Front Office Reception - Guest Service Agent

Guest Service Agent

As an integral part of a team, the Guest Service Agent is responsible for continuously looking for ways to improve each guest's experience from providing exceptional guest service to greeting, registering guests upon entering the property and assisting the guest to settle their charges upon departure in accordance to hotel standards.

The Guest Service Agent is perhaps the most noticeable personnel in a hospitality operation. They represent the hotel to the guest throughout all stages of the guest's stay. In many cases, the Guest Service Agent is first person a guest sees upon entering the property and the last person the guest sees on leaving. The guest might call a Guest Service Agent with questions about the dining room menu, lounge entertainment, shuttle service to the airport, or about any other service or activity on the property.

The traditional duties of a Guest Service Agent center on guest registration and cashiering. But as our society, economy and work force become increasingly service-oriented; an increasing emphasis will be placed on guest relations. More and more, the Guest Service Agents must be skilled, talented people who truly enjoy working with people from many cultures.

When appropriate, the Guest Service Agents perform registration and cashiering functions. They determine a guest's reservation status and identify how long the guest needs and wants to stay. The Guest Service Agent helps guest complete registration and then assign rooms accommodating special requests whenever possible. Agents verify the guest's method of payment and follow established credit-checking procedure all in the comfort of the guest's room.

The Guest Service Agent works closely with the Housekeeping Department in keeping room status reports to date. Requests for maintenance and repair work are also coordinated at times through the Guest Service Agent.

The Guest Service Agent must also know how to recognize and respond to suspicious or emergency situations.

Mail, message and information functions were once a prominent feature of most hotel Front Offices, requiring a full-time mail and information clerk to perform the duties. In recent years, the responsibilities for distributing guest mail and messages or answering information requests have been divided among Lobby Receptionists, Guest Service Agents, PBX Operators and Concierges.

Finally, the Guest Service Agent must be sales-minded. A guest who has never stayed at the hotel will not know what the property has to offer. A returning guest may not know about new services or options. It is up to the Guest Service Agent to sell the guest on the hotel's rooms and services. Guest Service Agents do not need to use hard sell techniques. Rather, they should present options and alternatives to guest and offer assistance in making choices. Agents should know the location and types of available rooms as well as activities and services of the property. As part of the registration process, we call attention to special promotions or events of restaurants, lounges, gift shops or other revenue outlets.

To be effective and successful, a Guest Service Agent must be proud of where he or she works. Self-assured, well-trained and sales minded people behind the reception desk can be a valuable public relations asset for the property.

Essential Functions

1. Able to work any day during the week and all shifts as needed.
2. Assist guests with settling their charges upon departure with all methods of payment in accordance with hotels standards.
3. Greet and acknowledge all arriving/departing guests.
4. Maintain cleanliness, sanitation, and organization of the work areas at all times.
5. The ability to display at all times, a friendly, courteous and professional manner in all dealings will guests, patrons and other employees.
6. The ability to assign rooms, welcome and register hotel guests with an emphasis on fulfilling requests, following special handling instructions and adhering to established credit policies and procedures.
7. Understand room status and room status tracking.
8. The ability to quote and be familiar with room types and rate availability for current and future dates.
9. The ability to accept reservations, changes and cancellations in the absence of the reservations staff.
10. The ability to pre-register individuals or groups as required; assist in escorting VIP's and return guests to their rooms as requested.
11. The ability to work closely with the Concierge and Front Services staff to coordinate the efficient handling of guest luggage and follow up on guest's request.
12. The ability to handle guest issues or concerns.
13. The ability to handle a multitude of tasks.
14. The ability to utilize the property management system in running daily reports and blocking special requests.
15. The ability to keep all support departments informed of necessary information or requests.
16. The ability to complete key packets and modify registration cards.
17. The ability to recite hours of operation of all hotel facilities.
18. The ability to understand the tasks performed by a PBX Operator, a Reservation Agent, a Concierge and a Housekeeper.
19. The ability to handle hotel emergency procedures and situations with maturity and professionalism.
20. Use suggestive selling techniques to sell rooms and to promote other services of the hotel.
21. Coordinate room status updates with the Housekeeping Department by notifying housekeeping of all check-outs, late check-outs, early check-ins, special requests, day use rooms and no-show rooms.
22. Posses a working knowledge of the Reservations Department, take same day reservations and future reservations when necessary. Know cancellation procedures.
23. The ability to issue out key cards with proper controls so that keys are given only to registered guests.
24. Use proper mail, package and message handling procedures.
25. Be aware of daily activities and meetings taking place in the hotel.
26. Attend department meetings.
27. Coordinate guestroom maintenance work with the engineering and maintenance division.
28. Report any unusual occurrences or requests to the manager or designated manager.
29. Know all safety and emergency procedures. Be aware of accident prevention policies.
30. Maintain the cleanliness and neatness of the Front Office area.
31. Understand that business demands sometimes make it necessary to move employees from their accustomed shift to other shifts.
32. Be aware that bending, stooping, and lifting items weighing 30 pounds or more may be required.
33. The ability to type 35 words per minute.
34. The ability to work well with other departments since they all work hand in hand.
35. The ability to cross-train in other areas of the hotel as needed to understand the overall operations of a hotel.
36. Balance daily shift work and cash drawers.
37. Answer and respond to inquiries at the Front Office, including folio requests from guests, credit card inquiries, and requests for information from other departments within the hotel.
38. Greet and acknowledge all arriving/departing guests.
39. Be friendly, courteous and professional manner in all dealings will guests, patrons and other employees
40. Perform all other duties as may be required or assigned.

Supervisory Requirements

Reports To: Front Office Manager and Managers on Duty

Supervises: N/A

Education/Experience

• Previous experience in the hotel/ travel industry.
• High school diploma or equivalent vocational training certificate, some college.
• Any combination of education and experience which would provide the necessary knowledge, skills, and abilities to meet the minimum qualifications to perform the essential functions of this position.

Licenses/Certifications

• Tuberculosis (TB) Clearance.

Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities

• Japanese speaking highly preferred
• Ability to anticipate guest needs; respond promptly and acknowledge all guests.
• Must be highly organized, detail-oriented and have the ability to multi-task.
• Ability to maintain positive guest relations at all times.
• Input and access information in the PMS, the property management system/ computers/ point of sales system.

Physical Demands

The physical demands and work environment characteristics described are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Ability to transport up to 40 lbs.
• Ability to stand/walk for up to 8 hours throughout work shift.

Work Environment

• Indoor, air-conditioned environment.
• Outdoor, non-air-conditioned environment.
• Exposure to variable temperatures and weather conditions.
• Variable noise levels.