-on and very pleasant, even in the event of adversity.
Anyone who walks into a hotel will be greeted by a front desk clerk. Hotel front desk clerks need to have an outgoing personality and a smile on their faces at all times. They greet guests and provide registration information; everything that a hotel front desk clerk does at this point is aimed at converting inquirers into guests who will end up staying at the hotel.
Scope of Hotel Front Desk Clerk Job
The main responsibility of a hotel front desk clerk is to check guests in and out. They verify guests’ registration information and take any further information required, such as identification and period of stay and take cash or process credit cards. Once they have gone through all these procedures, they hand the room key to the guests and guide them to their rooms. When a guest is about to check out, a front desk clerk will ensure that all dues are clear and the key is handed over.
Working at the front desk of a hotel can be quite rewarding. You get to meet people from different walks of life and stay busy at all times. If you want to work as a front desk clerk at a hotel, you will be interested in the following job duties that are part of the job:
Hotel Front Desk Clerk Job Description
• Greet guests and patrons as they arrive
• Ask if guests have a prior booking
• Manage the registration process
• Ask for identification and ensure that the provided credentials are accurate
• Handle guest check-ins and check-outs appropriately
• Operate hotel switchboard, take calls and provide information and transfer calls
• Manage accurate accounting of all rooms
• Provide guests with room keys and call for bellboys
• Take reservations over the telephone, through emails and in person
• Answer queries regarding the hotel’s services, charges, dining facilities, sports facilities and travel directions
• Refer guests to appropriate departments to resolve complaints or provide suggestions
• Compute bills and take payments
• Provide guests with directions around the hotel
• Contact housekeeping and maintenance departments when a problem is reported
• Explain appropriate use of keys and ensure that guests are satisfied with the rooms allotted to them
• Balance cash at the end of the shift and generate accounting reports for the benefit of the next shift